Hump Day Hook – Dreaming Josie #10

Another look at my short paranormal romance.

Excerpt:

He took her mouth, silencing her question. Her lips held tightly firm for a moment, then yielded to him. His tongue slid inside to taste her thoroughly. Sweet, soft and amazing. When he released her, he read the unleashed passion in her half-closed eyes.

She blushed a deep red, glancing around the tent. “Corporal …Kyle…you mustn’t take such liberties. What will the others think?”

He looked around and shrugged. “No one’s paying us any attention.”

She lifted the pan. “I have to go.”

Before he could stop her, she hurried past him moving to the front of the tent.

“Josie.”

Something blared beside his cot. He turned his head and woke in his own bed to the blast of rock music from his alarm clock.

He shut it off and sat up. What a vivid dream! The ones he’d had before had been fragmented and fuzzy. He’d barely remembered them afterward. But that kiss. He touched his lips, swearing he could still feel her softness, smell her lavender scent.

He had truly lost it.

Dreaming Josie available for only 99 cents at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Josie-ebook/dp/B008FZSPLS/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1341001818&sr=1-7

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and Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/177360

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Monday Inspiration – Civil War Field Hospital

Since I’ve been posting excerpts from my short paranormal romance, Dreaming Josie, where the modern day hero is having vivid dreams of being a soldier in a Civil War field hospital, I’d thought I’d post information from my research for the story.

Civil War field surgeons were often called butchers, but it was the weaponry of the day, the slow-moving minie bullet that was responsible for the catastrophic injuries and amputations that were so common in Civil War field hospitals. At the Battle of Chickamauga, John Bell Hood’s leg was struck by two minie bullets, shattering five inches of his upper thigh bone. Surgeons had no choice other than amputation with the state of nineteenth century medicine. Men who lost arms, such as Stonewall Jackson and Oliver O. Howard, had high morality rates. Amputees were a very visible reminder of the brutality of this war. At the time, weaponry had far surpassed the medical techniques needed to aid such injuries.

Soldiers wounded in battle might wait at least a day, maybe two before treatment could be administered. And antiseptics weren’t used in surgery until 1865, the final year of the war. Even a simple precaution like hand washing wasn’t routinely done before a surgeon operated. Clothes of doctors were blood splattered while going from patient to patient. If something was dropped during the surgery, it would be rinsed in cool, bloodied water. Sponges were dipped in cool water and used over again on different patients.

One surgeon recalled: “We operated in old blood-stained and often pus-stained coats, we used undisinfected instruments from undisinfected plush lined cases. If a sponge (if they had sponges) or instrument fell on the floor it was washed and squeezed in a basin of water and used as if it was clean.”

The term “Sawbones” was used to describe a doctor because the bonesaw was a common instrument used to amputate a shattered limb. The surgeon would saw through the bone until it was severed. The limb was then tossed into a pile of limbs from other unfortunate patients. “A good surgeon could amputate a limb in under 10 minutes.”

Only if a soldier was lucky would he escape what were known as “Surgical Fevers”. Gangrene, Pyemia, a form of blood poisoning; as well as other infections developed from the lack of cleanliness and antibiotics, which didn’t exist at the time, and the fact that surgeons were required to work with speed. Once an infection entered the body, it was difficult to treat with the medicines available.

For more information on Civil War surgery:

http://www.historynet.com/the-truth-about-civil-war-surgery-2.htm

http://www.civilwarhome.com/armysurgeon.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/tours/civilwar/medmus.htm

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Hump Day Hook – Dreaming Josie #10

Another look at my paranormal romance short story, originally published in the anthology, Northern Roses and Southern Belles.

Excerpt:
She studied him. “Perhaps I should call the doctor.”

She rose, but he quickly grasped her hand. He didn’t close on air this time, but soft, warm skin.

“Please stay,” he said. “We need to talk.”

“All right. I’ll put a fresh bandage on your wound.”

He nodded. Anything to keep her with him. He watched as she wrapped the bandage around his raised thigh, then tied it off.

“You’ll be good as new before too long, so Doc says.” Josie rose and took the pan.

Kyle feared she was leaving again. His hand shot out to stop her.

Dreaming Josie available for only 99 cents at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Josie-ebook/dp/B008FZSPLS/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1341001818&sr=1-7

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreaming-josie-susan-macatee/1112136131?ean=2940044700420

and Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/177360

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Hump Day Hook – Dreaming Josie #9

Another look at my short paranormal romance available for only 99 cents.

Excerpt:
Her scent and feather-light touch caused an embarrassing reaction. He glanced down, wondering if she’d noticed, but she concentrated on his thigh.

She expertly cut away the bandage, and Kyle stared at his leg. Stitches covered a long, pinkish scar.

“What happened?”

Josie glanced at him and frowned. “Surely you remember being shot.”

“Shot!”

“In the cornfield.” She bit her lip.

“I – no! I wasn’t shot. I…”

“It’s all right. I’ll take care of you.” She lifted a towel from the basin and started cleaning the wound. “We have to keep it clean to prevent infection.”

“This doesn’t make sense. I was never shot.”

Dreaming Josie available for only 99 cents at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Josie-ebook/dp/B008FZSPLS/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1341001818&sr=1-7

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreaming-josie-susan-macatee/1112136131?ean=2940044700420

and Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/177360

Since I own the rights to this story, originally published in a Civil War romance anthology put out by The Wild Rose Press, I’m considering expanding the story into a full-length novel. If you’re enjoying the excerpts from this short e-book, based on true stories of Civil War reenactors who believe they were soldiers in a past life, let me know what you think.

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Hump Day Hook – Dreaming Josie #8

Another short excerpt from my short paranormal romance, available for only 99 cents.

Excerpt:
A chill ran down Kyle’s spine. Josie, that’s the name Derek said he’d been calling out last night.

“What reenactment group you with?”

She bit her lip. “I’m afraid I don’t understand your question, sir.”

“You’re not with a group? How about one of the civilian groups?”

“Oh, no. I’m here on my own. I want to help in whatever way I can.”

Kyle decided to take a different track. “Do you live near Philadelphia?”

“I live in the city, on Chestnut Street.”

He glanced at her ring finger. Empty. “Most ladies in my group come with their husbands or boyfriends.”

“No. As I said, I’m here on my own.”

“Well, can I walk you back to camp? Or are you staying off-site?”

She frowned again. “I stay with the other nurses.”

“Great. Lead on, and I’ll walk you back.”

She smiled, and he reached for her arm. His hand closed on air.

“What the hell?”

She gazed at him. “I can’t stay.”

She dissolved before his eyes.

Dreaming Josie available for only 99 cents at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Josie-ebook/dp/B008FZSPLS/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1341001818&sr=1-7

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreaming-josie-susan-macatee/1112136131?ean=2940044700420

and Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/177360

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Hump Day Hook – Dreaming Josie #7

Another look at my short paranormal romance.

Excerpt:
Kyle paced his apartment. He had to be losing it. The woman—Josie, she’d said her name was—vanished into thin air. What the hell was going on?

Derek had told him he’d had too much to drink the night before, but Kyle knew that wasn’t true. Something strange had happened. Could his dream girl be a ghost?

He didn’t even want to entertain that thought.

After a shower, he took in a baseball game on cable, then decided to turn in. He still felt shaky after the encounter on the field. All the way home, he’d kept going over it in his mind. He must be going nuts.

He finally settled into bed and tried to clear his mind. Maybe a good night’s sleep would put the whole thing to rest. He doubted it, though.

An inviting scent of lavender and woman woke him from a deep sleep. Someone leaned over him. He opened his eyes and stared into Josie’s. He glanced around and found he was in a large canvas tent. Men lay all around him on cots.

“I’m here to wash you, Corporal.” Josie placed a pan of water on a small table beside him.

“It’s Kyle,” he said.

She smiled. “Here, let me help you with your trouser leg.” She pulled back the blanket covering him, and he stared down at his leg. His pants were torn at the seam, allowing access to his thigh. A gauze bandage wrapped around it.

“What the…?”

Dreaming Josie available for only 99 cents at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Josie-ebook/dp/B008FZSPLS/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1341001818&sr=1-7

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreaming-josie-susan-macatee/1112136131?ean=2940044700420

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Hump Day Hook – Dreaming Josie #6

Another look at a short scene from my short paranormal romance.

Excerpt:
The corporal produced a small pad and lead pencil.

She hastily scribbled her name and address.

“Josephine!”

Josie winced at her mother’s harsh tone.

“I’m coming, Mother.” She shot the corporal an apologetic glance.

Edith strode over and cast a withering glare in Corporal Maguire’s direction. “I would thank you, sir, not to make yourself overly familiar with my daughter. It isn’t proper.”

To Josie, she added, “We really must be leaving. Now.”

Josie passed the pad to Maguire, hoping her mother was in too much of a huff to notice.

“Good day, Corporal.” Edith turned to the door, expecting Josie to follow.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

He winked and tucked the pad into his coat pocket. “It will be our secret.”

Dreaming Josie available for only 99 cents at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Josie-ebook/dp/B008FZSPLS/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1341001818&sr=1-7

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dreaming-josie-susan-macatee/1112136131?ean=2940044700420

and Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/177360

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