Gunslinger Shiloh Coltrane has returned home to work the family's Wyoming ranch, only to find there's still violence ahead. His sister and nephew have been murdered, and the killers are at large. Dr. Sydney Cantrell has come west to start her medical practice, aiming to treat the people of a small town. As she tries to help and heal, she finds disapproval and cruelty the payment in kind.

When the two meet, it's an attraction of opposites. As Shiloh seeks revenge, Sydney seeks to do what's right. Each wants a new life, but will trouble or love find them first?

Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature Andrea Downing and Shot Through the Heart, a recent historical romance released by the Wild Rose Press. Up first is gunslinger turned Wyoming rancher, Shiloh Coltrane.

Good morning, Mr. Coltrane. Tell us something about yourself, beginning with where you are from. Born and raised in Wyoming

Tell us a bit about Shot Through the Heart. I used to be a hired gun, travelling around quite a bit. I left my family’s ranch because I couldn’t get on with my papa, but I finally decided to hang up my guns and go back and help my sister, who’d inherited the ranch. Trouble is, when I got back on home I discovered my sister and her son had been murdered, so of course, I need to find those men that killed her before I can settle well back home.

What did you think the first time you saw Sydney Cantrell? I thought she was an angel descending the steps in the saloon. I knew she couldn’t be a soiled dove, but I had no idea who—or what—she was.

What was your second thought? The next time I saw her I was waiting to see the new doctor…only to discover it was her! You can imagine my surprise, and also my embarrassment because, after all, when you see a doctor there are private things you don’t want to show or discuss with a woman. It was strange.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? Pretty much, but I was plum confused so I wasn’t really thinking much about my feelings at that point.

What do you like most about Dr. Cantrell? She’s real caring, for both the townspeople and the local Indians. But I’m not sure her independence is a real good thing—seems a bit headstrong to me, but then maybe we both are.

How would you describe her? I’m not sure whether you mean her looks or her personality. Looks-wise, she’s got this red-gold hair and almost hyacinth-colored eyes and really pale skin. She’s beautiful. Personality-wise, as I said, she’s really independent and headstrong; makes up her own mind and is difficult to dissuade from her own opinions. I guess that’s how she became a doctor against her parents’ wishes.

How would she describe you? Probably in a very similar way—we’re both set in our ways and have our own ideas of things we’re not likely to give up. That’s a problem, ‘cause I’m going after my sister’s killers and Syd doesn’t approve of killing.

What made you choose gunslinging as a career? What makes anyone choose it? You sort of fall into it. You find you’re quick with your gun and a good shot, don’t mind fighting people, and like the travel. But I got sick of taking orders from other men who didn’t want to get their hands dirty, so to speak.

What is your biggest fear? Not finding my sister’s killers.

How do you relax? Huh? Who the heck relaxes? What’s that? I’ll be running a ranch when I’m done with those murderers and there’s always something to be done on a ranch.

Who is your favorite fictional character? I don’t know any fictional characters; I don’t read much, if that’s what you mean.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? Keep your guns clean, your eyes open, and a slipknot on your horse.

Thanks for spending time with us, Mr. Coltrane. And thank you for offering us an excerpt from Shot Through the Heart:

She crouched behind him, unable to stop the thought her patient’s physique was a prime example of why a female shouldn’t be a doctor, according to her last professor. Oh, yes—we wouldn’t be able to treat men without thinking of marriage. Ha! She shook her head to banish the thought, now supplanted by admiration for the curve of his buttocks, and stood up. Put on her professional tone. Looked into eyes the color of a storm-brewing sky and felt a rush of desire to run her hands though the shaggy blond hair.

Never. Never ever.

She breathed out, pulled herself back to the moment.

“You’re covered in glass.”

“What else is new?”

“Are you in pain?”

“Some. It can wait. Not enough to concern me.”

“You’re going to have to take off your pants and lie on your stomach so I can examine you.”

He didn’t take his eyes off her as he said, “Well then you’re going to have to help. My hands….” He held out his hands, palms up, for her to see.

She realized he was right but resented her own huff of annoyance as he lifted his arms away from his sides. She reached for the buckle on his gun belt first, her irritation with his smirk making her proceed faster than she might have, with less care.

He grimaced.

“Did that hurt?”

“’Course it dang well hurt. I’ve got glass—”

“I can see you’re covered in glass, Mr.?” It suddenly struck her she’d been so stunned by her patient, she hadn’t even got his name.

“Coltrane. Shiloh Coltrane.”

She pulled herself together once more as she stood, disconcerted, her gaze avoiding his. “Perhaps you’d like to see the barber? This is something he can—”

“If I wanted a shave, I’d see the barber. What I want is…what I want is to get this dang glass out of my skin, my hands particularly. And the piece that’s sticking me in the…the…behind.”

“There are bits in your face as well.” She reached for his belt without another word and undid it, hanging the gun belt on the chair before reaching for his pants belt and pulling it free. That, too, landed on the chair.

“I know I’ve got bits in my face. Let’s just deal first with the hands and …and behind.”

“All right,” she said. “I’m not going to take your pants off for you. Let me see your hands.”

Once more, Shiloh held out both hands, palms up.

Flustered, she blurted, “Sit down.” She went to her bag and searched for the carbolic, gave it a shake before putting some on a cloth and wiped a pair of tweezers. She pulled a tin basin out of the bag as well. She pivoted back to him to find him still standing. “Sorry I forgot. You can’t sit, can you?”

“Not really. Am I causing you problems?”

Now it’s time to chat with author Andrea Downing, beginning with:

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Fortune’s Daughters by Elizabeth Kehoe and Centennial by James Michener The former is about the Jerome sisters, one of whom, Jenny, was Winston Churchill’s mother and another of whom, Clara, married a Brit who started one of the first cattle companies in Wyoming. Centennial touched on the British starting ranches as well, and the two of them together gave me the idea for my first book, Loveland.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? There isn’t really an event as such, but in 2012 I was able to purchase a small holiday home outside of Jackson, WY, in Wilson. Since then I’ve got to know Wyoming pretty well—I’d traveled there many times before as well—so it’s become the setting for most of my books. I’m not sure, in this book, the Wyoming setting made much of an impact other than the traveling Shiloh has to do and the long months he spends away because of the distances involved.

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? I’ve been with The Wild Rose Press since my first book, back in 2012, so I am sticking with them. They have great respect for the most part for their authors and treat us pretty well.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? Are you kidding?! I have about fifty novels on my kindle waiting to be read, mostly literary fiction with a few romances thrown in. I read a lot of books set in the West, such as those by Ivan Doig, Anne Schroeder, or Paulette Jiles, but I also read western romance of course, such as those by Shanna Hatfield, Patti Sherry-Crews, and Hebby Roman.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’ve been working on and off on a women’s fiction book but that’s resting, you might say. The pandemic has really taken it out of me with my daughter and son-in-law living here so I have no idea when I’ll get back to it and when you’ll see it on the shelves.

To purchase Shot Through the Heart, go to:

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54751926-shot-through-the-heart

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shot-Through-Heart-Andrea-Downing-ebook/dp/B08DHV8VQ5/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/shot-through-the-heart-by-andrea-downing

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shot-through-the-heart-andrea-downing/1137387142?ean=9781509232345

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/shot-through-the-heart-18

To learn more about Andrea Downing and the stories she creates, go to:

Twitter: @andidowning https://twitter.com/AndiDowning

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/writerAndreaDowning/

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/andidowning/andreas-roundup/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/andidowning/?hl=en

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6446229.Andrea_Downing