I is for: INJURY

Especially those incurred by bull-fighters, a.k.a. rodeo cowboy protection athletes.

Thanks for joining me! I'm having a lot of fun doing the #SpankA2Z this month.

Cowboys have been a life-long obsession of mine, and most of my deepest, darkest fantasies (or any fantasy really) involves cowboys. (Photos stolen from Pinterest)

While working on my brand new release Rachel's Journey I found a huge appreciation and admiration for the heroes of the rodeo ring - the cowboy protection athletes. Possessing immense skill and bravery, these men risk their lives to keep the bull-rider from harm. Despite their skill and bravery though, sometimes there are injuries, to both bull rider and protection athlete. And, very rarely, to the bull.

Here is a scene from my brand new release showing James getting injured in his role as a cowboy protection athlete:

It happened so fast it was a blur – one second there were 3 men surrounding the bull, in the next, James went flying through the air with the bull charging after him. There was a sickening, muted scream as the bull pounded James into the dust with his powerful head, and a few seconds of sheer terror in the ring as the second bullfighter struggled to distract the bull away from James. 

The other cowboy was hobbling out of the ring, but James was lying prone on the ground, not moving. Men on horses came and herded the bull away with the help of the other bullfighter, and still James didn’t move. 

The announcer called for St. Johns, and two men in white uniforms rushed in carrying a stretcher, once the bull was safely penned away. Rachel shoved her fist into her mouth to stifle a scream then leapt off the gate, trying to get to James. 

Forgotten were those earlier feelings of anger and bitterness. Forgotten were the painful spankings she’d endured at his hand, forgotten was everything negative she’d ever felt towards James. She just wanted him to be okay.

Blurb:  Rachel was such a loser. Growing up with Tourette's Syndrome has taught her that. Who could possibly want someone who contorted their faces in bizarre twitches or snorted at random? Not even Mike, the man who had promised he loved her, had been able to put up with it. She broke up with him when she caught him cheating on her during their great overseas experience, promptly flying back home to hide and lick her wounds.

James was the manager for the 850 acre farm she and her brother Simon had inherited.  She liked James. He'd always treated her nicely, like an honorary little sister, and she'd had a crush on him forever. Not that she could ever tell him. She wasn't going to set herself up for rejection ever again.

But when it seems that someone is out to harm her, can she count on James to come to her rescue?

Set in rural New Zealand, this epic romance will thrill you and keep you captivated, enchant you with charming detail and inspire you, as learning to overcome adversity ultimately is Rachel's Journey.

Buy here:  Amazon    Blushing Books

Don't forget to check out these other great bloggers participating this month: