Lyn Horner resides in Fort Worth -- "Where the West Begins" -- with her husband and several beloved cats. A former fashion illustrator and art instructor, she is the author of the award-winning Texas Devlins Trilogy, starring three siblings who bring a glimmer of psychic magic to the Old West.
What inspired your short story in Rawhide 'n Roses?
My story was inspired by a challenge presented on a discussion titled Western Romance Authors Please Post Here on Amazon’s Meet Our Authors Forum. Maggie O’Hayes, the host and best reader an author could ask for, challenged us to write a snippet of fiction using a few words she chose. Those words inspired me to write about a lawman and a spinster schoolmarm in a small Colorado town.
The road to becoming a published author is rarely smooth, what were some of your most noteworthy bumps or potholes?
Oh my, I could fill a book with all those bumps and potholes. There was my initial fear of admitting I wanted to write romance, a secret I kept from family and friends for along time. Then came years of submitting proposals and getting rejections. Even after honing my craft, scoring high in contests and receiving praise from judges, no sale.
My worst disappointment came in 2009. I made it to the finals of the Orange Rose Contest in the fall of ’08 and received terrific comments from one editor. She couldn’t make an offer for my book because her publishing house had just contracted for a series with a similar setting, but she asked to see more of my work. Excited, I sent her a proposal for Darlin’ Irish (Texas Devlins book one) and lived on pins and needles for four months until she got back to me – with another rejection. This was such a letdown that I gave up writing for over a year. It took some gentle prodding by a good friend to convince me to try self-publishing on Amazon.
Tell us a little about your latest release?
Can I tell you about two? My actual latest release is Texas Devlins 4 Book Bundle. Kind of self-explanatory, it’s a combo of the trilogy plus a prequel novella, at a bargain price. My latest novel is Dearest Irish (Texas Devlins book III) and it’s my current pride and joy. Set in1876, this cross genre romance stars Rose Devlin, the youngest of three psychic siblings. Able to heal with her mind, Rose inadvertently reveals her secret power to Choctaw Jack, a half-breed cowboy who both fascinates and frightens her.
Jack straddles two worlds, dividing his loyalties between his mother’s people and the family of a friend who died in the Civil War. Like Rose, he keeps secrets, ones that could cost him his job, even his life. Yet, he will risk everything to save his dying mother, even if it means kidnapping Rose.
I’m happy to say Dearest Irish has received an award from the Paranormal Romance Guild and a Reader’s Choice Award nomination from Books and Pals, an online review site dedicated to indie authors. Am I tickled? You better believe it. Dearest Irish is available in paperback, Kindle and Nook.
Find out more about Lyn at:
http://lynhorner.com
https://twitter.com/LynHornerauthor
https://www.facebook.com/lyn.horner.1
Saddle
up your horses and head out to the heart of the Wild West in this
collection of short love stories by authors of Western Romance from all
over the country and around the world. Whether your passion is
historical or contemporary, there's something inside for everyone.