I had to think about what I do when I create a hero in one of my westerns. He has to be bigger than life. Think, John Wayne in the western movies of a time gone by. Big. Strong.

Or Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickok. He must have a strict sense of justice and be a generally upstanding citizen. These men were both the law in several different cities.

For my books, although, he and my heroine might make love before marriage, he knows there will be a marriage. And if the heroine doesn’t want to get married, he will do everything in his power to change her mind.

He’s a wonderful father. Teaching his children, sons or daughters, to ride, rope and shoot with the best of them.

My heroes are also caring and gentle. They know their strength and make sure to rein it in when dealing with the heroine. No matter how obstinate or ornery she gets he never physically harms her. He may intimidate her, he may restrain her, but there is always an innate respect for her.

He is always slow to anger but once riled, look out. And don’t even think about harming someone he cares for, he’ll always make you sorry you did, assuming you live to make it to the hanging. He won’t kill you outright or without reason, but you’d better not give him a reason.

Creating a western hero is not any easier than creating a Regency or Highland hero, or any other kind. They are as strong and have as great a sense of right and wrong as any of those other heroes. But I tend to think of them as quieter, more reflective. The strong but silent type who never toots his own horn. I think that’s one of the reasons that I love them so much.

Get your copy of Heiress Bride.

Are you going to RomCon 2013? Leave a comment and let me know so we can meet.

Sneak Peek:

Curled in a ball on the uncomfortable bench seat of the stage, her arm an awkward pillow against the jolts and rocking of the stage, Margaret Atwater snoozed fitfully. The close heat was stifling, covering her like a wool blanket in July. Her dress clung to her sweaty skin, her hair damp and sticking to her overheated brow. She’d undone the top few buttons at the neck, revealing the full swell of her breasts above her snug corset. The smallest of adjustment offered a reprieve from the endless warmth and the strict confines of polite society. Who cared about social mores when it was almost too hot to breathe, much less be covered head to toe in heavy linen and cotton?

The leather curtains flapped noisily with each rock or lumbering sway. Rays of intense sun intermittently filtered through and burned through her closed lids. She licked her parched lips, anticipating the next stop on the route like a lost man in a desert finding an oasis. She must look as poorly as she felt. But she didn’t care. Margaret was safely away from her fiancé’s clutches and that was her sole concern.

It was impossible to say exactly where she was beyond a two days’ ride west of St. Louis. She’d lost track in the tedium of horse hooves and the never ending sway and dip of the stage. If she had to guess, she was somewhere in the new state of Colorado.

Deafening shots rang out, rousing her from her fitful slumber. “What?” she whispered to herself, clearing her fuzzy head.

A second round of gunfire chipped pieces of wood out of the wall above her head and the stage lurched forward with incredible speed.

“Oh no!” she shouted, her hands moving to instinctively to protect and cover her head.

I will admit it, I’m a bit behind.  Anyone out there waiting for an answer to an email can attest to this simple truth.  So, no surprise it takes me nearly a month to find this brilliant, well researched article on the e-book revolution.  At one point, David does bring the American Revolution and old time pamphleteers into the fray.  I’m not much on history (which is why I write sci-fi and paranormal stuff) but sounded to me like the old newspaper presses didn’t like these upstart pamphlet printers distributing unapproved material.  No gatekeeper and no filter.  Sound familiar?What’s the bottom line?  According to David we are “We’re Drowning In Indie Books – And That’s A Good Thing.”

I agree.  And that’s why RomCon is investing in a new website and an expansion of the Reader Rating Program.  Six pre-screened and randomly selected readers in the book’s designated genre read and rate the book 1-10 on twenty questions.  No friends giving fake five star reviews on Amazon.  No jealous competitors trashing the same book with a one star review to try to cripple your sales.   No politics.  I’d say the Reader Rating system’s time has come.

If you follow J.A. Konrath’s blog, you will see a blunt chat about the one-star review attack marketing strategy used by authors.  We all know it happens, and I hate it.  Petty jealousy should have no place in writing.  There are enough readers to go around.

Authors, if you want your book rated, it’s less than $30 dollars.  If your book is good, you’ll get a good rating.  Readers don’t care if it’s self-published, small press, or New York.  They only care about great stories and RomCon developed the system to help them find them.  Every time.

Yes, most of our books are romance right now, but we’re expanding to all genre fiction this year.  It’s time.

David Vinjamuri wrote the article about e-books and traditionally publishing for Forbes.com.  You can  read the article for yourself if you want to know why New York publishing is struggling.  Can they adapt or will Indie books be the new rulers of the publishing world?  I believe the readers will decide.

I’m participating in TRR’s Sizzling Summer Reads! Answer a question about my book Gnomeless and you may win a prize! Click on the image to participate!

Want to win a ticket to RomCon on June 22-24th in Denver? I’m giving away two general admission tickets from those who email answers to two questions about my book, Gnome On The Range. Email me- jennifer@jenniferzane.com with the correct answers to be entered into a drawing to win! Winners announced on May 31st!

(Note- I have two general admission tickets (value $149). Winners will drawn at random from correctly answered emails. This admission does not include travel, hotel, incidentals or fee-portion of RomCon)

Questions about Gnome On The Range:

1. Where did Bobby, Jane’s son, say his dad died?

2. What is Goldie’s husband Paul’s profession?

Know the answers? Want to win a ticket to RomCon? Email me- jennifer@jenniferzane.com !

If you want to purchase this eBook you can do so at amazon.com Kindle Edition and paperback .

I give this 5 out of 5. – Geeky Girl Reviews

To see this blog post, go to GeekyGirlReviews