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!
Hi. I’m Nan Reinhardt and I’m the new kid in town here at Petticoats and Pistols. It’s a scary thing being the new kid, don’t you think? My earliest memory of awkward new kid-ness is starting first grade, where I was older than most of my classmates and thus, taller and bigger. It made me incredibly self-conscious. I confess, that even over 60 years later, I’m still self-conscious about being the new kid, especially among a group of great writers like this one. However, I know I shall find inspiration and fun here, and I hope to contribute whatever writerly wisdom and reader pleasure I can.
So here I am. I’m smiling, I’m grateful, and I’m thrilled to be a part of Petticoats and Pistols. As the newest P&P “filly,” I look forward to posting for y’all on the first Tuesday of every month. I love comments and conversations, so let’s talk, okay?
43-year-old Beth Dykeman’s life is spiraling—her 20-year marriage is over as is her career in Nashville’s Chamber of Commerce. Now back home in River’s Edge, Indiana, she’s grieving the end of her dream to have a family. Hoping to restart her life, she books a relaxing long weekend at a spa in beautiful Montana. But Beth arrives only to discover she accidentally booked a stay at a working dude ranch in the middle of Marietta’s 87th Copper Mountain Rodeo celebration weekend.