As many of you know, I love, love, love writing and have written several books over the past two/three years. I've also shared with y'all some of my work, but I haven't done that in awhile.
My latest book project is called, Winning A Cowgirl's Heart. Here is the introduction and then a small clip of the book. :)
Kylie Walker has just turned eighteen and has just finished her senior year at her small town’s high school. She’s also the pastor’s eldest daughter and the best cowgirl ever to lay foot on the Montana hills… at least in this twenty-first century. This girl is definitely your all-American, country living girl.
Matthew Murray is eighteen and just graduated high school with a scholarship to Yale University. The one problem, he’s not sure what he wants to do with his life. His father may be a rich politician, and his step mother may be a best selling author, but he’s pretty sure neither road is the one he wants to take.
Then, he father tells him he’s being shipped half way across the country to stay at his uncle’s house for the summer, or for however long it takes for him to decide what he wants to do with his life.
Can these two teens, from two completely separate worlds, find common ground in the faith they were brought up with and find the love that belongs in their hearts for each other?
And here is the book clip!!
“Hey, boy… how’s it goin’?” Matt bent down to rub the long basset hound ears and then stood back to his full, five eleven height.
He walked to the back window and just stood there, watching the unmoving scenery.
He was just about to turn away when he saw a brownish colored horse race across his uncle’s field at practically the speed of light.
That’s when he saw her, Kylie was coming up fast on a black colored horse, her hands not even holding on to the saddle horn, but to a rope that was flying through the air.
Matt raced out the door again and ran for the field.
“Kylie!” Matt yelled at the teenage girl.
“Get in front of her!” She yelled back, not even glancing over in his direction.
Yeah right! Matt thought, but ran faster. He saw that they were about to make a sharp turn, he hoped that would slow the crazy animal down.
Running through a patch of trees, Matt made it to the other side before the horse. Though, the horse was close behind. But, the sight of Matt spooked her, and she reared. Stopping long enough for Kylie to catch up and throw the rope around her muscular neck.
“Gotcha!” Kylie yelled, pulling the rope back and then wrapping it tightly around the saddle horn.
“Nice going.” Matt smiled as Kylie pulled the other horse toward her.
“I couldn’t have done it without you. She’s a handful.”
“What’s her name?” Matt asked, taking a few steps towards the threesome.
Kylie raised her brow and gave a low chuckle. “Angel.”
Matt threw his head back and laughed long and hard.
“I didn’t name her, her owners did.”
“You don’t own her?”
“Heck no!” Kylie said pretty loud. “I’m horse sitting until July first. This is the third time she’s gotten out.”
“How does she get out?”
“The first two times she jumped her paddock, this time though she kicked down the stall door. I was just making my rounds to feed them, when I saw her run out the door.”
“How bad is the door?” Matt asked next, taking two more steps towards the freak horse.
Kylie sighed. “Really bad. She kicked it so hard it just broke in half. I’m going to have to go into town tomorrow and buy some wood to make a new one. I don’t know what I’m going to do with her until then.”
“You said she jumped the paddock?”
Kylie nodded. “Twice… she knows she can now.”
“Why don’t you work with her?” Matt tried, remembering what his uncle had said about showing her who she once was, and what he had said about her once being a great young trainer prodigy.
Kylie shook her head. “I don’t work with horses anymore. I’m sure my sisters have told you that.”
Matt was taken back by the force in her words. He didn’t want to argue, but he also knew that if someone didn’t whip this… freak horse into shape, she’d just continue to run away.
“Kylie,” Matt was now standing right next to the girl and her black horse. “if you don’t save this horse, what will happen to her?”
His words seemed to strike an old wound. Kylie winced and bit her lip. The two remained silent for nearly a minute before Kylie finally spoke again.
“Matt… I just, I can’t.”
“My uncle told me what your mom used to do, Kylie. I know she was a trainer.”
Kylie bit her lip harder.
“I know that is why you don’t want to train anymore.”
“You don’t know that!” Kylie spat out, her eyes narrowing.
“Then what? Just tell me. I want to be your friend but you keep pushing me away!”
“I ju-”
“If you won’t do the training, then show me how.”
Matt couldn’t believe what he had just said. Did he seriously just commit to training a horse? He knew nothing about them! How in the world could he train one?!
“You… want to train a horse? Do you even know how to ride?”
“Well,” Matt shrugged. “I’ve ridden those little ponies at the fair.”
Kylie laughed.
“No, I don’t need both of you getting yourselves hurt.”
“Then you do it. Because, Kylie… I know enough about horses to know that when one is as crazy as this one is, bad things happen to them.”
Kylie bent her head, she knew that too… she’d seen it happen too many times.
“I don’t know, Matt… it’s been two years since I’ve even stepped foot in our round pen.”
Matt took one more step. Kylie’s boot was now touching his chest he was so close.
“If it makes you feel better, I’ll go with you.”
Kylie bit her bottom lip and just shook her head.
“I promised myself that I’d never step a foot in that pen after…” Kylie paused and her gaze shifted towards the mountains.
“Do you really think that is what your mom would want?”
Kylie’s gaze shot back Matt. She stared into his dark, deep brown eyes. Was he right? Was that really want her mom wanted? Or would she want Kylie to continue her dream?
Kylie felt Prince shift beneath her, he was getting antsy just standing there.
“Tomorrow morning,” Kylie pulled the reins away from Matt, having Prince shift his large black head. “meet me at the pen. I’ll be waiting.”
Matt smiled and nodded. “I’ll be there.”
Well, what did you think?? Leave me a comment!!
Have a great rest of your week everyone!!
