Hi Everyone! Debra Clopton here and I’m thrilled to be back on Petticoats and Pistols. Like everyone else here, I love cowboys and write Texas cowboy heroes in all of my books.
How did that happen? Well, I live in central Texas, cowboy capital basically, in between Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. I’m surrounded by every kind of cowboy there is: Horse trainers, ropers, bull riders, calf wrestlers, and just plain hard-working cowboys, ranchers and cowboys at heart. Because of where I live, my research is fairly easy. I watch, listen and ask the closest cowboy around if I don’t know about something.
But, since one of the things my readers love most about my books is the spunky interaction between my heroes and heroines, I fuel my imagination for those fun sparring matches through my love of cowboy movies. Oh yeah, give me a cocky, slow-drawling cowboy movie hero and I’m a happy girl. Fun western romances with strong cowboys who meet their match with strong-willed feisty heroines are the best. You know what I mean. Hero and heroines involved in some good old-fashioned arguing fueled by undeniable attraction!
So let’s talk movies for a moment.
Here are a few of my favorite movies:
THE BALLAD OF JOSIE: Doris Day plays a widow who has to fight the cattlemen when she decides to raise sheep in the middle of cattle
country! Now there’s conflict! What a fun movie this is and the sparks!!! I think I’m going to rent it this weekend because it’s been too long since I’ve watched it.
NORTH TO ALASKA! Oh, my. Stewart Granger, goodness what a hunk. And of course John Wayne. Fast-paced quick word play and lots of those sparks between hero and heroine.
And then speaking of the Duke—my all-time favorite: McLINTOCK with Maureen O’Hara. Those two make me smile just thinking about them. A fairly silly movie, but just plain good fun. When I’m really getting into my hero and heroine having at it, these two and the chemistry between them always spurs me on.
I’ve talked about this one here on P&P before, but QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER has some of the best dialogue between Mathew Quigley and Crazy Cora that I’ve ever seen. There is so much about this movie that is wonderful. I loved it so much that for my novella A COWBOY FOR KATIE which will be included in the June 2015 anthology collection, FOUR WEDDINGS AND A KISS, I decided to create my own version of Crazy Cora! I had a blast creating Crazy Katie and her hero Treb Rayburn. Katie has her reasons, but she’s a pistol packin’, sure shootin’ little gal who’d just as soon shoot a cowboy for lookin’ at her wrong, especially if he happens to ask her to marry him…and there’s a bunch of them asking!
So, do you love cowboy movies with fireworks shootin’ off between the hero and heroine? I would love to hear your favorites. Might be one I’ve missed and need to watch!
I’m pleased to say, that as of October 1st Love Inspired has just reissued in a 2-for-1 volume two of my earliest Mule Hollow books. They are peppered with some great tickle-your-funny-bone flavored sparks. NO PLACE LIKE HOME and DREAM A LITTLE DREAM, book 3 and 4 definitely have roots from my infatuation with old fun western romances. If you haven’t been to Mule Hollow yet, this is a great place to start!
Also, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve just completed a brand new Mule Hollow romance that will be the lead book of a 5 story collection. It is set to release Feb 1 so I would love for you to drop by my website here http://www.debraclopton.com/contest and sign up for my newsletter and monthly contest. You’ll receive my news updates and sneak peeks at upcoming book releases and surprise giveaways. There is a lot of fun stuff coming from me in 2015—I’m so excited but there’s too much to share in one blog post.
Okay, it’s been fun but I’m done writing and ready to talk movies—shoot me your favorites please…oh, for instance don’t you just love Harry Connick Jr in HOPE FLOATS—goodness, he makes my heart sing. Oh, and from my childhood memories, Dean Martin as quick-witted, fast-talkin’ cowboy with a funny bone makes me smile…I could go on and on but it’s your turn now!
I’m giving away 2 copies of one of my really spark-filled Mule Hollow books, HIS COWGIRL BRIDE to two y’all who share a movie with me. 
Buy your copy of Debra’s new release, NO PLACE LIKE HOME,, on Amazon!
Hey there Debra, glad to meet another Texas gal. There seems to be a lot of authors in Texas. Just wish more would visit near Houston so I could meet them. I live in Pasadena, next door to Houston. Debra, I love all of John Waynes westerns He is the best. My hero. I actually did get to meet him. While he was filming “Hellfighters.” Was so exciting. A real thrill for me. I even got to go several times and have lunch with them. AND, he sounds just like in his movies. I also loved McClintock. Love any of Maureen with him. I love the ones with him and Dean Martin. Remember the one where he was always drunk? Liked sons of Katie Elder(I think) was great. As I said I’ve watched all of his movies and do again every chance I can. Hope this counts for I am getting forgetful in my old age, and can’t think of the names to the ones I love so much. Sooo many! Please give me a chance to win your book and it would be my first.
MAXIE mac262(at)me(dot)com
Quigley Down Under is a great movie! You can’t beat Tom Selleck. 🙂 I have always loved the movie The Cowboy Way with Kiefer Sutherland in it. Kinda cheesy and definitely not a box office top seller – but I still love watching it because Woody Harrelson just makes me laugh and I love cowboys.
lattebooks at hotmail dot com
Hi Debbie,
Welcome to the Junction. So glad to have you here. I love Western movies, too. Especially anything with John Wayne in it. One of my very most favorites of his is Angel and the Badman with Gail Russell. Such a sweet movie. Totally recommend it. Your book sounds wonderful. Congrats on another fantastic release!
Hi Debbie, North to Alaska and McLintock are two of my old favorites!She Wore A Yellow Ribbon was another. I love stories with a resistence and conflict between two great characters and yet that underlying spark is always there growing bigger and bigger. I would love to be a winner of His Cowgirl Bride. Thank you for the opportunity!
Hi Debra! Welcome back to the Junction. We always love to have you blog with us. And we love talking movies and cowboys! Oh boy, do we ever. And my list of favorites is as long as my favorite books. Quite long. I think at the top of mine list is “Rooster Cogburn.” I loved John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn together. Like “Quigley Down Under” there are some great lines and scenes. I’m a huge fan of “Quigley” and Tom Selleck. Love everything he’s in. Clint Eastwood’s “The Outlaw Josie Wales” is definitely on my list also.
Congratulations on the new release! HIS COWGIRL BRIDE looks great! Wishing you much success!
Good morning Everyone! It’s a beautiful morning in Texas. Spent an hour first thing out on the porch watching the deer play.
Maxie, you are certainly entered into the contest. Hellfighters is a fantastic movie. You must have had a blast spending time with John Wayne and the crew of that movie. And I know where you live. I’m only about 150 miles from you straight down I-45 🙂
Susan, Tom Selleck is one of the best 🙂 And I’ve seen The Cowboy Way but don’t remember a lot about it. I’ll have to check it out thanks!
Hi Renee, It’s good to be here 🙂 I’ve not seen the Angel and the Badman, I’ll have to order it. Thanks
Melanie YES She Wore a Yellow Ribbon is a classic JW movie. Love it. YOu are entered thanks for leaving a comment 🙂
I sure hope Y’all will sign up for my newsletter and monthly contest for an EXTRA chance to win a signed book by me http://debraclopton.com/contest/
Thanks Linda it is great to be here! LOL The Outlaw Josie Wales gets a little more gritty than I like but I know my son LOVES it. I do like Clint Eastwood though 🙂
My favorite is McClintock but I also love Fort Apche also with John Wayne and Shirley Temple!
Love McClintock, I haven’t seen Quigley Down Under in a while I need to refresh. I love any western with Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter is my favorite.
My favorite John Wayne Movie (Not a western) The Quiet Man, totally love that movie.
Honestly, one of my favorite moments ever in a movie (well, at least since you made me think of Quigley, Debra) is when Crazy Cora is trying to hush that baby in that cave when Dingos are coming, rocking it and sort of almost singing, over and over, “Daddy’ll be home soon.”
She smothered her other baby because she was afraid Indians would find them.
It’s like she suddenly remembers what she did before out of fear and she sets the baby down, picks up her rifle and just SNARLS, “You go ahead and cry!”
And picks up her rifle and starts fighting back.
It’s Crazy Cora, coming Un-crazy. Finding her spirit. Finding herself again.
I just love it.
I think I’m remembering the right John Wayne Movie here.
It’s Chisum. Horse thieves are stealing Chisum’s cattle and John Chisum comes across them and stops them.
The thief gets all nervous and stammers, “There has been a mistake.”
John Wayne in classic squinty eyes perfection says, “You made it.”
This moment right there, perfect cowboy talk. The minimalist talk. The perfect response. Not a word wasted. No back up. No give in any of it. No fear. This is how I want my cowboys to be and how I try to write them.
YOU MADE IT.
Talking about Dean Martin makes me think of probably my favorite western Sons of Katy Elder. A close second; El Dorado with John Wayne and a very young James Caan and drunken sheriff Robert Mitchem.
I loved Silverado. Fantastic Western.
Loved Tomestone with Kurt Russell.
I suppose Shane, though I think it’s a sad movie…ultimately. I prefer High Planes Drifter, mostly the same movie as Shane but somehow a little tougher, more ruthless, and somehow that made it less sad. Still, Shane, very classic.
High Noon.
I just sat through Stagecoach. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it from beginning to end before. So that was a gap in my western knowledge.
Nothing more fun that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid except of course for a bad ending!!!!
And I am of course a huge True Grit fan, the John Wayne version not the newer one. Nothing wrong with the newer one but the old one is just part of my family’s jargon.
We used to say when one of the kids was 2 years old and yelling ‘no’ or ‘mine’, “That’s mighty bold talk for a one-eyed fat baby.”
And when John Wayne yells, “I aim to kill you Ned or see you hanged at Judge Parkers convenience.”
And Bruce Dern yells back, “That’s mighty bold talk for a one-eyed fat man.”
And John Wayne arches that brow as if offended, facing off alone against four men and yells, “Fill your hand you SOB!” and has his rifle whirling in one hand, his pistol firing in the other, charging.
And Mattie Ross is watching from high above and says something about, “That’s a man with True Grit.”
Great, great movie moment.
The Grey Fox by Richard Farnsworth
Sara I loved Fort Apache too!
Sherry I JUST watched the quiet man! lol I think he was playing a cowboy without the cowboy clothes lol he didn’t do a lot of heavy talking in that movie. 🙂
My father is a big John Wayne fan… I have seen them over and over… just saw one 2 days ago… I think McClintock is my fav of his… but one of my fav westerns is a musical, Calamity Jane.
Well, I must say I miss the days of the Western movies and TV shows. I’m just thankful they appear on TV once in awhile and of course DVDs are wonderful.
I am a big fan of Clint Eastwood’s western films, Outlaw and Josey Waless being one of my favorites. Who doesn’t love John Wayne and his work in True Grit. Since I am also a big fan of musicals, I LOVE Calamity Jane with Doris Day, Howard Keel and Philip Carey.
As far as television I loved The Virginian (James Drury), The Big Valley (Heath Barkley), Bonanza (Little Joe) and I still love to watch the old reruns of Chuck Connors as The Rifleman.
Sigh….nothing like a tall, handsome, cowboy to give a girl the vapors. 🙂
Would love to be entered into your giveaway.
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52 AT yahoo DOT com
I grew up watching John Wayne and Roy Rogers westerns. I like all of John Wayne’s movies especially The Searchers and McClintock. I also liked Shane.
One of my favorite westerns includes Tom Selleck and the gorgeous sounding Sam Elliott-The Shadow Riders. For pure entertainment I loved City Slickers
Glad to see you back here again! I love John Wayne Movies! He has such a way about him. It would be hard to narrow them down but I guess if I must I would say- McClintock and Rio Bravo.
I also love Tombstone and Appaloosa.
Congrats on your new book!
Letters are some of my favorite things, so I really enjoyed the 1991 TNT western, Conagher, based on a Louis L’Amour book and starring Sam Elliott and Katherine Ross.
My husband loves anything with John Wayne, but Tombstone is his all-time favorite western.
I love cowboys, whether reading about them or watching them on tv! Thank you for writing about Texas cowboys!!
texaggs2000 at gmail dot com
Any John Wayne western is my favorite..especially The Searchers. For a more recent Western I enjoy watching Silverado. It has great actors and a good storyline. It was one of Kevin Costner’s early movies. I especially like the role Linda Hunt played…I guess that’s why I enjoy watching her in the tv series NCIS: LA. I’ve always loved Westerns stemming back to when I used to go to the Saturday matinees with my grandmother.
I forgot to add Shane as a great all-time Western. A favorite of mine too.
John Wayne in Rio Lobo…
Hi Debra,
Love the cover on your book….would love to read it!
Thanks for the chance.
I love it when 2 in 1 books are available; I read so much that it’s hard to get all the books I want. lol
Headed to your website to sign up your newsletter.
Have a good day.
Ooops forgot……Quigley Down Under is one of my and dh’s favorites…..we watch it often!
WOW!!! I’m reading all these posts and I do believe John Wayne is the favorite of the bunch lol. I’m trying to remember if its Rio Lobo or the Rio Bravo lol one of the Rio’s or it could have been McClintock, (I think JW real life son’s played his sons in the movie) anyway–they where camping out and there was a beautiful woman, and she got cold in the middle of the night and curled up by JW instead of the others and told him it was because “he was comfortable) lol he said, “Comfortable!” I thought that was funny, kinda hurt his feelings. 🙂
Mary talked about her favorite scene in Quigley. I loved that scene in the cave. But my favorite scene actually starts in the cave I think, when she tells him that “Roy stuck me on a boat bound for Australia and walked away and he never looked back. And I know because I waited.” (it was something like that)And so then later after Quigley takes Cora to town and leaves her and she is standing on the porch wrapped in the blanket and Quigley rides off, when he gets to the top of the hill he turns around and she’s watching, waiting. I LOVED Quigley in that moment. It was classic hero move across the board. It is moments like that in a movie or a book that raise the hero up into hero status. It was perfectly written. 🙂
Jackie, Shane is a great movie but it makes me cry!
Britney I’ve never watched Conageher, it sounds good. I’ll have to check my trusty Netflix!
Lisa G, It’s great to be back here 🙂 I’ve never heard of Appaloosa either. Will have to try and find it too.
In my book, NO PLACE LIKE HOME, Brady Cannon is the Mule Hollow Sheriff and he’s a giant of a man, and very heroic I think. I loved creating his part. The heroine is a candy maker with a love of Gummie Bunnies lol I think I enjoyed having the big sheriff fall for a woman who was much softer than him. I think it makes for great moments to show the softer side of cowboy–a side they sometimes don’t even know they have. lol.
Debra, I remember that. Quigley looked back.
Perfect.
And honestly, the best moment in Quigley is when he has the shootout at the end. When Alan Rickman thinks Quigley is great with a rifle but not with a six-shooter and challenges him to a shoot-out.
A quick draw.
So they get all ready, Rickman (with two henchmen right by him) thinking he’s the big tough western cowboy.
And then Quigley draws and shoots three bad guys before any of them even touch their guns.
Quigley holsters his gun and says, “I said I have no use for one(a six-shooter), I didn’t say I don’t know how to use one.”
Well, the first thing that popped in my head was Harry Connick, Jr. in Hope Floats, which I know you mentioned. Also, I love watching Kurt Russell in Tombstone. When we lived in Tucson, AZ (we’re back in DFW area now), we would take our visitors down to Tombstone, AZ and hang out for the day.
Lol I love that part Mary!!!
I think my two all time favorite westerns are Rooster Cogburn and Silverado.
“Tombstone” is my favorite. Loved this topic, Deb! by the way, I’m just back fom Monument Valley, where “Stagecoach” was filmed, and Sedona, where many other iconic westerns were shot.
Blessings, Laurie Kingery
Sons of Katie Elder–Definitely. I named the hero of my very first book Jack Elder as an homage…His brother, John, wound up in the third book 🙂
The Cowboys is a favorite. My brother and I watched that one a bunch growing up. “We’re burning daylight!” I wrote an all-girl cattle drive book and threw in that line for reference.
Then there are the ones that are just for fun like Support Your Local Sheriff.
Just watched Quigley last month and watched Silverado last week….great movies. McClintock is a favorite also as well as the other John Wayne-Maureen O’Hara movies. Of course any western with Sam Elliot or Tom Selleck is worth watching.
Hey Laurie! I was there about 3 years ago!
Love the Sedona area!!! I’m ready to go back soon!
Sherri lol I FORGOT anvout Support Your Local Sheriff 🙂
Rosie, my first memory Kevin Costner was in Silverado and he played a great cocky cowboy :). Loved it.
Brittney I stopped by Tombstone and it was really neat to see the old town. Of course I’m a “I’ll be your huckleberry” fan. I loved that line
Lol
Hilltop farm Wife 🙂 we cannot have a western movie discussion and leave out Sam Elliot !!! We already talkrled about Tom but Sam 🙂 has to be mentioned also! Do they make cowboy stars like that anymore? :/
This has been fun! I had to go to a wedding ( it was beautiful) and y’all just had all kinds of good movies to talk about while I was gone 🙂
I have to ad that I loved Tim McGraw in Flicka. He was a great cowboy dad and husband in that movie.
And of course we haven’t mentioned one if my girlhood favorites Elvis in Flaming Star!!! Of course I write romance so my heroes live and it may stem from the complete and total heartbreak I had watching Elvis die in that movie!!! So very not cool.
Happily ever afters are what I love.
How about George Strait in Pure Country. Good movie.
“Wanna buy a rope?”
Deba, have you watched the Sacketts movies from Louie La’Mour books? You should if you haven’t. You won’t be sorry. Sam Elliot, yummm! Love that man, and would know his and John Wayne’s voices anywhere. Sherri I liked The Cowboys too, but hated that they made him die in that one. Never had they done that! Hated that part. I have INSP channel pkg. Now. My daughter got it for me. WOW! all of the great movies I used to watch. Maxie
Deba, have you watched the Sacketts movies from Louie La’Mour books? You should if you haven’t. You won’t be sorry. Sam Elliot, yummm! Love that man, and would know his and John Wayne’s voices anywhere, without ever seeing them. That deep voice sends shivers down my back. :o) Sherri I liked The Cowboys too, but hated that they made him die in that one. Never had they done that! Hated that part. I have INSP channel pkg. Now. My daughter got it for me. WOW! all of the great movies I used to watch. Maxie
Yes, Mary. George Strait as Dusty in Pure Country. I’d buy a rope for him any day. 🙂
Sam Elliot? He is probably one of my favorite ‘voices’ of all time. Doesn’t really matter what he is in but as a cowboy? Yee Haw! (I also loved him in Prancer). 🙂
I love support your local sheriff and support your local gun slinger starring James Gardener. The interaction between him and his leading lady and the quirkiness of the films crack me up. I love the community of mule hollow from The Trouble with Lacy Brown to Her Homecoming Cowboy. From the cowboy characters and sassy ladies to the matchmakers and their male counterparts. Classic community! Be fun to visit in real life 🙂
I just love Tom Selleck I like him best as a cowboy but wow he also is good at everything else he does. I think when I was coming down to the end to comment I think someone else likes him also but if so he has another cowgirl voting for him.I live in rural area of Iowa lots of cows but also horses when I lived in Ca.just down from SF I thought of Iowa as corn and soybeans just as the history book says but married an Iowan and moved here and wow was I wrong but so glad we had the land to see the deer,horses,cows,foxes etc….my poor chiwauwaus when we go for a walk I am making sure they are right beside me as there are also hawks and owls !