by Patrice Michelle

Other than the scuffed boots, the sexy jeans that fit in all the right places, the ever-present Stetson, tilted just right, and a killer smile that can melt you on the spot, what is it about a cowboy that makes us take notice?

It’s what he stands for.

A cowboy is a man’s man, all rough and rugged on the outside, but when it comes to the woman in his life, he’s a true gentleman on the inside. While his profession can be tough at times, he thrives on the hard work. His confident swagger and the respectful way his fingers brush his hat’s rim will instantly draw you in. Ultimately, what will grab you the most is the way he meets your gaze with a steady, unapologetic one that says, “I live by a code of honor. I’m a cowboy, born n’ bred and damn proud of it!”

I’ve always loved a good cowboy movie. I guess because of that “old west” honor code the cowboy character(s) live or die by. But as much as I enjoyed cowboy stories, I never thought I’d write one…until inspiration hit in a most surprising way.

Have you ever been so caught up in “the story” in a song that you stop tapping your foot to the upbeat rhythm and just listen to the words? I must’ve listened to Garth Brooks’ Rodeo twenty-five times one day. Sure, I’d heard the song before on the radio, but that day, I really listened to the words and the angst he was trying to convey.

While listening to this song, I started thinking, not about the rodeo cowboy but about the operation behind the rodeo…what about the man who provides all the stock and owns the rodeo, called a stock contractor. And I thought what if, not only did he run a rodeo stock ranch, but he also had to raise his two younger brothers after his father died. I considered how losing his mother as a child via her desertion, as well as later having to raise his younger brothers on his own would affect him.

Then there was the question of what kind of love interest I’d pair the hero with. Because of his strong alpha personality, the heroine would have to refuse to take junk off anyone. She’d also have to have her own past issues while upholding unshakable confidence in the face of someone who challenges her every step of the way. She’d come from a completely different background, but she’d have the capacity to understand the true reason behind the hero’s biggest issue—his distrust of women.

So how did I go about bringing these two people together? I decided to make them partners by circumstance and to shove all kinds of conflict their way. I wanted to see if their partnership, as well as their developing relationship could handle and survive life’s inevitable challenges.

That’s the basic background behind the inspiration for my contemporary Bad in Boots book Colt’s Choice. Two other novels are also part of the Bad in Boots series: Hunger and Temptation and the novella Hearts Afire in the Hearts are Wild anthology. Even though Hunger and Temptation is my most recent release, it’s a prequel to Colt’s Choice. Hearts Afire takes place after Colt’s Choice. My novels are written as stand alones, but for the richest reading experience, the best order to read the three books in is as follows: Hunger and Temptation, Colt’s Choice and Hearts Afire.

There will be at least two more books in the Bad in Boots series. Colt’s brothers still haven’t met their women yet. )

Now let’s have some fun talking… At the end of this Tell Tale, I’ll give away one signed copy of reader’s choice of one of my Bad in Boots books. I’ll also pick two other winners to receive a laminated Bad in Boots series bookmark.

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