Under the Dirt & Grime…by Amber Bentley

 Please blow Amber a Cowboy Kiss.  We hope once she has her contemporary cowboy romance written, she'll come back and let us know more about it.  Welcome, Amber. - Ginger

 Under the Dirt & Grime ~ Why We Love Cowboys

            As I embark to a different writing pace (contemporary cowboy romance), I've been considering a lot about this new series. And of my love for the historical cowboy.

            The cowboys of old had a protective nature. No one, absolutely no one, was getting to their wife or children (sisters and mothers, for that matter,too) unless they were dead. Ahh, the chivalry that makes us all sigh. They worked long hours trying to keep their homes (the outside), land, barns, livestock and so on. Failure, in that time, was such a high price to pay.

            Who would want to see their children go to bed with grumbling stomachs because they were hungry? When gardens didn't grow, livestock died or were stolen – there was serious impact. If there was a drought, it was tough all around.

            Even in the historical romance books, we often portray cowboys as smelling like leather, even whiskey (or something similar). Maybe the cowboy had a bit of dirt covering him and some sweat coming from his forehead. (Think stunning slow motion entrance of what is supposed to be the hottest guy ever laid eyes upon.) However, more than likely, in that time, he was head to toes in grime and some kind of livestock poop. His cowboy hat probably smelled worse than he did.

            More to think on, within a family, men would often take a bath first. Wives and children after – in the same water. It kind of makes you wonder how clean anyone really got.

            Still, even when faced with the hard truth of cowboys past, you can't help but feel some twinge. Some spark. Some desire to have known the over-protective, hard-working cowboy.

            Though today's women profess to be tough, capable of doing anything a man can. Most of all, not needing a man to provide for them or to protect them. I find myself disagreeing.

            Yes, I've been independent for ages. I've taken care of myself. I've worked hard.

            But some part of me longs for times of old. Of not having to be the strong one. Of having that protective, strong man there to take some of the burden from my own shoulders. The time when it was okay for a woman to cry.

            Historical cowboys were often thin. But don't let that make you think them weak. The hard work put a tough ruggedness on them that no gym could ever deliver.

       

     Moving forward to my new venture – writing that contemporary cowboy romance series – the modern day cowboy is portrayed as a centerfold hottie, thick with ripped muscled and an 8-pack set of abs. As though he was pulled right from the gym (which he likely was).

            I'm documenting my journey (on my blog, tagged as City to Country) into actual hands on research for this new series. I'm relocating to a “farm” town. There I've got a few friends that have friends that are willing to turn this city girl into a country one. I'll be going hands on behind the scenes at rodeos, getting a close up look at ranches, livestock and the work that goes into them. As well as the cattle auctions and so much more.

            And real modern day cowboys.

            Will I find they're just like every other man? Or will I find that chivalry isn't completely dead?

            I think, one of the main things I'll find to be true, even in this later time period – being a cowboy, especially a rodeo cowboy, is a lonely rode. Many ranchers still work sun up to sun down and come in to eat dinner exhausted. On the rodeo side, I can't imagine too many girls tying themselves to a rodeo cowboy. Months gone at a time, chasing one rodeo to another trying to be that big winner.

           

We'll see if the new cowboys can live up to my love for the historical ones.

My Blog - http://neversquatwithyourspurson2014.blogspot.com/