Tink's Hump Day Heroes: Casey Ridge....

Happy Hump Day, everybody! Tink is continuing her sojourn down in West Texas. For a moment, I thought she wasn’t going to check in. She’s enjoying her time in Wayback with these cowboys far too much. Today she’s interviewing the hero of Bluest Heart, the second novella in my Ridges of Wayback, TX trilogy. This cowboy has enough charm and clean-cut appeal to make your heart melt. And he’s got it bad for the town bad-girl, Josie….

 

Tink: Name?
Casey Ridge
 

Tink: Hair color?

Sandy blond
 

Tink: Eye color?

Blue

 

Tink: Occupation?
Casey: My father, Leland, owns a cattle ranch in Wayback called Ridge Range. It’s been in the family since before I was born. My big brother, Keefe, my little sister, Stella, my friend and brother-in-law, Judd Black, and I all work as hands there. I also sometimes join the calf-ropin’ competition at the town rodeo on the weekends.

 

Tink: Hometown?
Casey: Ma’am, I’m proud to say I was born and raised right here in Wayback, West Texas.

 

Tink: Are you the first one on the dance floor or not so much?
Casey: I’ve been known to two-step a time or two. Especially if my girl, Josie, is singing at The Blue Bug Saloon.

 

Tink: What is your preferred mode of transportation?
Casey: A company 4x4.

Tink: Would you rather tell someone you love them or show it?
Casey: In Josie’s case, both. Most people know I’m good on my word, but I have a feeling my girl needs more than that.

Tink: Who is the person you look up to most in life?
Casey: My father, Leland. Hardest-working man I know.

 

Tink: Travel to the past or into the future?
Casey: I like the present, especially with Josie warming up to me.

 

Tink: What would you give your heroine if you needed forgiveness?

Casey: Josie’s been hurt a time or two in the past and it’s taken forever for me to get past that tough armor she carries herself in. I hope I’m never so careless as to lose her trust or her faith in me. For the sake of the question, though, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for the sake of forgiveness. She’s worth it.

 

Tink: Would you describe yourself as more alpha or beta?
Casey: I guess I’m a little bit of both.

 

Tink: Would you make the first move or wait it out?
Casey: It depends on the situation. I’m not above making the first move or waiting it out.  

 

Tink: Do you have a favorite song?
Casey: That Kenny Chesney song. “Baby You Save Me.”

 

Tink: What is your idea of a dream date?
Casey: We could take the horses up into the range hills. There’s a little creek on the northern border that’s real nice. Bring a basket of Josie’s chipotle chicken. Maybe go skinny dippin’ :-)

 

Tink: Karaoke: yes or no?
Casey: Only when it’s warranted. And only if Keefe goes first.

 

Tink: And – most importantly – do you wear boxers, briefs, or commando?
Casey: Usually, I wear boxer-briefs. But summer in West Texas is brutal. Sometimes I choose to go a little commando. I don't think you'll mind my saying so too much ;-)

Certainly not, Casey! As always, thank you for answering Tink’s intrusive question with such charm and ease. Dang, I love that cowboy! Readers, if you would like to know more about Casey Ridge and his hard-to-get cowgirl, Josie, you can find the ebook for just $2.99 at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, and wherever ebooks are sold. Find the audio book at Audible.

Be sure to check back next week for Tink’s final backlist hero and her last Wayback cowboy, Keefe Ridge….

[Authors: In May, I’m opening up the Tink Hump Day feature to guest authors. If you’re interested, please send an email to amber@amberleighwilliams.com with subject line: Tink’s Hump Day Heroes. Thanks!]

What's in a Man?

 As romance writers, we have the undeniable pleasure of bringing the men of our dreams to life. This is what drew me to writing love stories to begin with. I wanted to bring my daydreams as close to live and living color as possible. Wouldn’t it be fun? How hard could it be?
I knew from the start my heroes would have to be as irresistible as fiction’s favorites. Historically, my heroes would be competing with the likes of Jane Austen’s deliciously broody Mr. Darcy and Margaret Mitchell’s simply irresistible Rhett Butler. In the contemporary world of romance, my boys would have to go up against the unswerving devotion of Nicholas Sparks’ Noah Calhoun and Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb’s most insurmountable and fascinating leading man, Roarke—for me, this name is synonymous to perfection.
My first hero, a young, World War II Air Force lieutenant named Charles Tyler was too much of a boy. He was almost too wimpy, and I quickly grew tired of him. I had to revise the entire book just to give him some “meat”—a tasty term for muscle as well as grit and fortitude. My second attempt, an Italian man named Alex Cappollo, was far too moody and complicated. As the heroine became increasingly exasperated with him, my own consternation began to churn.
Third time’s the charm, they say. For me, this was fortunately right on the mark. I was writing a contemporary romance about two wronged jewel thieves who form an unlikely partnership and eventually end up falling hopelessly for each other. This brought me face-to-face with Todd Orso.
Todd has all the ingredients for “dreamy.” He’s from Texas, and his yummy accent just can’t be beat. I’m not referring to George W. Bush twang here. It’s more rugged and sophisticated than that. Not only is my heroine, Celestia, melting on the spot; I’m getting pretty hyped up just writing the dialogue! The voice is just one of the delectable things about Todd. He has a penchant for worn jeans and whiskey and has a striking resemblance to Brad Pitt. (“Coincidence? I think not!”)
It’s pretty much love at first sight for Celestia…and me. I know she’s a goner because I am. It’s a good thing this man is fiction because he might give my husband a good run for his money if he showed up on my real welcome mat.
Since I finished my third novel, I’ve found it easier to create several different intriguing heroes. Cole Savitt, a haunted cop in search of solace. Gerald Leighton, a British writer on a quest for the perfect muse. Mark Welles, a burned-out bodyguard determined to protect a hunted woman. Brock Sullivan, an Alabama boy who does everything he can to wrangle the heart of a stubborn, childhood sweetheart. They get better and better every time. They are a joy to write. They are one of the main reasons I eagerly sit down at my desk every morning and stay there as long as I possibly can—on lucky days, that’s until after midnight!
I believe that a writer can only make readers love his/her characters if he/she truly does. A writer’s affection for his/her protagonists shows. When I entered Lt. Charles Tyler’s revised story into a summer contest, a judge commented on my score sheet, “I see your heart in it, so please keep at it!”
Love your characters. Have fun writing them. I can guarantee, when they finally do get the recognition they deserve, the reward will be all the sweeter because of it.