Writing an Outlaw Hero ~ Julie Lence

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    I began my career of writing western romance many years ago. The first book I wrote (and had published) was Luck of the Draw. The heroine in the story is Paige. Throughout the story, Paige believes her sister is dead, but has the shock of her life when Missy shows up on her doorstep. Very much alive, Missy has spent two summers searching for Paige, and as I developed Missy’s character, I realized that she needed help finding Paige, and who better to help her than an outlaw. Buck Grayson was so much fun to write, because in this story, and again when he appears in Lady Luck, unlike the hero, he is free to act and speak in the unruly and crude manner most of us depict an outlaw.  As Lady Luck came to an end, I had an inkling in the back of my mind that Buck needed his own story. It wasn’t until a few years later when I decided to create a new series that I went back to Buck, but as I honed in on the fictional town of Revolving Point that I created in Luck of the Draw, I kept wondering if Buck was hero material.
        In Luck of the Draw and Lady Luck, Buck is hard and unyielding. He’s temperamental, deadly accurate with a gun, and speaks without thinking, not caring who he offends. He trusts no one. Even worse, he likes no one… except Missy… and Suzanna, one of the girls who works for Missy.  Aha! Somewhere deep inside, Buck did have heart and soul. The all important questions I had to deduce is why did Buck abandon the good inside of him, and could Suzanna soften him enough to make readers warm up to him?  
        As in most movies, television shows, and books, there’s a reason why the villain is cold-hearted. Buck was no exception, so I sat down and slowly started to unravel him by asking him easy questions; where did you grow up? Do you have siblings? Do you dress in black because that’s your favorite color? As he answered, he began to open up more about himself, how he had sisters and adored them… how his parents were honest, hard-working people… the awful afternoon when his world shattered… how something inside took a shine to Missy, and not in a romantic way… how Suzanna wormed her way inside his heart with her outrageous flirting… how she became more important to him than his own life… And luckily, I was able to convey his goodness and weaknesses to the reader, but I wasn’t done. I had two more stories in that series to write, and again I had to sit down and dig deep in to Roth’s background and into Gage’s background, find out what made them tick, why they chose to strap on a gun, too. For some reason, Roth wanted to open right away and let me know he’d do anything for his sister. Gage took a bit of persuasion, most likely because he didn’t want to live his life in a prison cell for something he didn’t do, disappointing his family and the woman he loved.
      The more I learned about my outlaws, the more I realized that circumstances beyond their control forced each of them into a life of crime, a life they never would have chosen. But, as rough and ruthless as they were on the outside, the softer they were on the inside, and the love of a good woman didn’t necessarily change them. Rather it soothed an ache deep inside because someone actually took the time to understand the bad and accept it, to care.

Revolving Point, Texas is my 2^nd series and you can find each book on Amazon. Just follow the links below.

Zanna’s Outlaw https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006XJWW08

Lydia’s Gunslinger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007873DIE

Debra’s Bandit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0095IG390 

Interview with Paige Morgan from Luck of the Draw ~ Julie Lence

      

I began my writing career back in the early 90’s. Judith McNaught and Johanna Lindsey were, and still are, my inspirations for putting words onto paper. Ms. McNaught has a flawless voice and Ms. Lindsey’s novels fed on my fascination and addiction to nighttime soaps involving rich families. Dallas was my favorite. With his devotion to his parents and the family company, and his knack for scheming and coming out on top, J.R. was and still is the best villain. And Bobby and Pam were the couple found in romance novels. I wanted to create a family as entertaining and endearing as the Ewings, who had a lot of background angst and heartache, who were rough around the edges and physically strong, who were tender-hearted. My first two attempts were contemporary stories with a mob theme (another favorite of mine). Both went nowhere and I quickly realized I was more geared toward writing about cowboys and the old west (this is where my love for John Wayne’s cowboy persona came into play).     

In developing Luck of the Draw, the 1^st book for the Weston Family Series, I knew I wanted a cowboy hero as handsome as Bobby Ewing, physically fit with lots of muscles, who wasn’t afraid to throw a punch or fight for what was right, and someone who, when he found the right girl, would love her forever and wholeheartedly. Thus Royce was born, and with him came a family of cowboys with their own drama. I also wanted the family to be wealthy and own a sprawling ranch. There had to be a town nearby, a barn dance, and a villain worthy enough to step into J.R.’s shoes, and a heroine who suffered from amnesia. (I’m not sure where that detail came from, but it worked.)  But, who was Royce’s heroine? Where did she come from? And why did she have amnesia? All good questions, and hopefully Paige Morgan will enlighten you in this interview.

 

Likeness of Paige; Google

Hi Paige. Thank you for joining us today. Can you tell us a little about your childhood?

Hello, and thank you for having me as your guest. I grew up on a farm. There was Ma and Pa, my younger brother, Adam, and my older sister Michelle. We called her Missy. She helped Ma with the chores and kept Adam and me entertained. Pa worked hard in the fields and kissed us goodnight. But then, Ma died suddenly and Pa changed. He went to town often and stayed there for days. When he came home, his speech was slurred, he stumbled often and he was mean. If not for Missy feeding the animals and taking care of Adam and me, I don’t think we would’ve survived. Then one day, Pa came home and announced he sold the farm and bought a wagon, that we were leaving the only home we’d known. Part of me was a little excited. I hoped we were moving to town. But that proved untrue. While we journeyed to different towns, we camped on the outskirts of town instead of mingling with society. Pa taught Missy this game played with cards, and many nights, he dressed her in a strange dress and took her with him. Adam and I weren’t allowed to accompany them. We stayed in the wagon, and when they came back, Pa either crowed in triumph or whacked Missy on her bottom.

One night, Missy took ill and had to stay with a doctor. Pa said she’d be all right, but the next day, to my horror and wailing, he loaded Adam and me into the wagon and left Missy behind. That’s when I learned why he dressed Missy in a gown that revealed more of her skin than the dresses she and I normally wore, and why he took her to town. I was expected to step into her shoes and steal from men playing poker inside dingy, smoke-filled saloons. And as Adam grew, Pa figured a way for him to help with the charade he perfected with Missy. Not fun, but I didn’t have a choice. Pa hit hard when he was angry.

 

What did you think the first time you saw Royce?

I thought he was handsome, with the prettiest blue eyes I’d ever seen. But then, the way he kept watching Pa and me while we ran our charade to cheat him at the poker table, I knew he knew we were trying to best him.  

 

What was your 2^nd thought?

To keep him safe. He won me in an ante and took me upstairs to a room above the saloon, like he was supposed to. Adam and Pa were to find me, conk Royce on the head and steal the night’s winnings from him. But when I was alone in the room with Royce, with him demanding answers to his questions or he’d hurt me, something in the depths of eyes suggested he wasn’t a dangerous man. He was a man who had cared deeply. In that moment, I knew I couldn’t steal from him and spilled the truth, and sighed in relief when he left.

Pa wasn’t happy, and I felt the full effects of his anger. Adam suffered, too, and died by Pa’s hand. Days later, I woke up in a bed with male faces staring down at me. I had no idea where I was, who they were or how I’d gotten there. Worse, I didn’t know my own name or who I was. Royce stepped in and saddled me with the name Paige. Luckily, that was my name, and over the course of several weeks, he tried to get me to leave his family home. But when I remembered who I was and what happened to me, he stepped up to help me… and gave me his heart.

      

How would you describe Royce?

Formidable. Intimidating. Temperamental. Menacing. Honest to a fault. But when his arms envelop me and hold me close, and his hand caresses my hair, I know I’m loved and cherished for all of eternity.

 

How would Royce describe you?

Sassy. Gutsy. Loyal. Patient and caring. The latter two are what helped me break down the barriers he erected around his heart and carve out a niche for myself.

 

How do you relax?

On a ranch the size of Wooded Acres, there is always something that needs to be done, but Royce and I find time to sneak off to the hayloft. Snuggled in his arms and staring out at the stars is the best way to end the day.

 

Best piece of advice you can give?

Always watch your back and trust your instincts. I thought Royce was right about loving me and Pa not being a threat to me anymore. He was right about one and wrong about the other.    

 

Sounds intriguing. Thank you for joining us Paige. Hopefully, you’ll tame your cowboy.

Thank you!

 

Luck of the Draw is available at: www.amazon.com/dp/B0063VOS4E

 

Weston Family Series:

Lady Luck

No Luck At All

Bring Me Luck

 

Weston Family Christmas Stories:

Christmas Miracles

Christmas Hearts

Christmas Wishes