In Snowed Under, Ivy and Nell have made a very nice home for themselves in their cabin on the mountain, and haven't found any need for a man, not in the house, the barn … or between the sheets. But when the mysterious and delicious Dean Rook blows in with the storm, he shakes up their quiet lives with secrets and sex.
Snowed Under
I loved spending time with these characters - they're clever and kept making me laugh. I'm not sure what that says about me, laughing at my own story … hopefully Ivy, Nell and Dean make readers laugh too.
Why would you like to live in the Old West?
I grew up watching re-runs of Gunsmoke and Bonanza with my aunt, and reading my grandpa's Louis L'amour books. I loved the adventure and romance of the silver screen west. As an adult, it's more the idea of carving out a life, homesteading a piece of land with your own two hands that appeals to me.
Of course, it all unravels when I think about giving up modern conveniences like indoor plumbing, modern medicine, and fast food.
You live in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, so how much of where you live inspires your writing?
I grew up on my family ranch, raising beef cattle and horses. I'm a Calgary Stampede volunteer, and a big local history buff. I raise horses and chickens, and I plan to get a milk goat. Most of the weddings I've been to have taken place in barns, hay sheds and horse pastures. I live in the modern west, so it's not big a jump that my characters live in the old west.
I don't think there is anywhere more beautiful in the world. I love the sky here, and the mountains, the rivers … I wouldn't trade my little corner of the west for anything.
Please tell us about your previous publication Outlaw Rose.
Rose is a very smart and determined individual. She has been working as a bank teller, planning to make off with the gold - until a trio of bank robbers beat her to it. Rose doesn't give up that easily, so she tracks down the men and offers up herself as a distraction, waiting for her chance to get at the gold. As back up plans go, it's a good one, but what she doesn't count on is Tucker. The leader of the robbers, Tucker discovers that there is more to the little bank teller than meets the eye, and he isn't letting the gold - or Rose - go without a fight.
Why does western fiction gel so well with erotica?
Everyone loves a cowboy. The traditional western man is strong and rugged, able to take care of himself and willing to fight for what's right. And women also had to be resilient and brave, qualities that are always admirable. Then you throw all these wonderful characters into a sparsely populated frontier, in many cases with only their own morals for rules. It is any wonder that sparks fly?
How much research was required for this period in history?
Research is always important. I recently read a book that talked about buying "black angus mares" - sadly, I was reading on my computer so I didn't have the satisfaction of actually throwing the book against the wall. It's made me very aware of the importance of details!
I love to research, so I'm not sure how much researching I do specifically for each story. Whether I'm reading a book about bootleggers, or asking my grandpa the finer details of threshing, it's all so much fun.
The book has been compared to Sue London and Cheryl Holt, so how does this make you feel?
I am flattered, of course! There is so much great literature being written by women, for women, and I am happy to be a part of it. I love strong female characters - just like Jack in Sue London's Trials of Artemis.
Who are your favourite old western erotic reads?
Oh, there's so many … lately I've enjoyed Outlaw In Paradise by Patricia Gaffney, Wild Burn by Edie Harris, and The Devil of Whiskey Row by Renee Rose. But I'm always on the lookout for another fun read.
What is next for you?
Holding Court releases September 6 th - it's both my kinkiest and most romantic story to date. It's a love story between Clara, a proper schoolmarm who likes to be spanked, and Courtland, rancher and future mayor who likes to tie up the proper schoolmarm. But their secret trysts are exposed and they have to decide if their relationship can survive the pressures of the community that they both rely on for their livelihood.
I'm also working on an Outlaw Women series that I'm super excited about. The first book, The Undercover Outlaw, features a female safecracker who hides her gender in order to do her job … and get revenge on an old lover.
You can purchase Snowed Under from Total-E-Bound Publishing.