Authors: Katie Lane
Catch Me a Cowboy (42 page)
Dear Reader,
Before I plot out the storyline and flesh out my characters, my books start with one basic idea. Or maybe I should say they start with one nagging, persistent thought that won’t leave me alone until I put it down on paper.
Going Cowboy Crazy
started with the concept of longlost twins and what would happen if one twin took over the other twin’s life and no one—save the hot football coach—was the wiser.
Make Mine a Bad Boy
was the other side of that premise: What would happen if your twin, whom you didn’t even know you had, married your boyfriend and left you with a good-for-nothing, low-down bad boy?
And CATCH ME A COWBOY started with a melodrama. You know the kind I’m talking about, the story of a dastardly villain taking advantage of a poor, helpless woman by tying her to the railroad tracks, or placing her on a conveyor belt headed toward the jagged blade of a saw, or evicting her from her home when she has no money to pay the rent. Of course, before any of these things happen, the hero arrives to save the day with a smile so big and bright it rivals the sun.
For days, I couldn’t get the melodrama out of my mind. But no matter how much the idea stuck with me, I just didn’t see it fitting into my new book. My heroine had already been chosen: a favorite secondary character from the previous novels. Shirlene is a sassy, voluptuous
west Texas gal who could no more play the damsel in distress than Mae West could play the Singing Nun. If someone tied Shirlene to the train tracks, she wouldn’t scream, faint, or hold the back of her hand dramatically to her forehead. She’d just ask if she had enough time for a margarita.
The more I thought of my sassy heroine dealing with a Snidely Whiplash–type, the more I laughed. The more I laughed, the more I wrote. And suddenly I had my melodrama. Except a funny thing happened on the way to Shirlene’s Happily Ever After: My villain and my hero got a little mixed up. And before I knew it, Shirlene had so charmed the would-be villain that he stopped the train. Shut off the saw. Paid the rent.
And how does the hero with the bright smile fit into all of this? you might ask.
Well, let’s just say I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
CATCH ME A COWBOY is available now.
Enjoy, y’all!
Going Cowboy Crazy
Make Mine a Bad Boy
“A delightful continuation of
Going Cowboy Crazy
. There’s plenty of humor to entertain the reader, and the people of the town will seem like old friends by the end of this entertaining story.”
—
RT Book Reviews
“Funny, entertaining, and a sit-back-and-enjoy-yourself kind of tale.”
“If you’re looking for a romance true to its Texas setting, this is the one for you. I simply couldn’t put it down.”
“I absolutely loved Colt! I mean, who doesn’t like a bad boy? Katie Lane is truly a breath of fresh air. Her stories are unique and wonderfully written… Lane, you have me hooked.”
“Another fun read and just as good as [
Going Cowboy Crazy
]… a perfect example of small town living and the strange charm it has. I really enjoyed reading this one and hope that Katie Lane is writing a third.”
“It will make you laugh, and then make you sigh contentedly.
Make Mine a Bad Boy
is a highly entertaining ride.”
“Romance, heated exchanges, and misunderstandings, combined with the secondary characters (the whole town of Bramble) who are hilarious… This is the perfect summer read. Katie Lane has a winner on her hands; she is now my new favorite author!”
“Entertaining… [with] a likable and strong heroine.”
—
RT Book Reviews
“Ah, I want my own cowboy, tall, dark, and handsome, but alas he is only between the pages of the book, a good book at that. Katie Lane knows how to heat the pages and keep you burning for more. Romance, steamy love scenes, humor, witty conversation with a twang, all help the pages keep turning. I’m looking forward to reading other books written by Katie Lane.”
“An enjoyable romp… a fun, down-home read.”
All About Romance
(
LikesBooks.com
)
“I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It really reminded me of an early
Rachel Gibson
… or early
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
. Faith became a sassy, intriguing heroine… The chemistry between these two ratchets up to white-hot in no time.”
“Frequently amusing… The lead couple is a wonderful pairing while the third wheel hopefully gets her own tale.”
—
Midwest Book Review
A Preview of
Going Cowboy Crazy
A Preview of
Make Mine a Bad Boy
Praise for the Deep in the Heart of Texas Series
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2012 by Cathleen Smith
Excerpt from
Going Cowboy Crazy
copyright © 2011 by Cathleen Smith
Excerpt from
Make Mine a Bad Boy
copyright © 2011 by Cathleen Smith
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First e-book edition: March 2012
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ISBN 978-1-455-51066-5