I have to confess that I panicked last year when my publisher Jane Porter asked me to move from River’s Edge, my little town on the Ohio River to Marietta, Montana. I mean, holy schnikeys! Except for flyovers and the very urban Bay Area of San Francisco to visit our kids, I’d never been west of Mississippi, and now I was supposed to write in the mountains of Montana? About cowboys? And rodeos and ranches? Yikes!
To be honest, the only things I had going for me as I headed into this new writing territory was a love of and experience with horses, the fact that I’d read a lot of Tule Publishing’s Montana Born books, and a deep respect for Jane and the team’s marketing expertise. They’d never steered me wrong yet, so I took a deep breath and dove in. I even took a trip to Big Sky, Montana, in July with my pal, mystery writer Carol Light, just to get a feel for the setting. Wow, was that ever grand!
I was grateful that I was starting my Montana Born journey with three other romance authors, all of whom already wrote cowboys and Montana and ranches and rodeo. Our 4-book, 4-author series, Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys released one book a week throughout September of 2025. And we needed a theme that would run through the entire series—something that tied all the books together. Someone said, how about a stray dog? That was fine with me, so our little thieving pup first appears in Jeannie Watt’s Unforgettable Cowboy, turns up again in Nicole Flockton’s Headstrong Cowboy, and in Sinclair Jayne’s Rogue Cowboy. Each time, the little trickster is stealing something … and then disappearing. He is a sheltie/border collie mix and cute as can be! Check him out here.
Then my turn came. Because I am the last book in the series, I got to decide what would happen to the little dog we’d named Rascal—because he truly was! Husband and Son both said words to the effect of you can’t kill off the dog. Like I would ever do such a thing! I’ll grant you I’m more a cat person than a dog lover, but surely Rascal needed a happily-ever-after just like all our cowboys and their ladies. Sorry, I’m not going to tell you where that poor critter ended up. You’ll have to read the whole series, ending with my Forever Cowboy to find out. Just trust me … fairy tale ending are my specialty.
Hope y’all enjoy all four books in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series—we sure had fun writing them! And here’s the best part: I have three more Montana Born stories coming up here in 2026! I got into the cowboy thing so much that I created my own Montana world—Juniper Falls Ranch, so although Forever Cowboy may be book 4 in the Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys series; it’s Book 1 in the Juniper Falls Ranch series. Book 2, The Cowboy’s Comeback, released January 30, 2026. Book 3, Help Wanted, Cowboy releases July 7, 2026, and book 4, The Rancher’s Christmas Wife, which I’m currently writing, releases in November! And you know what else? I’m havin’ the time of my life in Montana! Come join me!
To whet your appetite for my Juniper Fall Ranch cowboys, how about we do a little giveaway? Just tell me below if you like to see pets–dogs, cats, parrots, hamsters, rabbits, really any kind of pet–in your cowboy stories? I’ll give away two e-book copies of Forever Cowboy to two lucky commenters!
Thanks for spending time with me today! See you next time!
Nan Reinhardt is a USA Today bestselling author of sweet, small-town romantic fiction for Tule Publishing. Her day job is working as a freelance copyeditor and proofreader, however, writing is Nan’s first and most enduring passion. She can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t writing—she wrote her first romance novel at the age of ten and is still writing, but now from the viewpoint of a wiser, slightly rumpled, woman in her prime. Nan lives in the Midwest with her husband of 52 years, where they split their time between a house in the city and a cottage on a lake.
How fun you get to decide where Rascal finds his furever home. Congratulations on the new contract!
I was delighted to get to choose where Rascal ended up. Hugs, Denise!
Lots of Cowboys had a dog. Maybe give one a cat.
Funny you should say that… writing book 4 in the Juniper Falls Ranch series…
Would be fun if a cowboy had a parrot.
That would be interesting for sure, Kim!
While I agree it would be fun if a cowboy had a parrot, as Kim suggested, I’m strictly a cat lady. That being said, I think animals add a lot to stories–Rascal included. Your Montana Born stories are great, BTW!
I’m pretty much a cat person, too, Liz, and I agree animals do add a certain panache to stories. We don’t have pets at our house, so I have to remind myself to include them. Thanks and I’m glad you’re enjoying my cowboys! Hugs galore to you!
Good Tuesday Morning Nan,
Growing up we always had dogs: Beagles, German Shepherds, a Collie, an Irish Setter. We even had a guinea pig for five or six years!
Thank you,
Julie Bullock
We had cats when I was growing up. My mom was afraid of dogs–no idea why. I have two granddogs who are a hoot, but I am much more a cat person. Writing Rascal gave me a chance to be a dog person for a little while. Thanks for stopping by!
I have always been a dog person – growing up we always had dogs. Our daughter when she moved into her own apartment got a cat. Mr. Bugs has so much personality?. I think he would be a great companion for a cowboy.
Cats are definitely a different kind of pet from dogs! I’ve heard it said that dogs have owners, cats have staff… think that’s true? Thanks, Patti!
I like reading about pets in stories, they add depth and fun. Cats are easier to care for and I have 2.
They do feel less like having eternal toddlers… dogs are definitely higher maintenance. Thanks, Karen!
sometimes
Okay, fair enough.
Dogs and cowboys just seem to go together. I think animals add a lot to any story. Currently we have 3 cats and a dog, although when my children were growing up we had a rabbit and hamsters as well.
We had cats growing up, but Son had a rabbit and now he and DIL and Grandboy have dogs. My guess is Son would’ve loved a dog as a kid, but we just weren’t in that space. Thanks for stopping by, Karijean!
Yes pets and children always make a good story more “real” to me!
Great point, Teresa. They definitely do!
Yes I like animals in stories especially dogs.
They seem to add to the ranch atmosphere, don’t they?
I absolutely love reading books with animals as a character! I have always had pets from the time I was born and have rescued many dogs and cats over the years.
Our Rascal was definitely a rescue! Thanks, Karin!
Yes – I have always been a dog lover, particularly the small varieties, it being Poodles, not that I am picky! We have had 3 of them and cherished them to their last days on earth. I also love to watch the German Shepherds in tv cop shows when helping to catch the bad guys. They are very much accepted for their work and their companionship. And then there was Lassie! Showing my age as that was many years ago.
We didn’t have a TV until I was a teenager, so we watched Lassie on Sunday nights at my grandparents. I always liked collies.
I love to see pets in books. The more unusual the pet, the better I like it.
Our pets have always been cats or horses–not unusual, but fun! I’ll have to think of an unusual pet for the next book… hmmmm…
I love pet sidekicks in any book I read!
I had fun writing my heroine Megan’s cats, which she named after first ladies, in my River’s Edge titles. First introduced in Meant to Be in the Four Irish Brothers Winery series.
Adding pets adds to the story in my opinion. I love seeing them
I think lots of readers like to see pets in their stories…
I love seeing pets in my books, it adds to the story.
Me too!
Yes I love having a pet included in the stories, expecially a cattle dog. Love border collies.
Yes I love having a pet included in the stories, especially a cattle dog. Love border collies.
Border Collie are pretty and really smart!
I love dogs in the stories. I love Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes and Shepskis.
Huskies are such nice dogs!
I love pets of all kinds in books! They add so much to a story!
They do add a homey touch to a story.
I do like to see pets in books! Except pet snakes.
Couldn’t agree more–no snakes!
I love to have animals/pets in my stories. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.
Hey, Deb! Good to see you here!
I agree that having pets in stories really fleshes out the characters. Readers can identify with the animal’s unpredictability. Rascal is great!