Hello Petticoats & Pistols! Thank you for having me as your guest today. It’s been a while since I’ve stopped by and chatted with your readers. For those who may not remember me, or don’t know me, I’m western romance author, Julie Lence. Currently, I’ve have 3 series and 4 short stories. You can find my works and links to purchase any of my books at my website: http://www.julielence.com
Like most authors, I’m usually writing, editing, or surfing the internet looking for inspirations for the next book. I often find Pinterest is a great place for visuals. They have a slew of photos, which helped immensely when developing the heroine for my last full-length novel, Hunter. Tawny Monroe is a soiled dove modeled after the character Trixie from the television show Deadwood. Pinterest provided an inspirational photo of my heroine, and the photos needed to perfect Tawny’s manner of dress and the sassy, daring, guarded expression lurking in the depths of her eyes. Like Trixie, there is more to Tawny than her bright blue eyes and curves. I invite you to get to know her better in the following interview.
Interviewer: Hello Tawny. Thank you for taking time to chat with me today.
Tawny (at army headquarters, with a cup of tea on the table beside her, she settles into the crook of the sofa). You’re welcome. Thank you for having an interest in me.
Interviewer: Can you tell us a little about yourself? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Where did you grow up?
Tawny: I’m an only child from Baltimore where my father owned a shipping business. He and my mother were killed in a carriage accident when I was young. I was sent to live with Aunt Martha. She’s my father’s sister and her home was lovely. I especially liked the gardens out back. (Tawny pauses and caresses the rim of her cup.) Aunt Martha and I are very different people. We disagreed on everything, and argued almost every day. When I saw the advertisement for a mail order bride, I didn’t hesitate to respond. The solitude of a farm seemed a blessing, not a hindrance.
Interviewer: Cooking and cleaning and taking care of animals and a vegetable garden agrees with you?
Tawny shrugs. I don’t know. I never got the chance to find out. Marty died while I was en route to his home. She swallows hard, looks away. I was forced to take a job as a working girl. With shaky hands, she lifts her cup and takes a drink of tea. Being a working girl is all I know.
Interviewer: You’ve been employed at Landries since arriving in Texas?
No. Again, she looks away, whispers, I was in Augustus’ employ before coming to Jackson Creek… to Landries.
Interviewer: Is Landries is where you met Hunter?
Yes.
Interviewer: What did you think the 1st time you met Hunter?
Tawny meets my gaze and smiles. Tall, dark-haired and handsome, I immediately noticed his sculptured chest of muscle, imagined curling against him and letting go of my troubles. I had no idea he was an army man. He didn’t wear a uniform, and I merely thought him a stranger passing through town.
Interviewer: What was your 2nd thought?
Tawny: To accept the job he offered to cook and clean for him at his headquarters. Besides fawning over his muscles, something about him spoke to me, said that I could trust him to not hurt me.
Interviewer: Did you feel it was love at 1st sight?
Tawny: If it was, I was unaware. I thought whatever urged me toward him was more of a kinship.
Interviewer: What do you like most about Hunter?
Her smiles broadens. His honesty and how he wears his heart on his sleeve. He loves deeply, and I’m the lucky female recipient of that love.
Interviewer: How would you describe Hunter?
Tawny: He’s loyal, hard-working, and loathes dishonesty. Growing up in a brothel, he was cast aside too many times, and lied to a handful of others. He expects those closest to him to not betray him, because when he loves, that love is for eternity.
Interviewer: How would Hunter describe you?
Hmmm. She taps her finger against her lips. From the hunger I see in his eyes when he looks at me, I can honestly say he favors me, but there’s more to his favor than lust. He genuinely cares for me and I think he’d describe me as a woman who is loyal, kind and considerate; a woman who is passionate about him, who cares greatly for him and who favors peace over turmoil in the same fashion as him.
Interviewer: What is your biggest fear?
Tawny: Before meeting Hunter, my biggest fear was my past catching up to me. Now that Hunter is a part of me, my biggest fear is losing him. I don’t think I’d want to live without him; he means that much to me.
Interviewer: How do you relax?
Tawny: By cooking. Whether sifting flour or roasting a chicken, peace always settle around me and deep within me when I’m bustling around the kitchen.
Interviewer: Who is your favorite fictional character?
Tawny (her eyes twinkling): The knight in shining armor, because he is everything I have found in Hunter.
Interviewer: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Tawny: To never give up, and that came from somewhere deep inside of myself.
For stopping by Petticoats & Pistols and taking the time to get to know Tawny, I’m gifting 2 lucky readers with an eBook copy of Hunter.
To be eligible, leave a reply with one of your favorite heroines from a western movie or televisions show and we can chat about them and Tawny!
Hunter
For his last mission with the army, Hunter Barlow volunteers to go to Jackson Creek and round up supplies for the regimens camped outside of town. Not only does Jackson Creek put him that much closer to the California brothel that was his childhood home, but his brothers are there and settling a score with them is of the utmost importance. They deserted him, left him with a mother who despised him. But when the woman Jackson Creek’s mayor hires to cook and clean for the army’s headquarters runs off, Hunter hires Tawny Monroe to take her place. A working girl with bright blue eyes, something about Tawny suggests he’d rather keep time with her than seek vengeance on his brothers.
Tawny Monroe fled Baltimore and her aunt’s constant badgering for a chance at freedom, but penniless in Austin, she was forced to take a job as a working girl. Feeling the sharp sting of the saloon owner’s hand too many times, she stole away to Landries in Jackson Creek, only a working girl’s wages don’t readily provide an escape from the past, so when handsome army sergeant Hunter Barlow offers her honest work cooking and cleaning for him, she readily accepts, hoping he’ll find favor with her skills and take her with him back to his fort. But when something deep within lurches toward Hunter’s honesty and muscles, Tawny isn’t so sure freedom is what she wants most of all.
Available at http://www.amazon.con/dp/B09KNL43X9
Thanks for the interview. I Would love to read this book.
Enjoyed the character interview.
I love the lore and life of Annie Oakley.
I always loved Moss Kitty on Gunsmoke
John Wayne says it all.
Good Morning, ladies. Thank you for stopping by and getting to know Tawny. She really was a fun and interesting character to write. I have so many favorites from the old west tv shows and movies. When I was young, I wanted to be Audra Barkley from the The Big Valley. When I was older, I enjoyed John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara movies, especially McClintock. (That’s still one of my fav’s!) I also liked Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and now, Trixie from Deadwood. She had grit and gumption, but also a soft heart.
Good morning,I loved this character interview, Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I love your book cover! (not entering this ebook giveaway, but thank you, I am not tech savvy so I don’t read ebooks) Have a great weekend.
Hugs, Alicia! ‘Hunter’ really is swoon worthy!
Howdy, Julie! I’m late stopping by – busy day – but I love the interview! What a fun and effective way to get to know a character, and she sounds so intriguing. A troubled past, that hunger for a new future – and a hunky hero. What’s not to love?
Wishing you many sales!!
Hi Pam. Thank you very much! Tawny is one of my heroines. I can’t take credit for the interview questions. They are a mix of questions from others. Hugs and have a great day!
Julie, howdy from another Julie. Welcome to the corral. We’re so glad you’ve stopped by today to chat. I love reading character interviews because it makes characters seem so real, even before I open the book! What a great idea to start with the mail order bride, but then as life so often does, plans go awry. Hunter sounds fabulous.
Hi Julie. It’s always so nice to meet another Julie. When I was young, there was only 1 other girl with my name. Now I meet more and more. So glad you liked Tawny’s interview. Hugs!
Hi Julie, Loved reading your interview and all about your latest book. Sounds great! But I’m a sucker for western historicals. Welcome to Petticoats and Pistols. Very nice to “meet” you 🙂
Hi Cathy! It’s so nice to meet you, too. I’m also a sucker for western historical. I always have been since my father introduced me to John Wayne’s cowboy movies. Thank you for stooping by and chatting with me. Have a great day!
Hey Julie! I’m late to the party, too–been out running errands all morning and I’m ready to sit down and read about Tawny and Hunter SWOON! I love your character interview of Tawny. She and Hunter sound like a perfect match, and I hope he realizes it real soon! LOL
I was reading the comments and saw yours and Julie Benson’s about your names. I have a cousin named “JULIA” but she goes by Julie. We were pre-teens when Here Come The Brides was a huge hit on TV, and Bobby Sherman was our love. Well, my cousin had lived in Seattle for a while, and so when Bobby was singing about “the bluest skies you’ve ever seen are in Seattle” she got to claim she’d LIVED there! (Poor me.) Then when he sang “Julie, Julie, Julie, do ya LOVE me?” I figured I was completely out of the running by that point. LOL I was soooo envious!
I’m so glad you’re hear today! As for a favorite heroine from a western movie–ALWAYS Maureen O’Hara in those westerns she made with the Duke. She was so perfect!
Hugs, my friend!
Hi Cheryl. I loved Here Come the Brides. I faithfully watched that show. Bobby Sherman was also my favorite. He was so gosh-darn cute!
I am surprised your cousin goes by Julie. Most Julia’s that I know don’t like Julie and get upset when called Julie. When I Was younger, I didn’t care for my name, but now, it’s all I know, lol. So glad you liked Tawny’s interview. She was fun to write, even with her childhood turmoil that led her to working in the saloons.
Hugs, my friend, and have a great day!
I always loved Ma on Little House on the Prairie and other characters like her! Ma on The Waltons is another
one I thought lot of! Love the sound of your book!!!
Hi Lana: It’s nice to meet you. I remember both of those shows. My mom really liked The Waltons. We watched it all the time until about the last year or so when we aged and moved on to something else. The same with Little House. My character on that show was Mary. I felt so sorry for her when she went blind, and as a young girl, I thought the actress did, too. What we dread when young. Hugs and have a great day.
nice interview; no fav
I loved Dr. Quinn Medicine woman. Her character was so strong and independent. Also, the interview with Tawny was fun to read!
What a great interview! Sounds like your story is an interesting and fun twist on mail order bride and Twany sounds like an awesome heroine. ??
Thank you Jessie. Glad you enjoyed it
Hi Luanne. It’s nice to meet you. Glad you liked the interview.
I loved the interview. It is always interesting to see such information.
Glad you enjoyed getting to know Tawny!
Julie, welcome back to P&P! We’re so happy to have you. I apologize for not leaving a comment yesterday but I’m out of town in the mountains of New Mexico. I love your interview! Tawny seems like a great character and I can’t wait to read HUNTER. Wow, what a hot man on the cover! Congratulations!!
Hi Linda! It’s an honor to be back on P&P, and fun. Glad you liked Tawny and her interview. She was a great heroine to write. Enjoy you vacation in the mountains. The Aspens are changing and beautiful. Hugs!
My favorite is Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. She is intelligent, caring, and not afraid to ignore social norms to do what is right and necessary. She was able to accept people as they were and worked within the cultural parameters of her patients.
Hi Patricia. I liked Dr. Quinn for all those reasons, too, plus she was a good mother to her step children. She really loved them and it was nice to see the kids warm up to her, too, and become a family. I also loved Sully and Myra! She was a tough cookie working as a saloon girl for Hank.
My favorite would have to be Sam Elliot.
He definitely is swoon-worthy!