Book Of The Month
nShot from the Hip by Holly Bargo

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n nGunslingers, ranchers, cowboys, gamblers, and more make their appearance in this exciting collection of short stories set in the American Old West. n nAuthor Holly Bargo takes an unflinching look at this most romanticized of American eras with bigotry, oppression, and hardship leaving their marks. Resilient and resourceful characters rise above those and other challenges with strength and, oftentimes, humor. Clean, sweet romance weaves its magic through many of the stories. n nThe 12 stories contained within this book were previously published, six in the collaborative collection titled Six Shots Each Gun published with Amazon bestselling author Russ Towne and six published in Holly Bargo’s own collection titled Satin Boots.n n n nn n n n

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Excerpt 

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n​“Ma’am?” 
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nHunched over as she weeded a row of carrots, Des- sie leaned back on her heels and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her sleeve. With a sigh, she turned to look at a man silhouetted against the afternoon sky. She took in what details she could: tall, broad shoul- ders, narrow waist, long legs. He wore a pistol at each hip. Cautious, because she did not recognize this stranger, Des- sie slid one hand into her pocket for the heavy pistol she’d begun to carry when her suitors didn’t want to take no for an answer. 
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n“I’m not interested,” she replied, blinking against the sun. 
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n“I ain’t sellin’.” 
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n“Then why are you here?” 
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n“I heard tell there was a woman lookin’ to manage her daddy’s farm all by herself and thought I’d see if she needed some assistance.” 
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nDessie pressed her lips together in a thin line. With her free hand, she waved to indicate her property. “I do, but I’m not looking to marry anyone just to get a helping hand.” 
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nThe man’s white teeth flashed beneath the lowered brim of his hat. “I ain’t lookin’ to get married, ma’am. I’m lookin’ for paid work.” 
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nDessie chewed on her bottom lip as she considered this new development. She most certainly could use a strong back and extra pair of hands, but she was short on resources. She decided to be honest with him. 
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n“I don’t have much money, mister, but I can offer you a place to stay in the barn and three meals a day. You take care of the livestock and crops; I’ll take care of the house, chickens, and garden.” The cow in the barn lowed. She sighed and added, “And I’ll milk the cow.” 
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n“And laundry,” the man added. “Add laundry and I’ll start this afternoon.” 
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nShe frowned, then decided to compromise. “I’ll wash your dirty clothes with mine, but I won’t be washing extra loads just for you.” 
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n“Fair enough, ma’am.” 
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nShe rose to her feet, grunting as her knees protested, and held out her hand. “Do we have an agreement, mister?” 
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nHe took her hand and shook it. His palm was dry and dusty. He nodded and replied, “Yes, ma’am, we do.” 
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nDessie gestured toward the barn. “If you have a horse, you can stable it there. I’ve got some extra stalls available. Then pick up a sickle and head behind the barn. You’ll see a field of winter wheat. It needs harvesting.” 
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n“Yes, ma’am.” 
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n“Call me Dessie. What should I call you?” “John, John McClintock.” 
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nShe nodded at him and watched as he walked away from her, noticing the bow in his legs indicating a life spent in the saddle. She wondered just what she had welcomed into her life and hoped she hadn’t just made the biggest mistake ever. n

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Nearly five years ago, I embarked upon a full-time career as a freelance writer and editor. At that time, I took just about any project that came my way. Since then, I’ve learned what I prefer to do, what I’ll do even if it doesn’t really strike my fancy, and what I won’t do. Basically, I’ve been refining my preferences for work.

This process is important, because it enables me to focus with laser precision on those gigs that will get the best of my work. I always do my best, but sometimes my best isn’t exactly wonderful. For instance, there’s a reason I don’t do technical writing or medical writing. Those niches are far too specialized for someone of my generalist tendencies and experience.

I’ve discovered that I enjoy blog and article writing, but not necessarily about any topic. I haven’t the depth of expertise in some topics, like finance and law, to write in-depth articles targeted toward experts. My work in such fields is better directed toward novices in those topics. When writing about unfamiliar topics, however, I do enjoy the research necessary to learn about them and to write with intelligence upon the subject. My past work for the World Library Foundation‘s monthly newsletter indulged that pleasure. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as the newsletter’s editor and primary writer for the duration of the publication’s short existence. If I see another such opportunity come up, you can bet that I’ll jump on it!

My particular expertise, I believe, lies in fiction. I’m a storyteller at heart. How did I get my pen name? Well, there’s a story behind that. How did I come up with the name for my business? Well, there’s a story behind that. You get the picture. Fiction makes my heart go pitter-patter. Sometimes it requires a bit of research to ensure that details are realistic. After all, if a reader must trust the storyteller to get the easily verified facts correct before he’ll hop on the ride into the improbable or impossible.

There’s a telling disconnection between most potential clients who want to hire ghostwriters to write their fiction and the time, skill, and effort required to produce well-written content. Most ghostwriters don’t come up with the ideas for their clients’ projects: they develop their clients’ ideas. Sometimes, the client offers a few details and leaves it to the ghostwriter to work them into a story–basically to devise the story premise and go from there. Ghostwriters also–generally–don’t provide document formatting or cover art. They’re writers, not graphic designers.

Ideas are easy. They’re plentiful. We pluck them from the air. Developing those ideas takes effort, skill, and time. It may require detailed outlines and character descriptions to guide the ghostwriter. It may entail regular meetings with the client to discuss the project and keep it moving forward. That’s where the cost of ghostwriting often surprises people. Many also don’t realize that producing a well-written manuscript involves review, editing, and revision. It’s not a one-and-done process. Review, editing, and revision usually require the client’s involvement and it all takes time. 

Individuals who have only a dim understanding of ghostwriting or who simply don’t value the work, express dismay when confronted with the fees commanded by professional ghostwriters. A biography of approximately 50,000 words may easily command a total fee of $35,000 or more for ghostwriting. That’s a lot of money that doesn’t include document formatting or cover art.

I specialize in fiction which commands lower rates than nonfiction. That doesn’t–and shouldn’t–mean it’s cheap. But that is where skill, value, and personal interest intersect. If you’ve got a story you want written, look me up. I’d love to talk with you.

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