Myra here. Sorry, can’t help myself. I’m just so excited about the release this week of my first trade-length historical romance!
When the Clouds Roll By is book 1 in a three-book series from Abingdon Press titled “Till We Meet Again.” The setting is Hot Springs, Arkansas, and the story begins the day the Armistice is signed ending World War I.
Hubby and I have vacationed in Hot Springs almost every year since the ‘80s. It’s an area rich in history, and the more I learned about it, the more enthusiastic I became about using Hot Springs as the setting for a novel.
There’s the historic Arlington Hotel. This shows the hotel as it existed in 1918, when my story begins. The building burned to the ground in 1923 and was rebuilt across the street, where the hotel still stands today.
The Arlington Hotel
And the Army and Navy Hospital. Several original buildings still exist on the hospital grounds, but the current veterans hospital now occupies the area where the Swiss-chalet-style administration building once stood.
The Hot Springs Army and Navy Hospital
The bathhouses along Central Avenue remain popular tourist attractions, although only the Buckstaff continues traditional operation. Others have been modernized or are being converted into shops, galleries, or offices. The Fordyce, operated by the National Park Service, offers self-guided tours and a glimpse into the history of “taking the baths” in Hot Springs.
The Fordyce Bathhouse
I couldn’t have written these books without the invaluable assistance of the staff and volunteers of the Garland County Historical Society! They provided old photos, maps, documents, and book excerpts to ground me more fully in my setting.
Have I mentioned I’m pretty crazy about my book cover? Abingdon always does such a great job with covers. I pictured my heroine, Annemarie, as actress Anne Hathaway, but the cover model the Abingdon art department selected comes pretty close!
Anne Hathaway as Annemarie Kendall
For my hero, Army Chaplain Samuel Vickary, I envisioned Simon Baker. Just love his curly blond hair and impish smile!
Simon Baker as Samuel Vickary
And then there’s 1st Lieutenant Gilbert Ballard, the antihero. I needed somebody darkly handsome and a little on the scruffy side. Enter Eduardo Verástegui. He was too adorable to end life as a villain, so have no fear--he takes on the hero’s role in book 2, Whisper Goodbye, coming next spring!
Eduardo Verástegui as Gilbert Ballard
To celebrate the release of When the Clouds Roll By, I’m giving away TWO autographed copies! Just mention your interest in a comment to be entered in the drawing.
And . . . so we’ll have something to chat about and I won’t feel so guilty about rambling on and on about my new book . . .
When researching your wip, what are your top three go-to sources, and why?
About the book: Annemarie Kendall is overjoyed when the armistice is signed and the Great War comes to an end. Her fiancé, Lieutenant Gilbert Ballard, is coming home, and though he is wounded, she is excited to start their life together. But when he arrives, her dreams are dashed when she learns Gilbert is suffering from headaches, depression, and an addiction to pain killers. This is not the man she had planned to marry.
After serving in the trenches, Army Chaplain Samuel Vickary is barely holding onto his faith. Putting up a brave front as he ministers to the injured soldiers at the hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas, he befriends Gilbert and eventually falls for Annemarie. While Annemarie tries to sort out her confused feelings about the two men in her life, she witnesses firsthand the bitterness and hurt they both hold within. Whom will she choose? Will she have the courage to follow her heart and become the woman God intended her to be? As the world emerges from the shadow of war, Annemarie clings to her faith as she wonders if her future holds the hope, happiness, and love for which she so desperately longs.
At first glance, writing a historical romance can look like a daunting task. After all, there are at least 6,000 years to choose from, not to mention an entire globe. Then there’s research, which can be pretty scary. How in the world do you choose? Here are a few tips to simplify choosing your historical romance setting.
Choose History that Sells
You can significantly narrow your historical search just by knowing the market. For inspirational historical romance, there are only a few times and places that sell well. The easiest stories to sell are set in America between 1800 and 1900. Books set in the later 1800s in the Midwest are probably still at the top of the list, although publishers have been branching out in the last few years. Small town and rural settings are more popular than city settings. Generally, if you can put a bonnet on your heroine, that’s a good thing from a sales perspective.
Still marketable, although not quite as hot, is anywhere from 1700 until about 1930 in America. Also Regency, Edwardian, and perhaps Victorian novels set in England. Occasionally you’ll find a CBA story set somewhere like France or Russia or maybe even England in the 1500s, but that’s rare, and those settings are certainly not advisable places for new authors to start. More exotic settings than Europe are nearly impossible to sell. Biblical novels have seen a resurgence in popularity recently, although these are typically historical rather than historical romance.
Now I don’t say any of this to put you in a box. You don’t have to aim for the center of the market. But going into the situation informed will certainly help. My agent asked me to write a historical romance set anywhere in America during the 1800s. That wasn’t too hard for me to work with. Personally, I’m not a prairie girl. I don’t enjoy reading those books, so it would be silly for me to try to write one. Instead, I like elegant settings full of romance and mystique. I live in Virginia, love the old South, and enjoy Regency fashions. So that gave me a start in my search. My guess is somewhere within that general category of history that sells, you can find a setting that fits your interests.
Choose History that Fits
Once you narrow down your search, you can begin to work on your plot. As you think through the main characters and events for your story, that will help you to narrow your search even more to a spot that really works. In my case, I had the idea for a title, Love in Three-Quarter Time. I wanted the story to be about the waltz coming to America, so that helped me pin down my year. It also determined my setting of an upper-class plantation home. As I concluded that my heroine would be a former belle of the ball who had lost her fortune and now must teach dance, I realized that I’d have to move her close to the frontier because sought after dance masters were male. One of my favorite locations in Virginia is near Winchester, but as I studied the history I discovered I was probably venturing too far north for plantations at that time. And as the story continued unfolding in my head, I realized I needed the setting to be a reasonable distance from Richmond. So I settled on Charlottesville.
Choose History that Informs
Once you’ve settled on a specific year and location, you can have fun searching out that time and place for entertaining and interesting historical details. Historical romance fans love little historical facts tucked into their books. In my case I discovered lots of interesting history surrounding the “scandalous waltz,” the nearby Monticello, and the beautiful plantation homes. Because I did choose a more rural setting, I had to learn a little about planting seasons and rotations, although that was more for my own understanding. I learned about a fascinating mixed-race group of Native Americans and runaway slaves known as the “Black Indians” that lived nearby. And of course, I had tons of fun studying those beautiful Regency gowns. You don’t want to overwhelm your reader with history. However, you need to know the background so you can set the story firmly in history and really picture it in your own mind. You want to supply your reader with new and interesting information about the time without getting bogged down in the details. Remember, story always comes first. And if it is a romance, the romance should be more prevalent than the history as well.
And Consider History that Challenges
Personally, I would also encourage you to find history that challenges. The idea of historical times being “the good old days” really isn’t true. History is rife with injustice and abuse. At anytime you can find poverty, inequality, oppression, drugs, alcohol, violence, etc… I mean, even Little House on the Prairie looks at social issues of that day. Now this point needs some clarification. The cozier the book, the less challenging it should be. The shorter the book, the less you’ll have time to go deep. Romance should be lighter than straight historical. However, for a long historical romance, there is definitely time for a peek at the real issues facing people in your chosen time period. I think examining those challenging issues makes your characters seem more real, more human, and allows us to relate to them. These issues allow us to walk away from the book enriched because of the experience. Romance fans are famous for wanting an escape, but it’s my opinion that the best romance books offer emotional depth and takeaway value as well.
So those are a few ideas to get you started on your historical romance novel. I’m sure some of the other ladies here will have tips for you as well. Feel free to share your thoughts on historical romance and ask any questions as well.
More About Dina Sleiman:
Dina writes lyrical stories that dance with light. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Since finishing her Professional Writing MA in 1994, she has enjoyed many opportunities to teach literature, writing, and the arts. She was the Overall Winner in the 2009 Touched by Love contest for unpublished authors. Her debut novel, Dance of the Dandelion with Whitefire Publishing, won an honorable mention in the 2012 Selah Awards. Her latest novel, Love in Three-Quarter Time, is the launch title for the new Zondervan First imprint. Dina is a contributing author at Inkwell Inspirations, Colonial Quills, iflourishonline.com, a part-time acquistions editor for WhiteFire Publishing, and she is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Join her as she discovers the unforced rhythms of grace. For more info visit her at http://dinasleiman.com/.
More About Love in Three-Quarter-Time:
In the style of Deeanne Gist, Dina Sleiman explores the world of 1817 Virginia in her novel Love in Three-Quarter Time. When the belle of the ball falls into genteel poverty, the fiery Constance Cavendish must teach the dances she once loved in order to help her family survive. The opportunity of a lifetime might await her in the frontier town of Charlottesville, but the position will require her to instruct the sisters of the plantation owner who jilted her when she needed him most. As Robert Montgomery and Constance make discoveries about one another, will their renewed faith in God help them to face their past and the guilt that threatens to destroy them in time to waltz to a fresh start? Only $3.99. Visit http://zondervan.com/9780310334156, or to learn more about Dina visit http://dinasleiman.com.
How To Win:
Leave a comment about your favorite historical era to read about or just a comment to be entered to win an e-copy of Love in Three-Quarter Time or a paperback copy of Dance of the Dandelion.
John Alden and Priscilla Mullins were most likely the third couple to be married in the Plymouth Colony. The story goes that Miles Standish asked John to court Priscilla on his behalf and that Priscilla smiled demurely and asked John if he wanted to speak for himself. .
And he did. .
And he got the girl. .
Aw. .
The stuff of romance. .
Then there's the story of Humility Cooper. Humility came on the Mayflower in 1620, in the custody of her aunt and uncle Edward and Ann (Cooper) Tilley. She was little more than a year old at the time. When Edward and Ann died the first winter, Humility was sent back to England. There is no record that she ever married or had children. .
This intriques me. What if things had turned out differently for Humility Cooper? What if she had not gone back to England? What if she fell in love and married? .
Ah, the tales we could weave.... .
And then there's Mary Chilton. In 1620, at the age of 13, Mary came with her parents on the Mayflower. Her father was one of the first who died after the ship had anchored off Provincetown Harbor. Edward Winslow's brother John had come to Plymouth on the ship Fortune in 1621. Sometime between 1623 and 1627, John Winslow married Mary Chilton. .
I can just picture Mary and her girlfriends rushing to the shore at the news that a ship had been spotted on the horizon! Mary would have watched the passengers disembark, her gaze landing on the handsome (of course he's handsome. It's my story!) fellow seated third from the back of the rowboat. .
I imagine she and her friend Priscilla (Priscilla and John A. were not yet married) giggled and batted their lashes at the newcomers...discreetly, of course. Maybe John A. was already in love with Priscilla by this time. What if John A. saw Priscilla giggling with Mary and his heart grew heavy? .
What if became worried that Priscilla might throw him over for one of the men who had just arrived? Oh, the torture! John Alden had hired on as a cooper on the Mayflower, never intending to stay in Plymouth. But given the choice, he decided to stay.
I submit that he fell in love.
Who knows the romantic intrigue that might have transpired in the months between these two couples, and the other unmarried men and women in the Plymouth Colony?
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Could it be possible that Constance Hopkins was a contender for John Alden’s affections? Constance came with her father Stephen, step-mother Elizabeth, brother Giles, and step-sister Damaris on the Mayflower in 1620, at the age of 14. Constance's future husband, Nicholas Snow, arrived on the ship Anne in 1623.
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Constance was probably one of the young ladies who stood with Mary and Priscilla when that first ship arrived. But she had to wait until Nicholas arrived in 1623. What if she thought she'd never have a chance at the happiness her friends were experiencing? It wasn't like there was a plethora of eligible bachelors (or bachelorettes) in Plymouth Colony.
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What fun to look at our forefathers (and mothers) as something other than the staid Pilgrims who gave us Thanksgiving turkey and dressing, and squash dressing, and pumpkin pie!
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Some of them were young, and optimistic, and longing for a wonderful life in a new land.
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A new life with the right man or woman by their side.
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If you'd like to look at the list of passengers on the Mayflower and weave a tale or two of your own, click here.
Patty Hall, here, and I’d like to thank Julie and the gang for inviting me back to Seekerville. It’s always a joy to be here, though if anyone offered me a boat ride off unpubbed island, it wouldn’t hurt my feelings at all!
As some of you know, I am a writer who works as a first reader for Harlequin (you know, the one that gets to wade through those infamous slush piles?) and while I haven’t yet received THE CALL myself, I have been told by quite a few writing friends and editors alike that I have a knack for finding unique settings and historical events in which to set my stories. I blame my Granddaddy Smith for that. At an early age, he spun stories of family history and books that ignited my imagination as we rode home in the backseat of my Dad’s Comet. Thus, my love of history began.
Now before all you contemporary writers check out for the day, history can play an important aspect in giving your stories colors and texture. For example, my hometown welcomed the state fair every September with a loud, huge parade. School was dismissed an hour early so that all the moms could get a good parking place along the parade route. It was a big deal in our neck of the woods.
Take that information and think of it in terms of a story. Let’s say we have a heroine who grew up in this town but left under a cloud of heartache the day before graduation. Now a developer, she’s back and ready to tear down the town she grew up in. The hero is her best friend from high school, the boy who loved her and doesn’t understand why she suddenly left. To add to the conflict, let’s make him the mayor of this town who is determined to keep it as a historical site. How would you use the town’s parade in a scene to reveal the character’s motivations or internal conflicts? Here’s my try at it—forgive me for its imperfections:
Marley walked alongside him, a wave of reddish blonde hair falling to her shoulders as she tipped her head back. Her gaze moved over the crumbled brick and cracked mortar of what use to be Goldman’s department store. Was she remembering the last time they’d walked this sidewalk, talking about school and dreaming of the day they would return and make a life here in Marietta?
A life, he had hoped, they would build together.
“It wouldn’t take much to take this place down,” she said, her lips thinning into a straight line.
Matt’s stomach tightened. When had she become this consummated professional, bound and determined to change the homey feel of the town they had both grown up in? Had Marley forgotten all the good times they shared here? Maybe all she needed was a little reminder.
He pointed to a row of store fronts across the street. “Remember Eddie’s.”
She turned sharply, her gaze following the length of his arm to the familiar set of pane glass windows filled with various wares for the amateur magician. “Eddie’s is still up and running?”
“Don’t you think every town needs a magic shop?
Marley laughed, a rich throaty sound that warmed his heart like a summer day in July. She glanced at him, her eyes wide and full of unrestricted happiness. “Do you remember the first time you took me there?”
Matt nodded. “We skipped sixth period so we could get a good seat in front of the Strand so that we could see the fair parade.”
“And you dragged me into Eddie’s to get those fake cigarettes.”
“Hey, I didn’t hear you complain,” he answered, laughing down at her. “I seem to remember you were always up for a good joke.”
She punched him gently on his arm. “Until Mrs. Davis saw us and told my dad we were smoking the real things.”
“I thought it was that tattletale cousin of yours that ratted us out.”
“Taylor.” Marley’s face went blank, all the happiness from just moments ago replaced by the cool determination of the professional she had become. Her cell phone rang. She pulled her cell phone from her purse. “I’ve got to take this call if I want the demolition crew here Monday morning.”
Matt grimaced as he watched her walk away, clearly lost in the details of destroying their hometown. Had something happened between Marley and her cousin, something big enough to drive Marley out of his life? But what?
That’s what he intended to find out.
See how just a bit of history can layer your story and work to bring out a character’s internal conflict and set up the next scene?
So where are the best places to find those little bits of information that makes our stories shine like jewels?
Your Local Library:
Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE the Internet. Knowledge at your fingertips is awesome. But the first place I start my search for a new idea is in the children’s section of the library. While the adult selection of autobiographies and history books have a ton of information and can be a great resource later in the plotting process, children’s books are laid out more like bullet points, fast and to the point. Those short blurbs can fuel some fascinating ideals.
For example, years ago, my daughters were totally into the movie Pearl Harbor and made a point of reading everything they could get their hands on about World War II. So when I was standing at the checkout, a stack of books piled high in front of me, I flipped open a book my oldest had picked out. It was a book about women serving in the war. It had the usual suspects—nurses, reporters—but on the last two pages, I came across a piece of history I’d never heard before—women pilots. A few years later, the intrigue I felt over these great women garnered me the Genesis Award in Historical Romance for my manuscript, Flights of Freedom.
Another wonderful item most libraries offer are the stacks—newspapers from the area that date back over a hundred years in some cases. If you’re unsure of what historical event you’d like to center your plot around, the newspaper collection is the place for you. And if you’re a contemporary writer, you can get a feel for the setting by reading the town’s newspaper—it may even offer you a state fair or parade. Yes, the Internet offers this option too, but without the freedom of endless searching and usually at a hefty cost.
Audio/Video Histories:
When I was in college, I was assigned a term paper on World War II, a subject I found as dry as a Georgia July. That was until my father introduced me to my Uncle Sam. At 92, my uncle not only knew about WWI, he had lived as a doughboy in the trenches in France. One afternoon, tape recorder in hand, I listened for three enthralling hours as Uncle Sam relived the horrors of mustard gas, the delusion of a country promised peace and thrust into war, the memories of a country boy who traveled halfway around the world to fight a war.
I got an A+ on that paper, but more importantly, that tape become one of the first entries into the vast audio/video history at my college. Most universities collect these about the areas around them and make them available on the Internet for free. All you have to do is enter the subject you’re looking for into the Google search engine and let the Web do the rest.
And while we’re on the subject, don’t forget those wonderful gems of information that are our elderly family members. In a society where youth and technology are prized, it’s a crime to ignore the wealth of information these wise people have to offer. And I want to give a shout out to my grandma right here—without her stories about an antebellum house we were visiting for a wedding reception, I never would have found the main setting for one of my manuscripts.
Photo/Story Collections:
I’m a very visual person so to me, a picture truly is worth a thousand words! Which is why I love the photo collections by Arcadia Publishing. Each book offers photos along with a short description that are set in a timeline from a town’s inception to present day. Books in the collection also cover such historical events like WWII in individual cities or pastimes like baseball and road races. For visual writers having pictures in front of me helps with descriptions, promotes ideas for new scenes and acts as a photography reference. To look over their vast selection of books, go to www.arcadiapublishing.com.
Another great resource is Reminisce magazine. Not only does it have fantastic pictures, it publishes firsthand stories from people or family members who lived through various times of history. It’s also a wonderful reference for period clothes and glimpses into daily life. Contact them at www.reminisce.com.
Ancestry.com:
In her recent article in Romantic Times, Jennifer Hudson Taylor talked about the uncanny connection between her ancestors and the characters she’d created in her books. She had researched her family tree and found that one of her Scottish grandmothers several times removed was the spitting imagine of her heroine in her novel, Highland Blessings.
As a big-family person myself, I started researching my grandparents on Ancestry.com recently and found so many wonderful documents and stories, particularly about a grandfather who traveled to the New World soon after his wife died. In researching her, I found that she passed the same day as her father. My imagination went wild! Did she die in a plague or some tragic accident alongside her father? Or was she a victim of the religious persecution that was going on in England during that time?
Other sources:
1) Historical Societies—even the smallest town has a historical society and when it comes time to plot out a book, the resident historian can be a writer’s best friend. Most large cities charge $50 or more for a yearlong membership but offer rare papers and traveling collections that you may not find anywhere else. Plus, the permanent collections can spark new ideas. For example, I found out recently that Sherman’s march through Atlanta was not the biggest fire to destroy the city—the Great Fire of 1917 was.
2) The Library of Congress—you may not live in Washington, DC, but the national library and its experts are available to every citizen of this country through the Internet. Simply go to their website, www.loc.gov/index.html and type in your questions. An expert in the field will get back to you with references and articles addressing your needs. And if you’re ever in DC, stop by and get your library card that gives you access to private areas of the website.
Thank you for graciously putting up with my nerdiness and love of research today. I would love to hear some of your own secrets for research, so feel free to share. Also, as a reader for Harlequin, I have a pretty good idea what to look for in a “must read” manuscript, so if you’ll leave a note and your email address, you’ll be entered into a drawing to receive a ten-page critique from an official Harlequin reader. Good luck!
Welcome Amanda! It's always wonderful to have debut authors come for a visit. Although this isn't really a debut for you, Seekerville can still help in launching your new historical series. Glad you came to play with us today!
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening. Whatever time it is, I’m delighted that you’re here. This is turning into an exciting year for me. Not only was my debut CBA book published last month, but now I’m debuting on Seekerville. What fun! Thanks, Audra, for inviting me to join you.
Amanda, you’ve had an interesting career journey through life ranging from writing, to French major, to computer programmer, to information technology. How does someone with the soul of an artist mesh together with information technology?
We’ve all heard the phrase, “for love or money.” The information technology career was the money part. It helped pay the mortgage and the grocery bills. Writing – ah, that’s definitely the love part. I love writing, and when I’m not working on a book, I feel as if a piece of me is missing.
I almost hesitate to admit this, but as strange as it may seem, I think there are similarities between IT and writing. Both involve communicating. Admittedly, when I was a programmer, I was communicating with a machine – definitely not as much fun as with real, live human beings. But when I became a manager, the communications were more direct. That’s also when my skill at writing fiction came into play. My budgets were noted for being works of fiction, and whenever someone hadn’t met objectives for the year, I’d get a call, asking how to word the explanation so that the miss wasn’t so obvious. Never doubt the power of the pen!
How have your professional experiences influenced your writing?
One of the good/bad things about my day job was that I was a very frequent flyer. The good part was that I was able to visit a lot of different places, and some of them provided inspiration for books. For example, I was sitting in a restaurant in Phoenix, eating alone (one of the bad things about all the traveling), when the Muzak started playing “Stranger in Paradise.” “What a great title for a book,” I said to myself. (No, I haven’t gotten to the point where I talk out loud and cause strangers to stare.) That started the whole process of asking questions. “Where’s paradise?” Answer: Hawaii. “Why would someone be there and feel like a stranger?” The answers to that question turned into a book. Even though I changed the title, the story begins in Hawaii and the hero and heroine are definitely strangers there.
Another time I was in southern Italy on business, and my host gave me a tour of the city (Bari, for anyone who’s got a map at hand). One of the places we visited was an old cathedral where, he told me, injured Crusaders returning from the Holy Land were nursed back to health. I was writing a medieval romance at the time and used that snippet of information as what I term a “throw-away line.” The villain says to the hero, “I thought you died in a hospital in Italy” or something like that. Would you believe that one of my readers didn’t think there were hospitals in Italy during that era and had to do some research to learn that I was right? That experience made me obsessive about facts. The last thing I want is a reader telling me that such and such a street wasn’t cobblestoned at the time I’d written about it. That’s part of the reason why I prefer to create my own towns rather than using real ones. But I’ve digressed. Sorry!
You are one of two romance authors featured in 2009 Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market. How did you get selected?
I’d love to say that the editors begged me to be featured, but reality is that Mary Hagen, the author of the article, had read and enjoyed my books and wanted to write an article about me. She pitched the idea to the editor of NSSWM and – obviously – was successful in convincing them that I was worthy of being interviewed. I was thrilled, because one of the first pieces of advice I give to aspiring writers is to read Writer’s Market. I believe it’s an invaluable resource, and so it was a true honor to be part of it.
Writing Christian romances is a new venue for you. Having received admirable success in other romance markets, what made you consider such a major change?
I never thought of myself as a slow learner, but that was the case with writing for the Christian market. For over ten years, readers have suggested that I write for that market, but I demurred, not believing it was the right one for me. It took the death of a dear friend to convince me that it was time to write about God’s love as well as that between a man and a woman. Watching her during her final months and seeing how her faith strengthened her was the turning point for me.
Writing historical romances takes a certain amount of research. How do you create an historical world for your characters to live in?
I read and read and read some more. I’m a huge fan of libraries and suspect that I’m one of the heaviest users of ILL (Inter-Library Loan) in Cheyenne. It’s a marvelous way to get books that are out of print or aren’t readily available. I once read that the best way to start research was in the children’s section, because those books presented the essentials, and I’ve found that to be true. I’ll pick up histories from the children’s section when I’m still working on the overall timeframe, then “graduate” as it were to the adult section for the details I need.
Perhaps it’s because I’m a Sagittarian, and we’re noted for being travelers, but I always visit the areas I’m writing about, even when I plan to create a fictional town, as I did with Ladreville. For me, the on-site research is important, because it gives me a feel for the terrain, the color of the sky (yes, it varies by part of the country!) and local idiosyncrasies. I believe those details help bring a location to life for readers.
Paper Roses is the first book of your Texas Dreams trilogy from Revell. Tell us about the book and maybe a peek at the other two books to follow.
I refer to Paper Roses as my mail-order-bride-meets-Cyrano-de-Bergerac book, but I suspect no editor would have bought it if I’d described it that way in my proposals. Here’s the blurb that helped sell the book:
Socialite Sarah Dobbs never thought she’d be a mail-order bride. But, then, she never thought she’d be destitute, shunned and her young sister’s only hope for a normal life. Drawn to the Texas Hill Country by the poetic letters she calls her paper roses, Sarah believes her secrets will be safe there. But the town is deeply divided and harbors its own secrets, including the identity of the person who murdered Sarah’s fiancé. There’s no one she can trust, not Clay Canfield, and certainly not God. He’s abandoned her.
Talented physician Clay Canfield has only one desire: to find the man who murdered his brother and exact vengeance. He’ll never marry again, especially not a woman burdened with a child. As for faith, that’s not for him, any more than it is for Sarah.
But God has plans for Sarah and Clay, plans that challenge everything they hold dear.
As for the second book – if Paper Roses was my mail-order-bride book, Scattered Petals (working title) is my marriage-of-convenience book. Only, in this case, it’s a matter of inconvenience. Great inconvenience for the hero and heroine.
As part of the titling process, my publisher asked me to describe the book in two sentences. For someone who’s hard-pressed to stay within word count limits, that was a challenge, but here’s what I wrote for them.
All her life, Priscilla Morton has longed for adventure, and so she heads for Texas, never dreaming that the adventure will leave her alone, badly injured and dependent on a handsome rancher who reminds her of her worst nightmare. Zachary Webster knows he’ll never marry, for that would involve admitting the biggest mistake of his life, but how can he refuse to help Priscilla, even if she’s a reminder of his sin?
(You’ll note that those were two rather long sentences.) All three books are set in the same fictional Texas town and feature characters who are introduced in the previous book. Since one of the things that annoys me as a reader is having to read books in order, I’m careful to have each of mine – even when they’re part of a series – stand alone.
Crossings Book Club is producing a special edition hard cover copy of Paper Roses. Tell us about this wonderful news.
I was absolutely delighted when my publisher told me that Paper Roses had been selected by the prestigious Crossings Book Club and even more thrilled when I learned that they’d be issuing a hard cover edition, since I know that many readers prefer hard backed books. I do, too, but they’re often not affordable. Fortunately, Crossings has given Paper Roses an attractive price, so members who want books that can stand up to many readings can get one and still be able to afford groceries.
Would you share with us a writing technique you’ve learned along the way?
One of the most valuable things I learned when I wrote two books for a now-defunct writer-for-hire company was to create a chapter-by-chapter outline of each book. These are very brief sketches – more like notes to myself – showing which scenes will be in which chapter. I consider the outline a road map, helping me get from the beginning of the book to the ultimate destination: ‘the end.’ It’s also invaluable for pacing the book, making sure that I don’t go too long between events in a subplot and that I have cliff hangers every so often.
To give you an idea of what I mean, here’s the outline I did for the first chapter of Paper Roses. Each of the cells in the table is a scene.
Sarah and Thea arrive in San Antonio. She’s feeling abandoned again. Thea looks for Papa, renewing Sarah’s determination that her sister will have a normal life.
Delayed by a horse’s colic, Clay travels to San Antonio to meet Sarah. When Thea calls him Papa, unpleasant memories return. Clay tells Sarah of Austin’s death.
Sarah’s shocked. It can’t be true! She tells Clay she and Thea will not return to Philadelphia (they can’t). Clay says she can live at the Bar C until she marries. She’s angered and says she’ll pay for their room and board … somehow.
I highly recommend chapter-by-chapter outlines!
How can readers find you on the Internet?
I love hearing from readers. Truthfully, that’s one of the greatest pleasures a writer can have, and so I encourage readers to visit my web site: http://www.amandacabot.com/. I’ve put email links on both the first page and the “contact” one. Don’t be shy, readers. I want to hear from you.
Thanks for graciously joining us, Amanda. Amanda is also giving away a copy of her debut book, Paper Roses. If you'd like to be included in the drawing, please include your email!!
Good morning! My name is Pam Crooks, and I’m an online class junkie.
There. I said it.
It’s an addiction of mine, but before I go on with my confession, I’d like to thank Mary for inviting me to be here with you. I’ve known Mary FOREVER, and I just love that our careers have joined together, not only here but on Petticoats & Pistols as well.
Now let me tell you a bit more about myself. My eleventh book, KIDNAPPED BY THE COWBOY, just came out this week. My first four books, all westerns, were released by Dorchester Publishing for their Leisure Books line. From Book Five on, I’ve written western romances for Harlequin Historicals, and a new 3 book contract with HH will bring me releases clear into Spring, 2010, or thereabouts. Will 14 books, you’d think I’d have this writing thing down, wouldn’t you? But the truth is, I’m always looking for that secret formula, some special weapon that would take away the uncertainty, sweep away the fears, and make my stories easier to write. So easy to write, I could do it blindfolded. Ain’t gonna happen. At least, it hasn’t so far. Every book is agony. Every one scares the heck out of me. What if I fail, fail, fail? So I turn to online classes to keep learning. Fourteen books doesn’t make anyone an expert, certainly not *me*, and I have learned great things from some of these classes. I marvel at the instructors who can nail down aspects of the craft that are only a haze in my mind. Or maybe, it’s just pure instinct. I’m not sure. I manage to muddle my way through to the end of every manuscript, and maybe it’s the tidbits of information I glean from all these classes I take that get me there. Firstly, online classes are the greatest invention since sliced bread. One doesn’t need to get into a car and drive to a classroom. No need to dress up. No need to watch a clock. No books to buy, no pencil to sharpen. Every lecture drops into my Inbox to be read at my leisure. I can print them out, or I can delete them. I can participate in the discussions, or I can lurk. Cost is minimal—and in my case, a tax deduction, too! I’m a member of the Kiss of Death chapter, and their online classes are fab. It was through them I took my very first one, the reason I’m hooked. http://www.rwamysterysuspense.org/. I take several classes a year, sometimes more. In the past couple of years, I discovered Writer’s University. http://www.writeruniv.com/. I’ve met Margie Lawson, one of their very respected teachers. She’s great fun, and her courses are incredible—the lectures are more than 200 pages long. I’ve signed up to take Mary Buckham’s class next spring on Pacing, and she’s awesome, too. It was through Writer’s U in early 2007 that I discovered Gwen Schuster-Hayne’s class on Introverts and Extroverts, a course on marketing strategies based on one’s strengths. She so inspired me that I pulled together a group of western romance authors and formed a ten-author blog devoted solely to what we write. http://www.petticoatsandpistols.com/. The blog’s success has been incredibly gratifying. Our hits are steadily climbing and breaking records. Our guest list is booked months in advance; authors return again and again. More importantly, our visitors do, too. We have a great time together. I never would’ve had the courage—or even the idea—if it hadn’t been for Gwen’s class. Perhaps I would never have had a book strong enough to go to auction, either, and eventually be bought by Harlequin (THE MERCENARY’S KISS) in 2004, if I hadn’t taken Suzanne Brockmann’s highly-acclaimed class on heroes, “Tall, Dark and Believable.” (If she ever teaches it again, run, don’t walk, to sign up. It’s the best class ever, taught by one of the best.) More favorites? Tami Cowden’s Villain Archetypes. I swear by her book, Sixteen Hero/Heroine Archetypes, and the villain version didn’t disappoint. Mary Buckham’s “Twelve Stages of Intimacy” is a great resource for any romance writer. Though I write historical westerns, I’m fascinated by contemporary suspense. I’ve taken classes on how to disappear, sleuthing, plotting suspense, writing intrigue. I’ve taken classes on modern-day cowboys and hunky Delta Forces operatives. I’ve studied FBI agents, serial killers, kick-ass heroines and how to go undercover. And to top it all off—how to edit the manuscript once it was written. Whew. I’m addicted, all right. And the proof of my addiction is a whole row of fat, white notebooks, neatly labeled on my shelf, close to my computer if I should need inspiration. And believe me, I always do. What about you? Have you taken some great online classes to teach yourself how to be a better writer? If so, what are they? Did they help? Or were they a waste of time and money for you? Let us know, and you’ll be eligible for a signed copy of my latest, KIDNAPPED BY THE COWBOY!
Hi all, I’m Charlene Sands and for the past 9 years I’ve been writing Westerns for Harlequin and Desires for Silhouette.
I’ve made quite a few mistakes along the way and one of them is that I didn’t always start my story in the right place. Here’s some tips and insights from my very own “rookie” mistakes.
Writers often start their story off with explanation. Too much back-story stymies a good story. Back-story is important, but it must be woven into the plot like a fine thread – a little at a time. Think of a way to tell the least amount of information and still have the story make sense.
Bombarding the reader all at once will not progress the romance. Tell your back-story through dialogue, introspection in bits and pieces. It’s a way to hold to reader’s attention and to make them want to find out more and it allows the writer to throw in a few surprises in the end. Start your story with action or dynamic dialogue. Have something important happening at the beginning that directly relates to the main characters.
What works well is starting your story in the middle of the scene with accusations flying or buildings being blown up. The heroine finding a man on her doorstep, a virtual stranger to her, bleeding and unconscious is a better way to start off than for instance, showing the altercation that leads to him being shot, dragging himself out of danger and landing him at her feet. Don’t take all the mystery out of the story (even if it’s not a mystery) by answering all the questions.
The reader/editor could easily become bored if all the facts were laid out in front of them initially. Leave room for speculation, for doubt. Worry the reader and make them wonder the “why” of the situation. Why did he get shot? Who is he? What is his relationship to the heroine? How did he end up on her doorstep? These questions help to make the story a “PAGE TURNER”. They will snare the reader’s interest and make them want to read on. And often times, you, as the writer, don’t have to answer these questions right away and you also don’t have to answer them all at once. The writer can drop hints, foreshadow and “play” with the scenario a bit, before all truths come out.
Think about the James Bond movies. They basically all start the same way. We usually see 007 in the midst of some incredible chase scene using every stunt and vehicle imaginable. Bond in action. The beginning scene is usually the culmination of a case he’d been working on, and one we as the viewing audience know nothing about. But there’s action, catching our attention, snaring us in, captivating us with all the incredible special effects.
The next time we see Bond, he’s with “M” his boss and he’s learning what his next assignment is. How boring would it be for us, the viewer, to have the film start this way – with a discussion, or conversation with the powers that be, explaining to Bond how they expect him to risk his neck, one more time?
In romance, of course, we can’t write a beginning scene that has nothing to do with the actual story, but the idea is the same. Capture the reader’s attention, draw them in, make them want to continue reading.
Where to start the story takes a good deal of thought. Authors often obsess about it and write the beginning several different ways to see which one works best. Think it through and try to make the beginning as dynamic as possible. No one knows your story better than you.
Here’s the opening scene in my 2006 National Readers Choice Finalist, Like Lightning. I’d always wanted to start a story this way, and when I went to our National convention, I heard Desire Senior Ed, Melissa Jeglinski say she liked to read a manuscript that surprised her. Well, this was a false opening, a surprise and the perfect place to start this story: “I do.” Trey Walker uttered the words slowly, both awed and a little bit frightened. In a million lifetimes, he’d never dreamed he’d say these words. Especially not to Maddie Brooks, the auburn-haired beauty standing beside him, her wide eyes filled with gratitude. They stood under an arbor of lush traveling vines in the small garden area behind his house at 2 Hope Ranch. “I do too,” she offered, as a gentle breeze blew by, messing her hair enough to give her down-home girl appearance a sexy edge. Trey swallowed hard, intrigued by the young woman who’d be living with him for an unforeseen length of time. In truth, the petite green-eyed female scared the hell out of him with her innocent looks and wholesome demeanor. She was the exact sort of woman Trey avoided – the kind that said “KEEPER” in big bold capital letters. But damn it all, if Trey hadn’t needed her or rather if 2 Hope Ranch hadn’t needed what she had to offer, Trey would never have agreed to this. “So you agree to the terms?” She repeated softly, her voice a mere whisper on the wind. “I do, Maddie. There’s no need to sign a contract. My word is good as gold.” For the first few paragraphs we think the two are getting married. But it’s not the case. They are entering into a business agreement. And my plan, which worked out great, was to end the story, in exactly the same way, almost word for word in those first few paragraphs. And this time – they were getting married. HEA
Could I have shown the events leading up to them embarking on their business arrangement? Yes. Would it have been effective? NO. It wasn’t dramatic enough. And, I wanted to surprise the senior editor. BTW— This story sold quickly on the basis of this one chapter. I believe it had a lot to do with how this story began and how it developed from there. Do you recall reading any dynamic openings? Did they stick in your mind? What’s the best opening line you’ve ever read? Charlene is a partner on the Petticoats and Pistols blog. http://www.petticoatsandpistols.com/
Her just released Western Weddings anthology with Jillian Hart and Kate Bridges is in bookstores now.
Grace Lander returns to Springville to pick up the pieces of her life and become the town's schoolmarm. Single father Caleb Matlock's kiss may be just what Grace needs to mend her heart and make a home!
Find out more about Charlene at http://www.charlenesands.com/
Myra here. Sorry, can’t help myself. I’m just so excited about the release this week of my first trade-length historical romance!
