What is about the cowboys that makes us itch to get our hands on one? Sure they have the tight jeans covering rock hard thighs. And the strong sinewy arms and capable hands…. *wheshew* that could be enough right there… But a hot guy is a hot, right, whether he’s dressed in denim and a Stetson or decked out in a $1000 suit. So what makes us pant after the dusty manly-man? I can tell you for me, it’s the whole package—and no I don’t mean *that* package—though that can’t hurt.

What pushes a cowboy up the total package pole is his charm, charm that can calm a wild horse. And the hard edge that can make him tear after danger to protect his family and property. It’s the yes ma’ams and the courtesy, and how he loves his family. Even some of the “aw shucks” because we know he’s only doing what comes natural to him—and he’s not doing it for thanks. Hell, it’s even the smell of leather, sweat and man that tells you he’s put in a hard day’s work.

There’s just something that makes a cowboy the allure of what we want to wrap up with and hold on ’til we have to come up for air. (Then maybe hang on a little longer still.) What is the one thing you find in a cowboy that may be lacking in other guys? What’s the one thing that really spins your spurs?

I have read so many books in my lifetime—I don't think I even want to contemplate the actual amount... but suffice it to say it's A LOT! As a writer it's become more difficult to get through a book, because I have a hard time shutting off the critiquer in me. But it *is* something I must do—the reading and the shutting off, both.

When I come across a book that doesn’t engage me, it may take me a few pages to realize I’ve only read… well, a few pages and maybe an hour has gone by—it happened with at least 4 books last March (made my eye twitch a time or two). Believe it or not, I put down each and every one of those books and didn’t finish, which was new for me. I have typically sucked it up and pushed through. Not any more, life is too short, but I digress… A regular book I will get through it, at the end I close it and think, hmm…. For real, that is about it for my reaction to the book. A really good book however, I will find myself thinking on that book all day, wanting to get back to, wanting to read “just one more page.” I've read two recently that I just couldn’t put down. One I loved it so much (Diana Cosby’s HIS CAPTIVE) I went out and bought the next two in the series—I have not had a chance to sit and read them though, darnitall. The second book is for a contest.

Ms. Cosby’s book I read the entire thing the Sunday before Christmas. With the dh off work and the kids home from school I had the day to myself as they immersed themselves in a slew of video games and left me alone—it was pure joy! The contest book—I’d tell you but I am afraid it would break some contest confidentiality or something, but somehow I will get that title to you later on—I read over this weekend. I was busy with several things going on but I found myself thinking on it and thinking on it and would snag a page here and there throughout the weekend. By Sunday evening I just hunkered down and finished the last four chapters of the book.

It’s a weird thing though, when I am reading a book I really like, aside from the fact I don’t want to tear myself away, I actually have a physical reaction to it too. I get this itchy feeling in my palms. Can’t say that I know what that’s all about, it’s like my body is making sure I know I like it—strange, I know. Then usually the minute I close the book I have one of two reactions—I want to immediately read another book, or I want to work on my own. I supposed that could be considered a big compliment—at least I hope so... (An “eh”, book makes me want a snack and a Lifetime movie.)

It also reaffirms whyI love books and writing. :-)

As a writer, how often do you step out of your comfort zone? I know all about branding and whatnot, so up 'til now, I've kept my books in the same vein of genre--however I will say be it straight up romance or suspense (Okay, I do have a ghost story, that is a little diff—but to me that's just a story where a major secondary character "happens" to be dead...but I digress ), I'd like to think my voice is consistent from book to book so they are still branded in a way.

How often do you try to write something so far out of your norm? For fun or just a change?

I am trying something new. I won't say what in case it falls flat and I can't quite get the handle on it. But I have to tell you, writing "different" has been as much fun as a challenge and it has sparked something I think. Don't get me started on the umpteen books I've bought and got from the library to do research--me who hates to research. My comfort zone is cold with my absence I am so far out of it. But to me, that's what gives it an extra little spark of keeping my butt in the chair. (That and, like I said, if it doesn't go over, no one will be any the wiser as to what I did--so yeah, I am a wee bit of a chicken there).

I always want to write--no matter what. It just gets to feeling like a chore at times... so with this comfort-zone leap, and no risk, it's kinda the best of both worlds. And as I told a friend, if nothing else it's an exercise. Couple that with—whether it's good or bad—I tend to get an idea that sticks in my head and I can't get rid of it. And after about a week, if I am still mentally gnawing on it, it's not going to stop—but get worse—until I attempt to do something with it. That's what happened here.

I have started off the new year working on it--written every day since Christmas in fact. Bottom line, it's got me writing. And if I can stay out of my comfort zone long enough, maybe it will permanently expand and I will have a new and even bigger zone from which to jump :-)

Okay, I have a secret. Even though I tell people I’m a Texan, I wasn’t actually born here. Shocking I know. You see, my dad was in the Air Force (we won’t go into where he was born, that’s not important right now). He was stationed in San Angelo, Texas; that’s where he met my mom—she was in college at Angelo State. They fell in love, married and… moved to Alaska. Two years later I came along while they were still in Alaska. But before I even turned one, we moved to Texas—had my first birthday in Rotan, Texas—and hour northwest of Abilene. That was where I met and fell head over spurs for my first cowboy—my granddad. He gave me my love for all things horses and reins. Bought me my first horse, in fact, while I was still up where snow drifts were taller than me.

Once planted firmly on Texas soil, we stayed. Every other weekend I was up at my grandparents’, on the horse, helping him feed the stock (never quiet recovered when I learned the sausage we were eating for breakfast was the same pig that ran my mother over the weekend before). I went to rodeos with my granddad, an auction or two and was in the county parade every year—and it was all the norm. The look, the feel, the whole ambiance of cowboy life was engrained in me. Then unfortunately, we moved away—still in Texas but to the Dallas suburbs and the trips were on the holidays and summer break. I got away from all things cowpoke. (Thank goodness my mother never took pics of the Valley Girl years…)

When my kids came along, we got back into the west Texas rhythm as my granddad introduced them to the animals and his property. It rekindled my love of the west so when I started writing, it only seemed natural to create characters who embodied the people I grew up around—and to make them funny and alluring was a super sweet bonus—I like characters with character! And the rest, as they say, is history—or books as the case may be.

I’m working on my next book in the Paintbrush series—set in Wyoming—chock full of cowboys, horses and drama—oh, the drama. I’m also developing a series set in west Texas that will have some sexy as hell cowboys, some sassy gals, a little intrigue and a lot of tantalizing action. And I have an idea for one set in the Hill Country of Texas. Hey, who knows maybe I will work up a series set in Alaska—never thought about it before; but there’re hot men on horses up there too…

It’s a new year, time to make new resolutions… yeah, no. I tend not to make resolutions. Nothing makes me not want to do something more than when I feel like I “have” to. I don’t know that I have ever made and kept resolutions. The fact that I can’t remember says enough, I think. Goals are a little different. Those to me seem more like a suggested “to do” list. (as opposed the resolutions “must do”) And even then, I tend to make mine silly and over the top—like say to make enough money writing to have a cabana boy. Do I think I’ll ever get one, eh, probably not. Do I want one, eh seems like another make to deal with, but it shall stay on my goals list for a long while I’m sure.

Plus… to my thinking, you can’t tweak resolutions. They are what they are, and you either accomplish them or you don’t. If you have to alter or tweak it, then you’ve already not accomplished it and then where will you be… Goals, as the “to do” list can be tweak and twisted. Altered and flexible to go with what’s what (yeah, I know, I am WAY over-thinking the whole thing, but that’s just the way my piddly brain works… and why I have to trick myself to make any lists…).

If I were to make a serious goals list, however, it would involve things like: write x amount in x amount of time. To sub this or that and to finish this or that. Being that I am a writer and my “job” is writing, I should be doing this on a regular enough basis already, goals or no. The “list” is just my reminder when I get lost in Lifetime or Food Network that I something else I should be doing. On my goals from the past, I tend to get at least half of it done—the less fanciful items. I regularly write and I regularly sub, so now the main aim is to work for the shirtless cabana boy—before I get so old it’s just creepy!

I will say I have always found New Years an odd thing. For years the “year” started in August, when school started—that’s how I counted things, during this school year or that, during this summer break or that. I had a couple of years to almost get back into the normal, actual calendar year P-K: pre-kids. Then, until the oldest was in Kindergarten I had actual years, though truth be told, having 3 kids under the age of 5 then 4 under the age of 6 most of those years are a blur. Now they’re all in school and I am back to count life in terms of this school year or that. So yeah, making the goals and resolutions has never held that much weight.

So no resolutions for me. The goals, I will continue to make and tweak.