Setting can and often is an integral part
of a story, but there can be different types of settings. When I started
writing Sugarwater Ranch, I needed to find the perfect place for my characters
to live. I’ve spent the better part of my adult life training barrel horses and
competing at rodeos, most of it in the Northwest. My cowboy and I have traveled
all over Idaho, Oregon and Washington, so it’s a region I’m familiar with, and
the perfect place for my character’s hometown.
One reason I picked central Oregon was because
of its unique landscape. Sagebrush and juniper covered mountains, lava flows and
ranches with lush hay fields and pastures surround the small towns in the area.
Although, Dalhart, Oregon is fictional, the rest of the towns are real.
The first story I ever wrote was about a
barrel racer. The heroine’s brother had a bit part. He was a party animal and
caused her no small amount of trouble. Sean intrigued me and made me laugh. I
wanted to see what his story was, and if there was any way he could redeem
himself. He’s tough, parties a little too much (okay, a lot too much) and
thinks he was put on this Earth to ride bulls. He’s got his life all figured
out until he meets Catherine.
The book is set in Oregon, but SugarwaterRanch is also set in the world of rodeo, which is as
unique to the story as any
town. Most sports have rules and referees to control the game. In rodeo, nobody
gives the animal a rule book. They are an unknown quantity and may buck
differently each time the gate is opened.
Traveling to as many as five rodeos in a
week is both exhilarating and exhausting. You learn to sleep in the truck,
drive all night and take care of your animals before yourself. Rodeo people are
also a different breed. They compete against each other at every rodeo, yet
wouldn’t hesitate to drive for hours to help one another out.
Cowboys and cowgirls come in different
sizes and personalities, but they all have courage and perseverance in common,
along with the desire to win. Whether it’s riding bulls and bucking horses or
roping or dogging steers, each cowboy loves what he’s doing and gives it his
all. And if you think cowgirls have it easy, try racing a horse at top speed
and riding it through three turns, sometimes on slick or treacherous ground.
When Sean is introduced at the beginning of
Sugarwater Ranch, he’d rather climb on the back of a one ton bull who’s only
goal in life is to get rid of the cowboy on his back. Man against beast. He’s
found the thing he loves most in life then he meets Catherine, who won’t settle
for second best. This cowboy’s got some decisions to make.
Whether it’s a sheik’s palace, a remote
town in Oregon, a billionaire’s penthouse, or a rodeo arena, the setting is the
backbone of a story!
For more on Stephanie, check out her website HERE
Order Sugarwater Ranch from AMAZON or Barnes & Noble
You can follow her on Twitter @stephanieberget
Thanks, Jill, for the opportunity to post on your blog.
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