Get to know the authors of Come Love a Cowboy a bit better–

Julie A. Darcy, author of The Shape of Destiny:

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN WRITING?   

At the time there was no such thing as Fantasy Romance, which is the genre I mostly write in.

I was reading a romance and they were becoming too formula. I loved fantasy books but it frustrated me there was no romance in them. In the end I chucked them both and said to my husband, “I can write a better book than this”.” He said “Why don’t you?”

I wrote a Fantasy Romance which I got published almost straight away and it went on to win a big award. I have been writing ever since.

www.julieadarcy.com

Margo Bond Collins, author of Leaving Necessity:

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN WRITING?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been making up stories. The first story I remember actually writing down was basically fan-fiction of The Wizard of Oz. I wrote it in long-hand in a yellow legal pad. I’ve been writing ever since. But about twelve years ago, a friend suggested I join in National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org). Until then, I had always written short stories. That year, I finished the first draft of what would eventually become Legally Undead—it was my third published novel, but the first one I wrote.

I ended up as an English major in college because I was fascinated by the ways stories work. And then I went on to graduate school because I couldn’t figure out what else to do. I ended up with a Ph.D. in literature almost by accident; I just never quit wanting to learn about all the stories in the world!

So now I teach literature and writing in my day job, and the rest of the time, I write, both as a fiction author and as an academic.

http://www.MargoBondCollins.net

Caroline Clemmons, author of Grant Me the Moon:

WHAT INSPIRED YOUR STORY?

My husband and I love visiting pre-historic dwellings and remains. The inspiration for GRANT ME THE MOON occurred on a trip from our home in the DFW Metroplex to visit family in Lubbock, Texas. We drive through Post in Garza County on that trip. The Garza site, named after the county, is on private land with no public access. I’ve always wanted to see that dig, which is a Clovis site. So, I decided to have a similar fictional (but slightly better) site for my story discovered by the hero on his ranch.

http://carolineclemmons.com

Hebby Roman, author of  Border Affair:

HOW LIKELY ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU MEET TO END UP IN YOUR BOOK?

Pretty likely, as in you will see friends, family, acquaintances, etc. in my books, but you won’t recognize them. What I do for my writing process is come up with my characters and/or a situation facing them first. Never certain which will happen first, the characters or the situation, and then I write characters to fit the situation or vice versa, situations that mesh with the characters.

When I first start my writing process for a new book, I sit down and do a detailed biography and background for both my hero and heroine. I tell myself about their childhood, their likes and dislikes, their conflicts, their challenges, their weaknesses and strengths, and of course, their physical attributes. Where do I get these bits of information, especially about their backgrounds and what they have had to face? From my life, from my family’s experiences, from friends I know and so on, but I never use a person in whole. Instead, I weave bits and pieces of real people together to make a whole new person–my character.

So, long answer to short question: yes, people I meet will end up in my book, but seldom will you recognize them. On occasion, however, I do take a real person for a secondary character and leave them relatively intact. One good example I can think of is the grandmother in SUMMER DREAMS, my first contemporary romance after writing four historical romances. The grandmother in that book is modeled on my mother-in-law. And before you ask, she didn’t mind–she actually thought it was fun.

http://www.hebbyroman.com

Andrea Downing, author of Bad Boy, Big Heart:

TELL US ABOUT YOUR HERO.  GIVE US ONE OF HIS STRENGTHS AND ONE  OF HIS WEAKNESSES.

Chay Ridgway is a man caught by circumstance and responsibilities.  While he was still in High School, his mother ran off and his father took to drink and became ill, forcing Chay to quit school.  He tried to keep his ranch going, but selling off land and stock became necessary as did having to work for another ranch.  He’s clever and well-read, and enjoys his life as a cowboy and bareback bronc rider.  Perhaps most of all he enjoys the company of women.  His one great strength, then, is that he saw what needed to be done,  recognized his responsibilities, and accepted them.  His weakness, of course, turns out to be K.C. Daniels…

http://andreadowning.com

Patti Sherry-Crews, author of Desert Heat:

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?

Currently I’m working on a novel I’m calling the Lake House. This story is based on an experience my friend had. She and her now ex husband went away with another couple. While they were on vacation, the other couple’s marriage imploded when the wife discovered her husband was having an affair, but then they were all stuck together in a remote location for days!

In my version, this second couple, Claire and Grant, are strangers. When their friends’ marriage ends up in crisis, Claire and Grant are forced into a strange situation. In the days that follow while they attempt to amuse themselves, they grow close—and their mutual attraction grows as well.

Unfortunately, Claire is going back to her boyfriend in Chicago when the week is done. Handsome, charismatic Julian has swept her off her feet.

Claire makes her choice, but can she live with it?

http://pattisherrycrews16.wix.com/author-blog

Keta Diablo, author of Three for the Win:

WHAT IS YOUR NEXT PROJECT AND WHEN WILL IT BE RELEASED?
My WIP right now is the 3rd book in the Sky Tinted Water series. These are clean historical westerns set in Minnesota. Sky Dreams, the third book, features the daughter of the hero and heroine from Sky Tinted Water, Book 1 and Sky Dance, Book 2.

I’m hoping to release Sky Dreams in mid-May. You can find the first two books here (don’t forget to read the reviews: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B93HNCK
Thanks so much, Cindy, for hosting Come Love A Cowboy on your blog

~ Keta ~http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com

COME LOVE A COWBOY

Eight stand-alone Contemporary Western Romance novellas from Bestselling and Award Winning Authors.

From firefighters, bronco busters, and wealthy ranchers to bad boys, we have them all for you!  If you’ve ever wanted to fall in love with a sexy, alpha cowboy of today…now’s your chance.

A savings of more than 75% if the books were purchased separately.

Luke’s Fate by Kathleen Ball

Meg O’Brien hoped never to lay eyes on the one man who broke her heart. To her dismay, Luke Kelly arrives at her ranch a much different and broken man. Can Meg ever forgive his callous treatment of her and help Luke become the man he used to be?

Grant Me The Moon by Caroline Clemmons

All Tory Fraser intended was to show her high school history club students a local archeology dig. How could she know the excursion would involve a murder?

Three for The Win by Keta Diablo

Hollis should have known better than to fall for a bone-melting man like Stede. He’s gone now and Eli is left to pick up the broken pieces of her life.

Border Affair by Hebby Roman

When his partners’ daughter is kidnapped in México, a self-made millionaire must confront his feelings about their affair and the future of their relationship.

Leaving Necessity by Margo Bond Collins

Mac has one week to convince his ex-girlfriend Clara not to sell his oil company. In this high-pressure reunion, can they strike love again?

The Shape of Destiny by Julie A. D’Arcy

A young male shape shifter. A beautiful female ranch owner. Can love be born in a web of deceit?

Bad Boy, Big Heart by Andrea Downing

She’s a New Yorker escaping her parents.  He’s a Wyoming cowboy supporting his dad. One summer, two young people—three months to find love.

Desert Heat by Patti Sherry-Crews

A single mother struggling to keep her guest ranch puts her own desires on hold. When a handsome and persistent fireman sets his sights on her, she must decide how much she’s willing to give.

Universal Buy Link:  myBook.to/Come-Love-A-Cowboy

Excerpt from Bad Boy, Big Heart:

Chay shoved a forkful into his mouth, having obvious difficulty chewing as he was smiling so much. Finally he got it down, stretched to grab a napkin from another clean place setting, and gave a wide grin to K.C. “Am I your hero, then? Riding in to save the day? How are you?”

“I’m fine. Thanks. Fine, but reluctant to keep telling everyone I’m fine.”

“Okay then, message received.”

K.C. studied him for a moment, melting at his pale green eyes. She suddenly reached across and gently poked the small dimple in his chin. Oh dear, what was she going to do about this man?

“You’re supposed to ask, aren’t you? You can’t just go around poking people in the chin, can you?”

“Golly. What have I started?”

“I don’t know. What have you started?” The smile was replaced by a very direct look.

“I…I’ve been told things about you. I don’t want to be a summer romance. And I do have to leave at the end of the summer, and the summer is fast fading.”

“It’s only June, K.C.” He hesitated before, “What sort of things were you told?”

K.C. looked around to make sure they weren’t being overheard. “That you like to…to date the girls who work in the office because we leave at the end of the summer, and it makes for a clean break.”

“True.”

K.C. blinked at his honesty.

“But it doesn’t mean it will always be the case.” Chay fidgeted on his chair. “What time do you get off? Let’s go for a ride. You do ride, don’t you?”

“I ride…English.”

“Oh, yeah. Bob said something about that. That can be fixed. So what time?”

“Five-thirty weekdays, Saturday noon as long as the check-outs are complete. Sunday is hit or miss; I work virtually all day until all the check-ins are done.”

“Hmmm. I’m taking out a pack trip tomorrow, back Friday. Meet me down at the barns as soon as you’re off Saturday.” Chay swung out of the chair and stood, then leaned in and stabbed one more bite of cheesecake. “Saving you calories,” he said. “You’d be amazed at what goes into this.” And with that, he stuffed the piece in his mouth and was off.

K.C. sat there, turning over Chay’s words in her mind: ‘It doesn’t mean it will always be the case.’ Yet the fact was, her Master’s degree meant two years…oh, what was she thinking? That was way ahead and, while she knew she was deeply attracted to Chay, it didn’t necessarily mean…. She stared at the remaining cheesecake on her plate, then pushed it away.

What was ‘the case’?