High Stakes

By Chad Strong

Two lowlifes want him dead, moral crusaders want him gone, and cocky young gambler Curt Prescott’s caught between two women who want his love.

23-year-old Curt Prescott plays better poker than men twice his age. His skill raised him from a life of degradation on the streets to a comfortable living with his girl, saloon songstress, Del, in Victoria, BC.

In the spring of 1877, a new preacher, his wife, and daughter, Mary, arrive. The preacher hopes to save the souls of Victoria’s “misguided”. His wife forms a committee to eradicate them. Curt must fight back with everything he has – including a plan to seduce Mary and shame the family.

As a notorious criminal, and Del’s jealous rages, threaten them all, Curt’s battle for his lifestyle becomes one of right and wrong, life and death, and love lost and found.

Chock-full of action, romance, and courage of the heart, High Stakes is an adventure for men and women alike.
 

FINALIST- The Peacemaker Awards by WESTERN FICTIONEERS! 
FINALIST – The RONE Awards – American Historical 
5-STAR REVIEW - Silver Badge - The Reader's Favorite Book Reviews! 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HunterCat Publishing
• Release date: Feb 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9780994735027

Chad Strong

Chad Strong is a Canadian author to whom the "Three R's" means: Readin', Writin', and Ridin'- his greatest passions.Chad discovered the power of books at a young age and has been enjoying and learning through the written word ever since. His main interests lie in westerns, fantasy, history, mythology, and literary classics. As with his reading preferences, Chad's writing doesn't stick to any one particular genre. He writes the stories that hassle him, demanding to be told, be they western, fantasy, supernatural, suspense, young adult — historical or contemporary — or any combination thereof.Chad's first novel, High Stakes, made it to the Finals for both a Peacemaker Award by the Western Fictioneers in the category of Best First Western Novel, and for a RONE Award by InD'Tale Magazine in the American Historical category.High Stakes appeals to both male and female audiences with its Western grit, Historical interest, and Romantic elements. Set in Victoria, BC of 1877, the novel has received favourable reviews, including one from noted Victoria historian, Norman K. Archer.A dedicated horseman as well, Chad's time and energy have always been divided by his two greatest passions – horses and books. If there wasn’t a pair of reins or a manure fork in his hands, there’d likely be a novel, or a pen and notebook.Accomplishments to Date:HIGH STAKES (Western Novel)1) FINALIST — The Peacemaker Award for Best First Western Novel by the Western Fictioneers2) FINALIST — The RONE Awards in the American Historical category, by InD'Tale Magazine.3) 5-STAR REVIEW - Silver Badge - The Reader's Favorite Book Reviews!Also, a few short stories were chosen as Reader's Favorites:1) THE CAMAS FAIRY - Voted Best Short Story in the January 2012 issue of Bards & Sages Quarterly2) THE TRACKER - Voted Best Short Story in the May 2014 issue of Frontier Tales3) THE CHURCHYARD INCIDENT - Voted Best Short Story in the October 2014 issue of Bards & Sages QuarterlyAfter several readers asked, Chad was pleased to gather eight of his published short stories into a single volume called Mixed Grazing - A Collection of Short Stories. He plans to release a second volume once he has enough stories to fill it.