Ruth Ann Nordin's Blog, page 86

Mister Christopher Robinson (Hero from His Reluctant Lady) Writes This Week’s Story Sample Sunday

Please note: This scene does NOT actually appear in the story.  It’s a spoof.  

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Greetings!  This is Christopher Robinson, the dashing hero in His Reluctant Lady.  Since Ruth is busy co-writing a couple of books, I thought I’d delight everyone with this Sunday’s Story Sample I wrote.

I call it, “The Evil Two Earls” and if all goes well, it’ll make it into His Reluctant Lady which happens to be the very best book Ruth has ever written…and I’m not just saying that because I’m the main character.  Well, all right, I am, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true.  This is way better than anything else she’s ever done.  Dave Larson, eat your heart out.  *smirks* His Reluctant Lady is going to be better than Eye of the Beholder.

Anyway, without further ado, I present a sample I wrote that will hopefully make it into the final version of His Reluctant Lady…

“The Evil Two Earls”

While Christopher and Agatha were enjoying a night of wild, passionate lovemaking, Perry paced the floor of his townhouse.  No matter how much he tried, he didn’t have peace.  What was wrong with him?  Was his boring life not enough?  Since when did his dull political books and stupid cane that served as an emotional crutch lose their appeal?  It was very disturbing and no matter what he tried to do, he just couldn’t find that special place of contentment.

He summoned the butler and demanded to be taken at once to Nate’s townhouse.  If anyone could tell him how to feel about something, it was his controlling and overbearing friend since childhood, Lord Roderick.

When he reached the carriage, he saw two ladies who were yet unattached.  Like the idiot he was, he proceeded to explain why a certain move on the chessboard could guarantee more success than Napoleon’s maneuver at Waterloo.  Within minutes the ladies’ eyes glazed over then, much to their relief, his footman opened the carriage door and he was out of their lives.

Christopher Robinson (very proud of what he’s writing)

Now, both ladies would be married before the week was up, and he’d convince himself that it was all because of his cane rather than the fact that he bored them into the arms of other gentlemen.  Denial is a very sad thing and as long as he stays there, he’s doomed.  But I digress.  Back to my tale of woe…

Perry arrived at Nate’s townhouse, and Nate was glowering at a very sweet lady named Claire who just so happened to be his wife.  He had, once again, thrown out the sympathy cards and flowers sent to express sorrow for her grave misfortune in having to marry him.  All right.  I send the cards and flowers, but no one needs to know that so that will get cut during edits.

Anyway, Claire fled off to her bedchamber in utter despair, wishing there was a way to get rid of her controlling husband but not knowing how that would be possible.  Fortunately, this evening would be the evening when fate would step in on her behalf.  But I need to back up and explain how.

“Oh what is it that ails me so?” Perry moaned in utter despair as he collapsed into a chair.

Oh wait…  Nate and Perry went to Nate’s library because they find comfort in boring and stuffy books, not a single interesting title in resides in that place.

So there they are in the library, Perry sulking like a little boy who lost his last friend in the world, twirling the cane around in his hand as if it was the reason all bad things happened to him.

I just noticed I switched from past tense to present tense.  That should be corrected in the edits.  Ruth, make a note to correct this.  I’ll go back to past tense now.  Sorry for the confusion, everyone.

Nate poured brandy into his glass and gulped it then slammed the glass on his desk and let out an evil laugh.  ”I know what ails you, my weak-minded friend.”

Perry, ever in need of guidance, looked up hopefully at his friend who was sharpening the horns on his head.  ”What? What is it that has caused my discontent?”

“The answer is simple.  You let that ward of yours run off and get married.  Now there is nothing to make Christopher miserable.  And you know what fiendish delight I get in other people’s misery, and when he’s miserable, you’re happy.” His eyes glowed red as he rubbed his hands together and snarled. “We must make him miserable.”

“But how shall we do that?”

“We enact a plan!”

“A plan?”

“Yes, it’s an idea.  It’s something we will do to make sure a certain outcome is reached.”

“Huh?”

Nate shook his head.  ”Why must I do all the thinking for you?  I swear, if it wasn’t for me, you never would have figured out how to tie your shoes.”

“Do we have ties in the Regency time period?”

Nate groaned.  ”Does it matter?”

“To someone out there reading this, yes.”

“If they didn’t have ties, then I am even smarter for I thought of something that hasn’t happened yet.”

“Why don’t you do a Google search to see if ties existed back then?”

Nate pulled out his pitchfork and threw it at Perry who was then pinned against the nearest wall, too stupid to realize how close he’d come to being killed with the thing.  ”Back to what’s important, Perry!  I am the one in charge here.  You will do whatever I say and believe whatever I say.”

“You’re right, Nate.  As always.”

Perry and Nate as they contemplate how to ruin Christopher’s life….again.

Nate snapped his fingers and the pitchfork disappeared.  ”Very good.  What we need is a way to make Christopher miserable.  Once we do that, you will be happy.”

“Yes, I do enjoy it when he suffers.”

“As do I.  The manure in those stables and waste in those chamber pots…” Nate let out a deep laugh, thunder and lightning booming in the background.  ”I was a genius to torment him by making him muck out stalls and empty chamber pots.  That was indeed, my finest hour.  I read through that part of The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife every night before I go to bed.”

“Yes, Nate.  You were truly inspired.  And I was very happy back then.”

“And you will be again!” He leapt over his desk and pulled the cord to alert his butler that he and Perry would leave at once.  ”Come, come,” he told Perry, giving him his cane.  ”We shall be on our way.”

Ever dutiful, Perry followed Nate.  Once they sat in the carriage, Perry asked, “What is this plan, Nate?  What will we do to make Christopher miserable?”

A slow smile spread across Nate’s face.  ”We shall make him impotent.”

“Impotent?”

“Now and forever.”

Together, the two horrible earls laughed as the horses hurried down the streets of London, bringing them closer to their goal.

But as I said, fate would intervene tonight and make things better for everyone.  Another carriage happened to be coming in the opposite direction at breakneck speed.  The driver and footman saw it and managed to jump off for safety before it slammed into Nate’s carriage.  The two evil friends died at once, their plan never coming to fruition.

And everyone else lived happily ever after.  For those worried about Claire, I assure you, everything worked out for her.  She went on to marry a duke who was really strong and good looking and who adopted a lot of children from the orphanage.  Claire’s a really caring person who has nothing but kindness and love to give to children.  And as for the single ladies, they were all spared the boring chess analogies from Perry, so yes, they were happy too.

The End

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Photo credit for Christopher Robinson: © Vanessa Van Rensburg | Dreamstime.com

Photo credit for Lord Roderick and Lord Clement: © Aleksandar Todorovic | Dreamstime.com

Co-Authoring A Couple of Books and Update on His Reluctant Lady and His Abducted Bride

Recently (as in the past week), I got to talking with a couple of author friends (you all probably recognize the names Janet Syas Nitsick and Stephannie Beman since I’ve mentioned them before).  So we decided to co-author some books, though in a different way, which I’ll explain.

But first, I don’t have any covers yet.  I love to do covers because they’re fun to look at when I make posts about the books I’m working on.  For some reason, the story doesn’t feel real until I see the cover.

The Book Stephannie and I Are Working On

 We are working together on the same book. I’m doing the heroine’s point of view, and Stephannie’s doing the hero’s point of view.  That way we have two very distinct voices and have equal work put into the story.  The story is a historical western set in Wyoming in 1868 or so.  We’ve decided to call it The Stagecoach Bride.  It begins when a mail-order bride (Lillian Christian) is on her way to marry a man when a group of outlaws (led by hero Mic Nichols) kidnap her and send a letter to her intended demanding a ransom for her return.  There’s a good reason Mic and the others are kidnapping her, but the question (of course) is why.  :-)  I can’t say much more than that because I don’t want to spoil the book.

We’re working on the book together on a chat program.  I’ll write something down then send it to her to see and she’ll write something.  So it’s constant back and forth, which actually makes it easy because the heroine will say something and depending on what the hero says, her next action or statement will help turn the story in a certain direction.  This is entirely a “seat by the pants” style because there’s no way I can predict what Stephannie will come up with nor can she predict what I do.

We’re thinking of making this a series and calling it the Wild Hearts Series.

The Book Jan and I Are Working On

First, the books with Jan.  She and I have decided we’re going to do a historical set in Nebraska in 1876.  But this historical will be two novellas featuring two friends (and the brothers who fall in love with them).   Both friends meet on a train heading for Lincoln, Nebraska.  One, Opal, is a young woman who decided to become a governess to a wealthy man (Phillip) who is a widower with two young children.  The other, Madeline, is a young woman whose brother has arranged for her to marry Alex (Phillip’s younger brother).

Upon arriving at the train station in Lincoln, Phillip mistakes Madeline for the governess and falls in love with her immediately.  But then he realized Madeline is the woman his brother has arranged to marry.  So the conflict, of course, has to do with this plot.  I’ll be writing Madeline and Phillip’s story.

Jan will be writing Opal and Alex’s story.  I’m not sure where their romance comes in at this stage but know there’s a conflict between Phillip and Alex where Alex wants to buy the cobbler store Phillip owns and there’s a problem with Phillip wondering if Alex is mature enough to run his own business.  (Alex is 19 and Phillip is 27 so there’s enough of an age difference where the two will be at odds, and I’m sure this will affect how things play out with Madeline and Opal.)

So these are two novellas, one written by me and the other by Jan, but both of which tells stories that connect up together.  So this will be placed into one book.  We still haven’t figured out a title but are considering “Love Stops In Lincoln” then dividing it into Madeline’s Story and Opal’s Story.  If anyone has any ideas on a possible title, I’d love to hear it.  We’re currently brainstorming so we’re open to suggestions.

His Reluctant Lady

I haven’t forgotten this book.  It’s turning out more like a puzzle than a book, though, because I’m trying to figure out the best order for some of the scenes in it.  I have about twenty chapters already done, but it’s hard to figure out the best way to put them all together.  I figure I’ll be done with the first draft in 1-3 weeks, depending on how much more these characters want to do.  I’m having a lot of fun with them.  Christopher and Agatha have a ton of chemistry.

I also love how he manages to get under Perry’s skin (just because he loves to annoy him).  I know it sounds bad, but it’s too funny because Christopher sees Perry as a very stuffy and boring person while we know he’s not when Perry was in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife.  But see, in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife, we are given Nate’s point of view and how he sees Perry.  What I love about doing series is how the same character can appear so different depending on which character’s point of view I’m writing them in.

His Abducted Bride

This story came to a grinding halt at the time when it took a more “fantasy” turn.  I used to write fantasy, but now I know why I only wrote one fantasy book a year (or less).  I’d much rather be writing romance.  I was having tons of fun and loving this book while the focus was on the romance between Sandy and Gavin (a cocky but lovable guy).  The story was flowing well and coming naturally.  Then I’m at the point where the real villain makes his play and then I’m like, “Oh no.  I do not want to send Sandy off to the Lake of Woes where she can find that unicorn I mentioned earlier in the book who will take her out of her story.”

Because I know if I go down that path, I will spend about 20,000 words describing her journey and all the stuff she’ll see along the way (all the obstacles, etc) she’ll have to overcome.  Fantasy (to me) is a formula book.  They say romance is a formula, and that would be accurate too, but the fun is finding out how the hero and heroine get to their happy ending.  Fantasy is similar.  Different adventures (roadblocks) are set up to prevent the hero/heroine from getting to their goal (and sometimes this is spread out across three books or more).  I understand to fantasy lovers, that is the fun part.  How they get to their goal.  But for me, it’s not how they get to their goal; it’s how they get back to their love interest.  And that is a big difference.

So I’m going to knock off the fantasy heavy part and shorten the time before Sandy can be back with Gavin because that is all I really care about.  I’m hoping to have this book’s first draft done around mid-June.  *fingers crossed*

Monday Inspiration for the Book: His Reluctant Lady (Interview with Christopher, Agatha, and Perry)

The inspiration for His Reluctant Lady came while I was writing A Most Unsuitable Earl.    Agatha Lyons (Lady Richfield) was introduced as Ethan (Lord Edon)’s partner in crime (so to speak) who helped Ethan become known as a rake.

I knew she and Christopher Robinson would be a good match because deep down, these two have a desire to break the Ton’s rules, except Agatha is smarter about it because she keeps her activities under cover.

Christopher Robinson

Christopher: Excuse me?  I’ve also learned to keep my tendency to misbehave under cover as well.  Ever since Lord Ironfist made me muck out stalls and empty chamber pots, I’ve made sure my guardian, Lord Lackluster, thinks I’m 100% as boring and dull as he is.

Ruth: Lords Ironfist and Lackluster.  For clarity, you are referring to Lords Roderick and Clement.

Christopher: Whatever.  You can call them what you will.  Quite frankly, I’m still miffed they put me through all that torture in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife.  I’m waiting for them to have to do something equally horrendous before you finish His Reluctant Lady.  Maybe have Lord Roderick go bald and lose all his teeth.  I was thinking Lord Clement can spend the rest of his life holed away in a library somewhere, never to bother me again.

Ruth: I hate to tell you this, but revenge on Roderick and Clement is not why I’m writing this book.

Christopher: But it’s in there, right?

Ruth: Nope.  I’m afraid Roderick retains all his hair and teeth, and Clement remains in London.

Christopher: What a rip off.  If those two don’t get what’s coming to them, then what’s the point of this book?

Agatha (Lady Richfield)

Agatha: Does the word “romance” mean nothing to you?  This isn’t a book about revenge. It’s a romance.  The idea is for you to fall helplessly in love with me.

Christopher: Or is it for you to fall helplessly in love with me while bad things happen to Ironfist and Lackluster?

Agatha: No, I don’t think so.  I’m not some misguided, naive virgin.  I’ve been married before.

Christopher: Yeah but your first husband died in a horse riding accident the day after your wedding.  I don’t know if that qualifies for an actual marriage.

Agatha: I had to suffer through the wedding night, so yes, it was an actual marriage.  I’m just sorry I was brought into this book to marry again.  Being a widow with lots of money in the Regency era had it’s advantages, freedom being one of them.  I don’t suppose you’ll take any horse rides during this book?

Christopher: I’ll have you know that you’ll be falling all over yourself just to be with me.

Ruth: Well, not exactly, Christopher.  I mean, you might be lovable, but she’s not the kind of lady who falls at anyone’s feet in adoration.  So if you think she’s going to make it easy for you, then you have a rude awakening coming to you.

Christopher: Is she going to make me muck out stalls or empty chamber pots?

Ruth: No.

Christopher: Then I can deal with whatever comes my way.  *pauses* I don’t suppose she’d be willing to shave off all of Ironfist’s and Lackluster’s hair and tattoo their heads so they’ll be the laugh of the Ton?

Ruth: No.

Agatha:  Ruth, please tell me he’s not going to whine and groan through the whole book about cleaning out stalls and emptying chamber pots.  That would get super annoying really fast.

Ruth: He does bring it up from time to time.  But that is not why I was inspired to write this book.  I thought Christopher had a fun side to him and you had a cynical side that needed someone like him to show you that love can be a beautiful thing.

Christopher: I don’t know.  When you put it that way, it sounds boring.

Ruth: Does it help to know that you have to figure a way to outwit her?

Christopher: Yeah, I guess.  I do like a good challenge.

Agatha: You don’t make me some weak heroine, do you?  I despise weak heroines.  I won’t have any gentleman reducing me to a pathetic mass of drool.

Christopher: “Pathetic mass of drool?” I hope you don’t use lines like that in your book, Ruth.  That is just awful.

Ruth: Everyone’s a critic. *sighs*  So anyway, I thought a lady who has a could of secrets would appeal most to someone who bores anyone who strictly adhere to what’s proper.  That means you and Agatha are a perfect match.

Agatha: Yeah, well, we’ll see.

Christopher: Love doesn’t seem like enough incentive to be in this book.  Are you sure we can’t make this a horror novel with some romantic undertones?  I hear there’s this estate just south of London that’s supposedly haunted and think Ironfist and Lackluster might get stranded out there when the carriage breaks down and-

Ruth: Try to show more enthusiasm, Agatha.  And Christopher, this is not a horror novel. The worst that happens in this book is that Perry doesn’t get married (again).

Perry (Lord Clement)

Perry: What?  I don’t?  Why not?

Christopher: Because you’re boring.  You put ladies to sleep.

Agatha: That’s not true.

Christopher:  It might as well be.  They yawn when he talks to them.

Perry: They do not!  It’s something else.  Ruth, is it because I have to use a cane to help me walk?

Christopher: It’s because you never have any fun.  You spend all your time reading or playing chess.  I mean, I see you and Lord Roderick chuckling over chess maneuvers and talking about politics.  Everyone at White’s think you two are dull.  Why would the ladies think otherwise?

Perry: Gambling, insisting on a duel, getting expelled from school, ending up in fights that nearly get you killed….  You think that’s fun and exciting?  That ladies want that?  Because that’s how you are.  You think it’s been easy being your guardian all these years?  I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to rescue you before someone put a bullet in your head.

Christopher: That was all in the past.  I don’t do that anymore.

Perry: Because “Ironfist” had the good sense to knock some sense into you by making you clean stalls and empty chamber pots.  I didn’t have the heart to do it, but I’m glad he did.

Ruth: Yeah, Perry’s a softie.  Just the kind of gentleman who’ll help a lady out in a time of need.  Don’t worry, Perry.  Your book is next.  It’s called The Earl’s Scandalous Wife, and I already have the cover made.

Christopher: I don’t know if he can handle a scandal.  That kind of excitement could give him a heart attack.

Perry: I’ll be glad when you get married.  I can’t handle the stress of wondering what mischief you’re getting into that I don’t know about.

Christopher: See?  You better change the title to The Earl’s Very Boring Wife.  It only needs to be one page long because nothing ever happens.

Ruth: Break it up, guys.  I need to end this post.  And The Earl’s Scandalous Wife stands.

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Photos from:

Perry: © Aleksandar Todorovic | Dreamstime.com

Agatha: © Arturkurjan | Dreamstime.com

Christopher: © Vanessa Van Rensburg | Dreamstime.com

Sunday Story Sample: How To Trap a Reluctant Lady Into Marriage (Scene from His Reluctant Lady)

For this Sunday’s Story Sample, I have to take a break from “Kent Ashton’s Backstory” (which has now hit novella status) because I have nothing new to post.  I am working ahead in the story because my mind drew a blank on how I’m going to have to give Kent a proper motive to go to North Dakota to find Ann.  Currently, I’m working on his point of view for the two scenes where Ann feels threatened by him.

That being the case, I decided to take a sample from His Reluctant Lady.

This scene takes place in Chapter 8, so quite a bit does happen leading up to this.  However, this is one of my favorite scenes.  :-)

Christopher (aka Mister Robinson) is Perry (Lord Clement)’s ward.  I introduced him in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife.  He’s the one who helped Claire disguise herself as a stable boy in hopes of going back to London.  Agatha (Lady Richfield) made her debut in A Most Unsuitable Earl as Ethan (Lord Edon)’s secret friend who helped make things up about him in the Tittletattle so everyone thought he was a rake.

Tomorrow, I’ll give a “behind the scenes” look at this book.  I’m currently in Chapter 18, which puts me pretty close to the end.

“You have a visitor, my lady.”

Agatha glanced up from her writing, her eyebrows furrowed.  She wasn’t expecting anyone.  “Is it my sister?” she asked the butler, setting her writing in her desk drawer then rising to her feet.

“No.  It’s Mister Robinson.  He said you were expecting him.”

“No, I’m not.”

Before she could tell the butler to send him away, Mister Robinson appeared in the doorway and said, “I have an important message from Mister Addison.”

Her heart stopped as she glanced at the butler.  Her gaze went back to Mister Robinson who stepped halfway into the drawing room and crossed his arms.  So he’d seen the tidbit in the Tittletattle and realized she was one of the contributors.  She couldn’t tell if he was upset or amused.  His expression seemed to be a mixture of both.  Tapping her nails on the desk, she debated the best way to proceed.  If she wasn’t careful, this wasn’t going to end in her favor.

“I assured your butler and footman that you’d want to see me,” Mister Robinson added with a penetrating stare, “given the circumstances.”

Taking a deep breath, she managed to smile at the butler.  “You may leave us.”

The butler bowed and left.

She waited for a few tense seconds before she strode to the door and shut it, ensuring their privacy.  When she turned around, Mister Robinson was right in front of her.  Gasping, she stepped back.  “A warning would be nice,” she said.

He leaned forward, his arms on both sides of her, sufficiently trapping her.  She pressed her back against the door, but he was still too close to her.  Despite her apprehension, she made eye contact with him.  If she was going to face the consequences of her actions, then she’d do with her head held high.

“You found out my secret,” she said, hoping she sounded braver than she felt.

“I told you about the wager between Lords Davenport and Pennella in confidence,” he softly replied, his voice alarmingly void of emotion.  “Do you realize how much trouble you’ve caused?”

She couldn’t tell what he was thinking by studying his face either.  Clasping her hands behind her back, she squeezed her hands to help relieve the tension in her body.  “What will you do?”

A slow smile spread across his face.  “I’m going to give you a decision.  Either you marry me or I tell everyone you’re Gerard Addison.”

Blast it!  He was surprisingly conniving and even though she would lose no matter which option she chose, she had to admire his ability to pin her down.  “If I marry you, then you won’t tell anyone I’m Gerard?”

“Your secret will go to the grave with me.”

“I don’t suppose you’ll give me time to think about it?”

“You have five seconds.”

“I meant more time, as in a couple days.”

He kissed the tip of her nose and chuckled.  “Four seconds.”

She gritted her teeth.  She had no choice.  If word got out about her association with the Tittletattle, her reputation would be ruined.  “Fine.  I’ll marry you.”

“I thought you’d choose that one.  You are, after all, an intelligent lady.”

“And you’re a persistent gentleman.”

“Who eventually wins when he wants something bad enough.”

There was no denying that.  “And apparently, you read the Tittletattle.”

“Not as much as my friend Lord Edon does.  You and Lord Edon are pretty close, aren’t you?  I noticed the Tittletattle used to feature him on a regular basis.  I didn’t think about it until after the Tittletattle was circulating through White’s, but it’s strange how he wasn’t featured after he got married.”

“Yes, well, his father-in-law insisted he be worthy of Lady Catherine.”

“Ah, that explains it,” he replied.  “Have you and Lord Edon been lovers?”

“Good heavens, no.  I have no desire to be with any gentleman that way.”

“But you’re a widow.”

“Yes, and that was enough to know my bed is no place for a gentleman.”

“So you didn’t enjoy it?”

Her countenance hardened as she lowered her gaze.  “I hated it.”

“Why?  What did your husband do?” he softly asked.

“Does it matter?”

“Immensely, since I’m to be your next husband.”

“If you wished to spare me any grief, you’ll find your pleasure with a mistress instead of me.”

With a sigh, he cupped the side of her face with one of his hands and titled her head so she was looking at him.  “I don’t know the details of what he did or didn’t do, but I assure you that you’ll find pleasure with me.”

He kissed her, his lips gentle, sending a promise she knew he couldn’t keep.  It wasn’t called a wife’s duty for nothing.  And now she’d have to endure it with a gentleman who probably wouldn’t have a fatal accident.

He brushed her cheek then stepped back.  “I’ll take my leave.” Reaching behind her back, he took her hand in his and kissed it.  “Now that we’re engaged, I want you to call me Christopher.  What should I call you?”

“Agatha.”

“Good because that sounds much better than Gerard.”

Despite the grim situation, a slight smile crossed her lips.

“It’s nice to know the lady has a sense of humor.” He kissed her hand again.  “Until we see each other again, my dear Agatha.”

After he left, she released a shaky breath and headed over to her desk.  She thought of pulling out her story to continue working on it, but she’d never be able to focus on it.  She went over to the window and saw Christopher walking down the street.  He looked immensely satisfied and she had to admit he was very clever.  In the future, she wouldn’t make the mistake of underestimating him again.

Writing More Than One Book at a Time

I had a great question posed to me recently, which was how I manage to write more than one book at a time (and if it got confusing).  So today I’m going to address this issue.  I used to write one book at a time, but this was years ago.  I started writing more than one book at a time when I had the first draft blog.  Back then, I wrote the 500 words a day in the morning and then another 1000 or more words for another work in progress.  So writing more than one book wasn’t something I planned on when I started.  It popped up because of the first draft blog.  I think I started that blog in the fall of 2009.

So anyway, I wrote one story in the morning or early afternoon to make my 500 words a day goal to post on the blog.  Then I’d write another story in the evening.  That’s how writing more than one book at a time got started.

I don’t remember when I added a third or a fourth book to the list, but I know it was because I had so many story ideas that I couldn’t just pick one or two books to write.  It’s very hard to choose what I’m going to write next because so many ideas appeal to me.  I also find having a variety of books helps keep my mind fresh.  If I write just one book or one particular romance subgenre at one time, I get burned out.  This is why I do contemporaries, historical westerns and Regencies.  Some are more serious and others are more comedic.

I usually work on three to four different books at a time.  I used to devote different times of the day to each book.  So in the morning, I’d work on one book.  Then early afternoon, I’d do another.  Then in the evening, I’d do another one.  By working on them at different times of the day, I’d establish a routine that made me better able to focus on that particular story at that time.

From there, I have gotten to the point where I can now work on all of the stories at the same time.  So it was a progression for me.  Now I’m at the point where I am better able to write if I have multiple works in progress.  I actually like it a lot more this way because if I get to a point in the book where I’m not sure what happens next, I can work on another book.  I have estimated word counts that I aim for each day for every book I write, but those are more guidelines than mandatory goals.  They’re there to help me stay focused with what I need to do.

If I’m on a roll with one story, I’ll keep writing in it for as long as the story is flowing.  There have been days when I get so involved with one story that I don’t write anything in the other stories.  That doesn’t happen often, but if it does, it’s usually at the end of the book.  By the last couple chapters, I tend to have full focus and energy that goes into that one book.

Most of the other times, I pace myself with my word counts as if I’m in a marathon.  I don’t set aside certain times to write anymore because when my husband retired, him being around the house has disrupted that for me.  Now I’m back to writing 10-15 minutes here and there.  Despite what some people think, my husband does not understand that when I’m writing I am actually working.  He thinks it’s like playing a game on the computer.  (I wish it was that easy.  LOL)  Sometimes I will get to spend an hour or two straight working on a story, but that is not the norm.  Just like when I started writing romances in late 2007 and I had toddlers and preschoolers at home interrupting me all the time, I have to write in small chunks of time.

It was very hard to get used to writing that way when my husband retired.  I couldn’t effectively write more than a couple hundred words a day for about two months after he came back from Korea.  Now I’m used to it and have trouble sitting still and writing for an hour or two straight.  I usually get up to do laundry, dishes, or some other chore then come back to the computer.  It’s really about what you’re used to and developing a system that works for you and your lifestyle.

I currently am in “story mode” at all times, which means even if I’m not writing, I’m planning out what scenes to write for either today or tomorrow in my mind.  And I do usually have all of my works in progress weaving in and out of my thoughts during the day.  I’m able to keep them all straight because the characters are so real to me that they are unique people, each with their own personalities and their own circumstances.

Also, I allow myself to take days off if I start feeling exhausted.  Sometimes I know what happens next in the story but the energy isn’t there.  I will take the day off.  I try not to take more than two days off.  If I take a week or longer off, it takes about two weeks of steady “trying to write” days before I’m finally able to meet my daily word count goals for each book.  Also, I don’t sweat the word count goals a whole lot.  If I don’t make the word counts for the day, I start the next day fresh as if I did.  This means if I only write 500 words in a book that I have a 1000-words-a-day goal for, I will start off tomorrow with 1000 words goal.  I don’t compound my word goals into 1500 words for tomorrow.  Each day starts out fresh and new as if I met my word goals the day before.

I also set aside time for family and friends and non-writing activities that I enjoy.  I think it’s important to have a good balance in life.  I think the balance does wonders for creativity.  It’s not really about meeting word count goals every day as it is with making each story the best story it can possibly be.  Some books take a little longer than others because some characters need more time to tell their story.  But I’ve also learned that if I try to force a story along or go against the characters’ leading, the story ends up suffering for it and will need to be rewritten.  I hate rewriting because it ends up taking away time I could spend on another book, so if a story slows to a grinding halt, I put it aside and work on something else (which is another great reason to write more than one book at a time).

Sorry if this post seems to be disjointed in thought.  During the course of writing it, I had two interruptions.  :)

Other Pictures of Some Awesome People I Got To Meet at the RT Booklovers Convention

I’m finally getting around to posting the rest of the pictures I took at the RT Booklovers Convention.  I was going to dedicate one post to each person, but at the rate I’m going, I’ll never post all the pictures I got before the year is up unless I do it in one post.  

I’m going to do this in alphabetical order:

Mark Coker

Ruth and Mark Coker

Unfortunately, this picture is blurry.  :(  I know.  What a bummer.  But this really is me and Mark Coker, the founder of Smashwords.  I didn’t even know he was going to be there until I sat down to read who the speakers were going to be at the convention.  I met him the year before at the Nebraska Writers Guild at Mahoney State Park in Nebraska but didn’t have a camera with me at the time, so I managed to get one this time.  Even if it’s not that clear, at least it’s a picture.  :)  And he is a really nice person who is down to earth and does everything he can to help others.

Pam Crooks

Ruth and Pam Crooks

Pam Crooks is a sweet, energetic and fun author of fourteen historical western romances and a romantic suspense.  She has a pen name, Frankie Astuto, for historical suspense novels.  She’s been traditionally published with Dorchester Publishing and Harlequin Historicals in addition to self-publishing some titles.  The trend is becoming more common for authors to be hybrid authors, going traditional publishing and self-publishing.  I haven’t read it yet, but I did pick up Her Mother’s Killer because I thought it’d be fun to read a romantic suspense for a change.  I don’t usually read those.  I did get The Spyglass Project for my husband since he loves the era it takes place in (the 1920s).

Rose Gordon

Ruth and Rose Gordon

Most of you recognize Rose Gordon’s name because you know I fell in love with her books when I started reading them back in 2011.  I didn’t realize I had conversed with her until I picked up Liberty for Paul.  I enjoyed that book so much, I looked for other books she’d written and at the time, it was the first one in the series (Intentions of the Earl).  I read the Scandalous Sisters Series before I really got a chance to know her.  Over the years, we continued corresponding via email and finally got a change to meet in person at this convention.  She’s a very sweet and generous person, and in case you’ve read her blog and books, you know she has a great sense of humor which is how she is in real life.  She had me in stitches over her comment to my friend Janet Nitsick over how one of Janet’s kissing scenes (which was very tame) in her book “scandalized” her.  I still laugh when I think about it.  Considering Janet writes clean romances and Rose and I don’t, you have to understand the context of Rose’s joke.

On a quick note, Rose generously gave me three copies of every book in her Banks Brothers Brides Series for the giveaway that Janet and I are doing (along with Melanie Nilles’ two contemporary romances) next month.  Rose also offered some swag.  (Swag is stuff like bookmarks that goes along with the books.)

Janet Syas Nitsick

Ruth and Janet Syas Nitsick

I’m sure you recognize Janet Nitsick’s name too since I mention her quite a bit.  Since we live in the same town, it’s easier (and more fun) to pull our resources together and do giveaways together.  This way when we’re sending out the books and (sometimes) other gifts, we also get a chance to socialize.  Everything is better when you get to do it with someone you like being with.  Yes, we go to conventions together for the same reason: it’s more fun to go there when you have a good friend with you.  And ironically, she and I see eye to eye on a lot of things, so when one of us says something, it’s usually what the other is thinking.

In the picture above, Janet is wearing an authentic early 20th century wedding dress.  Oh, and though it’s hard to tell, Rose is wearing a Regency dress in the picture I had taken with her.  Some authors got dressed up in outfits that fit their books, which I thought was neat.

Cheryl St. John

Ruth and Cheryl St. John

I still remember the first book I read by Cheryl St. John, and though I’ve read and enjoyed others she’s written, His Secondhand Wife.  It’s probably my favorite because it’s the book that introduced me to her.  She’s got a huge backlist of romances, some historical and some contemporary, but all of them beautiful.  I had the privilege of meeting her at a local Romance Writers of America chapter, and I’ll admit it was intimidating to meet someone whose books I’d seen in bookstores and libraries and enjoyed.  I’ll also admit that when she was in one of my critique groups (it was once and at one of the RWA meetings), I was nervous because I was new to writing romance and she was well established, but she was very helpful and encouraging.  Like Tiffany (below), she helped me get in touch with my author’s voice with her comments.  She also critiqued a short story I had submitted to the group (the project was later abandoned), but her honesty and kind way of explaining how I could make my work better helped me a lot.  She has a big heart and is quick to support others.  Since I’ve been seriously writing now for five years, I’m more comfortable meeting other authors, but it’s still a thrill to meet them, and I was excited to get a picture with Cheryl.  :)

Ann Stephens

Ruth and Ann Stephens

I did meet Ann Stephens before this convention.  We have talked at the Nebraska Writers Workshop and the local Romance of America Writers’ chapters in Nebraska.  As ashamed as I am to admit I have not read her historical romances (To Be Seduced and Her Scottish Groom) yet.  However, I did buy them so they will get read, so I will read them this summer.  I have seen samples of her work and she has a compelling and I love the plot lines of her novels (marriage of convenience and marriages that are done to avoid something like a scandal).  She’s really awesome.  Friendly, encouraging, and cheerful.  She’s critiqued one of my chapters and she has terrific input (meaning, she has a great eye for effective storytelling).

Tiffany

Ruth and Tiffany

I don’t remember when I met Tiffany online, but it was before she and her sisters got popular with their Tifferz & Her Sisterz Books Reviewz blog.  Tiffany is such a sweetheart.  She helped me with some of my books through beta reading, helping me better my storytelling (something very important after I came out of a writer’s critique that hindered my author voice).  She helped me find my author voice again and gave me confidence to write my books my way instead of the way some other writers wanted me to write them.  A world of thanks to you, Tiffany!

***

Those are the pictures I got.  I was nervous about asking to take pictures with everyone I did, but they were all more than happy to do it.  So my thanks for everyone who let me get pictures with you!  I’ll have to update my website so I can brag.  I’ve always wanted to have a page on my website featuring me with other authors and people who’ve enjoyed my books, so this is going to be exciting!

For This Monday: Pictures from RT Booklovers Convention and the Value of Your Support and Encouragement

Instead of posting a sample from a book or an inspiration for the book, I figure I better start posting some pictures from the RT Booklovers Convention.

Today I’m posting pictures of two wonderful ladies I got the honor of meeting: Sarah and Leila.  I’m very glad I met you two.  :-)  Thanks for taking the time to say hi.  It means the world to me.

Sarah and Leila

It’s so exciting for the author when she gets a chance to meet someone who reads and enjoys her books.  Sometimes writing can seem like a lonely venture.  While authors love to tell their tales and live vicariously through their characters, we do it alone.  Don’t get me wrong.  We tend to be introverts and we love working alone (at least I do).  We are fortunate to live in a time when we can see our stories in book and ebook form without the assistance of a publisher.  I self-published so I could hold my book in my hands and have it on my ereader.  It was as simple as that.  Now, at the time my husband was supporting us, so I had the luxury of only writing for pleasure.  These days I’m the one supporting the family, so things have become more business oriented, but I still love what I do and get a thrill every time I get another book done.  I’m very blessed that I get to do what I love.

But there are some downsides, as there is with any job.  One of the major downsides is, ironically, other authors.  Nine out of ten times, it’s another author who gives other authors the most grief.  It was a rude awakening back in 2010 when I discovered this.  I mistakingly believed that authors would all be there to support each other, to offer words of encouragement when things got rough.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  There are some authors who are wonderfully supportive.  It’s very important that authors find other authors who they can form friendships with, and I have some awesome author friends (some of which write books that are very much outside the genre I write in).  The benefit of befriending authors is that you find out you’re not alone when the downside to being a writer rears its ugly head.  It’s like with any job.  If you can find a good network of support, it helps you get through the tough spots a lot better.

Ruth and Sarah

That all being said, I think readers who take the time to say a kind word are the best thing there is to being a writer.  This is a job that isn’t for the faint of heart.  Authors have to deal with hate email, angry comments, and reviews by people who were very upset with their books.  Some of us have even been stalked and harassed (in one form or another).  Most of the time, the people behind these attacks are other authors.  I’d say 90% of the time, it’s other authors.  It can be wearing on an author who is often stuck alone writing their stories.  When one of their readers takes the time to lend a kind word, it’s usually something that comes just at the right time.

I don’t know how it works, but at the right time, someone will send me a message or make a comment that assures me I’m on the right track, that what I’m doing is what God wants me to do, that I am following His leading.  The comment or message will be worded in such a way it answers the question I have.  This doesn’t just stem from the whole “should I include sex in my books” debate.  It can be anything from a certain character, plot point, book, the way I write…  There are many things that pop up.

Leila and Ruth

It’s hard to adequately convey how thankful I am and how much it means to me when you take the time to say something nice to me about my books.  All I can usually think of to say is “thank you” and “I appreciate the kind words”, but if you could feel what was in my heart when I say those things, you’d understand how deeply I am touched and honored by your kindness.  I end up keeping the words of support and encouragement you’ve sent and printing them out to keep for when I start to get discouraged.  It reminds me there is a purpose and a reason to keep going.  It reminds me that even though I spend most of my time alone (or with kids who expect me to intervene when they fight), I’m still connecting with other people.  I won’t say I’m a huge social butterfly because I’m not.  I’m shy and awkward in social situations.

Though I write books, I don’t often have the words to express what’s deep in my heart in personal correspondence.  So please understand that when I say something as simple as “thank you” and “I appreciate the kind words”, I mean so much more than that.

Sunday Story Sample: More From Kent Ashton’s Backstory

Today I’m going post another scene from Kent Ashton’s Backstory.  :-)

“Did you end your courtship with Miss Statesman?”

Kent paused as he cut into his steak, debating whether or not to make eye contact with his father.  Why did his father feel it necessary to ask him such a personal question during dinner?

His mother finished sipping her wine and placed the glass on the table.  “You decided not to marry Ann?”

Kent glanced her way, noting her surprise.  His father hadn’t told her about anything about Rebecca?  He turned his gaze to his father who wiped his mouth with a napkin before setting it back in his lap.

“Kent is going to ask Mister Johnson if he can court Rebecca.  He plans to do that tomorrow.” His father looked at him.  “Don’t you?”

“Yes, of course,” Kent quietly replied.

“What caused this change of heart?” his mother asked.

Not sure what to say, Kent turned his attention back to his father who waved his hand.  “Love,” his father told her.  “As simple as it is, love has changed his mind.  He has decided he’d rather marry Rebecca.  A fine choice, if I say so myself.”

She shrugged and poked her potato with a fork.  “Ann or Rebecca, it’s all the same to me.  I suppose the mother is always the last to know these things when she has a son.” She smiled at Kent.  “Rebecca is a fine choice.  Well done, Kent.”

Though he returned her smile, it was hard to eat the rest of his meal.  He would have thought his father would be insisting he marry Rebecca at once considering the circumstances.  He watched as his father continued to eat as if nothing horrible had happened the previous night.  He knew better than to say anything in front of his mother since his father was determined to keep the situation as quiet as possible.  As difficult as it was, he managed to finish the rest of the meal.

But after dinner was over and his father retired to the informal parlor, he followed him, shutting the door for privacy.

“I don’t believe I asked to speak with you,” his father said, reclining in his favorite chair and picking up the newspaper.

“Shouldn’t I be making plans to marry Rebecca as soon as possible?” Kent asked, keeping his voice low.

“That’s not necessary.” He opened the paper and put his feet on the ottoman.  “But you did end your courtship with Ann?”

“Yes.  I did that this morning.”

“Good.  You will go to Mister Johnson tomorrow and ask to court Rebecca.  We’re going to do this the right way.  She deserves to be courted for a year before you marry her.  Now that we’ve secured those investments, we can afford to wait.”

“But aren’t you worried there’ll be a baby?  I don’t want anyone finding out about this.” Most of all, Ann.

His father lowered the paper and sighed.  “You bring up a good point.” He paused then continued, “If it turns out she’s with child, you will marry her and go to New York.  That will protect her virtue.  No one needs to know she conceived before you married.”

“But her parents will know.”

“Kent, you worry for nothing.  The chances of Rebecca getting with child from one incident are so small that you needn’t give it a second thought.”

“But it only takes one time—”

His father groaned and crossed his arms.  “If it turns out she’s with child, we’ll deal with the situation then.  In the meantime, you will ask to court her.”

Knowing his father wouldn’t budge, Kent finally nodded and left the room.

Why Do Authors Deserve to be Paid?

I hesitated to post this since price is a sensitive issue, but once in a while, I do get emails from people who wonder why I ask a price on most of my books.  So I might as well address it here in case others are wondering the same thing, but I’m going to make it a general answer because this applies to every author out there who is trying to earn an income from their work.

So here’s the thing…

Food, shelter, clothes, utilities, etc require money to purchase.

This is something we all have to deal with, whether we are authors or not.  We either have mortgages or rent (unless our house is paid off).  We all need to eat food in order to survive.  We need clothes to wear so we don’t scare the people around us with our naked bodies.  (Okay, maybe some of you look like Barbie dolls when you don’t have clothes on, but I have the frumpy “wow, you can tell she had four kids” type of body.  Believe me, I do everyone a favor by putting on clothes.)  Utilities are a must.  We need heat in the winter.  We need water.  We need electricity (an author can’t write on a computer without electricity in the house), and we need Internet so we can engage in social networking and publish our books.

Everything on the list above requires money.  Because of that, authors need to make money in order to pay for the these things in order to survive.  So when we put a dollar amount on our books, we aren’t being greedy.  We’re trying to pay our bills and eat.

If we don’t make money with our books, then we won’t be able to write.

Even if it’s supplemental income, getting paid allows us the freedom to write in our spare time.  If we have to seek out other jobs, that will take away from our chance to write.  Time is one of those things that’s finite.  I love to write.  I know a lot of other authors who love to write.  But writing without a paycheck won’t enable us to write those books.  Instead, we’ll have to find another way to earn money.

Authors do pay taxes on their income.

I don’t know how many people are aware that authors are required to pay taxes.  I didn’t know this before I started making money off my writing.

Currently, I pay 40% in federal taxes and almost 7% in state taxes.  Other authors might pay more, the same, or less than me depending on their income.  I’m not a tax expert.  I just know that almost half my income is money I never see.  If I work outside the home, I could potentially have more take home money (depending on the job I get) because I’d pay significantly less in taxes, but I love writing books.

I’m willing to pay the taxes in order to do what I love most.  But in order to do what I love most, I need to make money.  Other authors I know feel the same way.  They write because they love it.

***

The stuff I’ve listed above applies to every author, not just me.  I realize this is an issue that makes some people nervous, but after much debate, I finally decided it was something that needed to be said.  Thanks for reading.

Back From the Convention But My Mind Is Blank (LOL)

Ironically when I came back on Sunday from the convention, I was all pumped up and excited about all the great blog posts I’d write.  At the time I had cleaning to do (especially tons of laundry) and kids to take care of so I didn’t do much more than put up the scene from Kent Ashton’s Backstory which was done ahead of time.  Needless to say, from Monday through today, my mind has been blank on what to write.  This is crazy.  I got a lot of pictures, so it’s not like I don’t have things to post.

But I’m having trouble coming up with what to say about the pictures.   I mean, I don’t mind talking about the basic pictures, but when I post pictures of the people I took, I want to say more than “this is so and so”; I want to do the person justice and talk more about them.

That being the case, I can discuss what I like about conventions/conferences.  The best thing about them is the people you meet.  It’s fun to put names with faces and get a chance to talk to them.  I also like the workshops where I can learn something new.  I am a total nerd.  I love the business side of writing.  So anything educational gets my attention.  This convention had some non-business workshops, some of which I hear a lot of people enjoyed, but my version of fun in college was hanging out in the Commons area with friends instead of partying.  (And I did have fun tutoring a couple of students and studying for a class I really enjoyed.)  Back then I was a square, and I’m still one today.  This convention had a lot of parties, and I didn’t attend a single one.

This convention took place in downtown Kansas City, a place I termed the concrete jungle since it was nothing but buildings.  There were a couple of neat water fountains, but I only got one.

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Fountain in front of “the link” which was a food court that connected up to a couple hotels.

I didn’t get a picture of it, but it snowed while I was there.  Two days before, I was sweating while wearing shorts and a t-shirt, so yeah, this was a major temperature drop.  We’re used to crazy stuff like this in Nebraska (where it can be 70 one day and 30 the next), so it wasn’t a huge surprise, though I did have the urge to put up a Christmas tree.

There was this walkway that ran over the street which let you walk from the hotel to a place where you could eat and shop.

This (to me) is a concrete jungle. It was one building after another.

There were a couple trees, but it was nothing like the open landscape I’m used to.  But it’s not too much unlike downtown Omaha so it wasn’t like a major culture shock or anything.  I had the impression, though, that it was further out of town when I looked at the hotel’s website.  It just goes to show that the perception of something can be different than what it’s really like in person.

That was all the pictures I took of things.  There were more things I could have taken pictures of, but they wouldn’t have fit this blog.

The rest of the pictures were of people I met, and I plan to post those in the upcoming weeks.  Hopefully, I’ll feel more focused by the end of this week.  My mind is still switching to my daily routine.  When I was at the convention, I went into left brain mode. Now that I’m back home, I need to get back into the right brain side which is the creative part.  Getting back into the writing routine is like pulling teeth, which is why I hate to lose momentum when I get it going.  But at the end of the day, it was worth it because I got to meet a lot of awesome people.