You’d think after nearly a dozen successful books under my belt I’d know better than to write about a location sight unseen. My attempt to break into a new genre gets denied. A lot. Aggressively? Exaggerating, sure, but it feels personal. The gauntlet has been thrown, and I can no longer avoid a trip to Cowboy Country. I will get this book published.

Heading to Colorado for three months of research was not on my bingo card for the year, but I somehow find myself in the home of Rodeo Royalty. Ideal for immersive learning, but a little less than ideal when I have a propensity to piss off the grumpiest cowboy in 100 miles. I know I’m imposing, he knows I’m imposing, but if I can just make it through the next three months without ticking him off further, that’d be great. And if we could make it through the summer without him drunkenly confessing his attraction to me—again—that’d be even better.

 Serves him right for drinking my whiskey.