Some days I feel old because I remember long before Internet, long before video
on demand and MP3s, I listened to .45 records, watched black and white westerns
on Saturdays and had showdowns in the apartment complex corral everyday as we
battled it out for the roles of cowboys and Indians.
The Simple Joy of Being a
Cowboy
Cowboys
always seemed to have the freedom to live life on their own terms. As an
adult, I recognize that living on your own terms also means surviving against
the odds. Beyond the simple romance of riding the trails, there were the
sore muscles, the threat of disease, the lack of medicine, the constant search
for viable drinking water, dealing with wild animals, hostiles and again, the
natural fury of Mother Nature whether it was a storm, the landscape or
something else.
Yet, cowboys remain romantic. They are the dusty knights of the Old West,
with jingling spurs instead of suits of armor and six guns instead of swords.
Back in Time
When it
came to writing Marshal of Hel Dorado,
I imagined that I was diving into a novella, a short romp back in time to world
that mingled the spaghetti westerns of Clint Eastwood with the sweeping epics
of John Wayne and some good old fashioned Saturday afternoon fun ala Big Valley
and Bonanza (both series that heavily featured brothers), but an odd thing
happened when I started to write.
I
immersed myself, I found that by eliminating modern conveniences, a ten mile
ride on a horse could take half a day or more instead of twenty minutes in a
car. These opportunities were tremendous for character interaction and
development, but also challenging because the very elements that attracted me
to writing the story were the same elements that stretched my novella into a
full-length novel.
But the
best part of Marshal of Hel Dorado
was taking those risks, taking the time to ride for weeks, to take risks in an
unfriendly environment. I would find myself imagining the soreness after
riding all day (fortunately, I rode horses for years so I knew what would hurt)
as well as spending time trying to figure out what you can eat when you're on a
trail all day, what options you have for treating wounds and better yet, what
kisses were like if they weren't drugged kisses...
A Whole New Adventure
I think
the Fevered Hearts series represents a personal challenge, but it's also a
chance to go back to those days when I played cowboys and Indians, when there
was a distinct line between right and wrong, honor meant something and the
world was doused in shades of gray.
Admittedly, it doesn’t hurt that the brothers are hot. Some are bad boys,
some are easy going and more than a few have hidden mysteries. If I've
piqued your curiosity, you must meet the cowboys in Marshal of Hel Dorado.
Won't
you come play cowboy with me?
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