Cowboys – General

What Working at Summer Camp and Being Around Horses Taught Me and How I Use it in My Books

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What Working at Summer Camp and Being Around Horses Taught Me and How I Use it in My Books

By Michele Dunaway

Who wasn’t a horse girly? Besides reading about girls and their horses, there was nothing I loved more than summers when I went away to camp and got to ride. I did the wrangler week at Camp Cedarledge. Then there were my two weeks—two summers in a row—at Staghorn Ranch. I learned to ride, and I also canoed overnight on three rivers (the Courtois, Huzzah and Upper Meramec.) Those times in the Missouri Ozarks were precious.

Then came the two years after high school I worked at Camp Don Bosco, in Hillsboro, Missouri. I have so many memories of riding, including a ten-mile horseback ride with a group to move the horses from winter pastures to the camp. I can still remember that day—the heat coming off the gravel road, the sun on our faces, the creak of leather, and the way ten miles teaches your body exactly where every muscle lives. By the end I was dusty, saddle-sore, and grinning like a fool. Then there were my barrel racing lessons. I also competed in the Hillsboro (MO) Horse Show for Western style. Spoiler, I didn’t final, but our camp did place in the costume contest with the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters.

When my girls were little, I made sure they had riding lessons. My mom even bought my daughter a horse. This is Chase.

But life moves on, and Chase became more of a pasture pet, so we gave him to someone who would ride him more often. But that doesn’t mean I don’t try to pet horses any chance I get. Here’s my friend Liz and I on a Clydesdale tour (I’m on the left).

My background is one reason I was delighted to say yes to my editor when she asked me to write a western romances series. I set it in the fictional town of Legacy Canyon in homage to my friend Jodi Thomas, the bestselling author of the Ransom Canyon series (now also on Netflix) who once told me never to give up, and to leap and the net will appear. I’ve carried those words with me ever since. Saying yes to a western series felt like a leap, but it turned out the net was there, woven from every summer I’d spent at various camps, and from being in the stable with my girls.

Which brings me to Inheriting a Rodeo Cowboy, Book 2 of the Legacy Canyon series. While each novel stands alone and has a guaranteed happily-ever-after, Inheriting a Rodeo Cowboy picks up where Book 1, A Texas-Sized Fake Out, leaves off, with newly divorced Kristen Larrabee and her daughter attending her brother Wyatt’s wedding. I really leaned into the western themes. There’s a stable full of horses, there’s a rodeo, a foal is born, and you’ll meet one very sexy rodeo cowboy: Lucas Thomas. Throw in some matchmakers and forced proximity, this book features a literal match made in heaven between a vet and a cowboy as they discover their chance at true love.

 

You can find Inheriting a Rodeo Cowboy in Walmart, in bookstores, and many online retailers, including Harlequin.com and Amazon.

 

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Giveaway

Since horses have shaped so much of my life—and now my writing—I’d love to hear about your experiences. So, tell me, were you a horse girl growing up, or did you have a different childhood passion you still carry with you, even if you no longer pursue it? Do tell! I’d love to chat with you.

 I’m also giving away a signed copy of Inheriting a Rodeo Cowboy, plus two other books from my backlist to two additional commentors (US paperback mailing only/ebook international).

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 Thank you to Petticoats & Pistols for having me!

MICHELE

Michele Dunaway is a best-selling contemporary romance author who writes happily ever afters set in small towns with cookie stores and wine. With a career spanning more than 26 years, Michele writes “Hometown Sweet with a Hint of Spice” small town love stories featuring strong sexy heroes and feisty heroines who discover things about themselves as they travel the road to true love and self-fulfillment. Michele loves to travel, with the places she visits often inspiring her novels. Describing herself as a woman who does far too much and never wants to stop, Michele is a former English and journalism teacher who is serving as the 2026 NINC President Elect. A proud mom of two grown daughters, Michele shares her home with far too many rescued cats, who of course completely rule the roost. She loves to hear from readers at micheledunaway.com

A Day in Holiday

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One of the greatest compliments a reader can give me isn’t just that they loved the characters or enjoyed the story. It’s when they tell me they wish they could visit the place I created.

I happened upon a review of Declaration of Love recently that made me smile when the reviewer wrote, “If Holiday is ever commissioned as a city, I would move there.”

Oh, how I wish we could make that happen!

Since I can’t put Holiday, Oregon, on a real map, I thought it might be fun to take you on an imaginary visit to the little mountain town that has been the setting of several of my stories.

It all started with the Holiday Brides series, then the Holiday Express series, and Holiday Dreams. There were also single title books like Henley, Love on Target, Lucky Shot, and now Declaration of Love.

Today, we’ll pop by a few popular places in the mountain town.

You’ll want to arrive early because mornings in Holiday are too pretty to miss. Imagine sunlight spilling over the mountains, touching the peaks with gold before filtering through towering evergreens. The air is cool and fresh, flowers spill from hanging baskets along Main Street, and American flags flutter from lampposts and storefronts.

Our first stop is Sunni Buns Bakery. The scent alone will draw you through the door. Fresh coffee, cinnamon, warm bread, and something sweet baking in the oven make it nearly impossible to leave empty-handed. Would you choose a cinnamon bun or a raspberry roll, one of her savory sandwiches, or go straight for dessert first?

There are a few fun shops in town, but most of the locals know they can visit Milton’s Feed & Seed to find everything from home décor and a new shirt to garden tools, gloves, boots, flowers and plants, plus so much more.

Holiday is the kind of place where people notice when someone new comes to town—and before long, they’ll probably know your name, where you’re from, and whether you’re single.

Which brings us to… a visit with Matilda and Ruth.

If you happen to see two older ladies sitting together outside Golden Skies, by all means stop and say hello. Just understand what you’re getting yourself into. Matilda, with her flamboyant sense of style, and sweet Ruth may look perfectly harmless sitting there enjoying the sunshine. Do not be fooled. They are wily matchmakers who keep their fingers on the pulse of what is happening in town.

By this time, you might have found a postcard to mail and stop by the Holiday Post Office. Kate Barton came to town as the temporary postmaster in June, only planning to stay for the summer. If you haven’t read Declaration of Love yet, I won’t give you any spoilers, but Grady Guthry might give her a reason or two to consider staying. While you’re at the post office, make sure your postcard gets a Holiday postmark. After all, how often do you get to send mail from a town where love seems to find people whether they’re looking for it or not?

Roll down the windows and take a drive on one of the country roads. You’ll pass green pastures, weathered fences, grazing cattle and horses, wildflowers dancing in the breeze, and mountains rising in the distance. You might see a gorgeous lake in the distance, or hear the whistle from the old steam engine Hope if it is taking tourists for a ride today.

After dinner at the café or, if you’re feeling fancy, the Italian restaurant, wander over to the gazebo in the park. Strings of lights begin to glow as dusk settles over Holiday. Neighbors gather. Children run across the grass. Someone laughs nearby. The mountains turn dusky blue against a sky streaked with the last traces of sunset.

Holiday may exist only in the pages of my books, but in my imagination, it feels wonderfully real and I hope this little tour made it feel like a place you’d love to visit.

Even though you can get in a car or take a plane there, you can travel to Holiday through the stories. If you haven’t yet, I hope you’ll begin with Declaration of Love, Book 8 in the Petticoats & Patriots series. Come visit Holiday and discover a wholesome romance filled with patriotism, community, family, freedom, and abiding love.

If you could pack your bags tomorrow

and spend one day in Holiday, Oregon,

where would you go first?

Also, if you haven’t yet, be sure to enter for a chance to win

my huge Declaration of Love prize pack.

But hurry! Time is almost up to enter!

Cowboy Time

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I found an interesting article in this month’s Electric Co-Op magazine and want to share it. Cowboys have more ways to tell time than you can shake a stick at and their time isn’t fast or slow. It’s just right.

Do you know how long it takes to mosey? Or lollygag? Me either, but I’m guessing it’s as long as it takes. Ha!

When cowboys were on cattle drives, they told time by the sun and moon. Then when it was time for dinner or supper, they could tell when they heard the cook striking his large iron triangle or rang a bell. No whistle blew and no horn called them. Trail hands joked that the cook had the only watch that mattered and that might be still the case even on modern ranches.

The only time that mattered was daylight and whether the herd was settled for the night or the work done.

By dawn, they were in the saddle, driving the cattle and at night, time passed in shifts—first which began right after the evening meal, midnight, and morning. The cattle calmed to the music so time passed more often by melody instead of a clock.

Often, the dying embers of campfires helped tell the time in the dark. Cowboys not on shift knew to hit the sack and they didn’t dawdle. Many were probably asleep before the embers half died in the fire if the truth was known.

Even distance was measured, not by a watch, but how often they had to stop the horses to rest. For instance, they’d say, “That’s a two-horse ride.” Normally, they stopped to let the horse rest every fifteen to twenty minutes, but shorter if they carried a heavy load or were galloping instead of walking or trotting. So a two-horse jaunt with a single rider and no heavy load was approximately about an hour.

Texas cowboys, circa 1880

The cowboys with timepieces were usually from Waltham or Elgin. Those were well-known for being tough and dependable. Even so, you wouldn’t find many of these dedicated men who rode the range, content with, not only what they had, but also satisfied with who they saw looking back in the mirror. 🙂

I don’t know about you, but I like the idea of “cowboy time.” Life passed in a slower pace and only as fast as you needed. It was very steady and most often you could set your watch by the cowboys’ daily lives. Why would you want anything else? Sounds like a great life to me.

I have to admit, “Cowboy Time” still has a hold on a lot of us. We work till half-past dark, eat when the food’s ready. We don’t need any buzzing on our phones to tell us what to do. Old cowboys whisper a different wisdom—don’t count every minute. Let it pass as slowly as it wants. We’ll all be better for it and you won’t need anxiety medicine.

Find pleasure in the small stuff. An animal, a wildflower, a book, a poem, a child’s drawing. Doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive.

I have one early autographed copy of my new Christmas book, Bright is the Light, to give away. To enter the drawing, are you keeping the right time? What’s your opinion of a slower pace and letting life unfold as it should? In or out?

BRIGHT IS THE LIGHT….

Sometimes the brightest Christmas miracle begins with a single lantern in the window.

Two weeks before Christmas, former soldier Calder Jackson drifts into Jubilee, Texas, half-frozen and desperate to escape a blinding snowstorm. Looking for nothing more than shelter, he never expects to find a family who welcomes him as though he belongs. He hasn’t belonged anywhere for a long while.

Kate Walsh hesitates to take in a male boarder, knowing how fast small-town gossip can ruin a woman’s reputation. However, with a disabled mother and a simple-minded brother depending on her, she needs the money. Before long, Calder becomes more than a tenant. His kindness brings laughter back into their home and gives young Micah the acceptance he’s longed for.

Together, Calder and Micah build a Christmas lantern to place in the window on Christmas Eve, honoring an old Irish tradition that welcomes blessings and guides the way home. Can Calder finally find the elusive peace he’s been chasing? The love he feels for Kate makes everything seem achievable as though the light has been waiting in the window all along.

Filled with hope, faith, and the warmth of family, this heartwarming holiday romance celebrates second chances, unexpected love, and the light that guides us all home.

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Release date – September 1, 2026 — KU, Kindle, Print

Available for preorder now –  CLICK HERE

FOR EXCERPT — CLICK HERE

I’ll have more copies to give away next month! Let’s Keep Cowboy Time. 🙂

Words, Words, Words

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I love words. I’m sure every writer does. I am a word freak, a  language maven, a…a vocabularist, if you will. Okay, so maybe vocabularist isn’t actually a real word, but it should be because it describes me to a T. I am fascinated with language and how we use it, especially regional or quirky terms.

As a writer and an editor, I have a passion for learning new words and using them. I got it from my mom, who also loved language and insisted we choose our words well. She spent serious time increasing our vocabularies with word games like Scrabble, Boggle, and Probe and crossword puzzles. To this day, family gatherings always include word games. I adore discovering new words and finding ways to use them in my writing.

One of the things I am learning as I make the switch from small-town romance that happens in the Midwest to Montana cowboy romance is how language is different from one area of our country to another.

I’ve lived in the Midwest my whole life and there are things that we say that have unquestionably shown up in my River’s Edge books. “You betcha,” comes to mind. So does, “For cryin’ out loud” and “Slow as molasses in January” and talking about corn being “knee high by the Fourth of July.” (It’s always way higher by then, btw.) I remember my grandpa saying something moved “like a bat out of hell,” which always conjured the picture of a flock of bats darkening the sky and sometimes gave me nightmares. When Mom tucked us in at night, we were “snug as a bug in a rug,” and I recall my grandmother saying, “If I had my druthers” when she wanted us to know what she wanted to happen in any given circumstance.

But, the lingo out West comes from a different history and has lingered in the vernacular in Montana, Texas, Wyoming, and other ranch and cowboy states just like words have stayed in the Midwest. “Skedaddle” and “Ornery” and “Hold your horses” are all words/phrases that come from life on the cattle trail or ranch life. “Howdy” instead of “Hello” and someone who looks like a cowboy, but has no experience is “all hat and no cattle” are terms you don’t hear much in the Midwest.

Some of the terms around horses I already knew because we had horses for sixteen years, and I think barn slang is pretty universal in the US. “Barn sour” is when a horse is too eager to return home and a term I learned when I was first riding. But calling horses “critters” isn’t part of the cowboy vernacular according to my editor, when she queried the use in my first book, Forever Cowboy. (See what I did there? A link to the book is what I call ninja promo—my own term.) “Hightailin’ it” and “Tinhorn” are terms that might show up in Western romance. My hero in Forever Cowboy was originally from Boston, so he got a little pass when it came to cowboy speak.

Another difference between my Montana cowboys and my Indiana winemakers, government analysts, firefighters, and attorneys is how much they talk. One of my critique partners has always told me that my heroes talk too much. Maybe they do, but I live with and raised men who ruminate and discuss and share their feelings, so my heroes probably do talk too much–just like the men in my real life. Not so much my cowboys, though. They keep it short and simple with Yup and Nope and dropping the g from the end of their verbs. They’re goin’ and ridin’ and fixin’ and of course always lovin’.

You can show exactly who a character is simply with the words they use… so authors choose their characters’ words carefully as they build their arcs and tell their stories. Remaining as true as possible to where your character hails from helps readers stay in the story.

Where do you come from? Are there words or phrases that are especially peculiar to your neck of the woods. Share with me, won’t you? There are a couple of e-book copies of my newest cowboy romance, Help Wanted, Cowboy (ninja!) up for grabs for two lucky commenters.

Stay well and Keep Readin’!

Nan Reinhardt Has Three Winners!

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I have three winners of an e-book copy of Help Wanted, Cowboy! Ann Stewart, Sarah Axsom, and Barbara Raymond, watch your email boxes for your free e-book!  Have fun at Juniper Falls Ranch with Millie and Rory!

Help Wanted, Cowboy

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I am generally loath to crow about my own books, which is sorta silly when you think about it. I mean, who else is going to crow about my books if not me? I’m not good at look at me, though, and if it were possible in this day and age to simply write a book, hand it to my publisher, and then crawl back into my writing cave and start a new one, without ever having to think about said book again, I would do it that way. But publishing doesn’t work like that these days. Maybe it never did.

Although I’ve been writing since I was a child and starting working as a book editor in 1996, I came into publishing as an author in 2012—on the cusp of digital first and e-books. I joined Facebook about that time and Instagram shortly after, but it took me awhile to figure out how to make those platforms work for me as an author. I’m not sure I’ve mastered it yet, you know, because it means being present when what I really want to do is stay tucked in my little writing space. My fictional worlds are so much safer than the real world of social media and promotion.

All that said, I’m here today to be Nan Reinhardt author (<– over there) promoting a brand-new release — out today, as a matter of fact. If you love romance and Montana and spunky heroines and handsome cowboys with big hearts, Help Wanted, Cowboy might just be the book for you. Rory and Millie’s story is book 3 in my Juniper Falls Ranch series, so if you’ve read books 1 and 2, you’ll recognize Beth and Del Foster, who own Juniper Falls Ranch, Gus, their grizzled ranch hand, Bo Kennedy, the former rodeo cowboy turned ranch foreman, and others, as well as the little Montana town of Marietta. Sage’s Chocolate Shop, the Graff Hotel, Copper Mountain—all the places in Marietta that you already know and love are part of the story, too, as Rory and Millie feel their way to their own happily-ever-after. Because of course, there’s always an HEA in a Nan Reinhardt novel.

I confess, the theme—Millie wants a little favor from Rory—was a tricky one to do in a sweet romance, but we pulled it off, and there is even a treasure hunt up in an old mine in the foothills to add to the fun. I hope you enjoy reading Help Wanted, Cowboy as much as I enjoyed creating it.

GIVEAWAY: To celebrate this book release—#17 with the fabulous Tule Publishing—I’m giving away three e-book copies of Help Wanted, Cowboy to three lucky commenters. Just tell me what attracts you to a cowboy romance—the cover? The blurb? The author? Inquiring minds want to know…

Help Wanted, Cowboy

A Montana bull rider temporarily working as a ranch hand. An OB nurse who wants “a favor.” Two opposites thrown together. A treasure hunt adds to autumn magic. 

When a family emergency brings cowboy Rory Pearson home to Marietta, he hires on to Juniper Falls Ranch for seasonal work. He’s hoping to explore an intriguing family legend. Armed with research and his grandfather’s stories, Rory thinks he’s ready, but nothing goes as planned. Then a sweetly sexy nurse propositions him.

Nurse Millie Sparks is tired of playing it safe. She’s been too focused on her education and career and romance and adventure have passed her by. Staying on the ranch to care for a patient with a tricky pregnancy, Millie’s interest in Rory is immediate. He offers to teach her to ride, and she wonders if the lessons could extend to something else she’s been hiding.

It’s a game of flirtation and fun. Feelings can’t be serious. But as the clock ticks down, hearts interfere, and saying goodbye just got way more complicated.

Amazon | B&N Nook | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play

Oh, oh, P.S.: If you haven’t been to Juniper Falls Ranch yet, here’s a great opportunity for a first visit–Forever Cowboy, book 1 in the JFR series is just 99 cents right now! So race over to your favorite book retailer and nab it at that discount before it goes back to regular price.

Cowboys, Rodeo, & a Stray Dog

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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!

Roped Into Paradise

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Sometimes the idea for a story catches me completely by surprise.

Such was the case for my wholesome rom-com that releases next week.

Last February, I was sitting at my desk, looking outside at the cold, wintery day, and wondering why we don’t plan vacations to sunny locales during the coldest months of the year, when an email popped into my inbox from my dad’s cousin, J/J.

J/J loves to go on cruises. In fact, at the time, he was on a multi-week, back-to-back series of cruises in the Caribbean.

When I saw an email from him, I thought, “Oh, fun! More news from someplace where it is warm and sunny and you don’t have to put on wool socks just to go get the mail.”

The email read:

“Is there any chance in the future I might see a book about romance on the high seas where a cowboy takes a cruise to some exotic location?”

After reading that question, I couldn’t help myself. My imagination shifted into high gear and I began brainstorming story ideas.

What if there was a cowboy from someplace cold, going to spend time with his grandmother who lived someplace warm, and the grandma—being an eccentric ol’ gal—drags him onto a cruise without giving him any warning or opinions on the matter? From there, the ideas kept rolling.

I’ve never been on a cruise, but, thankfully, J/J was so kind to answer my many questions and share day-to-day cruising details with me. For a week, I almost felt like I was right there on the cruise ship. J/J was also kind enough to save a bunch of information he received on the cruise, like their daily planners, and mail them to me when he returned home. There was so much great information that he shared, and I tried to work in as much as I could into the story.

A cowboy, a cruise, and a meddling grandma—what could go wrong?

JJ McKade expected to spend two weeks with his grandmother at her condo in sunny Florida, celebrating her birthday. Instead, he got shanghaied by his mischievous grandma on a Caribbean cruise—complete with hot pink luggage, a gaggle of giggling octogenarians, and a humiliating childhood nickname haunting his every move.

Between meddling matchmakers, unexpected friendships, and the endless chaos of cruise life, JJ can’t help being drawn to Kinsley Kline, the ship’s enchanting horticulturist. There’s just one catch: crew fraternizing with passengers is strictly forbidden.

With only a few months left in her contract aboard The Affinity, Kinsley can’t let anything rock her boat or derail her plans. Then the arrival of a hunky cowboy on the ship makes her question if some rules are meant to be broken, and a little boat rocking is a good thing.

From sun-drenched beaches to moonlit strolls, JJ and Kinsley must decide if an onboard romance can last on land, and if love is worth risking their hearts.

Packed with laughter, longing, and a grandmother who refuses to play by the rules, Roped Into Paradise is a heartwarming and wholesome romantic comedy about family, hope, and finding love where you least expect it. Perfect for fans of witty banter, unexpected romance, and cruise ship escapades that sweep you off your feet.

Here’s a little excerpt from the book:

JJ tugged on the only pair of clean jeans he’d packed in his bag and unrolled a green plaid western shirt, fastening the snaps with one hand while using the other to finger-comb his hair. In the adjoining bathroom, he splashed his face with cold water and brushed his teeth, then he moseyed into the kitchen, lured by the scent of coffee.

“Here,” Grams said, shoving a travel mug into his hand. “You can drink that on the way.”

“On the way to where?” he asked, taking a long, bracing sip of coffee so strong and black, he could feel it peeling away layers of tissue as it traveled down his throat.

“The store, JJ. Do try to keep up,” Grams said, snagging her car keys off a hook by the door that led into her garage. She gave him a look that clearly conveyed her thoughts that he was hopeless as he stumbled over the step into the garage. “I’ll drive.”

He thought about arguing, but refrained. Until the caffeine kicked in, he wasn’t sure he could find his way out to the end of the driveway.

Ten minutes later, Grams pulled into the nearly empty parking lot of a superstore that sold everything from fried chicken to pontoon boats. Hungry as he was, the fried chicken didn’t sound all that bad, even if it was a grease-soaked remnant from yesterday’s offerings.

Confused as to why they were at the store before most of the population was even awake, JJ took another long drink of coffee and then set the mug in the cupholder of the SUV.

“Why on earth are we here?” he asked as he got out of the vehicle and walked with his grandmother to the door.

“We can’t go on the boat ride until you are properly outfitted.”

“Boat ride? Outfitted?” JJ thought maybe he’d dreamed the part about Grams mentioning a boat ride last night. Did he really need new attire for a ride around the lake? Usually, they took a fishing charter cruise around the lake at some point during his visit. Cargo shorts, a T-shirt, and an old pair of sneakers would work just fine for that. “What are you talking about, Grams?”

“I told you I booked a boat ride, JJ. Aren’t you listening?” Grams asked as though he were five and incapable of paying attention.

He watched as his grandmother snagged a shopping cart from the row of them outside the door, set her purse inside, and grabbed his arm in one seemingly smooth motion as she marched inside the store.

“What kind of boat ride requires getting up this early in the morning to come shopping here, of all places, so I can be properly outfitted? Last I checked, you and Mom would both develop acute hives if you had to purchase your wardrobe here.”

Grams smiled at the greeter standing near the door and made a beeline for the men’s clothing. JJ hoped he could still move with as much agility as his grandmother had when he was her age. Then again, she attended a yoga class three times a week and took pride in walking at least a mile every day.

“It means, JJ, that we are boarding a cruise ship at half past ten this morning and setting sail for the Caribbean. You need clothes for an eleven-day trip. From the pathetic contents of your duffel bag, you’ll be forced to wash your undies in the bathroom sink every other day. You should have listened when your mother suggested you pack a suitcase with plenty of clothes, baby. Now, stop dawdling and get to shopping.” Grams pointed to a rack of cargo shorts.

Releasing January 29!

If you could snap your fingers and be on a dream vacation today, where would you go and what would you see?

Post your answer for a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card!

Creating Cowboys

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Confession? I don’t know any real cowboys. I’ve read about them in the novels that my fellow western romance authors write; I’ve watched myriad TV westerns both new and old and rodeo videos galore. We had horses for fifteen years, so I’ve met lots of horsemen, some may even have thought of themselves as cowboys, some sure acted as if they thought they were. But a cattle drive in Montana is very different from riding the horse trails in a state park in the Midwest.

So when it came time for me to write cowboys as characters in my new series for Tule Publishing, Juniper Falls Ranch, I admit I was daunted. Mostly because my heroes have all been pretty much beta guys—kind, sensitive, nerdy men who have no idea how truly desirable they are until my heroines show them. Oh, don’t get me wrong, they’re all pretty confident in their own abilities, they’re just not the swaggering type I always pictured cowboys to be. I’ve never really written alpha heroes because the men in my life, Husband, Son, the friends we are drawn to, are quietly strong, thoughtful men who are always there for me without fanfare or machismo.

But as I learned more and more about cowboys, I discovered that “alpha” didn’t really define the cowboy heroes I was reading about and watching. The swaggering stereotypical cowboy I’d always imagined was so far off the mark that I was actually shocked … and delighted. That quiet strength, that determination that I’d written into my beta winemakers, veterinarians, carpenters, college professors, and chefs were also hallmarks of the cowboy persona. When I created bronc rider Del Foster and rodeo cutting champion Bo Kennedy, those qualities—gentleness, intelligence, supportiveness, loyalty, steadiness, awareness of their own emotions as well as others—were all things my cowboys could be … and are.

And okay, I admit I had to learn to curb my heroes’ proclivity to be too chatty, something my critique partner and my editor ding me on even when I’m not writing cowboys, it’s been so very rewarding to create the cowboy heroes at Juniper Falls Ranch in Marietta, Montana—strong, brave, gentle men who make readers’ hearts (and mine!) beat just a little faster.

So tell me, what’s your favorite thing about cowboy heroes?

The Cowboy’s Comeback, book 2 in the Juniper Falls Ranch series, releases, January 29, but free ARC e-book copies are available here if you’re interested in reading and reviewing. I’d sure appreciate it if you did!

Thanks for stopping by today. I do hope the New Year treats you well and that you’ll find lots of cowboys (including my Montana guys) to fall in love with in 2026!

Petticoats & Pistols