Book Excerpts
Book Excerpts
In “The Body in Griffith Park,” a period-piece mystery combines interrogation with romance
While the authorities seek to unmask a killer in early 20th-century California, two of the questioners mix police work with flirtation
In one selection from her collection “Lucid Life,” the poet offers a father’s wish for his daughter
In a second poem, Catherine R. Berra reflects on the process of growing older and wiser -- but not alone
In this sci-fi fantasy, the imposing WindRunner arrives to call Owen to a dangerous quest
Dragons, magic and evil lie ahead as the giant stallion prepares to transport the uncertain son on a journey to find his parents, missing soldiers and an amulet
Jared Smith evokes sunrise across America in the title piece of his poetry collection
In a few dozen lines, the poet describes the glitz and especially the grit of the nation as it awakens, from sea to shining sea
In “To Walk Humbly,” a historical novel, the Ku Klux Klan’s influence is on display
Author Laurie Marr Wasmund invokes 1920s Denver landmarks in an excerpt where the Klan appeals to the business interests of prospective members
In “Sweet Twisted Pine,” a man on a quest to find his missing sister struggles to adapt to the Old West
Author Lori Hodges introduces readers to an eastern transplant who has been making progress -- until he's introduced to a frightened porcupine
In “A Perfect Eye,” a bizarre murder scene reveals puzzling artistic touches
The excerpt from Stephanie Kane's mystery paints a grisly picture of a crime that seems inspired by suitable-for-framing aesthetics
“Immigrants, Ornaments and Legacies” recounts the 1950s rise of Christmas bulbs
Post-war America and its new-found disposable income fueled a rapidly developing market for holiday decorations, with some of the early standards brought to the U.S. by immigrants
“Church of the Graveyard Saints” introduces old flames reunited in southwestern Colorado
Protagonist Addie Decker's return to her hometown will reunite her with old boyfriend Colt. Here, author C. Joseph Greaves introduces him.
In “Ambush,” a detective seeks a young Iraqi boy with secrets — and so does a ruthless killer
Protagonist Sydney Parnell, blood-stained from her brush with the killer Alpha, continues her search just one step ahead of danger
“Spurred West” examines the myth of the Wild West, starting with its icon, Buffalo Bill Cody
Author Ian Neligh spent a year researching the legends that inspired the lore that captivated America and beyond, to see if remnants of the dime-novel stories lives on in the West
In “The Secrets of Lost Stones,” a cryptic note presents troubled teen with a choice
Melissa Payne's novel calls on her experience with abused and neglected children to paint a compelling portrait of the troubled protagonist
Kin or hostage? In “Wanted,” a chase across the American West, a woman realizes she’s both
Author Paula L. Silici's excerpt describes a desperate race for freedom and then what could be a last stand for two cousins
Tracking the story of Colorado’s Cheley camps, where generations of kids have learned to love the mountains
From Frank Cheley's seed of an idea in 1921, the camps for boys and girls gradually grew into a rite of passage for kids from all over the country
In “Fake,” a high-school outsider describes her online metamorphosis
This excerpt from Donna Cooner's young adult novel explores the desire to create a glamorous fantasy identity when a teen girl struggles to accept herself as she is
Scenes from the past and present, linked by shadows and light, death and violence
In their novel "Light in the Shadows," co-authors and spouses Linda Lafferty and Andy Stone meld the life of 16th-century painter Caravaggio with a present-day adventure
Sorcery and swordcraft collide in Cate Glass’ fantasy novel, “An Illusion of Thieves”
Writing under her pseudonym, author Carol Berg introduces the protagonist, her thieving brother and the duelist charged with teaching him the violent art
An Iraqi family takes refuge in Colorado; a Libyan family feels a rising threat
In "Taste the Sweetness Later," author Connie Shoemaker explores the circumstances that brought two Muslim women to America and how they adjusted to new lives
In the novel “The Cryptid Catcher,” the main character wonders if he’ll find evil
Author Lija Fisher's protagonist, Clivo, mistakes a priest for a shape-shifting creature, but then learns some disturbing information about the object of his search
