Ruth Ann Nordin's Blog, page 95

Updates: Some Personal, Some About Writing

1. Back from the Writer’s Conference

The workshop Janet Syas Nitsick and I gave at the writer’s conference went really well. I messed up a couple of times, but we all laughed it off and had a great time.  I wasn’t sure if I would want to do another public speaking event again or not, but after this weekend, I realized I enjoyed it so much I would.  So Janet and I are looking at future topics we can pitch to writer’s conferences in the future.

And in case anyone thinks this was easy for me to do, I was so nervous, I actually got sick to my stomach for two days and had trouble sleeping.  So it took a lot for me to get out of my comfort zone and try something new.  So yeah, I really loved it, but I was also very nervous.  :D

2.  Getting The House Ready to Sell

I started removing wallpaper today to get ready to paint the house next week.  It’s only bearable because a good friend is helping me out.  My idea of a good time is NOT removing wallpaper.  LOL  Who knows?  Maybe someday my characters will end up doing it since I now have the experience.  

My husband is up at the new place getting it ready so that the movers will have a place to put our things.  We haven’t moved our things out of our current place yet.  That will happen Monday.  Then he’ll take the kids to Minnesota while my friend, her adult son, and I will do the painting and carpeting.

3.  The first draft to A Most Unsuitable Earl should be done this week!

Before I  go heavily into the painting next week, I want to finish the first draft of A Most Unsuitable Earl.  I have one more chapter left, so this is very doable.  I’m going to have to make the publishing dates on Amazon and B&N in January.  Those of you on my email list for new release information will get the email when the book is up on Amazon and B&N.  I hope it might also be up on Apple, Kobo, Sony, and Diesel, but it all depends on how things are working with Smashwords.  Sometimes the upload time is faster than at other times, and I’m sure the number of books being published at the time has something to do with it.  And of course, I’ll post the links when A Most Unsuitable Earl is available on this blog, too.

4.  Changing the name of The Write Husband to His Reluctant Lady.

I know I keep changing my mind on titles.  Yesterday on my Newsletter blog, I put the name at His Reluctant Bride, but then I thought, “I already have His Abducted Bride coming out in late winter next year” *fingers crossed*.  Having two similar titles like can be confusing, but if I change Bride to Lady on His Reluctant Bride, then it’s easier to keep track of which book is which.  The reason why I decided to not do The Write Husband is because her writing isn’t turning out to be the focal point I thought it was.

When you read A Most Unsuitable Earl, you will come across Agatha (Lady Richfield) and  Mister Christopher Robinson (Perry’s ward in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife).  I set up the beginning of Christopher’s pursuit of Agatha in A Most Unsuitable Earl because doing so plays a key point in the conflict between Ethan (hero in A Most Unsuitable Earl) and his father-in-law.  So it needs to be there, but the scope of the book doesn’t depend on resolving the conflict between Agatha and Christopher.  I am working on Agatha and Christopher’s story right now, and I hope that will be the next Regency I have out after I publish A Most Unsuitable Earl.

5.  However, before I publish His Reluctant Lady, I expect to have Runaway Bride and His Abducted Bride out.  

At the moment, I’m not working on them since all of my focus is on finishing up A Most Unsuitable Earl so I can have it ready next week for the people who will be helping me polish it up.

and

But I’m hoping once I finish painting and carpeting the house, I can get back to working on these two books.  I want to have both of these out in late winter/early spring.  *fingers crossed*  When I started these two books, I was surprised to find out I’m looking forward to taking a break from writing historicals.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love writing historicals.  But sometimes it’s nice to do something different.

Inspiration for the Book: Catherine As She Is Featured in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife

Yesterday, I posted the scene where Lord Roderick (aka Nate) met Lady Catherine, the Duke of Rumsey’s daughter.  The impression I hoped you received of her was that she wasn’t overly attractive and she didn’t have much of a personality.  This is how Nate (and others) had a tendency to see her.  What I love doing is presenting a character in one book who seems to be one way but is truly another.

In real life, I think people have a tendency to see us a certain way.  Now, this is most likely that different people see us differently.  And that reason for that is because we wear different hats.  For example, I am a wife, a mother, a sister, a writer, a neighbor, a friend, etc.   We are not the same person to all people.

Catherine (heroine from A Most Unsuitable Earl)

In this way, Catherine is not the same person to all people either.   Even at the beginning of A Most Unsuitable Earl, Ethan sees Catherine as a wallflower who is boring and has no chance of finding a husband.  So Catherine (to me) was one of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever had to explore, and to be honest, I didn’t know who she truly was until I got into the second chapter of A Most Unsuitable Earl.  She developed on her own. It was a lot of fun to watch her bloom.  :D

But anyway, why did I set Catherine up to be uninteresting in The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife?  I wanted a character much like Mary Peters when she married Dave Larson in Eye of the Beholder.  I wanted a character similar but not the same.  When I say “similar”, I mean that I wanted a character who was much more than what she appeared to be on the surface.  I wanted someone who wasn’t beautiful but I wanted one who had adorable qualities (in a girlishly cute kind of way). Unlike Mary Larson, she’s not plain, but she’s easily overlooked because she’s incredibly shy.  And it’s up to the hero to take the time to see that cute and adorable qualities lying just beneath the surface.  While Mary was more serious in her personality, Catherine was more playful.  The picture of her in this post best reflects who she really is.  I don’t want to say more because I don’t want to ruin A Most Unsuitable Earl.  What I’ll close with is that Catherine has been a very fun character to write.  I love her passion and spark for life.  Ethan’s character would not have been as funny had it not been for her.  :D

Sunday Story Sample: The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife (Introducing Lady Catherine)

Today, I thought it’d be fun to step back to the first book in the Regency Collection when I decided to introduce Lady Catherine.  I knew right away that I’d be writing her book.  I also knew–right away–that I’d be marrying her to Lord Edon because the two were complete opposites of each other, at least from Claire and Nate’s points of view.  ;)

Tomorrow, I’ll explain the inspiration behind Catherine’s character.

Without further ado, here’s the scene in the book where Catherine is introduced….

***

When they reached her, Rumsey motioned to him.  “Catherine, this is Lord Roderick.”

Nate bowed and she curtsied, and though she wasn’t exactly the prettiest lady he’d ever seen, she greeted him in a manner that indicated she’d been brought up to be a proper lady of her future estate.  That meant she would ensure her duty in giving him an heir and run the home smoothly.  Given that her father was a duke spoke even more in her favor, so he dismissed her homely appearance.  Despite what Perry thought, this decision was too important for him to be concerned about a lady’s looks.

“I was wondering if I might have this dance?” Nate asked as the music began.

“It would be my pleasure, my lord,” she replied in a pleasant tone she most likely employed in all situations.

“I’ll leave you two to the waltz,” Rumsey said before he left them.

Nate offered his hand to her, and they began the dance.  She was light on her feet, proving she was familiar with the dance.  “Do you know all the dances?”

“Yes, my lord,” she replied.

He couldn’t be sure, but he thought she was looking at him the same way she’d been looking at Lord Edon.  Not sure how to take that, he cleared his throat and smiled.  “Your father tells me this is your first Season.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“I suppose this must be overwhelming then.”

“No, my lord.”

He waited for her to continue, but she kept looking at him with the same polite smile that she’d had when she danced with Lord Edon, and it was beginning to make him uneasy.  When she didn’t explain further, he ventured, “Have you seen the sights in London?”

“Yes, my lord.”

Again, he waited, but she didn’t volunteer any information nor did she ask him anything.  “So what is your favorite sight in London?”

She bit her lower lip as if she was thinking of an appropriate answer before she finally said, “I like them all, my lord.”

He sighed.  It was apparent Lady Catherine wasn’t one for words, but maybe that was a good thing.  He could marry her, enjoy a quiet life, and have an heir.  Most likely, he’d continue in his political circles while she… While she…  He turned his gaze back to her.  “What do you enjoy doing?”

She shrugged.  “I suppose I enjoy the same things all ladies do, my lord.”

“What kind of things would those be?”

“I’ve been taught to paint, play the piano, sing, dance, be a gracious hostess…”

As she rambled off the list of things she could do, he wondered if any of it truly appealed to her.  Her polite smile didn’t waver a bit, but he didn’t detect the slightest bit of enthusiasm in any of the things she mentioned.  He debated whether to ask her anything else, but he figured he already knew how life with her would be.  She’d do whatever things proper ladies did with their time.  Whether she truly enjoyed those things or not was up to her.  As long as she fulfilled her role in running the house, he figured that was all he could expect.

Moving, A Most Unsuitable Earl, and The Conference

Moving

Well, it turns out I’ll be painting the house and setting down new carpet to help sell it (which probably isn’t a huge surprise), though I hate to see some of the colors go to bland tan walls.  Not that I think dark green and maroon walls or bright red ones are totally awesome (they were like that when we moved here), but it’s sad to see all the personality totally depleted from the house.  And the color recommended?  Beige or tan.  All I can think of is, “Kids will have that looking awful in under two months.” But hey, it’s not my call at this point.  If I want to sell the place, I’ll have to jump through some hoops.

So for this Thanksgiving while my husband takes the kids up to Minnesota, I’ll be staying around here to paint and do the carpet with a friend and her son who knows how to do this stuff.  I know how to paint, but the carpet thing and removing wallpaper is something I’ll be learning.   And maybe some day I’ll write a character who is doing it.  :D

A Most Unsuitable Earl

This is not bumped back to January as an official release month.  I hate to do it, but some things have popped up (in addition to the craziness of moving) and it’s best to delay everything for a month.

This is the weekend for the conference!

On Thursday, I go to Kansas City for the HACWN conference (I think that stands for Heart of America Christian Writers Network, but I could be wrong).   Janet Syas Nitsick and I have rehearsed our presentation twice and probably will one more time before Friday.  Friday we’ll be giving it to a room full of authors (maybe 20 or so).  Yeah, I know that isn’t a huge number, but considering how much effort it takes for me to talk in front of a group of people, this is outside my comfort zone.  I just hope I manage to talk clearly and be able to effectively communicate what I know.  It’s easy to do that in writing.  I do that all the time.  But verbal communication is a whole different ballgame.  (And I even took speech in college, which I’m now grateful for since I would be a whole lot worse off without it.  LOL)

I’m looking forward to the conference.  It runs three days total, starting Thursday night and going on until Saturday.  I won’t be returning until Sunday, though.  I plan to attend a lot of workshops and even sell some autographed books.  I don’t make money off selling autographed books, but even as much as I love ebooks, I still like the personal touch of a paperback copy signed by an author.  I don’t know how much interest I’ll get, but I figured I can always offer giveaways on here with whatever I don’t sell.  :D  So either way, it was worth buying some copies.

(Quick side note: I’m hoping to do a giveaway for all four paperbacks in the Native American Romance Series in January.  I’m waiting for things to settle down before I do another giveaway.)

 

Inspiration for the Book: A Most Unsuitable Earl

This post is taken from Ethan and Catherine’s wedding night in A Most Unsuitable Earl.  I posted a sample yesterday.

It seems the necessity for a timid virgin in all romance novels is overdone.  Granted, it’s more realistic.  I know I got cold feet on my wedding night and was happy to delay the event for as long as possible, even encouraging a few family members to linger around after the wedding ceremony was over.

However, I thought it would be fun to get Catherine so upset with Ethan that she would forget her wedding night jitters.  I wanted to do something different.  I wanted a wedding night that would make me laugh as I wrote it.  And Catherine and Ethan have the kind of chemistry that makes it possible for me to write romantic scene which is far more humor than actual romance.  The whole thing turns out to be something of a disaster, but I won’t spoil the book by saying how.

What I will say (and this is a big hint) is that for once I wanted a heroine who was stronger than the hero in her persistence to explore the physical side of their relationship.  If a hero comes after the heroine, it’s expected.  If the heroine comes after the hero, it isn’t.  And when you mix it up with a heroine’s father (who has pretty much threatened an unofficial duel to the hero because the hero isn’t good enough for his delicate daughter) and a hero’s mother (who goes on and on about the importance of the duty in getting an heir), the book begs for comedy.

So what we have in this book, at least on the wedding night and the day after, is a reversal of roles in the male-female stereotypes.  Though Catherine seems the wallflower The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife and early on in this book, there’s a lot of passion and enthusiasm beneath the surface, but only those close to her will ever discover this part of her.  I knew when I wrote The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife that she wasn’t as boring as Lord Roderick assumed her to be, but I also knew it would take Lord Edon (a gentlemen desperately wanting everyone to believe he’s a rake) to spark something inside of her where she can be the person she truly is.  And it is only her who could make Lord Edon appreciate the value in not trying to be a rake–so he can also be who he truly is.

In this case, opposites really do attract.  :D

Sunday Story Sample: A Most Unsuitable Earl

This scene comes from the wedding night.  Catherine (our heroine) has waited for Ethan (our hero) to come to her bed.  However, he doesn’t come, and this makes our heroine rather…miffed (to put it nicely).

Here’s a sample from the scene:

She was sure he would come to her bed before midnight.  But when the clock chimed one, she let out a huff and threw the covers off of her so she could cross the room and go to the door connecting their bedchambers.  He better not be out with someone else tonight!  It was bad enough she had to marry him, but to be deserted on her wedding night in favor of another bed partner made her blood boil with rage.  Of all nights, this was the one reserved for her.  Her resolve strengthened, she flung the door open and entered his room.

To her surprise, he’d been asleep.  He bolted up in his bed, his hair ruffled and his eyes wide.  “I don’t want to fence!” He blinked in the moonlight and rubbed his eyes.  “Where am I?”

Seeing that as her cue, she rushed forward and stood by his bed.  “Not with me, which is where you’re supposed to be.  Do I have to tell you what you’re supposed to do on your wedding night?”

“I…uh…” He blinked several more times and stared at her.  “I didn’t think you’d want me to be with you tonight.”

What did her wants have to do with anything?  Her duty was to give him an heir.  Exasperated, she sighed. “When were you planning on coming to my bed?”

He shrugged.  “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know!”

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him, but the effect was probably lost on him since it was dark and he couldn’t see much of her.  Inspired, she went to his table and lit a candle.  There.  Now that he could properly see her disgust, she hurried back over to him and glared at him once more.

He rolled his eyes.  “I was doing it for you.  I thought you wouldn’t want me in your bed, given how much you loathe me.”

“This has nothing to do with how I feel about you.”

“It doesn’t?”

“No, it doesn’t.  We have a duty to the crown.”

He groaned and placed his head in his hands.  “You sound just like my mother.”

Too annoyed to be nervous, she grunted and pulled her shift off.  “I don’t care if I sound like her or not.  We’re going to get this over with.” She picked up his covers and nudged him in the side.  “Move over so I can get in.  I’ll go back to my bed once you’re done.”

Substitute Bride is Available and Other Busy Stuff

Substitute Bride is now up!

Here are the links if interested:

Amazon

B&N

Smashwords

Remember, this is the same book I wrote under my pen name Kate Page.  Since I decided to get rid of Kate Page, I figured I would modify the book (slightly) and republish it.

If anyone is interested, here’s the description:

Kevin Edwards stands to inherit one million dollars. The catch? He must get married by Valentine’s Day. With only a month to spare, he seeks out the first woman who catches his interest: Tammy. But his best friend, Alexandra (Alex) Dixon is convinced he’s making the biggest mistake of his life. So she decides she will take Tammy’s place and be his bride instead. Can she convince him that things will be much better if they become more than friends or will he say “I do” to the wrong woman?

The Busy Stuff

I’m not getting much writing done.  I do it when I can, but it’s more like 100 words here or there as time permits.  It’s not for lack of ideas.  It’s just that life has become extremely busy and will continue to be that way for a while.

Here’s what I got going on…

1. Moving

This is from Nebraska to Minnesota, so I’m also dealing with getting the kids’ school records, etc in order.  We’ll be cleaning up the Minnesota place before we move our things up (in a couple of weeks), and after that it’s waiting until the end of the year to officially move out.  We want to make it a clean break for the kids.  Finish the semester in one school and start in the new school at the beginning of the new semester.  (Some people call it quarter, but I tend to think in terms of semesters thanks to my college days. ) And of course, we’re doing everything we can get our house sold so there are fix-it projects going on in the meantime.

2.  Conference in Kansas City

Believe it or not, it’s coming up quickly.  I looked at my calendar today and realized I’m leaving next Thursday (the 8th) and won’t come back until Sunday (the 11th).  I already know I won’t get any writing done during this time.  When I went to this thing in 2009, my friend and I shared a hotel room and when we weren’t attending workshops or talking to agents/publishers/editors/other writers, we were laughing and having a great time in the hotel.  The result?  Absolutely no writing done whatsoever.  I plan to schedule a post or two ahead of time, but I won’t actually be writing posts either.  I love the schedule posts feature on Word Press.

3.  I’m still hoping to get A Most Unsuitable Earl out soon.

No promises, though.  I only have about 10,000 words left to go, and usually that would mean I’d be done with the first draft in under two weeks.  However, given all that is going on, I’ll be doing good to finish this up in three to four weeks.  I’d love to have this out around the first of December.  But if that doesn’t happen, it just doesn’t happen.  Sometimes real life takes precedence.  I already plan to mark out mid-May to mid-August for family vacations, so I don’t plan to be doing much of anything during that time either.  You have to take time to enjoy the kids while they’re young and still think you’re cool enough to be seen in public with.  :D

Inspiration For the Book: Loving Eliza’s Ending

As promised, I’m going to discuss why I went with the ending I did for Loving Eliza.

I decided not to give John and Eliza a biological child because someone I know struggled with infertility.  The truth is, not every couple can have children.  While most couples will conceive, there are some who won’t.  It’s heartbreaking for them.  I wanted to give them a heroine and hero who also couldn’t have a child.  I got some criticism for not allowing them to have the child, but really, it worked out best that way.

I knew when I ended the book without a biological child, I would have them adopt a boy who was abandoned.  But the question was, who was this child going to be.  Given the fact that John was mute, I wanted a child who also had a disability, something that would compel his parents to abandon him.  I chose a blind boy, and this boy became Brian who was the hero in Bid for a Bride.

The initial challenge was how Brian and John would communicate since Brian wouldn’t be able to see the signs John used, but then I remembered the movie I watched about Helen Keller’s life.  Helen was blind and deaf.  In the movie, she learned how to sign by feeling her instructor’s hands.  That’s what gave me the idea to have Brian and John communicate through touch.

Sunday Sample Scene: Alternate Ending for Loving Eliza

I originally wrote a different scene for Loving Eliza than I decided to go with.  In the original, I let Eliza and John have a baby, but because of someone I knew, I decided to drop that idea and go with the scene where they go to Charity’s Christmas party instead.  Looking back, I’m glad they didn’t have a biological child.  Bid for a Bride wouldn’t have been as powerful if Brian hadn’t been their only (and adopted) child.

I’ll explain why I didn’t go with this ending tomorrow.  :D

Chapter Twenty-Two

One year later

Eliza pulled the picture of her son off the shelf of the fireplace mantle and bit her lower lip.  How many times had she wished she could have held him just one time?  As soon as he was born, the prostitute who delivered him quietly took him to the couple who waited outside the door.  Eliza never even got to look at him.  She heard him cry and that was it.

She only had this picture to know what he looked like.  She often imagined what it would have been like to hold him just one time.  Her hands shook as she put the picture next to the one of her and John.  Taking a deep breath, she took a step back.  Dare she hope after all these years that old wounds might be fully healed—that what was once taken from her might be given back?

The front door opened and she glanced at John who stood in the doorway.  He brought his hands up to ask if she was ready.

She absentmindedly rested her hand on her flat stomach.  There was no way she was going to tell him just in case she was wrong.  She could very well be wrong.  Her cycle had been irregular before.  Just because she missed a couple of months, it didn’t mean anything.  The feeling of nausea could easily be due to her swirling emotions.  The fatigue could be due to the heat.  Slowly exhaling, she cleared her throat and walked over to him.

He pointed to her and then used his hands to ask if she was alright.

She decided to hedge her answer.  What good would it be to tell him anything if she was wrong?  “I miss Addy.  She did return from visiting her daughter, right?”

He nodded.

She didn’t know if he believed her or not but decided it didn’t matter.  She was much too nervous to care.  If she was right…if it was really happening for her…  She didn’t dare hope!

After John helped her into the wagon, she watched him as he climbed into his side.  Once he picked up the reins, she leaned against him, taking comfort in his silent strength.  She took his free hand into hers and caressed his skin.  For the most part it was smooth.  He didn’t work in the fields.  She liked that though.  When she needed him to help her around the house, he could stop whatever he was doing and assist her.  Usually, his assistance involved in him retrieving anything that was too high for her to reach.  But sometimes she just wanted to be with him.

She liked knowing she was no longer alone in the world, and she knew that no matter what happened, he’d love her.  He looked at her but she avoided the question in his eyes.  He knew her well enough to understand when something was troubling her.  But to his credit, he squeezed her hand and returned his attention to the path before them.

When they arrived in town, he parked on the outskirts, like he did when she first met him.  He still liked to be there, even though he no longer had to.  She’d asked him about it one time, and he wrote that it was easier to leave when he wanted.  She figured that some habits never went away.  But she didn’t mind.

The walk through town was nice.  It helped settle her nerves because she could focus on saying hello to the people that greeted them on their way to Addy’s.  John seemed happier as well.  His shoulders no longer slouched and he made eye contact with people as they passed by.  She was glad for him.

Once they reached Addy’s house, she asked, “Will you be working on Willy and Daphne’s roof?”

He nodded.  Then he held up two fingers.

“You’ll be back for me in two hours.”

He nodded again and kissed her.

She forced a smile.  Now that she was about to make the trip to the doctor’s, her stomach was twisting back into its crazy knots.  Or was it morning sickness?  No.  She wouldn’t think about it until she was at the doctor’s office.  She waited for John to disappear around the corner of the next street before she knocked on Addy’s door.

After a few seconds, Addy threw the door open and hugged her.  “Eliza!  Oh, how I missed you.  It’s been a long two months, hasn’t it?”

“It sure has.” A feeling of warmth washed over her.  She didn’t realize how much Addy meant to her until that moment.  “How is your daughter doing?”

“Wonderfully.  She had a boy.” She pulled back, held onto Eliza’s hands, and scanned her from head to toe.  “Why, there’s something different about you.  You look like you’re glowing.”

“Oh, I don’t know about glowing.” She cleared her throat, unsure if she even wanted to say it aloud.  For some reason, it seemed safer not to say anything.

“Marriage certainly agrees with you.” She turned to the house.  “Will you come in?”

Eliza knew that it was now or never.  “Addy, can I ask a favor of you?”

Addy’s face grew serious.  “Of course, you can.  Is something wrong?”

“No.  Nothing’s wrong.  I’m just nervous.” She wiped her hands on her skirt but they remained sweaty.  It was hot for September.  Either that or her anxiety was getting the best of her.  “I need to see the doctor.”

“What?  Why?” Addy touched her shoulder and looked at her with caring eyes.  “You can tell me.  I can handle it.”

Despite the situation, Eliza laughed.  “There’s nothing to be concerned about.  I mean it.  I…” Here it came.  She took a deep breath.  “I think I’m expecting.  But I can’t be sure.  I mean, not really.  You know at the saloon, the doctor wanted to make sure I never had another child and for all those years, I didn’t and I’ve only been married to John for one year and suddenly I think I might have a chance to be a mother.  Not that I’m not one.  I mean, I do have a son, but I’ve never seen him.  And now I wonder if I might get a second chance at this whole thing.  But I won’t know until I see the doctor and I can’t go alone but I don’t want to go with John either.  I don’t want him to be disappointed.  You see, I’m afraid the doctor will tell me I’m wrong and it’s just my cycle acting up again because I never was quite right after I gave birth and…” She stopped when she realized she was rambling on like an idiot and gave a shaky laugh.  “So, I was wondering if you’d come with me.”

Addy smiled.  “Of course.” She grabbed her shawl off the hook in the entryway and shut the door.

Eliza’s legs felt wobbly as she joined Addy in walking down the road.  “I knew it was cool outside.” She wiped the sweat off her brow.  Maybe she was sick.  She pressed her hand to her forehead.  She didn’t think she was feverish, but she wasn’t thinking straight, so who knew?

“You mind if I ask how far along you think you might be?”

She shrugged.  “I have no idea.  The last time I had my monthly flow was three months ago.  But that doesn’t mean anything.  I’ve gone that long without it before.”

“So what makes you think this time might be different?”

“I’m not sure.  I just have a suspicion.”

“Maybe God’s telling you something.”

“I thought of that.  But I told Him I didn’t have the courage to see for sure unless I went with you.”

She chuckled.  “Well, that’s what friends are for, to help each other through the valleys of life.”

As they got closer to the doctor’s, Eliza realized her steps were slowing.

Addy wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  “My mother always told me that a woman knows when she’s expecting a child.”

“Really?” Eliza tried to recall if she knew when she was carrying her son.  It had happened so long ago that she couldn’t remember.  All she remembered was being scared.  “Sometimes a woman can be wrong, can’t she?”

“I suppose it’s possible.  But I have yet to meet one.”

The words gave her hope and she managed the last block to the office.

Addy opened the door and called for the doctor who came out of the backroom.

“How may I help you ladies?” he asked as he placed his ledger on the table by the door.

“Eliza thinks she might be expecting, but her cycles aren’t regular so she came here to be sure.”

Eliza was glad she spoke on her behalf.  Her tongue didn’t seem to want to cooperate with her.  She could only manage a nod.  Being there was surreal.  Though the doctor asked her questions and she answered him, the pounding in her chest dominated her attention.  What if he confirmed her worst fear?  She went through the process of giving him her urine to test.  The waiting was hard.  She never thought she’d be seeing a doctor for this reason, but here she was and no matter what she did, she couldn’t relax.  Addy talked to her, but she couldn’t focus on anything she said.

When the doctor returned, she tried to guess the answer before he spoke.  His face was pleasant, but that was no indicator.  It was just her luck that she ended up with a doctor who could mask his emotions.

“Well, Mrs. Evans, I’d say that by the beginning of March, you’ll be holding a baby girl or boy,” he said.

It wasn’t until Addy cheered that his meaning dawned on Eliza.  Tears fell down her cheeks before she was able to speak.  “I-I’m going to have a baby?” She never thought she’d say those words.

He broke into a wide grin.  “Yes.  And be sure to tell John that he needs to go easy on you.  Let him cook some meals while you relax for a change.  This is the only time a woman gets an excuse to rest.  Once that child comes, you won’t have a moment to yourself until he’s out of the house.”

“Oh, shoo,” Addy told him in a playful tone.  “You’re a proud father.  You have how many in your house?”

“Six and one on the way.” He glanced at Eliza.  “There’s no quiet unless they’re all asleep.  Poor John doesn’t know what he’s getting.”

Addy rolled her eyes.  “You just wait until I tell your wife what you said.”

His eyes grew wide in feigned horror.  “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Give your wife an extra kiss tonight and I may relent.”

“You drive a hard bargain, ma’am.  Alright.  You win.  But I warn you that it was the extra kiss that got her into this mess.”

“You need to watch yourself, doctor.  There are ladies in the room.”

He chuckled.  “Go on and tell John the good news.”

Despite the fact that tears continued to fall down her cheeks, Eliza laughed.  Now she couldn’t wait to see her husband!  “Addy, let’s go to Willy and Daphne’s place.  He’s over there and I can’t wait.”

Addy nodded and Eliza followed her out the door.

Eliza practically ran the whole way there and eagerly knocked on the door.

Gasping, Addy caught up to her.  “When you get excited, there’s no stopping you.”

“I’m sorry.  Did I wear you out?”

Addy giggled.  “A little.  I’m not as young as I used to be.  But it’s for a good reason.”

Daphne opened the door.  “Hello there, Eliza and Addy.  Come on in.”

“Where’s John?” Eliza was too impatient to engage in pleasantries.  She wanted to tell John right away.

As if to answer her question, there was a pounding on the roof.

Daphne pointed to the ceiling.  “Up there.  Do you want me to get him?”

“No.  I can find him.”

“Eliza,” Addy quickly admonished, “are you sure that’s wise in your condition?”

“I won’t get on the roof.  I’ll just call him down.” Before Addy could stop her, she rushed out of the kitchen and found Willy weeding the garden in the backyard.  She peered up, squinting in the sun, and called out to John.

“Is something wrong?” Willy asked, turning to her from where he knelt in the middle of the garden.

“No.  I’m fine.  Don’t bother getting up.” She sighed.  What was taking John so long?  She found the ladder on the side of the house and started to climb up it when John looked at her from the edge of the roof.  “I have something to tell you.  Can you come down?”

He nodded and obeyed.

The time it took for him to set his feet on the ground seemed to take forever.  When he was finally in front of her, she blurted out, “I’m expecting!”

His eyebrows furrowed as he looked around.

“Not that kind of expecting, silly.  I mean, I’m with child.”

His knowing grin and the twinkle in his eyes told her that he’d been joking with her.  She playfully slapped his arm.  “You have a real mean streak in you, John.” Then she studied his amused expression.  “You suspected, didn’t you?”

He nodded.  He pointed to her and put his hand over his stomach and pretended to be sick.  Then he gave her the sign for ‘my mother’.

“You remember your mother being the same way when she was expecting Shawn?” she guessed.

He nodded again.

“So, what do you think about being a father?”

He yawned and shrugged.

Just as she gasped, his smile widened and he swung her around in his arms and kissed her.  Laughing, she said, “I ought to make you go without supper for teasing me that way.”

He set her down, knelt in front of her and kissed her hand.  Then he beseeched her with his repentant eyes to forgive him.

“Oh, get up.  I’ll feed you.”

Appearing content, he did as she bid and gave her another kiss.  He patted her stomach and squeezed her hand.

He really was happy.  She hoped he’d be, though she didn’t realize she was transparent enough for him to suspect that she was pregnant.  But what did it matter?  The point was, he was hers and, together, they would have a child.

***

            January came and with it the wind howled and snow covered the ground.  Eliza found that she loved winters in the southern Dakota territory.  There was something magical about watching snowflakes fall down, so when she woke up early that morning because her baby insisted on kicking like crazy, she decided to add more wood to the fireplace in the small parlor.

Dawn had passed a good hour ago, so she could see the snow whirling in the wind.  Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, she stood in front of the window and smiled.  The world contained simple joys that she’d long ago forgotten to savor.  The movement in her womb reminded her that miracles still happened.  First there was John and now his child.  She rubbed her belly, recalling her first child.  She vowed she would tell this one about him someday, when the time was right.  It would be painful to explain the past to her son or daughter, but it was her life and she had come to accept the good with the bad and appreciate how both had brought her to this place—in this moment in time.  She wouldn’t be where she was now had it not been for where she’d been.

She heard John come into the room before she saw him.  “It’s a beautiful morning, don’t you think?”

He walked over to her and kissed her.  Then he pointed to the bedroom.

She laughed.  “Don’t you ever think of anything else?”

He crossed his arms and pretended he was shivering.

“Oh.  You got cold without me next to you.”

He nodded.

“We should get up anyway.  It’s morning.  Farmers have been up for hours by now.”

Grimacing, he shook his head and motioned to the bedroom.  Then, before she could say anything else, he picked her up and carried her back to bed.

“You are the most persistent man I’ve ever met.  You do know that you’re persistent, don’t you?”

He shrugged as he slipped under the covers, snuggled up to her, and closed his eyes.

She seriously doubted that he wanted to go back to sleep, and when she felt his hand lightly stroke her breast, a wry grin crossed her face.  “So you had an ulterior motive for bringing me in here.  I should be cooking breakfast instead.  Aren’t you hungry?  You used up a lot of energy last night.”

His response was to kiss her.

She wondered if he did that to shut her up, but if that was his intent, she didn’t mind.  It was a wonderful way to be told to quit talking.   She closed her eyes and melted in his arms.  He proceeded to make love to her, taking his time in bringing them both pleasure.  And when they were satisfied, he drifted off to sleep.

She was too excited to doze off with him, even if she woke up earlier than she usually did.  She knew that once the baby was born, she wouldn’t get much sleep, but she was eager to know what it was like to cradle her child in her arms.  Two more months and she would find out.  As she imagined that day, she remained in John’s arms and watched the snow as it fell softly outside the bedroom window.

***

            In the first week of March, John waited outside while the doctor and Addy tended to Eliza during her labor.  When he couldn’t take the screaming anymore, he went to work on a highchair.  He’d already made the bassinet and crib.  He knew it would be months before his child would need a highchair, but he couldn’t handle listening to his wife in all that pain.

He remembered how excited she’d been when she told him she was with child.  He’d been happy too, but he’d been happier for her because he knew how much it meant to her.  Right now, he wasn’t sure a child was worth the agony of labor.  It was hard to concentrate on his work.  He’d start chipping into the wood only to get up and open the door, wondering if it was over yet.  But Addy said she’d come for him when the time was right.

He rubbed his eyes before he pulled out his pocket watch.  It’d been about three hours since the doctor came out, and about twelve hours since Eliza started getting labor pains.  How long did this usually last?  He knew practically nothing about this, and when he asked Aaron what to expect, Aaron just patted him on the shoulder and said, “When the time comes, stay out of the way.  There’s nothing a man can do but wait.”

And so he waited…and waited…and waited…  When he finally saw Addy emerge from the house, he dropped his tools and ran to meet her.

“Eliza’s doing fine,” she said, out of breath and smiling.  “You have a girl.  She’s doing fine too.  Are you ready to see them?”

He nodded.  Of course, he was!  He’d been waiting all day for this moment.

“Well, then come on.  I warn you that it’s pretty loud in there.  That daughter of yours has a good pair of lungs on her.”

His heart leapt with joy.  He hadn’t realized how much it would mean to him that his little girl would be able to speak.  He wanted to hear her voice, especially so he could hear her say ‘Pa’.  He didn’t know why that was so important to him, but it was.

As soon as he stepped into the house, he heard Eliza talking.  The doctor was in the kitchen collecting his things, so he knew Eliza was talking to their baby.

The doctor looked up at him.  “Congratulations.  Mother and child are both healthy.”

John couldn’t help but grin like a fool.  Now that the screaming was over, he could relax, and hearing the momentary cry from his baby in the other room assured him that the ordeal of waiting had been worth it.

“Now, don’t worry about the bill.  The furniture you made for my family is enough,” the doctor stated before he shook John’s hand and left.

Addy turned to him.  “I’ll make something for you and Eliza to drink and eat.  Why don’t you go in there?  Eliza’s anxious to see you.”

Without gesturing to her, he rushed to the bedroom.  He wanted to see the girl.  Did she have her mother’s reddish blond hair?  He thought it would be nice if she did.  He liked that color.  But as he approached the bed where Eliza held her, he saw a bunch of dark brown curls framing her face.

Even though Eliza looked tired, she glanced up at him and gave him the widest smile he’d ever seen on a person.  “I can’t believe she’s here.  I can’t believe I’m holding her.” She wiped away a tear and laughed.  “It’s silly to cry when I’m filled with so much joy I think my heart might burst.”

He knew that feeling.  He’d felt it when she finally agreed to marry him.  She sure had put up a struggle, but she’d been worth it.  He sat next to her at the edge of the bed, trying to be careful not to disturb the sleeping child.

“You want to meet your pa?” she softly asked the child.

The girl squirmed for a moment and yawned.

He chuckled.  She was a pretty little thing, and in a lot of ways, she reminded him of Eliza.  So she didn’t have her mother’s wild hair color.  His hair color worked just as well, though she didn’t get the curls from him.  She must have gotten them from his mother.  It was nice to see a part of his mother in her.

Eliza handed him the child.  “I was thinking of a name for her.  What do you think of Miracle?”

He gingerly held the baby.  She seemed fragile, as if she might break if he wasn’t careful.

His daughter stared up at him.  She was probably trying to figure out who he was.  She waved her hand in the air and he caught it.  Her hand wrapped around his finger, and he marveled that someone so tiny could steal his heart.  He knew he’d love his child, but he hadn’t expected the pride he felt.  One look at Eliza’s glowing face told him that all the pain she’d been through was worth this moment.  And he agreed, though he was glad it was over.

“I tried thinking of other names for her, but none of the others fit.  Not really.  I mean, she is a miracle.  It’s the only way to explain her birth, don’t you think?”

He thought it was cute that Eliza felt the need to explain why she chose Miracle for their baby’s name.  He just smiled at her and nodded his consent.  Miracle was a good name, in more ways than one.  He considered Eliza his miracle.  He’d longed for a wife who could look beyond his handicap and love him.  And now as he looked into his daughter’s open eyes, he realized she was as much a miracle as her mother had been.

Yes.  Miracle.  He couldn’t think of a more perfect name than that.

 

Random Stuff

1.  Moving

I’ll be busier than usual through the New Year because (after much debate), we decided to move.  We’ll be officially moving during December.  We’ve started the process (contacting a realtor, telling the schools, etc).  That is why I am going to push to have A Most Unsuitable Earl out before or around December 1.  After that, I’ll probably slow down with writing and probably won’t pick it back up until the kids are settled in their new schools (so some time in January).

2.  Substitute Bride is still set for around November 1. 

I’m currently listening to it on my Kindle (thanks to text-to-speech) to hear it.  I’m about 1/3 of the way through with that.  I am having a couple of people looking it over (one is already done).  It’s light work because this was a book that was already published.  Any errors that popped up on this round was where I made changes.

What surprised me more than anything else is how much happier I am with this version.  :D

3.  November Newsletter Blog

I will make my November newsletter post when I publish Substitute Bride so I only have to give the links one time on that blog.  I also want to update the header since I put Wagon Trail Bride on hold (I have no idea when I’ll get back to it, but there’s a missing element to the book I need to resolve anyway so it’s best it’s not tackled yet).

4.  A Most Unsuitable Earl is almost done.

I am very close to finishing this book.  I have between 10,000 to 15,000 words left.  This book has been so much fun to write.  I’ve laughed through most scenes.  This is another book you can’t take too seriously.  It’s light and fun.  :D