A Chat with Karen Baney
You are all familiar with Karen Baney. Well, she is back to talk about her book, Falling For A Smart Cowboy, the fourth title in her Vargas Ranch Series. So, settle in with your warm morning beverage and lets have a chat.
Welcome back to the Back Porch, Karen. It is such a pleasure to have you. Let’s just get right into the book.
Raina Crawford grew up in the foster care system after losing her parents at a young age. As part of her back story, I wrote about an influential couple she had stayed with. I originally intended to keep it as part of the main shaping events in her past. While writing some of the later chapters in the book, I just started writing more about that couple and the direction it took surprised even me. I don’t want to spoil it for readers, so I’ll leave it at that. Readers will love it. Might shed a tear or two…
Have Kleenex ready…noted
After my grandmother passed away when I was a teenager, we learned some shocking secrets about our family of origin. Things we thought were true, weren’t exactly as we thought. I’ve also listened to the stories from friends and acquaintances that learned significant family secrets later in life. I tapped into those feelings, though creating different circumstances, when writing both Falling for a Smart Cowboy and Falling for a Humbug Cowboy.
I’m sure you are not alone in those expirences. They can be jarring for sure.
Are there any specific scenes or passages in the book that you found particularly challenging or rewarding to write?
Devon Vargas, son four of five, is the main character in Falling for a Smart Cowboy. There’s a major secret revealed that also impacts his younger brother Drake. So, writing the entire book in a way that Devon knows something that Drake doesn’t and not totally spoiling Drake’s book—yeah, that was a huge challenge. I’m happy with the results for both and I think readers will enjoy it too.
That can be a challenge to juggle, but I am sure readers will appreciate that you gave nothing away.
Each series I write has a theme, so sometimes, the series theme is prominent in each book, like with the Vargas Ranch Series. My theme verses are:
With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. –Psalms 17:4-5
The Vargas family adapted it into their motto: We do not deviate from the Lord’s plan.
As a Christian, there are moments and seasons where holding fast to God’s paths and His Word is just plain hard. As new characters come to Vargas Ranch, they react differently to these verses and the motto. I use this to mirror our own reactions to encountering God’s Word and His people.
It’s impacted me so much that I’ve been toying with writing a historical Vargas Origins series. I haven’t decided for certain yet. It would explain why the great-grandparents of the Vargas Ranch main characters chose the verse and the motto. Still thinking about it. What do you think, readers?
That could be fun to explore.
Reading Christian fiction has been a source of comfort and challenge in my life. I love reading how characters handle tough circumstances and must grow as a person and in their faith. So, as an author, I put my characters through the wringer. I want readers to walk away seeing some aspect of God’s character through the stories. Sometimes it’s bold and slaps you in the face. Other times, it’s more subdued. I hope readers find this both a comfort and a challenge to live out their faith boldly.
A writer can almost feel guilty for putting their character through someo of the situations, but you are right, it can be encouraging to the readers.
Thank you, Karen, for joining us again this morning. I pray this tour is a blessing to you and the success of Falling For A Smart Cowboy.
Readers, please keep reading to discover more about the book and possiblly even enter the giveaway.
Thank you for joining us this morning.
Melissa
About the Book
Book: Falling for a Smart Cowboy (Vargas Ranch Book 4)
Author: Karen Baney
Genre: Contemporary Christian Cowboy Romance
Release date: June 25, 2024
She’s on a mission to bring orphaned children hope. He wants off his family’s ranch for good. Will they survive his shocking family secrets?
Devon Vargas longs to be more than just a cowboy. After finishing his teaching degree, he plans to leave his family’s guest ranch for good. Between his growing affection for the new children’s program director and a huge family secret revealed, he second guesses everything about his life.
Raina Crawford lost her parents at a young age. Through the grace of God, she survived life in the foster system. She desperately wants to bring children the life-changing faith that gave her hope. The job at Vargas Ranch was supposed to be a steppingstone. Except she’s losing her heart to the smart, ambitious cowboy bent on leaving his family’s ranch—and her—behind.
Will Raina finally find the family she’s always wanted? Will family secrets unravel his new dreams? Will those same secrets tear them apart?
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Karen Baney is passionate about writing stories full of flawed characters. She enjoys weaving together stories of second chances, redemption, and overcoming personal trials. As a transplant to Arizona, she loves researching the state’s history and finding ways to seamlessly incorporate real history and real settings into her novels. In addition to writing and speaking, Karen works as a Software Development Manager for a Christian ministry.
Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband, Jim, make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs, Bella and Daisy. Both Jim and Karen are active at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.
More from Karen
Big Family Drama
I love writing big family drama in my novels! It provides such great material for the relationship between characters.
Part of this comes from my family’s drama. My mom was the youngest of eight kids, making my extended family huge. I remember going to the Independence Day family reunions as a kid. It was both fun and a little intimidating. Most of my cousins were adults by the time I was a tweener. So, my siblings and I tended to hangout with my “oops!” cousin since we were only a few years apart.
And boy, did we have drama! There was the aunt who seemed to be offended and left early year. Someone always ended up injured, but only once do I remember an ambulance showing up. There were cliques and turf wars and so much more.
As an adult, though I’ve rarely been able to fly clear across the country to see my extended family, the drama of my husband’s big family serves as inspiration too. He is the oldest of five kids. My first introduction to his large family was at his sister’s wedding. I had no idea what I was getting into. We’d only been dating for about six weeks. Everyone kept pushing me to join the family photos, and I kept trying to gracefully get out of the pictures. I didn’t want him to regret having me in the pictures if we broke up. In the end, my hubby and I outlasted that marriage.
In Falling for a Smart Cowboy, I introduce a new character to the series, Raina Crawford. She was orphaned as a young girl and has longed for a forever family, even into adulthood. Devon Vargas, the fourth out of five sons, learns a family secret that makes him want to avoid his large family. I loved writing this juxtaposition between Raina and Devon over family relationships. It helps each of them see a new perspective. It was also fun writing new friendships for Raina—even if all the friendships tied to Devon’s family. My experience with both my family and being a newbie to my husband’s family provided inspiration for both Raina’s and Devon’s characters.
If you like big family drama, the Vargas Ranch Series provides it in spades. Enjoy!
Blog Stops
Stories By Gina, November 20 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, November 21
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 22
Guild Master, November 23 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, November 23
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 24
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 25
Denise L. Barela, November 26 (Author Interview)
Devoted To Hope, November 27
Artistic Nobody, November 28 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Simple Harvest Reads, November 29
For Him and My Family, November 30
Fiction Book Lover, December 1 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 1
Labor Not in Vain, December 2
Back Porch Reads, December 3 (Author Interview)
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
The blurb sounds good. I like that it is a series.
This looks like a great read.
Sounds wonderful
I enjoyed the interview and learning more about how writing process went for the author with this particular book.
Melissa, thanks for hosting me again and sharing Falling for a Smart Cowboy with your readers. 🙂
I liked the interview