Today on My Overstuffed Bookshelf, I have the pleasure of having author Joanne Kennedy here to chat with us. I also have a fabulous giveaway, sponsored by Sourcebooks, for 2 lucky people! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the chat! Let’s give Joanne a warm welcome!
I was never a fan of the lunchbox cowboy. Roy Rogers was a little too squeaky-clean for me, and the image of Gene Autry strumming his guitar on horseback simply seemed ridiculous. John Wayne never appealed to me either; there’s a reason they call him “a man’s man.”
I do have a secret passion for Clint Eastwood, though. From Rowdy Yates to Josie Wales, something about the square-jawed, steely-eyed Eastwood works for me. He’s the hard-edged, masculine side of my cowboys, and you’ll find him mentioned, directly or obliquely, in every one of my books.
But it’s the type-and-paper cowboys that really inspired my love for the Wild West.
Probably the first cowboy I ever “met” was Lassiter in Zane Grey’s Riders of the Purple Sage. The taciturn, black-clad Lassiter is the quintessential gunslinger, intriguingly dangerous, with a shadowed past and a strong-and-silent demeanor that makes him swooningly attractive.
Another favorite is Texas Ranger Augustus McCrae from Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove. I don’t know why Gus appeals to me so much. He’s pretty darn useless except when it comes to talking, drinking, and womanizing. But he’s funny, loyal, honest, and brave.
And of course I love Louis L’Amour’s cowboys. In true Western fashion, they don’t have much to say, but their actions are courageous and their moral compasses flawless.
Still, I’m not sure I’d want a relationship with any of these guys. Clint’s a little on the grumpy side, Lassiter has a severely limited wardrobe, and Gus is hardly a paragon of romance. While Louis L’Amour’s cowboys are marginally better boyfriend material, they’re a pretty chauvinistic lot.
Women writers create cowboys with a little more sensitivity and spark. Linda Lael Miller’s McKettrick boys are to die for, Jodi Thomas speeds up the heartbeat of the old West, and Carolyn Brown’s Honky Tonk heroes more than live up to those hot, half-naked covers on her books.
But of course, my absolute favorite cowboys are my own.
In Cowboy Trouble, rancher Luke Rawlins looks like Elvis, talks like John Wayne, cooks like Martha Stewart, and is almost impossible to resist. He’s caring enough to understand the heroine’s scars from her previous relationships, and tough enough to work his way past them.
Then there’s Nate Shawcross in my September release, One Fine Cowboy. Nate is closer to the strong, silent cowboy archetype than Luke, but he has a soft spot for animals, children, and my heroine, Charlie Banks. And while I can’t see Clint or Gus or Lassiter cradling babies, Nate is a caring and devoted father. He has other fine qualities, too—which he demonstrates in the bunkhouse, the bedroom, and—almost!—the hatchback of a 1978 Toyota Celica.
One Fine Cowboy hits the shelves this month, and I can’t wait for readers to meet Nate—along with Charlie, the Jersey girl who drives him crazy in and out of bed, and all the other characters who find their way to Latigo Ranch. They’ll also meet a horse named Trouble and Nate’s overweight but cheerful cattle dog, Butt—short for Buttercup, of course.
I can’t see Clint Eastwood putting up with any of them, and Lassiter would probably gallop off to his canyon hideaway rather than taking on the challenges Nate faces. The Sackett boys would do their best, but I never saw any evidence of Nate’s special skills in the pages of a Louis L’Amour novel.
So I’ll stick with the hard-riding, hot-loving figments of my own Wild West imagination.
And meanwhile, tell me who your favorite cowboys are—and who was your first cowboy crush?
IN STORES – SEPTEMBER 2010
He’s got a way with horses…and with women…
Nate Shawcross is perfectly content to spend his days training wild horses. So when a beautiful greenhorn unexpectedly shows up for a seminar from the famous “Horse Whisperer” of Wyoming, all Nate wants to do is send her packing…
The last thing she expects is a lesson in romance…
Graduate student Charlie Banks came to the ranch to learn about horse communication, but when she meets the ruggedly handsome cowboy, she starts to fantasize about another connection entirely…
Nate needs to stay focused if he’s going to save his ranch from foreclosure, but he can’t help being distracted by the brainy and breathtakingly sexy Charlie. Could it be that after all this time Nate has finally found the one woman who can tame his wild heart?
About the Author
Joanne Kennedy has worked in bookstores all her life in positions from bookseller to buyer. A member of Romance Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, she won first place in the Colorado Gold Writing Contest and second in the Heart of the Rockies contest. Joanne lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/
GIVEAWAY!!
Thanks to Danielle at Sourcebooks, I have 2 copies to giveaway of One Fine Cowboy!
RULES:
1. USA and Canada only.
2. One entry per person. No need to be a follower, but I would love you to join my blog as one!
3. You must answer the author’s question above, in red, and please include your email address for me to be able to contact you if you win!
4. Contest will end on 9/6/2010 and the winner will be announced on 9/7/2010.
GOOD LUCK!
Amy J - Book Addict
Thank you so much Joanne for stopping by my blog!
Joanne Kennedy
You’re welcome – thanks for letting me go on and on about cowboys – my favorite subject. I’m so excited to have One Fine Cowboy on the shelves so everyone can meet Nate and Charlie – along with a cast of quirky characters and crazy critters. There’s some serious stuff in there, too ,about fatherhood, trust and finding the place you belong.
cheryl c
This is going to show how OLD I am! My first cowboy crush was Adam Cartwright from the TV show Bonanza. He was played by Pernell Roberts.
BTW, I loved your book COWBOY TROUBLE. 🙂
castings at mindspring dot com
Joanne Kennedy
Hi, Cheryl – Hey, I mentioned Roy Rogers and Gene Autrey – so Adam Cartwright isn’t dating yourelf too badly! I liked Litte Joe myself:) And thanks for the shout-out to “Cowboy Trouble” – I hope you like “One Fine Cowboy” as well. They were both fun to write and it’s hard for me to pick a favorite – but Nate….sigh…
Barbara E.
My favorite cowboys are Linda Lael Miller’s McKettrick boys, and really all of her cowboy characters are awesome.
My first cowboy crush was Rowdy Yates, played by Clint Eastwood on Rawhide (talk about old, LOL).
I love western romance and One Fine Cowboy sounds like a great one.
Barbed1951(at)aol(dot)com
chey
This comment has been removed by the author.
chey
My first cowboy crush was Little Joe (Bonanza repeats).
chey127 at hotmail dot com
myponytails
My first cowboy crush was a real life bull rider. He was extremely handsome, those Wranglers hugging that magnificent rear end. *sigh*
I will always love my cowboys. 🙂
jennbakerwriter AT gmail DOT com
Joanne Kennedy
Barb, I love Rowdy too. My cell phone’s ringtone is the theme from Rawhide! And I agree. Linda Lael Miller is the queen of the cowboys. She’s also the nicest person you could ever meet. She came here to Cheyenne for a booksigning and I got to show her around town, and she generously gave me the quote for my book.
Joanne Kennedy
Chey (is that for Cheyenne?) – that’s two votes for Little Joe – who, by the way, is also Linda Lael Miller’s favorite, I think. So you’re in good company!
Joanne Kennedy
my ponytails – a bull rider – I can’t blame you for that! But I love the saddle bronc boys the best. There’s a finesse to their riding that’s pure poetry.
Joanne Kennedy
Thanks everybody – I’ll keep checking in, so keep those cowboys coming! Amy, thanks for suggesting the great topic!
Wanda
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans have always been my favourite cowboy couple. I’ve never had a specific cowboy crush but they’ve always fascinated me.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com
JessieR
I don’t think I had a first cowboy crush… I have always liked them, all of them… I think it’s the chaps…. My favorite cowboys are the ones I read about in books the McKettrick boys, the Lucky boys from Carolyn Brown and I loved Cowboy Trouble!!! I would love to win One Fine Cowboy!
jrust28(AT)gmail(DOT)com
rubynreba
I’d have to vote for Roy Rogers! I love to watch his old shows if I find them on TV. I also always loved John Wayne in westerns.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Joanne Kennedy
Wanda, they were such a sweet couple – although I was pretty little then, so I liked Trigger best! I love seeing old retro Roy & Dale gear in flea markets, though. Cool stuff!
Joanne Kennedy
Jessie – I am so with you on chaps. Leather pants without a seat – what’s not to love? 🙂 And thanks for the shout-out for “Cowboy Trouble” and for my friend Carolyn Brown. She is an awesome lady, and she talks just like she writes! Dinner with Carolyn is like going to the Honky Tonk!
Joanne Kennedy
RubynReba – Roy Rogers is now tied for votes with Little Joe! We need a tie-breaker…
Martha Lawson
Well, for myself I always like “The Virginian”!! Still love the cowboys and reading abut them.
I would love to be entered to win!
I follow on gfc
mlawson17 at hotmail dot com
Taffy
I think my first cowboy crush was Andrew McCarthy in…I can’t remember the movie! He was so cute.
Joanne Kennedy
Martha, I should know more about The Virginian – I think the book is considered the first Western – but I never read it or saw the TV show. Good one!
Joanne Kennedy
Taffy, thanks! I didn’t know what movie that was either, so I looked it up and found this video from a Hallmark movie called “Straight From the Heart. Wow. I’m going to have to see if I can buy that one. For one thing, that’s the best cowboy hat ever. But girls, you gotta watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAitAa6JWzs
Although there is one scene in the video where I swear he’s going to kiss the horse instead of the girl!
Tore
I am a follower and email subscriber. I don’t really have a cowboy crush. I haven’t watched to many cowboy movies. Would you please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
Maureen
I remember watching repeats of Michael Landon on Bonanza when I was young and he was definitely a favorite of mine.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com
Joanne Kennedy
Tore, maybe Nate in One Fine Cowboy can be your first cowboy crush! Or you can cut and past the link in the comment above and watch the video from Straight from the Heart and fall in love/lust with Andrew McCarthy. Seriously, there’s something straightforward, honest, and masculine about these guys, in real life and in romance.
ciara
Hmm, I’m not sure about any particular cowboy… there’s just something sexy about them… the way they smile and politely dip their head and lift their hat. Rawr~
Although I seem to remember Woody Harrelson dressed as a cowboy (well, not much for clothes, but he had the hat) in a movie who’s title is escaping me. I thought he was extremely sexy in that scene though!
ciara at ciaradallas dot com
Joanne Kennedy
Ciara, “rowr” is right!
And I remember that movie – The Cowboy Way. Kiefer Sutherland was in it, too. Funny and sexy!
Cindy W.
Oh, my favorite cowboys were Little Joe Cartwright of Bonanza and also Heath Barkley of The Big Valley. Then in more recent years I enjoyed Sully on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
Smiles,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
Cindy W.
I forgot to say that while Sully on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman didn’t wear a stetson hat he sure looked good in his buckskins.
Smiles,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
katsrus
Hi Joanne. Your book sounds great. Love the cover too.
Gotta go with Michael Landon on Bonanza. And of course Clint Eastwood.
I am a follower.
Sue B
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com
Pat Cochran
We’ve always been cowboy fans
since the days of Roy & Dale,
Wyatt Earp, Marshal Dillon and
Palladin. Our favorites, though
are a toss-up between John Wayne
and the team of Jim West/Robert
Conrad and Artemus Gordon/Ross
Martin of the show, Wild, Wild
West.
Pat Cochran
p-cochran@juno.com
Joanne Kennedy
Cindy, I just watched some online videos to refresh my memory on Little Joe. I feel very refreshed now:) He was just gorgeous, and so sweet. And Sully – I’d forgotten him. Then that reminde me of Brad Pitt and Aidan Quinn in Legends of the Fall… so many cowboys, so little time!
Joanne Kennedy
LOL, Cindy – who needs a hat when you’ve got buckskins? Or chaps…
Joanne Kennedy
Katsrus, thanks for putting in a vote for Clint – plus another for Michael Landon, who is definitely our winner so far!
Joanne Kennedy
Pat, I remember watching Wild Wild West, but it’s been a while. I’m going to have to refresh my memory on that one, too. I’ll report back…
Joanne Kennedy
It’s interesting so far how the most popular cowboys are the nice guys – Little Joe, Roy Rogers – not the “alpha hero” type. I wonder if that’s some of the appeal of Western romance – that the men are strong and very masculine, but still have a softer side. Whaddaya think? Is that a big part of the cowboy mystique?
debbie
I actually got to meet roy rogers when I was really young, so I would say he was my first crush.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
Joanne Kennedy
Debbie, you got to MEET Roy Rogers? How cool!
Sue A.
I have to say a young Clint Eastwood – I’ve always gone for the quiet ones!
alternate email from blogger
magenta 2 red [at[ gmail [dot] com
Dawn
I’m not much on Clint Eastwood–he
“stole” my town’s newsanchor! They’re very happily married, though, and every once in a while she visits and pops up on the news again. 🙂
We have a great rodeo around here so we get lots of cowboy eye candy once a year, but my first cowboy crush was Clay Walker. I think I was in 5th or 6th grade–I stuck his picture from a country magazine up on the mirror on my dresser, and looked at him every day smiling in his big cowboy hat!
justpeachy36
My favorite cowboys were legendary like Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hicock. I think my first cowboy crush was Kevin Costner in Silverado LOL…
Looks like a great book.
Please enter me in the giveaway.
justpeachy36@yahoo.com
Amy J - Book Addict
All right Joanne! I will admit my cowboy crush. LOL
I have one that NO ONE has mentioned yet probably because no one thinks they are cowboys..lol
I will admit to it being Stephen Baldwin and Josh Brolin from Young Riders. It was a TV show when I was a teenager. YUM!
Amy