February Cowboy of the Month--Skeeter Kingsolver

If you frequent my blog much, you’ll probably recognize this young cowboy’s name and face from an earlier entry. I had the opportunity to meet Skeeter in early December when he rode at a PBR event near where I live. Although he’s young and is making a huge splash in the bull riding world, Skeeter has all the great manners of a Kansas cowboy. I had the chance to visit with Skeeter and I have to admit I asked him a ton of questions about bull riding and traveling down the road. He was gracious, and eager to share his knowledge and experiences.

Skeeter, also known as The Royal Solution in the bull riding world, made a huge and lasting impression on the sport after getting on his first-ever bull on the Built Ford Tough Series a couple of years ago. Not only did Skeeter receive a 90-point ride, but took the round win as well. Pretty impressive. And, whenever Skeeter makes the eight second buzzer he consistently scores in the mid to upper 80’s.

How did this McClouth, Kansas native get so good? Well, he’s had the desire to ride since a very young age. He started out riding sheep, moved up to steers, attended a bull riding school, has ridden broncs, and has received some sage advice and help from two big names in the sport, Chris Shivers and Gary Leffew. His older brother, Blake, has been a big help and influence, too. And at this stage of the game, in spite of a few injuries, Skeeter doesn’t let fear get in his way. He rides each bull with gusto and isn’t afraid to use his spurs.

Last year Skeeter learned a little bit about the world of television. He was one of several cowboys CMT highlighted in their December television show, The Posse. I asked Skeeter what it was like to do the show. In his down home, good ol’ boy attitude he said it was all right and kind of fun. But, he did admit that after a while being followed constantly by the cameras got a little old.


Skeeter reminds me a lot of my hero, Devlin McCord, from my novella Eight Seconds, Ellora’s Cave Flavors of Ecstasy Anthology Vol. 3. True, Devlin is older than Skeeter, but the two share a love and devotion to the sport of Pro Bull riding. They are both good guys under those big ol' cowboy hats! So, here’s to Skeeter—a young gun who knows what he wants and who isn’t afraid to go for it and live his dream.

How about you? Are you living your dream? Are you going after what you really want in life? Every time I sit down to write I'm living my dream of being a professional romance writer. And, I promised myself that this year is the year to get in the saddle and run those barrels again. Life is short. Live your dreams!

Cowboy Research Winner!

Okay, I have a winner! Sorry for the delay in making the announcement. We had major snow here on Tuesday and Wednesday, school called off and kids under feet, so needless to say I'm running behind a little. ;-)

My thanks to all of you who stopped by to chat! My winner for this quickie contest is Shelley Monro! Congratulations, Shelley!! Please email me at sherryjames@hamilton.net and tell me your preferred e-book format and I'll get it off to you!

Oh, and be sure to tune into CMT this Saturdady. You can see Skeeter Kingsolver in the Posse and get a glimpse of life behind the bucking chutes. And cool, I get to say I know him! ;-)

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.