There’s a special place in my busy world for anthologies that catch my eye (oh, yeah, shirtless cowboys will definitely do that!). I can love’em hard and put them away wet in one sitting and be ready for the next one the following night. I am talking about reading here, folks! COWBOY UP 2 is burning up my Kindle app and has me wondering how I missed the first book (which is just a One Click away.) I’ve always found writing short is much harder than writing long—so many fewer words in which to catch and hold AND satisfy the reader. Melissa has no problem in her COWBOY UP 2 offering THE HEARTBROKEN COWBOY. Meet Melissa and enjoy the ride . . .
Thank you Nancy for having me on your blog. I’ve been a huge fan of yours since your first vampire book. It’s on my keeper shelf! Now let me share a little about myself.
Getting to Know You:
Party dress or blue jeans? I’m a blue jean girl all the way. My favorites are ripped and worn and I could wear them every day!
TV at home or movie theatre? I love to sit at home and enjoy some Criminal Minds. It gets my muse flowing. However, I’m a local movie reviewer for WHMI radio station, so I go to the movies once a week to see and report on the latest releases.
Five words your friends use to describe you? Crazy, quiet, caring, hard-worker, and driven.
If I had a free afternoon, I’d . . . What is this “free afternoon” you speak of?J I am always doing something, from reading submissions to my publishing house, doing marketing, or writing. If I had a free afternoon, I’d go visit the local zoo. It’s been years since I did that.
Favorite books from childhood? These aren’t necessarily my favorite books from childhood but they are children’s books, I’ve come to love. The first is Faithful Elephants and tells the tale of a Japanese zoo that was forced to euthanize the animals when we were bombing Japan during WWII. Another is the Disney Box Set. This was mine from when I was a kid and features the old classic images from the Wonderful World of Disney show that was on Sunday nights. Finally, my third is Ruby the Copycat. In this book, Ruby doesn’t think she’s good at anything so she copies others. It’s got a powerful message about loving yourself.
Gourmet cook or take out? I’m a good cook but I have no time. I do like to cook especially bake on the weekends. But I’d easily give up cooking for a meal out! I’m not picky either about where to go, Chinese, Burger, Pizza. I can always find something to eat at each place. My hips will attest to that!
Your first kiss . . . My first real kiss was from TJ. He and I grew up together. There’s even photos of us in the sandbox together at about 18 months. We “went out” in junior high but it didn’t last. We remained friends for years and reconnected when my daughter was born but lost contact again. He’s the one guy I still wonder about and have put pieces of him into my first book- Forever Love.
Something quirky about you that no one knows (we won’t tell anyone!)? My husband and I are preppers. It probably came about because my husband is a Boy Scout. We aren’t hoping that the world would end, but we want to be prepared for all situations. For example, this past summer we lost power for five days. Since we are on a well and grinder pump for septic, we couldn’t shower or use the bathroom. It was no problem for us. We have back up stoves, portable generators and water so the whole five days were a walk in the park for us. I even got to use the internet!
The Written word:
Favorite type of hero (Type A bad boy or Type B good guy) Examples. (Which would you rather live with?) While I find the Type A bad boy very sexy, I couldn’t live with him. We’d butt heads. I like the Type B good guy, the nerd who also knows how to handle his gun and loves to talk about obscure things. The only example I can think of is my own husband. He’s a big teddy bear, macho guy but it’s his ability to sit and converse with me about history, science and life in general that is far sexier than how much he can bench press.
What type of fiction heroine would you be? Jane Eyre or Lara Croft? Example. I would love to be Lara Croft. She’s kick butt! Honestly, I’d be more like a bumbling Lara who didn’t plan on needing weapons, but she finds that her nail file works just as well for picking locks as it does for poking someone’s eye out.
Favorite genre to read? (Is it what you write?) My favorite genre to read is paranormal romance. I do read everything from horror to sweet romance. Historical is my hardest to read right now, although there used to be a time when that was all I read. Unfortunately, I don’t write paranormal (yet…one never knows). I think that I don’t write it because I love the authors who write it and don’t want to compete with them. They are some of my one-clicks and keepers.
Fiction hero you would run off with? This one is easy. I want to run off with Roarke from the J.D. Robb Naked series. He’s got money, good looks and mad skills with computers. Too bad that his wife would kick my butt six ways from Saturday. Maybe I could become her! She’s one lucky girl listening to that accent each day!
Paperback or e-book? Both! Some girls need handbags, some need shoes…for me it’s books. My husband hates having a house of books, remember prepper- we have to be able to pick up and move quickly. So I keep a ton of books on my e-reader and the few keeper shelves are for my paperbacks.
Favorite books you can read over and over? All the books on my keeper shelves (*points to Nancy’s books*). There’s a reason that they are on the keeper shelves. Most I’ve already read at least twice and I keep them for when I need a great read.
A Writer’s Life:
OCD plotter or free range pantser? I begin with a story synopsis. I know what happens in the big picture but not the details. I let the book and characters flow out of my fingers on the page. It’s fun and I like not always knowing what might happen next.
Which is easier, the synopsis or the book? I love the synopsis. It’s what appears in my mind first. I have a synopsis like a movie in my head and from there, I put the details to the story together.
Live to write or write to live? Day job? I recently went to part time as an elementary teacher. I had taught at the school for 15 years and found that with writing, my publishing house, and teaching…it was getting to be too much. I wasn’t willing to stop the writing so teaching was given the shorter stick. This part time isn’t really much of part time, I’m finding. I work three days a week at school but still do all the planning and grading, but at least I’m not working 60+ hours there and then coming home to write.
Solo muse or critique partner(s)? I have a solo muse but do run my stories by people in my critique group for some feedback prior to sending it off to my fabulous editor. She’s the one I value the most.
What’s on your desk? Currently my writing desk is the kitchen table, so dinner’s on it! Yum! I do have a desk in my son’s room but with him coming to stay with us every three weeks, I don’t use it much.
When can we get your next book and what’s it all about? My latest release is Cowboy Up 2- a book bundle featuring my novella - The Heartbroken Cowboy. If you love cowboys, you’re going to love this set!
Kindle | Print | CreateSpace
Saddle Up with the best-selling authors who brought you Cowboy Up... And fall for Six more Cowboys ready to steal your heart!
Good Ride, Cowboy by Allison Merritt
Sometimes all you need is one good ride to clear your head.
Cowboy in Waiting by Leslie P. Garcia
She’d buried a hero. She wasn’t looking for another. But her cowboy in waiting was far from a hero…
Cowboy in Trouble by Autumn Piper
A cowboy on the run and a girl on the rebound make for a messy fling.
A Cowboy’s Heaven by Sara Walter Ellwood
From the hell of lost love, can they find heaven together?
Cowboy Proud by D’Ann Lindun
She left town to chase her dreams... He stayed and ignored his... Can they find their dreams together?
The first book, Cowboy Up featured cowboys from every walk of life-Border Patrol Agents, Equine Therapists, Farmers... Cowboy Up 2 features sexy men who are ready to steal your heart! J
The hero of The Heartbroken Cowboy has his own issues. He's a recovering alcoholic who allows stress to push him off the wagon. But he's still determined to latch on to the one woman whose secret could send him back to the bottle.
Johnson O'Neill was a minor character in The Heartsong Cowboy (Cowboy Up - Book 1) and while he came off as a grouchy guy, he deserved his own happily ever after...but not without some work. In The Heartbroken Cowboy, we learn why he's angry at women and cheer for him to find the one woman who will give him a run for his money!
The Heartbroken Cowboy by Melissa Keir
Love isn’t found at the bottom of a bottle…
Johnson O’Neill joined The Heartsong Ranch to escape his addiction. One night at a friend’s wedding, stress causes him to fall off the wagon and into the arms of the woman of his dreams.
Debra Donahue lost her husband to alcohol then pulled herself up by her bootstraps becoming a million-dollar selling real estate agent. One night with a sexy cowboy and a bottle of whiskey, Debra falls hard.
Can an alcoholic cowboy and a brokenhearted woman find love despite their fears? Or will the bottom of a bottle claim another happily ever after?
Johnson O’Neill joined The Heartsong Ranch to escape his addiction. One night at a friend’s wedding, stress causes him to fall off the wagon and into the arms of the woman of his dreams.
Debra Donahue lost her husband to alcohol then pulled herself up by her bootstraps becoming a million-dollar selling real estate agent. One night with a sexy cowboy and a bottle of whiskey, Debra falls hard.
Can an alcoholic cowboy and a brokenhearted woman find love despite their fears? Or will the bottom of a bottle claim another happily ever after?
The Book Trailer
The Book Excerpt
“I don’t drink, but could use a strong one, right now. Not this sissy stuff.” He lifted the glass to his lips, downed the contents, and shoved his now-empty champagne flute away before he leaned in toward her. The smell of alcohol on his breath hinted that he’d already had too much to drink. “Know anyone around here with some whiskey?” The dark sapphire of his eyes chilled her. This was a man used to getting what he wanted. “I’d even share.” His voice deepened and became husky with his offer and she shivered.
“I don’t drink with men I don’t know.” Debra stuck out her hand. “I’m Debra, and you are?”The man grabbed another glass of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray and guzzled the drink in one swallow. “The name’s Johnson O’Neill. Now about that whiskey.” He reached out and drew her up to standing then tugged her in close to him. Wrapping his arm around her back, he moved her body in a slow two-step motion.Debra gazed into his eyes. “You don’t have to seduce me for the whiskey.” She stepped out of his embrace and put her hands on her hips. She frowned.“That’s not why I drew you into my arms. You were tapping your foot when I arrived—and I thought you might like a dance. A pretty woman like you shouldn’t be sitting alone.” He stretched his palm out again in a plea.
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