Cheryl Brooks | What’s New?

I’ll tell you what’s new—it’s me, the Zetithian Cat Master, writing a new series (COWBOY HEAVEN ) about human heroes instead of my super-sexy alien cats. No running down the list of Zetithian characteristics to make sure they’re included in every story. No inventing new planets and bizarre species. No world-building on a galactic scale. Just a bunch of present-day cowboys living in a bunkhouse on a fictional ranch in Wyoming working for a perfectly normal human woman.

Sounds like writing contemporary romance would be easier, doesn’t it? Believe it or not, writing about real places and people is a lot harder than creating aliens. Having been a horse owner for most of my life, writing about cowboys and their trusty steeds came naturally to me, but if I needed a new place for someone to live or even go shopping, I couldn’t simply make it up the way I could when I was writing futuristic sci-fi. Research was essential.

Granted, this series wasn’t as tough as another project I’ve been working on for the past two years (a romantic suspense set in London with an American heroine and a hero who is originally from India that has required a tremendous amount of research), but questions have arisen. For example, if a man were to have a heart attack on a ranch somewhere north of Rock Springs, Wyoming, where would an ambulance take him? What time of year would a cowboy be headed to a rodeo in Jackson Hole? Having the Internet at my fingertips has made it much easier than running to the library anytime a question pops up, but sifting through the available information still takes time.

When I mention this attention to detail to other people, they often wonder if other writers go to as much trouble as I have. While I can’t speak for all of us, I’m guessing that most of us do. We tend to focus on details and minutiae that might not seem important to anyone else. We see every life experience as something that could be used in a book.

Writing a book can take months or years. During that time, we grow attached to our characters and think of our books as our children. Some of them grow and develop with very little intervention while others may require a little TLC or a hefty dose of tough love. I saw this Stephen King quote on Facebook recently, and while it did make me chuckle a bit, it’s also very true.

That pretty much says it all, but in order to do a rewrite, you have to write that first draft, and you have to finish it. Getting bogged down in research is one of the best ways to ensure that a book never gets written. There comes a point when you must remind yourself that this is fiction, and while in some ways it should be more believable than real life, in others, you need the freedom to dream. So when I’m creating a hero, I make him into the kind of man I could easily love, not someone I would have to make myself fall for. For that reason, I tend use situations as the conflict rather than making one of my characters unlikeable. That tendency hasn’t changed, so if you loved my Zetithian cats, you’ll probably love my cowboys. I haven’t lost my taste for humor either, so if you enjoy a good laugh along with the sex, adventure—or should that be “adventurous sex?”—and mystery, saddle up and enjoy the ride.

About COWBOY HEAVEN

When you find yourself in cowboy heaven...

When lonely widow Angela McClure hires a gorgeous hitchhiking cowboy with an affair in mind, she knows they’ll have to be discreet: her old-fashioned father and the stern ranch foreman adamantly discourage any interaction between her and the ranch hands.

Things can get hot as hell...

Despite their attempts at secrecy, the heat between them is undeniable. To divert suspicion, Angela forms a new plan: she’ll flirt with all of the ranch hands. Suddenly Angela has a whole stable full of sexy-as-sin cowboys to play with, but only one can win her heart. "With COWBOY HEAVEN Cheryl Brooks brings the heat while still keeping things fun." ~Fresh Fiction Reviewer Miranda Owen. Read our full review here.

Buy: Amazon | B&N | BAM | !ndigo | IndieBound | Kobo

About Cheryl Brooks

Cheryl Brooks is a former critical care nurse turned romance writer, known for the Cat Star Chronicles. She is a member of the RWA and IRWA and lives with her husband and sons near Bloomfield, Indiana.

Connect with Cheryl Brooks: Facebook | Twitter | Website