National Day of the Cowboy is tomorrow, July 22. But we've been celebrating all week! You already met five romance writers who are crazy about cowboys. Joining us today another New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose phenomenal contemporary cowboy romance is rocketing up the charts--welcome
Carolyn Brown.
With more than 3 million copies of her books sold, Carolyn
Brown is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author
and a RITA finalist. She’s won the National Reader’s Choice Award three times,
the Bookseller’s Best Award and was awarded the prestigious Montlake Diamond
Award for selling over a million books. Her books include romantic women’s fiction, historical,
contemporary, cowboys and country music mass market paperbacks. She and her
husband, Charles, a retired English teacher, live in Davis, Oklahoma that only
has one traffic light. They have three grown children and enough grandchildren
to keep them young. When she’s not writing she likes to sit in her back yard
with her two tom cats, Chester Fat Boy and Boots Randolph Terminator Outlaw and
watch them protect the yard from all kinds of wicked varmints like crickets,
locusts and spiders.
Toughest Cowboy in Texas kicks off her new Happy, Texas series...
The Spark of an Old Flame
Last time Lila Harris was in Happy, Texas, she was actively
earning her reputation as the resident wild child. Now, a little older and
wiser, she's back to run her mother's café for the summer. Except something
about this town has her itching to get a little reckless and rowdy, especially
when she sees her old partner-in-crime, Brody Dawson. Their chemistry is just
as hot as ever. But he's still the town's golden boy-and she's still the wrong
kind of girl.
Brody hasn't had much time lately for anything other than
ranching. Running the biggest spread in the county and taking care of his
family more than keeps him busy. All that responsibility has him longing for
the carefree days of high school-and Lila. She may have grown up, but he still
sees that spark of mischief in her eyes. Now he's dreaming about late-night
skinny dipping and wondering how he can possibly resist the one woman he can
never forget...
Here's an excerpt...
Lila reached across his booth to
pick up a one-page menu stuck between the salt shaker and napkin holder. Her
arm brushed against his chest and more sparks danced around the café. Hoping
that he didn’t hear the breathlessness in her voice, she straightened up to her
full height and started reading. “We have chicken fried steak, grilled pork
chops, breakfast served all day, burgers of all kinds and today’s lunch special
was meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I think there’s a little more left if you are
interested. I really thought you might have learned to read down there at Texas
A&M.”
Brody laid a rough, callused hand
on her arm. Pure electricity shot through her body.
“Are you still as wild as ever?” he
whispered seductively.
“Oh, honey, you can’t even imagine
what all you’ve missed out on the past twelve years.” The chemistry between
them hadn’t changed a bit—at least not for her. She pulled her arm back and
looked back down at the menu. “Want me to go on or have you heard something
that appeals to you?”
He raked his fingers through his
thick, dark hair. It needed a cut, but then maybe he wore it a little longer
these days. “Just something to drink for now,” he said.
She turned away from him and headed back to
the drink station. With shaking hands, she poured the tea and lemonade, stirred
and picked up the glass to carry it to his booth. When she took it to him, he
motioned toward the other side of the table.
“Sit with me.”
“You’re a few years late with that
invitation,” she told him.
“Ahh, come on, Lila,” he said.
Throw a plaid shirt over that dirty
white T-shirt and he’d still be the boy who had broken her heart all those
years ago. But she’d cried her tears and burned the bridges between her and
Brody so bygones be damned.
He nodded toward the other side of the
booth. “You’re really going to hold a grudge and not sit with me for five
minutes?”
“I really am,” she said.
E.E.: Describe in your own words what makes a “cowboy” a cowboy?
Carolyn: A cowboy might have flaws because
after all he is human and he is of the male gender. But he’s a special type
because he’s kind, honest, respects women, would fight to the death for his
friends or his family and he loves his mama.
E.E.: Why do you think the “cowboy culture” remains so appealing?
Carolyn: It’s honest living whether the cowboy is barely eking out a living on a
rundown ranch full of nothing but mesquite bushes, cow tongue cactus and
chiggers or a huge spread that has lots of hired hands helping him out. Folks
like to read about men who work with their hands, who aren’t afraid of sweat
and dirt, and who love living close to the land.
E.E.: What is it about cowboys that you find attractive, and/or inspiring?
(Basically, why do you write stories featuring cowboy lore or American West
historical or contemporary culture?)
Carolyn: Physically, the way they walk in cowboy boots. There’s just something about
that swagger that makes a woman take a second look. But then add to that the
way they tip their hat to a lady, and the way that those tight fittin’ jeans
hug their bodies and they should give away those fans that we used to have in
church with each cowboy romance purchase—remember those cardboard fans with the
23rd Psalm on one side and an advertisement of the local funeral
home on the other? That’s the ones I’m talking about.
E.E.: Who are some of your favorite cowboys (in history, literature, films,
television, real life, whatever)?
Carolyn: I absolutely love Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens in
Justified; Tom Sellack in Quigley Down Under and Lee Majors as Heath in the Big
Valley television series from years ago. I could go on and on but I expect that
space might be limited.
What is it about cowboys that YOU find attractive and appealing? Leave a comment, and don't forget to enter the raffle!
Enter for your chance to win prizes in our Celebrate Cowboys giveaways.
Winners announced Sunday, July 23 on this blog.
Tomorrow join USA Today & Publisher's Weekly Bestselling author
Angi Morgan as she wraps up our week long celebration!
Celebrate Cowboys Rafflecopter.
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