The Struggle is Real Week 7: Refilling the Well

 

 

“Nicole, why didn’t you put your toys away when I asked you to?”

“I meant to, Grandma, but…”

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions, young lady.”

 

I had a lot of conversations like that with my Grandma growing up.  If you were raised Catholic or had an Irish grandma, you may have heard similar phrases.  The sky was always falling.  Everything was doom and gloom.  Everything led to hell and everyone, it seemed, was headed there “in a handbasket”.

Even those of us who failed to put away our toys. 

I never fully understood that phrase, but the words did leave me with the lasting image of a foggy night and a dark winding road leading up to towering iron gates where a flashing neon sign featured a character that looked suspiciously like the creature on the Underwood Potted Meat label. 

This past week those words have echoed in my brain.  Good intentions. Road to hell.  

Well I don’t think not hitting my writing goals for the fourth straight week in a row will lead to hell (Grandma, I’m sure, would disagree).  But when I realized that my own thinking was becoming clouded with doom and gloom and negativity I wondered if those things weren’t impacting my writing.  The words are there, but the most important part—the butt in chair part—was not. 

I actually had a scene come at me—as they tend to do when we least expect it—full force a week or so back that I could not wait to sit down and write.  Yet I still haven’t done it.  No reason why other than me just not taking the time.  Yes I am still as busy as ever.  Yes I am still focusing on work.  But why didn’t I do it? 

Then I remembered a phrase a dear friend used to use.  “Fill that well up again”.  She was talking about writing and trying to write when “the well has run dry.” Sometimes, she would say, we need to do non writing things --watch movies, read, take a walk--to motivate ourselves to want to write again.

 Could that be it?  All the issues I’ve had these past few weeks, could it just be that in spite of the muse being alive and well and tossing ideas at me, the writing well needs a bit of ... water?

So I have been doing a lot of reading.  Not on my phone, the old fashioned kind of reading with an actual book. Not just to inspire my muse, but to inspire me to want to write again.  Last night’s rare balmy February temperatures found me tucked into bed with the window cracked open, happily reading by the glow of a booklight like I did when I was a kid.  And today I am feeling much closer to my characters and more motivated.  

And even though Mother Nature has taken away the warm breezes and sent us reminders (by way of damp, chilly rain) that it’s still winter, I am really looking forward to reading again tonight. 

If you are still with me this far in, I appreciate your time.  And I apologize for the late blog.  I just couldn’t find a way to say—yet again—that I failed to meet my goals. 

But on the outside chance you are struggling, too, here I am to remind you that it’s not just you, and it’s not just me.  Making the time and finding the time are two different things.  And sometimes we sabotage ourselves.  And sometimes we fall short of the goals we set for ourselves time and time gain.  

The Struggle is Real Week 6: Oops, I Did it Again

 

Did you ever play Dodge Ball?  I won’t say I have fond memories of it. I was pretty good at the “dodging” aspect but throwing and actually hitting something wasn’t in my skill set.  So yep, I was one of those always chosen last.

Anyway, some weeks it feels like I am back there in Miss Teeboone’s gym class at Virgil I Grissom elementary school dodging those flying balls.  Some weeks life flings stuff your way with all the aggression of a pre-pubescent boy who is still angry you beat him in last week’s spelling bee.  

Yes, that’s where I have been.  Dodging all sorts of missiles, or so it seems.  Bills-still sorting out the issue with FILs electricity bill. Caregiving--some weeks are just "those" weeks.  Family--always something, let's just leave it at that.  Puppy training, aka exhausting myself so hyper puppy will be less hyper LOL.  And work.  Lots and lots of work.  As I have said before, some weeks ya gotta go where the money is.  So that, unfortunately, has had to be my main focus.  

I did manage to eek in a few piddly writing moments, just to touch base with my characters once or twice.  But once again I did not meet the daily goal I had set for myself, even though it was fairly small. 

Is it just me, or did 2023 come in like a tidal wave?  It just hasn’t let up even once.  And it has yet to allow me to come up for air. 

I guess if it was easy we wouldn’t call it “pushing yourself”.  But I am not giving up.  Writing has been my balm, my comfort, my therapy for far too many years for me to let life keep pushing it out of my reach.  

But, my friends, the struggle is real.  

And it continues.  

Leave me a comment either here or on FB to let me know how you did this week.

 

The Struggle is Real - Week 4: Identifying Your Procrastination Triggers

 

Have you ever started to sit down to write and found yourself distracted by half a dozen little tasks that you absolutely must do right now?  Even if you’ve been neglecting them forever?

 

The sudden need to clean off your desk, clean out your email inbox, straighten the throw pillows on the living room sofa, sort the mismatched socks. Yep I am guilty of all of those this week.

 

For some reason we allow these things to suddenly become more important than the thing we want to do the most.  Procrastination: it isn't just for breakfast anymore LOL (okay some of you will get that but I am definitely dating myself).  

I struggled again this past week. Some of it was life induced, some of it was brought on by too many ponies on the carousel going round and round.  

But a lot of it was just me ... sabotaging ...me!   

I can kind of understand putting off a task that you are dreading or that you feel will take a long time—cleaning the bathroom, changing the kitty litter—But I am not sure why we do it when presented with time to do something we love. 

What are we afraid of? Failure? Success?  Doing something for ourselves?? 

So this week I tried to take stock of and identify my triggers, those things that stop me in my tracks, including the thought that I will write “after” I do whatever that one task is that suddenly cannot wait another moment. 

If this sounds familiar, then take a moment when you are in the midst of struggling to ignore those pesky tasks and take note of what they are.  The goal is to get on top of those at a different time of day, maybe before bed at night, or after dinner--whatever time is not your ideal writing time.  Getting those triggers out of the way ahead of time will save you stress and struggle down the road.  At least that is what I plan to try for the next seven days. 

Meanwhile keep in mind that some say a cluttered desk is the sign of creative mind.  Well, let’s allow our desks to be cluttered. Let’s allow our minds to be creative.  The mess can wait, and yes when we come up for air, chances are there will be more of a mess than what was there before.  

There will always be a mess somewhere.  

But there is not always time to write. 

Seize the moment and just do it.

 

 

The Struggle is Real - Week 2: Purging Procrastination and Ditching Distractions

 

So this week I will share some of the small steps I am taking to keep myself on track and adding writing back to my daily routine. I am following along with author Kim Turner’s blog and her Time to Write series.  If you have not already seen her posts, mosey on over and check it out!

 

Right now I don’t have the hour to give that she recommends, but even I can do 15-30 minutes. 

 

This past week I refreshed myself on the story and wrote a few lines each day, just to sort of jump start the ol’ muse. I had some days where I wrote a lot, and days where I wrote somewhat less than "a lot".  But I made up the time to myself and only had one day where lifus interruptus got in the way of me finding time to work on my story.  

 

I have shut off notifications on email, IM etc and my phone during this time.

 

I’ve also gone through my email and unsubscribed to a bunch of marketing emails—I don’t know about you, but when my procrastination hits, I will dive down those rabbit holes and get lost for hours. Do I really need to browse sales in stores that I don't ever intend to shop in?  And I certainly don’t need the temptation of clearance sales!  And who needs a cluttered inbox anyway?

 

One other thing that is beneficial in more than one way is walking a puppy.  In November we adopted a 4-month-old German shepherd mix puppy.  He is a busy boy, and as a rescue, he comes with a bit of baggage and needs lots of reassurance—and lots of walks.  A tired puppy is a good puppy, after all!  And I am really enjoying those daily walks.  Because I am still training him, I don’t use my phone while I am out walking him, my focus is entirely on him and what we are doing. That somewhat mindless activity gives my muse time to come along and start … well, musing!  I find this is really helpful in sorting out plot issues and has even allowed a new character or two to come into my head.

 

And all that walking certainly isn’t hurting my health or stress level any...

 

So in a nut shell—

• avoiding distractions
•  taking care of my health and stress levels 
• scheduling time to write. 

Small steps in the progress this week, but all steps in the “write” direction!

The Other Heroes of Gettysburg

This is a re-post of a blog I originally posted in July, 2017

I’ve always loved American history, in particular the Civil War. And when it comes right down to it, I admit…I’m obsessed with Gettysburg. So obsessed that I set my 2014 release, Northern Temptress, right in the midst of it all.

But it's not just the bloody battle fought by soldiers in blue and grey that intrigues me— it's the battle fought by some incredibly brave people. The civilians of Gettysburg.

 Since we are smack dab in the middle of the anniversary of the battle (July 1-3, 1863) I'd like to introduce you to some of the heroes you may not have heard of.

Some fast facts before we meet our civilian heroes:

The town of Gettysburg consisted of 2,400 civilians. 

When the armies moved out, they left behind 22,000 wounded men. 

In all 51,000 men were reported killed or missing. 

And let’s not forget the hundreds of horses, mules and livestock killed during the battle.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t even imagine having my hometown turned upside down by a battle of that scale and then being left to deal with the results of said  battle. 

While John Burns and Jennie Wade are arguably the most famous civilians of Gettysburg, there are other unsung heroes and heroines who quietly did what needed to be done.

Elizabeth Thorn.  German immigrant who was acting as caretaker of Evergreen Cemetery, a job normally performed by her husband, Peter.  But Peter was with the 138^th Pennsylvania, and during the Battle of Gettysburg, he was stationed at Harper’s Ferry and Washington, D.C.  Elizabeth moved her family, which consisted of her elderly parents and three sons ages 7, 5 and 2 from their little gatehouse out of harm’s way and back again more than once during the three-day battle.  She also dug graves for more than 90 dead soldiers during those three days.  Elizabeth was six months pregnant during the battle of Gettysburg.

Salome Myers.  Salome “Sally” Myers was a schoolteacher and assistant to the principal in Gettysburg.  She lived at home with her family during the battle.  Her father was a justice of the peace and the Myers’ were one of the wealthier families in town.  She admitted to being squeamish at the sight of blood, yet got over this quickly and cared for many wounded men from both sides of the battle.  She risked her life many times by traveling back and forth from her home to makeshift hospitals. In the early days of the battle she cared for a badly wounded soldier by the name of Alexander Stuart, sitting with him for days until he succumbed to his injuries.  In late July of 1863 she received a thank you letter from his mother.  A year later Stuart’s mother—along with his brother Henry—traveled to Gettysburg to personally thank Miss Myers.  A romance developed between Sally and Henry and they married in 1867.

Matilda “Tillie” Pierce.  Tillie was only 15 years old at the time of the battle.  Her parents sent her to a neighbor’s farm to wait out the battle.  The farm sat behind what we now call “Little Round Top” and  Tillie became an eyewitness to some of the fiercest fighting of the Battle of Gettysburg.  Tillie provided food and water for the wounded and assisted surgeons and nurses caring for the wounded.  Twenty six years later she wrote of her experiences during those three days in July, 1863.

Virginia “Jennie” Wade.  Jenny, as most people know, was the only civilian killed during the battle. The twenty year old was baking bread to feed the Union soldiers when  she was struck by a single bullet that traveled through two doors on the third day of the battle. 

John Burns.  Much like Jennie Wade’s story, Mr. Burns’ story has been told and retold so many times it’s hard to separate fact from fiction.  Nearly 70 years old at the time of the battle, John Burns was a veteran of the War of 1812. When the rebels invaded his hometown, the elder patriot took up his trusty musket and joined the Union soldiers in battle.  He fired 18 of his 25 rounds of ammunition before he was wounded, and claimed to have killed three rebels.

Elizabeth Butler, AKA “Old Liz”.  53 year old Elizabeth Butler was a washerwoman in Gettysburg.  Her husband Samuel was a wagon maker. They owned their own home and enjoyed a comfortable standard of living compared to most African-Americans in 1863.  In the earliest days of the battle Old Liz was taken captive by the Confederate army, with plans to be returned to the south and sold into slavery.  She escaped her captors and returned home the day after the Confederate army retreated. 

Daniel Skelly.  Daniel was a teenager during the battle. While confederate troops camped in the street outside his home on Baltimore Street, Daniel and his mother hid union soldiers in their cellars and outbuildings. Later during the battle he helped his mother care for wounded soldiers.

Daniel also went on to write about his experiences. 

Catherine Garlach.  Catherine and her 12-year-old son, Will also lived on Baltimore Street. Since their house was in direct line of fire for Union sharpshooters, they hid in their basement.  Several times Confederate soldiers tried to commandeer the Garlach home –and each time they were driven back by Mrs. Garlach herself. 

Albertus McCreary.  First young Albertus was nearly killed by Confederate sharpshooters while peeking out a rooftop door of his home.  Then a short while later, while standing on the porch of his family home, wearing a Union kepi given to him by a solider, a Confederate officer tried to take him captive, assuming he was a soldier.  It was only over the protest of his father, and after questioning several neighbors as to whether or not the boy actually lived in town, that the officer let him go.

Agnes Barr.  While other townspeople hid inside their homes on July 3, avoiding the fetid smell of decaying men and animals, Mrs. Barr left her home on Baltimore Street—darting between buildings to avoid the sharpshooters—many times in order to take food and supplies to the makeshift hospitals and care for wounded soldiers. 

Source: When the Smoke Cleared at Gettysburg, George Sheldon; Days of Darkness: The Gettysburg Civilians, William G. Williams; What A Girl Saw and Heard by Tillie Pierce Allman; A Boy’s Experiences During the Battle of Gettysburg by Daniel Skelly.

Let's Get "Back in Time"

 

Normally when we hit late June/early July my thoughts turn to the town of Gettysburg.  I know, I know, mildly obsessed.  But it has been that way most of my life and after the years of research I did into the battle and what the civilians went through for my 2014 release Northern Temptress, it’s not about to stop now.

 

Most years around the anniversary of the battle, I re-post a blog I wrote a few years ago about the civilians during the battle, but I did not get a chance to do that this year.    

 

So I am back today to take a step—and a leap—back in time.  First a small step back to early July of this year, when I should have posted this. And then a leap, back to July of 1863.

 

Most of us know about the Battle of Gettysburg, if only from history class in school.  Even those who are not history buffs have at least heard the name and –hopefully--understand the significance of this battle.  Okay, maybe they just understand that it was significant.

 

But I always wondered about the people who lived and worked in the town at the time and why they were not talked about more.  (Thought it’s easier to find information on the civilians now, at the time I first began researching the townspeople of Gettysburg, information was quite limited). The military aspect is undeniably heroic—what those men did in the heat of early July is nothing short of amazing.  I could go on ad nauseum about the different battles, the courage of the enlisted men and commanders from both sides and what that battle meant to our country at that time. 

 

But that’s not what we’re here to talk about today.

 

The idea for Northern Temptress came about when I realized that after the battle, when the military pulled out, the civilians-- a town of about 2,400-- were left to handle some 22,000 wounded as well as bury the dead (in all 51,000 men were reported killed or missing) and that included hundreds of horses, mules and livestock.

 

We’ve seen enough disasters and wars in movies and on the news to give us an idea of what this must have looked like—but it’s impossible to grasp from the comfort or our spoiled 21^st century lives just what an enormous task this town faced.  The idea of the Red Cross was only just forming in the mind of Clara Barton.  There were no government agencies who would swoop in with aid and food and water, no news crews to offer live reports and no online accounts by which to donate money. And the men? Well all the young and able ones were off to war.  The ones who had served their time and come home were few and far between. 

 

There were Christian charities who came in to help and arrived within days of the battle, just as the trains started moving again. But those agencies were small potatoes compared to the scale of things we are accustomed to seeing today.

 

So this week I’d like to focus on the civilians, and the town and the battle and share some snippets from the story of my heart.  I did spend the early days of July this year watching the movie Gettysburg, as I usually do, and have been watching documentaries about the battle and the Civil War in general. And I've been reading, in some cases re-reading, events written by the civilians who lived through the battle.  

 

I am also enjoying the YouTube channel from The Adams County Historical Society, as well and enjoying the new content debuting weekly. I am happy to see that they offer information about the civilians as much as they do about the battle itself.  Right now my writing is focused on finishing up my Wylder West projects, but the muse is definitely not done with Gettysburg. As we speak there are a lot of characters waiting for the chance to pull up a chair and tell me their stories. I cannot wait to listen!

 

Christmas in July Part II: Christmas in the Wylder County Jail

 

Some stories just write themselves…

 

When starting a new story, it’s a little like taking a journey, and you never know who is going to join you for the ride.  Well it’s that way for us “pantser” writers anyway, I suspect plotters have fewer surprises along the way.

 

Sometimes there are characters who are larger than life and can easily—if not kept in check—take over your entire story. While writing The Wylder County Social Club, my heroine’s mother, Miss Adelaide (spoiler alert: she’s the town madam) was that character.  She was fun to write for, and when she was in a scene, it was hard not to let her take over.  Her character just leapt off the pages for me.  But it wasn’t Addie’s story.  It was Eliza and Coyote’s story.

 

Meanwhile my friend and fellow author, Kim Turner, who was also writing a story for The Wylder West series (Wylder Hearts), was having a similar time with her uncle’s hero, Russ Holt.  We had already decided that Addie and Russ would be having a secret/not so secret romance and the two provided a lot of comic relief in our stories.  Well ol’ Russ stole every scene he was in. 

 

The problem with secondary characters is that they are not usually hero or heroine material.  They are fun, they can be quirky or unusual--and since they don’t have to be heroic, like the main characters, they can be seriously flawed.  So it’s tricky when they strike such a chord with readers that you find yourself being asked over and over to write their story.  How do you turn an un-heroic character into a hero or heroine??

 

And who wants to read a story about an old drunk and the town madam?

A lot of readers, apparently.

 

Which led to Kim and I putting our heads together.  After all, neither one of us had ever been in a co-author situation, or even thought about writing that way. 

 

But fast forward a bit and with a lot of talking and planning, we came up with a system that worked.  And the result is one of my very favorite stories, Christmas in the Wylder County Jail.  

 

I’ll post the blurb and an excerpt below.  If you have not read this story yet about second chance romance, and love between two flawed individuals who are no longer starry eyed young’uns, I hope you will consider doing so. 

 

~*~

Adelaide Willowby is having a bad day. It’s a week before Christmas and she has just kicked out the love of her life. Her sister and her daughter are barely speaking to her, one of her best girls is getting married, and ownership of the Wylder County Social Club is in jeopardy. Now she has landed in jail—for murder.

 

Russ Holt has relied on alcohol to quiet the ghosts from his past for far too long. His latest bender has caused him to let down both Addie and his son, and he knows something has to change. When a stranger in town is found dead and Miss Adelaide is arrested for murder, Russ smells a rat.

 

Can he battle his demons, hunt down the real killer, and win back the woman he loves?

 

 ~*~

Excerpt:

The amber liquid glugged as it filled Addie's teacup. She’d likely hate herself come morning—she already hated herself for being a hypocrite. She’d harped on Russ like an old nag about his drinking. Yet the first sign of trouble and here she sat doing the same damn thing.

Should she find him and apologize? They weren’t married, after all, despite Russ proposing every other week. The cup came to her lips as if it had a mind of its own. She swallowed it all in one gulp, welcoming the mind-numbing warmth that spread through her.

No, Russ’d show up. Sooner or later, he’d show up.

Til then, she needed to talk to Clancy. Alone. Maybe she could get him to settle for less if that lawyer wasn’t there talkin’ out both sides of his mouth.

She rose, swaying a bit unsteadily on her feet. Wind rattled the windows outside, reminding her of the coming storm. For a moment she considered waking Abraham and having him accompany her. No, that wouldn’t be right, that would only wake Em and get her all worried, then she’d tell the rest of the girls, who’d wake Aoife… Besides, she didn’t want it to look like she was tryin’ to intimidate Clancy by bringing her hired man along.

Her reticule was in the bottom desk drawer, so she grabbed it. She checked inside to see her trusty derringer. Russ had given it to her years ago and taught her how to shoot. Not that she could hit the side of a barn—’less she wasn’t aiming for it.

Aww Russ.

Agony stabbed at the back of her mind at the memory, but she forced it aside. There would be time to examine her feelings later, when all this was dealt with.

She dropped the little gun into the drawer, no sense borrowing trouble.

She wrapped her favorite shawl around her, the one Sarah Taylor had embroidered when she first come to town. Another rattle at the window and she grabbed her cloak as well. Her favorite mother of pearl letter opener caught her eye and she tucked it into her cloak pocket. Just in case she needed it for protection.

After all, it was late, and decent women weren’t out alone at this hour.

Well, nobody had ever accused Adelaide Willowby of bein’ a decent woman.

 

Christmas in July - Times Two!

"If I had a great big house, I'd have a Christmas room... when things about me all went wrong, I'd find Christmas still in bloom..."  Jimmy Dean

There are two kinds of people in this world, I've decided.  Christmas folks... and grinches! LOL.  I could live Christmas all year long, and if I had that great big house that Jimmy Dean sang about on my mother's favorite Christmas album (and a favorite of mine, as well--Jimmy Dean's Christmas Card), I'd have one of those rooms, too.  

But I don't.  So I have to settle for writing Christmas stories in the summer (which I am not doing this year--kind of sad) and reading Christmas stories.  Or watching Hallmark's Christmas in July movies.  Guilty pleasure LOL.  Or all of the above! 

Last year at this time I was happily at work on not just one but two Christmas stories!  First there was Chocolate Chip Christmas Wishes, part of The Wild Rose Press' Christmas Cookies series.  If you haven't met half elf/half human bad boy Jake, you are missing out on some fun!

I was also working with friend and fellow Wylder author Kim Turner on Christmas in the Wylder County Jail.  That story was so much fun!  After the first Wylder stories were released in December of 2020, readers were asking for more of Miss Addie, the town madam, and Russ Holt, a wealthy rancher from town with a fondness for the bottle. 

So two vastly different stories, one contemporary fantasy, and one western historical. I'll be back later this week to talk about each one of those stories!!

Jimmy Dean's Christmas Card can be enjoyed here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eReW43ji1gk&list=PL-D-0v1EFhNLO18XJTWtH9WO-lJG9q-SI

Monday Morning Musing: Wild Texas Wind

 

Publication date: June 18, 2010

Amazon link

Audible

 

For the next few weeks, as I countdown to the release date for Chocolate Chip Christmas Wishes and Christmas in the Wylder County Jail (co-written with Kim Turner) I will be revisiting some of my older stories. 

~*~

All Raz Colt wants is land, a quiet peaceable existence and to put his life as a hired gun in the past.  When the chance to earn a sizable fortune by rescuing a kidnapped heiress comes his way, he seizes the opportunity.  Trouble is, the heiress doesn't want to be rescued.  Offsetting Arden O'Hara's beauty is a rattlesnake personality and shrewish temper.  Despite her claim that she faked the kidnapping so her fianc? would ride to her rescue, Raz knows someone is out to kill her.  And if anyone gets the pleasure of wringing her lovely neck, it's going to be him.

Arden O'Hara is desperate to go home.  Her fianc? was supposed to ride to her rescue, proving it's her'and not her father's money? he loves.  Instead an arrogant stranger, with weapons strapped gun-fighter low and a decided lack of sympathy for her situation, shows up spouting a ridiculous tale about someone trying to kill her.  It's infuriating when Raz Colt's claims prove true after not one but several attempts are made on her life.  She has no idea who this fast gun with the deadly aim is, or why he makes her feel as wild and untamed as the Texas wind.  But like it or not, if anyone is capable of getting her home alive, it's Raz Colt.

This week I am talking about my first published historical story, Wild Texas Wind. I know we are not supposed to play favorites among our stories, but this one holds a very special place in my heart.  Not just because it was my first historical, but because it was so much fun to write.  

 

What is it about a bad ass, take no crap, bad boy hero that we all love?  Give him a fast gun and a whole lot of attitude and I’m there.

 

Wild Texas Wind was not supposed to be written first.  It was actually the sequel to another story I was writing.  My hero was half Indian; a small-town sheriff accused of murdering a white woman.  The heroine was the wife of a man he’d just killed in a shootout. Talk about conflict!

 

His sidekick was a bounty hunter with a jaded outlook, loads of sarcasm, and a pair of very fast guns. His name was Raz Colt.  The story quickly became Raz’s story, I looked for reasons to include him. 

I had a terrible crush on him.

 

In truth, I loved him. Maybe even more than I loved my hero.

 

And then he took over.

 

The idea for his story came at me in waves that I couldn’t ignore. 

 

Wild Texas Wind opens with Raz soaking in a hot bath before preparing to sample the delights in a whole house, and savoring a job well done.  He is reflecting that he has just helped clear a friend’s name of a murder charge and taken the real killer to justice.  That references the original story—I still intended to write it, but Raz’s story was coming at me so strong I had to switch gears and write it now.

 

While at the whorehouse, he learns a young girl has been kidnapped and her father, a wealthy rancher, is offering a sizable reward for her safe return.

 

Money, as it turns out, is the way to Raz’s heart. 

 

Arden O’Hara is the kidnapped heiress.  Only she’s not a young girl.  She’s a grown woman.  Oh, and she hasn’t been kidnapped either, she set that up to test her fiancé’s affections.  Does he love her, or her daddy’s money? 

 

Arden is spoiled, obnoxious and distractingly beautiful.  She also has the foulest mouth Raz has ever encountered, worse than his own.  So when he comes to her rescue, she has no intention of going anywhere with the likes of him, it’s her fiancé Geoffrey she is waiting on to rescue her.

 

But Raz has a bit of shocking news for Arden.  Geoffrey thinks she is dead.  And, surprise, the fake kidnapping she set up didn’t happen, she has actually been taken for real. And since her daddy didn’t give in to the ransom demands of the kidnappers, there is a man on his way there to kill her.

 

Arden does what any heroine would do in her place.  She laughs in his face.  And clocks him over the head with his own gun. 

 

Putting these two on the page together was a bit like match-meets-gasoline.  They loathed one another.  They were too much alike, both used to having their own way.  But they were also very attracted to one another, even if they didn’t want to be.  But if Raz gave in to his attraction to her, he wouldn’t get the money for rescuing her.  And if Arden gave in to her attraction for him, she couldn’t marry Geoffrey.

 

And at every possible turn someone was trying to kill them.  Pretty soon she realized if there was anyone capable of getting her home alive, it was Raz Colt. Of all people.

 

I am not sure if the prequel to their story will ever be finished.  It’s hard to go back and rewrite an old story, and two sequels (Wild Texas Bride and Wild Texas Outlaw) have already come from that story, both of which I hope to complete in 2022.

The story was made even better in 2018 with an audible release narrated by the amazingly talented Dawson McBride.  He "got" the character of Raz and only Dawson, with that deep drawl of his, could have done the story justice.  I highly recommend this version! 

 

But at this point it had been a while since I’d written a shorter length story and I knew those were popular with readers.  So what to write next?

 

 

Friday Friends: Kim Turner with Wylder Hearts

Available December 2, 2020!

 Caleb Holt is the man to see for a good horse. Abuse an animal and he'll teach the lesson that goes with it. When he lands on top of a woman in the midst of a brawl and snags a passionate kiss, he sparks a fire he never expected. But it doesn't take the cowboy long to learn a lesson of his own… sometimes love comes with a price. 

Seamstress Laurel Adams is embarrassed by Caleb's stolen kiss. Though she is determined to raise her son alone, she wonders at the ease of falling for the handsome horseman. But when the husband who abandoned her returns, there is only one choice to make—the one that breaks her heart into tiny pieces.

                                                                         ~*~
  

The businessman bolted forward and swung a fist that made contact with his chin, leaving him off balance and staggering backward. Trying to avoid the crowd that had collected, he bobbled and went down, expecting to hit the ground. But the impact never came. Instead he landed softly to a shrill feminine scream, and the greenest eyes he’d ever beheld.

Time simply froze, the world around him a haze as he found himself mesmerized by the beauty of the woman beneath him. It had been a damn long time since he was in such a position as this.

Unable to move with the crowd about them, he apologized, allowing a slight smile to curl his lips, though he knew he should get back to the fight. He reached to tip his hat and realized he’d lost it. The feel of her bosom pressed between them stirred up a thing or two. “Beggin’ your pardon, ma’am.”

“I’m quite all right.” She pushed to rise, but the crowd surrounding them was thick.

“Actually, I was apologizing for this.” Caleb bent to kiss her, slow and searing, her lips plump and tender, holding him there a moment longer than needed. He held her surprised green-eyed gaze a moment more and then he was back to the fight.

Wylder Hearts will be released on December 2, 2020.  Pre-order here. For more information on Kim's other books visit her website or blog 

Kim Turner writes western historical romance, and discovered her passion of writing at the age of eight by writing poems, short stories and journals. Kim graduated from Clayton State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and holds a Master’s Degree in Adult Education from Central Michigan University. Working as a registered nurse Educator/Quality Analyst for over twenty-seven years, she enjoys studying the medical treatments of the old west as well as keeping up with the latest western movies and television. While she loves reading anything from highlanders to pirates, she claims to have an unquenchable thirst for the American Cowboy when choosing her reads. Kim lives south of Atlanta with her husband and calls her greatest accomplishment the birth of one daughter and the adoption of another from China-neither of which came easy. Kim is a member of Romance Writers of American and Georgia Romance Writers and calls her critique group from Southside Scribes the best thing that ever happened to her writing, that and a pretty wonderful group of beta readers. Kim’s debut novel SAWYER’S ROSE was a 2014 Maggie Finalist and a 2015 Golden Heart Finalist!

Kim’s Motto: It’s All About A Cowboy and the Woman He Loves.

Friday Friends: Laura Strickland

Sometimes you just can't help but smile at the way life works...last summer I posted a note on a FB group and the nicest lady responded.  We chatted back and forth and began to find all sorts of little things in common.  As it turns out, we only live about an hour apart.  Talk about chance meetings!  I had the great pleasure of meeting her at an area TWRP author's luncheon in August and had a great time chatting with her. We bonded over our love for our dogs, and our love for writing historical romance and within minutes of meeting I felt like I'd known her for years. 

In case I haven't mentioned it, she's an amazing writer!  Please meet my friend and the first Friday Friend for November...Laura Strickland!

Welcome, Laura! Tell us a bit about yourself and why you write the genre you do.

I write Historical Romance because I’ve always liked the idea of time traveling via the power of my mind.  For years I’ve been a student of Celtic history and fascinated with the lore and legends of the British Isles.  Reading is a great way to visit the past.  But as a child, I soon discovered even the best books end too soon.  (I can still remember weeping over the end of Marian Cockrell’s Shadow Castle.  When my mom asked me why, I wailed, “It was so good!”)

I remember the day when it hit me: if I made up the story, I could continue it as long as I wanted and create the same kinds of worlds I enjoyed inhabiting through the stories I loved.  As an adult, I’ve enjoyed creating my own worlds and then going back to visit them time after time.  The books of my “Celtic” series, which includes The God’s Song, The Shadow Ground, The Waking Dream and The War Raven, are all set in what I thought were fictitious places in Scotland and Ireland.  But when I visited Scotland, I actually located two of those places, so there must be some mystical connection.

Have you ever thought about it?  Most people have an affinity for a particular place or time in history.  For some of us it’s the American West, for some the exotic Far East, for some Victorian England or our own Civil War period.  Many of us love the Scottish Highlands, populated by fierce, Scots warriors.  Fortunately for us, we can time travel to all those places, no matter where, through the joy of reading.

I know what you mean!  I feel the same way about Gettysburg.  How long have you been writing?

I wrote my first “book” in third grade.  It was hand-printed in pencil with a construction paper cover and had the unoriginal title of The Haunted House.  Do I really have to confess how long it’s been since third grade?  Let’s just say a long time!  I wrote my way through High School, scrawling story after story in loose leaf binders that would get passed around among my friends.  In fact when, as a freshman, I met my best friend (she’s still my best friend) I introduced myself by saying, “I write books about Scotland”.  Earlier this year when I presented her with a signed copy of my first Historical novel for The Wild Rose Press, Devil Black, I wrote inside the cover, “I write books about Scotland”. 

That is a darling story and how wonderful to have a friend we can go that far back with!  Where do you get your ideas?

Oh, there’s never any shortage of ideas.  My favorite author, Sir Terry Pratchett, has mentioned in his books he believes inspiration comes like invisible arrows out of the sky, striking people indiscriminately.  If they hit just right, or if the person is paying proper attention, s/he will get an idea and become inspired.  That’s how it feels for me, with writing.  The ideas just come from nowhere and strike me in the brain.  I’ve joked to my editor at The Wild Rose Press that my plans for books to come are all flying around inside my head in holding patterns, like planes stacked up at the airport, waiting to land.  Often I’m not sure which one is going to come in first. 

Frequently I get my ideas while I’m busy doing something else: cleaning the house, folding laundry, doing the dishes or grocery shopping.  I’ve had whole plots for books unroll in my head while I’m in a store and I have to scrabble wildly and scratch it all down on a scrap of paper or a receipt so I don’t forget anything. 

Describe your typical writing day.

Well, first let me say there’s never enough time.  I work outside the home and also juggle the same demands as most of us: family obligations and that never-ending housework!  Oh, and my dog, Shannon, always makes sure to stake her claim on a large chunk of my time (thank goodness for her, because she gets me out walking).  Most of my writing is done early in the morning or if I can snatch some precious time on weekends.

My husband and I heat our home with wood, so in the winter I’m the first one up.  I kindle the fire and then settle down with Shannon for the best part of my day, those moments when the world is quiet and I can devote myself to whatever story’s in progress.  I’m usually up when it’s still dark outside, so in the summer, when the windows are open, I hear the first birds begin to sing. 

I always listen to music while I work – Pandora if I’m editing and the stereo if I’m writing.  I still use a spiral notebook and a pen and type it all up later, doing the first edit as I go.  An entire day with nothing to do but write would be sheer bliss!

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

Wow, that’s an interesting question.  It’s hard for me to imagine not being a writer, at least part time.  Back in school, when we took aptitude tests, they told me I should be an interpreter – still working with words.  I’ve always been fascinated with word origins, so perhaps I should have been an etymologist (words again).  (Nic-butting in.  Another one of those weird coincidences between us, Laura!  I'm obsessed with word origins!) The truth is I have the perfect job now.  I work for a Library System where catalogue books and also assemble loans to send out.  I get to see all the new books as they come in and read the very best new fiction.  Since, as a child, I was always known in my family as the girl who kept a paperback book in her pocket, it’s a natural progression for me to do this job.  And I love everything about books – even the smell of them!

Tell me your best cure for writer’s block?

I’m very fortunate because I don’t suffer from writer’s block often.  The only time I struggle to write is when I’m very tired or so depleted I have too little energy.  Something many people don’t understand is that writing requires huge amounts of energy – it’s the fuel my mind and creativity burn. 

On the few occasions when I’m stuck for an idea, or between books, I love to employ the “what if?” strategy.  What if my dog started talking and turned out to be Albert Einstein reincarnated?  What if I found Viking treasure in a shoe box?  What if I inherited the ashes of an ancestor and he magically came back to life?  This never fails to trigger great ideas for me.  In fact the first book of my Celtic series, The Sacred Fire, came about when I answered the question, “What would happen if an elite Celtic warrior, the best of his clan, was injured in battle and could fight no more?”

Tell us a little bit about Daughter of Sherwood: The Guardians of Sherwood Trilogy Book One.  I loved this story --it definitely pulled me out of my usual reading comfort zone and introduced me to new worlds.  I couldn't put it down and can't wait for the next in the series!

Daughter of Sherwood, released by The Wild Rose Press on November 1st, is Book One of The Guardians of Sherwood Trilogy.  When I first conceived of setting a Historical Romance in the time of Robin Hood, I told myself I must be crazy.  It’s been done so often both on the large and small screen, and ever since the days of that great writer, Howard Pyle, Robin’s been a literary institution.  But the idea wouldn’t go away so I decided I would create my own Sherwood and make it a place of deep magic, an entity that would help in the Saxons’ fight against Norman tyranny.  And I’d populate it with a whole new set of characters, the descendants of those we know from the old stories.  Robin and Marian’s daughter, Wren, became my heroine, and a member of the magical triad that includes two young men: Martin, son of Will Scarlet and Sparrow, son of Little John.  Though she must bond with both of them to become a guardian of Sherwood, she must also choose which of them to love as a woman loves a man.

Here’s the blurb:

Raised in the kitchens of Nottingham Castle, Wren has no idea she is the daughter of the legendary Robin Hood until she is summoned to Sherwood Forest.  Since Robin’s death many years before, the resistance against Norman tyranny has been upheld by a magical triad, but now one of the guardians has died.  With two young men, Sparrow and Martin, Wren must form a new triad with a bond strong enough to defend Sherwood’s magic.  To one of them, she will also give her heart.

From the moment Wren bursts into his life, Sparrow loves her.  But he knows she may choose his lifelong rival, Martin, as her mate.  Martin wants Wren also, but Sparrow fears Martin is driven not by love but ambition.  When Martin is captured and held at Nottingham Castle, will the conflict between love and duty destroy the triad?

Anything else in the works you can share with us?

Well, here’s the exciting thing.  When I wrote Daughter of Sherwood, I never dreamed it would be the first book of a trilogy.  Not until my editor sent me the contract for it did a light go on in my head.  The significance of the number three is so strong in this story: Wren was born three days after Robin’s death, her mother cared for her three days before giving in to her grief and retiring to a convent, and since then three have upheld the magic of Sherwood.  It suddenly seemed obvious there should be three books and the story should form a circle that ultimately brings the tale back to the point where it began.

My editor agreed and so I began work on the second book of the trilogy, which is called Champion of Sherwood.  That book is now under contract and we’re hoping for a release date in the spring.  I’m currently at work on the third book, Lord of Sherwood, in the final stages of the editing process.

Each book can definitely be read and enjoyed on its own – after all, that’s what Daughter of Sherwood was meant to be when I wrote it.  The other two books tell complete stories also but I think there’s a little extra magic when they’re all put together. 

It’s been great fun working on this trilogy and my one hope is that readers find joy in the books.  I’m very grateful to be associated with a wonderful publishing house like The Wild Rose Press, where creativity is given free rein.  Do I have ideas for more books after the Trilogy?  All I can say is the planes are circling the airport!

LOL I love that analogy!  Laura, thanks for visiting with us today!

Born and raised in Western New York, Laura Strickland has pursued lifelong interests in lore, legend, magic and music, all reflected in her writing. Though her imagination frequently takes her to far off places, she is usually happiest at home not far from Lake Ontario with her husband and her "fur" child, a rescue dog. Currently she is at work on the third book of the Guardians of Sherwood series.