Today, I’m turning my blog over to my friend, Tammy Tate, who is celebrating the release of the second novel in her time travel series.  Sit back and enjoy as Tammy explains how the idea of THE SPIRIT PATH came to be, and then shares the blurb and excerpt from book two, THE SECRET PATH. 

BIRTHING THE SPIRIT PATH
By Tammy Tate 

“Where did you come up with the idea for The Spirit Path?” you ask. That’s easy.

I used to own a palomino horse named “Buck”, a Rottweiler named “Cash”, and I rode almost every day with a dear friend of mine. We spent hours winding through trail after trail of undeveloped terrain. I used to wonder what it would have been like in the 1800s when Native Americans roamed the land. Did they ride their horses down the same trails?

It turned into a passion. After hours researching Native American culture and language, I wrote The Spirit Path for A Journalism/Short Story class I was taking. Of course, it was a much smaller version. But, my instructor loved it and I scored an A+. As time passed, the characters I created refused to go away. They had a lot more to say. Therefore, I expanded on the storyline, hoping others might enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. The response I got went far beyond my expectations.

At first, I self-published it as an eBook. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect over 7000 downloads in the first couple of months! Not to mention, each time I finished one…I received passionate requests for a sequel. I had no choice. Readers wanted more and the characters were still restless. They wanted to live on. It was incredible to see them come to life right before my eyes. It was up to me to get it all down and tell their story.

Now, I have a wonderful publisher, Books To Go Now. The story has evolved into a three part series. Book 1 and 2 are available on Amazon. Book 3 is almost complete and ready to go through the editing process. The hard part will be letting them go.

It has been an amazing journey…

Blurb
Time travel is a fantasy. Isn’t it?

Not anymore… Nicole traveled to 1812 and left something behind. Now, she’ll risk everything to return. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. She can’t come and go at will and there’s no guarantee where she’ll end up if she does go back. Nevertheless, her love for Flaming Arrow far outweighs the risks.

Sam is a modern day Shaman who agrees to help. In a twisted leap of fate, Nicole’s best friend Tracy, goes along and they find themselves running for their lives.

Now, Nicole has three goals. Locate her soulmate. Convince Tracy she’s still married, despite the fact her husband hasn’t been born yet. And, get them home alive.

Excerpt
Nicole shook her head to recall the last thing she remembered. When she blacked out, Tracy was beside her. That meant she was inside the perimeter as she began her journey into the past. It explained why they were both in 1812. Poor Tracy. She didn’t have a clue.  

“Tracy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to come with me.” 

Tracy stretched high over her head and yawned, obviously still oblivious to the situation. “Are we in a wagon?” 

“Yes.” Nicole nodded slowly. 

Tracy chuckled then looked confused as her eyes darted around the dimly lit quarters. “When did you get a wagon? I don’t remember—” She stopped in mid-sentence and her mouth gaped open when a gunshot exploded from outside. 

Nicole covered her ears to muffle the sounds that followed. Only faintly hearing hooves pound the ground, women and children scream and men shout in desperation. 

“Is that smoke?” Tracy asked in a high-pitched tone. “Are we on fire?” 

Nicole read her lips and looked to where she pointed. A gray billowy cloud materialized inside the wagon like an apparition and instantly stung her eyes. 

Nicole buried her nose in the sleeve of her dress then pulled back briefly to cough out a command for Tracy to do the same. Right away, she saw blood on her sleeve. 

In an attempt to escape before flames engulfed the canvas overhead, she grabbed Tracy’s arm, pulled her to her feet and drug her to the back of the wagon. They had to go. Now. 

“Wait!” Tracy jerked her arm free in protest. “Where are we? Don’t lie. By the looks of it, I’m guessing— Are we in 1812?” 

Nicole heard her gasp when she confirmed her suspicions with a quick nod. 

“Are-Are you serious?” Tracy stuttered. “I don’t want to be in 1812! Okay Niki, you made your point. I believe you can travel in time. I’ll never doubt you again. Now, let’s go home.” 

“We have to go all right. We’re under attack.” Nicole mumbled inches from Tracy’s face. “Home isn’t an option right now.” 

About the author
Tammy Tate was born and raised in Hollywood, Florida but has lived most of her adult life in Texas. Her passion to write began in high school. It follows her everywhere she goes…creating a world where anything is possible. She’s been married to the same wonderful man for over thirty years. Her secret to a long marriage? It’s easy when you marry your best friend. In her world, Friday night is still date night.

Before she became a full-time author, she was an Executive Secretary, a Computer Consultant/Technician, and a Communications Officer (Police Dispatcher). She doesn’t mind a challenge which has allowed her to race a late-model in a women’s powder puff race, run barrels and poles in a play-day rodeo and drive an 18-wheeler. Somewhere in between, she and her husband raised three wonderful children. When she’s not breathing life into her characters or jotting down ideas for a new book, she and her husband are exploring country roads on their Honda Gold Wing.

Since she believes reading is the next best thing to writing, she enjoys romance, fantasy, science fiction and thrillers. In December of 2013, she signed her first book contract with a traditional publisher. Her books have made Amazon’s Best Seller list.

Above all, she loves to hear from you…

Connect with Tammy at the following haunts:
Email: authortammytate@aol.com 
Facebook Fan Page 
Twitter 
Blog

Purchase THE SECRET PATH Book Two from Amazon
Purchase THE SPIRIT PATH Book One from Amazon