The Virgin Madam
by Shiloh Saddler
After inheriting a brothel, Laura’s determined to hide her lust for women behind
conservative skirts and a businesswoman’s facade. When a mysterious softspoken stranger requests a room, Laura must confront both her secret desires
and her father’s murderer or face a lonely future as the virgin madam.
A Featured Insider’s View
Why as an author you chose to write this book? What
was your inspiration for it?
I am a diverse reader with a soft spot for GLBT. After
reading many romances I decided it was time to
write my own novella. I knew it had to be historical
– my favorite genre. I was shocked to find how few
F/F historical romances were out there compared to
M/M. There is definitely a need for more F/F historical
romance. I wanted to help fill that need and took it as
a challenge.
Why did I choose the Old West for my time period? I
grew up watching western movies with John Wayne
and Clint Eastwood. I also watched all the good
western TV shows like Gunsmoke and Bonanza. The
idea for The Virgin Mada m came to me after trying to
imagine what women would do if they were thrown
into some of the dangerous situations the heroes in
these TV shows and movies faced. I always loved
when a western included a strong female like a
woman running a ranch after her husband’s death or
a mail order bride willing to move into the wilderness
to start a new life.
The Virgin Madam is set in Bitterroot Flats, California
a town run by the Fletcher gang. After Laura’s papa
is murdered she inherits his brothel and becomes the
madam. She is similar to Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke
only a little more innocent. She thinks she’s cursed
to remain alone because she lusts after her working
girls. She has two goals: get out of this desert town
and get revenge for her papa’s death.
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Joe Bascum stumbles into Bitterroot Flats looking
for a place to hide from a gunman out for blood.
When Laura offers a bed and bath, Josephine “Joe”
Bascum accepts hoping to show the buttoned-up
beauty just how right forbidden desire can feel. In
my mind Joe is the female version of Marshal Dillon
only without the badge. The Virgin Madam has
everything I love about westerns: outlaws, saloon
girls, shootouts, and steamy love scenes!
Shiloh Saddler likes to do research for her steamy romances
first hand. She has invented a time machine and
travels back to the 19th century on a regular
basis. There are experimental settings on her
time machine which could propel her into the
future and even other worlds. She believes love
and a good book makes anything possible.
Shilohsaddler.blogspot.com