Ruth Ann Nordin's Blog, page 80
October 4, 2013
Updates
I’m almost done finishing up Catching Kent. As long as everything goes smoothly, that should be available on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords early next week. *fingers crossed*
In the meantime, I am already turning my attention to other stuff I’m working on.
Book Stephannie Beman and I are working on.
Stephannie Beman’s done with her part so now it’s my turn to work on this book. :-) I haven’t touched it since June, so I’m looking forward to reading it through as a complete novel. Stephannie and I are planning on releasing this book in December.
The Anthology Janet Syas Nitsick and I Are Working On
I’m coming close to the end of my novella in this anthology. I figure I have 2-3 chapters left to go.
I’m not exactly sure where the characters are going in this book. Things haven’t been predictable at all with this pair. Today while I was writing, an angle did come up that has some promise. I’ll have to see if it goes anywhere. Some books are easier to write than others, and this is one that’s going to be challenging.
But more challenging than Boaz’s Wager is Perry’s book. The only part of this book that has been easy so far was the very first scene where the heroine finds out her brother’s going to arrange a marriage for her unless she does something to change her circumstances–hence the scandal. It’s not necessarily that I don’t know where to go. It’s just the scenes that connect where I’ve been to where I want to go are a bit fuzzy so it’s slow going. This is why I have the word count to 250 a day. I just can’t go faster on this one like I can on the others.
In the meantime, I decided to start a book that I’ve been wanting to write ever since I got the idea while writing His Reluctant Lady. In His Reluctant Lady, Christopher manages to snag Agatha into a marriage by telling her the news of a wager between Lord Pennella and Lord Davenport for the hand of Miss Giles. So this book goes more into how the wager came to be and what happened after it was exposed to the Tittletattle. This one is easier to write than Boaz’s Wager and The Earl’s Scandalous Wife.
I usually work on four books at a time (give or take other works I am proofing or editing at the moment), and I wanted to have a book lined up to start on for when I finish the first draft of The Purchased Bride (my part of the anthology). As crazy as it is, a couple weekends ago I had a dream that outlined the entire book of Wagon Trail Bride. I hadn’t wanted to go in a certain direction with the story, but it’s the only way it can go. The reason I haven’t been able to get past the second chapter is because I’ve been resisting it. I know what I need to do–or rather what the characters insist I do–and I ought to know by now that I need to follow their guidance if I want the book to get written. So I’m going to do it.
By the way, Wagon Trail Bride is officially the first book in the Nebraska Romance Collection. The Nebraska books will span about 30 books before all is said and done, and when Catching Kent is published, 11 books total will be in the series if you count Kent Ashton’s Backstory as part of it. Kent Ashton’s Backstory was a hard one to place since it’s not a romance, but since it’s a prequel to Catching Kent, I decided to put it in that list.
So anyway, if Wagon Trail Bride makes 12 books in the series, then that leaves me with about 18 more books to go. That will take years for me to complete. Some people tell me they want to wait until all the books in the series are done, and that’s fine, but be warned that will be a long time to wait.
October 1, 2013
Falling In Love With Her Husband and Kent Ashton’s Backstory (A Post About the Inconsistencies)
I’m writing this now so that when I get comments, emails, or messages, I can link to this page for easy access. :-)
1. In the original version of Falling In Love With Her Husband, you said Rebecca miscarried at 2 months but that time frame doesn’t work in Kent Ashton’s Backstory. What gives?
Answer: You are right. One of my editors caught that glaring error, and I have corrected it. I have updated Falling In Love With Her Husband to take out the “two month” period.
2. Why did did you take out the first chapter of the original version of Falling In Love With Her Husband?
Answer: Because I felt like it was boring and didn’t add anything to the plot. The original version started out in Ann’s Point of View. When I updated the book based on my editor’s and beta reader’s (two separate people) suggestions, I also removed the first chapter. So the new version will have Todd’s Point of View as the first chapter. In other words, the book used to have 28 chapters but now it has 27.
3. In the original version of Falling In Love With Her Husband, Ann’s mother said that Rebecca was “sad” and had removed herself from society. But this isn’t the case in Kent Ashton’s Backstory until after Kent returned to Virginia in November. Ann’s mother had to have left Virginia to see Ann around the same time Kent did. So what’s up, Ruth?
Answer: I changed this inconsistency in the new version of Falling In Love With Her Husband, thanks to my editor’s eagle eye. ;-)
4. When Agnes visits Ann in November (in the original version of Falling In Love With Her Husband), they say that Kent knew Ann was married, but you say he didn’t know.
Answer: That is correct. I have changed this in the new version of Falling In Love With Her Husband.
5. You still have the original version of Falling In Love With Her Husband up on (fill in the blank) online bookstore. Why?
Answer: I have uploaded the new version to Smashwords and Amazon. Smashwords can take a while to update files to different venues, and on a certain venue there seems to be no updates at all (no matter how long ago I made the change). So it should update on B&N, Kobo, Sony, Apple, and their other channels in the next couple months. As for Amazon, at the moment I have been unable to successfully upload the new version. It says it went through, but when I go to check the sample, the old version is still there.
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I think I covered it all, but if there’s anything I missed, feel free to comment below and I’ll try to address it.
September 29, 2013
Sunday Story Sample: Kent Ashton’s Backstory
This continues Kent’s side of things in Falling In Love With Her Husband. :-)
Kent’s gaze went to Ann who was dancing with Todd. Todd. Of all the men she could have chosen to go to the ball with, it had to be Todd. No doubt her father had arranged it. From across the room, he could tell she wasn’t happy, and what was worse was knowing that he’d only added to her misery by coming here with Rebecca.
His gaze went to his father who was laughing at something Mr. Johnson said. His father glanced his way, and Kent quickly looked away. What could he do? His course was set. By his own actions, he’d sealed his future…and Ann’s. Ann would probably marry Todd, even though she didn’t want to. Fathers had a way of making sure what they wanted happened.
“Kent’s been very attentive to my every need,” Rebecca told Debra who stood across from them with her dance partner. “Our parents are delighted of course. And why wouldn’t they be? You know how well they get along.”
Kent forced his attention back to Rebecca and smiled. Indeed, their parents got along extremely well. Had his father gotten along with Ann’s father, he never would have gotten drunk that night and he wouldn’t be in this position now. Nor would he have subjected Ann to a life she never wanted. He took a deep breath to ease his guilt. God help him but he didn’t think he’d ever forgive himself for getting drunk that night.
Debra said something that made Rebecca laugh, jarring his attention back to her. He needed to focus on Rebecca instead of stealing glances in Ann’s direction. He couldn’t change the past. He’d deflowered Rebecca. The least he could do was give her his undivided attention.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked her as the orchestra got ready to play the next song.
“I’d love to,” Rebecca agreed and joined him on the floor where the other couples assembled for the next dance.
As the music started, he tried not to look in Ann’s direction but couldn’t help it. Todd was talking to her and she was shaking her head. The two headed for the veranda, which was out of his view.
Rebecca followed his gaze and sighed. “I’m sorry, Kent.”
Surprised, he turned his attention to her. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
She glanced at their fathers, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face.
He sensed she wanted to say something but decided against it. Instead, she offered him a tentative smile. “I know this isn’t the way you wanted things to be.” After a moment, she added, “It must be hard to watch Ann with Todd.”
He hesitated. While it would be a lie if he denied it, he didn’t want to admit it either.
“I understand. Some things are better left unsaid.”
He gave her a slight nod. It was the most he was willing to offer.
“I hope you don’t grow to detest me,” she whispered.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I’m not her.”
“I won’t grow to detest you,” he promised. “I will never deny my responsibility for how things turned out.”
She lowered her gaze, something he wondered about. But then he figured that even if she wanted to be with him in his bed, she felt ashamed for acting on her desires.
“I think it’s safe to say that we’ve both done things we’re not proud of,” he whispered. “But there’s nothing we can do about it. Just accept it and move on.”
She nodded and they continued to dance. The passage of time was a strange thing. In some ways, the evening progressed well enough. Rebecca, as it was turning out, wasn’t as bad as he originally thought. He had no romantic inclination toward her, but he supposed they might develop something of a friendship after they married. He should be content with that. It was more than he hoped for when he realized he’d spent time in bed with her. Based on their conversations up to then, he assumed she lacked any significant depth. Now, he was learning his initial impression had been wrong.
But he couldn’t love her. Not like the way he loved Ann. When his third dance with Rebecca ended, she excused herself so she could talk to her friends. His gaze went once more to the doors of the veranda. He checked his pocket watch. Ann had been out there with Todd for almost fifteen minutes. That seemed like an unusual amount of time. He closed his eyes and slowly released his breath. He didn’t think he’d ever forget the expression on her face when he ended their courtship. And now he couldn’t talk to her, no matter how much he wanted to.
“Try to act like you’re enjoying yourself,” his father said.
Slipping his watch back in his pocket, he opened his eyes and faced him. “I’m doing the best I can.”
“You will do better than that. It’s obvious to everyone you keep looking for Miss Statesman. Your focus needs to be on Rebecca.”
He bit back the urge to snap at him. Why couldn’t his father leave him alone? He was doing the best he could, given the circumstances. “I’ve danced with her. Now she wants to talk to some friends. I haven’t talked to Ann all night, nor will I.”
“People are watching.”
“No, they aren’t.”
“Yes, they are.” Before Kent could walk away from him, his father grabbed his arm and squeezed it with enough pressure that Kent almost winced. “You will not make a fool of me.”
Kent forced his arm away from him. It was all about his father and how his father wanted everyone to perceive him. It was never about wanting to see his wife or son happy. And if he had to make others miserable, then so be it. “I won’t make a fool of Rebecca,” he finally said in a controlled voice so he wouldn’t give away his agitation. As much as he tried to fight it, he was beginning to detest his father, something he didn’t want but seemed to be happening despite his best efforts to appease him.
“See that you don’t.”
Ignoring the subtle threat in his father’s voice, he turned away from him and headed over to Rebecca who was laughing at something Debra told her.
September 27, 2013
New Cover for Falling In Love With Her Husband
Here is the new cover! Stephannie Beman did an awesome job. :D
This is how the paperback will look once I get it up through CreateSpace (estimated around next week some time. I’m still tweaking on the content of the book to erase the inconsistencies one of my editors found while going through Kent Ashton’s Backstory).
September 25, 2013
Updates
Everything is on track for Kent Ashton’s Backstory and Catching Kent. I’m estimating that both will be published on October 7. They will go up on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords first. Then they will go up on the other sites (Kobo, Sony, Apple, and other channels Smashwords distributes to) within a month or two after that.
I’m in the process of making very light (and I mean “very light”) modifications to Falling In Love With Her Husband. For example, I deleted chapter 1. Honestly, I think the first chapter was boring. The book is much better off starting at chapter 2 instead. Another example, as one of my editors pointed out, I had Rebecca reported at having a miscarriage in a two-month period. That didn’t work out in Kent Ashton’s Backstory. So I removed the two months from Falling In Love With Her Husband and just put that Rebecca “had” a miscarriage. I put “had” in quotes because things are not quite as they were reported to Ann and Todd. You’ll see what I mean as I continue to post his book on this blog.
While I’m doing these light changes, I decided to hire a cover artist (Stephannie Beman) to do a new cover for me. I want this cover to better match Catching Kent, and given my tight deadline with Kent Ashton’s Backstory and Catching Kent, I just don’t want to take the time to worry about making the cover myself. Stephannie does awesome work. She made the header on this blog. 
I’ll post the new cover when it comes in.
My other works in progress are temporarily on hold
I probably won’t get back to writing in The Purchased Bride, Boaz’s Wager, and The Earl’s Scandalous Wife until October 8. I might be able to write some here and there, but right now all of my energy is going into the three books I’m working on.
September 23, 2013
Belated Sunday Story Sample: Kent Ashton’s Backstory
Yes, this is a day late. I was supposed to schedule the post in advance and forgot. :-( I’m sorry. But at least I remembered today and am doing it. :-) Hopefully, I’ll do a better job of watching the calendar next week.
“Rebecca, I…” Kent shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. He glanced around her formal parlor, his gaze unwittingly going to the piano that had been the focal point of the dinner parties their parents subjected them to in the past. Forcing his mind off the piano, he turned to face her, still too ashamed to make eye contact with her.
“Are you sure you don’t want to sit?” Rebecca asked, gesturing to the chair next to where she sat.
How could she sound so casual about everything? True, she knew he’d come here to make things right, but after the way he’d taken advantage of her… His stomach tightened and he felt sick. He couldn’t even look at himself in the mirror. Of all the things he thought he was capable of, treating a lady as one would a common whore wasn’t one of them. He rubbed his stomach and decided he’d better sit down. If he didn’t, he might lose his breakfast.
Once he was settled in the chair next to her, he closed his eyes and regained his composure. Opening them, he turned his gaze to Rebecca, trying not to wince. “I don’t understand how you can stand to look at me after…after…” He gulped. God help him but he couldn’t say it.
“Kent, it’s alright,” she softly replied.
“How can you say that?” he asked in a low voice, his gaze going to the door to make sure no one would overhear them.
“Because you were drunk.”
“That’s no excuse. I shouldn’t have been drinking to begin with.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t even remember it. The last thing I remember is standing up in the parlor so I could take you to the door. Then my father is waking me and I-I’m in bed with…with…”
“Kent, I understand.” She placed her hand over his in a gesture he knew was intended to be comforting, but it only added to his guilt. “I don’t blame you for it.”
“You should.”
“But I don’t.”
“I’m stronger than you. I…” He took a deep breath and braced himself for the answer. “Rebecca, please tell me the truth. I need to know. Did I,” he winced, “force you to do it?”
After an agonizing moment passed, she released his hand and shook her head. “No,” she whispered. “I willingly went to your bed.”
He thought that should have made him feel better, and yet it didn’t.
“It was a moment of weakness.” She averted his gaze and fiddled with the lace on her dress. “You were going to walk me to the door and then you started kissing me. I’m afraid I let my desire to be with you override good judgment. I wasn’t the one who was drinking. I knew better. I should have left.”
“I would have let you leave?” He hesitated to ask the question, but he had to know.
“Yes. You might have asked me to go to your bed, but you didn’t make me go there. After your father caught us, I was ashamed of what I’d allowed. You’re not the one who should be apologizing. I am.”
“No, it’s my fault. If I hadn’t gotten drunk, none of it would have happened.” With a sigh, he studied the hat in his hands then continued, “I came here to make things right. I stole your virtue and because of that, it’s only proper I marry you. My father says I need to court you for a year first then make it official with a wedding. But I…”
“You want to be with Ann.”
“That’s not what I was going to say.” Though it was the truth and they both knew it. But this wasn’t about what he wanted. He glanced at the doorway to make sure no one was listening to them. “I worry there might be a child. My father thinks there won’t be, but how can we be sure? I know he said we can do a secret elopement and go to New York to avoid scandal if that’s the case, but even so, your parents will learn the truth and that won’t be good.”
She tapped her fingers together and slowly nodded. “Well, I suppose that might happen.”
“I wonder if we should marry now, just in case? It’s bad enough I’ve done this to you. The last thing I want to do is ruin your reputation.”
“I…I think your father’s advice should be followed. We’ll wait and see.”
His gut clenched. “Are you sure you want to take that kind of a chance?”
She nodded. “Yes. I’m aware of the possibilities and am willing to handle the consequences of this decision. We’ll court for a year then marry.”
“Unless you’re with child. I insist we marry before the child is born.”
“Of course.”
Well, if she was determined to be courted first and take the risk that their sin would be discovered, then there was nothing he could do to stop her. “Alright. Then we’ll wait and see what happens. In the meantime, will you let me court you?”
“Yes.”
He rose to his feet and forced himself to smile. “I’ll tell my father we’re courting.”
“And I’ll tell my father the same.”
With a nod, he told her he’d be by later in the week to pay her a visit and left her house.
September 19, 2013
Updates: What Will Be Published From Now to New Year’s
I’m happy to say that this book is now finished. I did tie up something that needed resolving from Kent Ashton’s Backstory, but I had to do it at the very end and in a way that you don’t have to read Kent Ashton’s Backstory in order to understand what is going on. It was the only way Catching Kent could end. I brainstormed other endings, but nothing else fit. I think Kent had to have it happen in order for his life to be complete. My characters run the plot. I’ve learned long ago that if I don’t do it the way they want, then the story won’t be as good as it could be. So suffice it to say that Kent is very happy.
I’ve started the process of getting my editing team and beta readers together. It’s pretty much last minute for them, but I want to get this book out around the first week of October. I don’t usually cram through a book like this, but I want to get it out well before The Stagecoach Bride and Bride by Arrangement are due out.
I will publish Kent Ashton’s Backstory when I publish Catching Kent.
Both books can be read as standalones, but in case anyone wants to read both, I wanted them to be out together so there is no waiting time. I am a terribly impatient person. I don’t like to sit and wait for another book to come out so I know how things ended.
And while Kent Ashton’s Backstory only tells his view of things that transpired in Falling In Love With Her Husband, I couldn’t give him a happy ending. Ann ended up happy with Todd. Kent loses the girl. I gave him “hope” at the end but I couldn’t give him the happily ever after. And that was really depressing for me. So I was in a hurry to get Catching Kent done I could give him the ending he really deserved. I’m a sucker for a happy ending. :-)
I’ve decided to forget the serial/episode idea (at least for now).
I hesitate to say anything for 100% sure because I never know what will happen, but for the time being, I’ve decided not to do a serial/episode type of thing with books. The big reason is I have a terrible time keeping stories under 25,000 words. Kent Ashton’s Backstory was supposed to be 10,000 words but it’s a little over 30,000 words (and that was only telling a backstory). I think any serial I’ll start will end up being a full-length novel anyway, so I might as well just focus on writing full-length novels.
The Stagecoach Bride is due out before the end of the year.
Book Stephannie Beman and I are working on.
I have no official release date on this one yet, but Stephannie Beman is done with her part, and I’ll dive in on my part soon. At this point in time, we’re looking at December as possibly being the month it comes out.
And yes, this is the first book in a series. It can be read as a standalone. We’re looking at doing the next book in the series based off the hero’s sister (Abby) in this book. In this book, I took the heroine’s point of view and Stephannie took the hero’s point of view. In the next book, Stephannie will be taking the heroine’s point of view, and I’ll take the hero’s. I can already tell with Abby’s outgoing and risk taking personality that the hero isn’t going to know what to do with her. :D
Bride by Arrangement is due out around New Year’s.
The Anthology Janet Syas Nitsick and I Are Working On
I’m about 9,000 words (or about two to three weeks) away from finishing the first draft for my novella, The Purchased Bride. I don’t know where Janet Syas Nitsick is at in her novella, She Came By Train. But we’ve signed the contract with the publisher, so everything’s in order.
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That’s it for the immediate future. In the meantime, I’ll continue working on Boaz’s Wager and The Earl’s Scandalous Wife. I still haven’t decided for sure what I’ll be working on after Kent Ashton’s Backstory and Catching Kent are out, but I’m thinking Wagon Trail Bride is a good possibility. We’ll see what happens in a few weeks. :D
September 15, 2013
Catching Up on Kent Ashton’s Backstory
As I’m getting organized (at long last), I figure it’s time to start posting the rest of Kent Ashton’s Backstory. Before I dive into it, I thought I’d post the links to the previous posts I already made so everyone can get caught up. The plan is to start posting the scenes starting next Sunday so I can resume my Sunday Story Sample posts. :D
Here’s the list of previous posts for easy reference. If this list is off, please let me know. I had two kids buzzing around me while I was hunting the old posts down so I might have missed something.
September 13, 2013
Updates on What I’m Doing
I figured this is long overdue, so I better do a “what I’ve been working on” post. :-)
Catching Kent
I’m happy to say I’m getting close to the end of this book. I hesitated to go in a direction that the book kept leading me, but I figure it’s the only way it can end so I have to do it. I won’t say more than that because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
I should be done with the first draft by the end of this month. I’m hoping to publish this and Kent Ashton’s Backstory by the end of October. I won’t be doing a pre-release for those books.
I do plan to get the rest of Kent Ashton’s Backstory posted on this blog. It’s taken me a while to get back into the swing of things, but I think I’m finally back into a routine so I feel comfortable posting the rest of the scenes.
The Stagecoach Bride
Book Stephannie Beman and I are working on.
The estimated publishing month on this one is December. This one is with a beta reader on Stephannie Beman’s side. After that, it comes over to me where I’ll go through the initial proofing then send it out to my team of people to look over.
Bride by Arrangement
The Anthology Janet Syas Nitsick and I Are Working On
My novella, The Purchased Bride, is over the halfway point. I’m very pleased by this story and am enjoying it immensely. It has the same tenderness found in Eye of the Beholder and all of the books in the South Dakota Series. Of all the books I’ve done, I’d have to say those are my top four favorites. This will be added in the top fifth.
Anyway, I expect to have this done by either the end of this month or in the middle of October. During November, it will be time to polish it up then submit it to the publisher. Janet Syas Nitsick is working on her part of the anthology with her novella and from what I read so far, it’s really good. I can’t wait to find out what happens. :-)
We’re looking around the end of December/early January for a release date, but I’ll let you know for sure as we get closer to the date.
Boaz’s Wager
I’m in chapter six and surprised by a few unexpected reactions from the hero and heroine. Just when I think Boaz or Eva will react a certain way, they turn the table on me and do the opposite. I can’t tell what is going to happen in this book. All that’s gone as planned is the first three chapters. After that, it’s been up in the air. This is why I never outline a book before I write it. There’s no telling what can happen.
The Earl’s Scandalous Wife
I’ve gotten Perry married in haste, but at the moment, something is “off”. Everything up to where I’m at now is fine. It’s just a matter of what to do next, and since I don’t know what that something is, this book has been unofficially on hold. I can’t proceed forward until the missing piece falls in place. In the meantime, the other books will get more of my attention.
September 10, 2013
Episodes/Serials (Not for TV but for Stories?)
Recently, I’ve noticed that some authors have been doing episodes/serials. I’m new to the whole concept. It sounds like you tell a story in anywhere from 5,000-30,000 words. Then they write a series of these stories so it completes a whole “season”. I’m thinking of it in terms of TV shows because it’s the best way I can think about them. I’m sure there are variations to this stuff and each author doing it has to find their own slant on how they want to pursue this idea.
Some authors like to have a cliffhanger (of sorts) from one “episode” to another. Other authors prefer to tell complete stories but have an overriding arc over the whole “season”. I’m guessing a version of this could be complete stories that center in on one family, couple, or town with no major overriding arc at all but one story has the potential to build on a previous one somehow.
It seems there’s a lot of flexibility in an idea like this, but it’s probably not as easy or simple as it sounds either. Naturally, some people like to read these types of stories. (I’m one of them and I like them only because with my busy schedule, it’s nice to get something short and quick in during the day when I have some spare time.) But I understand other people don’t like these. They would rather read a longer story in one sitting that gets them fully invested in the characters. So I get both sides of the coin.
I’ve been debating whether or not to do one. If I did, it would be 12 episodes for 1 season. I’m thinking one story a month and there’s twelve months in a year. As for word count, I’d aim it around 15-25K. It’s hard to know how long the average story would be since I’ve never attempted this before. But (and my friend Stephannie Beman made an excellent point on this), it would have to be something where I did all stories ahead of time before I even published the first one. The reason being that real life kicks in and set backs occur. With a novel, you can set it aside and come back to it later. There is no strict routine of publishing it like there would be in a monthly episode.
So I’m bouncing this idea around and will continue to do so for a while. My biggest obstacle is what format I’d want the episodes to be. Do I focus in on one couple, one family, or a whole town? Do I go with brand new characters I’ve never written before or delve more into a set of characters I already wrote about? The easy decision is genre. I’m thinking historical western. I have fun doing contemporaries and Regencies, but I think my first love will always be historical westerns.
Anyway, I wanted to get this off my chest so I can hopefully move on and post about other things because as much as I wanted to post about other stuff, this one kept bugging me. :D Maybe now I can get back to some kind of routine with my blogging.
