Lost and Lassoed

Lyla Sage became interested in the Western genre when she was still in elementary school and saw a collection of vintage rodeo posters in the library. Previously a graphic designer, Sage has always been intrigued by ranch romance art, particularly ranch romance pulp magazines from the 1930s-1970s. Ranch pulp romances are a subgenre of pulp fiction that blends Western-themed settings and narratives with elements of romance made popular in the early-to-mid 20th century, peaking during the Great Depression. These stories were typically published in pulp magazines—inexpensive periodicals printed on low-quality “pulp” paper—and aimed at a mass audience. Ranch pulp romances are set in the American West, often on sprawling ranches, in rugged frontier towns, or in untamed wilderness, and revolve around romantic relationships between a cowboy, rancher, or drifter and a strong-willed heroine. The most famous title in this genre is Ranch Romances, first published in 1924 and in print until the late 1950s. Ranch pulp romances significantly shaped the Western romance genre, which continues to thrive in novels, films, and television (“Ranch Romances: The Last Original Pulps.” The Pulp Magazines Project).

Inspired by the work of Lorelei James, Kim Lorraine, and Beverly Jenkins, contemporary romance authors who brought the ranch romance genre into the modern era with unapologetic explorations of sexuality and strong heroines, Sage builds on their legacy and creates stories that feel like a natural progression of the genre. The idea for Rebel Blue Ranch came when Sage began her annual rewatch of the popular television show Friday Night Lights, and the character of Tim Riggins inspired Luke Brooks’s character in Done and Dusted. Intimately familiar with ranch life, having spent much of her younger life living on ranches in Wyoming and Utah, Sage built out the landscape of the series set in Wyoming, basing her descriptions of the landscape on her firsthand experience in the region. She continues to include personal details like naming a horse after a real-life horse in each book. For example, Huey and Maverick in Lost and Lassoed each have a real-life counterpart.

When Sage began dreaming of covers for her novels, she wanted them to evoke both adult romance and a throwback nod to the “clinch” covers of the golden age of romance sans the cringy, stereotypical Fabio poses. The images from pulpy romance magazines and the vintage rodeo posters stuck with her, and she knew that she wanted Rebel Blue’s cover art to be distinct from other popular, contemporary romance cover art. Sage found pop artist Austin Drake of Bottle Cap Creative, whose style was precisely what she was searching for, and contracted her to do the art for the first book. Soon, Drake and Sage became good friends and a package deal, as Sage wanted Drake’s art featured on all her covers. Drake’s iconic cover art has become a defining feature of Sage’s novels, blending vintage aesthetics with modern sensibilities to evoke the timeless appeal of classic ranch romance novels. The bold covers meld mid-century pulpy romance with a contemporary flair that encapsulates the tone and themes of the series. Balancing realism, stylized drama, and Western iconography, the covers offer a visual promise of the captivating story within (Jayswal, Palak. “A Utah Romance Author’s First Book Became a National Bestseller. Here’s How She Beat the Pressure of Success for the Second.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Mar. 2024).