Cowboys with Vicki Lewis Thompson

Matt Forrest was born to be an actor, but grew up at Thunder Mountain Ranch as a cowboy. So when things go haywire after shooting his first Hollywood movie, he retreats to his childhood home where he knows his parents and foster brothers can help him figure out what he really wants out of life.

But PR agent, Geena Lysander, isn’t about to lose one of her best new clients—so she follows him. And things get complicated because she’s attracted to Matt, and not just for his handsome, movie-star good looks. As she gets to know the man behind the cowboy, their professional relationship becomes passionately personal. Could Matt’s next big role be as Geena’s leading man?

 

VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON is a New York Times bestselling author who worked as a journalist and a high school English teacher before deciding to become a romance novelist. She was the recipient of Romance Writers of America’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, and has published more than 100 books.

 

 

 

How-to Tips for Aspiring Writers: Tips for those looking to get their work published/break into the industry.

1.       Be an artist and a businesswoman.  A myth persists that all you need is a great book and minions will appear to do the rest. A great book is a good start, but it will languish unless it’s shepherded through the process by an educated author who’s studied the market and researched her publishing options.

2.       Turn in clean copy. Pleasing a reader is the goal, whether the reader is your mom, an agent, an editor, or the stranger who plunks down money for your book. No one deserves to be handed a story riddled with typos and grammatical mistakes unless that person has agreed, for love or money, to help you make it presentable.

3.       Study story structure. Commercial fiction is more than a random collection of scenes. Many excellent books have been written about story structure if you’re hazy on the concept. Even if you think you understand it, brush up on the topic to be sure.

4.       Read and analyze bestsellers in your sub-genre. They’ve achieved what you’re aiming for and it’s extremely valuable to figure out how and why they’re reaching a large audience. If the answer seems elusive, keep looking. It’s there.

5.       Find your tribe.  Writing is a solitary pursuit, but with all the communication tools we have, you should be able to locate your peeps. If possible, funnel down from the general category of writer to fiction writer, then to romance fiction writer and finally to the specific sub-genre(s) you’re targeting. Building a network of those who write what you do will help with your plots, your sales and your sanity.

 

 

Movie Star Cast: The author picks movie stars to play the characters in a movie

Matt Forrest: Because Matt actually is a movie star in the story, I wanted an image of a traditionally gorgeous guy. I’d picked out Henry Cavill to play Matt before I ever started writing.

Geena Lysander: Instead of a movie star, I chose Kate Middleton to play Geena. I’m hoping that Will doesn’t mind.

Rosie Padgett: I’d cast Kathy Bates as Rosie. Yes, she played a memorable villain in Misery, but she’s a fabulous actor and would do a great job as the matriarch of Thunder Mountain Ranch. She’s the one who worked in social services and who started the ranch’s legacy by bringing a homeless boy home with her.

Herb Padgett: I had to search for Herb, but I finally found him. Singer and actor James Darren is about fifteen years older than Herb would be, but he has the right face for a man who’s both a large animal vet and the devoted foster father of more than two dozen boys.

Cade Gallagher: I’d cast Channing Tatum as Cade, the first boy to arrive at the ranch, the one who created the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood and arguably the most memorable of the foster brothers. Because Cade is related to the Chance brothers from the Sons of Chance series, he’s the link between the two. He appears in all the Thunder Mountain books.

Lexi Simmons: I picked Audrey Tautou to play Lexi because she rocks the short curly brown hair look that is so Lexi. Audrey starred opposite Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code. Although she’s French, I’m sure she could manage an American accent for the role of Cade’s soul mate.

 

 

IN THE COWBOY’S ARMS by Vicki Lewis Thompson

1)      What is your favorite part about writing In the Cowboy’s Arms?

·         Hollywood newcomer Matt Forrest is falsely accused of behaving dishonorably. I loved writing the scenes where his foster family stands behind him because they all know he would never do such a thing. Warms my heart.

 

2)      Is there anyone who you based Matt and Geena off of, or who you drew your inspiration from?

·         Matt is a little like my son, who’s the nicest guy in the world, and he sometimes blunders into a dicey situation because he sees the best in everyone.

 

3)      When did you first realize that you wanted to be writer?

·         I’ve been writing since I was eight, but I didn’t realize I could make money at it until I was in my thirties.

4)      What is your favorite thing about writing contemporary romance?

·         I get to play with modern-day slang! It’s tricky because some words stick and others fade. The word “cool” is one of the few that’s survived over several generations.

5)      How many books have you written? Is there one that you would consider your favorite?

·         About 150. That would be like picking a favorite child! But if I had to choose a recent one, it would be CLAIMED!, the third book in my Sons of Chance series. I heart Jack Chance.

 

6)      What future projects are you working on?

·         More cowboy stories! I love writing them.

 

7)      Do you have any advice for new writers?

·         Don’t be intimidated by the success of others. Everyone starts at zero so leap into the current and swim like hell. It’s not an easy way to make a living, but it’s incredibly rewarding.