Book Divas

We have a confession to make. We have a weakness when it comes to cowboys. So when Linda McMaken dropped us an email about her new book, Baer Truth, we said, "Yes, please." Maybe it is become we want to be right there with the lead, Abby, as she meets, gets annoyed by, and eventually warms up to her own rough and tumble cowboy. Or maybe its because there is not one cowboy in the bunch, but three. Hey, maybe we still have a chance...

Linda lets us in on a few Baer Truth secrets in this interview:

1. Baer Truth appears to be an opposite-attract story. What makes Abby and Joe Baer stars align despite their differences?
These two align because in spite of outward appearances, inside they are very much the same. The one element that truly draws them together is "home." They both long for one. Even though he's had that ranch, there have been some terrible rifts in the family and he hates that. Abby hasn't really had much of a home life except for her grandmother, and she longs for that place to share her life with someone, to dream, to make memories.

2. When you set out to write Baer Truth, did you have plans to have it be a series?
No, actually I didn't! I loved the main characters and I thought this would just be their story. Then as the plot unfolded those "side-kicks" roped me into telling their story. So, when I presented the idea to my publisher she was excited and said yes. There will be two more books each one telling the story of one of the brothers. Baer Necessities will be coming out in May of 2012.

3. How did you decide to come up with Wyoming as the setting for Baer Truth?
Wyoming IS cowboy country. I saw my first real cowboy there, I took my daughters to their first rodeo there, Cheyenne Frontier Days, and I saw my first town that actually had a hitching post with horses tied to it in Wyoming. I also had the pleasure of visiting my first Indian Reservation, the Wind River Reservation. It seems to be one of the last, wild, untamed places left, so naturally I wanted to set my story there.

4. What makes the Baer brothers intriguing?
They are intriguing because they aren't perfect. They have some real issues they are carrying around in their saddlebags. Joe's got a hot temper, a chip on his shoulder and a family that is torn apart. His older brother, Connor, doesn't want any part of the ranch and left after fighting with their father. And Matt, well, Matt will be the biggest surprise of all.

5. How did you come to publish your book with Desert Breeze Publishing?
I met Gail Delany, the Editor in Chief at RT Columbus. Honestly, I didn't know who she or Desert Breeze Publishing was. I was working at table at the show and her table was next to mine. I was drawn like a moth to a flame to the beautiful cover art on the postcards she had on display. After conversing for a few hours, she told me to send her a synopsis and sample chapters. I guess you could say Gail sold me on her company.

6. We have to ask: How are you a book DIVA?
Shhh, I have a confession – I've been a librarian for years and I often got caught on my days off cruising the local bookstore, I used to be a "book nerd" I just morphed into a Book Diva!!!

Visit Linda's Website at http://www.linda-mcmaken.com and check out Baer Truth!