Don’t know when I’ve had such a fun day talking about cowboys and modeling underwear. That’s right up my alley. Hee-Hee!

The winner of BIG CITY COWBOY just happens to be………

CINDY WOOLARD

Yippee, Cindy! Old St. Nick is coming a little early for you. Someone will contact you for your mailing address. You don’t have to do a thing.

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for Janet Tronstad and another chance to win a book!

I’m thrilled to introduce my dear friend, Julie Benson, as she takes us behind the scenes of the “what-if” process that created her debut release from Harlequin American, BIG CITY COWBOY, coming out November 29.

Ideas for stories can come out of the blue when a writer least expects it. That’s what happened with my debut novel with Harlequin American, BIG CITY COWBOY.

My family attended a wedding inEstes Park,Colorado. (Thanks Angi and David for the invitation!) I’ve always loved horses, so we decided to go riding. The cowboy, Rory, helping my middle son with his horse, was the epitome of why women swoon when they think of cowboys. Dark hair and eyes, and classic western good looks, the man could stop traffic.

While he was helping my son, an older gentleman approached, and started talking to Rory about modeling. He politely accepted the man’s business card, but told him he wasn’t interest. Once the man left, Rory told my son that people asked him to model all the time, and they didn’t understand why a cowboy didn’t jump at the chance.

All I could think about, other than this cowboy’s good looks, was what a great story it would make if somthing forced this cowboy to agree to model. My mind was off and running. What would be important enough for Rory (yes, that’s my hero’s name) to leave Colorado, and everything he loved, for New York City and modeling, when these two things had to strike terror into the heart of any real cowboy?

The first thing that jumped to mind was to save the ranch. I set that aside, but kept thinking along the financial line. What if he needed money for something else, and the ranch was struggling, so the family had gone through their savings and couldn’t get a loan? That worked, but I still needed the bedrock reason Rory would model.

I have a dear friend, Judy Hoffman, who beat brain cancer. She went through experimental treatment in Portland, Oregon, and was one of a handful of patients going through treatment at the time. If I’m remembering correctly, she’s the only one who survived. Talk about a tough lady. I thought about that. A true cowboy would do literally anything to save his mom. I gave camera shy Rory a mom who was fighting brain cancer like Judy. Her only hope was experimental treatment. I raised the stakes by saying insurance refused to pay for the procedures, and she had to fly to Portland for treatment. Rory needed a lot of money and he needed it now, or his mom would die. Talk about motivation, and what woman wouldn’t love a man who put aside his pride to save his mother?

 Rory needed a strong, in charge, big city woman to go against. Elizabeth Harrington-Smyth barreled onto the stage, needing Rory to model jeans. He was perfect for her advertising campaign. She was out of time, and if he didn’t agree, the client would pull the account and she’d lose her job. After that, the rest of the story fell into place.

I have to add one more funny thing about coming up with this idea. After our horseback ride, I told my husband I wished I’d taken a picture of Rory. How I didn’t do that, still confounds me. My dear husband, Kevin smiled. When I’d told him how a cowboy being forced to model would make a great book, he’d taken a picture of the cowboy who inspired the story. Talk about a great husband who supports his wife’s writing career. He’s definitely a keeper.

Julie has agreed to give away a copy of Big City Cowboy to one commenter. So join in the conversation.

Seems like everyone could relate to Miss Jodi’s blog about memories. She thanks each one who left a comment.

Winner of an autographed copy of The Tender Texan is………………

KIRSTEN ARNOLD

Woo-Hoo! I’m tickled pink for you, Kirsten! I’ll contact you privately to get your mailing particulars so keep an eye out.

That’s it for now, ladies. Visit the Junction often because you never know what’ll be going on.

Ladies, Miss Joanne thinks you’re all winners in her book and wishes she could give everyone a book. But she can’t.

I put all the names in my ten gallon hat and let Jasper my mule draw two…..

QUILT LADY

CRYSTAL GB

are the winners of an autographed copy of TALL, DARK AND COWBOY.

I’m grinning from ear to ear for you ladies! To claim your prize, please send your mailing particulars to Miss Joanne at

www.joannekennedybooks.com

That’s it for now. Come back tomorrow for Robin Lee Hatcher.

Robena Grant…hubby pulled your name from the Stetson. If you’d like an e-copy of Right to Bragg, please email me at tanya.hanson@gmail.com and I’ll zap a copy on over to you. Thanks for visiting me in Wildflower Junction.

Miss Carol sure has this blogging thing down pat. She’s such a dear. And so are you for hanging out with her this weekend.

The Winner of THE LONE RANCHER is………

LORI D

Woo-Hoo! Congratulations, Lori D! Someone will contact you with instructions on how to claim your prize.

We have a winner!  Thanks to all who came today and left a post.  And thank you for all your heartfelt sympathy — I loved Jim and I will miss him.

But we have a winner and that winner is Darcy.  Darcy, if you could please email me personally at karenkay.author@earthlink.net — I’ll need your address in order to send you a book.  I’ll also need your patience, because I’m away from home and so it might be a few weeks before I can get a book to you.  Again, my thanks to all who came here today and shared a bit of themselves with me.

Miss Jannine thanks everyone who stopped by to chat. She had a great time.

I put all the names in my ten gallon Stetson and…….

The winner of the e-copy of Love’s Sweet Wager is……………….

SHARON

I’m dancin’ a jig for you, Sharon.  Someone will contact you on how to claim your prize so keep watching for that email.

Keep visiting the Junction. You never know what you’ll find. We always have something going on.

Did everyone learn all they needed to about snakes? They give me the willies.

All the names were put in my ten gallon Stetson and…….

The winner is…………

TRISH C

I’m dancin’ a jig for you, Trish C. Someone will contact you for your mailing particulars.

Everyone come back on Wednesday for special guest Tina James who just happens to be an editor at Love Inspired.