Tag: writing

Cowboys

Three Weeks with a Bull Rider Ch 1 Excerpt

 Chapter 1  “You’re really not gonna come with me?” Eyes wide, Jace Mills stared across the driveway at the man who was supposed to be his best friend. “It’s not that I don’t want to.” Leaning back against his truck, Tucker Jenkins drew in a deep breath and let it out in a huff. “Don’t you understand? I can’t.” Jace ran his hand across his forehead beneath the band of his cowboy hat. “Because why again?” “I told you already.” “Tell me one more time, just so I can be sure I heard you right the first time.” Jace waited for the response. He already knew the answer but he needed to hear Tuck admit the foolishness out loud again. Maybe this time he’d realize how stupid he sounded. Tuck sighed. “I have plans to go out with Becca and Logan and Emma.” “And this double date of yours is to where, exactly?” Jace made sure he stressed the most ridiculous part—the cozy couples outing that somehow took precedence over Tuck riding in a competition. Another sigh proceeded Tuck’s answer. “A winery in Drumright.” “Yes, indeed. A winery.” Jace nodded, lips pursed. “You hate wine. Always have. You do remember […]

Life, writing romance

Insight into the mind of Tucker from ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY

I’m a woman. I’m a civilian. I’m not a testosterone-fueled man. I’m not career military personnel. In light of all of those points, I do one thing to help me write my military characters…I talk (on IM, by phone, on Skype, etc) to active duty, career military personnel as often as possible. Below, paraphrased because I don’t always take notes during these conversations, is what I’ve heard some of them say… 1) “They came by the shop today asking for volunteers to go be door kickers in Afghanistan. If I was 10 years younger I would have volunteered to go.” …Let me interpret this statement for you. This was about 4 or 5 years ago, before the troop reductions had begun. This active duty Marine, nearing his 20 year mark, was safely stationed  in the US. Someone from the Corps came to his squadron to ask for volunteers to go to Afghanistan and become part of a team whose job was to literally kick down doors to inspect the residences and search for insurgents, and men were going, while others who didn’t volunteer wished they could. 2) “I had to pull one of my guys off the Afghan det. He’s […]

writing romance

Teen Book Series of the 80s and 90s – a peek into my past

I don’t often talk about this, but 2 weeks out of college, armed with my brand new English degree, I began writing for 3 different Young Adult series. This was back in the late 80s, early 90s. When all was said and done I had a dozen print books under my belt for publishers such as Sports Illustrated for Kids (Warner), Tor, and Western Publishing (owners of Golden Books). Today *hanging my head in shame* I Googled my maiden name and found a write up about 80s teen series featuring two I wrote for, Palm Beach Prep Girls and The Pink Parrots. See that HERE More searching revealed there was an actual TV show connected to the third series, Girl Talk. [youtube=http://youtu.be/t3kN6C3VcaA] There was even a game, which I think I do remember, though I never owned it myself. This board game was featured on a 2017 episode of the TV show The Goldbergs, set in the 80s. How did I miss all this back then? Probably because I would write for a few hours in the morning, then head for work where I tended bar at a country club. My shifts during the busy season could sometimes stretch 15-hours long, and I […]