It’s
happened more than once. I tell someone that I’m breaking into historicals, and
how I excited I am to be
I’ll
let you in on a little secret: At the beginning, we had a similar question. How
the heck are we going to do this thing?
One
approach we discussed was that we each write all the scenes in a specific
character’s point of view. But it was clunky and impractical, so we discarded
that idea. In the end, we decided to alternate chapters. We start out by
brainstorming the idea and working up a synopsis with the general idea of where
the story will go. Then Lisa starts us out with chapter one, because she’s a
historical genius and she grounds us in the right time and place. Her first
chapter really sets the tone for the rest of the book. When she’s done, she
sends it to me. I read over her chapter, make notes, and then write chapter
two. Then I send it to her, she reads over my notes on her chapter, makes notes
on my chapter, then writes chapter three. And so on and so forth until one of
us gets to write THE END on the last page.
 |
| Lisa Karon Richardson |
Of
course, there are pros and cons with anything, and co-authoring is no
exception. One difficult thing is letting go of preconceived notions. When you
write the way we do, there’s tons of room for deviation over a 300 page book.
When one of us finishes a chapter, she generally has an idea of where the story
will go next. But sometimes, when the manuscript comes back, it's somewhere else
entirely--like a different county, not even the next town over! It's wonderful
for the reader and the book overall in terms of keeping the story from being
too predictable, but it can be jarring during the writing process. It takes a
bit of thought to pick up the story thread from there and keep moving forward.
On
the pro side, it great to be able to brainstorm together and throw ideas
around. Where one of us is weak, the other is strong, and vice versa. But one
the best things about co-writing is that it demands accountability. When you
write with another author, you know that she’s depending on you to do your part
in a timely fashion.
If
anyone out there is pondering a writing partnership, remember that
communication is crucial! Because Lisa and I were best friends before we became
co-authors, the most important thing to us was that we could work together and
not kill our friendship. We’d already been critiquing each other’s work, so we
knew we could give and receive constructive criticism without a problem. But
when you co-write a book, there are times when you each see things a different
way. At those times, you have to be able to discuss how it best serves the
story without digging in your heels and taking it personally.
So…
how is that co-authoring thing working out for us? Fantastic! Thank you for
asking. We’ve completed the first two books in the Charm and Deceit series. Diamond in the Rough is available now.
Book 2, Vanishing Act is scheduled to release September 2013, and we’re
thrilled with the way the story turned out. A Pinkerton Agent and a fake medium
join forces to find President Lincoln's kidnapped son. There's adventure and
romance and skullduggery galore! Next on our plate is the yet-to-be-titled Book
3, which takes us to New York City where an up-and-coming opera singer and a
doctor of the mind join forces to solve a murder case that’s been cold for
several years.
* * *
Diamond in the Rough (Charm & Deceit, book 1)
Grant
Diamond is a professional gambler on the run from his past. When he comes
across a wagon wreck, the chance to escape his pursuers is too good a gamble to
pass up, and he assumes the identity of the dead wagon driver. His plan takes
an unexpected turn when local heiress Lily Rose mistakes him for the missionary
she had asked to come work with the Wiyot Indians. Seeing Eureka as a promising
place to lay low, Grant plays along. Before he knows it, he's bluffing his way
through sermons and building an Indian school. But with a Pinkerton on his
trail and a rancher rousing fresh hatred against the Indians, Grant fears the
new life he's built may soon crumple like a house of cards.
* * *
About the Authors
Veteran
authors Jennifer AlLee and Lisa Karon Richardson have combined their
considerable skills to create the action-packed historical romance series, Charm & Deceit, for Whitaker House.
JENNIFER
ALLEE believes the most important thing a woman can do is discover her identity
in God – a theme that carries throughout her stories. Her novels include THE
PASTOR’S WIFE (Abingdon Press, 2/10), THE MOTHER ROAD (AP, 4/12), A WILD GOOSE
CHASE CHRISTMAS (AP, 12/12), and the upcoming PARTING GIFTS (AP, 9/14) and
VINNIE’S DINER (AP, 4/15). Her novella, Comfort and Joy, is part of Barbour’s
MISTLETOE MEMORIES anthology (9/12). Finally, she’s thrilled to be the
co-author of a three book historical romance series with the talented Lisa
Karon Richardson. DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH is the first book of the Charm &
Deceit series (Whitaker House, 5/13). To find out more, visit www.jenniferallee.com.
Influenced
by books like The Secret Garden and The Little Princess, LISA KARON
RICHARDSON’S early stories were heavy on boarding schools and creepy houses.
Now, even though she’s (mostly) grown-up she still loves a healthy dash of
adventure in any story she creates, even her real-life story. She’s been a
missionary to the Seychelles and Gabon and now that she and her husband are
back in America, they are tackling a brand new adventure, starting a daughter-work
church in a new city. Her published works include “Impressed by Love,” in the
Colonial Courtships anthology. The Magistrate’s Folly was published by
Heartsong Presents in February of 2013. Diamond in the Rough, (May, 2013) was
co-authored with Jennifer AlLee, and is the first in the Charm and Deceit,
series from Whitaker House. Finally she has another novella coming out
September, 2013 from Barbour entitled “Midnight Clear,” part of the Mistletoe
Memories collection. To learn more, visit www.lisakaronrichardson.com.
