Today I am talking with Janalyn Knight, author of the new Govain Cowboys series. She lives and writes in the Texas Hill Country.
SS: Have you always been driven to write, Janalyn? Or did you begin writing in response to a particular stimulus?
JK: I’ve always loved writing and was finally able to find the time when I began caring for my invalid mother. As a Type A personality, I needed something compelling to fill my mind and writing certainly does that! I love becoming engrossed in my story and spending time getting to know my characters. I fall in love with every one of my heroes!
SS: What in your childhood do you believe contributed to your becoming a writer?
JK: My early life made escape necessary and I became an avid reader. I loved horses and devoured The Black Stallion books and My Friend Flicka. It was a natural extension to want to create such stories myself.
SS: Writing is undoubtedly a lonely occupation. John Green (The Fault in Our Stars) says writing is a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it. P. D. James (Cover Her Face) says it’s essential for writers to enjoy their own company. Do you see yourself along those lines? Are you a natural loner?
JK: I am definitely happy with my own company. I enjoy having my house to myself. I have a few close friends, but don’t need to see them often to maintain the relationship. It’s funny, the people I choose for besties are the same. We remain close with occasional long phone calls and see each other only a few times a year.
SS: Hilary Mantel (Wolf Hall) says that a Catholic upbringing is the only qualification a writer requires. Doris Lessing (The Grass Is Singing) says her many homes (a country house in what is now Iran, a farm in what is now Zimbabwe, a boarding house in South Africa, and cold-water flats in London) made her a writer. Can you relate to either of these ideas? Do you have any similar writing qualifications?
JK: The places I have lived have made me who I am. I’ve lived on a small Oklahoma farm, the Navajo reservation, a small hobby farm in a Mormon community in rural Utah, a ten-thousand-acre cattle ranch, the night life of Austin, and twenty beautiful acres in the Texas Hill Country.
SS: Do you think that self-revelation is part of the writing process?
JK: I definitely do. I’ve learned a lot about myself when writing my characters. And some of it has not been easy to swallow.
SS: Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
JK: I read some of them. I don’t have time to read them all. I love the good ones. The bad ones sting, but sometimes make me laugh. In the end, I’m happy to have people reading my books!
SS: What’s something memorable you’ve heard from your readers/fans? What’s been the best compliment?
JK: I love it when they say they felt my characters were real and they couldn’t stop reading. I know how that feels, and it’s why I hoped to become an author. I wanted to create that wonderous feeling for someone else. One of my favorite reviews: I have just finished both books on cowboys by Janalyn Knight … I loved them both and can’t wait for more books. Janalyn, keep writing … ignore family, friends, housework & any other distractions and write, write, write. (LOL)
SS: What are you working on at the moment?
JK: I’m about to begin a new series set in the Permian Basin. I’m scouting for resources and I hope it all pans out. I’ll give you a hint. My muse is the television series Yellowstone!
SS: As an oil-field brat, I grew up in the Permian Basin, probably lived in most of the counties in it: Midland, Howard, Glasscock, Eddy, and Chavez. If you want a good resource, look at The Kings of Big Spring: God, Oil, and One Family’s Search for the American Dream by Bryan Mealer. I recognized names and places I hadn’t thought about in years! I also have a pamphlet about the history of Howard County I can email you. 
Do you generally write in one genre? If so, what is it? And what can readers expect from one of your books?
JK: I write contemporary western romance. My books have well-developed characters you can’t help but fall in love with and spicy love scenes. They are all set in Texas, and the cowboy and ranching details are authentic.
SS: Lisa Cron (Wired for Story) says, “We think in story. It’s hardwired in our brain. It’s how we make strategic sense of the otherwise overwhelming world around us.” In what way are you trying to make sense of the world?
JK: I think the heroes of my stories are all the men I’ve loved in my life. The more perfect versions!
SS: What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
JK: Suanne, you have been such an incredible help to me. I don’t come to you anymore because you’re so busy, but I could never have had this writing career without you. Of course, my SARA friends are wonderful resources that I can always call on.
SS: What advice would you give aspiring writers?
JK: Don’t give up. Be patient with your progress. Be diligent about writing or working on your author platform or marketing every day. Even if it’s for a short time, it will remind you that you are—at heart—a writer.
SS: What are common traps for new authors?
JK: Feeling like a failure and quitting when things get hard. It’s important to cultivate encouragers.
SS: You may have seen a study by psychologists Arthur Aron, Edward Malinat, Elaine Aron, Robert Darrin Vallone, and Renee Bator floating around the internet. It examined whether romantic intimacy between two strangers could be achieved over the course of 45 minutes by answering a series of probing questions. Can you really build an intimate relationship with a stranger in the span of 45 minutes? How might you use this in a book?
JK: Wow! This sounds like so much fun! It would make a great short story.
SS: It is often believed that almost all writers have had their hearts broken at some point in time. Does that apply to you?
JK: OMG! Hell, yes!
SS: Do you believe in real-life happily-ever-afters?
JK: Yes, I do. I don’t think I’ll have one, but I know they’re out there.
SS: Do you think political statements belong in romance? Would you write a novel that was a political tract?
JK: Absolutely not.
LIGHTNING ROUND:
SS: Describe your books in 3 words? Tender cowboy romances
SS: Favorite thing about your genre? Continuing the western culture
SS: Another genre that you would love to write? Paranormal
SS: When writing, are you a night owl or morning person? Both
SS: Pantser or Plotter? A little of both
SS: Your favorite guilty pleasure? Watching old movies or subtitled foreign movies
SS: Your favorite genre of romance? Any but historical
Here is an excerpt from Janalyn’s newest, A Cowboy’s Choice, available on Amazon.
Chapter One
Lara Cole’s hand trembled. As she slid the back off the stem of her earring, it fell on the floor. If this is what happened when she thought of Adam Govain, how could she handle meeting him face to face?
His mother, Millie, had contacted Lara’s mom and asked if Adam and Caleb could have the honor of being pall bearers for Lara’s father, Emmett, who died suddenly four days ago of a brain aneurysm. Her father had been the Govain family attorney for many years, and aside from serving them in his professional capacity, he had been their friend.
Lara found the small silver back and put her earring on, then tied a scarf over her head, covering her long curls. The wind blew fiercely outside, and a thunderstorm threatened any minute. Grabbing two umbrellas in case her mother didn’t have one, she stepped out into the maelstrom of whirling fall leaves and made her way to her car. The early September day should have been warm, but the bite in the air chilled her. As she opened her door, a gust tore it from her grasp. Grabbing the handle with both hands, she pulled the door toward her until she could sit in her seat, closing it with a loud click.
Shaken and shivering, she sat for a minute. This was a terrible day to say goodbye to her dad, and she had no idea how her mom would face the funeral with the sure-to-be wet and turbulent weather at the cemetery service.
Losing her husband had devastated Jenna Cole. Emmitt had handled everything in their lives. She never made major decisions or managed the finances. She would be lost without him. Lara would need to step in and provide comfort and support in many areas.
Thirty minutes later, Lara entered the already filled-to-capacity church, her arm around her mother. Lara glanced around the gathering, looking for familiar faces, and from the second pew, Adam Govain’s gaze smacked into hers. Eyes wide, she froze. Her heart thudded, and her pulse raced so fast she was immediately light headed.
He nodded and the corner of his mouth quirked up.
With a tight nod in return, she led her mother to the first pew and took her seat.
Unwelcome thoughts of Adam invaded her mind. His dark hair was the same, as was his tall, broad-shouldered frame. Why did his smile still melt her insides after thirteen long years?
A baby made a fussy noise, and she glanced back to see a tiny girl trying to get down from Caleb’s lap.
Adam brandished his mirrored sunglasses before the child, and she quieted. Taking the girl in his arms, he bounced her up and down as she put his glasses in her mouth.
Seeing Adam cuddling the baby sent shockwaves through Lara. Was he married? Was that his child? Oh God, she needed out of this place! Whipping her head back around, she bit down on her lip hard enough for the pain to take her mind off of who sat behind her. Her focus today must be her mother—helping her find the strength to make it through the services without falling apart.
The pastor stepped up to the lectern and began to speak.
