Cathy McDavid

Cathy McDavid has been penning Westerns for Harlequin since 2005. With over 55 titles in print and 1.6 million-plus books sold, Cathy is also a member of the prestigious Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll. This “almost” Arizona native and mother of grown twins is married to her own real-life sweetheart. After leaving the corporate world seven years ago, she now spends her days penning stories about good looking cowboys riding the range, busting broncs, and sweeping gals off their feet — oops, no. Make that winning the hearts of feisty, independent women who give the cowboys a run for their money. It a tough job, but she’s willing to make the sacrifice.

The Hermit of the Superstition Mountains

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I have the really good fortune of living not too far from the Superstition Mountains – a range of about 160,000 acres east of Phoenix and north of Mesa and Apache Junction. I mentioned in a previous blog that my next Love Inspired Suspense Mountain Rescue book will be set there. When I first planned this blog, I thought to write about the legend of the Lost Dutchman’s Mine, something which the Superstitions are perhaps most known for. Instead, I decided to tell you a little about another famous legend, that of Elisha Reavis, and one I have much more experience with.

He was known as the hermit of the Supersitions, though, by some newspaper accounts, he was actually quite social and likeable when he came to town to sell his produce. Social, and a little touched in the head as they said in those days. He was born to a well-off family in Illinois and came to Arizona in 1869, abandoning his wife and child. Why exactly no one is sure, but he established a ranch in the heart of the Superstitions at the only location with enough natural water to grow fruits and vegetables. Mind you, he didn’t buy the land, he simply settled there and began to farm it.

Constructing a house and out buildings, digging wells, and bringing in equipment was no small task, considering the remote location of his new home. Not to mention transporting his produce to town for sale. It takes a special person with an incredible amount of determination. There are plenty of wild stories about Elisha, which may or may not be true. He supposedly fought off a band of local Apaches who weren’t happy about him settling on their hunting ground by taking off his clothes and running around naked with a butcher knife. Some thought he had supernatural powers. It’s been said the house contained an impressive library. What is know for sure, he died on the trail, and a small monument now marks the spot.

The legend of Elisha Reavis lives on today in the form of apples. He planted a large orchard that produces an impressive harvest still to this day — depending on weather conditions, of course. I’ve visited Reavis Ranch, as it’s called, many time, riding in on horseback (though you can also hike in if you’re up to it). We used to make several trips each year, always one in the fall to collect bushels of apples. We’d carry out the apples on a packhorse and later turn them into apple sauce, apple pie, and fried apples. One year, we even spent the night in the old abandoned ranch house. I’m glad to have had the chance because, sadly, the house was burned down by vandals some years ago. Only the foundation remains.

There are some incredible views to be had on the Superstition trails to Reavis Ranch that will quite literally take your breath away. Weaver’s Needle is easily recognized by its distinctive shape (check out the first picture at the top of the blog). And if you know where to look, you can also visit ancient Indian ruins and natural springs that create an oasis in the middle of desert mountains. I’ve been to both. But, as often as I’ve ridden the mountains, I’ve never found the Lost Dutchman’s Mine. That’ll be a blog for another day!

Arizona’s Hashknife Pony Express

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I grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, a place that used to proclaim itself as the West’s Most Western Town. For longer than I’ve been around and to this day still, the first-ish week of February is officially Western Week. There are a lot of happenings to celebrate the occasion, including the Parada de Sol Parade, festivals and art walks.

The highlight of the week for me and many others is the arrival of the Hashknife Pony Express riders — the oldest sanctioned pony express in the world. The ride begins in Holbrook, Arizona and covers more than two hundred miles, from the Mongollon Rim through the Mazatzal range and all the way to Scottsdale where the riders then join the parade. Believe me, it’s quite a thrill to watch the riders come blazing in to town and to cheer them in the parade.

The ride gets its name from the hashknife, a tool originally used by chuck wagon cooks to cut meat and prepare — yes, you guessed it — hash. The Hashknife Pony express delivers approximately twenty-thousand pieces of first-class mail annually from around the world. The official pony express envelopes go on sale well in advance of the ride and are in high demand, so don’t delay in purchasing yours! All envelopes are hand-stamped with the “Via Pony Express” cachet and considered collectors’ items.

As you can imagine, the riders who participate in this keeping-history-alive-ride are a hardy bunch, and they take their job seriously. All are sworn in as an honorary mail deliverer and must be a member of the Navajo County Sheriff’s Posse. Stops are made along the route where the mail is “put up” in the local post office and the riders camp out for the night. Locals often join in, hosting dinners with campfire entertainment for the riders, all of whom are decked out in authentic Western clothing. Sometimes there are fundraisers or school educational programs.

Ever since its inception, this famous ride had taken place without fail. Just like the motto says, neither rain, sleet, nor dark of night will stop the Hashknife Pony Express from making their annual trek. I’ve been lucky enough to not only see them in the parade many times, but once leaving Holbrook. Sounds like a great idea for a book!

The Wild Horses of Arizona’s Salt River Valley

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So, this happened a couple weeks ago. I was working on a new book idea for my publisher and wound up researching the the wild horses of the Salt River Valley. In my story, the heroine and heroine are part of a small group of people being chased by the bad guys through the Superstition Mountains (here in Arizona) during a horrendous downpour. FYI, the Superstition Mountains are where the fabled Lost Dutchman’s Mine is supposedly located. Several times during my characters’ dangerous trek through the mountains (am I doing a good job building suspense?) they encounter a small herd of free roaming horses. The horses are former ranching stock that were set free years earlier during a fire in an attempt to save them. The ranch horses then joined a herd of wild horses and were never recaptured. Still with me?

Where am I going with all this, you may ask. Well, I wound up reading quite a bit about the wild horse of the Salt River Valley, which I’ve been fortunate enough to see myself several times over the years. The Salt River runs from east to west through central Arizona, first junctioning with the Verde River and then the Gila River. It’s also very near where I’m setting my story, and there are lots of ranches in the area — which is good because this all makes sense for my book.

 

According to local history, horses have been living wild in the Salt River Valley since at least the early 1900s, but probably for much, much longer than that. In 1687, Missionary Father Eusebio Keno (or Kino, I’ve found both spellings) traveled the southern part of Arizona and is supposed to have left hundreds of horses and cattle at the many missions founded by the Spaniards. Horses aren’t native to American, so every single one living here now, or has ever lived here, was either brought to this country or descended from a horse brought to this country. According to some DNA studies being done on the Salt River Valley wild horses, they are approximately three-percent Spanish colonial descent. Not bad. According to Embark, my dog is two-percent wolf 🙂

Like in a lot of states, there’s controversy surrounding the wild horses if the Salt River Valley. The value of preserving wildlife versus impact on the land is hotly debated. Currently, the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group, and others, are working diligently to protect Arizona’s “mustangs” and, as of now, their efforts are paying off. If you kayak or tube down the Salt River, like I have (okay, I was younger and a little fitter), you have a good chance of spotting wild horses. This sight is pretty inspiring and makes for a great plot element in a western romance book!

Mom’s Turkey Soup Tradition

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Happy mid week between Christmas and New Years. I’m sorry to be late with this post. The holidays have been rather hectic this year. Then again, when aren’t they 🙂

I hate to admit it, but holiday traditions were something I paid little attention to until I grew up and had a family of my own. Only then, when making the holidays special for my own children, did I fully appreciate all the wonderful things my parents did for me and my brother. It’s really amazing, but whenever I get together with one of my cousins, we always talk about the great times we spent at each other’s houses while growing up and what fun we had doing the simple things like singing songs, crafting homemade Christmas tree ornaments, and, of course, eating incredible meals that included Auntie June’s secret recipe cranberry sauce and Grandpa’s spiced tomato soup cake.

My mom was a great cook. I often wish I’d inherited her skill. One of her many talents was taking leftovers and turning them into something different for the next meal. She didn’t just reheat all the various food containers, she created brand new and delicious meals. One of my favorites was her turkey soup. The secret, as she told me many times, was to have no specific recipe. Just put in some of this and a little of that. Whatever is in the refrigerator. I’ve been told that’s often what the best cooks do.

 

 

So, here’s how I make my mom’s turkey soup. As best I can put it down in writing. And don’t forget to add a little love all during the cooking process. Oh, and a heads up. This is entire afternoon project for me, so allow yourself plenty of time.

Ingredients:

1 turkey carcass
Chicken or vegetable stock (two cans or one box)
1 small to medium onion (white is best)
1 green pepper (or red or yellow or orange, it doesn’t matter)
1 large or two medium tomatoes
1-1/2 cup chopped celery
1-1/2 cup diced carrots

Any other vegetables you have around. Some nice additions are corn, peas, diced mushrooms, broccoli or spinach (both will disappear in the cooking but add flavor), diced green beans and cubed zucchini.
Egg noodles – as much or little as you want. I use about 2 cups. Can also substitute other pasta, like elbow macaroni or broken up spaghetti. Rice is another option, I use about a cup. Also, cube potatoes or barley for a different starch. Or, you can leave out the starch altogether for a low-carb version.

Seasonings to taste. Some examples are salt and pepper, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, a bay leaf, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Be creative and always taste as you go.

Cook the turkey carcass fully submerged in a large pot of stock and water. Add the finely chopped onion about thirty minutes in. Continue cooking the carcass until the meat is falling off the bone. At that point, remove the carcass and set it aside on the counter to cool. Remove any bits of bone, gristle, etc. from your pot of stock until what’s left is clear. Small bits of meat are fine. Some people let the stock cool and blot off the fat for a healthier version. I don’t, preferring the flavor added by the fat.

Add all the remaining chopped vegetables that you sliced and diced and chopped while the carcass was cooking to the stock. Start seasoning, slowing at first as seasonings will become stronger during the cooking process. Bring to a simmer (small bubbles). When the carcass is cooled, remove all the meat. Separate good meat from the bad and being careful to avoid small bones. Add the all the lovely choice meat back into the vegetables and stock.

At this point, add your pasta or rice and continue cooking for another hour or so until everything is super tender. Continue to taste and season.

I can still picture my mom standing over the stove, stirring the turkey soup, taking a taste, and adding a dash of something. I never make a pot without thinking of her and appreciating the traditions she lovingly passed down.

What are your holiday cooking traditions? I would love to hear them. Sharing a meal is such a lovely way to bring people together.

A Little About Wedding Traditions

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE! If you’ve found a moment to stop by today (or even a day or two later), I hope you have a wonderful holiday filled with friends, family, good cheer, and delicious food. One of things I’m most thankful for this year is to have become a part of Petticoats and Pistols. I feel like I found my second family and am so delighted to have met you, the many wonderful readers.

I had the delight and honor recently of being interviewed by The Categorically Romance Podcast (here’s a link in case anyone is interested in having a listen:    Cathy McDaivd’s Podcast  – I’m episode #78).

So, one of the questions my lovely hosts asked me was about my current and upcoming writing projects. I mentioned that, after the book I’m working on now (an inspirational suspense), I’d be finishing the last book in my Wishing Well series for Harlequin Heartwarming. I then laughingly admitted it was my eight wedding-themed book in a row for Heartwarming and would be my last for a while as I’d grown a little tired of writing about weddings.

That said, I’ve had such fun with the books. I spent a lot of time researching weddings and learned about some lovely, quaint, and, okay, a little crazy, traditions. Everyrone knows about throwing rice, of course – which is now the more feathered friend friendly version of throwing bird seed. It’s a way of wishing the newlyweds good luck, prosperity and fertility. But here’s the scoop on just a few common American wedding traditions you may not have known:

1) Nowadays, brides often carry bouquets of flowers. In ancient Greece and Rome, she carried a bouquet of herbs and spices to ward off evil spirits.

 

2) Queen Victoria is said to have started the fashion trend of brides wearing white dresses. In ancient cultures, blue was more often considered the color of purity.

3) Also, Roman times is when the practice started of attendants wearing matching dresses, again for good luck. Not only each other, their dresses matched those of the bride in order to confuse evil spirits. Roman brides wore a veil for the same reason – to protect her and hide her from the pesky evil spirits who might steal her away. As you can see, superstitions played a large role in the origins of some modern traditions.

4) The reason for wedding rings being worn on the third finger of the left hand dates back to Egyptians (well, some also say Romans, again) who believed there is a vein that runs from that finger directly to the heart.

5) If you receive a wedding invitation with the wording “the honour of your presence”, the ”u” in the word honour is to let guests know the ceremony will take place in a church or place of worship.

6) Giving away the bride stems back to the times when marriages were arranged and the bride was “transferred” from her father to her husband. Yes, like property. These days, the gesture is more often a sign of affection.

7) Bridal showers started out as a way to raise money for the bride’s dowry.

Tell me, what traditions did you have in your wedding or want to have in your wedding? I wore something old (leave the past behind), something new (embrace the future), something borrowed (good luck) and something blue (purity and warding off that evil spirit again). Maybe you had an unusual tradition or one with a special meaning for your family or culture? I’d love to hear about it. I do have that last wedding book to write!

P.S. – Don’t forget to join us on November 29th for Cowboys and Mistletoes – a super fun story and game for our readers and plenty of chances to win a nifty prize!

A New Release to Share

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Please tell me it’s not too early to celebrate Christmas ? I sure hope not because I had a new book coming out this month on the 26th — A Secret Christmas Wish. Of course, all my books hold a special place in my heart, but this one has become a favorite. I’ve included a lot of familiar hooks: handsome cowboy hero, single mother heroine, baby, ranch setting, weddings, and, yes, Christmas.

But my publisher took a chance and let me write a hero you don’t typically find in romance books. Brent Hayes is suffering from acute depression. Not a trait you expect in a strong, tough cowboy hero. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to bring awareness to the struggles individuals with mental illness face in a format that might reach readers needing to know they aren’t alone.

Rest assured, there’s also the usual fun, touching, romantic, and western stuff I love to write about — plus a really cute little boy guaranteed to steal your heart. And plenty of Christmas happenings to put readers in the spirit.

Here’s a short excerpt:

Brent did as Ansel suggested, ladling a portion of the steaming cider into a mug. He’d skipped lunch, not wanting to spoil his appetite for today, and considered filling a plate with stuffed mushrooms and deviled eggs. Before he could, he felt a heavy weight knock into him and almost spilled his cider.

Looking down, he saw TJ on his knees and clutching Brent’s boot with his chubby arms.

“Hey, buddy. What’s going on?” He set down his cider on the table.

TJ tugged harder on the boot, the same one he’d pushed around the bunkhouse floor the previous evening. “Want.”

Brent understood that word well enough. “Maybe later. Not sure your grandma fancies me walking around her house in my socks.”

TJ plunked down onto his behind, wrapped his legs around Brent and pulled with all his might, his small face turning nearly the same shade of red as his sweatshirt. “Want!”

Brent chuckled. “We’re going to have to reach a compromise.”

“TJ!” Maia hurried over. “I’m so sorry.” She bent and retrieved her son. “He’s been a little stinker since we got here. It’s all the people and commotion.

TJ squirmed and grunted in an attempt to break free of Maia’s grasp. When she held fast, he started to cry. She put him down but kept hold of his hand.

“What am I going to do with you?” she complained with mock sternness, her expression filled with tenderness.

She wore a red sweatshirt identical to her son’s. It was then Brent saw MacKenzie Family Thanksgiving printed on the front over a cartoon turkey. He glanced at Ansel and Darla. They wore the same sweatshirt, as did Lois and two of TJ’s cousins.

Corny. Also kind of nice. Brent’s family hadn’t done those kinds of things, and until today he’d have cringed at the idea. Funny how one’s perspective could change.

“Here.” Brent slipped out of his denim jacket and extended it to TJ, who grabbed the jacket with the same joyous abandon he had Brent’s boot.

Struggling, TJ managed to insert an arm into the sleeve. Before Maia could stop him, he scooted off, dragging half the jacket on the floor behind him.

“Come back.” She started after him.

Brent waylaid her with a hand on her wrist. “It’s all right.”

“What if he—”

“He won’t.”

“He could.”

“Then he does.”

She shook her head and grumbled, “You’re as bad as he is.”

Only then did Brent notice his hand remained on Maia’s wrist. Reluctantly, he let go. He’d been here less than ten minutes and already experienced human contact twice after an incredibly long dry spell.

Lois’s hug had been nice, but touching Maia was far nicer. He wouldn’t lie.

Buy A Secret Christmas Wish

Thank you for letting me share my new release with you. And for joining me in an early Christmas celebration. Is it time to get the decorations out yet? I think yes!

Women in Today’s Sport of Professional Rodeo

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I love that we’re seeing more and more women participating in sports traditionally dominated by men. And I’m happy that rodeo has become one of those sports. Yes, you say, women have long competed in barrel racing. But did you know in the early days of rodeo, 1850s to 1900s, women competed against men in all rodeo events, including rough stock?

Eventually, they got pushed out (grrrr), and in 1948 the Girls Rodeo Association was formed with the intent of advancing women in professional rodeo. The Girls Rodeo Association later became know by its current name, the Woman’s Professional Rodeo Association. Yay! Go girls. Um, I mean women.

While women still don’t compete against men in today’s professional rodeos, they do have their own rodeos and are no longer restricted to just barrel racing. Breakaway roping and team roping have become sanctioned events, and women from all over the world compete on local and National levels. Pretty impressive. I’ve tried roping and couldn’t even get the rope to land correctly on a stationary practice dummy. Can’t imagine succeeding while chasing a live calf on a fast moving horse.

 

Photo by Kirstie Marie Photography

There are also some brave and talented women who compete in non-sanctioned events such as tie-down roping, steer wrestling, bull riding and bronc riding. Picture yourself climbing onto the back of a two-thousand pound bull and letting him toss you around like a bean bag. Nope. I can’t, either. Even with all the safety equipment. Talk about dangerous. But I admire the women who are paving the way for future generations.

Daily Mail Online

I especially like that these rodeo events are open to ages thirteen and up, giving opportunity to young women they didn’t have just a short time ago and opening doors for future generations. Who knows what women in rodeo will look like twenty years from now, or even ten?

At the 2020 Inaugural Women’s World Rodeo Championship last November in Las Vegas, four women became the first in history to claim the title of Women’s Rodeo World Champion (besides barrel racing, breakaway roping, and team roping, a title was also given for heading and heeling).This is an amazing step forward, and I hope more events will be added in the future.

I haven’t yet put a professional woman rodeo athlete in one of my books. Thinking maybe I should. And one of these days I’ll travel to Las Vegas to attend the rodeo. I read somewhere that CBS will be airing the final rounds for this year’s 2021 Women’s World Rodeo Championship on Sunday, October 31st. I’m marking my calendar 🙂

Inspiration Comes From Many Places

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One question authors get asked all the time is where do you get ideas for your stories. No, you don’t have to worry that if you tell me about running into your old high school crush I’m going to use it in my book. Unless, well, if it’s a really good meet cute …

Never mind. Just kidding. I actually get a lot of my ideas from news articles or human interest pieces I read online. Sometimes, however, inspiration comes from a place I’ve visited.

Many years ago, when my kids were young, we took a trip to Bisbee, Arizona and toured the Queen Silver Mine. While there, I saw an old photo of a mule being lowered down into the shaft (mules were used to haul ore carts and often spent their entire lives in the mines). From that tour and photo came the inspiration for Her Heart’s Treasure. While researching that book, I came across an article about a horrific mining accident in Denver and that became the inspiration for my book, The Gate to Eden. Note: this was back in the days when I wrote Western historicals.

A few years after that, we were vacationing at Lake Tahoe, Nevada. One day, we took a tour of the (replica) Ponderosa Ranch and Western town TV set from the show Bonanza. The scenery was incredible, and my mind raced with ideas. Eventually, I wrote a three book series for Harlequin American titled Sweetheart, Nevada.

When I was a teenager, we used to stay at a Western-themed resort outside of Payson, Arizona called Kohl’s Ranch. As an adult, I frequently visit Payson and have returned to Kohl’s Ranch just to check it out. Of course, a story popped into my head. That story eventually became a four-book series called Bear Creek Ranch that was so thinly disguised I actually had readers email me to say they knew I’d used Kohl’s Ranch for my inspiration.

I could go one and on, but I think I’ll end with the McDowell Mountains. I grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and lived for many, many years not far from the Sonoran Mountain Preserve. Once, while walking my dogs, I found myself gazing up at the mountains and wondering if any wild horses still lived there. Turns out, they do! That question launched a thirteen book series, the first one about a cowboy trying to save his ranch by capturing the last wild mustang roaming free in the mountains near my fictional town, Mustang Valley.

Wow. All this talk about places I’ve visited makes me want to travel again. It’s been too long. Wherever I wind up going, I’ll be sure to take my imagination. Who knows? I could be inspired with a story.

Now, what were you telling me about your old high school crush ?

Trick Riding is Much More Than Just Tricks

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Good morning!

I’m so excited to be here for my second official post. In case you didn’t know it, I’m a talker, and I love talking about writing. And, yes, anything western and cowboys 🙂

I’m sure everyone reading this post has heard the old saying: write what you know. That’s one of the reasons I love western romances. I’ve spent most of my life embracing the country and western lifestyle. And even though I mostly write contemporaries, that doesn’t mean I get out of having to research something new with every book.

I particularly like giving my heroines horse-related occupations or hobbies that are little out of the norm. In one book, my gal crafts and sells jewelry for horses (yes, it’s a thing). In my book coming out in November, the gal’s a competitive endurance rider. In yet another book, she rescues wild mustangs. I even had a heroine who ran a wildlife sanctuary.

In my most recent release, my heroine is a trick rider. And while I’ve seen trick riders perform at rodeos and horse events, I actually knew nothing about it when I started the book. I guessed that trick riders have years of training and often a gymnastic or dancing background, and I was right. But I learned a whole lot more.

Trick riding originated in the Caucasus and Central Asia cultures and was adopted by the Russian Cossacks who used it during battles. Eventually, Russian Cossacks who immigrated to America brought their trick riding skills with them and started performing as a way to earn money. Sometime around the 1940s, trick riding evolved into a rodeo event, though eventually it became strictly a specialty act for entertainment..

Not only is the rider talented, skilled, and athletic, the horse is, too, as well as needing to have a calm and reliable disposition. The two must form a true partnership in order to be successful and trust each other completely. If not, they’re both at risk of injury. As you can imagine, countless hours of training and practice are required in order to reach a professional performance level, and that training and practice never stops.

Here are just a few pictures of some common tricks. I don’t know about you, but I’m holding my breath watching them.

The hippodrome

Layout fender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One leg stand

Death drag

If you have a hankering to learn more, check out this YouTube video of sister trick riders. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll be amazed at what these gals (and their horses) can do!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RVwoJD2px0

Warmest wishes,

Cathy McDavid

P.S. – You can purchase my trick riding heroine story, HOW TO MARRY A COWBOY, here https://books2read.com/u/mgggaD

 

Howdy, Everyone!

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I’m here! My first official post for Petticoats and Pistols, and I have to say, I’m a bit nervous. The lovely, talented, and sweet Margaret Brownley has left some big shoes for me to fill. She will be truly missed, but, like all of you, I wish her love and happiness in her exciting new life.

I’m also thrilled to be joining this amazing group of ladies. I’ve known some of them for years and am becoming fast friends with the other “fillies”. To stand here beside them is…aw, heck. For a writer, I’m at a loss for words. I’m also excited to get to know all of the readers. I promise to do my best responding to comments and answering any questions ?

I thought I should probably tell you a little about myself. I’ve been at this writing business a long time. It took a while to figure out what kind of stories I loved writing the best. As a result, I tried suspense, historicals, rom com, paranormal, you name it. Finally, I took to heart the old saying, write what you know, and sold my first Western/small town book to Harlequin in 2005 for the then American line. It’s been full steam ahead ever since. The American line eventually became the Western line, which sadly folded several years ago. I now write for Harlequin Heartwarming and, starting in 2022, Love Inspired Mountain Rescue Suspense.

My promo material says, “Who Doesn’t Love a Cowboy Romance?” and that sums up exactly how I feel. I’ve lived the country/western lifestyle for as long as I can remember, getting my first horse when I was just a kid. We once owned over fifty “pets” that included chickens, ducks, goats, a donkey, mules, and horses — besides the usual cats and dogs. There wasn’t a day I didn’t pet a velvety nose, smell the sweet scent of hay, collect fresh eggs, and wash out a water trough. I once rode in a mule-drawn wagon for three days from north Cave Creek, Arizona to Young (the state’s most remote town located on the southern rim of the Grand Canyon). In my younger days, I competed in horse shows. And while I have a great love of rodeo and watch it whenever possible, I’ve never participated beyond riding a mechanical bull or attempting to rope a practice dummy (plastic calf). While I, sadly, no longer own any horses, I have friends who let me visit whenever the mood strikes. Yes, that picture below is me with a baby mule taken about six months ago when she was just a few days old.

I pour that love of all things cowboy into my contemporary Western stories, trying to make them as realistic as possible. What a great gig, right? I couldn’t be luckier. I get to wake up every day and do what I enjoy best of all — write books about the life I love.

I can’t wait to get to know all of you and share my stories with you.

Warmest wishes to you and yours,

Cathy McDavid

https://www.facebook.com/cathymcdavidbooks

https://cathymcdavid.com/

 

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