Ruth Ann Nordin's Blog, page 103

Thinking of Making Mitch’s Win a Nebraska Book, Her Counterfeit Husband is Halfway Done, and I Will Try to Have Bound by Honor Bound by Love Out By Late Summer/Early Fall

For the past week, I’ve been wondering if Mitch’s Win is even worth finishing.  Why?  Because if I don’t write a book that is related to the Nebraska world, chances are, it won’t gather enough interest from people to make it worth the time and effort to write it.  That’s why I’m trying to figure out what books people prefer and write more of those.   Most people are interested in the Larson books and the Regency I just wrote.  The sad reality is that I can’t just write whatever I want to write.  My time is limited.  I push myself hard to write six or more books a year, and when I say “push”, I mean that I stick to a pretty rigid schedule and lose sleep to make it happen.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love what I’m doing, but it is hard work.  Since I can only write 6-8 full-length novels a year (and since no one cares for my short stories or novellas because they’re too short), I have to decide which ideas get written and which don’t.  This isn’t easy.  I probably have 50 ideas in my mind (some of which are in the thriller, sci-fi/conspiracy theme like Return of the Aliens, nonfiction, fantasy realm).  So it’s not all romance novels up in my head.  But I will never get to write the books that most people want (and I judge this by sales because it’s my report card as a writer).  My job as a writer to write books that most people want to read, so when I look at the sales report, I’m looking at what books people are voting for.  Little sales = no interest; many sales = interest.  And I can’t control what most people are interested in or not.

So the focus will have to be on writing more Nebraska books (and since I have plans to write at least 30 more Nebraska books in that collection and since new ideas come to me all the time, even if I did 3-4 Nebraska books a year, I’ll probably never write them all).  I also came to realize a lot of people want to read my Regencies, more than I thought there’d be.  So that tells me I need to write more Regencies.  Regencies will have to be another area I focus on.

That is why Mitch’s Win will have to be tweaked on and placed into the Nebraska Collection.  I also want it the subplot with the brother to stick, so I am going to change Mitch’s name so he’s one of Isaac’s friends.  I can’t remember the names off the top of my head (sadly), but one of them will work.  Then Mitch’s brother (Boaz) can end up with one of Mary and Dave’s girls, which had been my plan all along anyway.  And the idea for Patty’s Gamble can be transferred to maybe Neil and Sarah’s daughter, Elizabeth (which I think will be named Lizzie for a nickname.)  Hey, all of Neil’s daughters were pretty strong-willed when it came to getting their men, and Neil’s sneaky enough to go along with his daughter’s plan in order to make her happy.  Neil might have been reformed, but there’s a sly streak in him where he’s be part of a scheme.  Dave Larson, by the way, would not be so devious so it has to be Neil’s daughter.  ;)  The new title of this book will be “Lizzie’s Gamble”.

I’m already halfway through Her Counterfeit Husband, which I’m glad I’m writing because that story has been in my head for two years and it’s one of my favorite storylines.  It would just haven’t worked as a historical western.  The hero’s title is much too important.  That story was originally set in a fantasy world where the kingdom was in threat of being taken over by another kingdom in the midst of a battle.  In Her Counterfeit Husband, I modified things so that it’s the heroine’s brother-in-law who threatened to take over by becoming the next duke when her husband died.  So it’s not the exact same story I had before, but the core elements are the same, if that makes sense.

 

As for Bound by Honor, Bound by Love, that will finish up the Native American Romances, and I am steadily working on it.  I’m not really sure where it’s heading.  I mean, I have the final scene in my mind, but the stuff that happens until then is like navigating in the fog.  This doesn’t usually happen to me when I write a book.  Usually, the course is clear, and I know what I’m going to write next.  With this one, it’s like wandering through uncharted territory with no guide.  But it is coming.  I saw that I put all over the place that it’s due out this summer.   I will try to make it toward the end of summer/early fall but no promises.  I’d rather be late on a story and make it good than be on time and have the story suck.

While I focus on writing Her Counterfeit Husband and Bound by Honor, Bound by Love, I am putting Mitch’s Win on hold.  At this point, I’m not going to write another book.  But when I finish Her Counterfeit Husband, I want to start on Lord Edon’s book because I’ve been wanting to do the rake who really isn’t a rake idea for a while now.

Mary Larson is at the Witness Stand

Rick: Joel, is there anyone else you want to bring up to the witness stand?

Joel: No, your honor.

Rick: Tom, who is  your first witness?

Tom: I want to call Mary Larson to the stand.

Mary: *goes up to the stand and sits down*

Tom: It goes without saying that this whole ordeal has been hard on you and the children, especially since you’re in the family way.

Mary: It’s no secret I didn’t like the fact that a tree nymph wanted to join Dave’s union.  There’s only one reason a nymph would do such a thing, and unlike my naive husband, I know what that reason is.

Tom: I don’t think anyone here will argue that it’s your right to defend yourself and your children against a woman of loose morals.

Mary: She’s not as innocent as she claims.  I don’t think she even knows how to read.  She probably saw Dave’s picture and wanted to use him for her…  *shifts uncomfortably in the chair* Well, being a woman in the 1800s, I won’t say the exact words.

Tom: I think we all know what you’re thinking, and I, for one, agree.  Kyala was up to no good.

Joel: Objection, your honor!

Tom: On what grounds?

Rick: I can speak for myself, Tom. *looks at Joel* On what grounds?

Joel: We can’t say for sure what Kyala’s motives were.

Rick: Objection denied.  It doesn’t matter what Kyala’s motives were.  What matters is why Mary did what she did.  Continue, Tom.

Tom: Really?

Rick: Well, you are the one questioning Mary right now.

Tom: No, I mean, you’re actually telling Joel his objection doesn’t stand and that I have a good point?

Rick: *sighs* Can we please get on with the case?  I’d like to be done with this before July 1.  At the rate it’s going, we’ll be here until Christmas.

Tom: Besides the threat you felt Kyala posed, you also worried about something else, didn’t you?

Mary: Yes.  I worried that Dave’s persistence was going to bother Ruth until she dropped the Nebraska series.  As Sally said, I didn’t think Dave was helping the situation.  While his fierce determination to stick with something he believes in is one thing I love most about him, in this case, it worked against him.

Tom: So what you did was meant to help Ruth, not hurt her.

Mary: Yes, but I also wanted to help Dave.  Ruth plans to write another book about us and then about our children.  Dave has as much to lose as the rest of us do.

Tom: That’s all I have to say, your honor.  *sits down*

Rick: Joel, do you have anything you wish to say?

Joel: *stands up and approaches Mary* Yes, I do.  Mary, do you honestly think Dave would ever cheat on you?

Mary: No, of course not.  He’s as loyal as a man can be.

Joel: So why were you so threatened by Kyala that you demanded Dave follow your sinister plan to kidnap him?  You gave him no room for argument as you used your womanly wiles on him.

Mary: *gasp* I don’t look anything like that!

Tom: Objection, your honor!  Not only is that picture grossly modern, but it taints Mary’s gentle nature.

Rick: Objection sustained.

Joel: On what grounds?  I’ve just established that Mary doesn’t believe Dave would have run off to a tree with Kyala.  It makes her testimony questionable.

Rick: First of all, “womanly wiles” suggests that she was using her sex appeal on Dave, not going psycho on him.  Second, I can’t allow a picture that modern in this courtroom.  A laptop and cell phone, okay.  But the rollers, sunglasses, modern kitchen….  It’s too much.  And third, that is the ugliest shade of green I’ve ever seen.  Remove the picture at once.

Joel: *groans but obeys*  Fine, but let it stand that Mary didn’t believe Kyala was the threat she just claimed.

Mary: Kyala was a threat.  Even if the man is faithful, it’s still unpleasant for the wife to sit idly by and watch a young, beautiful woman sporting off her hourglass figure in front of him.  No wife wants that.

Joel: So why didn’t you kidnap her or ship her off to some Greek island somewhere?

Mary: Because given the nature of her personality, I figured if I put up a resistance, then she’d want Dave even more.  Women set on sleeping with married men find the challenge much more appealing if the wives fight them.  By simply removing Dave from the spotlight, I figure an airhead like Kyala would get bored and move on.  And she did.  She was flirting with Joseph Connealy and Owen Russell.  She’ll sleep with anyone.

Joel: Let’s say your theory was correct and that you had to kidnap Dave to get rid of her.  How did you talk Dave into it?

Mary: *blushes* I’d rather not say.

Joel: Then the picture of the rolling pin, tacky sunglasses, appalling apron, and modern kitchen stands.  I’m putting it back up.

Rick: Don’t you dare.  No one wants to go blind looking at it a second time.  Joel, I think it’s safe to say that Mary used her womanly wiles to convince Dave to fake his own kidnapping.  Hence why her face is as bright as a tomato.

Joel: Even so, I think it should be noted that Dave wasn’t smart enough to come up with the scheme himself.  Mary is still part of the blame for causing Ruth much anguish while she searched all over Dave and Mary’s property to clear her good name.  No more questions, your honor.  *looks at Dave and mutters* It’s so sad when the wife has to do her husband’s thinking for him.

Updates

Well, it’s summer, and I’ve been taking the kids to the zoo and to a water park a lot.  We’ve seen a couple of IMAX movies, which I admit is pretty cool, but I need to remember to sit toward the back of the theatre.  I don’t know if anyone’s been to the Omaha zoo, but it’s amazing.  They put you right in the environment where the animals are found.  For example, they have the Desert Dome.  Above, there is the sand and creatures common to the desert, including plant life you’ll find there.  The temperature and smell are comparable to an actual desert.  Beneath this is the Kingdom of the Nights where its dark.  In one division is the cave with bats and the sulfur smell and the stalagmites, and it’s cool.  Then in another division is the swamp where it’s dark and humid where you start out in a “person’s” shack and head out on the boardwalk with beavers, fish, an alligator and more than I probably am not seeing.  The zoo also has a jungle you walk through, an aquarium where fish (including sharks) swim over your head, and a butterfly exhibit.  In the butterfly exhibit, a hummingbird flew by my ear, and that’s the last time I went in there.  LOL  But the Kingdom of the Nights is by far my favorite part.  So we’ve been doing the kind of stuff that families usually do during the summer, and since we bought season passes this year to that and the water park, we are going a lot.

Okay.  So that’s what’s been keeping me away from the computer.  But I have been making some progress and have a few ideas in the works for future books to share.  So let me get to it.  :D

Works in Progress Update

1.  Her Counterfeit Husband

This one is coming along great so far.  I reached 24,000 words tonight.  I want to post up an excerpt when I finish with the court hearing.   At any rate, if the story keeps writing itself like it has been, I should have it published in August.

2.  Bound by Honor, Bound by Love

Still slow going.  I don’t think this book will be out this summer.  It’s just not coming as fast as my books usually do.  I will be doing good if I can get this one out by December 31, 2012.  However, I am very happy with the way the book is going and am right on track, so it’s not all bad news.

3.  Mitch’s Win

I think this will be out in September.  It stalled for a while but has now picked up again.

Will Be Writing More Regencies in the Future

I’ve been surprised by how many people have been reading The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife, and while writing it, I had several ideas for a couple of characters who popped up in that book.  Please keep in mind, this is a tentative list.  Things might change.

I wanted to write about these characters:

Perry (Lord Clement who was Nate’s best friend) who had the limp.  I really enjoyed this character.  From Her Counterfeit Husband, I am working on a character by the name of Candace who ended up marrying the dreadful Lord Hedwrett due to an arrangement between him and her miserable brother.  The heroine in Her Counterfeit Husband (Anna) is friends with Candace.  So that’s how I’m tying Candace into a future marriage with Perry.  At some point, Lord Hedwrett will have to die, but I doubt anyone is going to miss him.  While writing The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife, I knew that Perry was going to marry a widow whose first husband wasn’t nice.  How did I know this?  I’m not sure how to explain it, but as I write a book, I “just know” what the character’s future is going to be and who they’ll end up with.  The story usually evolves from there.

Lily – Claire’s sister who we all know chose the right gentleman (won’t say it if you haven’t read the book but the rest of you know who I’m talking about).  But what I didn’t get to disclose in that book is that she had to manipulate things to get him because he’d given up on her and was looking for another possible wife.

Lord Edon – The gentleman who was known by Nate and Perry as a notorious rake will be in A Most Unsuitable Husband, and I already have it planned where he’s going to be marry Lady Catherine (and if you remember, she’s the one who bored Nate to tears and had the father who was extremely interested that she marry a gentleman of a good reputation; so for him, her getting stuck in a situation where she has to marry Lord Edon will be nothing short of a catastrophe).  But to be fair, Lord Edon isn’t happy with the arrangement either, and neither is Lady Catherine.  So no one is happy…except Lord Edon’s mother who can finally breathe a sigh of relief her son will have a good wife.  I expect this will be a fun book given the cast of characters.  And I already know Lady Catherine isn’t as boring as she first appears.  *wink*   I want to do this one after I finish Her Counterfeit Husband.

Mister Robinson – I do intend to write a book for Perry’s misbehaving ward.  The plot is to be determined.

***

So, I wrote one book (The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife) and came up with four more on the “To Write” list.

***

That’s it for the updates.  If all goes well tomorrow and I have the time, I will have Mary Larson interrogated (ahem…I mean “interviewed”) for her part in Dave’s kidnapping.  ;)

Sally Larson (Aka Sally Johnson) Gives Her Side of Things in the Case of Ruth Ann Nordin VS Dave and Mary Larson

Rick Johnson: Who’s next to the stand?

Joel Larson: The court calls Sally Larson to the stand.

*everyone looks back to see where Sally is*

Sally: I love those shoes!  Yes, I’m looking at the site right now.  Definitely buy them. It’s perfect for the new dress you just bought.  I’m telling you, Ethel Mae, you need to run out and buy them before they go out of stock.

Rick: *clears his throat*

Sally: *still talking into phone* Well, I don’t have a dress in that particular color, but then I don’t think that color goes well with my complexion.  It’s perfect on you.  It brings out the color in your cheeks.  *silent for a moment* You didn’t!  You did?  Really?  And what did she say?

Rick: *bangs the gavel*

Sally: *jerks and looks up from her computer* Oh, I have to go, Ethel Mae.  Yeah, I’m in court because my brother is an idiot.  Yeah, the one who thinks we need to join some kind of union because he’s so much better than the rest of us.  As if we’re here to do his bidding. *silent for a moment* I know.  He was so nice in Her Heart’s Desire.  I don’t know what happened to him either.  I guess fame goes to some people’s heads.

Rick: *whispers to the bailiff who hurries over to Sally and closes the laptop and takes her cell phone away from her* We’re having a hearing, Sally.  You can talk to your friend after the verdict.

Tom: I’m pretty sure cell phones and laptops aren’t allowed here, especially since we live in the 1800s.

Joel: Oh good grief.  It’s fiction.

Sally: No matter what time period it is, a girl has the right to shop and talk to her friends.    *goes up the front of the room and sits on the witness stand; glances at Rick and bats her eyelashes at him* You’re not mad at me, are you?

Rick: *smiles* Nah, I guess not.  Just remember you can’t do it in any of the books because then we’d all get in trouble for historical inaccuracy.

Sally: Sure thing, honey. *winks at him*

Tom: *rolls his eyes* Can we get on with this already?

Joel: Right. *approaches Sally* Now, Sally, what do you think about Ruth?

Sally: She’s awesome.  Not only did she give me a great husband, but I’m one of her best characters.

Tom: Objection!  That’s is conjecture.  No one can say Sally is best character.

Sally: *crosses her arms and pouts* I said one of her best.

Tom: Your honor, objection!  It’s still conjecture.

Rick: Objection denied.  Joel, continue with the questions.

Joel: You were in favor of the plot for Isaac’s Decision.  In fact, you convinced Rick to marry Isaac and Emily.

Sally: Yes.

Joel: Is it fair to say you thought Dave overreacted when he tried to rewrite that book?

Sally: Of course, he overreacted.  He’s not a storyteller.  He doesn’t have a literary bone in his body.  Can you imagine what a catastrophe that story would have turned out to be? I mean, he was writing, and I quote:

Isaac wasn’t sure if listening to his father was a good idea. But he knew his father had his best interest at heart, so he decided to take Eva home without any of his brothers or sisters tagging along.  He took Eva home, and they had a wonderful conversation.  He thought that maybe his father was right and he would give Eva a second chance.

When they arrived at her home, her father asked him if he wanted to visit for awhile, and he agreed.  Isaac had such a good time, he asked Eva if he could court her.  She said yes but said she couldn’t officially be courted until after her teaching contract was over.  Soon enough, it was, and they did.  By the end of the year, they were married and lived happily ever after because she was a good wife who was a lot like his mother and he had a wonderful mother.

The End

Sally continues: I mean, who in their right mind would read such a stupid story?  Ruth did Isaac and Emily a huge favor of ditching what David wrote.

Joel: Ruth claims she deserves compensation from the way she was treated.  Do you agree?

Sally: Sure.  If she isn’t, then David might pull some other sneaky stunt.  And if that happens, Ruth might give up because it won’t be worth it to have a character and his naive  wife creating a ruckus all the time.  Who wants that hassle?

Joel: Thank you, Sally.  That’s all I have to say.

Rick: Do you have any questions, Tom?

Tom: Indeed, I do.  *walks over to Sally* What does your husband do for a living?

Sally: Seriously?  That’s your question?

Tom: Will you just answer it?

Sally: *rolls her eyes* Fine.  He’s a judge.  *she points to Rick* Do you want to know his last name, too?

Tom: My point is that being a judge’s wife, you ought to be aware of the Constitution, specifically the First Amendment, which just so happens to be the freedom of speech.   That being the case, isn’t Dave within his rights to speak up when he doesn’t like something Ruth does?

Sally: There’s a difference between speaking up and being a pest.  He was a pest.  Hiding from everyone so we all thought he was kidnapped is taking it too far.  Anyone with half a brain can see that.

Tom: But if Dave wants to form a union and gather characters who’ll go along with him, then that’s his right.

Sally: If you must persist in that crazy talk, then be aware that Ruth also has the right to give up the Nebraska books and find other books to write.  Book which, I might add, will feature other characters.  And if David bugs those characters until they give in and go along with it just to shut him up, then she might give up writing altogether.

Tom: *stands silent of a moment and sighs* I can’t think of anything else.

Joel: *snickers at Tom who mutters for him to shut up*

Sally: *leaves the witness stand*

 

Just for Fun: A One Minute Spoof off the Twilight Saga

I thought some of you might get a kick out of this.  It comes from a kids’ show on the Disney Channel called Phineas and Ferb, and this episode is “The Curse of Candace”.  The movie they are watching is called “Early Evening” which I think was a pretty clever way of saying “Twilight”.  Anyway, if you’ve read the books or seen the movies, you might enjoy this spoof:

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By the way, I watch Phineas and Ferb because my kids love it.

Joel Larson Questions Tom Larson

Rick: Joel, who is your next witness?

Joel: Tom Larson.

Tom: Me?

Joel: That is your name.

Tom: But I’m a lawyer.

Joel: So?

Tom: So?  Lawyers can’t be questioned.

Joel: Says who?

Tom: Logic?

Rick: What is the point in having Tom questioned, Joel?

Joel: Your honor, I believe Tom can attest to how much my client has done for her characters.

Rick: In that case, Tom come on up.

Tom: *sighs but goes to sit at the witness stand*  Alright.  What do you want to know?

Joel: Is it true that you are happily married?

Tom: What is that picture?

Joel: That’s a picture of you, Tom.  Don’t you recognize yourself?

Tom: I do not pick my nose.  Your honor, I demand that picture be removed at once!

Rick: Tom has a good point, Joel.   You need to remove the picture.

Tom: But he didn’t remove the picture of Ruth when he had her wearing that creepy tiara.

Rick: But that picture wasn’t disgusting.  No one wants to see Tom picking his nose.

Joel: Fine.  I’ll dig up another one.

Tom: *glanced at Rick and mutters* At least you agreed with me on something.

Joel: Now Tom, is it true that you are happily married?  And we don’t mean happily married according to what Jessica thinks since she got the raw end of that deal.

Tom: What is THAT picture about?

Joel: You look like this on a regular basis.  We can’t be sure what it means, but I suspect these are the moments where you’re trying to think.

Tom: Objection, your honor!

Rick: Objection sustained.  Joel, this isn’t the time for giving Tom grief.  Save that for another book.  Get to the questions.

Joel: Are you happily married, Tom?

Tom: Yes.  Jessica is the best wife a man could ever have.

Joel: And who gave you Jessica?

Tom: Ruth.

Joel: So if it wasn’t for Ruth,  you wouldn’t be married today.

Tom: If it wasn’t for Ruth, none of us would exist.

Joel: Exactly!  We are here because Ruth wrote us down.  If she had never taken the time to write her books, then we wouldn’t be here today.

Tom: Well…yeah.  That’s right.

Joel: And hasn’t Ruth been good to you?  Hasn’t she been good to all of us?  We’re all happily married.  If she wanted to, she could have killed off one of us or our wives.  But she didn’t do that.  She’s given us a happy ending.  While it’s true that the books are somewhat unrealistic… I mean, we all know I could have outwitted you and Rick when you two came out to force me to marry April, but for the sake of fiction, I played along with it.

Rick: *bangs gavel* Objection, Joel.  Stick to the case.

Joel: My point is that even if there are some things that are hard to believe, she wrote it in anyway so we could all be happy.  Don’t you think you’re better off having been in one of Ruth’s romance novels because she gave you Jessica to be your wife?

Tom: Well, yeah.  I can’t imagine my life without Jessica.

Joel: So instead of taking Dave and Mary’s side, don’t you agree that Ruth has the right to ask that we appreciate all she’s done for us?

Dave: *stands up* Objection!

Joel: Objection to his objection!

Dave: Your honor, Joel is asking Tom to make an opinion based on his experience and to apply that opinion as if the rest of us agree.

Rick: Objection sustained.  Joel, just ask Tom what he thinks based on his experience.

Joel: *rolls his eyes* I can’t wait until you’re up here for me to question, Dave.

Dave: *narrows his eyes* Bring it.

Rick: *bangs gavel* Enough.  Joel, do you have anything else to ask Tom?

Joel: No, I think I’ve stated my case.   You may go back to the wrong side of the courtroom, Tom.

Tom: *returns to his seat*

 

Updates

I started the post on Joel Larson questioning Tom Larson in the court hearing, but while uploading a picture of Tom that Joel had picked out to best represent him, the post froze up.  While WordPress does a good job of auto-saving posts, I’m just going to make an update post and get back to the court hearing (hopefully) tomorrow.  A lot is going on right now, and I feel like all I’ve been doing is running around with the family.  I guess that’s what summer is all about.  :D

Anyway, some latest developments have changed a few things that I had planned for the summer.  For one, we won’t be moving after all.  A few phone calls regarding my deaf son has confirmed we’re better off with staying where we’re at so he can keep getting the best services possible.  So that means I won’t have the hectic moving summer I anticipated, which is good.

However, I was recently invited to answer interview questions by the very nice award-winning author Stacy-Deanne, and I am working on those at the moment.  She asks some hard questions, too, so I can’t just breeze through them.  I have to think about them and am working on the first draft of my answers.  After that, I’ll go back and polish them up.

I am expecting to take another vacation in July with the family.  I’d love to make a stop around Bismarck, North Dakota, but whether I can or not remains to be seen.  But regardless, we’ll be visiting the my husband’s parents.  My parents are no longer alive, so there’s only one side we visit.

So gaining traction on writing might be difficult.  I am still working on Her Counterfeit Husband, Mitch’s Win, and Bound by Honor, Bound by Love.  I was hoping to have Bound by Honor, Bound by Love out next month, but I can already tell you that isn’t happening.  I’m almost halfway into the book, and I can’t afford to rush it.  This is one of those books that take a lot longer to write than I thought it would when I started it.  Her Counterfeit Husband and Mitch’s Win are coming quicker to me.

I think Bound by Honor, Bound by Love is a tougher book to write because I need to wrap up all the loose ends in the other books in the Native American Romance Series (A Chance in Time, Restoring Hope and Brave Beginnings).  After this book is finished, the series will be complete, and I want to make it the best book it can possibly be.  If I learned nothing else from The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife, I learned that sometime I need to slow down.  :D

That’s about it.  With any luck, I can get the next court hearing post up tomorrow.  *fingers crossed*

 

The Trial: Tom Questions Ruth

Tom: *approaches Ruth* Nice picture you presented of yourself.

Ruth: I don’t know what you mean.

Tom: Oh puhleeze.  Of course, you know what I mean.  Just look at how you presented yourself to everyone:

Ruth Ann Nordin: suffering great emotional turmoil at the way she’s been treated by the heartless Dave and Mary Larson.

Tom: You did this as a ploy to to gain as much sympathy as you could.  I saw that bottle of Visine you brought into the court today, so you could cry on command.  Hence, the fake tears.  If we were to see the real you in this whole fiasco, it would look like this!

Ruth Ann Nordin: the crying princess who doesn’t want to listen to her characters.

Joel: What is that supposed to be?  A joke?

Tom: No, this is not a joke.

Joel: It has to be a joke.  The tiara?  Really?

Tom: I figure if she’s going to act like a spoiled princess, the tiara fits.

Joel: Objection, your honor!

Rick: Sustained.

Tom: Sustained?  You denied all of my objections.

Rick: That’s because you putting a tiara on Ruth and presenting her as a whiny snot is an effort to persuade the jury in their vote.

Tom: And Ruth crying fake tears isn’t?

Rick: You can’t prove the tears were fake.

Tom: But the bottle of Visine–

Rick: It’s conjecture, Tom.  Now continue questioning her but leave her picture out of this.

Tom: *sighs* Fine.  Ruth, the truth of the matter is, you habitually don’t listen to the needs of your characters.  Case in point, Joel Larson when he didn’t want to get married to April.

Ruth: And you’ll note that you had a hand in that one, Tom.  You were more than happy to see Joel married off.

Tom: But there are other examples, and none of them include me.  What about the time Isaac Larson married Emily?  Dave spent days and days crying–

Dave: I wouldn’t say days and days–

Rick: *bangs gavel* You’ll get your turn, Dave.  Wait to speak until then.

Dave: I just want to make it clear that I don’t go around crying.  I’m not weak.

Rick: Do I need to remove you from my courtroom for creating a disturbance?

Joel: Your honor, let the record show that Dave Larson makes it a habit of creating trouble wherever he goes.

Tom: Objection, your honor.  Joel’s comment has no validity to this case.

Rick: Objection denied.  Let’s get back to the questions.

Tom: *rolls eyes* Anyway, Ruth, you make it a habit of not listening to your characters, and there’s a long list.  You have Dave Larson when it came to Isaac’s Decision, Claire and Nate in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife…

*a minute passes*

Ruth: And….?

Tom: I’m thinking, I’m thinking.

Joel: Your honor, I ask that we move Tom along to another question.  Ruth has obviously only had three grievances while writing a book, and one of them was Tom’s doing.  Considering she’s had 26 romances, I don’t see how three books where she argued with her characters is enough to build an argument on.

Rick: You’ll have to let the jury decide that one.  Please move on to the next question, Tom.

Tom: Alright.  Let’s see…  *rubs the back of his neck*

Dave: *groans*

Mary: *pats Dave’s back to comfort him*

Tom: I know!  Ruth, haven’t you time and time again told characters they will get books or that you’ll write their books at a certain time but then drop the book in favor of another book?

Ruth: Well, that’s easy to explain.

Tom: Is it?  *crosses arms and narrows his eyes*

Ruth: Sure.  Some characters are louder and more demanding than others, and those are the characters I have to write about.  I can’t make characters ready for the book.  They either are or they aren’t.

Tom: Sounds like  you’re avoiding the question.

Ruth: No, I’m not.  It’s how writing works.  Take Shotgun Groom.  I was ready to write it back in 2010, but Joel and April weren’t ready until 2011.  If I had written the story before they were ready, it wouldn’t have been the best book possible.  Every time I write a book that isn’t ready to be written, I end up having to rewrite it.  It’s how the writer’s mind works–or at least, it’s how my mind works.

Tom: I don’t buy it.

Joel: Objection!  Whether or not Tom believes Ruth is irrelevant.  The jury decides the case, not him.

Rick: Objection sustained.

Tom: What?  Why do you always deny my objections, but you’ll sustain Joel’s?

Rick: I don’t believe you have a valid point when you give an objection, Tom.

Tom: I demand another judge.

Rick: Too bad.  You’re stuck with me, and it’s not up to you to decide who the judge is.

Tom: That’s right.  It’s not.  But I know who picked the judge.  It was her! *points to Ruth* She makes it a habit of manipulating things to her advantage, and for this case, she’s picked Rick Johnson whose book she just released.  A book, I might add, which features him as the hero.  She buttered him up and brought him here.

Joel: Objection!

Tom: Objection denied!

Rick: Objection sustained!  Tom, I’m ready to hold you in contempt.

Tom: I have no other questions for Ruth. I believe everyone has proved my point. *returns to his seat and sits down*

Updates

Just wanted to give a quick update on everything.

I’ll be signing my paperbacks at A Taste of Omaha Saturday and Sunday (June 2 and 3)!

I don’t know who (if anyone) is going to be in the Omaha area this weekend, but I’m at the Riverfront on the Lewis and Clark landing in downtown Omaha for A Taste of Omaha to sell some paperbacks.  I had no idea what to expect until today when Janet Syas Nitsick (fellow author and friend) went there.  Today was the first day, and I was pleasantly surprised, though I didn’t care much for the portable toilets.  I’ll state upfront that even if I love to write about the American old west, I love flushing toilets and electricity.  LOL  And yes, I brought some sanitary wipes to “wash” my hands when I was done.  Ever notice I have my characters wash their hands at the well when they use the privy (aka outhouse) in my historicals?  I’m a stickler for that kind of thing, even in the books. 

Like I said, if anyone reading this blog is going to A Taste of Omaha, stop by my table (I have my name right on the front of the table), say you read my blog, and I’ll give you a signed paperback copy of one of my books.

Loving Eliza and Suddenly a Bride will be Free Soon on Places like B&N, Amazon, Kobo, Sony, Diesel, and Apple!

In other news, I decided to make Loving Eliza and Suddenly a Bride free on Smashwords.  The price change will trickle down to B&N, Apple, Sony, Kobo, Diesel, and (probably) Amazon in about a month or less.  Amazon won’t allow me to go in and make a book free, but they often end up price matching when I make my book free at the other places.  Why did I choose Loving Eliza and Suddenly a Bride?  Well, Loving Eliza is the first book of the South Dakota Series, so I thought it’d be nice to have that be a free introductory book to the series for people to see if they liked enough to continue the series or not. 

Why did I make Suddenly a Bride free?  I would kind of like to do Runaway Bride as a contemporary, so this is the last effort to generate interest in Suddenly a Bride, which would be the first in the series.  I don’t know if the experiment will work or not.  I’ve been trying to do everything I can to save that series.  So far all of my efforts have flopped big time.  I can’t seem to generate enough interest to make writing the other books I had planned in the series worthwhile.  With my husband being retired, we’re now relying on my income to eat and pay bills, so it’s up to me to provide for me, my husband, and four kids.  I have to watch which books are selling better (and modify my writing to ensure that I spend my writing time wisely enough so we can live off my income).  It’s really more about the financial pay off in whether the time invested in writing a book is worth it.  This isn’t a hobby for me.  It’s a business, and part of making business decisions is figuring out what people want or don’t want.  So far, the majority of people have voted for Regencies and historical western romances.  So that’s why I’m now focusing my efforts in those two areas.  If I can generate interest in Suddenly a Bride, then I can write Runaway Bride.  If making Suddenly a Bride free doesn’t work, then I give up, and Runaway Bride will be given a historical western or Regency plot (and I think it would work well as a Regency, to be honest).

I’m Behind on Personal Emails

I don’t know how many of you reading this blog have been emailing me through my website, but I am backed up on those emails right now and probably won’t get to them until after Monday.  I tried to catch up on Facebook and blog comments today, but I know I have a few emails I still need to answer.  Those emails will take longer than a couple of minutes to answer, which is why I want to wait until this weekend craziness settles down and I have the time to answer those who emailed me.  I don’t want to rush through an email because then I feel like I’m being impersonal, and I don’t want to be that way.  So please be patient and bear with me.  If you want to resent me an email, that is cool, too.   Sometimes a reminder helps.  Right now I’m doing good to remember to pay the bills because I have so much stuff happening at once between this weekend and getting ready for a move. 

The Trial: Ruth Ann Nordin’s Testimony

*As a disclaimer, I want to say that I’m not striving to be authentic in this trial.  I have no interest in the details of how court cases are done, so I haven’t done any research in this area.  What I know, I learned from the TV, and I think it’s safe to say that TV isn’t the most reliable method of research.  So I plan to use the liberty of fiction while I’m doing these posts. 

****

Bailiff: Court is now in session.  The Honorable Rick Johnson is presiding over the case of Ruth Ann Nordin versus Dave and Mary Larson.  All please rise.

Everyone in the court: *stands*

Rick: *enters the courtroom and sits down*  You may be seated. Bring Ruth on up.

Ruth: *goes to the chair at the front of the room and sits down*

Rick: Hey Ruth, before I forget, thank you for writing my story.

Ruth: You’re welcome.  It was fun to write, Rick, especially since I got to know you better.   I always wondered what made you fall in love with Sally.

Rick: Well, I think you did a great job.

Ruth: You know, it’s nice to be appreciated by one of my characters for a change.

Tom Larson (Dave and Mary’s lawyer): Objection!

 Rick: Why?

Tom: The conversation you and Ruth are having is totally inappropriate for this case.  Your book could interfere with the verdict.  I suggest we get Judge Townsend to oversee the case instead so we can have a fair hearing.

Rick: I’m not part of the jury, Tom.  I’m only here to promote order in the courtroom.  *bangs gavel* Your objection is denied.  Now, we’ll get this hearing underway.  Joel, go ahead and ask your questions.

Joel Larson (Ruth’s lawyer): *walks over to her* Ruth, isn’t it true that you write because you enjoy it?

Ruth: Yep.  It sure is.

Joel: And isn’t part of that enjoyment dependent upon whether or not the characters cooperate?

Ruth: It helps a lot if they do.  Otherwise, I end up having to stop writing the story for a while or I end up having to rewrite something. 

Joel: That sounds like a pain.

Ruth: It is. 

Joel: But it isn’t just a problem when characters give you grief while writing the book.  Isn’t it true that you suffer even when they bother you on this blog?

Ruth Ann Nordin: suffering great emotional turmoil at the way she’s been treated by the heartless Dave and Mary Larson.

Ruth: That’s the worst kind of suffering, Joel.  That is done right out in front of everyone.  It’s embarrassing to have others see how much one or two of my characters are against me.  It’s like airing out my dirty laundry in public, you know?  *sniffles* And I try so hard to please them.  I stay up late at night writing their stories, give up TV and movies so I can focus on them, and throw out my outline of the story in order to write it their way.

Tom: Objection!

Rick: What is it now?

Tom: Those are fake tears Ruth is crying.

Ruth: They are not!  They’re genuine.  It’s why I have a tissue with me. 

Rick: Ruth’s allowed to cry, Tom.  Objection denied.

Tom: But she’s not serious about this.  I mean, look at her clothes.

Joel: Her clothes have nothing to do with this case, Tom.

Rick: I can speak, Joel.  Her clothes have nothing to do with this case, Tom.

Tom: Are you kidding me?  If she’s serious about this, she’d be wearing one of those dress suits women wear in her time period.  As it is, she looks like she’s going to a party after this hearing is over.

Rick: Objection denied, Tom. *bangs gavel* Now quit getting us off topic or I’ll hold you in contempt of court.

Tom: *grumbles but keeps quiet*

Rick: Go on, Joel.

Joel: *snickers at Tom and turns back to Ruth* I see you have your laptop with you. 

Ruth: Yes.  I always take my laptop wherever I go so I can work on a story when my characters are ready to tell me what to write next.

Joel: It’s sounds like you’re dedicated to them.

Ruth: I am.  I am at their beck and call.  I give up everything for them.

Joel: *nods in sympathy* You aren’t appreciated for all you do, especially by Dave and Mary.

Ruth: Don’t I know it!  *sniffles*  I think they take my work for granted.  I mean, if Dave’s not trying to rewrite my books, he’s going around petitioning people to ban my books.  And as if that’s not enough, he tries to gather all my other characters against me so I’ll get severe writer’s block and be unable to write. 

Joel: And when all of that didn’t work, he created the union.

Ruth: Right.  Then when only a psycho nymph fell for it, Mary got involved and told him to fake his own kidnapping.  And out of concern for his well-being, I went to look for him.  I wasn’t the way Joseph Connealy made me sound.  I wasn’t on a rampage like some kind of lunatic.  I asked Mary if I could look for him, and she said yes.  I had permission.  I didn’t trespass on their property.  I’ve been framed by Dave and Mary to look like I was guilty.  He was trying to gain sympathy points from everyone, and it worked with Owen Russell who arrested me and kept me in jail.  And honestly, an 1800s jail with no plumbing is very disgusting.  I didn’t have a flushing toilet, and I couldn’t wash my hands.  When I finally got home, I had to take a shower three times and burned my clothes before I felt clean.

Joel: It sounds like that was a traumatic experience.

Ruth: It was!  Really, Joel,  what other author has to endure all of this?

Joel: I can’t think of any.

Ruth: Exactly.  That’s why I have to sue Dave and Mary.  I’m doing this to protect other authors from ever going through this with one of their psychotic characters.  *sniffles*

Joel: I believe you’ve endured enough.  I have no more questions for the victim.

Tom: *mutters* Don’t you mean drama queen?

Rick: *clears his throat and shoots Tom a pointed look*

Tom: *rolls his eyes*

Rick: Next time, we’ll let Tom question Ruth.

Stay tuned for Tom’s questions.