Please welcome A.J. Pine to Book Reviews & More by Kathy.
Kathy: Thank you so much for chatting with us today. Can you tell us a little about your new release, Tough Luck Cowboy?
Ms. Pine: Hi Kathy. Thanks for having me! Tough Luck Cowboy is a bit of a twist on the enemies-to-lovers trope between Luke Everett, an injured bull rider, and Lily Green—an out of work chef who just finalized her divorce from Luke’s best friend. When Lily unwittingly agrees to cater her ex-husband’s upcoming wedding at the Everett vineyard, she’s forced to work with Luke—the man she always thought couldn’t stand her. But you know what they say… there’s a very thin line between love and hate—and lots of sexual tension along the way.
Kathy: Luke Everett and Lily Green are the lead characters in Tough Luck Cowboy. Which one of them did you find the easiest to develop? What is each characters best and worst traits?
Ms. Pine: Luke was easier only because I already knew him from the first book in my Crossroads Ranch series. He was a secondary character in that book, so he’d already been established when I wrote his book. Luke’s best trait is his sense of humor. He can put a smile on your face no matter what your mood. Unless, of course, you’re Lily Green. She brings out the best in him eventually, but early on—because he can’t admit how he really feels about her—he pushes her buttons to a maddening extent. But don’t worry—she pushes right back. Lily’s best trait is her resilience. She signs her divorce papers on her birthday, and then within a matter of minutes also enlists herself to cater a stranger’s wedding before finding out that the stranger is her ex-husband’s fiancée! Not many people would be able to bounce back from that, but Lily does. Her worst trait is playing it too safe. Her fear of stepping out of her comfort zone almost costs her a well-deserved happily ever after!
Kathy: What was your greatest challenge while Tough Luck Cowboy? What was your greatest pleasure and/or reward?
Ms. Pine: After I’d already finished writing TLC, my editor came up with the idea for me to write a Crossroads novella that would come in between Second Chance Cowboy and Tough Luck Cowboy and would give readers a sneak peek at Luke and Lily. The novella was to take place during the same timeframe of Luke and Lily’s book. The only problem? Once I’d written the novella, I had to go back into the already finished Tough Luck Cowboy and edit the novella scenes that showcased Luke and Lily into their book. For a very linear writer like me, nonlinear editing is the biggest challenge, but I think I pulled it off! My greatest pleasure always comes from a particular scene. In Tough Luck Cowboy, there’s a scene where Luke comes home late at night and finds Lily stress-baking snickerdoodles—naked. That scene had such a great mix of comedy and drama. I really loved writing it.
Kathy: What do you think draws readers to romances featuring cowboys?
Ms. Pine: I think there’s just something inherently sexy about a man who works the land, who can take the reins—both literally and figuratively because of course there’s horseback riding in my book—and maintain control, and then when we thrust these rugged tough guys into romance novels, we also get to see their soft, gooey centers.
Kathy: Do you work from an outline while writing your novels? How closely do the finished novels fit your original vision of the characters and storyline before you begin writing?
Ms. Pine: I do outline all my novels. I like to use the Save the Cat beat sheet. I’ll plot the whole novel just to make sure I have a story that hits all the right beats, but then I’ll put the outline away and sort of pants it from there. The book often mimics the same general direction of the outline, but there are always changes from the initial blueprint once I really get to know my characters.
Kathy: What project(s) are you currently working on?
Ms. Pine: I just finished editing book three, Hard Loving Cowboy, so next up is writing the beat sheet for a brand new project—with more cowboys, of course!
Kathy: I cannot wait to see how you redeem Everett! Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions. Congratulations on your new release.
Ms. Pine: Thanks so much for having me!
Title: Tough Luck Cowboy by A.J. Pine
Crossroads Ranch Series Book Two
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Summary:
From this “fabulous storyteller” (Carolyn Brown, New York Times bestselling author) comes a sweet western romance between a rodeo cowboy and his best friend’s ex-wife.
What’s the saying, bad luck comes in threes? If so, Lily Green is due for something good. First, her divorce is finalized—on her birthday, no less. Then the first job she lands for her catering company turns out to be for her ex-husband’s wedding. To top it off, she’s stuck working the event with Luke Everett, the sexy-as-hell best man who’s never been able to stand her. When can a girl catch a break?
For years, Luke has kept his feelings for Lily safely hidden. Hitting on his best friend’s ex-wife would definitely break the cowboy code of honor. But ever since an injury sidelined his rodeo riding, the two of them keep getting thrown together. It’s only a matter of time until his true feelings come to light. When that happens, it will either be the biggest mistake of his life, or a sign that his luck is about to change.
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Author Bio
A librarian for teens by day and a romance writer by night, A.J. Pine can’t seem to escape the world of fiction, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. For more on A.J. and her books, please visit AJPine.com.
Author Links: Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads
Giveaway
I am giving away ONE PRINT copy of Tough Luck Cowboy (US Addresses ONLY). To enter today’s contest, fill out the form below. PLEASE NOTE: Contest is open to US mailing address ONLY. Contest ends 5 PM mountain time Monday September 3rd.
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