Please join me in welcoming author Shannon Taylor Vannatter to Whispers in Purple. Shannon is sharing the Story Behind the Story of her newest release, Winning Over the Cowboy.
Take it away, Shannon, the floor is yours!
While writing my last book, I wanted my hero to escort my
heroine to a wedding. She was in danger, so the wedding was a chance for him to
protect her and for him to see her all dressed up and realize she’s a girl,
since they’d always only been friends. I came up with a wedding for her cousin.
That way, she’d have to go even though she was in danger.
I didn’t really want to get into the wedding, just the trip
there and back. Since I’d recently heard a headline about a jilted bride who
donated her reception food to a homeless shelter, I went with the groom dumping
my heroine’s cousin at the altar. This gave my heroine more reason to ban men
from her heart. And fodder for the next book.
Sure that bride in the headlines did a good deed. But how
did she move on after that. How could her fiancé hurt her so badly? He had to realize
he didn’t want to marry her before all the food was ordered. Right?
In Winning Over the Cowboy, Landry Malone is trying to move
on after her ex-fiancé dumped her ten months before. On the heels of her
prospective groom shattering her heart, her best friend died in a tragic
accident only weeks later.
With heavy backstory, the book begins with Landry arriving
at the dude ranch her deceased friend left her. The problem, her deceased friend’s
brother owns the other half. From the beginning, Chase pegs her as scammer.
Unwilling to tuck tail and go home—where everyone feels sorry for her—Landry is
determined to win his respect and manage an amicable relationship with her new
business partner.
As Chase begins to see her hurt and how much she loved his
sister, her unflustered attitude as she tackles issues at the dude ranch earn
his grudging respect. Things get complicated when they run into her ex-fiancé
and Chase pretends they’re in a relationship to save face for her. And even
more tangled when he accompanies her to her hometown. Tired of everyone feeling
sorry for her, Chase—well, I’ll let you read the book.
Landry was a challenge to write, but also fun. She’s
everything I’m not. Doesn’t mind getting dirty, baits her own fish hook, cleans
her own catch, and gets way too acquainted with a cow for my comfort level. I
may live in Arkansas ,
but I like a nice sturdy fence between me and farm animals. Watching Landry
chip away at Chase’s armor was fun to watch and I’m glad I got the chance to
share her story.
Question for Readers: Are you outdoorsy like Landry? Or
squeamish like me? Share something that tested your limits whether outdoorsy or
squeamish.
➽Giveaway details: Comment to enter the drawing for a copy of
Winning Over the Cowboy. Eleven copies will be split among names drawn during
the blog tour from April 3 -20. One winner will receive a fishing themed memory
board personally crafted by the author. This fabric is special because my son loves
to fish as do the characters in the book. Great for displaying kids or
grandkids or as a gift for the little fisherman in your life.Go to my website http://shannontaylorvannatter.com and sign up for my newsletter to enter more giveaways and get a free book download.
Deadline: April 27th. Winners will be revealed on the author’s blog on April 29th.
Follow my blog tour for more chances to win Winning Over the Cowboy:
April 3 – http://www.danarlynn.com/blog/
April 4 – http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com/
April 4 – LI Release Party - https://www.facebook.com/events/1858400871097392/?__mref=mb
April 4 & 7 – http://shannontaylorvannatter.com/blog/
April 10 – https://whispersinpurple.blogspot.com/
April 11 – http://brendaandersonbooks.com/blog/
April 13 – http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/
April 13 – http://www.castlegatepress.com/blog/
April 17 - http://www.inspyromance.com/
April 20 - http://seekerville.blogspot.com/
April 20 – http://www.whollyloved.com/blog-1/
Shannon hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as her characters struggle with real-life issues. Their journeys, from ordinary lives to extraordinary romance through Christ-centered relationships, demonstrate that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her family, flea marketing, and doing craft projects.
- Website: http://shannontaylorvannatter.com
- Blog: http://shannontaylorvannatter.com/blog
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29672798-shannon-vannatter
- Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/stvannatter/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/stvauthor
Thank you so much for sharing this peek behind the writing of your book, Shannon. I think these glimpses into a writer's processes is fascinating.
