I’m not a blogger at heart, truly I’m not. If you look at my website you’ll see I’m long overdue on updates. I’d much rather be writing fiction. There it is, nothing fancy or nefarious. I like writing about make-believe people in fantastical places doing things I’d only dreamed of.
It’s usually my standard assumption that all of you would rather read about my make-believe worlds than my real one. Which, to be honest, is rather boring. Eat. Sleep. Write. Homeschool/teach. Write. Eat again. Sleep—you get the picture.
I’m here today to pique your interest in my newest release, Two Hearts, One Stone. My first ever Cowboy Contemporary Romance. And also, because I would much rather be different—it’s set in a part of the world where most people don’t know the different between ranching and farming so we raise all our horses on, you guessed it, horse farms. My apologies in advance, take it up with the Alabama and Georgia cowboys, not the writer.
One of the senior editors at my publisher hosted a chat one night about contemporary westerns and their popularity. She was talking about how those who wrote such stories should try to be different. Newbie writer over here went, “Oh, me, I can be different!” And thus spawned the idea for this little project of mine.
Which is strange, because Two Hearts, One Stone is much more modern romance-like than my debut novel (the New Adult Romance, The Finish Linealso from The Wild Rose Press). But it’s different because I based the characters and lifestyle off of people I know, that I’ve met.
I had a friend whose last name takes prominence in this story (he’ll know if he reads it). He made his living for a long time, teaching the country club set how to show their expensive horses. He was attractive, funny, and nothing like the cowboys in the romance novels I’d read—yet exactly the same. And thus, from him, was born my idea for Stone Dempsey.
A Georgia bred horse trainer, who has more cowboy in his little finger than my bestie who lives in Montana (okay so she’s a girl and married to a Special Agent—that’s a completely different story, isn’t it?). But still, Stone for me is a representation of the cowboys I grew I up and the ones who taught me to ride.
So much so, that if I could spend a day with any character in this book, it would be my hero. Every day I sat down to write I took a ride with Stone Dempsey, each day made me happier than the day before. I hope after reading this you feel the same.
~ Leslie
Blurb:
Horse trainer Stone Dempsey’s life is all about the ride—with horses and women. He uses his equine talents to impress the country club set and earn money for Smoky Mountain Reining Horses. When his drug-addicted sister deposits her sick baby on his doorstep, he’s suddenly saddled with real responsibility.
Dr. Emmersyn Cole’s goal of starting a practice in her favorite place on earth is finally coming to fruition and she is not going to be sidetracked. Everything is going great until Stone swaggers into her life, half-dressed with a smile that could melt her insides. She's determined to keep her distance…until he rushes into her grandfather’s home, clutching a feverish baby, terrified and vulnerable, and her heart’s hard shell begins to crack.
In only a few short weeks, Stone’s wayward heart suddenly relies on two women—one who needs him—and one that he might not be able to live without.
Excerpt:
His upper lip curled into a snarl, but it did little to dampen her flourishing attraction. She took a step forward and sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. Ready to do just about anything to wipe the forlorn look from his face.
That’s how he does it.
Without even trying, he’d reined her in like his horses. She stood closer, at ease, and far too eager to please him. When she lifted her gaze to his, the slow burn of tension-laced desire beckoned her.
“Oh no you don’t.” Emmy took two dramatic steps backward.
His laugh in response wrought a heat in her cheeks. Annoyed with her behavior, she fisted her hands on her hips and spun away. She was an intelligent, highly educated, independent woman. Absolutely not the sort to get sucked into the Stone Dempsey tractor beam of sex and debauchery.
She only managed half the length of the barn when, abruptly, he stopped laughing.
“Emmersyn.”
Had the sound of her name ever held such a heated promise?
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2McJvS5
Nook: http://bit.ly/2MtQkPA
Leslie Scott Biography
Leslie spends most days attempting to wrangle the voices in her head and often wishes she could clone herself so that their stories get told faster. She loves words, romance, and characters that feel like family and spends almost all of her free time with her own family; including a boisterous eleven year old that she homeschools and an assorted cast of rescue pets. She lives her own happily ever after with her soul mate and best friend in the northern part of Alabama and hopes you enjoy reading her stories as much as she enjoys writing them.
Leslie Scott on the internet:
Hi Leslie, I love the idea of your hero's roots being part of your own childhood. I am always fascinated by where plot ideas and characters come from.
ReplyDeleteThanks Laura! For me, they can often come out of the strangest, weirdest places... so glad this one was at least pleasant and made for a nice story to tell on it's own. :)
DeleteLoved your post. Best of luck with Two Hearts, One Stome!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tena!!!
DeleteCongratulations Leslie! Can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeny, once you do hit me up and let me know how you liked it. <3
DeleteAll it takes is one comment--spark of inspiration to set you on a path of a new story. So enjoyed reading about yours. All the best, Leslie!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Mary!
DeleteCongratulations on your release! Two Hearts, One Stone sounds like an awesome read. Who doesn't love contemporary westerns?
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, CB!
ReplyDelete