Shannon Taylor Vannatter's "Rodeo Dust"

|Title: Rodeo Dust
Publisher: Heartsong Presents

Cover blurb: Ad exec, Rayna Landers meets bull rider, Clay Warren at the State Fair of Texas. While Rayna thinks she’s content solo, Clay longs for marriage and family. Though poised to win his third world championship, his ranch is in a slump. Clay convinces his publicist to hire her advertising firm in a last-ditch effort to keep his employees and lasso her heart.

Soon the city girl is on the ride of her life, until the rodeo unearths buried memories from her past. Clay sees her through the trauma, but an injury and his stubborn determination to get back in the hypothetical saddle threatens their budding relationship. Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?

1) How did this story come to you?
My husband and I took our son to the Arkansas State Fair several years ago. I saw a cowboy to the bone, dressed in typical hat, boots, and Wranglers holding hands with a city girl in a business suit and suede boots. I wondered how they got together and what they had in common. The story sprang from my wondering.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I’d had my 1st three book series published with Heartsong Presents. I submitted Rodeo Dust with an idea for a series based on Texas rodeos. My editor initially rejected it because she thought the story was too heavy for Heartsongs. I changed one thread of the story, lightened it up, and my editor changed her mind. She liked the rest of the series.

In fact, book 2 was her idea. When I pitched my story about a bull rider and a city girl, she said, “Why is it always the cowboy? Why not the rodeo clown?” Book 2, Rodeo Hero is about a rodeo clown, known professionally as bull fighters.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I love to do jigsaw puzzles. But I don’t do them often because when I have one going, I don’t want to do anything else.

My husband and I met as children at my grandmother’s. He remembers a bunch of little girls being there and I remember a bunch of little boys being there. We remember playing the same games, but we don’t remember each other specifically.

For the last three years, I’ve been house dogless for the first time in thirty-seven years. After my last weinie dog died, I decided my heart couldn’t take anymore.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m knee deep in edits from my editor on book three in my rodeo series. My agent currently has a couple of proposals and we’re in waiting mode.

5) Parting comments?
I have a blog where I feature inspirational author’s real life and fictional romances with weekly book giveaways: http://shannonvannatter.com/blog/. Dawn has been a guest several times and I appreciate her hosting me again.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
Website: http://shannonvannatter.com/, Facebook: facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter, and Twitter: @stvauthor