BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Misfortune Annie and the Locomotive Reaper by "Gusto" Dave Jackson and Janet "The Kid" Fogg
ABOUT THE BOOK
When Annabelle Fortune,
the fastest gunslinger in the wild west, inadvertently stops a stranger from
attacking a train -- and he wears a suit that enables him to fly! -- the
government believes she's the only one to have witnessed the Locomotive Reaper
and survived to tell the tale.
Promising to find out
what he can about her missing father, the Director of the Secret Service persuades
Annie to swear in. Too soon, her detested nickname re-stakes its claim.
Partnered with Beau
Slokam, whose penchant for gambling leads them straight to the Doom Gang,
Misfortune Annie guides the smooth-talking Southerner in a chase through the
Rockies, with her Cheyenne friend, Wontoa, rounding out their unlikely trio.
When Annie again meets
the Locomotive Reaper, his gadgetry proves far more advanced -- and deadly --
than even top scientists could have imagined.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Janet Fogg’s focus on writing began
when she was CFO and Managing Principal of OZ Architecture, one of Colorado’s
largest architectural firms. Fifteen writing awards later, she resigned from
the firm to follow the yellow brick road. Ten months after that, she signed a
contract with The Wild Rose Press for her historical romance Soliloquy a HOLT Medallion Award of
Merit winner.
With husband Richard, Janet
co-wrote Fogg in the Cockpit (Casemate), one of five books nominated in 2012 by the Air Force
Historical Foundation for best World War II book reviewed in Air Power History.
Keeping her historical knowledge
sharp, Janet manages the 359th Fighter Group’s Facebook page, sharing WWII
stories and photos about the Fighter Group.
She is also a proud member and 2015/16 Vice President of Rocky Mountain Fiction
Writers. She previously served as Published Author Liaison in 2010.
Not your typical author, Dave
Jackson started writing in his constant pursuit to become a renaissance man,
but later fell in love with the art form. He performs stand-up and skits
regularly, as Comedy remains one of his many passions and he writes and
performs skits, as well as stand-up. Also a songwriter and guitarist, Dave has
composed over 300 musical titles.
A country boy, Dave was raised in
Oklahoma and taught 6th grade English for two years. He enjoys sharing the tale
about when he climbed high into a towering black jack tree and grabbed a dead
branch. Snap! He hurtled toward his death, but he held tight to the branch and
it slowed his fall, saving his life.
AUTHOR LINKS
EXCERPT
Our villain,
the Locomotive Reaper, has a suit that enables him to fly, fueled by hydrogen
(the gas used in blimps at that time). He also wields a magnetic glove that can
disarm his assailants. In this scene, he humbles our heroes in a brawl on top
of a stagecoach.
Metal face
frozen in an evil grin, the Reaper swooped down to the roof. He landed with a
drumming thud and shoved Slokam sideways. The agent grabbed the edge of the
roof to hang on, dropping the red stick of dynamite. Annie raised her .45.
With his
right hand in a red glove—she noticed that the one on his south paw matched the
rest of his outfit—the Reaper extended his fingers at her and made a sweeping
motion again. Annie’s revolver leaped from her hand and tumbled onto the road.
It felt as if her revolver had betrayed her, had run away from the fight.
The horses
slowed to a stop. The fuse on the dynamite sizzled.
Wontoa
growled and leaped at the Reaper.
Sparks
gulped the dynamite fuse. Crawling on his belly, Slokam reached for the
explosive, but the stick slithered away like a snake.
The
Locomotive Reaper punched the blood stain on Wontoa’s shoulder. He stiffened
and fell back, shuddering as he struggled to breathe.
Slokam
abandoned his quest for the dynamite and kicked the flying man in the knee.
The Reaper
clutched his leg and howled as he slipped sideways.
“Enough!” he
shouted as he shoved Wontoa off the stagecoach. “You’re out of time!” he
continued as he stepped off the roof to hover over the ravine.
In one
smooth motion Slokam snatched up the stick of dynamite and threw it at the
Reaper.
Boom!
A now
familiar gust of wind slapped Annie’s back. The coach bucked, trying its
hardest to throw her.
She
whispered, “Won...toa.”
The Reaper
swooped back down.
Half dazed,
she turned to look.
He and
Slokam were grappling, the agent held in a choke hold, trembling as if the red
glove had some kind of power.
Stomach
churning, Annie clenched her fists around the reins and slapped the horses
forward. Guns didn’t work. Hand-to-hand fighting didn’t either.
Thank you so much for featuring Annie! Happy trails! Janet Fogg
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