Interview with Lynn Cahoon and Giveaway

Alexis: Today we have Romance author, Lynn Cahoon who is giving away a copy of Shawnee Holiday (A Bull Rider’s novella) to one lucky commenter.

What made you chose your title?

Lynn: The Bull Rider’s Keeper?  All the books in the series deal with relationships around Jesse, the bull rider. Since this was his story, I wanted to repeat that without using Bride or Love.  A keeper (besides being the one you stay with) is a ring that they attach to bull rider harnesses to wrap your ties around and hopefully keeps the rider on the bull.  I liked that symbolism too since Taylor is solid and well-connected in the story.

Alexis: Wow, that’s really interesting and works so well with your story. What has been the best piece of advice you ever received for your writing career?

Lynn: Finish the book. I think this should be the writer’s first law. I started several books, getting to chapter 4 then thinking, since it was hard, the genre wasn’t my thing. I didn’t realize until I finished my first romance, it’s always hard in the middle. Or at least it is for me. The middle is the slog of self-doubt, the place where you hate everything about the book including your characters, setting, and names. Funny how when I get closer to the end, I’m like a horse returning home, my writing speeds forward to where I reach the end.

Alexis: Nice analogy. Speaking of animals, do your pets help with your writing or distract?

Lynn: The only thing my dogs (Homer and Demon-they’re poms) do when I’m trying to write are bug me to either let them out or walk them if the weather’s nice.  Now the two cats that came to live with us last October, that’s another story. Thor (the boy) likes to get up and lay in front of the monitor. He’s a toucher and likes to have his paw lying on my arm.  Ella, the female, comes to lie on my lap and purr. She doesn’t come often, so when she does, I feel like I have to encourage her.

Alexis: Gotta love those cats. What does your family think of your writing career?

Lynn: My husband wants it to start taking off so he can retire and go fishing. I don’t think that’s going to be the plan.  J My family is very proud of me. Since my son hasn’t been in the house for years, he thinks it’s great. But he doesn’t read my stuff. He’s a computer techy non-fiction guy.

Alexis: What was your first writer’s conference?

Lynn: RWA Nationals in Orlando - 2010. It was supposed to be in Tennessee that year, but the floods came and we went to Florida instead. Luckily Southwest had that unplanned sunroof incident so their fares dropped enough for me to afford the trip.  I was overwhelmed by the materials and the people. 

Alexis: Yes, Nationals can be a bit overwhelming. Thank you so much for sharing with us and visiting Happily Ever After Thoughts. It was great having you.

Check out the blurb for Bull Rider’s Keeper 

Jesse Sullivan isn’t afraid of any thing, any man, or any bull. But when he decides to take a chance and carve out a life outside his rodeo career, he’s feeling like he’s walking on shaky ground. In typical Jesse style, he jumps at a chance to purchase Main Street Gallery, a Boise tradition in the art world. 

Taylor DeMarco has two goals for the next year. Getting the gallery on sound financial ground to prove to her parents that she can keep her grandfather's legacy alive is the first one. Moving out of the house and into her own condo by the Boise river, is the second. When she finds her folks are selling the gallery to Jesse, she vows to stop the sale, no hands barred.  

When sparks fly between Jesse and Taylor, family gets in the way of reason, and they have to decide what is more important, their desires or keeping Main Street Gallery open and successful.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Alexis: Remember, for a chance to win a copy of Shawnee Holiday, be sure to leave a comment for Lynn.

About Lynn:

Lynn Cahoon’s a multi-published author. An Idaho native, her stories focus around the depth and experience of small town life and love. Lynn’s published in Chicken Soup anthologies, explored controversial stories for the confessional magazines, short stories in Women’s World, and contemporary romantic fiction. Currently, she’s living in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi river where her imagination tends to wander. She lives with her husband and four fur babies.

To find out more and connect with Lynn visit:

Goodreads -http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5857424.Lynn_Cahoon

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LynnCahoon

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/LynnCahoonAuthor

website - http://lynncahoon.wordpress.com/

Amazon author page - http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Cahoon/e/B0082PWOAO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1