Spotlight On...Dawn Luedecke

I hope you'll help me welcome Dawn Luedecke to the keyboard today. Welcome, Dawn, please share a little about yourself, your genres, any other pen names you use.

My name is Dawn Luedecke. I am the mother of two and wife of a Coast Guard Company Commander (drill instructor). He is the perfect hero…an alpha male and my soul mate! I was born country and grew up in the wilds of Nevada, Idaho, and Montana -- where I lived until I joined the United States Coast Guard in 2001. Since then I have traveled to many places and had many adventures. I live near the ocean, but love to visit my family in Montana.

A few years ago, my husband convinced me to write my first book. I decided to stick to what I love, so I write historical/western romance and paranormal romance. My historical and westerns tend to represent a part of who I am -- forever torn between the ocean and the mountains. My paranormals (not yet published) are a representation of the literary artist inside me. As of now, I do not have a pen name. All my books are published under my real name.

Tell us a little about your latest or upcoming release.

I am very excited to announce my first full length western, To Tame a Montana Heart, will be released in the spring/summer of 2012 in both ebook and print through ‘The Wild Rose Press’. This is the first book in my Montana Girl series, which centers on a family of carefree and unconventional women, living life on the outskirts of society in the Wild West.

Which character is your favorite and why?

I love all of the women in my Montana Girl series because I fashioned them after my sisters. In To Tame a Montana Heart, I paid homage to my youngest sister, who is extremely accident prone, but completely sweet and charismatic. She is the perfect heroine in her own love story.


The women in my western are all independent, strong willed, and ready to take on the world. They are what women in the Wild West needed to be in order to survive.

Who would you cast to play your hero and heroine in a movie?

I think that Isla Fisher would play my heroine, Dusty, beautifully. She has such a passion for her work and you can see it in the way she throws herself into her roles. I love to watch Isla’s various movie characters and I believe she could bring something to my heroine that not all actress could. Her characters are usually cute and charismatic, and that’s the way I see Dusty in my mind.

For my hero, Travis, I would love to see Ghost Riders Matt Long. Matt is very sexy and has that hero air about him. Travis is elegant yet rugged and I believe that Matt could portray him flawlessly. What woman wouldn’t go gaga over Matt in a western?

Will there be any sequels or other books in the same series?

Absolutely! There will be five more books to follow in the Montana Girl series.

What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on the sequel titled Big Sky Brazen. The story takes off from the middle of Dusty’s story, where DeEttes’ horses are stolen. I am very pleased with the way this book is going and cannot wait to get it completed. DeEtte was such a fun and spunky character to write. She is five foot tall and fearless! A natural born leader of men…or so she thinks.


What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

Well, here are a few things: In High School, I was involved in the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA), but now I am learning to surf. I crave adventure and love romance. I served as a Gunners Mate in the Coast Guard. I am a fierce patriot and proud of my service, but I am especially proud of my husband and his service!

Where can we find you on the web?

I can be found in many places: my website (www.dawnluedecke.com), twitter (d_luedecke), Amazon author page, Facebook (www.facebook.com/dawnluedecke), and Goodreads. I try to be available to my readers and willing to chat and talk. I love to hear from anyone who wishes to leave a message!

Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?

I always like to hear what genre people like to read, and if they tend to like the hero or heroine better.