What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Rescues (The Women of Strength, Courage, and Hope Series Book 3)?
When I began to write The Rescues, I really only knew three things I wanted in it: another strong and independent woman, one who could fill the void in my favorite male character, Ty Stanton, and it needed horses, like my two previous books. As a lifelong equestrian, this was a must. Besides that, horses are a theme in my series. My mom began doing horse and pony rescues when I was about five years old. Even now, decades later, I can clearly remember so many of the poor innocents we got and the physical and mental conditions they were in. We couldn’t save them all.
I’ve worked with rescued horses myself over the years, so I have firsthand knowledge and experience with them. I knew I could write this story from and with my heart. “Tying” together the internal void of Ty Stanton with an appealing female character was the trick. What was the best way to portray two people’s mistrust and caution during their healing journey? The simple answer: with a horse who was experiencing the same emotions. The horse would be the bridge, the common denominator. Since I’ve also worked with therapy horses, I know horses are superb as therapeutic conduits. Once I hit upon the idea of using an abused horse as their bridge, the rest just fell into place.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Rescues (The Women of Strength, Courage, and Hope Series Book 3), what would they be?
Ty is a man of mystery and many talents. He also has a heart of solid gold. My readers love him nearly as much as I do. I do like the “James Bond Theme” for him, as well as a softer touch like “If I Were You” by Collin Raye. He’s a man of steel and a man of velvet.
Ripley Capilano is a woman who doesn’t trust love anymore at all. The first song that comes to mind for her is Alabama’s heart-wrenching “Lady Down on Love.” Oddly enough, I use songs in my stories that fit my mood, scenes, or plots, as songs are usually what inspired my ideas in the first place. In The Rescues, two songs (of many I wanted to use!) were “Fire!” by The Pointer Sisters and “I Told You So” by Randy Travis. I don’t want to give away spoilers, so that’s all I’m giving out.
What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
Like with music, I love anything and everything. When I got my first smartphone and wanted to download my favorite songs, I realized I had about 2,000 of them! The things we learn about ourselves in the oddest of ways. Books are the same. When I was younger, I devoured anything horse-related like The Black Stallion, Black Beauty, Misty, Blaze, Fury, as well as the classics like The Little Princess. I had well over 150 books on my shelves. By my teens, I was buried in Louis L’Amour, history, and biographies, as well as some romance. By my late teens and early twenties, I added in mysteries, romance, and stories that made me laugh. I became a huge fan of Julie Garwood in my mid-twenties. And books of humorous stories were a big theme with me. Currently, I write romance mystery, crime suspense, and contemporary romance with humor. I suppose whatever comes to me is what I’ll write. If I’m not inspired, I don’t write. I read what I’m in the mood for. I could have completely different books out at once. A romance, a Western, and one of my own. I actually randomly read a little of my own every night before going to bed. It puts me in a good mindset, I guess.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
Historical. I have “The Heart of Everything That Is” about Red Cloud, and “That Dark and Bloody River” about the beginnings of the Kentucky and Midwest frontier. And another book about Tecumseh is on its way. I’m in one of my brooding history phases right now, as I love history as much as I’m disturbed and guilt-ridden about it. As incredibly busy as I am, all of these books will probably still be sitting there for some time to come. But they’re there waiting for me.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
Of course, I have several, for completely different reasons. But I think the one scene that, to me, hits it out of the ballpark is the ending. Every single time I re-read it, I have such a feeling of closure and satisfaction—of hope.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I cannot write in silence. I always have a movie playing—not the TV, not the radio, but a movie. TVs are annoying with the constant breaks, overly loud commercials, and too many distractions. Same with the radio—or I’ll start singing along. I pop in one of my hundreds of movies on DVD (I’m a collector), and that familiar background cancels out the things I’d otherwise hear, as people opening their mailboxes and banging them closed. But it has to be a movie I know by heart (say, Star Wars or Tombstone). If it’s not, then I’ll start watching it!
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
Absolutely! It’s on my author bios and my website. I’ve kept quote journals since I was a teenager, but there’s one that sums me up perfectly. I never knew who wrote it until about a year ago, but I’ve lived by it for about three decades. Hunter S. Thompson apparently wrote it—if you can believe Google:
“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘WOW—what a ride!’”
Complementing that is my own thought: “How do you know what you’re good at, what you like or don’t like, or what you can do, if you never try and do it?”
So I go out and do it.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
Be true to yourself, especially if you’re a woman. Don’t give in to peer pressure, to society. The only person you have to answer to at the end of your life is yourself. Be proud of what you did, and do your best to limit regrets. Live fearlessly.
