Greetings from Joanna Wayne and the Lone Star State

I can’t tell you how excited I am to be joining the talented group of writers at Pistols and Petticoats. And, yes, I’ve already been hearing what a great bunch of cowboy-loving blog followers you are. I’m sure I will recognize some of your names from other sites, but for the rest of you. it’s get acquainted time. So let me tell you about myself and about my books.

My name is Joanna Wayne and I live in Texas now though I’m actually a Louisiana native. I was born and grew up in Shreveport, LA. Shreveport is a great little town tucked away in the northwest corner of the state in an area frequently referred to as the Ark-La-Tex. Take my word for it, the culture there is far more East Texas than it is southern Louisiana. There were always lots of sexy, two-steppin’, swaggering guys in boots, jeans and Stetsons around. And they were the real thing.

Later in life, I married and moved to New Orleans. As anyone who has ever visited the Big Easy knows,   New Orleans is a world unto itself as are the bayou areas outside the city. My writing has been greatly    influenced by the sultry heat and passion of the city and my bestselling novel ever, Alligator Moon, was written while I still lived in New Orleans.

But as luck would have it, one of my writer friends had an uncle who owned a ranch in South Texas. She invited me along one day for a visit to the ranch. That’s all it took. From that day on I was hooked and not just on the cute cowboys. The culture and lifestyle totally captivated me. I wanted to experience every aspect of it. Thanks to her family, I did just that, even down to fixing fence and rounding up cattle–by helicopter, no less. And every night we gathered around the dinner table after a magnificent meal and I listened to their humorous and sometimes poignant stories of ranch life.

I wrote my first western shortly after that, Family Ties,  a romantic suspense set on a ranch in South Texas. The book was such a hit that my editor quickly asked for a story for each of the brothers. From that day on I was considered a western writer, though I still write an occasional book set in Louisiana. (Bayou Payback, a novella in Cover Me will be released next month.) Through the years, I have spent as much time as possible on working ranches, getting to know the people and coming to understand their great love and respect for the land and their cowboy lifestyle.

Then, nine years ago, my husband and I made the decision to move to Texas. We found the perfect spot to settle, a small town about 60 miles northwest of Houston. I’ll admit, though, that cowboys and ranching weren’t the only draw. My son and my daughter had already settled in Texas, and both my grandchildren are proud Texans by birth.

Now about my books, which I know is what you’re really here for. I write romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue. I have over fifty books in print, most available now in digital format and a few of the most recent in audible formats. I love family stories and frequently write series about large families. Some of

the bestselling series include Family Ties, Colts Run Cross, Special Ops Texas, Sons of Troy Ledger, Big “D” Dads, and coming in June Trumped-Up Charges, the first book in the Big “D” Dads—the Daltons series. If you like suspenseful, sensual, heartwarming stories of modern-day ranching families, I hope you’ll check them out.

I’ll be telling you much more  about my books in the near future. In the meantime, I”m looking forward to your comments and hoping to hear from all of you soon. Already Petticoats and Pistols feels like home. Can I get a yee-haw?

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13 thoughts on “Greetings from Joanna Wayne and the Lone Star State”

  1. Hi Joanna!! I’m so happy to have you for a Filly sister. I know you’ll be a big asset to our little family. I hope you’ll continue to feel at home at the Junction. I, too, live in Texas. Far west Texas but I’ll soon be moving to the Panhandle. I can’t imagine living in any other state. History is around every corner, so close I feel like I can reach out and touch it. I love the titles and covers of your books. I can see that you totally embrace your cowboys. That alone makes you one of us.

    Just shout if you need anything. You’ll find lots of help. Get ready for fun also because we’re anything but dull.

  2. Joanna – We’re so honored to have you with us at the Junction! Judging by those handsome devils on your covers, you’re going to fit in just fine. 🙂

    You’ll find me to the northwest of you, up in Abilene. I’m not a native Texan, but I’ve lived here longer than anywhere else, and my kids were all born here, so I think we both can safely claim Texas as home.

  3. Welcome to the P&P Joanna. I love your books and have read several of them. Glad you are joining us here, its a great blog.

  4. Hi Joanna, welcome to our little corner of the western world! Wildflower Junction is such a wonderful place. It’s so good to see you here and to get to know you better!

  5. Welcome, Joanna. I am glad you are now one of the Fillies. I have enjoyed your Harlequin Intrigues for many years now. I keep a shelf of older Harlequin Intrigues to grab when the mood strikes and I have 5 of yours there now. Westerns, both historical and contemporary, are favorites. I love a good suspense read, and combining the two make for an enjoyable time with a book. I look forward to your posts and hearing about your new books.

  6. Hi Joanna,

    I’ve also enjoyed several of your books over the years: the Blood Bayou series , Cape Diablo, your Intrigues: Security Measures & Extreme Heat, to Alligator Moon and the Mists of Fernhaven.

    Looking forward to reading more about you and your future books.

  7. Thanks to all of you for that great welcome. Glad to be joining up with this great group and thrilled that some of you readers know and like my work. This is going to be fun. Now back to work on the current book. Have to keep them coming!

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