Please welcome our guest, Jolene Navarro
Jolene has generously agreed to give away a print copy each of Lone Star Bride and Texas Daddy and one eBook of Sweet Summer Night. So be sure to check back and see if you’re one of the winners. (Contest guidelines apply)
I’m a Texas girl through and through so when I started writing Lone Star Bride I thought I knew plenty about Texas history. I mean come on, my family was here before we were Tex
as. I knew when I wrote about the history I love, it had to include a cattle drive. When people think of the great Texas cattle drives, they picture the millions of longhorn being pushed north along the Chisholm and Goodnight-Loving Trails.
But long before a single beeve set hoof on these drives heading north, the Old Spanish Trail (also known as the Opelousas Trail) was being used to move cattle and horses from Texas to New Orleans. It is the oldest and longest used trail, so I’m not sure why it didn’t make it into Texas folklore and campfire songs. http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/opelousa.htm
Many of the tools and skills the American cowboy used were picked up from the experienced vaqueros that had been in Texas for more than a century.
I knew that Spaniards had established the ranching industry and had been moving cattle and horses from Texas to Louisiana (most of the time illegally) for over a century, but it was a pleasant surprise to find that the women of Mexico often times had some of the same horse skills as their Vaqueros. That was some of the inspiration for my heroine in Lone Star Bride.
She was taught at an early age how to braid her own rope and the importance of a good horse, but she is denied the chance to work next to her father after the loss of her mother and brother. So what does any good stubborn daughter do to prove herself? She sneaks off to help on the cattle drive. Along the way, she has to rope the trail boss and teach him to live life without fear and love again. Together they find purpose in a life hope seems in short supply.
In plotting, planning and researching the time and place for this story I came across something else that surprised me. Pirates.
Yes! Pirates. I found that for a brief time in history – in the narrow strip between the new country of Texas and the state of Louisiana was a no man’s land ruled by a few retired pirates. Pirates and cowboys in the same place and time in history?
I have to say it was a romance writer’s dream come true. I love Captain Hook in Once Upon a Time. The idea that he’s not as bad as he appears weakens my knees. Is there hope that under that scruffy exterior is a heart of gold waiting to be healed?
Cowboy, Pirates and a bold woman seeking adventure, what more can you want in a Texas Historical Romance
Do you have a favorite type of hero? A silent cowboy that carries a world of hurt? A dashing pirate that hides a soft heart? A greenhorn from Ireland that is looking for a new start in the wilds of Texas? Or maybe the mild preacher that suddenly finds himself in charge of six orphans?
What kind of hero makes you move a book to the top of your reading pile?
Blurb for Lone Star Bride: An Unwanted Marriage
Sofia De Zavala wants to help her father run their family’s Texas ranch—but he has other ideas for her future. Faced with an arranged marriage, Sofia dresses as a boy and joins a cattle drive, determined to prove herself to her father. But her plan backfires when she’s forced to save her reputation by marrying trail boss Jackson McCreed.
Jackson thought he was hiring a scrappy young boy—instead, the wary widower has landed his business partner’s feisty, headstrong daughter as his bride. He believes a marriage of convenience is the best they can hope for. But Sofia dares him to look to the future again…and find a love strong enough to lasso a lifetime of happiness.
About Jolene: Jolene’s life, much like her stories, is filled with faith, family, laughter, and all of life’s wonderful messiness. A seventh generation Texan and PW bestselling author, Jolene Navarro knows that, as much as the world changes, people stay the same. Good and evil. Vow-keepers and heart breakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who showed her that dancing in the rain never gets old. She uses her art degree to teach inner city kids about the world, and they teach her about life.
If you’re lo
oking for some sweet summer reads, you can get these six stories for only .99 cents. Leah Atwood, Belle Calhoune, Danica Favorite, Jessica Keller and Kristen Ethridge along with myself have put together six fun contemporaries
If you want to talk more about this find my at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jolene.g.navarro
For my latest books follow me at http://www.bookbub.com/authors/jolene-navarro
Good morning Jolene- I loved your blog, I’m a Texas girl through and through as well. I live in Kansas now due to work, but I’m still 100% Texas all the way. You can take the girl
Outta Texas, but you can’t take Texas outta her. So so true. My favorite kind of hero is the half-breed, the quite type that just watches everything and everyone around him, knows his strength and when he does speak, you better be listening. When he finally does find love he loves deeply and will protect her with his entire being. The mystery of his quietness, background, & strength really fires up my intrigue. You have a great day and thanks for all the wonderful info on Texas cattle drives, your book sounds fantastic.
OH – I want to see that hero you have created. That kind of hero makes me want to get lost in his story! Thanks for stopping by.
Very interesting post. I always learn something here. Thanks! I enjoy cowboys trying to right a wrong.
I love learning new stuff! Thanks for stopping by!
I enjoyed your post today. My favorite types of heroes change all the time. It just depends on my mood.
Variety is good! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by
I like heroes that are loners who don’t believe they need love or deserve love but when they meet their soulmate they fall hard and gain their HEA.
What kind of hero makes me move that book to the top of my TBR pile? Reformed rakes
OH yes – I love a reformed rake.
Can’t wait to read it!
Hope you enjoy!
Um, wait… was there a point other than my beloved Hook? I might have missed it. 🙂
I think I might have written this book just so I could use pictures of OUAT’s Hook.
I love reading about a hero who is strong, protective but kind. I love those alpha male types who want to keep their woman safe lol guess I’m old fashioned.
Cori, I think all of my heroes have that protective warrior instinct, but with a soft heart. To me that is a true man. He does have to learn when to let her go – lol
I love a variety of heroes… I tend to choose whichever book calls to me at the time I wish to read! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Variety is the spice of life! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi, Jolene!! Thanks for coming to visit. We’re happy to have you. I hope you enjoyed the writing Academy. Bet you’re tired. Your blog is so interesting. I never knew pirates and cowboys existed at the same time. My favorite kind of hero is the silent wounded type. He’s a brooder.
I love your new book. That’s a great cover.
Thank you Linda. Yes the West Texas Writing Acedemy is one of my favorite time of year – but after a seven hour drive home I’m ready to sleep!
Thank you for sharing your interesting post.
De nada! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Jolene, I like heros that are emotionally wounded, that are in a state of needing a special heroine to help him heal. I also like the hero that has built a wall around himself so he won’t get hurt again but he has to be paired with a strong heroine that can chip away at the wall.
I would love to win one of your books. Thank you for the chance.
Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52 AT yahoo DOT com
Cindy, I believe that is the core of every good romance. When I first meet a hero I want to learn his wound – what has stopped him from living and loving – once I know that then I find the one heroine that can help him heal. We have to fight him each time – but he always gets his happy ending in my world. <3
I am also Texas girl. I was surprised to hear about the pirates, although I shouldn’t have been because we have a lot of coastline and there were pirates all over back then. I agree, the combination of vaqueros, pirates, and cowgirls sounds like it would make a great story. Thank you for your post and the opportunity to win a copy of your book.
Thank you, Susan. That is the fun part of research – discovering new things you didn’t even know were there! 🙂
I love cowboys they are my favorite type of hero. They know how to treat a women.
Totally agree!
Enjoyed reading about the pirates. An interesting article
My heroes have always worn boots-Western or combat types.
I grew up on a ranch in Colorado so I always wore boots
I have added your name to my TBR list of authors to try. Your books sound like the kind I enjoy
Hi, Joye! Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I love a man in boots. I have written both kinds – cowboy and soldiers. Enjoy the reads!
I am a Beauty and the Beast fan. The wounded hero who shuts himself away or shuts others out suits me just fine. Having the heroine give him hope and help him see a life worth living makes for a good story.
I’m right there with you. Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite (even before Disney claimed it) Love that hero type.