Hi, Steph:
You and your husband both were professional rodeo-ers! You barrel
raced and he’s a champion saddlebronc and bareback bronc rider. Love that. Did
a little High School rodeoing, but gave it up when I graduated. You’re
relatively new to writing. You told me that you read a book where rodeo was
featured and the rodeo facts weren’t very good, so you decided to write your
own book. I, too, get aggravated by books (and there are so many) with poor
research into horses, rodeo, cowboys.
Thanks for inviting me D’Ann. I always love to talk about rodeo
and writing.
1.
You train and compete on barrel horses
around the NW. How do you balance your horse life with your writing life?
When
things get hectic, I’ve been known to write whenever and wherever I get a few
minutes, like in the truck while the grand entry is going on at a rodeo, or in
the stands when my husband is competing at a team roping. I also plot out
scenes while I ride my horses through the hills.
2.
Do your horse friends know about your writing?
Yes, most of my
friends know I write and they’ve been very supportive. I think they like to see
rodeo portrayed realistically, and they get a kick out me being an author.
3.
What is your biggest pet-peeve about cowboy/rodeo books?
I find
many writers know nothing about the mindset of a cowboy or cowgirl. They are
professionals. Also, misusing tack and equipment is something I see quite
often, like competing on a horse with a halter instead of a bridle or calling a
flank strap on a bucking horse a belt. It’s so easy to ask questions and get
facts right. Most horse people love to talk about their sport.
4.
Do you have a favorite romance author who gets it right when it
comes to rodeo?
My favorite writer isn’t published yet, but it won’t be long.
Kari Lynn Dell writes the most amazing rodeo based romances where the love
storyline and the rodeo storyline are interwoven expertly. She’s rodeoed and
knows her stuff.
5.
What traits are a must-have in a hero for you?
Most of my heros
are alpha to the max--with a warm chocolaty center--like Sean in Sugarwater
Ranch. They aren’t the nicest guys in the beginning, but I love to watch them
change when they meet the right woman.
6.
What traits are a must-have in a heroine?
My heroines must be
smart, strong-minded and a little bit stubborn to keep up with my heros. A good
sense of humor helps, too.
7.
How much of you is in your books?
Hmmm, let’s see. Most of my
heros have something in common with my husband, of course. My heroines tend to
be the strong kind of woman I tried to be through the years. They also make
some of the mistakes I’ve made.
8.
What’s next for you?
I’m almost finished with a rodeo romance set
in Colorado. The heroine is a late night disk jockey who’s callers think they
see aliens, and the hero is a bronc rider who’s set to inherit a lot of money,
but only if he accomplishes the impossible.
Sean O’Connell’s life is perfect,
or it was until his partying lifestyle affected his bull riding. Now he’s ended
the season too broke to leave the Northwest for the warm southern rodeos. When
a wild night with his buddies gets out of hand, he wakes up naked, staring into
the angry eyes of a strange woman. His infallible O’Connell charm gets him
nowhere with the dark-haired beauty. It’s obvious she’s not his usual good-time
girl, so why can’t he forget her?
Bar-manager Catherine Silvera finds
a waterlogged, unconscious cowboy freezing to death in front of the Sugarwater
Bar. She saves his life--then runs faster than a jackrabbit with a coyote on
its tail. Any man who makes his living
rodeoing is bad news, especially if Sean thinks partying is part of the
competition. He’s everything she doesn’t want in a man, so why can’t Catherine shake
her attraction to the rugged cowboy?
Catherine
changed into her pajamas, her arms and legs so heavy she wasn’t sure she could
make it to the bed. Gator was curled into a ball on the bedside rug. She rubbed
the dog’s ears then climbed into bed and snuggled under the covers. At last,
she could sleep.
But as
she lay in the dark, her mind wouldn’t quit whirling. Having a stranger in her
house unsettled her. Even though she knew his name, she really didn’t know him.
She hadn’t seen Sean since she was twelve.
Her
feet hit the cold floorboards, and she padded across the room to her antique dresser.
Pushing and shoving, again and again, she moved the heavy piece of furniture
until it stood guard in front of her bedroom door. It wasn’t as good as a
deadbolt lock, but better than nothing. This way he couldn’t sneak up on her
while she slept. She doubted he was going to wake in the next twelve hours, but
a girl couldn’t be too careful.
She’d
lived by herself since she’d returned to Dalhart, so it never occurred to her
to get a lock for her bedroom door. Tomorrow she’d call Uncle Ray and have him
pick up a deadbolt at the hardware store. She’d be prepared for the next time,
if there was a next time.
As the
first pink rays of dawn lit the sky, Gator woke her from a deep sleep, whining
and pawing at her bedding. On a normal night, he stayed outside and had the run
of the yard. He was ready for his normal night.
With
Sean in the house, Catherine had kept the dog in her room as added protection,
but now he wanted out. She felt her way across the room, flipped the latch then
slid the window open. Gator hopped through into the large backyard and began to
explore his territory. After closing the window, she dropped back into bed. By
the time her eyelids had closed, she was asleep again.
Uncle
Ray owned the old farmhouse where she’d lived since she’d come
back to Dalhart. It was less than three miles from the bar and one of the perks
of the job. Living alone, Catherine was used to her house being silent unless
she made noise. She heard someone moving outside her bedroom door, and panic
filled her sleep-fogged brain.
Memories
of the night before flooded back. The man she’d brought home must be awake. She
heard mumbling and a small crash, followed by loud swearing. She pulled the
covers up to her chin and debated what to do. Did she want to leave the safety
of her room? If she waited long enough, maybe he’d go away. Then she remembered
his truck was still at the bar. He wasn’t going anywhere.
She
pulled on jeans, running shoes, and a thermal shirt. After pushing the dresser just
far enough to slip through, she turned the doorknob slowly so as not to make a
sound and inched open the door. The hall was empty, but the sound of water
running let her know someone was in the bathroom.
With her back pressed against the wall, she
was careful to be quiet as she crept along the hallway. Leaning forward, she
stuck her head around the corner of the door.
Quiet be
damned. There, in the buff, was one
of the nicest butts she'd ever had the privilege of ogling. Not that she'd seen
many naked men’s butts, but she was sure this was prime real estate. Holy cow,
where was her cell phone when she needed a camera?
The man stood at the sink with his head under the
faucet, her quilt pooled at his feet. She should leave, she really should, but
her feet were pasted to the floor, her heart beating so hard she was
afraid he'd hear. Her fingers tingled with the desire to touch. Without
thinking, she put her hand against the door, moving it just enough for the
hinge to screech.
He straightened, and looking in the mirror, stared
directly into her eyes.
She'd been caught, and she wanted to run, but the
sight of his green eyes locked on her kept her motionless.
Without a word, he bent to retrieve the quilt.
Wrapping it around his waist, he turned to face her, and her eyes focused on
his six-pack abs. The slight movement of his mouth as he smiled drew her
attention to his face. The scar running through his left eyebrow kept him from
being a pretty boy. He was the whole package, candy to her sweet tooth. Then
she remembered how she’d found him last night. Stepping back into the hallway,
she put her hands on her hips and raised her chin. No matter how good-looking,
he wasn’t the man for her. To Catherine, life was more than partying till she
dropped.
Stephanie Berget was born loving horses and found her way to
rodeo when she married the Bronc Rider. She and her husband traveled throughout
the Northwest while she ran barrels and her cowboy rode bucking horses. She
started writing to put a realistic view of rodeo and ranching into western
romance. Stephanie and her husband live on a farm located along the
Oregon/Idaho border, where they raise hay, horses and
cattle, with the help of Dizzy Dottie, the Border Collie, and two Munchkin
cats, Magic and Martin.
Evernight
Publishing http://buff.ly/GNYivD
Amazon http://buff.ly/10OFaYn
Bookstrand http://buff.ly/15zeDQo
Barnes & Noble http://buff.ly/1de9PRo
Great interview and great excerpt. Welcome to the Wranglers!
ReplyDeleteSteph,
ReplyDeleteI always loved the west and horses. Your books sound ideal to me. I'm writing a historic western set it Tombstone at the moment. Being raised in California, I remember taking many great vacations around the west.
Happy to see someone who knows ranching and rodeo writing about it. The glamorized version of ranching that is so often in stories makes me smile. Ranch born and raised, I grew up doing ranch work--long hours, dirty, never-ending, but addictive. I taught school for years to support the ranch life-style..
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book!
ReplyDeleteWonderful interview! I'm so glad you shared about your book. I love cowboys!!
ReplyDeleteNot ranch born, but am a avid fan of bull riding. There's something about rodeo guys...
ReplyDeleteI've got to pick Sugarwatch Ranch up.
I enjoyed the post and learning about your writing. Sounds like an excellent book! Congrats.
ReplyDeleteHi, Stephanie, welcome to WordWranglers! It's so nice to meet you. I love rodeo (have never competed); it's such a fun sport to watch. Congratulations on your book!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your book! Great interview.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful interview. Super congratulations on your release.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the nice comments. I'm sorry I'm so late with my replies, but my mom is sick and she has no internet. What a great reception. I love WordWranglers and D'Ann for inviting me. It's great to see so many who love rodeo like I do.
ReplyDelete"Without a word, he bent to retrieve the quilt. Wrapping it around his waist, he turned to face her, and her eyes focused on his six-pack abs."
ReplyDeleteStephanie, I hope you'll forgive me for saying I wish he'd left the quilt at his feet. Sounds like a great story, and I LOVE the cover!
Sophia Ryan -- In The Bad Boy's Bed
Ooo I love my cowboys cannot wait to read this book
ReplyDeleteLove rodeo and love rodeo cowboys. Sounds like a great book!
ReplyDelete