Ruth Ann Nordin's Blog, page 81

Dave Larson: The Most Loved Hero of All Time

I guess it doesn’t come as a surprise that Dave Larson won the poll I ran a long time ago.  At least it seems like it’s been forever since I ran the poll back on August 11.  I can’t believe it was almost a month ago.  Anyway, 80% of the votes went to Dave.  He also won when he was in a poll I ran way back when between him and the other heroes in the Nebraska Historical Romance Collection.

I think it’s safe to say that of all the heroes I’ve written, Dave will always be the favorite.

Dave Larson: Now Officially The Best Hero of All Time

While his ego was big before, I’m afraid now it might explode.

Dave Larson: Don’t be ridiculous.  My ego won’t explode.  However, now I have an even better reason to come to you with a letter–

Ruth: Of your demands?

Dave: No.  It’s a letter to acknowledge my status as the best hero you’ve ever written.

Ruth: I fail to see the difference since there’s bound to be a demand or two in it.

Dave:  *rollls eyes* Ha ha ha.  I suppose you think you’re clever?

Ruth: Well, sometimes I do manage to make people laugh.

Dave: I hate to say it, Ruth, but this isn’t one of those times.  However, this isn’t why I’m here.  I came here to read my letter.

Ruth: Okay.  Go ahead.

Dave: To everyone who voted for me, I extend my deepest thanks.  To those of you who didn’t, I’ll assume you really did but there was a glitch in the system that made it seem as if you voted for someone else.

Ruth: *snorts* You wish.  Maybe the glitch made it seem as if people voted for you when they didn’t.

Dave: Anyway, as I was reading…  I think this historic moment–

Ruth: One would hardly call a poll voting on heroes historic, Dave.

Dave: When you are a character, it’s all you have.  Now let me continue.  I think this historic moment should send the author a clear message, and that is that people want to see more of me–

Ruth: What did I say about the ego, guys?

Dave: You didn’t let me finish.  I was going to say “people want to see more of me and Mary” to the end of that sentence.  We all know without Mary, I would not have been the kind of hero I am.  She brings out the best in me.

Ruth: I won’t argue that one.

Dave: Why do I sense a subtle putdown in that comment?

Ruth: *widen eyes innocently* I was only agreeing with you.

Dave: *not looking convinced but turns back to his letter* That all being said, I can’t help but wonder if there will ever be a third book.  Will Forever Yours ever be written?

Ruth: That all depends on you, Dave.

Dave: Me?  I’ve been wanting you to write this book ever since you finished To Have and To Hold.

Ruth: That might be true, but you’ve never told me what the first chapter of the book should be.  I can’t write anything if I don’t have at least the first scene in place.  As it is, my mind is blank.

Dave: But you have other scenes in mind.

Ruth: True, but I don’t have the very first scene, Dave, and that’s the most crucial scene there is when it comes to starting a book.

Dave: Can’t you start the book at chapter two and go back to chapter one?

Ruth: No because chapter one might change the rest of the book.

Dave: What?

Ruth: I can’t explain it, but as soon as I start the first scene, the story takes on a life of its own.  I’ve tried outlining, plotting, and writing ahead.  None of those work for me.  I have to start the book and let it evolve.  Did you think you were the original hero I intended for Eye of the Beholder?  Nope.  In the beginning, it was supposed to be Neil Craftsman.

Dave: No way!

Ruth: Way, Dave.  Way.

Dave: But that would have been horrible.

Ruth: Well, not really.  Originally, Neil was supposed to be a good guy.  But as I was writing the story, I thought it would make more of an impact if the man Mary came to marry rejected her.  So I needed the man who would marry her instead and you were created.

Dave: Even if Neil was the good guy, he wouldn’t have appreciated her as much as I do.

Ruth: We’ll never know because it didn’t happen.  So you need to tell me what’s in the first scene before I can write Forever Yours.  The ball is in your court, Dave.  :)

Some Pictures of a Family Home in the 1880s Town

These were taken at the 1880s Town in South Dakota.  I said I was going to post them and am finally doing it.

A Family Home

A Closer Look

This house only had a bedroom/parlor and a kitchen/laundry room.  So there were two rooms total, and those rooms weren’t very big.  We are spoiled in today’s homes.  :-)

Here is the bedroom side of one room.

This is the other side of the bedroom.  This part is the parlor (of sorts).   You can see the edge of the bed in the lower left corner of the picture.

Next to the bed was the crib.

This is in the kitchen/laundry room.

This is taken further back to get a better look at the room.  You can see the table where they ate and to the left are the laundry supplies.

Next to the table was the cookstove.  They people who run this town had potatoes boiling in the pot, which I thought was a neat touch.

More laundry items along the wall.

This is another angle of the kitchen/laundry room.

Eva Connealy is Not What I Expected

Next post will be about Dave Larson who won the poll I ran weeks ago.  (I feel so out of the loop with everything and am still trying to get organized.)

But today, I wanted to talk about Boaz’s Wager, so here we go…

This isn’t the first time I’ve had this happen.  I start a book, fully expecting the character to be one way but then the character completely changes on me without warning.  The changes are always good.  They always make the stories better.  I have learned to trust my characters, even when I have no idea where they’re going.  (This is why I don’t outline.  The changes can come at any moment and until I’m writing them, I have no idea when they’ll happen or what they’ll be.)

So anyway, I introduced Eva Connealy in Isaac’s Decision.  She had the crush on Isaac Lason, and Dave really wanted to see her marry him.  Except he ended up with Emily Craftsman instead.  You know, the more books I write, the more this all is beginning to sound like a soap opera.  LOL

Anyway, after writing Isaac’s Decision, I had this image of Eva as being pretty desperate for a man.  I figured if I placed her in Boaz’s Wager, then she’d be so relieved she wouldn’t have to confine herself to a teaching contract (and thereby admitting she’d be a spinster forever) that she would be glad that she was sold to Boaz.

I knew she might be a little miffed.  Maybe even shocked.  I mean, she was sold against her will while men bid on her. But I was not prepared for how angry she got.  She felt humiliated and used, as if she was property to be sold instead of a human being with feelings.  At least Boaz is aware of it so he won’t be stunned to find out his new bride isn’t happy at all.

And this brings me to something off-topic (but still relating to the book).  I’ve decided to send Eva to Montana with Rachel Larson (Dave and Mary Larson’s second child) because she and Eva were close in age, and I thought it would be nice to have Eva know someone from “back home” as she settles into her new life.  Eva will befriend Heather (from Mitch’s Win) and Patty (who was introduced in Mitch’s Win and is the heroine in Patty’s Gamble).  But I think Rachel will be her best friend.  And as it turns out, Rachel is actually happy.  Rachel was on her way to be a mail-order bride to some rancher in Jordan, Montana but ended up with Eva in Lewistown, Montana instead being sold to Boaz’s good friend, Herb.  (Again, it has the feel of a soap opera when I map out how everyone knows someone else.  But that’s why it’s fun to do series and to even mix up characters from one series into another.)

I’m not sure how everything will play out yet.  I only know Boaz is only marrying Eva to get a mother for his children and that (for him) this is going to be strictly a marriage of convenience.  That’s his intent anyway.  Who’s to say how it’ll pan out?  I have scenes in my mind between Boaz and Eva, but scenes have changed before based on what happens leading up to them, which is why I don’t like to write scenes out ahead of time.  After going through some of these scenes in recent books, I have decided I will hold out on continuing in a book until I know what comes immediately after the scene I just finished. I will no longer try to write ahead.  This method works for some authors but not for me, probably because outlining doesn’t work for me.  :D

It’ll be interesting to see how things play out, and that is why writing is so much fun.  Characters aren’t always predictable.

I’m Back :-)

Things are slow going, but I’m back to writing.

Before I forget…  About Unsubscribing to my New Release List

To the person who wanted to unsubscribe to my list, I looked for the email address you gave me and I didn’t find it anywhere.  I’m not sure if you meant a different email address or maybe confused me with another author.  Either one would be easy to do.  :-)  Here’s a link to the post I made if you want to give me another email address that might be on my list.

And if someone didn’t see the post I made on unsubscribing to my new release list, here’s the link to the post.  I don’t want to be a nuisance.  I’ve signed up on some email lists in the past and had a terrible time unsubscribing so I want to make it as easy as I can.  :-)

On For Other Stuff

My husband is back home and doing well.  I still have some loose ends to tie up on his behalf, but these will be easy.

I haven’t answered some emails yet.  I am caught up on blog comments but not on Facebook messages and some inbox emails.  I hope to get to those this week.

My big priority right now is getting back into a writing routine, and I’m trying to figure out my daily word count goal so if you look at my widgets to the right where I post the progress on my books and my daily word count goals, you might notice the word count goals changing as I figure out which books are easier to write than others.  The exception is Bride By Arrangement which I’m co-authoring with Janet Syas Nitsick.  We found a publisher to do that book, so that one is going to be tied to a deadline.  But the others are flexible.

That’s it.  In the next post, I figure I’ll let Dave Larson gloat over the fact that he won the best hero poll between him, Gavin, and Christopher.  :-)

Update On Husband

I see quite a few comments and emails came in, so I thought I’d make another post to save time on commenting to each person.  I appreciate all the kind words and prayers.  You’re all awesome.  :D

My husband has a ruptured appendix.  We originally thought it was a stomach bug then thought it was food poisoning when he didn’t get better.  Today he got to the doctor who took him in for a CT Scan and found the real cause.  So he’s waiting for surgery and is expected to stay for about a week post-operation.

I expect it will be about a week to a week and a half before I’m able to get to emails, Facebook, Goodreads, and these blog comments.

Thanks again, everyone.  :D

Taking Some Time Off Due to a Family Situation

Last Friday, my husband came down with something (not sure what yet) and he’s not doing any better.  I know I haven’t answered some blog comments, emails, Goodreads and FB messages yet.  I’m not ignoring anyone.  :)  I will get to those when I’m able to, but that probably won’t be for a while.  I don’t want to say when because I don’t know when things will calm down.

Dave Larson, Christopher Robinson, and Gavin Blackheart Share Their “Feelings” On the Hero Swap (and a Poll on Who the Best Hero Is)

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Christopher thinking, “What a stupid hero swap.”

Christopher: That’s not funny, Ruth.  We are not here to discuss our “feelings” like a bunch of women.  We’re here to say what a ridiculous idea you had with a hero swap.

Dave Larson: *snickers* You’re just upset because you couldn’t handle delivering a foal.

Christopher: I should have put you in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife where you would be cleaning chamber pots.

Dave: We don’t have flushing toilets where I come from, and we don’t always go to the outhouse, especially when it’s cold out or when it’s night.  Chamber pots go under our beds for easy use so emptying those isn’t something that scares me.

Christopher: All I can say is that the American old west was a disgusting and dirty place.

Gavin sporting a new look.

Gavin Blackheart: Oh come on, Christopher.  It wasn’t that bad.

Christopher: Who are you and what did you do with King “I’m a Warrior Haha” Blackheart?

Gavin: I’m in contemporary clothes.

Christopher: So am I, but I don’t look like a dork.

Gavin: I’m not a dork.

Christopher: As long as you think it, that’s all that matters.  By the way,  I can’t believe you showed up to the barn wearing a knight’s outfit.

Gavin: I wasn’t sure what the scene would be before I got there.  I hoped I’d be confronting Neil Craftsman, but as it turns out, it was a boring mare giving birth scene.

Christopher: Yeah, like reading a letter was so much more interesting.  *rolls eyes* That was lame.

Gavin: And you were ready to let Sandy read it.  That was rather thoughtless of you.

Christopher: She didn’t really want to know what was in the letter.  She just wanted to see you.

Dave: You can’t prove that.

Christopher: When I gave her the chance to read it, she decided not to.  If that doesn’t prove why she was really there–without any guards following her–then I don’t know what it proves.

Gavin: Granted, I’m an extremely attractive guy–

Dave: Oh brother. *sighs*

Gavin: You can’t deny it, Larson.  Your wife was all on my case for me to take off my shirt.  She hears about my rippling muscles and wanted to see if the rumors were true.

Christopher: It’s so sad when the hero loves himself more than the heroine.

Dave: Mary had no interest in you or your body.  Neither did Sandy.  Sandy’s main goal was to make you miserable.  I’d say “your welcome” for following your instructions and not giving her the letter when I had the chance, but given the fact that you think so highly of yourself, I should have shoved you out the window instead of that letter.

Christopher: Way to go, Dave.  Who thought you had that vindictive streak in you?

Gavin: Yeah, you keep talking like that and you’ll lose your “good boy” status pretty quick.

Christopher: You know, Dave, it really is a shame, you didn’t pursue some kind of revenge on Neil in Eye of the Beholder.  I went ahead and read To Have and To Hold and Isaac’s Decision–

Gavin: You did?

Christopher: I had to see if Neil ever got what was coming to him.

Gavin: And?

Christopher: Neil never got what was coming to him.

Dave: That’s because I don’t believe in solving problems with violence.

Gavin: You didn’t even punch him.

Christopher: Yeah, I was pretty disappointed.  No wonder some people want to throw their ereaders against the wall when they finish Eye of the Beholder.

Dave: You’re on to talk, Christopher.  You had Lord Pennella threaten you and your wife had to step in and save your hide before you got yourself killed in a duel.  As for you, Gavin…  Well, I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to have made sexually suggestive comments to another man’s wife.

Gavin: The hero swap was all in good fun.  None of it was to be taken seriously.  The women knew that.

Dave: Even so, some decency wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Christopher: *laughs* Oh Dave, you guys in the historical US west are so funny with what you consider proper and improper.

Dave: You guys in the Regency time period have the stupidest rules set in place so you won’t offend “The Ton”.  I mean, you have to refer to people by their titles and you have to say “lady” instead of “woman”.  God forbid someone should dance more than twice with the same partner at a ball.

Gavin: I have to admit, some of the Regency things that can create a scandal are ridiculous.  I couldn’t handle those kinds of limitations.

Christopher: Well, it beats having to get up at the break of dawn in order to start in on that farm work and having to practice every day for a battle that may or may not come.

Dave, thinking of Mary like he usually does.

Dave: Farming is hard work, but it’s good work.  It’s because of farmers that people eat, you know.

Gavin: Let’s just admit that we’re all better off in the stories we were put in.  Had Ruth put us in any other book–

Christopher: or with any other lady–

Gavin: we’d be miserable.

Dave: I could probably be happy anywhere as long as I had Mary with me, but I’ll admit I’m happiest where I’m at in Nebraska.

Christopher: No one offers better comebacks than Agatha.  I like guessing what clever retort she’ll come up with to what I say.

Gavin: And at least Sandy has a sense of humor when I do make my sexual suggestions.

Ruth Ann Nordin: I’m so proud of you guys.  You all agree on something.

Christopher: It has nothing to do with sentimental feelings, but yes, we decided the cousin of an earl deserves better in life than to deliver foals or practice with a sword in a courtyard all day.

Gavin: I didn’t practice all day.

Christopher: Just about every scene had you in the courtyard.  It was boring after a while.

Gavin: You read my book too?

Christopher: Yes, I did.  And thank God there won’t be a sequel.  Your ego is even bigger than Dave’s.

Dave: I don’t have a big ego.

Christopher: Not in the books but when you’re on this blog…

Gavin: He has a point, Dave.  No one gives Ruth more grief than you.

Dave: All done in fun.

Ruth: Yes, I just love it when my characters stage a boycott and try to rewrite my books.

Dave: If you didn’t, you wouldn’t allow the posts to go up.  Now, are we going to have this vote or what?

Gavin: Demanding and a big ego.

Christopher: Quite a combination.

Ruth: Alright.  Let’s break it up.  You two were having a good moment up there when you were all in agreement.  Let’s not get into another argument.  I’ll post the poll now.

Okay everyone, this is your chance to tell the guys who you love best!  :)  

Take Our Poll

*****

picture of Christopher credit goes to: © Vanessa Van Rensburg | Dreamstime.com

picture of Gavin credit goes to: © Alexei Tacu | Dreamstime.com

picture of Dave credit goes to: © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com

If You’d Like to Stop Getting New Release Emails, Fill Out this Form

I was reading a forum and someone said they wish they had a way of opting out of an author’s email list.  Since I have my list in yahoo, I don’t have a neat little tool at the bottom of the email that will let people click “unsubscribe” to the list.  I also know it’s not easy to email someone directly and say, “I would like off the list.”

So I thought I’d make it easy to unsubscribe from my new release email list. If you are already on the list and don’t want to receive emails when I have a new release, please check the box on the form below and put the email address you gave me so I know which email address to remove.

I will delete your email from my address book as soon as I get this in my inbox.

[contact-form]

Hero Swap: A Scene from Eye of the Beholder (Gavin Blackheart takes Dave Larson’s Place)

Ever wonder, “What would that book be like if someone else was the hero?” Well, that’s what I’m doing in this post.  :-)

I’m taking one scene from His Reluctant Lady, His Abducted Bride, and Eye of the Beholder and I’m going to swap heroes.  I’ll be using their personalities to see how things would be different.  I’ll be doing this for a couple weeks.  During or after that time, I’ll give Dave Larson, Christopher Robinson, and Gavin Blackheart a chance to give their thoughts on this swap.  While the men wanted to keep their heroines, I decided to make it much more interesting.  The men will have to interact with the other guy’s heroine.

This week, we’re going to look at a scene from Eye of the Beholder.  I’ll use Gavin Blackheart in today’s post.  The scene I’m doing today is based off this one I posted in Sunday’s post.

I’m ready for battle.

Three days later after supper, Susannah was ready to foal.  Gavin road his horse into the barn, ready to help her.

Mary ran into the barn after him, almost dropping the clean towels she was holding.  ”What are you doing?”

He glanced at her and gave her one of his confident smiles.  ”I’m going to help you deliver the foal.”

“But you can’t have your horse in here, and you can’t wear those clothes.”

He glanced at his battle attire.  ”I wear this when I’m ready for action.”

She sighed.  ”You’ve never delivered a foal before, have you?”

“Nope.  Can’t say I have.” He slid off his horse.  ”But I figure it can’t be too hard.  Dave Larson does it.”

“Unless you’ve been taught how to do it properly, it’s harder than it looks.  The mare is struggling because the foal is stuck, and you can’t just drag it out of her.”

“So, you’ll give me instructions and I’ll follow them.”

She hesitated but finally nodded.  ”Alright.  I’ll do that.  But first, you have to get rid of your horse and take off all that battle gear.  Dave does this without his shirt on.”

Winking at her, he said, “If you want to see me without my shirt, just say so, sweetie.”

She groaned.  ”The reason I told you to take your shirt off was because if you don’t, you’ll get the birthing fluid all over your chest.”

“Sure,” he replied with a slight chuckle.

With a shake of her head, she grabbed the horse’s bridle.  ”I’ll tell you what.  I’ll take your horse to the pasture while you get ready.” Before he could respond, she left with the horse.

Once he removed everything but his pants and boots, he went over to the stall where the horse was laying on clean straw.  He went over to the mare and patted her belly.  ”Don’t worry.  We’ll get that foal out safe and sound in no time.”

The horse snorted her reply.

“Everyone’s a critic,” he replied in amusement.  Noting Mary had returned, he asked, “What do I do first?”

“Wash your arms with soap and water.”

He grinned at her.  ”You like your men with that ‘just came out of the water’ look?”

She gasped.  ”I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m married to Dave, not you.  You’re only here because of the hero swap.  The reason you’re supposed to wash up is for the health of the mare and foal.”

“This would be more fun is Sandy was here,” he commented as he washed up.

“This isn’t supposed to be fun.  This is a serious scene.  We want the mare and foal to be alive and healthy at the end of it.”

“You stress out too much.  Ruth won’t let the horses die.” He returned to the stall and looked over at her.  ”Now what do I do?”

Mary led him through the process and he followed her instructions, careful to do everything exactly as she told him to.  When the head and shoulders appeared, she told him to back up so he did.

“They have it from here,” Mary told him.

As he expected, the foal’s upper body emerged on its own.  It stopped when its hips were at the threshold of entering the world.  Before long, the foal’s hind hooves left the womb and the animal rested against its mother’s belly.  Satisfied, he returned to the bucket of water and dipped the soap into it.

“What did you think?” she asked as he washed up.

“It wasn’t too bad.   This wasn’t the most exciting scene in your book, but it was good enough for what Dave wanted, I guess.”

“Oh?  And what scene would you have picked?”

“I would have picked the scene where Neil abducted you because then I’d take my horse, hopped on the train, and gotten you back myself.  You don’t know hot and sexy until you’ve been rescued by a knight in shining armor.  And I’ll tell you another thing,” he added as he dried himself off.  ”I wouldn’t have let Neil get away with it either.  He would have been put in jail where he belonged.”

“But if we had done that, then Neil never would have gotten his second chance in His Redeeming Bride.”

He shrugged.  ”I guess you and I will have to differ on that plot point.”

“You, of all characters, should understand how important it is to get a second chance.”

“Yeah, but in my case, I was the good guy.  It was the author who misunderstood me.” He grabbed his battle gear.  ”It was an honor to deliver the foal with your help, my lady.” He bowed and left the barn.

His Reluctant Lady is Now Available!

All I can say is that Amazon and B&N have really quickened the time they get books up on their sites.  It used to take about a day to two days.  This time, it was a matter of hours.  

Amazon

B&N

Apple iBookstore

Smashwords

***

After doing the pre-order experiment for two books, I have decided that the pre-order thing is not for me.  It was so amazingly HARD to wait to publish this book and His Abducted Bride.  LOL  I just don’t have the patience required for this type of waiting.  When I finish a book, I want to get it out so I can focus on writing the next one.

So in the future, I’ll be getting my books out a lot sooner once I finish them.  :)