The Book
She
kicked the country dust off her boots a long time ago…Sarah Landon’s Ivy League
scholarship transformed her from a wide-eyed country girl into a poised
professional. Her job at the Carrigan Oil Company has given her the
sophisticated life she longed for, but when she meets her boss’s black-sheep
brother, she realizes her roots are showing. But he’s ready to remind her she’s a cowgirl at heart.Rebellious rodeo cowboy Lane Carrigan is determined to save the Wyoming community of Two Shot from the ravages of energy development, but Sarah’s convinced her old hometown needs a swift kick in the pants from the march of progress.
When a lapsed cowgirl collides with rodeo royalty, it’s bound to be a wild ride—and somebody’s going to end up in the dirt.
The Interview
Today we're romancing the west with author Joanne Kennedy and chatting about those books with the super yummy cowboys on the covers. Please welcome Joanne!
Did
you plan to be a writer or did it just happen?
I
always wanted to write, but I’m from an academic family and I always thought I
had to write something deep and profound. The trouble was, I didn’t have
anything deep and profound to say! Once I let myself cut loose and write what
came naturally, I couldn’t stop.
When
did you decide to take that step that made you a published author?
Right
smack-dab in the middle of my midlife crisis. I was taking a medical
transcription course and listening to doctors drone on and on about illness was
boring me silly, so I started typing random things, starting with “A chicken
will never break your heart.” That was the first line of Cowboy Trouble, which was published five years later.
What
has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to overcome
it?
This
past year has been a huge challenge. I had some medical issues that really took
a toll, and there was a point where I really thought I’d lost the creative
spark. But I hung on tight and got it back, mostly thanks to the readers who
encouraged me along the way. Every time I thought about giving up, I’d get an
email from someone who loved my books and I’d start up again.
If you had to sum it up (title of book) in 30 or
less words, what would you say?
Rodeo cowboy Lane Carrigan is returning to his wealthy
family’s ranching roots. Small-town girl Sarah Landon is running from her past.
They meet in a head-on collision. Sparks fly!
What
inspired the idea behind your book?
I
spend a lot of time driving Wyoming’s back roads, getting acquainted with the
small towns along the way. Over the past few years, those towns have changed a
lot because of Wyoming’s oil boom. I wanted to show how sudden prosperity
affects a community, in good and bad ways.
Do
you have a favorite character in (name of book)? Who and why?
There
are always secondary characters who kind of stumble into my mind when I’m
writing and become very important to my main characters and to me. In this
book, it’s Sarah’s sister, Kelsey. She’s a single mom doing her best to raise a
child in a difficult situation, and she has a lot to teach Sarah about
forgiveness and unconditional love.
What
is your favorite scene in (title of book)?
I
love the rodeo scenes. In the scene where Sarah goes with Lane to the rodeo,
buys a necklace from the Native American vendors in the parking lot, and
watches the action from the rail, I did my best to give the reader the
experience of a summer day in the West.
What
kind of research was involved for (title of book)?
The
best part of writing the book was the rodeo research! I was lucky enough to get
a press pass to last year’s Frontier Days rodeo, and spent a lot of time in the
“Cowboy Ready” area where the cowboys gear up for the bucking. Being behind the
scenes let me add a lot of authentic details to the book.
Do
you have to be alone or have quiet to write?
I’m
pretty good at shutting out the rest of the world, but I can’t listen to music
while I write. I don’t know how people do that—especially music with words!
What
type of hero do you like best?
I
love a very masculine hero with a touch of sensitivity and compassion. Alpha
heroes are fine, but there has to be more to a man than a tough-guy attitude.
What
type of heroine do you like best?
My
heroines are the kind of women I want to be—independent women who want to make
a difference in the world. They’re not looking for love, but they have a softer
side they need to recognize.
Is
there any place and time in the world and in history that you would like to
visit?
I
would love to visit the old West of cattle drives and gold-rush towns. The key
word there is “visit,” though! That was a tough life, and I want to go home
when it’s time for my bubble bath.
Is
there a genre you wish you could write, but haven’t made the plunge? Which one
and what appeals to you about it?
I
love mysteries and thrillers – books with twisty plots that surprise you at
every turn. Lately I’ve been enjoying Harlan Coben and Linwood Barclay. They
take everyday people and plunge them into the dark side of life. They’re
impossible to put down!
What
appeals to you most about your chosen genre?
I
love writing romance because I believe in love. I know that sounds corny, but I
think sharing your life with the right person makes you stronger, not weaker.
My
next book, due out in February 2013, is Cowboy
Tough. It’s about a rodeo cowboy who returns to the family ranch when they
fall on hard times. They’re turning the place into a dude ranch, and his first
guest is a big-city artist who’s leading a painting expedition into the
backcountry. It’s City Slickers with
artists! (See content alert below).
The Giveaway!
Win a free copy of Cowboy Crazy (eBook or if in the US, you may choose paperback). Enter by commenting or through the Rafflecopter entry below! Winner will be drawn on June 22nd
A "buy" link from Ganxy that allows readers to preview
the book and buy from a number of vendors: https://ganxy.com/p/62834/joanne-kennedy/cowboy-crazy
My facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Joanne-Kennedy-Books/114277591920110
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cowboy-crazy-joanne-kennedy/1105808450?ean=9781402265495
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007VEQ98U
Content Alert: For readers who care, please know that the book does contain a lot of steam. It's not erotic by any means, but very steamy with actual scenes.
Content Alert: For readers who care, please know that the book does contain a lot of steam. It's not erotic by any means, but very steamy with actual scenes.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
