Holding Out for a Hero...or is it a Cowboy?

Holding Out for a Hero...or is it a Cowboy?

By MK McClintock

If you’re anything like me, what immediately would pop into your mind is a popular little movie called Footloose (Kevin Bacon-style), and yes I realize that this movie has absolutely nothing to do with cowboys…or could it? Are we certain Bonnie Tyler wasn’t channeling an old western movie when she wrote Holding Out for a Hero?

Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need

I Need A Hero...

Okay, so perhaps this just describes my personal cowboy fantasy. A tall, daring, swoon-worthy cowboy dressed in black with wavy hair, a smile to kill and eyes so deep a woman could drown in their depths. Can you picture him, sitting there atop his tall steed, gun ready and willing to battle any outlaw foolish enough to cross him…or you.

Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There’s someone reaching back for me

Ooh, just those few words conjure naughty images and since we’re dreaming, who doesn’t want their cowboy to be just a little naughty. Of course we want this daring and dashing cowboy to sweep into our dreams and bring those fantasies to life, but we also want him to be gallant and chivalrous, daring to fight the good fight, rescue us when we need it and stand by us when we’re strong enough to go at it alone.

We all want our hero and when it comes to cowboys, especially those in books, we can handle some flaws and we can handle some disappointments, but in the end we want our cowboys strong, willing and able.

Up Where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I would swear that there’s someone somewhere
Watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach
Like a fire in my blood

When I write a cowboy, I want a man who stirs me, infuriates me and excites me. He doesn’t have to be the perfect man, but he certainly has to be the perfect cowboy. Perhaps Bonnie Tyler hadn’t intended for someone to dissect her song and compare it to cowboy heroes, but in my book those are the best kind. 

When writing the cowboys of my Montana Gallagher series, I opted for the swoon-worth, the charming, and the daring to fight to save type, but they don't always do it right the first time. They'll fight to the death to save someone they love and they'll charm their way into the hearts of women (okay, perhaps not all women). When I read a cowboy or write a cowboy, I want a hero - plain and simple. 

What do you want in a hero? Someone who can rescue the damsel, ignite your inner fire or save the day...or perhaps all of the above?

Brenna Cameron travels from Scotland after losing someone she loves in search of family she didn't know existed. Alone now in the world, Brenna makes an arduous journey, following the trail of discovery to Briarwood, Montana. Here she meets Ethan Gallagher, and the rest of the Gallagher clan. Only with their help is she able to discover lost family, heal old wounds and embark on a treacherous confrontation with a man who destroyed her family. 

As head of the Gallagher clan, Ethan has more than enough to occupy his thoughts and time-he didn't need the complication of Brenna Cameron and he certainly didn't need the trouble that came with her. Ethan takes on the unwanted duty of self-appointed protector to the headstrong Scot, only to discover there is such a thing as second chances and more to life than revenge.

Giveaway: Drawing for free Kindle copy of Gallagher's Pride. Winner will be chosen on April 6th!

McClintock was born on the west coast, but after less than eight years she left with her family to the Rocky Mountains. After more adventures around the country, business college and culinary school, McClintock found a place to call home in Montana.

Over the years McClintock traveled the country and visited magnificent Scotland. She dreams of a time when life was simpler, the land rougher and the journey more rewarding. With her heart deeply rooted in the past and her mind always on adventure, McClintock still calls Montana home.

http://www.mkmcclintock.com or http://mkmcclintock.blogspot.com

Credits: 

Holding Out for a Hero - lyrics by Bonnie Tyler

Cowboy image - purchased from Dreamstime