Hey, Cowgirl, Need a Ride? A Novel

Two years after he won the average at the Las Vegas National Rodeo Finals by riding Kamikaze, the world's most unridable bull, Lick is down on his luck, working on a ranch in the remote Nevada desert with Al Bean, an ornery old cowboy. Then into their lives crashes Teddie Arizonaaka T.A.a woman of mystery who crawls out of the wreckage of her plane with a $500,000 secret. When T.A.'s "husband," F. Rank Pantaker, dispatches his henchmen to retrieve the moneyand the girlLick and Al find themselves trying to outrun the bad guys and protect a damsel in distress. Is T.A. out to cheat her cheatin' husband, or is she really just trying to stop an illegal scheme cooked up by F. Rank and the infamous Ponce de Crayon, Vegas's most glamorous tiger tamer? Is she playing Lickor is it love? Will Al Bean's cockeyed schemes, an able assist from Cody, Lick's cowboy sidekick, a brigade of old-time rodeo reunioneers, and a few miles of duct tape be enough to stop F. Rank's nefarious plan, reform a career party girl, and change the hearts and minds of ten of the world's most thrill-seeking billionaires? Can Cody keep Lick from climbing onto raging bull Kamikaze's back one more time? Can true love triumph over shoot-outs at the not-so-okay corral and close encounters with white tigers? Hey, this is Baxter Blackwhat do you think? Written with Baxter's rip-roaring humor and inventive language, this caper gallops to a thunderously satisfying conclusion. Fans who enjoyed Hey, Cowboy, Wanna Get Lucky? will relish their reunion with Lick and Cody, while new readers will delight in this unforgettable cast of characters. Also available as a Random House AudioBook

Baxter Black is a frequent NPR commentator whose syndicated column, “On the Edge of Common Sense,” appears in more than a hundred newspapers. He’s the author of Hey, Cowboy, Wanna Get Lucky?, Cactus Tracks & Cowboy Philosophy, Horseshoes, Cowsocks & Duckfeet, and numerous volumes of poetry. He won’t let himself be described as America’s best-loved cowboy poet (though we sure think he is) but will agree to be referred to as the tallest, scrawniest, most left-handed one. He lives in Arizona among the catclaw and Gila monsters.


From the Hardcover edition.