I am honored to once again participate in the Author Fan Letter Blog Crawl where we readers take a moment to post a fan letter to an author of our choice. Last year I struggled with my choice as there are so many wonderful authors that have entertained, and impressed me with their wonderful talent. This year I face the same struggle as I’ve added even more favorite authors to my reading list and if I could I’d spend hours sitting here writing letters to each and every one.
Yesterday, Tam over at Tam’s Reads shared her fan letter and tomorrow Happiness is Shy will be sharing a fan letter. You can see a list of all the blogs that are participating here, and I’d like to encourage you to write your own fan letter and join in the fun.
Today I’ve chosen to write a fan letter to an author that writes a series of books that I’ve come to think of as my comfort reads.
Dear Lorelei James,
Once upon a time you could not convince me that I would enjoy a western romance. Cowboys just held no appeal for me. Crazy I know. But eventually I caved to peer pressure like I always do, and I picked up a cowboy romance because the guy on the cover was hot. I quickly came to the conclusion that cowboys are in fact sexy and I needed to drop everything and make up for lost time.
So I asked Twitter, “Who writes the BEST cowboy romances on the planet?”. The response was overwhelmingly in your favor Ms. James, and if my friends are willing to risk breaking Twitter in their enthusiasm to respond to my query, how could I say no? I dove right into your Rough Riders series and I have never looked back. Ok I lie, I might have re-read a few scenes here and there…you know just to make sure I was following the story. 
What I love about your Rough Riders series is you write romances that blow me away with their intensity and your characters appeal to me on a personal level. Admittedly, I have never spent any time on a ranch and to be honest, I’m fine with never having shoveled whatever you need to shovel out of a horse pen. But when reading one of your novels, I am in that world and fully invested in the lives of your cowboys and cowgirls and their families. I am loath to put one of your books down once I’ve started, and I rarely do unless real life absolutely demands my attention.
Speaking of family, I love that your stories incorporate families that love, fight, play and most importantly depend on each other. While each book delivers a satisfying romance, they also wrap the reader in the goodness and sometimes dysfunction that come with the complicated relationships of large families. Although your cowboys and cowgirls do their share of misbehaving, they are still, at the heart of it all, members of good wholesome families.
Now it’s funny that I say that since your books also have some of the dirtiest, fun sex I’ve ever read. No, this letter would not be complete if I did not mention the crazy hot sex scenes that have literally made me blush and look around the room to see if anyone noticed. How many times have I said out loud, “Oh no he did not just do that!” or “On a saddle? Really? OMG. Where did the tube of lube come from?” There is no shortage of steamy hot cowboy lovin’ in your books and darn it, I like it.
Ms. James, you write books that I can count on to make me smile every single time. Your stories take me away for a bit of time, and I can lose myself in the crazy, sexy, romantic world of your Wyoming cowboys. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Sophia
About Sophia (FV)
Wonderful letter Sophia! I’m not caught up with all of her books but I love the dynamics of the families..and yes….hot hot smex
What a wonderful letter! I really have to read her now.
There’s a lot of fun in the saddle? What type? The last book I read by another author who had butt butt saddle fun made me cringe.
Great letter Sophia!! I love it, and concur on all points!!
@Mandi: I’m caught up but I might need to re-read a few of my favorites hehe.
@A Buckeye Girl Reads: Yes, you will be hooked!!
@KB/KT Grant: Well, if I recall, there was a scene in Long Hard Ride but it didn’t involve the h/h. However, there is a threesome in a saddle in Corralled that is…ahem…hot!! (No horse involved) lol.
@MinnChica: Oh yay! Another LJ fan!!
Threesome in a saddle? How is that possible?
Is it wide enough to hold all of them?
*boggles mind*
@KB/KT Grant: LOL!! It doesn’t actually hold more than the heroine. As I said, there is no horse involved. I’m dying here LMAO!!!
Recognizable moment, Sophia. Cowboys never could really grab my attention but when I startedmreading the RR it was insta love and didn’t look back. Of course I need to read *achem* a few more in this series
Great letter to an equelly great author!
Aw, WOW, Sophia, what a great thing to wake up to and shake me out of my writing cave first thing — thanks! I’m sobbing in my coffee like a little girl that you like the books enough to post a public fan letter. Okay, not sobbing, grinning ear to ear is more accurate
Thanks so much for making my day!
L~
PS – Less than two weeks to Chase’s book…
@Leontine: It was Pearl and her love of Lorelei James books that totally convinced me to read her books.
@Lorelei James: I’m having a fan-girl moment here. Excuse me while I act silly and squee for a minute.
Thank you for stopping by.
Where did the tube of lube come from?
Very funny! And so true!
@Jen: There is no shortage of lube in and LJ book.
whispers… moob lube.
Great letter, Sophia! I love LJ’s books, too, and can hardly wait for Chase’s story at the end of June.
@Mardee: Me too. I have my copy pre-ordered and will stare at my Kindle until my copy appears! LOL
Well put.
I also share the love for this author as well…
She does know how to write hot cowboys and sassy gals…
“Oh no he did not just do that! – I so get this comment.. LOL
Terrific letter
If anyone wants to preorder or buy Chasin’ Eight please preorder or download from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. We (her fans) are hoping to help her get on the NY Times Best Seller List with this book and they only count sales from certain booksellers. Can’t explain it, just telling like it is.
@Erotic Horizon:Thanks EH
@Terri: Thank you very much
Awesome letter!! I agree on all points!! After the first RR book I wanted to pack my bags and move to Wyoming.
I am a reluctant romance reader. I say reluctant because if you asked me, I’d probably say I don’t read romance! But actually I just don’t like the “sweet” stuff. Then along came Lorelei’s books. Wheee doggie! The sex is so steaming hot! But amazingly it always seems to be necessary to progress the plot. She’s a master plotter and by the end of the first Rough Riders book, you’re so wrapped up in the world of the McKay’s and West’s that you can’t help but want to read book after book just to catch up with this whole family who has become your new best friends. Glad to see others have become as obsessed as I am.
@Samantha: I’ll meet you there!!
@Fiona: Yes! Right after I finished my first LJ book I needed another!! NOW!!
I loved your letter Sophia… I also have a few of the Rough Riders on my Kindle and believe me you are not the only one to re-read and go he did not do that, they put that where and so forth and so on until anyone listening would want to put me in a rubber room!
Ms. L J has def got us all in the cowboy mood, for me it was easy as I am a lifelong cowboy fan as born and raised and still proudly live in Texas… Bigger better cowboys here too! *bg*
@Jackie B Central Texas: Hmmm sounds like I need to visit Texas Jackie.
You might like it here Sophia, there are lots of very nice cowboys who have the same devious minds and sexual stamina as the ones in LJ’s books! :0
@Jackie B Central Texas: Perhaps I would. I’ll have to see what the hubs thinks of that though. heheheh
I am also a LJ fan. I love her hard-workin’, hard-lovin’ cowboys. I agree with your whole letter… I think she was my first cowboy romance too
@Patti (Book Addict): I want to run out and get a cowboy…hat. Yeah a hat.
So true! I agree with every word!
Wonderful letter Sophia!
Speaking of family, I love that your stories incorporate families that love, fight, play and most importantly depend on each other.
That one sentence has me really wanting to try her books. (I have two, but I haven’t read them *ducks*) I love books that show supportive families.
I’ve read one of this series I thik but your letter reminds me I must start from book 1 and head on through the whole lot of them. I really like that LJ writes m/f, m/m, m/m/f and incorporates them all into her series.
Great letter Sophia – just as well I wasn’t drinking anything or my keyboard would have been gone for all money!
Great letter!! I totally agree on the rough riders series. I don’t read much m/f these days but that series always made my must read list.
Hi Sophia!
Lovely well crafted letter. I’ve read a couple of Ms. James stories and enjoyed them very much.
I have her entire Rough Riders series on my e-reader and a a treasured copy of one of her paperbacks inscribed. I hope to enjoy them soon! Your letter has certainly ‘spurred’ me on to do that! lol
Thanks so much for sharing – again great letter!
Best
Miss Sophia -
This fab letter you wrote made my blog today, darlin’ — check it out:
http://loreleijames.com/blog/?p=2357
Thanks again and back to the writing cave for me
L~
Sophia, awesome letter you have penned for Ms. James.
And you have written concisely why I love her RR series so very much.
Have already pre-ordered Chasin’ Eight and I know Ms. James will blow me away, yet again by her awesomely fantastic story!
@maldivianbookreviewer: I’ve pre-ordered as well. Counting down the days!!
In all the time I’ve read book blogs – and hosted authors at my own – I have never heard of the fan letter crawl. LOVE IT!
@Angela: Ahhh….books AND food? Why did I not know about this blog? omg. LOL!!!
Fantastic. I’m a huge fan of Lorelei James and am currently on book 9 of her Rough Riders series. I hope she continues writing – and I can’t wait for Chasing Eight!
I too am a huge fan! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read all of her books. She definitely has a way of making me wish I could be a part of the crazy McKay’s. I also find it amazing that she personally responds to her fans….
I think my love for LJ is summed up in “Strong, Silent Type,” a novella mid-way through the series. I’ve probably read this little gem 5 or 6 times at this point, but what LJ really captures is (a) the pain that can rack up in day-to-day relationships and (b) the beauty of characters working through it rather than just magically falling in love because of some hot sex. She really gets you into the head of her characters which makes for believable futures. And her dialogue is real – between sisters, between brothers, between husbands, between adult sons and daughters — even nosy old biddies who are about to go gossiping! You know these people because she gets human interaction so well.
I so totally agree with you on all points. I had never read a romance of any kind until I stumbled across Long, Hard Ride and I have been a HUGE Lorelei fan ever since.
Discovered the RR series at the beginning of February and had read the whole lot (all 10 ) in a week. Pre-ordered Chasin 8 the 1st day I could and am waiting impatiently for it to arrive. Love all the books and my favorite McKay, well it’s a toss up between Kade and Colt with Kane running close. I love all Lorelei books and will be heartbroken if she ever comes to the end of the series. I love the way you get to visit with the characters from previous books. Keep up the good work.
Great post! I love me some cowboy lovin!
Awesome letter Sophia.. I totally agree with you on all counts. Ever since I was introduced to her books I have become a huge Lorelei James fan. Thank you for putting my exact thoughts into words.
Beverly.. Lover of all McKay’s