The Cowboy and the Hellcat Release Week!

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME AT THE 4 ACES RANCH!

This is an exciting week for me! My first published western historical will be released from The Wild Rose Press this Wednesday, Nov. 10th. I can't wait. And I can't wait for you to meet Adam Ford and Ellie Merrick. These two have a habit of making sparks fly! Can the magic of Christmas help this Cowboy and the Hellcat find love?

To celebrate, I'll be making several cyber appearances throughout the week.

Join me:
Nov. 9th--Shelley Munro's blog
Nov. 10th--SOS Aloha Blog
Nov. 10th--Historical Romances Excerpts & Promo group (all day e-mail chat)
Nov. 13th--Petticoats & Pistols Blog

And I also have a contest going on now at my Sherry James web site. Stop by and get entered for a chance to win a T-Shirt. I hope to see you around!

Halloween Blog Blitz Winners at ABM

I was so busy posting blogs over at Authors By Moonlight last week I didn't get any posted here. Darn.

But, I have my winners from last week to share. If you are one of these three lucky people, please email me at sherryjames@hamilton.net and give my your snail mail address so I can get your prizes out to you!

Winners are:
Oct. 26th Margaret Tanner
Oct. 27th April R.
Oct. 31st Cathy M.

Congratulations!!!

Love This Time of Year!

I love Autumn. It's such a pretty time of year, and the temps are perfect. I love the mid to upper 70's, and no humidity. Plus, I love the colors of the season and the beauty of pumpkins ripe on the vine. I also love Halloween. It's always been one of my favorite holidays. I think the vibrant array of colors has something to do with it (I love to decorate!), but I admit, the "things that go bump in the night" side of Halloween gives a hint of mystery and fun too. I'd love to have a conversation with a friendly ghost who lived during the time of the Civil War, the Wild West, or Medieval times. How cool! So, to celebrate, I'll be posting some fun Halloween stuff here starting next week, plus more stuff over at the group blog I belong to. Join me here and at www.authorsbymoonlight for some spooktacular fun in the days ahead!

January Cowboy of the Month--Trevor Brazile

This month I’m starting a new year-long salute to cowboys. Each month I will profile a cowboy who inspires me to write my sizzling cowboy stories for you! I hope you enjoy, and I look forward to your comments.

To kick off the year I’m starting with the talented Trevor Brazile in honor of his Seventh All-Around Championship win! Yee-Haw! Congratulations, Trevor! Brazile won the title at this past December’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, NV. The 2009 win ties Brazile with bronc and bull rider Ty Murray, a legend in his own right, who dominated in 1989 - 1994.

A Texas native, Trevor has now qualified for the national finals 18 times in Steer Roping and Tie-Down Roping, and is the first cowboy to qualify for the NFR in 4 different events, (steer, tie-down, team roping header and heeler). A tough competitor, Brazile is the Triple Crown winning cowboy of 2007 by winning the All Around, Steer Roping and Tie-Down roping titles. He also holds the highest single-year earnings record for 2007 by banking $425,115.00. And if that isn’t enough, he’s also the youngest cowboy to cross the $3 million earnings mark! Wow! Sorry ladies. He’s happily married. ;-)

How does Brazile do it? Well, he has five things going for him—background, persistence, focus, horsemanship and practice. His rodeo roots run deep. His father, Jimmy, was a four time NFR qualifier in steer roping, and his mother, Glenda, rodeoed as well. While he was learning to walk, Trevor was also learning to swing a rope. And these days when Brazile is not in the arena competing for the gold buckle, he’s in the practice pen. Fellow cowboys say his focus and concentration are uncanny. Numbers don’t lie and it’s obvious this cowboy has no trouble shifting from one event to another at each rodeo. A skill he attributes to his father. "He wanted me to be an all-around cowboy, not just a tie-down roper, steer roper or team roper. He wanted me to excel in all of it," says Trevor. He also gives credit for his mental toughness to his father-in-law, five time World Champion Tie-Down roper and roping legend Roy Cooper.

When not traveling down the rodeo road, Brazile hangs his hat at his Decatur, Texas ranch where he enjoys family life with his wife and young son. He trains quarter horses and hopes to host roping clinics when (someday) he retires from the rodeo circuit.

The thing I like about Trevor is he is a true cowboy with a strong work ethic who lives, eats, and breathes the western life 365 days of the year. He’s tough, yet has the utmost respect and appreciation for his horses, stating that he’d be just another cowboy without the talent and athleticism of his four-legged partners. And, okay, I admit it, Trevor is a cutie, too!

Yeah, Trevor is definitely inspiration for a romance hero. What say you? What makes a cowboy hero material in your book?

Be sure to keep an eye out for February's Cowboy of the month coming soon!

Black Velvet Seductions Holiday Party!

Hey, all! I wanted to let you know that on December 12, 13, and 14th, my one publisher, Black Velvet Seductions, will be hosting a 3 day holiday party potluck and pitch in on the Black Velvet Seductions Blog.

All readers who post during this three day holiday party will be entered in the drawing for the BVS Pick Your Own Prize Contest...where you can choose from a wide array of prizes, including Kindles, Nooks, Sony Readers, and gift cards...for a total prize package of $260. BVS will announce the winners on Valentines Day! There are two ways to get your name in the hat for the big prize! One--Subscribe to the BVS readers newsletter. And two--Post a comment on the blog. Simple!

So be sure to stop by this weekend and visit with us BVS authors. There will be all kinds of good stuff going on to celebrate the season!

Hope to see you there!
Sherry

Cowboy Research

I love to do research, especially when that research involves talking to real live, in the flesh, sexy cowboys. I know a lot about rodeo, bull riding, and the western way of life, but it’s always nice to talk to other folks who also live and breathe the life to get a fresh perspective. I also love to write about cowboys and I always strive to make darn sure I’m depicting the life as accurately as possible for you, the reader.

That’s why when my local radio station was giving away tickets to a dinner/meet & greet with PBR (Professional Bull Riders) bull fighters, stock contractors, and bull riders, I put three phones to work. My insane efforts paid off and I was the correct caller and got my name put in for the drawing. And by golly, luck was really on my side last week. My name was drawn out for the big package, including tickets to the bull riding. Yee-Haw! Thank you, KRGI FM! So, I called up my critique partner and good buddy, Julie Miller, and asked if she’d like to go. All in the name of research, of course! ;-) Even though Julie writes about cops in Kansas City for Harlequin Intrigue, she jumped at the chance to experience something new. I mean, what better way to talk bull riding, rodeo, and goin’ down the road then over a nice dinner and a few drinks with handsome men! Handsome men are always good inspiration for us romance writers!

Bull fighter, Cody Hollums of Midland, TX, was gracious and answered my slew of questions. He even asked me if I was going to write a book featuring a bull fighter as the hero. You betcha, Cody! And I can guarantee he’s going to look a lot like you. Keep an eye out.

Stock contractor, Chad (Bubba) Berger of Mandan, ND was a lot of fun, too, and I wish I would have had more one-on-one time to talk with him. Thanks for the beer, Chad!

Then I sat down with bull riders, Markus Mariluch of Elko, NV, and Skeeter Kingsolver of Mclouth, KS. These two were so down-to-earth, just good ‘ol boys, and were more than happy to answer all my questions. We talked about the lifestyle, the travel, and if fear ever enters their minds before they climb onto the back of those 2,000 pound bulls. Markus knows all too well what it’s like to be stomped on by a bull. In 2008 he rode a bull who tried to make hamburger out of his face. Amazingly, Markus was back in the chute a week later and ready to take another bull out for a spin. Now that’s tough. Cowboy tough!

As for Skeeter. Well, what can I say? Skeeter is just as cute as a bug’s ear. I mean this guy is young enough to be my son, but he’s as sweet, polite, and common as they come. I just wanted to squeeze him! And keep your eye out for Skeeter. He’s a rising star in the PBR and you can even catch him in the reality TV show, The Posse, airing on CMT this coming Saturday night Dec. 12th. The film crew followed Skeeter and other pro bull riders around this past summer to give fans a glimpse into the world behind the bucking chutes. Skeeter said it was fun doing the show, although at times he did get a little weary of the cameras being right there all the time.

The bull riding Saturday night was awesome. The bulls were rank, too. Big time. One bull was so rank that after he dumped his rider, he decided to take on the outrider and his horse. That cowboy suddenly found himself on a date with the fence, and his horse took an unwanted ride on the bull! Fortunately, neither the horse or cowboy, were hurt, but it sure looked ugly. On a positive note, one young cowboy who’d brought his girl to the bull riding had worked it out to bring her into the arena. Much to her surprise, he got down on one knee in the dirt and proposed! Now that’s romance the cowboy way. And you can bet that’s going to show up in a book someday. To me, that epitomizes the cowboy. He’s a gentleman, shows respect to women, all the guys we met stood when we stood, offered their hands in a friendly shake, and tipped their hats, and he’s down to earth. To me, they symbolize the honesty and integrity of the American way of life, and showcase the roots of our great country! Long live Cowboys!

So, do you like to read about cowboys? For you, what’s the allure? And do you prefer contemporary cowboys over historical cowboys? Or do you love them both? All of you who comment today will get their name into the drawing for an electronic download of the Flavors of Ecstasy Anthology Vol. III where you can read my latest cowboy story, Eight Seconds! Happy Holidays.

Pix: Bull fighter Cody Hollums of Midland, TX & little 'ol me!
And me with Markus Mariluch of Elko, NV, Bart Miller of Oshkosh, NE, and Skeeter Kingsolver of Mclouth, KS.

Working Hard!

Howdy!

I apologize for being absent from this blog for so long again. What can I say? My life is hectic. But I am hard at work finishing up several manuscripts. Right now I have three projects that need to be completed and out before the end of the year. Hopefully, I'll have some great news to share with you all in the coming months! So, if my appearances here are slim, please forgive me. I promise to do better soon. In the meantime you can find me on Facebook and drop a hello there. I try to check in at least once a day, got to check my crops quick on Farmville, you know!

I hope you are having a nice Autumn, and are getting ready for a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Three Contests This Month!

Howdy!

Eight Seconds will be released later this month in the Ellora's Cave Cavemen Flavors of Ecstasy Anthology Vol. III! Yee-Haw! To celebrate I'm hosting 3 contests. The first one is running now through September 10th. Visit my web site, www.sherryjames.com, and read an excerpt, answer a question, and enter. It's that simple. I'll draw a winner from all correct answers.

Also, this month I'll be blogging about COWBOYS! So if you love cowboys as much as I do, join in the discussion. We'll chat about contemporary cowboys, historical cowboys, rodeo cowboys, cowboys in romance novels, why cowboys are so hot, and whatever else I can think of that is cowboy. Do you love cowboys? If so, leave a comment here and tell me what cowboy related topic you'd like to jaw over in the coming days. I'd love to hear from you!

Chatting Tonight!

Hey, Readers!
I just wanted to let you all know that I and my fellow Black Velvet Seductions authors will be chatting tonight at the Author Island Yahoo group. You will need to subscribe to the list to participate. The link is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AuthorIslandChat/

But everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who stops by for the chat will receive a free e-book of their choice from my publisher, Black Velvet Seductions! How awesome is that?! It's a great way to add to your summer reading list.

So, stop on by for some fun. We'll be posting excerpts and answering all your burning questions, plus you'll get a FREE book of your choice! I hope to see you there.

Recovered from RT?

Well, I've been home from the RT BOOKreviewers convention for two weeks now, although it seems like months--gee, what's that say about my life?! But I guess I can say I'm pretty much recovered from the trip to Orlando. RT is always a good time with all the happenings going on like meeting readers and booksellers, wild parties, swimming at midnight, and of course, all the hunky cover models running around providing for some great eye candy! And just in case you're wondering, no, I didn't go swimming with any of those hunky models at midnight. Darn.

For me, one of the highlights of this year's convention was just being in the company of my fellow EC authors and enjoying all the great stuff EC did for us. It really was a thrill to walk across stage with a hunky guy and be recognized at the Ellora's Cave Jungle Fantasy party. And I didn't even make a fool of myself by tripping and smacking my face on the floor! Give me a pat on the back!

But it was also fun to see my name in bold letters lining the entrance way into the ballroom. I couldn't resist a picture by my paw for the fun of it. Hey, it's as close as I'll ever get to a Hollywood Walk of Fame! My good friend, Julie Miller, said the picture reminded her of one of the pin-up girls from the 40's, you know, like Betty Grable. Wow! What a nice compliment.

I was more involved in this RT convention then ever before. Besides the EC party, I also presented a workshop, signed at the E-book signing, was a sponsor for the SOS Military Mixer, and made an appearence at Club RT. I gave away T-shirts, a gift basket, and quite a few little goodie bags. It was a great convention, a great trip, and I'm so glad I went. I was in need of a little R & R from the demands of two kids, seven horses, and three dogs. And my hubby was a real sweetheart for picking up the slack in my absence.

One of my favorite workshops this year was the cover model shoot. Wow. You talk about hot! But I'll save that for a post later this week. I'll even post a picture so you have an idea what I'm talking about.

Have you ever been to an RT Convention? If so, what was your favorite thing about it? If not, would you like to go, and why? Free books? Meet your favorite authors? Dance until midnight each night?

Love Cowboys??

Me bad. It's been months since I last posted. Sorry about that. But I have been busy writing, having a new brand created, and attending the RT BOOKreviewers convention in Orlando! I also have a new book coming out later this year. Woo-Hoo! If you love cowboys, get ready to saddle up for a sizzlin' ride with Devlin McCord in Eight Seconds. You'll find this hot, sexy cowboy and his story in the Ellora's Caveman Flavors of Ecstasy Anthology, Vol. III in September.

To celebrate my new brand and new book, I've decided to freshen up my blog a bit. I'll also be redoing my web site in the coming months. So keep an eye out for that. To celebrate I'll be hosting some contests this summer. I'll be giving away Sherry James T-Shirts, Ellora's Cave card decks, and who knows what else! In the mean time, I promise to be a better blogger!