There’s a special day for everything, it seems. While writing my Fair Creek cowboy romance series, I came up with the idea of Think Like a Cowboy Day. Only why limit the celebration to just one day?
But then, I’ve been interested in horses since I was a girl, which then turned into loving cowboys.
And I might have been a cowgirl wannabe, too!
It started because I grew up on a farm and we had cows, so getting a horse seemed like the next logical step, to me anyway. I was constantly reading horse books like Misty of Chincoteague, Sea Star: Orphan of Chincoteague, and Stormy, Misty’s Foal, all by Marguerite Henry. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell was also one of my favorites.
I have a faded photo of me at age six sitting on Molly, our Shetland pony, as proof that Dad finally gave in and got me one (actually, he bought two and one then had a foal). Molly was steady and barely walked along most of the time. But one day Dad sat me on her back and she galloped away. Mom yelled to me to hold on. I gripped the saddle horn for dear life and dug my knees into Molly’s big broad sides. Bouncing up and down in the saddle, my heart raced and I’m not sure if I was more scared or excited. Dad ran along but couldn't catch up at first. Molly finally stopped with me still on top of her. I felt like a champion.
A few years later, I would go to the rodeo every summer when it came to our little nearby town. The cowboys fascinated me. They’d be mounted on their horses in the stalls, hear the starting gun, then surge out of the gate into the arena. The sawdust that padded the floor would spray into the air. It was thrilling, and I liked to think I knew a little of what they were going through, after my wild ride on Molly.
Today, I’m still inspired to hold on tight for the ride when facing life’s challenges, like the rodeo cowboys I admired. They would fall off of their bucking broncos or miss grabbing a flag when they guided their horses around barrels. The ropes they sent slithering through the air to lasso animals might fall short. Many times, I watched them pick up their cowboy hats from where they’d fallen to the ground, smack them against their trousers to make the dust fly, then put that hat back on. No matter how rough things got, they never gave up. They climbed in the saddle for the next ride.
They taught me some lessons:
5 Ways to Think Like a Cowboy
1. Don’t let go: hold on tight, no matter how bumpy the ride gets.
2. Style matters: Wear the fancy Stetson and the cowboy shirt, and don’t forget your favorite boots (spurs, too).
3. Confidence counts: Think positively and focus your energy so you’re ready when the starting gun goes off.
4. Finish with flare: If you fall off, you miss that lasso or don’t quite reach that barrel flag, keep riding hard until the end. Maybe even wave your cowboy hat in the air at the finish.
5. Speed makes the difference: Poking along is fine on an average day and it’s even preferred. But during competition, keep moving as fast as you can.
Bonus: Never forget that whatever happens, there’s always the next event where you’ll have another chance to shine, God willing that is.
Writers are like cowboys because we get in the saddle every day for the thrill ride of finding new readers. Sometimes we're thrown from the horse, when people miss out on our stories, for various reasons. At other times, we grab the flag from the barrel in record time, and make new reader friends who appreciate our work.
Which leads me to today when I'm “thinking like a cowboy," I mean, a writer. I'm offering you the treat of tasting my work for free for Valentine’s Day (and because my birthday's in a few days). Below the book cover is a link for you to get the free eBook of Her Billionaire Cowboy’s Second Chance: Galloway Sons Farm, Book 1. You'll have to hurry, though. The sale only lasts from now through February 18th.
I really hope you'll join me in the arena, I mean, among the pages of my books! I think you'll enjoy Wyatt and Sierra's story. And if you do, I would appreciate it if you'd write a review. :)
Great post, Cathy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Liz. Wondering if others read all the horse books as children. :)
ReplyDeleteLove your post- I grew up on a farm and had a horse named Misty- ;) Also great cover!
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