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.