Take Me Home, Cowboy

1) How did you come about writing a Western in the first place? What attracted you to the Decadent Publishing’s world of Freewill?

I wrote a Western because I love to read them and trust me, I’ve read a lot of them.  My favorites have been Linda Lael Miller & Diana Palmer among others and I was just comfortable with writing them.

I don’t know if it’s just me but I’ve searched the web hundreds of times looking at different publishers and I just liked the way Decadent looked.  That shirtless guy with the book tucked inside the waistband of his pants…yummm.  Then after I looked around a bit, I found the Western Escape’s Freewill line in the submission area and started asking questions.  It all exploded from there.  I didn’t even know they were having a contest until the Editor answered me back.   No way did I ever imagine I’d actually win the contest!

2) What type of research did you do for this genre?  

I did do a little bit of research.  My characters had to do some traveling close to the fiction town of Freewill so I studied the map a bit to make sure I had landmarks and such correct.  I also did some looking into the horse breeds to make sure I didn’t screw that up and made sure I knew when cattle round-up could be done. 

3)The main character Ally seems to be at odds with Matt instantly. What puts her on edge?

Oh, she definitely picked up instantly on the cockiness in his voice but then (and don’t tell her I said this but…) I think Ally is a little bit of a goody two shoes.  She portrayed herself that way because she was the boss’s daughter, anyone should just be bowing down to her but he definitely isn’t that type of guy.

4) Any background on what made her escape to New York? 

I think New York, at least as far as I hear, is a backdrop for a lot of the big time print publishers.  You know when you hear New York Times Best Seller’s List?  It just seemed to fit.  However I do know that ebook publishers are taking the market by storm all over the nation so really it could have happened anywhere.

5) Who’s the most frustrating man in your daily life, and how do you handle him?

Well I think that can be divided between 2 actually: My husband and my son. 

My husband works a lot of hours so during the week he isn’t so bad.  Most of our communication is by phone during the day as he works 9 a.m. to midnight.  Weekends are a whole other story.  I did just have the pleasure of spending 5 weeks straight with him, 24/7 after an emergency surgery so once he was on the mend there may have been a battle or two a few times a week but I shooed him out the door back to work as fast as I could lol.  I’m just the type of girl that doesn’t back down and he knows that.  I think he sometimes provokes me just to get a rise out of me.

My son happens to be a lot like his father and it’s a daily adventure with that one.  I just stick to my mommy grounds and we muddle thru!

6) How hot does your story get? Give us a little steam! 

Oh…it’s probably a 2 or 3 flames type heat and quite a scene my heroine gets herself into in the barn.  The ranch foreman will probably never look at his office desk the same way again.

7) What’s next on your agenda? What are you working on?

Well, let’s see…I’m doing a fix on a Navy novella so it can get into edits and I’m also halfway through a second novella, which takes place in a little family hide-away cabin in the mountains of Montana.  A determined search and rescue heroine and the stubborn cowboy that drives her crazy every chance he gets.  Both of those novellas are going through Still Moments Publishing.  I have many other things on the back burner as well just waiting for their turn at the keyboard.  One of which is a second story to follow up Take Me Home, Cowboy out now with Decadent Publishing.

Take Me Home, Cowboy

Krista Ames

Ally Kincaid returns to Freewill, Wyoming, to see her father after a two-year absence. Anticipating a quiet family reunion, she finds herself butting heads with her father’s foreman instead. The man’s arrogance and sexy drawl push all her buttons, making her wonder what he’s hiding beneath his cowboy swagger.

Matt Gentry walked away from the past and shies from the future. No ties means no one gets hurt…until the boss’s daughter, a hot, green-eyed blonde, tempts him to break his own rules.

When tragedy strikes, will building tension and pride destroy their growing attraction or show them the way home?

Available via Amazon, Decadent Publishing and other eRetailers.

 
Excerpt:

 “I need to buy that man an answering machine.” Furious, Ally held the receiver away from her ear, eyes closed as the phone on the other end rang continuously. “Come on, Daddy, where are you?”

She was ready to hang up in frustration when the receiver was picked up and then—by the sound of the loud clanging on the other end—dropped.

“Circle K,” said the deep male voice rather breathlessly.

“Where in the world were you?”

“Excuse me?” the husky voice asked.

Oh crap, that’s definitely not Daddy. She’d been so surprised her call had finally been answered, she hadn’t realized there was nothing familiar about the voice at the end of the line “I’m sorry….” she cracked. Wow, where did that high-pitched squeak come from? “I’m sorry, who is this?”

“This is the Circle K Ranch. Who’s this?”

The man’s question held an impressive sexy drawl. Definitely not a voice she’d ever heard in New York City, and one she’d only be lucky enough to find in her dreams.

“I’d like to speak to Jesse Kincaid, please.” She did a mental inventory of all the ranch hands but couldn’t place the voice. And he obviously didn’t recognize hers either. Must be somebody new her father had hired since the last time she’d been there.

“Sorry, ma’am, he’s not here. What can I do for ya?”

“When will he be available, please?”

“Now, ma’am, I don’t guess I’m at liberty to say until I know exactly who it is I’m speaking at.”

God, men could be so arrogant. Why did he need to know who was calling? A simple answer would suffice.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but this is Ally Kincaid. Who exactly are you?”

“Well, well, isn’t this a nice surprise? Miss Ally Kincaid. Did your father know you’d be calling?

She gritted her teeth in frustration. Who does this cocky, know-it-all cowboy think he is?