Cowboys, Rodeos, and Babies, Oh My! Chatting with ‘To Tame a Wild Cowboy’s’ Lori Wilde

Donna: To Tame a Wild Cowboy takes us back to Cupid, Texas. We know you are a Texas native but Cupid feels personal, tell us more about this town.

Lori: The Trans-Pecos is a beautiful, austere area in the high desert mountains. It’s a throwback to the Texas’s wild west history. Cupid is an amalgamation of three Texas towns—Marfa, Alpine, Fort Davis. Many of the locales, and points of interests, in the Cupid, Texas books are real.

As a person that has never attended a rodeo, I deeply appreciate the definitions at the beginning of each chapter. I am from the south so I understand the differences between “southern” and “country” and “cowboy” – would you say there is a difference between the different types of cowboys? A rancher, a rodeo cowboy and a bull rider, oh my!

Good question. A rancher is a hardworking man, a rodeo cowboy is a show-off. But even within the rodeo, there’s a distinct between the bad ass show-offs—bull riders, and the rest of the rodeo cowboys. And then there are the true heroes of the rodeos—the bullfighters, not to be confused with matadors. Bullfighters lure the bulls away from the bull riders who’ve dismounted after the ride. They used to be called rodeo clowns. Which is a huge misnomer, because while they do entertain the crowds, their work is serious business.

Do you have any rodeo research stories you’d care to share with the class?

Well, there is the burden of having to sit in the stands and watching cowboys in tight-fitting jeans take on the exciting task of staying on the back of a bull for eight seconds. It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it. (Donna note: thanks for taking one for the team Lori, your hardship is much appreciated!)

I love a good marriage of convenience story; how would you say Rhett Lockhart and Tara Alzate’s history and personalities mesh with this trope?

Rhett is definitely a reluctant hero, but at heart, he wants to do the right thing. Tara is skeptical. She’s known Rhett for years and she’s not convinced he’s husband material.

We just celebrated Mother’s Day and Father’s Day is right around the corner. What do you think Rhett’s first Father’s Day would look/feel like?

Great question. I think he’ll just melt on his first Father’s Day. That little girl of his means the world to him.

What can we look for next from Lori Wilde?

In October, I have another Twilight, Texas Christmas story called the Christmas Dare coming out and in February 2020, my first Women’s Fiction, The Moonglow Sisters hits the stands.

Down & Dirty Questions:

Who is your favorite actress over 40? My cousin is Broadway and film actress Judith Ivey, so I better say her.

Are you a pantser or a plotter? Somewhere in between. I like knowing where I’m going, but if I get too detailed with the plotting, I feel hamstrung.

What’s the one thing you have to do/have when you settle in to write? You mean after coffee? I meditate for thirty minutes.

Favorite snack, salty or sweet? Salty.

What’s does your Netflix queue look like Right now, I’m binge watching Killing Eve. I’m attracted to gritty. Can’t wait for GLOW and Orange is the New Black to return and I’m dying for Season Five of Luther.

Five words that best describe your writing journey. Paul McCartney sums it up best. “The Long and Winding Road.”