Tell me that's not the cutest face you've ever seen? Ok, so I guess you have to really be a Texas fan and a lover of long-horn steers to see the beauty in "Easy Money". This is one of the herd that resides on the Silver Spur Dude Ranch in Bandera, Texas. I had the wonderful chance to visit last week and spend an amazing three days riding horses, eating way too much and relaxing. The ranch is about an hour from San Antonio and ten miles from Bandera which is known as The Cowboy Capital of the World. There was no cell service, no cable TV and it was awesome. My husband and son and I had a blast.

It wasn't a long vacation but it was definitely a nice break out of the routine of life. Not to mention for this author who writes cowboy romances it was most inspiring. Talking with real cowboys and cowgirls, hanging out in Texas, listening to country music and breathing fresh ranch air all worked together to give me the true Texas experience which can only enhance my writing. In fact, I think for my own good I need to go back every year just to make sure I don't lose the spark in my writing.

I know not everyone can go to where your inspiration wants to take you, but I do hope just once you get the chance to go to where your heart dreams from. Texas is that to me and I can't put into words how great it feels. John Denver sang "coming home to a place I'd never been before". That's how I used to feel about Texas. Now after my fourth trip it feels like a second home. I"ll always be a NY gal, but there's a part of my heart that I leave behind every time I fly away from the Lone Star state.

As a romance writer it only seems fitting that I share with all of you my own hero. This is my husband Scott with me on our trip to the ranch. We celebrated 24 years of marriage on May 4. Most couples at this point say things like "he's my best friend" or "we're still crazy about each other", all I can say is that marriage isn't always hard and it isn't always easy. It isn't always good and it isn't always bad. Hmm sort of sounds like the vows we took doesn't it?

Scott and I have definitely endured our share of good times and bad, richer and poorer and even sickness and health. Now as we face another challenge, the decline in health of my elderly father, we find that once again we're there for each other. I think, after all, that's the biggest key to marriage - always being there for each other no matter what. I'm grateful every day of these 24 years that I have a guy who I know is by my side even when sometimes he'd rather be almost anywhere else.

Now I need to get back to the job of writing. Charli Boyd is not going to get her hero if I don't finish her story.