Monday, August 20, 2012

Lynn Cahoon Writes About Family and Finding the Path Home

What’s in a Name?
THE BULL RIDER’S BROTHER started out as Trouble with Tilapia.  Yes, Tilapia, like the fish. My husband and I like to camp, so many weekends would find us driving the narrow dirt road (read trail) toward Atlanta, a small mining town in Idaho.  Just before our favorite camp site, (complete with a natural hot springs), a family had built a small resort.  Four cabins, one store-slash-bar, and a natural hot springs on the property.  Not a five star or even a one star resort, but the cabins were clean and the store a great stop after a dusty ride.
One day we stopped in for a cold drink, and the owner started talking to my husband about the large cattle troughs in the back yard.  He’d built a tilapia farm using water from the hot springs and expected his first crop in a few months. 
Of course, the writer’s mind filed this piece of information away and when it was time to start a new book, my heroine would be the frazzled single mom who ran this tilapia farm.
When I pitched the book to editors at RWA Nat’ls, they loved the idea, but thought the name would need to change. The more drafts I wrote, the less the story became about the setting and the cute fish hook. (Pun intended.) And more about the Sullivan brothers and the girl one of them left behind.
A reader once told me that my stories follow a theme of family and finding the path home.  I have to agree with her.  My heroines know exactly what they want, or think they do.  And my heroes believe in family, even when their definition leaves something to be desired.
In November, my publisher, Crimson Romance is releasing the second book in the Shawnee Rodeo Series, THE BULL RIDER’S MANAGER.
About THE BULL RIDER’S BROTHER --
Shawnee, Idaho is known for two things--Amazing salmon fishing and the first local rodeo of the summer.  For four friends, growing up in Shawnee, meant one thing, making plans to get out. Five years later, that wish has been granted for all but one.  What happens when they all get together again changes five lives.
When James Sullivan visits his hometown’s rodeo weekend and learns that his high school sweetheart had his child - six years ago – Lizzie Hudson’s world is thrown into turmoil. In THE BULL RIDER'S BROTHER, James struggles with family and Lizzie questions the risk of love.

Available at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/The-Bull-Riders-Brother-ebook/dp/B008195C2I ), Nook, Google, and iTunes.


About Lynn Cahoon:
Lynn Cahoon is a contemporary romance author with a love of strong, intelligent men, real and imagined. Her alpha heroes range from rogue witch hunters to modern cowboys. And her heroines all have one thing in common, their strong need for independence. Or at least that’s what they think they want.  She blogs at her website, A Fairy Tale Life.
Contact Lynn at her website: www.lynncahoon.wordpress.com
Or Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynnCahoon

Please leave a comment to welcome Lynn Cahoon to
Sweet Not Spicy.

18 comments:

  1. It's amazing the things we find to use in our stories, Lynn. So fun.
    -R.T. Wolfe
    www.rtwolfe.com

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    1. RT - The writer's mind grabs everything I think. Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. I love this little peek into The Bull Rider's Brother, Lynn, thanks for sharing! Camping...well, my husband is into it. Me? I like to camp at the Holiday Inn, but I'm learning to appreciate the quiet camping brings.

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    1. One of my regency writing friends checks herself into a hotel whenever she has a deadline coming up. Seems to have worked for her. LOL

      One great thing about fishing? Lots of time to read.

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  3. Welcome to Sweet Not Spicy, Lynn. I do love those Alpha heroes!

    Morgan Mandel
    http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for having me Morgan - I love your place! And yeah, Alpha heros are the best. Unless you're married to one, lol.

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  4. All the best wishes for book #2, Lynn!
    - Amanda L. V. Shalaby
    www.amandalvshalaby.wordpress.com

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    1. Thanks Amanda! I'm so excited about The Bull Rider's Manager.

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  5. I loved your description of the little hot spring "town." Your novel sounds wonderful, and I can't wait to read it!

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    1. Yay - Thanks Deborah- That's the best compliment ever.

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  6. Great cover, Lynn! My subconscious collects and stores many things. It's a hoarder.

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    1. LOL- Shay, that's too funny - I love that description.

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  7. This sounds like a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing how the title came to be. I wish you the best.

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    1. Thank you for the well wishes,Cheryl. I hope you take a chance on The Bull Rider's Brother.

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  8. Well, you sold me. Now I want to read both of your books. Nothing like a cowboy. I had an outline for a cowboy book at one time. Maybe I should work on that....

    Thanks for sharing, Lynn and best of luck to you!

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    1. And that's my job. LOL Glad you stopped by MJ. And I hope you do try out The Bull Rider's Brother and The Bull Rider's Manager. I loved being in both worlds!

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  9. Thanks, Lynn for sharing how your story came about and evolved. Our characters sometime lead us to something better than we started with. Best wishes for sucess with both your books.

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    1. Thanks Carol - So glad you stopped by and took the time to comment.

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