Created by Nancylee Myatt - this is an overview of the Cowgirl Up series and characters including fanfic writing ideas and writing tips from Ms. Myatt (the creator of Cowgirl Up)

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Howdy! And welcome to the Cowgirl Up fan fiction page. I’ve created a brief
character bible for you, with back story and possible scenarios for past and present
day. I thought it would be great to be able to write about your favorite characters
living and loving in 2011 and in the 1870’s. I know I’ve been having a fun doing
that… I’d like to say that I look forward to reading what you come up with, but as
you know I’m not legally allowed to do that. And as you also know, that hasn’t
stopped me from wanting you to give you the inside scoop to keep my characters
and their worlds alive on the page, if not the screen.
We hope that there will be many seasons of Cowgirl Up and opportunities to grow
the characters you love and create new ones to throw into bunkhouse. But until
then, happy writing and happy trails…
Nancylee
aka OK Red
COWGIRL UP
CHARACTER OVERVIEW
PAST AND PRESENT
DOUBLE D RANCH
LU BROWN -- Lu and her partner in business and life, Cricket, own and operate the
Double D Women Only Dude Ranch. Lu is the consummate hostess. Her life’s goal is
to make sure everyone is having a great time. Lu is a little earthy hippie dippie. She
is also registered nurse, and an ordained minister in the Church of the Alternative
Spirit. Which comes in very handy, as the Double D has inspired quite a few
commitment ceremonies. But there’s another side to Lu – a kind of a boozy, horny,
life-coach. She loves her desert life with Cricket and the western spirit they are
keeping alive.
LU – In 1876 Lu would have been a woman who decided she could run a business in a
man’s world. She started out as a Miss Kitty type, running a saloon and catering to
men. But then she realized there were women with money and ambition. Women who
didn’t want to lie and live as a man to pursue their true nature. She came west, used
her family money and bought a ranch near some hot springs in California. Women
came to her ranch for the healing waters and the nurturing spirit of the women of the
west. Some stayed, some came back year after year (without questions), and others
discovered opportunity and their true identity and set out to claim that life.
CRICKET EARP – Cricket is the no-nonsense Head Wrangler of the ranch. While
she’ll teach you to “cowgirl up” with a smile and a gentle hand, do not be fooled, she
is one tough cookie. Cricket and Lu have an old married couple’s relationship,
sweet, but they could use a little spice back in their lives. Cricket is done with

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running the ranch, she’d love to be living out the American Dream on a beach
somewhere… Cricket has a plan to make that happen with her evil alliance with the
Clitteraw tribe next door.
CRICKET – In 1876 would have been a woman with a famous legacy and no
opportunity. A girl raised in a family of men who were making a name for themselves.
Not until she met Lu did she realize that her legacy and skills had value for other
women in this new territory. She became a teacher, protector and advocate for
women of the west. She would have even have done a stint in the wild west shows of
the day, claiming fame and fortune.
SUNNY TRAILS – Sunny is a wrangler at the Double D, growing up right next door.
And when she was tired of living as a half-breed and half-a-citizen in her own
teepee, uh, home, she moved next door to the Double D. Her mother is Morning
Wind, her father was a one night stand at an Eagles concert. And her half-sister is
Eager Beaver. But Sunny is all cowgirl. She just wants a piece of what’s coming to
her and some room to roam. She’s actually smarter than most of the gang she’s
“throwed in with.” Which means, when things get rough, she might actually get out
of Dodge for a new start.
SUNNY – In 1876 would have had to fight to be a free woman of color. A half breed
that neither side wanted to claim. She would have had to work like the other people of
that time, Chinese, Irish, etc., for her own independence. And would have most likely
migrated west where the best hand wins. Finding other women of independence living
in the west would have been her salvation. Which means, she would have made
alliances that might not have yielded the freedom or money she had anticipated. She
might have done better not partnering with anyone.
RUSTY – Rusty Stoffer is a hot girl with skills. She works as a stunt woman on
westerns and on the off times as a wrangler at the Double D. Which is basically a
place for her to meet women who have the same interests… women, horses, guns
and party. Rusty lets most everything roll off her back. Which makes her the perfect
weekend hook-up. She’s the girl you want on your side – whether it’s a night out
that turns rowdy at a bar, a rank horse or a coiled snake. Rusty has created a great
life for herself. But if she ever really let’s someone in, it would rock her world, and
they’d be looking for their own little Ranchito and a sunset ride.
RUSTY – In 1876 would have been traveling with a wild west show or working on a
ranch in the west for an outfit who couldn’t afford a man in her position. Rusty
however, always saw the silver lining. Do I have my own money? Am I’m not
beholding to a man who sees me as property? Am I living a life that let’s me be who I
am without consequence? Yes. She’s probably figured out before most everyone that
she is a lesbian and it works.
COON-ASS KATE – Kate is the real deal. Whether it’s 2011 or 1876, she was born
and bred to be a cowgirl and a survivor. Unfortunately, she’d probably do better in

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the 1880’s – in a time where you called it like you saw it, and were respected
because of what you know vs. failing upwards. Kate’s one of those women who is so
focused on the life she is living and has no time for people who can’t rise to the
occasion. She likes men because there is no mystery. She always knows exactly
where she stands. She uses them and then moves on, just like a man. Women are
attracted to her because they feel that they would be taken care of, and that she’s
probably as raw and rough in the bunkhouse as she is on the trail. But at the end of
the day, she’s an untapped resource. It will take a special person to tap the Kate Keg.
COON-ASS KATE – In 1876 she was probably a lot like Calamity Jane. A rough-edged
woman whose best friends and loves were both men and women. But only those that
didn’t try to make her into anything she was not, or force society’s rules and norms on
her. Does she actually get to find true love and fulfillment? Probably not… But
whether the 1880’s or today she’s as pure as it gets. And you’re always going to have a
good ride with Kate.
THE NATIVES
EAGER BEAVER – Full blood Clitteraw. She and her mother, Morning Wind, are the
last of their tribe. They are desperately trying to get their own piece of the Native
American Dream – a Casino. All they need to do is get back the property they have
leased to the owners of the Double D. and they are on their way. Eager Beaver is
resolute in her goal, until she meets Jo, and feels that she has met her soul-mate.
Perhaps they have been together through many lifetimes. Eager Beaver will be in
conflict over matters of the heart and the wallet. She’ll have to work around her
overbearing Mother who just wants to get on with her golden years as a casino
owner.
EAGER BEAVER – In 1876 was the daughter of the Chief of her tribe. And in this tribe,
not unlike many others of it time, the women were held in high regard. They got to
choose the relationships they had and the terms of the union or separation. Eager
Beaver doesn’t fear the white people, in fact she has a fascination for them. And she’ll
look outside of her own tribe for love and experiences. But in 1876 that could be a
risky adventure, as the Natives were all viewed as savages or beggars. She could very
well end up on the wrong side of the gun of some narrow minded yahoo.
MORNING WIND – Full blood and now the standing Chief of her tribe. She’s a
modern Indian – a golf cart has replaced a horse, and bingo has taken the place of
weaving and jewelry making. However, she still knows the practices of the old ways
and is not opposed to using them to get what she wants. While she is not pleased
that her daughter is gay, she is more pissed about the end of the tribal line. But you
won’t find her on the PFLAG float at desert Pride. Morning Wind wants everything
that she’s entitled to and will stop at nothing to get it… and a box of wine.
MORNING WIND – In 1876 she was the right hand to her husband the Chief. When he
was killed in a raid, she spiraled. And found the devil liquor. All of the energy and

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magic she had for the good of tribe, became focused on revenge. She stopped teaching
her daughters the way of the ancestors and left Eager Beaver to find her own way.
The tribe however, continued to care for and hold Morning Wind in deep regard, and
to stay off her bad side.
THE DOUBLE D GUESTS
SILVERADO BUNKHOUSE
JO -- Jo Darby is the leader of the Silverado Bunkhouse girls – Team Blue. It was her
idea to bring her friends, Dee and Meridith to the Double D for a cowgirl fantasy
weekend. Jo’s an adventure junkie and super competitive (in work, play and
romance). She’s got a bit of a thing for cowgirls, so this is the perfect weekend for
her. Jo is a lady killer, and the women love her. However, she is going to find
herself being the hunted instead of the hunter this weekend. At the end of the day,
for a good time, Jo is the girl you want to hitch your wagon to. But she might not be
the girl you want to hitch your U-Haul to. She’s funny, sexy, self aware, and
completely open to whatever hand she is dealt.
JO – In 1876 Jolene Darby was raised a woman of means and opportunity. Her family
settled in Chicago and she was sent to school in St. Louis. That’s where she met Dee.
They became best friends, discovering that they weren’t like the rest of the girls in
their school and generation. Jo convinces Dee that they should see the wild west
before settling down (against their will) into the lives (and relationships) that their
families have planned for them. They catch a train to San Francisco and never look
back. Going from one adventure to another until they end up at the Double D and
finally find the life and meet the soul-mates they’ve been searching for.
DEE – Dee Maddox is Jo’s best friend. Jo has dragged her along on some crazy
vacations, which for a girl who is accident prone, has been a real testimony of her
affection for Jo, and a drain on her health insurance. Dee is gay, but she’s the kind of
girl that really wants a girlfriend who is more of a friend than a lover. That’s not to
say that she isn’t smokin’ hot in the bedroom, but she would like both in a
relationship. So finding a kindred spirit is her goal. And she’ll have to kiss a lot of
frogs to find her Princess. Dee could really use a woman appreciates her inner
beauty as much as her gorgeous exterior. And a cowgirl might just be that perfect
match.
DEE – In 1876 Dee-Ann Maddox was raised in St. Louis born to wealthy parents, and
went to a fancy girl’s college there where she met Jo. Jo helped Dee be brave enough to
admit she like girls and didn’t want to follow her parents plan for her future and
arranged marriage. They caught a train to the west under the guise of seeing a little
bit of the new world before returning to the life that was planned for them. While Dee
at times misses a calmer safer life, she knows that Jo is showing her the life and world
she was born to. Jo and Dee probably were lovers at first, but are now just life long
friends, seeing how much of the world they can experience in this lifetime.

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MERIDITH -- Another one of Jo’s friends. Meridith Manning is British, an attorney,
and knows exactly who she is and what she wants out of every situation. She is also
very competitive, which is where she and Jo share a connection. She is currently
single, coming out of a bad relationship with her ex-girlfriend who hired a tougher
attorney than herself to handle the terms of the separation. Meridith thought Jo and
Dee were taking her to a spa to help her forget her ex. Once she got over that bait
and switch, she gets totally into using the ranch weekend to blow some steam.
Meridith could use a good dose of “strange,” a random hook-up, a person that
doesn’t want something from her, more than the weekend in front of them. But at
the end of the day, it’s the person that surprises Meridith, the person that doesn’t
come from her background, money, education or generation that is probably going
to give Meridith pause to find the love of her life.
MERIDITH – In 1876 Meridith Manning has traveled the furthest to find her life and
love at the Double D. Born in England to parents who were teachers at a University.
The family took a ship across the pond and around the horn landing in San Francisco.
Meridith’s father became a lawyer and hung a shingle in the City by the Bay. He sent
all of his children to college and law school setting up a family practice that would
survive many generations. Meridith, while working in the firm, also knew that she
craved experiences that weren’t always in keeping with the respectable life she was
leading. She met Jo and Dee in a private club for women and the alliance and
friendship was made. The excursion to the Double D was just another in their quest for
zest adventures. But it’s the one that put Meridith on a road she would have never
imagined herself on.
TOMBSTONE BUNKHOUSE
BABE – Babe Savino Is the leader of the Tombstone Bunkhouse. She’s at the Double
D to break a record and win “Best All Around Cowgirl.” Winning and prizes and
trophies and titles and medals, makes Babe feel validated. Babe is a mounted
policeman in New Orleans. Riding and using a gun are an everyday occurrence for
her. So being a cowgirl was the perfect segue. Babe says she’s straight, and she
probably is. There’s probably a guy or two at home struggling to be on top. And the
guy who can tame this one, will be the one taking home the prize. She does not have
any real girlfriends outside of the women she has met on these cowgirl fantasy
weekends. What she’s missing in the men that she doesn’t see, is that she’s an
awesome butch who could have an amazing relationship with someone who isn’t
competing with her in work and love life . She might end up being one of those girls
who is tough on the street but doesn’t have the guts to go against the norm and find
herself fully realized in same sex relationship.
BABE – In 1876 Babe Savino was raised in New Orleans by a family who were Civil war
vets and now policemen. Women of that day, in the larger more established cities, did
not take on roles of soldiers or lawmen. So for Babe, who craved law, order and
justice, and had the skills to make it happen, heading west was a natural migration.

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She traveled to towns who had not yet carved out the justice system and where the
fastest gun was the law. She was able to work with and “under” some famous lawmen
carving out names for themselves in the west. She met Dakota on a ranch in the
Wyoming/Montana territory on a buffalo and deer hunt. Dakota was the first girl she
ever met who handled a gun with all the skill and confidence of well… herself. Babe
told her about the Double D in California and The Dakota Kid was on board to show
off her skills. Babe would have been a great scout for the Wild West shows back in the
day, if she wasn’t too busy finding talent to support her own personal gain and ego.
DAKOTA – Not sure that’s her real name. The “fantasy” element of these weekends
are the thing that feeds her. She and Babe met when they were in the same
bunkhouse at the Double D last year. After they saw what a good team they were,
they decided to come back, with a rodeo pro and ‘get er done.” Dakota is straight
and has never even experimented with a woman. It’s not for lack of opportunity,
and she appreciates the admiration and appreciation from either sex, but the right
woman hasn’t revealed herself to her. Men, she gets. She can enjoy, use or abuse
and let go. Bottom line, she’s in a place right now that’s all about “me” and men are
less complicated. She is all girl, but is tough, a natural marksman and equestrian.
She loves to leave the “Sex and the City” behind every so often to Cowgirl Up. This
weekend she’ll find herself feeling safe and comfortable to consider people and
circumstances she has been able to block before.
THE DAKOTA KID – In 1876 could have been the fastest gun in a “Young Guns” type of
gang. She had the looks, the sarcastic wit and the skills that could fill a dime novel
about the Wild West. She was never without the company of a lover, but never wanted
to be married and be absorbed into some man’s life. Dakota is a bit of a mystery,
where her family is, where her money came from, and she plays her cards close to her
vest. The Kid could be the love child of a famous Wild West icon, or a runaway who
created a new life for herself. Like Meridith, she probably enjoys the company of both
men and women, but when we meet her, she has not fully allowed herself to open up to
being bisexual. It those days, it really was don’t ask, don’t tell. Or maybe there were
just more important things to obsess over than who a person was sleeping with – like
trying to live past the ripe old age of 30, or not getting killed by plague or Indians, or
just plain hard living… But the alliances that Dakota makes at the Double D will
become her family and a soft place to fall…
ABBY – Abby Weaver is a real rodeo cowgirl from a ranch in Oklahoma. Sweet,
tough, loves animals more than people – because she actually understands them
better. Raised by great men and women living the cowboy way. Abby is not dumb,
just hasn’t been out in the world much beyond the roads she travels hauling from
rodeo to rodeo. Abby has spent more time with animals on the circuit than she has
cultivating real female friendships. Which doesn’t give her the arsenal she needs to
enter into an all girl weekend and competition. Men appreciate her skills and lust
after her smokin’ hot looks. As a result, she relates more to the wranglers than the
ranch guests. But she is forever optimistic and sees the Double D experience as an
opportunity to meet some new girlfriends. Abby does not realize that Babe only

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sees her as a hired gun, and has no interest in bonding. Abby’s sweet nature puts
her in some real jeopardy at the Double D. But it’s also that authentic nature that
draws like kinds to her. Abby has no judgment about who you love, which is the
best way to find true love.
ABBY – In 1876 Abegail Weaver would be a working cowgirl on a cattle ranch
somewhere in Indian Territory Oklahoma. She would be doing everything a man
would be doing on the ranch, as that was the norm for family run outfits. Then men
and women she would have an opportunity to meet would most likely come from the
people who worked on her ranch or the ranches near by. And maybe some other
opportunity if she went to church or to town. But mostly a very small world. Abby
probably would have never ventured too far from her family home if it hadn’t been for
Babe. She met Babe when Babe came to her ranch to watch a family run rodeo and
asked Abby is she would like to be paid to do what she does on her family ranch for
free. Abby saw this as a short term opportunity to see a little bit of the world. But she
had always planned on coming back. That is until she got to the Double D. and felt
she’d found a 2nd home. And maybe a girl to share it with…
THE JUMPING OFF POINT
I’ve given you backstory for each of the characters past and present, and their lives
before they meet each other and before they travel to the Double D. All of which I
feel are ripe areas. I think you can tell stories that sit squarely in 2011 and some in
1876. Or you can run parallel stories like we are doing in the flashbacks and visions
in our Cowgirl Up episodes.
What I’ve tried not to do is give any spoilers for the upcoming segments. So I
haven’t addressed who actually ends up together because there’s some surprises,
who wins the competition, and there’s an ending that will impact a lot of what
happens in season two. As the episodes roll out, and the amazing actors blow life
into the characters, you’ll get more information to write to. And remember, it’s a
comedy, so tone is important. Even in the past, there should be real jeopardy but a
lightheartedness and sense of humor from our cowgirls. Again, City Slickers meets
Blazing Saddles meets Bad Girls meets Young Guns meets…
The truth about writing a western, or any series for that matter, is that stories reveal
themselves in one of two ways. The stories start in town or come to town, like
Gunsmoke or The Rifleman. Then the characters in that location solve the problem
or react to the event. Or the stories go from town to town following a character, as
in Have Gun Will Travel or Kung Fu. Then we watch the character negotiate his or
her reaction to being the event or story that they carry with them. Modern TV it’s
Buffy (characters in one location battle the evil that comes to town) vs. Supernatural
(characters travel from town to town in search of the source of the evil event).
Make sense? I’m sure you writers already know this, but thought I would throw it
out there for some of the newcomers. And while we’re on the subject of TV 101, I

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like to use Rober McKee’s 5 points of storytelling when I break a story: Inciting
Incident, Progressive Complication, Crisis, Climax, Resolution. Works for comedy,
drama and all things inbetween.
The women of Cowgirl Up have journeys which can go in many directions. Here’s a
couple I’m writing to (for this project and some others I’m currently working on)
that might spur your imagination.
2011 – It really was just a weekend away. Not life changing, but one that brings this
group of women back together at the Double D on a future weekend. Or together for
other real life adventures.
2011 – We follow the women home and see just how much of the Double D and the
relationships and hook-ups they made impact their lives.
1876 – The women find like kinds at the ranch and decide not to return to their
normal lives. They stay and build their own community. Like the Gold Rush drew
people from all over the world for their chance at striking it rich, the Double D
becomes a community of women of that time who need a place to run to.
1876 – The Double D residents and the bunkhouse guests unite and leave the ranch
using their collective skills for good and evil. They travel under disguise as an All
Girl Wild West Show, while they become a notorious outlaw gang robbing banks,
stages and trains along the way.
(Cowgirl Up is owned by Tellofilms & MyHardt Productions. All characters and written material was
created by and owned by Nancylee Myatt. All treatments, scripts, outlines, character breakdowns,
etc., are WGA Registered to Nancylee Myatt)