It’s time for Snippet Sunday and it’s the end of Cheyenne Frontier Days for the year. While I love the rodeo I’m always kinda glad when it’s over. Fewer people in town and less craziness.
But in the spirit of CFD, I’m showing off ROPE A FALLING STAR in preparation for STAR SPANGLED BANNER coming out in September. In this snippet, you meet Tom Colton and he’s at the end of his bronc riding career.
~~~~~~
Tom lurched to his booted feet and searched for his hat in an attempt to quell the rising disappointment. Wooden Nickel hadn’t looked that strong or mean, but the little bastard could twist like a psychotic yoga instructor. The look in the roan bronc’s eyes when the boys opened the chute reminded him too much of the stallion in that animated kids’ movie about the wild horses of the Cimarron. He’d had enough time to think, Aw hell, before the horse took off like a bat out of hell.
Yeah, if bats could twist into a black hole and turn inside out.
His guts definitely felt inside out as the adrenaline drained out of him like someone had pulled the plug. The weight of his thirty-one years coupled with the disappointment of an unfinished ride crashed into him all at once. He could barely convince his legs to move across the arena after he retrieved his hat. He thumped it against his leg to knock the dirt out of it before he dumped it on his head.
Wouldn’t that just be a kick in the gut?
“Aw, too bad, folks. Give Tom Colton a round of applause. Three-time champion bronc rider from right here in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Tom has competed in Cheyenne Frontier Days for the last ten years…”
The announcer’s voice faded from his awareness as Tom reached the chutes. Max Darnell waved him over to the gap in the fence and slapped him on the back as he came through.
“Tough break, Colton. I told you Wooden Nickel kicked the shit out of everyone.”
Tom nodded, but had to admit he wasn’t sure it was just the horse. His heart hadn’t been in the rides lately.
~~~~~~~
Guess even a hard-headed cowboy knows when it’s time to quit. 😉 There are several great authors on the Weekend Writer Warriors list, the Snippet Sunday Facebook group, and the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. A few of my favorites are, P.T. Wyant, Karen Michelle Nutt, Veronica Scott, Jessica Subject, Kathy Griffith Karysa Faire, and Iris Blobel.
Here’s the blurb for ROPE A FALLING STAR:
Available Wide Now
Only the best stars fall…
Three time bronc-riding champion Tom Colton’s dream of a fourth title ends when he draws Wooden Nickel, a mean little bronc with more twists than a maze. With his heart no longer in rodeo, he figures it’s time to go home to the Triple Star Ranch, the PTSD therapy ranch he and his dad founded to help others with trauma in their pasts. Tom just wants a little time to nurse his hurts and consider his next move.
Amber Hillcrest started out as a Triple Star client and stayed on as a massage therapist. Her dog Nimbus keeps her PTSD in check, but her heart remains bruised. She knows she’s too old and too broken for love, especially with the son of her boss, but he’s hot enough to fill her fantasies for years to come.
Amber tries to keep it professional between them, but Tom proves too irresistible with his big heart and charm. But someone is sabotaging the Triple Star and the neighboring Fantasy Ranch, and an ex-girlfriend keeps coming around, trying to reconnect with Tom. Tom’s hands are full of problems instead of the luscious massage therapist. But when Amber gets kidnapped, Tom will move heaven and earth to get her back and tell her how he truly feels.
He doesn’t seem overly disappointed.
Really enjoyed the snippet and already I want to know more about this character! Can’t wait to read the whole story…
The weight of his 31 years? Just wait till the whippersnapper hits 54, like yours truly. All of my health problems converged on me at once when I hit 50.
Anyway, a well-written snippet. I do appreciate a good world-weary character.
Really loved this book. Great story. It was fun reading a scene from it.