Pages

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Holding Out for a Hero - Cowboys

One of the not-so-guilty pleasures in writing romance is writing about men. The opposite gender intrigues us from an early age, and for many of us, is a life-long curiosity. In addition to real life, a romance reader indulges this interest through reading. You meet all kinds of men in the pages of romance novels and fall in love along with the heroine. I think it’s a bit like dreaming in that you can try on different scenarios in a safe space. Maybe you’d never date a bad boy in real life, but in the pages of a book—go for it.

Writers enjoy this experience too. I don’t even have the option of conducting a romance with a medieval knight in my day to day world, but that didn’t stop me from bringing some of these heroes to life on the page so I could imagine my way through the experience. Knights still fascinate me. So do sports heroes, regular guys, and military men. Cops, sheriffs, and billionaires. And now… at last… cowboys.

I may have avoided this much beloved hero for a while because of my background. I grew up on a farm, and I envisioned ranches as a kind of farming operation. Dusty, dirty, and a lot of work. I picked tomatoes often enough as a teen and found it decidedly unromantic. The animals are adorable, but they too, are labor intensive. Time changes some of those perceptions though. Did you ever dislike something as a kid and then look back on it later with a degree of fondness? That nostalgia hit for the family farm a few years ago. Not just ours either, but a whole community of farmers that I remembered from my youth. Much of where I grew up—a place full of small farms—is now full of housing developments. A bedroom community for a nearby city.

As I saw the past through different eyes, I began to feel the tug of ranches. Cowboys. The West. I could see the appeal. I read more about it. Travelled those places. Admired the way of life. When I sat down to write Second Chance Cowboy, I thought I’d just see how it went. And the moment I met Matt Briggs on the page, I knew there was no turning back. I was going to have affair after affair with cowboy heroes. I’m hooked.

It might be the proud, independent streak. The commitment to a time-honored way of life no matter how the world changes around them. The connection to the land. Or it could just be the boots and denim. Kidding. I love all of it and I can’t wait to write more of these heroes in their native habitat and out of it. To explore how they see the world. Because, no matter how many books I write, men still intrigue me. And right now, I’m in a serious cowboy phase.


***What about you? Do you read all sorts of heroes or have a favorite type? Share with me on the Last Chance Christmas, the prequel to my current release, Second Chance Cowboy
blog and I’ll give one random poster a download of

11 comments:

Laney4 said...

Cowboys, CEOs, carpenters, doctors - they all are required reading for me. Seriously, though, I think I will always prefer sheikhs. Maybe it's because they are sooooo far away from my own reality, maybe it's because the heroes are so powerful (but gentle with their heroines), but really and truly, ALL romances have the potential to give me sweet dreams. Cowboys? Cowboys are strong, can carry me off into the sunset, know how to "fix things", and are used to priorities changing (so are not so self-centered). Yup. I'm looking forward to reading yet another of your stories, Joanne. Thanks for sharing.

Joanne Rock said...

There is a lot to swoon over about a man who can fix things! I gave Matt a fixing scene in this book, in fact. One of many reasons I fell for him :-). Have a great rest-of-your Sunday!

Sarah said...

I love all kinds of heroes but I prefer the ones like medical, cowboys, etc than those that are royalty or something similar as I can relate to their professions & life experiences more. Love heroes as well that are handymen that can fix things. Looking forward to reading this story.

Marcie R said...

I like all kinds of heroes! From billionaires to first responders to cowboys. As long as I have an interesting story and a good guy hero (he can start off not-so-good) then I'm in.

Joanne Rock said...

Fun to see the love for medical guys too. I just wrote a Texas Cattleman's Club story with a trauma surgeon doc, a first for me. My sister has been a nurse in a major trauma center, so I enjoyed quizzing her about her experiences to help me with that story.

Lori said...

Cowboys, doctors, military and law enforcement are my favorite, but I read them all :)

Anonymous said...

Helen G. Says: I love all sorts of types, historical regency cowboys native Americans medieval time travel futuristic fantasy sci-fi mysteries. Yeah, pretty much anything with a HEA. I love being able to escape, which is why I rarely ever read non fiction, reality can be too depressing so when I want to escape I don't usually go for a non fiction book. Although some people like that, and that's awesome blossom, just not for me. I tend to go through phases of reading, I was on a paranormal kick, but now I'm going back to contemporary and western contemporary. Which is why I love me some cowboy action right now. ����

dstoutholcomb said...

cowboys, dukes, earls, billionaires: I read'em all

denise

Eileen AW said...

I read all sorts of heroes. No one in particular.

Joanne Rock said...

Helen, I'm very much a read-in-phases reader too. I get hooked on a genre and read only that for months. Then I want something completely different. But most of it is romance!! It could be Regencies or Medievals for awhile, and then I'm all about women's fiction-y romance like Susan Wiggs. Last year, I read Christmas novellas compulsively from October through January :-).

Joanne Rock said...

Cheers to Lori P, winner of the thread prize!!! Lori, I messaged you on your Google + Profile, but all you need to do to claim your prize is email me at jrock008@gmail.com and I'll send you a Kindle copy of Last Chance Christmas! Thank you all so much for visiting this week!