Disciplined & Determined ~ That’s Jodi Thomas

Hello, y’all ~ I want to brag about my friend, Jodi. This New York Times and USA Today bestselling author has the #1 show on Netflix! Adapted from her book of same name, RANSOM CANYON is now streaming.

A room full of family and friends gathered at Amarillo College to watch Episode One of Jodi Thomas’ RANSOM CANYON series. As I sat there, I thought back to the time she once asked me, “Can I come to your ranch?”

When Jodi worked as the Writer in Resident at WTAMU in Canyon, my office was only a few blocks away, so we kept weekly lunch dates open to talk writing. She has been such an inspiration and encouraging force in my life. Jodi Thomas is the most disciplined and dedicated writer to the craft that I have ever known. Among the many things she has taught me, she has always been a big believer of “walking the land” of your story setting.

One day at lunch, she asked me about our cattle ranch. We own the Sanford Ranch, located north of Amarillo, where we raise Black and Red Angus Cattle. Could she talk to my husband, could she meet the cowboys, and can she stay in the bunkhouse?

That’s my friend, Jodi. She jumps in with both feet to the fire and follows that story spark with a quiet and determined resolve. She works hard for her readers.

The Sanford Ranch

During the week of our spring branding, Jodi stood in the corral with the horses, she drove the four-wheeler around ranch headquarters escorted by the Foreman’s ranch dog Happy, joined us in the jam-packed corral and watched them rope and brand, sat down with the cowboys to eat chicken fried steak in the ranch cookhouse, and quizzed everyone who would talk to her. She also spent many weekends in the bunkhouse alone, writing and thinking up another small town in Texas.

Don’t Talk It. Write It.

Jodi had a story percolating in that brain and I could hardly wait to read her next novel. She already had a main character in mind. A wealthy rancher who had suffered a great loss, but that’s all I knew. She never reveals much about the Work In Progress while she is in the creative zone. Jodi has always cautioned me:

“Don’t talk about it too much. Write it. Talking can take away the magic.”

That book inspired by our ranch, I’m excited to say, was Ransom Canyon in which Staten Kirkland walked on to page one leaving readers breathless. They could not have found a better lead man for the Netflix series. Josh Duhamel sitting on a horse in that opening scene–yes, they had cast the perfect Staten and we are hooked. Minka Kelly delivers perfection in her portrayal of Quinn. And then there is Lauren, Cap and Yancy, too — what a cast. For us die hard Jodi Thomas fans, we are thrilled.

April Blair is credited as the creator for the Netflix audience and as executive producer, alongside Dan Angel. The characters are spot on Jodi Thomas, yet as some of you have noted, the storyline has been altered a bit from the books. But now we have both a series to binge on Netflix and books to read. I must confess, I’ve started reading book one again while also watching the series on Netflix. What a treat!

The Real Ransom Canyon

Crossroads is the name of the fictional town. Ransom Canyon is actually a real place, located near Lubbock, Texas and is part of Yellow House Canyon which lies on the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado. The name Ransom Canyon is derived from the older designation, cañon de Rescate, “Canyon of Ransom”; a known gathering spot where northern and central Mexico traders, known as Comancheros, and Texas settlers could negotiate with the Comanches for the release of hostages. The location was once a part of the 165 section Johnston Ranch, an area long steeped in cowboy work and cattle ranching legacies.

One of the things that I have always admired about Jodi’s creative process is how she digs deep into history to weave fictional towns and characters with complicated pasts.

Dreaming and Doing

This week a dream came true for Jodi Thomas as local friends and family gathered to watch her characters on the big screen. After years of dedication, hard work, a commitment to the craft, hours spent at the keyboard, and an ability to create such memorable novels, Netflix finally came calling. Not only a #1 hit as a new streaming romance series on Netflix, but #1 world wide.

Thank you, Jodi, for your creative soul, for striving to create flawed characters with sincere hearts, for loving your readers, and for your friendship.

For Writers: Walk the Land

For writers: Listen as Jodi Thomas explains her process of walking the land in this YouTube Video.

Natalie Cline Bright is the author of books for kids and adults, a freelance writer, speaker, and writing instructor for Window on a Wider World. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Western Writers of America, and is a member of Women Writing the West, Texas High Plains Writers, Caprock Writers & Illustrators, and the American Chuck Wagon Association.