What to do with those minds-of-their own Secondary Characters By Kathleen Lawless @kathleenlawless

It’s always a thrill to me as a writer when, out of the blue, a secondary character suddenly demands their story be told. I wrote a proxy bride story a while back. A Bride for Shane introduced Lacey, a rich-girl horse breeder in Maryland who heads West as a proxy bride to save the life of her brother’s best friend. I had no idea when Lacey’s former jockey showed up mid-book with some of her horses that he would hang around and fall in love with Lacey’s housekeeper.

Suddenly, right behind my back, offstage as it were, (because I was busy sorting out Lacey and Shane and their HEA at the time) Tom and Kate embarked on their own Later-In-Life love story. The story’s epilogue included the older couple getting married while Shane and Lacey discuss renewing their vows, which eventually takes place in a subsequent Mail Order Bride book.

Meanwhile Tom and Kate really felt that just because they were older, with her twice widowed, didn’t mean they couldn’t experience the passionate ups and downs, the he-loves me-he loves me-not stuff that fuels an angst-filled romance before it culminates in a happy-ever-after.

A thus was born, A Bride for Tom. If you enjoy a shorter read with a few surprises along the way, I’m making this story available free next month for subscribers to my Newsletter. Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1 to receive a free Western romance as a thank you right away, plus the link to claim A Bride for Tom next month. I hope to see a few new names on my subscriber list. 

And if you're a fan of audiobooks, Shane will soon be available in that format. It was pretty exciting to hear my words come to life through the voice of a narrator.

All the best for the remainder of August and the cooler days and nights of September. I know some of you have experienced extreme heat where you live, so please take care and stay safe.

 Kathleen         

USA Today Bestselling Author Kathleen Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes.   

With nearly 50 published novels to her credit, she enjoys pushing the boundaries of traditional romance into historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction.     

She makes her home in the Pacific Northwest and loves to hear from her readers.  www.kathleenlawless.com

Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers.    http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1

 

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SECONDARY CHARACTERS LET HEROES SHINE

Secondary characters are fun to write. They are not burdened by the heroic responsibilities of the two main characters. With this leeway, an author is allowed to make the secondary characters fun, shady, goofy, or bumbling without detracting from the over-the-top qualities necessary for the hero and heroine.

Two of the most enjoyable secondary characters I’ve writtern were the aunts, Lizzie Mae Fraser and Maggie Jo Gamble in my Men of Stone Mountain series: BRAZOS BRIDE (now available),  HIGH  STAKES BRIDE (releasing this week), BLUEBONNET BRIDE (end of 2012).

Available now in print and e-book

These two ladies are loosely patterned after my mom (as Maggie) and her older sister, Elizabeth (as Lizzie). Both have passed on now, but either would have done anything for her children. The sisters were always close and, as widows, grew even closer. Aunt Elizabeth always found something nice to say, and was one of the world’s best cooks. My mom was more critical or, as she was prone to say, “just let her know what I thought,” but she was tireless when it came to helping her children. My youngest daughter and I were reminiscing just Sunday evening that my mom also made the world’s best pies and candy.

When they were together, my mom and aunt were such fun. I had tried to get them to move near me and live in a duplex so each had privacy yet still had the close companionship of the other where I could look after them. My mom was willing. Aunt Elizabeth hesitated and then learned she had colon cancer, which ended her life. One of the joys of writing is that the author can accomplish in print what was not possible in reality, so I brought these two sisters together in fiction to enrich the lives of one another and the lives of their family (as the models did their children in life).

Releasing later this week in Print and E-book

In series, secondary characters can become the main characters of later books. In the Men of Stone Mountain series, brothers Zach and Joel were supporting players in Micah’s story, BRAZOS BRIDE. Each brother will have his own book, so readers can follow their developing relationships throughout the series. Each character must continue to change, to move forward in his character arc as the series continues. In Zach’s story, HIGH STAKES BRIDE, readers see Micah and Hope as parents of a son, Andrew. Micah remarks that he never realized it was possible to love a child who can’t even talk yet as much as he loves Andrew. Micah also helps Zach face the truth.

As you can tell, my books often feature family relationships. What I’ve enjoyed about writing the Men of Stone Mountain series is that the three brothers are closely knit. They may look at life in a slightly different way, but each is loyal to and supportive of the other two. I love that in a family, don’t you?

Thanks for stopping by!