Musings from a Writer’s Brain with Jodie Wolfe

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essay, Jodie Wolfe, Musings from a Writer's Brain, sweet clean romance, Taming Julia, Western Romances

Real Settings or Made Up Ones ?

When a writer is in the process of coming up with a story idea, there’s always the choice before them of whether to pick a place that exists or come up with something from their own imagination. There are pluses and minuses for both.

I remember a number of years ago, reading an Amish story that was set in the town where I live. The author had the character come in on a bus from a nearby city, walk through the streets, meandering through the ‘slums’ before heading out of town and toward another small town. There were two big problems with that story. #1 – our town doesn’t have a bus route that comes from the city mentioned. In fact the only bus that runs is local. #2 – there aren’t any slums in our town. As a reader, it turned me off to the story because the author hadn’t done her research.

Some publishers prefer their writers to only write about real places. When writing, I’ve often had a mix of real and made up places. With writing historical romance, I try to research as much as possible when it comes to writing about a real town, but there’s always that chance that I missed something and won’t accurately convey the place and time period.

My newest story is a mix of real and made up. My story is set in Burrton Springs, Kansas. It’s not a real place, but I did loosely pattern it from Burrton and Pleasant Grove, Kansas where my in-laws lived when my father-in-law was a pastor of two small churches in both of those places. It allowed me to convey a flavor of the area without being stuck into the history of the town itself.

However, there is a part of my story that takes place in a real portion of Texas. It’s called the Narrows and is in the hill country.

The actual scene where I highlight the area isn’t a very long one, but I did extensive research to make sure I could accurately describe the terrain. My husband’s aunt and uncle live real close to the area, so they were extremely helpful with the research. Then, a couple years ago I had the pleasure of traveling to Texas and being able to witness the place for myself. As I trekked over the land, I could see in my mind, my story playing out.

As a reader, which do you prefer, real settings or made up ones?

 And now for a peek at Jodie’s book Taming Julia. Gotta love this opening. I know I do. (Catherine)

Taming Julia

By Jodie Wolfe

Matrimony News, February 6, 1875 edition

Minister bachelor aged 27, height 5 feet 10 inches seeks genteel, honest and first-rate homemaker with a desire to serve God. Must be willing to marry by proxy and arrive in Burrton Springs, Kansas by May 1.

~*~

Burrton Springs, Kansas, Saturday, May 1, 1875

 Dear Lord, please don’t let that creature be my new wife. Drew Montgomery swiped the sweat trickling a path down his neck and shoved the new hat back on his head. He squinted, taking in the lone passenger stepping from the stagecoach. At least, he thought it was a woman. He shielded his eyes from the sun, taking in the britches.

 Britches? A gun belt strapped to a slim waist. He gulped. A rifle rested on her shoulder, and she wore a Stetson situated low on her brow. The figure shifted sideways, and Drew groaned, fearing his proxy mail-order bride had arrived by the look of all the curves. He squared his shoulders and crossed the street.

“Are you Montgomery?” Her coffee-brown gaze seared through him.

He snapped his gaping mouth shut and nodded. “Y-yes.”

“Name’s Jules Walker.” She shoved her hand into his and shook it so hard his teeth clattered. “I reckon, Jules Montgomery since we’re hitched.” She waved a slip of paper in his face. “Got the paper here to prove it. So are you my husband or not?”

Drew caught a whiff of dirt. He coughed and cleared his throat.

She peered at him as if he were a chicken with one leg.

“I’m Drew.” He managed to choke the words out. “Isn’t your name Julia?”

She scrunched her face, pushed her Stetson from her head, and allowed it to dangle from the string around her neck. Her brown hair scattered in disarray, slipping from a shoulder-length braid. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve been called Julia. Like I said, name’s Jules.”

“But…” Drew let the word hang between them. No matter. “Where’re your things?”

“Got my knapsack and that there.” She pointed to the top of the stagecoach. He expected to see a trunk, but a saddle rested there instead. What kind of woman brought a saddle into a marriage? What kind of woman showed up dressed like a man? No. No. Something was terribly wrong.

 

About the Author:

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Romance Writers of America (RWA), and COMPEL Training. She’s been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. She’s a contributor and co-founder of Stitches Thru Time blog. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at http://www.jodiewolfe.com.

Contact with Jodie at:

Website: https://www.jodiewolfe.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jodie-Wolfe-553400191384913/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JodieAWolfe

 

Elaine Manders Returns to Wednesday Writers

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Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, Cloaked in Love by Elaine Manders, historcial novel, Inspirational romance, Western Romances

The Story behind the Story – Cloaked in Love

 

Today Wednesday Writers welcomes Elaine Manders back to the blog. Elaine recently visited the blog (click here to read that post.) Today she’s sharing her newest book, which will be out tomorrow, April 1^st. Elaine’s a frequent contributor to the Stitches Thru Time blog where I also blog once a month. Welcome, Elaine. Please tell us about your newest book, Cloaked in Love.

 

Thank you, Catherine, for giving me the opportunity to tell your readers about the story behind the story of my newest novella, Cloaked in Love.

If you’re old enough to remember the old TV westerns, you probably know one of the favorite premises was the woman in peril. Typically, the girl is tied to the railroad tracks, and the hero is riding along the side of the train, his horse galloping with ears laid back, and the guy is shooting over his shoulder at the villains. The camera would shift back to the girl struggling with the ropes holding her down, then return to her hero, desperately trying to overtake the train so he can save his lady love.

In my mind, there’s no better way to portray a man as a hero than when he’s rescuing his heroine.

The idea for a Western Women in Peril series had been playing in my mind for awhile when the gals at Stitches Thru Time blog suggested we collaborate on a box set of novellas with a craft-driven plot. The first book in my Western Women in Peril series seemed perfect, since the heroine was crocheting a cloak all through the book.

Cloaked in Love is scheduled for release on Amazon in e-book on Apr 1, and the paperback will be out shortly after.

Cloaked in Love

by Elaine Manders

With Pa off on a cattle drive, Jeannie Baylor is alone on their isolated Wyoming ranch. When she’s taken captive by a gang of ruthless outlaws, she realizes her virtue is in imminent danger, and her life is safe only as long as they need her house for a hideout.

Unexpectedly, the youngest outlaw, Zak Collins, a handsome man with bitterness in his stone gray-green eyes, proposes a fantastic scheme to save her life. Having no other choice, she has to trust Zak. But God gives her another way, and its success depends on the cloak she’s crocheting for a friend.

Hatred for his mother’s killer drove Zak to join his step-father’s gang, but Jeannie’s capture changes his plans for revenge. Can he use a notorious outlaw’s own game to save Jeannie’s life?

 

 

About The Author

 

Elaine Manders writes wholesome, Christian romance and suspense about the bold, capable women of history and the strong, dependable men who love them. She prefers stories that twist and turn and surprise, told by characters who aren’t afraid to show their love for God and each other. She lives in Central Georgia with her husband and an energetic bichon-poodle mix.

 

Contact Info–  Facebook: Twitter:  Blog:

 

 

Wednesday Writers Welcomes DeAnn Smallwood-Author of Unconquerable Callie

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Book excerpts, DeAnn Smallwood, Wednesday Writers, Western Romances

Today I’m welcoming back one of my favorite authors, DeAnn Smallwood. DeAnn writes wonderful westerns. I’ve featured her other books in earlier posts. So when you’ve read this excerpt, if you’d like to sample more of her books, just hop on over using the links at the bottom of the post.

Without any further ado, here’s Deann Smallwood and an excerpt from her book

Unconquerable Callie

“For a minute there, I thought you’d decided to sacrifice yourself to Wolf Dog to be his bride.”

Callie wouldn’t meet Seth’s eyes. “I thought of it,” she said softly. “If he hadn’t accepted my offering, I would have.”

Admiration filled Seth’s voice. “I thought as much. I wouldn’t have let you. In fact, I was just getting ready to shoot when you offered him your hair.”

“Shoot?”

He looked away, shaking his head. “I was going to wound you and when you fell, the next shot would be for Wolf Dog.”

“You were going to wound me?” Callie’s eyes were wide with horror. “You, Seth McCallister, were actually going to shoot me?”

“Now don’t get to riled. Just in the leg.”

“Oh. Only in the leg. What am I getting so ‘riled’ about? Just a leg wound. I fully understand.” Callie’s hands were on her hips and fire sparked from her eyes and her voice held the chill of death.

 

Unconquerable Callie is available on Amazon.
Want to read more of DeAnn’s books? Wyoming Heather and One Shingle to Hang  are also featured on this blog.

Bio: I live in Colorado with my husband and my two Yorkie kid dogs: Stormy, four pounds, and Eli, six pounds. I’m a native of Colorado, but I’ve lived several years in Wyoming and Montana. My historical romances are: Montana Star, Sapphire Blue, Unconquerable Callie, and Wyoming Heather. Tears In The Wind is a contemporary romance. I have just contracted for another historical romance, One Shingle To Hang, that should be published fall of 2014l Then I changed genres from my beloved romances and wrote, under the pen name of D. M. Woods, my first suspense/thriller: Death Crosses The Finish Line. The second book in this ‘death’ series, Death Is A Habit, came out January 8^th, this year. I am currently working on the third book of this series, Death Walks C Dock. Truly, I mean it when I say my greatest pleasure next to writing is having my books read and enjoyed. There are many more stories just waiting to be written.

Connect with DeAnn through facebook or her website

 

 

Wednesday Writers Welcomes DeAnn Smallwood, author of One Shingle to Hang

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Author interviews, Book excerpts, DeAnn Smallwood, One Shingle to Hang, Soul Mate Publishing, Western Romances

Today I’m welcoming DeAnn Smallwood again with another of her western romances, entitled ONE SHINGLE TO HANG—a story of a strong woman in a man’s job in the wild west. What’s not to like about that?

ONE SHINGLE TO HANG

By DeAnn Smallwood

Accused of rustling and facing possible hanging, Drew needed a lawyer—one good man. He wasn’t prepared for L.M. Wentfield, a beautiful blonde with a sharp tongue and fiercely won independence.

Everyone knew Lil Wentfield would never marry. What man would want her? She was too old by society’s standards, too set in her ways, and too damned opinionated. Granted, she was a real beauty.

Lil’s parents were long-suffering. In fact, they were ashamed of their ugly duckling yet to turn into a swan. They made sure all their society friends, and Lil, knew of their disappointment. To compound this disappointment, Lil had done the unthinkable. She had pursued a career as an attorney, thereby cluttering her weak female mind with knowledge meant only for a man. Knowledge that could only result in insanity.

Lil purchases a run-down mansion in the small Colorado town of Chesterfield, and hangs her shingle advertising L.M. Wentfield, Attorney At Law.

One of Lil’s first clients was a grey-eyed cowboy that came looking for an attorney to keep him from the hang-man’s noose. Chesterfield had one attorney, L.M. Wentfield. This was an answer to Drew’s prayers. He needed a strong man to guide him through the legal snarls and possibilities of his looming demise at the hands of a liar and cheat. When he finds out that L.M. Wentfield was not a strong man, but a strong woman, he refuses her help.

Drew is drawn to this beautiful woman. But Lil feels she has nothing to offer him. She’d make a terrible ranch wife. Drew feels he isn’t worthy of Lil, knowing she comes from money and he doesn’t even have a house on his fledging ranch.

Will Drew’s pride stand in the way? And will Lil be able to tell Drew of her love in spite of her inabilities?

One Shingle to Hang Excerpt

Everyone knew Lil Wentfield would never marry. What man would want her? She was too old, too set in her ways, and too damned opinionated. Granted, she was a real beauty, if you could get past all the other flaws. Long blonde hair, equally long legs, sparkling blue eyes, flawless skin, with just a hint of a European ancestor in the coloring. And lips, well to call them kissable would be doing them an injustice.

But spinster she was, with her hair coiled into a tight knot at the nape of her neck, as tight as the expression habitually worn on her lovely face. Wire rimmed glasses perched on her small nose, obscured flashes of emotion in those beautiful eyes. Except when it came to outrage. Then her eyes snapped, her spine stiffened, her chin raised, and she peered disdainfully at the offender.

Lil was like a badger when it came to proving her point and winning an argument. Her mother liked to say Lil was born arguing. What her father liked to say was more colorful and filled with disappointment. His only child compounded being born female, by having a mind of her own. Once Lil made a decision, she planted her feet firmly on the chosen path, and didn’t step off until her goal was accomplished.

Men found her unnerving. Lil Wentfield wouldn’t be any man’s ‘little woman’, her place in the home, serving her husband, and mothering children. She was unsettling; not material necessary for being the calming homemaker and acquiescent wife needed to soothe and support a man as he went about his business.

***

A loud knock broke into her thoughts. “Come in,” she called out.

Nothing happened, then another knock. “Please, come in,” she called again.

Getting no response, Lil came around her desk and, with some irritation at the interruption, jerked open the door, nearly toppling the tall man who held the doorknob on the other side. He muttered something under his breath, and tried to regain his balance only to bump into Lil, throwing her off stride. She stumbled backwards and would have fallen if not for the man’s quick reaction. He grabbed Lil and, wrapping both arms around, pulled her to him. Then, in a parody of the two-step, he danced her to safety.

Lil felt herself falling, then rescued by two strong arms. Not only was she pulled up short, but she was wrapped tightly against a rock hard chest, her nose buried in the man’s damp shirt. A very pleasant smell greeted her nose. The scent of summer rain and witch hazel. She found the masculine odor intoxicating.

Neither moved. Then Lil raised her head and looked into a pair of dancing gray eyes. His arms never relaxed their grip; in fact, they seemed to tighten around her as his mouth twitched, then broke into a smile.

“Didn’t expect to end up with a beautiful woman in my arms. For a moment there, I expected to land on the rug, Ma’am. With you alongside me,” he added with a chuckle.

He loosened his grip and gently pushed her away from the warmth and safety of his chest. Lil stepped back, feeling as though she’d just had something precious taken from her. She realized her hands still gripped his arms. Like a hot potato, she dropped them and turned away from the man’s disturbing presence. Like a fox heading for her den, Lil scurried behind her desk and gratefully lowered her trembling body onto the waiting chair.

With the desk between them, she was once again in charge. “May I help you?” she asked coolly, hoping the tremble in her voice went unnoticed. “I called come in not once but twice.”

“Sorry, Ma’am. Guess I didn’t hear you. I was just fixing to open the door when you did just that. Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Lil answered with no desire to elaborate. “I—I appreciate you catching me. Now,” she hurried away from that topic, “to repeat myself, how may I help you?”

He smiled, as if knowing her thoughts. Walking over to the desk, he removed his hat and stood with it in his hands. “I apologize for dripping on your floor, but it’s raining like hel—, uh, like heck out there.”

Lil tried not to look at how the ends of his eyes crinkled when he smiled. She focused instead on his hair, black and shiny with rain drops glistening on the wavy strands not covered by his hat. She didn’t realize she was staring at him until he shifted from foot to foot.

“Ma’am?”

“Yes,” Lil answered, pulling herself back to reality.

“What I’m here for is to see L.M. Wentfield, Attorney At Law.” He pointed at the window, in the direction of the sign.

Lil nodded. “Yes,” she said again. At this rate, he’d think she only had a one word vocabulary.

The man tilted his head to one side. “Could you direct me to L. M. Wentfield, Ma’am?”

“Of course I can. How may I help you?”

Two small furrows appeared between the man’s eyes. He peered closer at her. Perhaps he needed to try another approach.

“Ma’am, could I speak with your husband?”

“There is no husband,” Lil said with a hint of asperity.

“Oh,” he nodded as if finally understanding the problem. “I beg your pardon. I guess the person I need to see would be your father.”

“What for?” Now the furrows were between Lil’s eyes.

“Well, because I’m looking for him.”

“You’re looking for my father? Are you in need of a banker?”

“No. Not at all.” The smile was gone and those long lashed gray eyes of his had lost their twinkle. “A banker? Now why would you think I’d need a banker?”

“I didn’t think that, sir. You said it.”

“I did?” He shook his head and took a step back. He’d been thrown from horses and had his brain addled, but nothing compared to what this lovely young woman was doing to him.

“You did.”

“I guess I don’t rightly recall that. But,” he offered a weak smile, “I do remember asking to see your father.”

“Yes?” Lil let the word hang in the air. What was the matter with him?

His hands nervously fingered the brim of his wet hat. “I would like to see L.M. Wentfield, Attorney. If L.M. Wentfield isn’t your husband, and it appears he isn’t your father either, then who is he?”

“Me.” Lil sucked in her cheeks, delighted with the look on his face. Now it was all coming clear. Standing before her was a gorgeous specimen of man. Alas, it seemed he was also a specimen of man that had a preconceived notion of a woman’s role. And judging from the look on his face, it apparently wasn’t sitting behind a desk, attorney at large.

“You? You are L.M. Wentfield, Attorney At Law?”

“I am.”

Amazon Buy link

If you’d like to read about another of DeAnn’s western romances, click here to see an earlier post and excerpt.

Bio: I live in Colorado with my husband and my two Yorkie kid dogs: Stormy, four pounds, and Eli, six pounds. I’m a native of Colorado, but I’ve lived several years in Wyoming and Montana. My historical romances are: Montana Star, Sapphire Blue, Unconquerable Callie, and Wyoming Heather. Tears In The Wind is a contemporary romance. I have just contracted for another historical romance, One Shingle To Hang, that should be published fall of 2014. Then I changed genres from my beloved romances and wrote, under the pen name of D. M. Woods, my first suspense/thriller: Death Crosses The Finish Line. The second book in this ‘death’ series, Death Is A Habit, came out January 8^th 2014. I am currently working on the third book of this series, Death Walks C Dock. Truly, I mean it when I say my greatest pleasure next to writing is having my books read and enjoyed. There are many more stories just waiting to be written.

Contact DeAnn at:

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