CONFESSIONS OF AN URBAN COWGIRL
You might think this Love Inspired Suspense author, who writes about law enforcement cowboys, lives on a ranch. Sadly, I don’t. I live in a suburb of Phoenix. The closest I came was vacationing at The Ranch in the White Mountains of Arizona many times. Most of my childhood was spent on Air Force bases, which I loved. I may not have seen horses running around every day, but I did watch jets fly overhead with great pride. My father was one of the many men and women who protected our country.
So how did I end up writing suspense novels featuring cowboys? While growing up, I watched Bonanza, The Big Valley, Gunsmoke, The Wild, Wild West, etc. with my siblings and then mystery shows with my mother. We also often took visitors from other states to Old Tucson, a wild west studio where movies were filmed, staring actors such as John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Clint Eastwood, Audie Murphy, Kirk Douglas, Paul Newman, Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, and many more. Arizona is also the home to Tombstone, a real wild west town and the sight of the famous Wyatt Earp gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Locals, tourists, and visitors often dress in 19th century style clothing, which adds to the historic mood and fun. Outside Phoenix is the Pioneer Living History Museum. A cousin of mine had his wedding in the old church and a reception in the saloon.
After I graduated from college, I married a Texas lawman and lived outside Dallas during the ‘80s. This was when the movie Urban Cowboy made western wear high fashion. The black-and-white picture is me when I worked as an assistant children’s librarian. I loved my cowgirl boots. After wearing them out, I saved them for trail rides. Unlike my bronco riding cousin, I am afraid of getting hurt, so I tried to stick to the calmest horses.
My favorite story is how I rode a spooked horse and lived to tell the tale. It was during a trail ride on The Ranch. I rode Big Red, a retired racehorse. He was huge! I was enjoying the sunny day on horseback when a dust devil crossed our path. Arizona does get haboobs (pictured), so I was glad this one was basically a shed-sized tornado made of dirt.
Big Red started bucking. I maintained a death grip on the reins. There was no way I was letting go. Although at one point, I did look down at an overgrown bush and thought for sure that was where I was going to land. But it turned out my fear of injury was greater than his. In the end, I stayed on Big Red and was able to calm him down. Okay, he probably did that all by himself. But, hey, it’s a fun story.
So is the time I was given permission to sit in an F-16 fighter jet, and the pilot turned out to be the officer I had danced with the night before. Neither of us told my father—until later. Life sure is interesting, and so is writing fiction.
Ranch Showdown
Seeking refuge at a ranch…
Has fiery consequences
After being threatened by her sister’s ex, Sierra Lowery has forty-eight hours to surrender documents linking him to a bombing before he kills her and kidnaps her nephew. With the evidence missing and anyone who helps becoming a target, hiding out with Detective Cole Walker, her college sweetheart, might be her only chance for survival. But as explosives detonate in the wake of their search, their ranch safe haven could become a dangerous trap.
More About Tina
Tina Wheeler, a Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author, writes inspirational romantic suspense for Harlequin. Although she grew up near a desert in Arizona, her favorite place to plot a new story is on a balcony overlooking the ocean. She enjoys spending time with her large extended family, brainstorming with writing friends, discovering new restaurants, and traveling with her husband. Visit authortinawheeler.com to read more.
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Giveaway (print if US, eBook if international)
Tina is giving away a copy of Ranch Showdown. To enter the random drawing, leave a comment telling us what types of stories you enjoy reading or watching.
I love clean historical or fairytale twist romances & the old classics, but I’ll read any book that is clean, uplifting, & interesting… be it fiction or nonfiction!
I’m all for clean, uplifting, & interesting.
I love all kinds of clean stories. Suspense. Romance. Historical. Cowboys. I don’t like to watch things, I want to read them!
God bless,
Kim
I love all of those as well. I do like to watch and read.
I like a good story no matter the genre. I read just about everything; however, I do not always agree with who is a good author. Faulkner, for example. My high school literature teacher told me I would see it when I get older. I reread his work every few years and still hate it, but I try to see it differently. Such is the power of a great teacher.
That is so interesting! Not many people would reread something to see if differently. I’ll have to remember that.
I am in my 60s now and wonder when it will be good.
My favorite genre is Christian historical fiction, but I read and love a lot of contemporaries too.
I enjoy reading historicals but don’t write them because I’m worried I’ll do the research and still make a mistake with the accuracy of the time.
I pretty much like all stories. cheetahthecat1982ATgmailDOTcom
You must have a huge TBR pile. 🙂
I love all clean stories as long as the author is consistent with the stories. I hate to read a story where ages, names, places, etc change during the story. I find myself going back to see if I read it wrong the first time and then it really bothers me. I also dislike when the author has not researched the customs and time period and puts in something that just couldn’t be true.
That is where good critique partners come in handy. They just caught me changing the heroine’s first name twice in a scene. I have no idea how I did that.
I love the romance genre best, contemporary or historical. Love small towns, castles, cowboys, dukes, and anything in-between. I do ready romantic suspense and cozy mystery, too.
I do enjoy all of those as well, but haven’t read anything with a castle in a few years. I should before too long.
I too love a good cowboy story and myself work for law enforcement (Game Wardens) here in Indiana!
That is so cool! I have a few law enforcement officers in our family but no game wardens.
welcome today. I love to read good clean and or christian westerns. have just started to get into contemporary westerns. I love to read non fiction. I love to read clean and or christian cozies. I love to read clean and or christian historical quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
Thank you for the welcome. I enjoy a good cozie mystery.
I enjoy reading historical romance, mail order brides, some modern romance, and watching old westerns.
I didn’t think I would enjoy a mail order bride book but I discovered I was wrong. 🙂
I grew up watching westerns, and I still love them, no matter the time period they’re set in! As long as a book is CF, I’ll read any genre. If it’s not CF, I’m still a sucker for a western, and if it has Native Americans and they’re the “good guys” all the better!!!
I feel the same way. 🙂
I read a little of everything except Sci fi and not many paranormal. Historical is my favorite I read women’s fiction and contemporary also.
I’m not a huge fan of sci-fi. I read Dune in high school because my father was a big sci-fi reader but I don’t remember the story. 🙂
I like Christian romance, clean romance (including western/cowboys), cozy mystery, and clean novels.
Me too! 🙂
I love all types of clean reading. especially Christian. Love that harlequin. does the love inspired series because you get a chance to read new authors.
I am grateful I can write for the Love Inspired Suspense line.
I read all kinds of stories except the paranormal ones.
That’s good. You always have a wide range of books to choose from.
I love historical books and books with suspense.
You are all reminding me I need to read another historical. It’s been too long.
I prefer to read clean western romance,either contemporary or historical and clean suspense such as the love inspired.
I am so thankful for Love Inspired. I know I can pick up a book and it will always be clean. I had to stop reading an author in my twenties when his books suddenly turned gory.
Dancing with a pilot! Then meeting him the next day when you sat in his plane? I see the beginning of a romance novel here 🙂 Loved your post!
Cathy, you know an editor would say it sounds contrived. LOL Thanks.
Good morning, wow, how scary for you! I enjoyed reading your post. I love reading different genres, I dont really care for Sci Fi , but I love clean romance, mystery , suspense books, and I love reading psychological thrillers. Have a great weekend.
One of these days I want to try writing a psychological thriller. Of course it would have to be clean. 🙂
I like many types of romance including romantic suspense and historical fiction.
Me too! 🙂
Wow, you have led an exciting life! Welcome, Tina! Thank you for visiting and letting us showcase Ranch Showdown. It looks very interesting. You know, I also bought boots and a hat after Urban Cowboy came out. I think half of America did. I loved that movie.
Thank you for having me. Yeah, Urban Cowboy was a fun fashion time. 🙂
I love variety in my reading… just give me a wonderful journey to a HEA.
I love “just give me a wonderful journey to a HEA.”
I read a variety of books. Some time travel, romance, westerns without too much if any bloodshed. All my reading must be clean reads. I do not want any sex or even suggestions in the books I read. Indians are also very fascinating as I love to hear of their history. Your novel above sounds very exciting. I look forward to reading it soon.
Thank you! I have read a couple of time travels that I did enjoy.
I love all Christian fiction western, love inspired, cozy mystery, Amish, anything that is clean and I love romance.
Whoops! I replied to you in the wrong place. I wrote that I haven’t read an Amish book yet but I will.
I have to admit I haven’t read an Amish book yet, but I will. 🙂
something different
Interesting
I Love reading stories like this and love watching Cowboy Movies Have a Blessed weekend!
You have a blessed weekend too. 🙂
I like clean/Christian romance, suspense, cozy mystery, fantasy, K-9, Amish, cowboy, etc…
I like to watch uplifting/hallmark movies & TV shows like Heartland & first responder shows.
I’ll go through periods of time where I watch a ton of Hallmark movies. My favorites are the mysteries.
Westerns are my favorite and detective shows. I grew up watching both. I just recently discovered the series Laramie and it is now my favorite western series.
I forgot about Laramie. I used to watch the reruns when I was growing up.
I also am a Military Brat, my dad spent twenty years in the Army. I love romantic cowboy western books. I was born in Montana and now live in Sierra Vista (20 miles from Tombstone).
My father retired from the Air Force and then worked as a civilian on the base. I haven’t been to Sierra Vista, but I should go there for a visit one day. A friend of mine lives there.
Hi Tina. I enjoy romantic suspense. It does not matter to me which period of time the book is written. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I enjoy reading just about anything but horror or erotica. My first love was intrigue and suspense and I still enjoy other genre when they include those elements. You were lucky to be part of a military family. They built a base in our town when I was in grade school. I always felt those kids were so lucky to have been to so many places. I went to high school with my now husband whose dad was stationed at the base. Many years later we bumped into each other again and ended up getting married. He was in the Air Force and had a 24 year career. The military “family” is special and we still miss it many years after retirement. He was in SAC so we never had an overseas assignment. We actually got stationed back at my home town base for 7 years when he was in FB-111’s. Not my idea of being in the military and seeing the world. We were stationed in Colorado Springs so got a taste of the West and loved it. It was our favorite assignment.
I love several different genres but mystery and suspense stories and movies are my favorites. Thank you for a chance to win a book.
I love mysteries, suspense, and fantasy worlds. Basically, anything that sounds intriguing and exciting.