Ruth Ann Nordin's Blog, page 90

Announcing the Winners of the “Smell the Roses” Giveaway

Congratulations to the three winners!

First place: Nayda Torres

Second place: Sandie W.

Third place: Kesia Saenz

I just sent an email to the winners, so if you’re reading this and your name is on the list, check your inbox.  :-)

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The next giveaway I’ll run will be with Melanie Nilles, and we’ll be giving away contemporary romances featuring a beach.  More information will be coming next month.

Update on What I’m Doing

I know it’s Sunday, and I usually post a sample from one of my books.  But today I’ve been spending most of my time in Runaway Bride.  So I thought instead of posting a story sample, I’d do a post updating everyone on what I’m doing.

Mitch’s Win

Mitch’s Win is back quicker than I expected from the people I sent it to, and I’m working on the final stage of the process to get it ready for publication.  At this rate, I expect to have an earlier release date than the 25th date I planned.  I’m hoping to have it up within a week to 10 days.  I’ll send out an email to everyone on my “new release” list and announce when it’s available on this blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Runaway Bride

Runaway Bride is almost done.  There’s a good chance I could finish the first draft this week.  My focus will be taking care of Mitch’s Win and completing the first draft of this book for this week.  (This is why I’m not going to bother with the sample or a “inspiration for the book” post tomorrow.)  I hope to publish this book mid-to-late April.  *fingers crossed*

His Abducted Bride

I haven’t touched this book since I completed the first draft of Mitch’s Win.  My hope is to get back to this and dive right in where I left off.  I figure I have almost 1/3 of this book done.  I’d like to complete the Across the Stars series before this summer, so I’m planning to focus my attention on this.  I was thinking of doing 600 words a day, but I’ll give it a chance and try doing more than that to see if I can finish the first draft sooner.

Other Books I’m Planning to Write In the Near Future

I’ve been getting a ton of requests for Perry (Lord Clement)’s book.  For those of you who are new to this blog, Perry was Nate’s best friend in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife.  I do plan to write his book, The Earl’s Scandalous Wife, this year.  My current plan is to get to it sometime in April.

I’m not sure if I’ll work on Blackmailing the Countess (which used to be titled His Reluctant Lady) around the same time as I work on The Earl’s Scandalous Wife.  I’d like to, but sometimes I have to go with inspiration.  I think I know how this book will play out.  I stopped at 9,000 words into it because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next.

Kent Ashton’s Backstory

I haven’t forgotten about this.  I’m just going to write each scene as it comes to me.

***

I also have Boaz’s Wager and Patty’s Gamble, but I probably won’t spend much time on them until I can get Runaway Bride published.  I can only do so much at a time.  :-)

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Don’t forget.  Janet Syas Nitsick and I will announce the winners of our giveaway this Tuesday (March 12).  After we get the winners’ addresses, we’ll get to work on sending out the gifts.  :D

Interview with Boaz Grady (Brother of the Hero in Mitch’s Win)

Well, word got to Boaz about the interview I had with my husband, and as I suspected, Boaz wants to give his side of the story.

Ruth: Hey, Boaz!  Welcome to my blog.

Boaz: I wasn’t sure if I should come on today.  I mean, I’m not even the main character in Mitch’s Win.  I’m just his brother.

Ruth: That doesn’t matter.  As long as you’re willing to talk, I’m happy to have you on.  It gives everyone a nice break from my posts where I just give updates on what I’m doing.  It’s good to mix it up a bit with different types of posts.  So, in your email to me, you said you had something you wanted to tell my husband?

Boaz Grady, Mitch’s brother in Mitch’s Win

Boaz: Yes, you’re right.  I do have something to say.  I understand I make him uneasy in Mitch’s Win because I did a lot of crying, but life isn’t always pretty.  There are some unpleasant things that happen in this world.  Just because they aren’t pleasant, does that mean we should shove it under the rug and pretend like it never happened?  I lost my wife during childbirth, and the worst part of the experience was that she kept begging me to save her and I couldn’t.  So not only did she die, but I kept thinking there must have been something I could have done but didn’t.  It took a long time before I came to grips with the fact that I did all I could and the rest was out of my control.

Ruth: I got to tell you, after hearing that, I think this is going to be a serious post.  I haven’t done an interview that wasn’t funny before.

Boaz: So?  You just said you like to mix things up and do different types of posts.  Well, this can be the time you write an interview that isn’t funny.

Ruth: Point taken.

Boaz:  But it’s not all gloom and doom.  I mean, you plan to write my book.

Ruth: Yes, and I’m not going to call it “Boaz Weeps Again”.  I’m calling it “Boaz’s Wager”.   That’s where you’ll have your romance.  But in order to appreciate how things will be for you in that book, I thought it was important to show where you were in Mitch’s Win.  I like to show characters who start out in a bad situation and change things for the better.

Boaz: Because where you’ve been isn’t as important as where you’re going.

Ruth: Exactly.

Boaz: But this whole thing about me and my role in the book isn’t fair to Mitch and Heather.  It’s their book, not mine.

Ruth: Don’t sell yourself short.  You have a pivotal role in the book.  There’s a reason you were my favorite character.  Anyway, so while I have you here, what’s your favorite scene in Mitch’s Win?

Boaz: The part where Mitch marries Heather.

Ruth: Really?

Boaz: Yeah.  After all Mitch has done for me, it was nice to see him happy.  Things didn’t always go his way.

Ruth: It sounds like you and Mitch have a good relationship.

Boaz: Growing up, yes, and at the end of the book we do.  But I have to tell you there was the time in between that was iffy.  Now, that doesn’t mean we didn’t get along.  It’s just that after Hannah decided to marry me instead of Mitch, thing were strained a bit.  But you know, Mitch is the type who doesn’t let the past get in the way of things, so we were always on speaking terms.  It was just strained for a while, that’s all.  Then Hannah died, and that’s when everything went downhill for me.  When it went downhill, it went downhill fast.  One night of drinking to numb the pain turned into a second night and then a third.  I don’t even remember how I ended up drinking all the time.  But even then Mitch was there to help me.  Mitch is the type who gives to others without a thought to himself.  There were many times when I wished I was like him.

Ruth: You don’t need to be Mitch to be the hero, Boaz.  When we get to your book, I think you’ll find that the best person you can be is Boaz, not Mitch.  Mitch has his strengths, and so do you.  The thing is, your strengths are different, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Boaz: It’d be nice to do things right for a change.

Ruth: You will.  Like I said, it’s not where we’ve been.  It’s where we’re going.

Boaz: Would you do me one favor before we end this post?

Ruth: What’s that?

Boaz: Can I see who the heroine in Boaz’s Wager is going to be?

Eva Connealy, heroine in Boaz’s Wager

Ruth: Sure.  She’s Eva Connealy.  She is the youngest child born to Joseph and Margaret Connealy (the couple featured in “A Husband for Margaret”).  She had a small role in Isaac’s Decision.  She’s the school teacher who had a crush on Isaac Larson, but Isaac ended up with Emily Craftsman instead.

Boaz: Doesn’t she belong in the Nebraska Romance Collection?

Ruth: After much debate, I decided to put her in the Montana Romance Collection.  I was going to originally put you in the Nebraska collection, but it turns out it’s easier to keep you in Montana and to have her come up there.

Boaz: What is she doing in that picture?

Ruth: Oh, she’s getting ready for the book.  She insisted on creating her own wardrobe.  Apparently, the clothes I selected weren’t up to her standards, whatever that means.  Something about lacking historical authenticity, blah blah blah.  I just let it go in one ear and out the other.

Boaz: She’s not going to think she’s too good for me, is she?

Ruth: Honestly, I have no idea what her initial impression of you will be.  It’s obvious she’s somewhat of a snob from her role in Isaac’s Decision, but that might have been a cover for insecurity.  *shrugs* Until I start writing her point of view in your book, I won’t know how things will go.  All I know is that you two will be happy in the end.

Boaz: Oh.  Well, as long as I know the end is going to be a good ending, I guess I can handle whatever will come my way.  When will you start my book?

Ruth: Tonight.  But I’m going to start off slow because I still have Mitch’s Win to polish up and Runaway Bride to finish before the month is up.

Boaz: So when is my book going to be out?

Ruth: Well, that depends on how easy you and Eva are to work with.  If everything goes smoothly, I expect this fall to be the publishing time frame.  But if you two don’t tell me what to write next, then it’ll take longer.  It all depends on what you guys do.  Mitch’s Win took me a year and a half because no one could figure out what to do next.  It was annoying.

Boaz: I’ll try to be an easy character to work with.

Ruth: Let’s end this post so I can get started.  :)

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Picture credits:

image used for Boaz: © Megdypro4im | Dreamstime.com

image used for Eva: © Candybox Images | Dreamstime.com

Interview with My Husband (Debating Whether Or Not It’s Okay for a Man to Cry)

For the first time ever, my husband is going to make an appearance on this blog!  Ready to meet him?  Here he is…

My husband who refuses to show his face. Could it be because he’s crying and doesn’t want anyone to know?

Ruth: Don’t be shy.  Take off your hood and show everyone how good looking you are, sweetie.

Husband: I’m not shy.  I’m embarrassed.

Ruth: Why?

Husband: Because of what I read in Mitch’s Win.

Ruth: But I thought you said the story had some good lessons.

Husband:  Yeah.  Lessons in how not to be a real man.  By the way, I am NOT crying.  I am ashamed my wife’s favorite character in Mitch’s Win is a big sissy.

Ruth: A big sissy?

Husband: Yeah.  Mitch’s brother, Boaz.  He’s super annoying because all he did was cry.  I keep telling you, men don’t cry.

Ruth: Nonsense.  Men do cry.

Husband: I’m a man.  I know how men are.  And they don’t cry.  Ever.

Ruth: Sure, they do.  They can feel sad just like women do.

Boaz cries again and again and again…

Husband: *sighs* You know nothing about men.  There’s a code among us.  Even if we have feel sad, we know better than to show it.  Boaz took it to the extreme.  I mean, just about every single scene had him sobbing like a little girl.  The book – Mitch’s Win – itself was okay.  All you need to do it get rid of Boaz.  I liked Mitch.  I liked Greg.  I even like the scummy Abe.  Abe might have been a bad guy, but at least he didn’t cry all the time.  I swear, after a while, I was hoping one of the other characters was going to off Boaz just to put him out of his misery…and mine.  It was painful to read how wimpy he was.

Ruth: First of all, Boaz doesn’t even look like that.  Second, Boaz watched his wife die in childbirth.  He turned to alcohol to dull the pain.  Then he became an alcoholic.

Husband: Even if he was an alcoholic, I don’t see why he needs to cry.

Ruth: Different personality types will respond to loss and alcohol dependence in different ways.

Husband: I hate it when you put on your Psychology hat.

Ruth: It’s the truth.  People react to situations differently.  Boaz happens to be more sensitive to things than Mitch is.

Husband: I like Mitch.  He was a real man.

Ruth: *groans* Mitch also didn’t lose a wife.

Husband: But this book begins two years after she died.  Two years!

Ruth: Some people stay in pain longer than others.  And quite frankly, alcohol would delay any healing.

How my husband envisions Boaz’s book.

Husband: Good grief.  I wish you never got your Psychology degree.  All you ever do is examine people and why they say or do the things they do.  Sometimes you just got to call a spade a spade.  Boaz is a crybaby.  His book shouldn’t be called “Boaz’s Wager”.  It should be called “Boaz Weeps Again” because we all know this guy is going to see a butterfly flutter across the prairie and cry about it.

Ruth: Oh come on.  He is happy at the end of Mitch’s Win.  He’s no longer drinking and has worked through the past.

Husband: I refuse to believe it.  The guy will cry buckets of tears in his own book.  *shudders*

Ruth: I noticed you entered the giveaway Janet Syas Nitsick and I are running.

Husband: Yes, I did.  I want some flowers or the bath set.  Mother’s Day is coming up in May and I don’t feel like shopping to get you a gift.  Oh wait.  Did I just say that last part aloud?

Ruth: Yes, you did.  And just wait.  I’ll give you something to cry about when we’re done with this interview, pal.

Husband: See what I put up with as Ruth’s husband?

Ruth: Anyway, you can’t win the giveaway because you’re my husband.  It’d be a conflict of interest.

Husband: Conflict of interest….or discrimination?

Ruth: *laughs* Discrimination?

Husband: You have something against men who don’t cry.

Ruth: *rolls eyes* Anyway, I wanted to share your answers with everyone.

Husband: And you wonder why I’m wearing the hood to conceal my identity?

Ruth: *ignores husband* The first question asked in the giveaway is “In Lockets and Lanterns, Red is keeping a secret from his wife.  What do you think the secret is?”  Your answer: “Boaz taught Red that it’s okay for a man to cry, and Red is too ashamed to admit this to his wife.”

Husband: I’d be ashamed, too, if I was Red.  I hope that secret never gets out.  I’d hate for other men to end up like Boaz.

Ruth: And the second question is, “Of all the books you’ve read by Ruth Ann Nordin, which heroine would you be and why?” Your answer: “I wouldn’t be any of them.  I’m a dude.”

Husband: Well, it’s true.

Ruth: Is there anything else you wish to say before we end this interview?

Husband.  Yes, there is.  Someone please tell Boaz to stop crying.  It’s embarrassing to men everywhere.

Ruth: That’s it for this interview.  I have a feeling Boaz will want to come on to give his rebuttal soon.  ;)

Husband: If he does, I hope he brings a handkerchief.  He’ll be sobbing through the whole thing.

Oldest son steps in to say: I didn’t laugh through this entire interview.  I didn’t cry either. Men who cry are babies.

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Credits for pictures used in this post:

image used for Husband: © Alexey Kovalchuk | Dreamstime.com

image used for a crying Boaz: © Ninamalyna | Dreamstime.com

image used for mock cover of “Boaz Weeps Again”: © Corolanty | Dreamstime.com

“Smell the Roses” Giveaway by Yours Truly and Janet Syas Nitsick

For our giveaway, Janet and I decided to do something a little special.  We want to giveaway some books and a couple of special gifts.  More information can be found out about the books below by going to Janet’s website for Lockets and Lanterns and Ruth Ann’s website for Eye of the Beholder, Bid for a Bride, and The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife.

Please note: Janet Syas Nitsick’s book is rated G and my books are rated R.

What we’re giving away:

Grand Prize

Six roses delivered to your door by a florist and four books – Lockets and Lanterns, Eye of the Beholder, Bid for a Bride, The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife – mailed in a separate package

Second Prize

Rose Garden Bath and Body Purse Gift Basket + Lockets and Lanterns + Eye of the Beholder, Bid for a Bride, The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife

Third Prize

Lockets and Lanters + Eye of the Beholder, Bid for a Bride + The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife

How to enter this giveaway:

Fill out the form below…and have fun answering the questions.  :)

How we’ll choose the winners:

We’ll put everyone who enters into a list at random.org.  The first one random.org picks on the list wins the first prize, the second one wins the second prize, and the third one wins the third prize.

When and how we’ll announce the winners:

We’ll announce the winners on Tuesday, March 12.  We’ll post the winners on this blog and over at Janet Syas Nitsick’s blog.  Then we’ll link the blog posts to Twitter and Facebook.

So if you want to enter, fill out the form below and click the submit button.  :)

[contact-form]

It’s Read an Ebook Week at Smashwords! (Good From March 3 – March 9)

Hey, everyone!  I’ve been busy all week editing Mitch’s Win.  Now I’m done and have handed off the book to my editing and proofreading team to look it over.  This puts me right on track to publish Mitch’s Win around March 25th.  :)

Since I was editing this week, I didn’t have time to prepare anything for my usual story sample.  But…

The good news is that today starts Read an Ebook Week at Smashwords, and I have listed some of my books in this promotion.

Please note: this sale is only good from March 3 – March 9.

Here they are and the sales that go with them:

Free Ebooks  (Use Coupon RW100 When Checking Out)

An Inconvenient Marriage

This is the book that started me on romantic comedies and still one of my favorites.  Jake Mitchell and Sue Lewis need to get married, and though they aren’t particularly fond of each other, they agree after six months, they’ll annul the marriage and go their separate ways.  Too bad their family and friends are determined to keep them together.  ;)

Eye of the Beholder

Mary Peters despairs she’ll never find a husband, so she answers a mail-order bride ad and goes to Omaha, Nebraska to marry him.  But the man she comes for takes one look at her and rejects her because of her homely appearance.  Dave Larson, however, watches the way she handles herself and decides she’ll make an ideal wife.  Mary accepts Dave’s offer of marriage but knows their union will never bear the fruit of love.  Love, after all, is for beautiful women.  Isn’t it?

Falling In Love With Her Husband

For those of you searching for Todd’s Bride or Ann’s Groom, this is the book you want to read.  This book combines both Todd’s Bride and Ann’s Groom into one novel.  I did do some light revisions when I put them together, but those revisions made the book better.

Falling In Love With Her Husbands starts in Virginia where Ann Stateman’s courtship with Kent Ashton ended in disaster.  Deciding that her choice in men is horrible (since she chose Kent and her parents didn’t like him), she decides to marry the man  her parents want to see her with–Todd Brothers.

Todd has loved Ann for the longest time, so when she asks him to take her to North Dakota with him, he agrees.  But he can’t help but wonder if he’s made a mistake.  And that fear only gets worse when Kent shows up.

Special note: I am currently writing Kent Ashton’s Backstory which tells Kent’s point of view of everything that happens in this book.  (I am posting Kent Ashton’s Backstory on this blog as I get around to writing them, and when I’m done, I will put them into an ebook and publish it.)  There was more to his story than what Ann or Todd or ever knew.  So this book complements Kent’s story.  I plan to write Kent’s romance later this year in Lassoing Her Groom.  So if you want the whole “story” on Kent, then Falling In Love With Her Husband will complement Kent Asthon’s Backstory and Lassoing Her Groom.

Her Heart’s Desire

As soon as Sally Larson meets Rick Johnson, she knows he’s the one for her. The catch? He’s interested in her friend, Ethel Mae. But Sally has a plan. With Ethel Mae’s help, she convinces Rick that the only way he’ll get Ethel Mae is to make her jealous. He agrees, but he has a trick or two up his sleeve. Sally just might find that the one playing cat is really the mouse.

Meant To Be

When Ted and Megan board the Amtrak, the last thing they expect is to be thrown back into the past. As if that isn’t bad enough, the people insist that they marry at once! But Ted and Megan don’t even know each other, and despite their protests, the preacher announces them man and wife. This romantic comedy takes a light-hearted look at time travel and the joy of finding unexpected love.

Substitute Bride

Disclaimer: Substitute Bride used to be under my pen name Kate Page.

Kevin Edwards stands to inherit one million dollars. The catch? He must get married by Valentine’s Day. And he chooses Tammy who is all wrong for him. Can his best friend, Alexandra (Alex) Dixon, convince him that things will be much better if they become more than friends or will he say “I do” to the wrong woman?

What Nathan Wants

Special Note: I am currently writing Just Good Friends which will feature Tyler Jackson, who is Nathan’s best friend in What Nathan Wants).  So if you want a little background on Tyler and would like to get to know Nathan who’ll show up in Just Good Friends, this book is worth reading ahead of time.  Just Good Friends is projected to come out around November since it’s a holiday romance.  :)

Here’s the plot for What Nathan Wants:

What could a man who already has everything possibly want? How about a baby? Nathan Rudolph interviews all the single women in his company. They think they might get a job promotion, but he comes with a marriage license instead. And the winner isn’t happy. But he’s dealt with difficult people before and is certain that, in no time at all, he can win his new wife over.

Books at 50% Off (Use Coupon REW50 When Checking Out)

A Most Unsuitable Earl

Ethan Silverton, the Lord of Edon, prides himself on his notorious reputation as a rake because it frees him from having to get married. But one little lie and a meddlesome mother forces him into a situation where he has to marry the most boring lady he can imagine, Lady Catherine.

Special note: Lady Catherine and Lord Edon made brief appearances in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife, which you can find on Smashwords free if you’d like to read a little bit about Lady Catherine and Lord Edon’s past.

Brave Beginnings

Julia Milton said good-bye to two men in her life. Ernest who was a part of her safe and familiar world. Then there was Chogan who stirred her passion but came from the Mandan tribe-a man who lived a life foreign to her own. Will she choose the safe and familiar path or embrace her passions?

Special Note: This is book 2 in the Native American Romance Series.  Book 1 is Restoring Hope which is free on Smashwords already at this link.  You can read the story of how Julia and Chogan met in Restoring Hope.

Bound by Honor Bound by Love

Special Note: This is book 3 in the Native American Romance Series.  Book 1 is Restoring Hope which is free on Smashwords already at this link.  You can get some background into Onawa and Citlali in Restoring Hope (book 1) and Brave Beginnings (book 2).

The day Onawa eagerly anticipated has finally come. She is to be Citlali’s wife. But what she doesn’t realize is that his ambitions to be the next chief could be more powerful than his feelings for her. Will she ever find a prominent place in his life, or will she end up taking second place to the tribe?

Her Counterfeit Husband

The Duchess of Watkins’ husband just died, and her unscrupulous brother-in-law is ready to step in as the Duke of Watkins. In desperation, the duchess enlists the help of the butler, and the two agree to quietly bury her husband and pretend he’s still alive. It will be a secret they will take to their graves.

After burying him in a forest, they come across a gentleman who has been beaten and left for dead. And this gentleman happens to look exactly like her husband. Seeing this as the answer to their prayers, they take him home in hopes he’ll agree to be the new Duke of Watkins. There’s only one problem. When he wakes up, he doesn’t remember who he is.

Dare they replace her husband with a counterfeit? And if they do, what consequences will come as a result of their lie?

Shotgun Groom

April Edwards, a young widow, is content to manage a farm with her fourteen-year-old brother and a one-year-old daughter. Nothing, after all, could be worse than being married to her deceased husband. Nothing, that is, until her unscrupulous brother-in-law decides to marry her. With no other recourse, April and her brother concoct a plan–one that involves the unsuspecting doctor’s assistant, Joel Larson.

Joel Larson doesn’t want to be married. In fact, he’s perfectly happy with things the way they are, but when he’s sent to check on April’s sick child, things take an unexpected turn for the worse. In one instant, he finds a gun and a mandate to marry April staring him in the face. Can a marriage that begins with a shotgun be just the thing Joel needs or has April just confined herself to another miserable marriage?

To See A Complete List of My Books On Smashwords, Click Here

Inspiration for the Book: Creating Sandy (Heroine in His Abducted Bride)

When I wrote Suddenly a Bride, Caitlyn’s best friend who worked at the diner with her just popped up in the book.  Usually, I’ll have the main characters in mind but their family and friends develop as I’m writing.  I start a book with basically main plot points that involve the hero and heroine.  I don’t give thought to their family or friends because the focus on the romance novel is the two main characters.  Now, if I am writing a book that is already part of a series, then I already know the family and friends of the secondary characters because I’ve already established the world the characters belong to.

I know a lot of authors outline.  A lot of authors do character sketches and map out the worlds they create before writing a single world.  Well, not me.  I write the first sentence and things just develop from there.  It’s only when I’m writing that I finally learn the setting, about the characters, and everything else that I need in order to write the book.

© Moori | Dreamstime.com

So when I introduced Caitlyn, she was a waitress in a diner, and the other waitress happened to be her best friend, Sandy.  Caitlyn quickly developed into this woman who was easygoing, fun to be around, and accepting of changes–even the dramatic ones.  Sandy, on the other hand, was the character who balanced her out.  I like to pair up friends who complement each other, which means they are going to get along well but also present an opposite way of seeing the world.  Sandy is cautious, not easily won over by anyone, has a harder time getting past her insecurities, is more likely to keep emotions to herself, and has a tendency to hold on to past hurts.

This was why Sandy was never paired up with Chris or Mark.  Her personality wouldn’t have gone along well with them.  Chris wouldn’t have been able to get past her wall (because she does have one due to some things that she won’t tell even Caitlyn), and Mark wouldn’t have had the patience to wait for her to become vulnerable enough to open herself to him.  How do I know all this?  It just came to me as I started His Abducted Bride.  I mean, from the beginning of Suddenly a Bride, it seems that Sandy would automatically fit with Mark, but when the scene developed where Sandy told Caitlyn that she didn’t believe Chris was from another planet and that Caitlyn should have had him arrested, I knew Sandy wasn’t right for him.  Then when I introduced Lexie at the BBQ lunch, I had that “ah ha” moment where I knew Mark and Lexie would somehow end up together.  As I’m writing Runaway Bride, it occurred to me that Mark is the only person who can pave the way for Caitlyn to finally have a good relationship with her mom.  (That hasn’t happened yet in Runaway Bride, but I sense it’s coming as I finish the last three chapters of the book.)

© Vladimirs Poplavskis | Dreamstime.com

So anyway, at the end of Suddenly a Bride, I realized what Sandy needed was a hero who doesn’t mind pursuing her.  He needed to be someone who could handle her attempts to push him away because that is what she’s been doing ever since he pulled her out of our world and placed her into the story she’s writing.  He comes off as rather demanding (though fair and patient–both traits he’ll need in order to break through her wall).  He’s not intimidated by any of her threats, and when he finds out her secret, he won’t be devastated.  (Chris and Mark would have been devastated, another reason why they weren’t paired up with her.)

This hero was created by her when she wrote a fantasy, intended to be the first of a trilogy.  She gave him the name King Blackheart and pinned him as the villain of her tale.  As soon as he realized her plan was to kill him in the final battle of the book, he erased all of her story up until the first scene where she created the world in which he and the other characters lived.  Neither Chris nor Mark would have thought to change the course of her book, but King Blackheart doesn’t mind taking matters into his own hands in order to be the character he was meant to be–the hero instead of the villain.  :)  So he’s perfect for her.

Story Sample Sunday: Runaway Bride (Setting Up Sandy’s Backstory)

Today I thought I’d give a glimpse into Sandy, the heroine in His Abducted Bride.  I will explain tomorrow why I included this scene in Runaway Bride.  Today, I’ll let you get a better look at Sandy from her point of view.  :D  (This is in first draft form.)

(By the way, I do have more to add for Kent’s backstory, but with finishing Mitch’s Win, I didn’t have a chance to write another scene.  I pretty much focused in on Mitch’s Win for the past couple days to get it done.)

Sandy took another look in the mirror and groaned.  She yanked off the headband.  It wasn’t working with her long blonde hair today.  No matter what hairstyle she tried, her hair didn’t seem to want to stay in place.

How she hated being fixed up with someone!  She never knew what to say or how to act.  There seemed to be nothing but a bunch of expectations—from her end and her date’s—that they didn’t know and couldn’t share.  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  After she held it for thirty seconds, she slowly released it.  The simple step allowed her to restlessness to calm to the point where she could think clearly.

Opening her eyes, she examined her reflection.  Usually, her wavy hair fell nicely over her shoulders.  Usually, when she added hair mousse to it, she had no trouble styling it.  Today, however, her hair didn’t want to cooperate with her, no matter what she did.  And of course, it had to be a day when Caitlyn was trying to fix her up with Mark.  Why did this kind of thing only happen when there was a man involved?

Tapping her fingernails on the bathroom counter, she finally decided to put her hair up in a ponytail.  She retrieved a green scrunchie that matched her dress and pulled her hair back.  Afterwards, she examined her ponytail and decided it was her best option.  At least, her hair didn’t look as if she hadn’t just gotten out of bed.

The doorbell rang and she checked her watch.  Great.  In addition to having a bad hair day, she was also running late.  This didn’t bode well at all for her date.  It was going to end badly.  She didn’t know how, but this wasn’t going to be good.

She turned off her bathroom light and grabbed her purse before she made a beeline for the door of her apartment.  As soon as she opened the door, she took in Caitlyn’s immaculate appearance and shook her head.

“Why is it that you always look perfect?” she asked as she stepped over the threshold and shut the door.

Caitlyn laughed.  “Come on, Sandy.  You look awesome.”

She locked the door and grunted.  “Yeah, for a garbage bag.”

“You’re too hard on yourself.  You look fine.  Stop thinking negative.  You need to think positive if you’re going to enjoy yourself.”

“Easy for you to say.  Your prince dropped out of the sky and married you.”

Crossing her arms, Caitlyn smiled in amusement.  “If memory serves, you thought Chris needed to be hauled off to prison when I first told you he was an alien.”

“Come on, Caitlyn.  Anyone with common sense wouldn’t believe he came from a planet with no women.”

“And yet, he did, and you’ve seen how happy he’s made me.”

“That’s true, but I still think you’re nuts for having sex with him right away and then taking him home.”

“It was a bonding ceremony that made me have sex with him.  I didn’t leave the diner with the intention of doing all that.  Whatever hormone men from his planet have, it’s powerful.”

“Somehow I find it hard to believe you had to have sex with him.”

“Well, if things with Mark work out as I hope they will, you’ll find out soon enough.”

Sandy glanced at Caitlyn’s minivan.  She saw Chris in the passenger seat but couldn’t tell if Mark was in the back.  “He’s not going to try doing a bonding thing with me, is he?  Because if that’s the plan, you can count me out.  You might be okay with a stranger doing that to you, but I’m not.”

“Of course, he’s not going to do that.  And the thing with Chris was different.  He was assigned to me.  Mark has a choice.  He’s being careful, checking all his options.”

Though wary, she nodded.  “Alright.  But if he emits any hormones, I’ll use my pepper spray.  I need to know more about him before I commit to anything.”

“He won’t do anything you aren’t ready for.  I promise.  Now, let’s go to my sister’s engagement party before my mother calls to make sure I didn’t forget.”

Noting the way Caitlyn rolled her eyes, she grinned and joined her friend as she headed for the minivan.  “At least you won’t be the focus of the party.”

“Yeah, but I expect her to give me ‘the look’ since I appear further along in my pregnancy than I actually am, and I can’t tell her that babies on Chris’ world progress faster in the womb than they do here on Earth.”

“If she gives you that look, tell her you think the decorations on a certain table are crooked, and she’ll go running off to fix them.”

Caitlyn giggled.  “That’s a good idea.  I’ll keep that in mind.”

They reached the minivan, and Sandy saw that Mark was, in fact, in the car.  Since he was sitting behind the driver’s seat, she got in on the other side.  She tried to ignore the nervous pounding of her heart.  If nothing else could be said about him, he was good looking.

“Mark,” Caitlyn said after she slipped into her seat, “you remember Sandy from my wedding, don’t you?”

“Sure.” Mark offered her a polite smile.  “You were Caitlyn’s maid of honor.”

“And you were Chris’ best man,” Sandy replied.

“I am the best, but I try to not let it get to my head,” he joked.

“What does being the best man have to do with your head?” Chris asked.

“It’s an expression, sweetie,” Caitlyn told him as she pulled out of the parking spot.  “And he’s not serious.  He’s just kidding.” Glancing at Sandy, she added, “He’s not an egomaniac.”

“I’ll never learn all the strange phrases you have on this planet,” Chris muttered while Caitlyn drove onto the street.

“You should watch more TV,” Mark advised.  “They use idioms all the time, especially in sitcoms.”

“I have better things to do with my life than to watch a lot of TV,” Chris replied and gave Caitlyn a wide smile.

Sandy sighed.  What was it like to be loved to the point where the man practically worshipped the ground you walked on?  No doubt, Chris would give up anything to be with her.  Sandy didn’t often envy others, but in this case, she couldn’t deny the slight twinge of jealousy over Caitlyn’s good fortune.  True, Chris’ method of securing the marriage to Caitlyn left a lot to be desired, but he loved her above everything else.  Sandy thought of how easily Josh ended their engagement twelve years ago and wondered why he hadn’t been willing to give up more to be with her.  Because his love wasn’t unconditional.  Even though she knew the truth, it still stung.

 

Mitch’s Win’s First Draft is Done, Cover for Kent Ashton’s Romance and Answering Some Questions I’ve Received

I finished the first draft of Mitch’s Win last night!

I’m currently getting it ready for my wonderful team of editors and proofreaders.  I hope to have it published by the end of March. (I plan to use PubIt.  I tried Smashwords last time, and honestly, there are still too many issues that pop up, and it’s easier to use PubIt at this point.  So Nook owners shouldn’t have to wait an extra month this time.)

I got the cover to Kent Ashton’s upcoming romance:

Thanks to Toni Whitmire who left a comment under my post when I thought I was going to change the name of Runaway Bride.  :D  Her suggestion was Lassoing His Bride, but I tweaked it to Lassoing Her Groom.  I love the “Lassoing” part of the title since it conveys western and hints at comedy.  (Not sure if it will be a comedy, but I expect there to be some comedic elements to it.)  So I wanted to keep that part of the title.

I knew Kent was not going to pursue anyone after his miserable failure in Falling In Love With Her Husband.  After Kent serves his penance for trying to abduct Ann from Todd, he’s the one who will need to be lassoed into marriage.  And there’s no one better than Rose Larson (Dave and Mary Larson’s daughter) to do it.  She’s outgoing, got a great sense of humor, and sets out to get what she wants.  Kent will need someone like her to get his second chance at a happy ending.

To Answer Some Questions/Concerns I’ve Gotten Recently…

1. Should you read Todd’s Bride and/or Ann’s Groom?

No.  I wholeheartedly encourage you to avoid both books.  Read Falling In Love With Her Husband instead.  Falling In Love With Her Husband is the combination of Todd’s Bride and Ann’s Groom.  I published Todd’s Bride and Ann’s Groom with a vanity publisher, and they are not letting me out of that contract.  (That means I have no control over those books anymore.)  Since I maintained the copyright to those books, I made put them together into Falling In Love With Her Husband and published it myself (at a cheaper price).  I have made a note in Falling In Love With Her Husband that it’s the combination of Todd’s Bride and Ann’s Groom, but I’m beginning to understand most people don’t read the Author’s Note that is presented in the beginning of a book.

2.  What books will I write this year?

I’ve finally figured out the ones that I’ll be working on.  At the moment, I’m editing Mitch’s Win.  I’m about 2-3 weeks away from finishing the first draft of Runaway Bride, which hopefully puts me at late April for the publishing date on it.

I’m going to continue working on Kent Ashton’s Backstory, His Abducted Bride, Just Good Friends, and His Reluctant Lady.

I will add Lassoing Her Groom, Boaz’s Wager (book 2 in the Montana Series; sequel to Mitch’s Win), and The Earl’s Scandalous Wife to the list.  The reason is because what I’m currently working on is closely tied in with these three books.  (Just like His Abducted Bride is closely linked to Runaway Bride.  It’s easiest to get books done that are closely linked together if I’m fresh with the timeline and events in the books.  I’ve been having a terrible time with Runaway Bride since I forgot certain things that happened in Suddenly a Bride.  Needless to say, I’ve learned my lesson.)

This doesn’t mean I’ll be writing in every book every day.  What is means is that I see a necessity for writing these books at this point in time and have made them a priority to get to in 2013.  I might not be able to write any other books this year.  My average is seven full-length novels a year.

That’s all I got at the moment.  Any other questions?  I’ll be happy to answer them.  :D

Mitch’s Win, Upcoming Giveaways, and Finally Got the Cover for The Earl’s Scandalous Wife

I’m really excited by how everything is progressing!

1.  I’m now on the final chapter for Mitch’s Win.

I expect to finish the first draft this weekend.  :D  This will make Mitch’s Win my 30th romance!  There’s a good chance this book could be published at the end of March, but if it’s going to be around early April instead, then  that’s when it’ll be out.  I’ll keep you updated in the weeks ahead.

2.  To celebrate my 30th romance, I have an idea for a giveaway.  I plan to run the giveaway after Mitch’s Win is published.

To enter, you’ll have to fill out a trivia form where I’ll ask questions about stuff that have happened in some of my romances.  If you get all the answers right, you’ll be entered for a chance to win all of my romances (in paperback form).  More details will come after Mitch’s Win is out.

3.  Soon I’ll be doing a giveaway with Janet Syas Nitsick themed “Smell the Roses”

We will be offering gifts for three winners.   The first place winner will get six roses, her early 20th century romance Lockets and Lanterns, and my romances Eye of the Beholder, Bid for a Bride and The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife.  The second place winner will get a rose bath set, Lockets and Lanterns, and the same three books written by yours truly that I just mentioned.  The third place winner will get the four books (one by Janet and three by me).   These will all be signed paperbacks.

4.  I’ll also be running a giveaway soon with Melanie Nilles.

This giveaway will celebrate the upcoming release of her contemporary romance novella, Beneath the Crashing Waves, which is the second one in her Adronis three-part series.  I’m thinking some of my contemporaries will be added to the list of books in this giveaway since hers are contemporaries.  More details on that giveaway will be coming soon.

5.  I finally got a cover for The Earl’s Scandalous Wife!

I decided to toss out my earlier attempts because I wasn’t completely satisfied with them.    This one fits perfectly.  :D