Cowboys, Cops and Jaguars

When it comes to steamy romance and memorable characters, there are three Sourcebooks authors that know how to do it up right.

While romance may be on the top of the list when it comes to what to watch for, these three authors also offer up mystery, suspense, loyalty, humor and oh, so much more. The three books I want to tell you about offer something for everyone. Up first is cowboys and a reality TV show, followed by a small town sheriff and the preacher’s daughter, and ending with a hunt for exotic animal traders and jaguars shifters.

COWBOY SEEKS BRIDE by Carolyn Brown

If I can help it, I never start reading a Carolyn Brown book after 9 p.m. Because I know if I do, it will be in the wee hours of the morning before I can make myself put the book down.

The author creates such realistic characters, entertaining plots and hilarious moments, it’s hard to find a place to stop reading. The dialogue is conversational pulling the reader into the action and making them feel right at home.

COWBOY SEEKS BRIDE is a fine example of Brown’s work mixing her memorable characters with historical facts for a steamy romance and laugh-out-loud moments. She paints a breath-taking landscape with her vivid descriptions.

In this last installment in the Spikes and Spurs series, rancher Dewar O’Donnell is looking forward to reenacting the historic Chisholm Trail cattle drive with family and friends. This cattle drive is a trail run for a possible reality TV show. What Dewar didn’t count on was the reality show’s field man being a woman.

H.B. ‘Haley’ McKay is determined to make this drive into a reality show. The high-powered businesswoman hadn’t realized her research would have her riding a horse for a month with a bunch of modern-day cowboys.

As the unlikely group heads out on the trail drive, little do they know they’ll be facing more than storms, stampedes, snakes and coyotes. 

The characters are spunky and likable. The story moves at a steady pace holding your attention from one encounter to the next tender moment and back to danger. The blend of humor and determination makes for an intriguing read. Brown gives her secondary characters flare and depth adding another layer to the story.

COWBOY SEEKS BRIDE features a feisty heroine and a sexy hero for a rip-roaring good time.

Author Carolyn Brown’s website is http://www.CarolynLBrown.com 

Cowboy Seeks Bride by Carolyn Brown, Spikes and Spurs Series, Sourcebooks, @2013, ISBN: 978-1402270215, Paperback, 384 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
 

SURRENDER TO SULTRY by Macy Beckett

Author Macy Beckett has captured the small town atmosphere in SURRENDER TO SULTRY. She brings the best elements - friends, family, love and loyalty - together for a tender love story with bits of suspense woven in.

In a town where everyone knows everybody and what they’re doing, Leah McMahon is determined to stay under Sheriff Colton Bea’s radar. She’s returned to Sultry after a 10 year absence to care for her father following his heart surgery. As soon as he’s on the mend, Leah plans to return to her life up north and far away from Colton.

When he stops a car for a traffic violation, Colton never imaged it would be his long-lost love Leah. Struck speechless, Colton can’t tell Leah how sorry he is for the way he treated her all those years ago. Having given up his hellion ways, Colton is determined to get Leah’s forgiveness and try to make things right this time.

After a decade of womanizing, can the reformed sheriff finally do right by the preacher’s daughter? But Leah has her own secrets that could jeopardize any chance of happiness. Would he ever forgive her if he knew?

Beckett’s characters, realistic with flaws and problems, are well developed. Her secondary characters are rich in flavor adding to the depth of the story. Her detailed descriptions of the small town and its residents places the reader among the characters.

SURRENDER TO SULTRY is a tantalizing read with a hometown feel. The story flows smoothly and at a steady pace holding your attention as the sparks fly between Leah and Colton.

Author Macy Beckett’s website is www.macybeckett.com
 
Surrender to Sultry by Macy Beckett, A Sultry Springs Novel, Sourcebooks, @2013, ISBN: 978-1402270420, Paperback, 320 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
 

JAGUAR FEVER by Terry Spear

Author Terry Spear creates a magical realm where paranormal existence becomes realistic. Her ability to blend fantasy and reality into a spine tingling story will having you believing.

Wade and David Patterson, brothers and jaguar shifters, are members of an elite Special Forces group that keeps watch over their kind while working to keep their secret from humans. Their current mission deals with finding a group who has been illegally importing wild jaguars into the states for a hunting ranch.

Maya Anderson, a jaguar shifter, is looking to connect with relatives she didn’t know she had. Her goal is to enjoy herself a bit out from under her brother’s constant control.

When Wade and Maya reconnect, the attraction that eluded them months before in the jungle surfaces. As Maya, her brother and his wife get caught in the crossfire between the Special Forces unit and the hunters, things become explosive. The mission travels to Belize and back again for a steamy adventure.

Spear has crafted realistic characters not overshadowed by their paranormal abilities. They’re well developed with flaws and spirit. The secondary characters add flavor to this romance heighten by suspense.

An eye for authentic detail, Spear’s extensive research comes through in the distinct descriptions of both locations and jaguar actions. Detailing the sights and sounds of the jungle places the reader in the midst of the action.

JAGUAR FEVER is an action-driven story with twists along the way for surprises. The suspense is captivating and the romance is steamy. The interaction among the characters is sprinkled with humor for a well-blended story that will put jaguars in a totally different light.

Author Terry Spear’s website is http://www.TerrySpear.com
 
Jaguar Fever by Terry Spear, Heart of the Jaguar Series, Sourcebooks, @2013, ISBN: 978-1402266959, Paperback, 320 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
 
Thanks everyone for stopping by today. I hope in this variety of genres I’ve told you about at least one book that has captured your attention. What would be the punch line if a cowboy, a cop and a jaguar walked into a bar? Just something to think about.

Author Carolyn Brown: The Last of Spikes & Spurs and Giveaway

It’s always a hoot to welcome bestselling author Carolyn
Brown back to Thoughts in Progress because I know it means she has a new book out and lots of fun things to share with us. However, today’s return comes with a bit of sadness as her latest release, COWBOY SEEKS BRIDE, is the last installment in her tantalizing Spikes and Spurs series.


But with that sadness, Carolyn always brings joy. Thanks to her and the lovely Danielle at Sourcebooks, I have a giveaway to offer today to a lucky winner. Please see the end of the post for details.

First, let’s take a peak at what COWBOY SEEKS BRIDE is all about:
    He's Tough as Nails and Ready to Ride...     Rancher Dewar O'Donnell is just an old-fashioned cowboy at heart, and he can't wait to reenact the historic Chisholm Trail ride with his buddies. The trial-run cattle drive for a reality TV show sounds like a great time—until H.B. McKay pulls up in her slick red sports car...
    She's Way Out of Her Element...     Haley McKay is a feisty, high-powered businesswoman with the power suit and stiletto heels to prove it. She's keen to research her company's hot new idea for a reality TV show—but mount up with a bunch of modern-day cowboys? Are they kidding?
    It's too late to back out now, so Haley sets out to prove that it will take more than snakes, storms, and stampedes to make her back down.
    Besides, sleeping under the stars with Dewar O'Donnell could prove mighty interesting...

I hear Carolyn coming in, let’s see what she’s up to. I think she has a trip planned for us. Hi, there Carolyn, what’s up?

Y’all are cordially invited to come on over to my house today where we’ll be havin’ dinner…just to be clear, that would be the noon meal in this part of the world. It’ll be put on the bar at, you guessed it, twelve o’clock sharp and we’ll serve it up buffet style. 

Menu includes sweet tea with lots of ice because it’s hotter than the devil’s spiky little tail, mashed potatoes, fried squash, fried chicken, a nice big garden fresh salad with endive and fresh tomatoes, black eyed peas and a choice of hot yeast rolls or cornbread—or both if you’d like cornbread with your peas and maybe a hot roll when you go back for a second plate of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. No one is counting how many plates you use up so don’t be shy. Dessert is your choice of pecan pie and/or fresh peach cobbler, with or without homemade ice cream.

While we’re eating we’ll gather around the ten foot dining room table and talk about COWBOY SEEKS BRIDE, the seventh and last book in the Spikes & Spurs series that started with LOVE DRUNK COWBOY in May, 2011. 

Dewar and Haley’s story was such fun to write. Next time the O’Donnell’s gather up to sing out under the shade trees in Ringgold, Texas (population less than 100), they’ll have a wild tale to tell about herding those cattle all the way up through Oklahoma to Dodge City, Kansas.

What’s that? Someone has a question down at the end of the table.

What is it that I like about country living that makes me continue to write about it? 

Well, darlin’ a few years ago I went to a little school auditorium up in Coleman, Oklahoma to see Jerry Clower. Some of y’all might not have ever heard of that fellow but he was one of my favorite comedians from the time I was just a teenager. Believe me, it was a big deal for me to get to sit up in the bleachers in the old gym and listen to him. I even bought a brand new pair of boots to wear that night.

After he’d entertained us with his stories about Marcel Ledbetter and Uncle Versy, he had a little time left before his car arrived to take him to the Dallas airport and on back to Mississippi where he lived. He opened up the floor for questions and someone asked him why he always talked about the country life and why he loved it more than city living.

His answer was that in the country folks know their neighbors and they take care of their friends. When his mama passed, the family all came home to her house and not one relative cooked so much as a biscuit during their time of mourning.

That kind of sums it up. In the country, folks might know everyone and get into their business and offer up advice when it’s not even asked for. But when babies are born, when folks pass on, when there’s sickness or joy, folks are there with food and a helping hand. And believe me not a dime passes hands for what’s done, either. Friendship is a priceless commodity like love. Country living has a heart beat and a pulse of its own and once you partake of it, you will come back for a second helping sometime. It might just to be for a visit, but you’ll get to cravin’ the slow simple lifestyle and nothing else will satisfy that itch but a day or two in the country.

That’s the way things are done in the Spikes & Spurs series down in Ringgold, Texas. Cash and Maddie O’Donnell are that kind of folks and they’ve raised their kids that way.
 
So it’s no wonder that Dewar has trouble wrapping his mind around falling for a city girl. And it’s no wonder that it’s difficult for Haley, being a city girl, to admit that she could fall for a country boy with values and a lifestyle so very different from hers. But the heart wants what it wants, and it don’t give a damn whether the body that houses it lives in the country or in the city.

What is it that appeals to y’all about country living? Or maybe we can take it a step on up the ladder and ask what is it about country living and cowboys that makes reading about them exciting to you?

While you’re thinkin’ on that, does anyone need a refill on their sweet tea while I’m up and checkin’ on the ice cream freezer?

Carolyn, thanks for the invite and dinner. Fine as always, but like your books. I have to agree with you and Jerry Clower (a funny man) about country living. It can’t be beat.

Now, for those who don’t know Carolyn let me share a bit of background. She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than sixty books published. She writes bestselling single title cowboy and country music mass market romances, as well as women’s fiction. 

Born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma, Carolyn and her husband now make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma. Look for THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS BABY in stores this October! 

For more information on Carolyn and her writing, please visit www.CarolynLBrown.com. 

Here’s what some others have to say about Carolyn:
    "Lazy drawls and pointy-toed boots are at the heart of Brown's Texas-set romance...the couple's relationship is hot as the Texan sun." — RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
    "Funny, frank, and full of heart...One more welcome example of Brown's Texas-size talent for storytelling." — USA Today Happily Ever After
    "Alive with humor...Another page-turning joy of a book by an engaging author." — Fresh Fiction

COWBOY SEEKS BRIDE can be found at these locations: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo/Chapters, IndieBound, Discover a New Love, and Sourcebooks.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Now for the giveaway, thanks to Carolyn and Danielle. I have 1 copy of JUST A COWBOY AND HIS BABY (the book directly preceding COWBOY SEEKS BRIDE in the Spikes & Spurs series) to giveaway. The contest is open to residents of the US and Canada only.

To enter this giveaway, please send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win JUST A COWBOY.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. And, just so you know, I don’t share this information with anyone other than the publisher nor use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win a copy of JUST A COWBOY AND HIS BABY will be 8 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, Aug. 29.

Thanks for stopping by today. Well, what’s your thoughts on country living?

Just A Cowboy And His Baby by Carolyn Brown

One of the many things I enjoy about author Carolyn Brown’s writing is the way she shares families with you.

Brown gives family members zany and fun personalities you can’t help but love and want to know better. Then she branches the families out giving individual members their own story and ties many of the families together through friendships and marriage making for one big, happy family.

JUST A COWBOY AND HIS BABY is a fun example of bring two of these families together.

Gemma O’Donnell has a good life in Ringgold, Texas, where her family is, as well as her beauty shop. But she has a dream to be the second woman to win the national bronc riding championship. With the prize money she plans to buy her own little ranch and one day have a family of her own.

Trace Coleman isn’t interested in the bronc riding title, he just wants the prize money. His dream is to buy his uncle’s ranch.

When Gemma and Trace square off in the arena, the attraction between them becomes more ardent than any bronc they attempt to ride. Both are determined to win the title, but the winner could also be the loser.

As Trace’s past is revealed, Gemma has to decide whether to focus on winning or fight for her new dream.

Brown gives her characters depth, along with flaws and quirks making them realistic. She adds problems, hopes and dreams readers can relate to. She spices it up with sexy cowboys, feisty cowgirls, and enough steamy romance to warm you on the coldest of days. Brown’s writing holds you spellbound as you slip into the world of tantalizing cowboys, spirited cowboys, and love of family with a lot of fun added in for good measure.

While JUST A COWBOY AND HIS BABY is a stand alone read, by following the Spikes and Spurs series as it unfolds you get a better understanding of all the family structures. In addition, the characters become friends you watch grow and evolve from book to book.

For a spicy hot read, be sure JUST A COWBOY AND HIS BABY is at the top of your list.

Author Carolyn Brown’s website is http://www.carolynlbrown.com/

Just A Cowboy And His Baby by Carolyn Brown, Spikes and Spurs Series, Sourcebooks Casablanca, @2012, ISBN: 978-1402270185, Paperback, 352 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
 
Thanks everyone for stopping by today. Hope your holiday plans are going well. Are you a cowboy fan? If so, who was the first cowboy of your dreams? Was he anything like Trace?

Mistletoe Cowboy by Carolyn Brown

Before we know it Christmas will be here and a great way to get into the spirit of the season is by reading author Carolyn Brown’s latest release, MISTLETOE COWBOY.

Brown has a unique way of mixing a sexy cowboy, a spitfire artist, a blizzard, some Christmas magic, and a meddling grandmother for a rip-roaring good time. This story has steamy romance and a touch of old-fashion Christmas.

Sage Presley barely makes it home to the Rockin C Ranch before everything is cut off by a blizzard. She can’t believe her grandmother has agreed to sell the ranch to some cowboy. She’s determined to talk her out of it. But Sage doesn’t know her Grand has already left Texas early to visit her sister in Pennsylvania.

Creed Riley can’t believe his good fortune when Ada Presley agreed to sell him her ranch at a bargain. The only catch was he had to let her granddaughter live on the ranch for as long as she wants. Creed doesn’t see a problem with her living on the back forty. That is until he meets the granddaughter.

Thrown together by a desire for the ranch and a blizzard, sparks begin to fly between the snowbound couple. When you add in the world’s ugliest dog, a mama cat with kittens and Christmas preparations you’ll be laughing out loud.

Brown’s characters are well-developed and well-rounded. They are realistic making you wish you lived next door to them despite their flaws. She combines family, traditions, love, and friendship into a heartwarming Christmas story. She also has a way of blending wholesome family fun with tantalizing sexual tension.

MISTLETOE COWBOY is a sizzling quick read that is guaranteed to leave you feeling toasty. Part of Brown’s Spikes and Spurs series, this is a stand alone read. References are made to characters from other installments in the series, but new readers aren’t left in the dark.

Cowboys, Christmas, love, mistletoe and lots of humor - a great combination for a steamy read you won’t be able to put down.

Author Carolyn Brown’s website is http://www.carolynlbrown.com/

Mistletoe Cowboy by Carolyn Brown, A Spikes and Spurs Novel, Sourcebooks Casablanca, @2012, ISBN: 978-1402270154, 352 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure - An eBook copy of this book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
 
Have you started reading Christmas-themed books yet. Thanks so much for stopping by today.

**NOTE: Author Debbie Dykes was scheduled to guest post today but was unable to due to unforeseen circumstances. Hopefully we’ll be able to reschedule her post soon. Thanks again. **

Cowboys and Werewolves, Oh My!

I enjoy a vast array of genres with mysteries being my favorite, but I also enjoy good romance and a bit of paranormal from time to time.

Today I have the latest releases in 2 series I adore. 

ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING by Caroline Brown 

  

Author Caroline Brown writes about characters that are realistic and lovable - the kind you want to have as a neighbor.

ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING focuses on how far a friend will go to help another. Along the way the two discover more about themselves and each other than they ever realized.

Brown’s characters are independent and feisty, but have flaws and charm that make for intriguing interaction. She keeps the pace fast and smooth with a number of twists and turns along the way to surprise you.

Hunky cowboy Ace Riley has inherited his grandfather’s ranch and has turned it into a successful business. However, there’s a catch Ace didn’t know about to keep the ranch. He must marry within 2 years and stay married for at least a year. If not, the ranch goes to a cousin who is only after money.

Sexy Jasmine King owns and operates the local diner. She’s been burned by love and has no plans to get involved with anyone again. Being Ace’s best friend, Jasmine offers to marry him and they’ll keep it a secret from their other friends.

Plans go astray when their Las Vegas wedding gets media attention and everyone finds out. From there the turn of events are hilarious, heartwarming, and sometimes steamy as the pair work their way through a pretend marriage to a meaningful relationship.

This is the fourth installment in the Spikes and Spurs series and it just keeps getting better and better. Brown has a way of capturing the heart and soul of all things cowboy (and cowgirl), as well as good wholesome fun.

Author Carolyn Brown’s website is http://carolynlbrown.com/ 

One Hot Cowboy Wedding by Caroline Brown, A Spikes and Spurs Series, Sourcebooks Casablanca, @2012, ISBN: 978-1402253645, Paperback, 384 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

 

THE WOLF WHO LOVED ME by Lydia Dare

Author Lydia Dare continues to create characters and situations that stir the imagination but seem realistic at the same time.

While she writes of werewolves, she does so in a way that will have you believing they are as normal as you and me. She gives them flaws and problems that we face daily, along with the extra trouble of being a werewolf. She also sets them in a historical time and setting that adds intrigue to the story.

THE WOLF WHO LOVED ME focuses on the misadventures of Weston Hadley and his longing for his neighbor, Lady Madeline Hayburn. Madeline is a spoiled only daughter and her father is trying to find a husband for her. Wes feels beneath Madeline in society as he has no wealth, is a bit of a rogue, and has a dark secret to match the scar on his face.

When Madeline sees Wes transform into his Lycan form, the shenanigans begin. The story is fast-pace with suspense, romance, sexy werewolves, feisty ladies, and the right amount of humor.

One of the many things I enjoy about Dare’s series is that with each new installment, readers get to know characters better from a previous story. You don’t have to read the books in order, but it does add to the enjoyment if you do.

I’m never disappointed when I pick up a book by Dare. Her stories are always entertaining and lead me to a fantasy world of fun and excitement, not to mention steamy romance.

Author Lydia Dare’s website is www.lydiadare.com

The Wolf Who Loved Me by Lydia Dare, Sourcebooks Casablanca, @2012, ISBN: 978-1402263460, Paperback, 384 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

 

What genre do you enjoy for a change of pace in your reading? Thanks so much for stopping by today. Have a wonderful day and remember to share a book with someone.

Author Carolyn Brown: How Publishing Has Changed

 

I am always thrilled to have New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown visit because she perpetually makes me laugh and if she’s visiting, it means she has another wonderful book out.

Her stories capture your imagination transporting you to whatever small town in Texas she’s writing about. Her characters are realistic and so likeable you can’t help but want to visit them time and time again. Besides, she always writes about the sexiest cowboys and the feisty cowgirls.

Can you tell I’m excited to have Carolyn join us today? Well, before I forget - thanks to Carolyn and the delightful Danielle at Sourcebooks I have 2 copies of Carolyn’s latest book, ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING, to giveaway to 2 lucky visitors who comments on today’s post by 8 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, April 25. Be sure to leave your email address with your comment, if it’s not included in your profile. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Now here’s Carolyn.

Thank you so much for inviting me back to Thoughts in Progress! It’s a delight to be here again to talk about my new book, ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING, the fourth book in the Spikes and Spurs series.

It is available in paperback at Sourcebooks, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Wal-Mart, Waldens, Hastings and most major book stores. If you have a Nook, Kindle or E-reader you can get a copy at B&N, Amazon, Sony and most of the eBook stores. And if you prefer a hardback copy, Rhapsody and Double Day Book Clubs has it available.

Wow! That’s a lot of places to get a copy of ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING! Things have definitely changed in the writing and publishing world since I sold my first book fourteen years ago.

And if you go back a few years prior to that, it’s really done a turn-around. More than thirty years ago my third child was a newborn baby and believe me she was part night owl. She didn’t scream and cry. I didn’t have to walk the floor with her or rock her until daylight. She was quite content to watch the fish in the aquarium and spin tales in her baby brain. 

I sharpened a dozen pencils, bought a spiral back note book and set out to write the best selling novel in my head. Publishers all over the world were waiting to buy it for sure and Hollywood was yanking all their hair out in anticipation of the great movie it would make.

When the notebook was nearly full of profound words, Husband figured I was serious and brought home an old Underwood manual typewriter that he’d found at a garage sale for five bucks. Lord, I thought I’d done died and gone to heaven! White out, ribbons, sticky keys, and all!

The book was finally finished and visions of book tours danced in my head. I was going to be famous, eat bon-bons all day, build a new house and a swimming pool and the contract was going to be for a multi-book deal.

It did not sell! 

My daughter started sleeping at night so the writing business got put on hold for many years. When I pulled it out again there were electric typewriters on the market, word processors that looked like glorified electric typewriters and I found myself in a much easier world than the old Underwood days. The ribbons were even half white so corrections were even easier.

I was now ready to write the next big thing…a visit to Oprah danced in my head.

Those stories did not sell!

PC’s came to the market. Surely with all that technology and many years of writing a newspaper column under my belt, I was ready to produce the novel of the century. I had enough rejection slips to paper the White House; that big one on Pennsylvania Avenue, not the two holer at the end of the back lot. 

Those were the years of writing query letters, sending them with SASE (always) and waiting six months for a reply. Hopefully, the Gods of Publishing or Gods of the Agents would ask to see three chapters and a synopsis. When they did, the job involved getting it ready to send in hard copy, mailing it and waiting another six months. Then if they asked to see the full manuscript, it was typing the whole thing perfectly, printing, mailing and you got it…waiting!

But one day all the waiting paid off and I sold two books! Revisions came in letter form and hard copies went back and forth. Then I sold four more and it was the same. 

The line I’d been working for died and I went to another publisher and not much changed. Query in letter form, send hard copies by mail, revisions by mail. 

And then boom! I started selling cowboys and everything started popping. Everything was done by email…no more trips to the post office, no more edit letters by mail and buying reams upon reams of copy paper for hard copies. 

Don’t tell me cowboys don’t make things happen in a big way!

The next step my books being available in e-book format for the new and upcoming Nook and Kindles and then they hit the book clubs and were available in hard copy as well as eBook and paper back.

ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING was written on a lap top that I can carry with me wherever I go. It was backed up on a flash drive no bigger than a tub of lipstick. No more hardcopy back ups that take a whole closet shelf. No more computers as big as a desk top. It can be ordered on line in any format that you want: paperback, hard copy, eBook.

Nora Roberts spoke to the RWA Conference in Orlando a couple of years ago and her words have stayed with me. She said that we have it easy these days with the technology and less waiting and more avenues to get our books out to the readers but to remember that our craft can be done with a pencil and a notebook. That if we have a writer’s soul with a book full of quirky or interesting characters begging to be written that we can do the job. However, it takes discipline to keep writing and determination to keep on going when the rejection letters are piling up.

For me, it all started many years ago with a pencil and a notebook. There has been lots of determination and discipline but it’s paid off. ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING is my fifty-sixth published book. 

It’ll be fun to see what direction the writing and publishing fields take in the next five years. What do you like…hard cover books, paperbacks or eBooks? Do you take a book from the shelf if the cover catches your eye? Or do you grab it because you know the author? What do you foresee in the future for the publishing industry?

Carolyn, thanks so much for visiting again and giving us this glimpse at how the publishing industry has changed. I think the changes have been a wonderful thing for us readers. I realize each day how eBooks are becoming more popular and convenient, but I still enjoy the feel of a print book (hardcover or paperback) in my hands. 

Now for a brief synopsis of ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING (which I’ll also have a review for you soon):
A marriage made in Vegas...
Hunky cowboy Ace Riley wasn't planning on settling down, but his family had other plans for him...The only way to save his hide, and his playboy lifestyle, is to discreetly marry his best friend, Jasmine King.

Can't possibly last…
Fiesty city–girl Jasmine as just helping out her friend—that is, until their first kiss stirs up a whole mess of trouble, and suddenly discretion is thrown to the wind.

One hot cowboy, one riled up woman...
And they'll be married for a year, like it or not!

Now for a bit of background on Carolyn. She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than forty books published, and credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. She writes bestselling single title cowboy and country music mass market romances. 

Born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma, Carolyn and her husband now make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma, where she continues to write more cowboy romances! For more information on Carolyn and her writing, visit her website at www.CarolynLBrown.com. 

If you’re a writer, has the changes in the publishing industry been a good thing for you? If you’re a reader, has the changes expanded your ability to get more books or books sooner? Thanks so much for stopping by today. Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING. It’s a fun read that you’ll find hard to put down.  

DARN GOOD COWBOY CHRISTMAS, TWIST OF FATE

I have two intriguing stories to share with you today. First up is all about cowboys and Christmas, followed by secret journals and a tropical island.

DARN GOOD COWBOY CHIRSTMAS by Carolyn Brown

Author Carolyn Brown has a wonderful flare for writing about cowboys, country living, and the bonds of family and friends.

Each of her books creates new characters for readers to enjoy, as well as resurfacing a few favorites from prior adventures to tie everything together.

Her latest book in the Spikes and Spurs series is DARN GOOD COWBOY CHRISTMAS. In this installment, Brown focuses on Raylen O’Donnell, the brother of Rye from LOVE DRUNK COWBOY. She introduces Lizelle Hanson as the love interest.

The traveling carnival has been a way of life for Liz and her family for generations. Only her Uncle Haskell has put down roots. Each Christmas Liz has wished for a house that didn’t have wheels and a sexy cowboy. This may be the year her wishes come true.

When her uncle moves to take care of his ailing father, he gives his house and 20 acres to Liz. She has until spring to see if she really wants to settle down. If not, her neighbor Raylen wants to buy the place.

Raylen remembers being drawn to Liz when they were teenagers and she visited her uncle. Now grown up, Raylen soon finds himself head over heels for the fortune teller. Liz remembers the attraction too and finds herself falling hard for Raylen.

The courtship of the two is fun, intriguing and romantic. The great supporting characters add depth and realism to the story. While the focus is Raylen and Liz, there are several secondary attractions going on that adds to the lively mix. In the end, there’s more than one wedding to celebrate in this book.

The story flows smooth and once you start, you can’t put it down. Brown has once again delivered a well-rounded group of characters you will wish were your neighbors.

This is a stand alone book, but after you meet the O’Donnells you’ll want to know more about them and their friends. The next installment is ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING slated for April 2012.

Author Carolyn Brown’s website is http://carolynlbrown.com/

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown, Spikes and Spurs Series, Sourcebooks Casablanca, @2011, ISBN: 978-1-4022-6157-2, Paperback, 384 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

TWIST OF FATE by Jayne Ann Krentz

Hannah Jessett once thought of being an anthropologist like her aunt, the legendary Elizabeth Nord, but became a guidance counselor instead.

When her brother’s company is threatened by the renown entrepreneur Gideon Cage, Hannah decides to step in. She talks Cage into a game of cards in Las Vegas where she cheats to win. Afterwards, she discovers the game was useless as Cage had other plans for the company all along.

Cage finds Hannah fascinating and follows her back home to Seattle. There he finds her on her way to close the estate of her late aunt on a tropical island. He decides he needs a vacation and goes with her.

Hannah comes into possession of a necklace passed through the generations and numerous unpublished journal of her aunt’s. The journals detail her studies that stunned the world with her revolutionary discoveries.

As she goes through the journals, Hannah finds there are people willing to kill to see her aunt’s personal papers. In addition, she has to deal with her feelings for Cage and a sudden desire to become as powerful and independent as her aunt was.

Nellie Chalifant does a wonderful job wit the narration and brings the characters to life.

TWIST OF FATE is filled with tension, suspense, romance, and mystery.

Author Jayne Ann Krentz' website is www.amandaquick.com  

Twist of Fate by Jayne Ann Krentz, Read by Nellie Chalfant, Brilliance Audio, @2011, ISBN: 978-1441884961, Unabridged, 9 Discs, Listening Time: 10 Hours 3 Minutes

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. What are you reading that keeps you up at night? 

RED’S HOT COWBOY by Carolyn Brown

Much of the US has been experiencing near record breaking or above temperatures so now’s the time to relax with a good book set during cooler weather.

Reading one of author Carolyn Brown’s books always gives me the feel of warmth, friendship and family. While Brown’s latest release, RED’S HOT COWBOY, begins during the Christmas holidays make no mistake there’s plenty of heat when the cowboy and the entrepreneur tangle. 

When her great-aunt Pearlita died and left her the Longhorn Inn, Pearl Richland quit her big city banking job and decided to try her hand at running the motel. When the lights went out in Henrietta on Christmas Eve, rancher Wil Marshall just wanted a place to stay with electricity. A twist of fate and a mistaken identity threw the pair together and sparks began to fly.

From their first encounter, Pearl and Wil are a perfect couple whether they know it or not. The chemistry between the two sizzles and will make you a bit breathless. Pearl may appear sassy, brassy and out-spoken, but she has a heart of gold. She comes to the aid of a woman on the run from her abusive husband, as well as giving assistance to others in need. Wil is a rough and tough cowboy, but has a tender spot for family, friends and the fiery red head, Pearl.

Carolyn Brown brings her characters to life with fire and spunk. She creates characters that are loyal, caring and with enough faults to make them real. She blends romance, humor and a bit of mystery into a rip-roaring good read.

While RED’S HOT COWBOY is part of the Spikes and Spurs series, it’s a stand along book. Familiar faces from the previous book (LOVE DRUNK COWBOY) are re-introduced and new friends appear for the next installment, DARN GOOD COWBOY CHRISTMAS coming in October. The family gathering continues to grow and expand leading to new and exciting adventures.

Author Carolyn Brown’s website is http://carolynlbrown.com/

Red’s Hot Cowboy by Carolyn Brown, Spikes and Spurs Series, Sourcebooks Casablanca, @2011, ISBN: 978-1-4022-5361-4, Paperback, 384 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Author Carolyn Brown On Reading And Cowboys

Find a comfortable chair and reach for your favorite beverage of choice as you help me welcome award-winning author Carolyn Brown back to Thoughts in Progress today to talk about her latest release and new Spikes and Spurs Series.

Carolyn latest release is LOVE DRUNK COWBOY, the first in an exciting new cowboy series from the delightful author. Thanks to Carolyn and Danielle at Sourcebooks, I can offer 2 copies of LOVE DRUNK COWBOY as giveaways to visitors commenting on this post. The giveaway is open to residents of U.S. and Canada only between now and 8 p.m. (EST) on Monday, June 6. Be sure to include your e-mail address if it’s not included in your profile.

Here’s a brief blurb about LOVE DRUNK COWBOY: She’s a Self-Made City Girl… High-powered career woman Austin Lanier suddenly finds herself saddled with an inherited watermelon farm deep in the countryside. She’s determined to sell the farm, until her new, drop-dead sexy neighbor Rye O’Donnell shows up…

He’s as Intoxicating as Can Be…Rancher Rye O’Donnell thinks he’s going to get a good deal on his dream property—until he meets the fiery new owner. Rye is knocked sideways when he realizes that not only is Granny Lanier’s city-slicker granddaughter a savvy businesswoman, she’s also sexy as hell…

Suddenly Rye is a whole lost less interested in real estate and a whole lot more focused on getting Austin to set aside her stiletto heels…

Carolyn was kind enough to answer some questions for me.

Hello! I’m so tickled to be here today to wind down my month long blog tour to promote LOVE DRUNK COWBOY! Thank you for inviting me back again to Thoughts in Progress and thank you, Mason, for that AWESOME review! You really crawled out there on a shaky limb discussing a “love drunk” cowboy on your Sunday blog! Maybe you should have a Saturday night blog where you discuss my rowdy cowboys! You do know that cowboys sow their wild oats on Saturday night and then go to church on Sunday morning to pray for a crop failure.

Carolyn, no shaky limb there. ‘Love drunk’ cowboys are the best kind. They are caring, responsible and put family first; not to mention being sexy. But a Saturday night blog about cowboys does have possibilities.

Mason - As a writer, do you feel it's also important to find time to read?

Carolyn: Yes, ma’am, as much and as often as possible. I used to try to read a book a day but lately, it’s about a book a week, since Husband retired.

Mason - What are you currently reading or is in your TBR stack?

Carolyn: Just last night I finished Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews. Loved it! Of course I would, she’s a southern writer. My TBR stack? How much room do you have here on this blog? This could go on and on. I read on PW this morning that there’s a new J.A. Jance book coming right soon and then I haven’t gotten Grace Burrowes The Heir read and she’s about to come out with the next one which will go on my TBR read list and then there’s Sue Grafton’s newest hiding down there somewhere. If we had an explosion in this house it would look somewhat like a tornado hit the Library of Congress and I keep seeing more that I really, really want to add to it.

Mason - If you could only have 5 books, what would they be?

Carolyn: Oh, dear, darlin’, that is one tough question. To pick five only…is it because of space on the blog, space in my suitcase because I’m going to a remote island or I only get to stay wherever you are sending me for five days? We could extend the blog a wee bit and I’ll get a bigger suitcase or leave part of my clothing behind, and I could stay longer. No…won’t work? Got to pick five only! Okay then. Remember that I’m an eclectic reader! My Bible (got to have that), Gone With the Wind (I read it about every five years and Margaret is starting to feel neglected), LaVyrle Spencer’s Vows (touches all my emotions from laughter to tears), The Godfather, by Mario Puzo and Exodus by Leon Uris.

Mason - How is your new series different from your Honky Tonk series and how is it similar?

Carolyn: They are both about cowboys, of course. The Honky Tonks were set in the old bar down in Mingus, Texas and the new series isn’t confined to a building. It starts out in Terral, Oklahoma with LOVE DRUNK COWBOY and jumps the Red River over to Henrietta, Texas for RED'S HOT COWBOY (August) with a setting in a fifty year old motel. Then we hop back to Ringgold to the O’Donnell’s horse ranch for DARN GOOD COWBOY CHRISTMAS (October) and to Ace Riley’s ranch for ONE HOT COWBOY WEDDING (April 2012). After that we are going on a pro-rodeo trip, a reenactment of the cattle drive on the Chisholm Trail and out to the Palo Duro Canyon in west Texas. So this series isn’t confined to a building. All of them are similar in that they have a stubborn cowboy trying to tame a sassy woman who doesn’t want to give up her kick-ass independence.

Mason - What can readers look for next from you?

Carolyn: Ooops! I think I just answered that one in number 4. So think more cowboys! More heroines with a mind of their own and who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is. More quirky secondary characters. More humor.

Thank you so much for letting me prop up my feet here today. Talk to me folks! Tell me what you are reading these days and if you want to see more cowboys on the market. Now Mason pop open that bottle of watermelon wine that I brought and break the seal on that box of chocolates and we’ll talk about Rye and Austin while we wait on the folks to comment. Did you like that Charley Horse scene, the one where they were sexting when she was in a business meeting or all that steamy kissing in the rain?

Oh, Carolyn! It’s always so much fun having you stop by. I see we enjoy some of the same books and sorry about limiting you to select only 5. Thought it would be fun to try and narrow it down. Now as for Rye and Austin, I think one of my favorite scenes was the mechanical bull. LOL Can’t decide which taste better, the chocolates or the watermelon wine, oh my!

Before I get too distracted, let me tell you more about Carolyn. She is an award-winning author who has published 36 bestselling romances for the library market. She now writes bestselling single title cowboy and country music mass market romances. Born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma, Carolyn and her husband now make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma. Carolyn’s next book, RED’S HOT COWBOY will be in stores in August 2011, followed by DARN GOOD COWBOY CHRISTMAS in October 2011. For more about information on Carolyn and her writing, be sure to visit her website at www.carolynlbrown.com and www.sourcebookscasablanca.com where she blogs.

Now what your thoughts on Carolyn’s questions? What are you reading and should there be more cowboys on the market? Be sure to share your thoughts for a chance to win a copy of Carolyn’s latest release. Thanks y’all for stopping by, I really appreciate it. Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Memorial Day too.