Interview with Racine Weston ~ Julie Lence

 

It’s always fun (and sometimes a relief) when the characters in the book you’re writing talk to you. I’ve had secondary characters blurt out their name, and main characters take me in directions I never imagined, but never has a character talked to me as much as Racine Weston. Racine is the heroine in No Luck At All. Originally, I had written the story more toward her hero’s POV. (That would be Creel Weston.) But the 2^nd go-around, Racine took over the story and wouldn’t let go. Right from the beginning, she had so much heartache built up inside her and needed for me to not only help her find the strength to confide in Creel, but to help her find a path to peace.  

Here, Racine sits down with me on a pretty spring afternoon to answer some of my questions.       

Thank you for meeting with me, Racine. What can you tell me about Creel?  What did you think the 1^st time you saw him?

Papa is a well-known doctor in Boston. He’s also a teacher. Every year he hosts a dinner party for his interns, and every year I beg off attending, but Papa insists I join the festivities. I don’t know why. Mama says my scars are hideous and scare off every man I meet. I can’t argue that, because she’s right, so I arrive at the party more than fashionably late and find a chair in the corner where I can keep to myself. It’s much easier this way. Papa’s interns don’t have to feign an interest in me, and I don’t have to pretend they overlook my appearance. But this year, Papa is guiding a man toward me. And not just any man. He’s tall, heavily muscled, and just about the handsomest man in all of Boston, maybe the entire world. He smiles at me when Papa makes introductions, and asks for a dance. Suddenly, my throat is dry… and my stomach is somersaulting in a most peculiar way.           

What was your 2^nd thought?

That Papa should examine me, because I must have caught an illness. Never have I felt this way. Then again, never have I seen eyes that pretty on a man. Or thrilled to the sound of a deep voice. But as Creel waltzed us around Mama’s ballroom, his heated gaze bore into me, and I changed my mind about Papa examining me. Papa should examine Creel, for surely he was the one with poor eye sight and feeling ill.     

How did Creel convince you he wasn’t ill?  

He wrangled for the seat beside me at supper and engaged me in conversation on a variety of subjects. When someone thought to interrupt, he glowered at them, and then returned his attention to me. At the end of the evening, he asked Papa’s permission to call upon me tomorrow morning. Papa approved, and the next day, Creel whisked me away in a carriage for a picnic in the park. After that, when he wasn’t in class or studying or working his job at the docks, he was with me… Hideous me! We went everywhere together; the theater, restaurants, the park again. Always he held my hand and treated me like a lady. And then, he proposed. I felt as though I was walking on air, but our wedding night, he changed. And not for the better. Deep down I feared I had made a grave mistake, that I shouldn’t accompany him to his home in Colorado. But, with Mama loathing me and shooing me out the door faster than one can blink an eye, I wasn’t sure if I should trust my heart or trust what I know.           

What did you do?

I followed my heart and boarded the train with Creel, hoping he would forget his disdain with me and love me again. Some days he was sweet and kind. Other days he barely tolerated me. His was definitely a Jekyll-Hyde personality, but at the Denver hotel, he accused me of blackmailing him into marrying me and scheming my way back to Boston. Of course, he was wrong, but something inside hinted didn’t believe me, that was better for him and I to part ways in Denver than later when we were both beyond miserable.      

Did you tell him you loved him?

Or course. That’s why I offered to set him free, so he’d have a life of happiness. Not a life of misery. 

How did he react? 

In a manner I never would’ve likened to him. 

To find out exactly what Creel did, and if Racine finds the peace she longs for, grab a copy of their story and start reading today. Available only at Amazon.

www.amazon.com/dp/B0064R6NVI

 

Writing an Outlaw Hero ~ Julie Lence

Pinterest

    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 

The Making of a Good Villain ~ Julie Lence

courtesy Lara Williard

  In writing romance, some stories deserve a good villain. Developing such a character sometimes proves easier and more fun than creating the hero and heroine. A villain has a lot more leeway on what he can say or do. He’s the one person you enjoy hating, (think of J.R. Ewing), or even cheer for. Heroes and heroines have to be likeable and cannot commit too many dastardly deeds without good reason (think Bobby Ewing). But what drives a villain? And does a villain have to be a person?

 As I do when creating my heroes and heroines, I sit down at my computer and imagine my villain’s appearance. Does he have dark hair? Or he is blond? What color are his eyes? Does he have any visible scars? Is he tall? Is he physically strong? And more importantly, how did he arrive at the point of his life where the story begins?

  One of the best villains I created was Lady Luck’s William Larsen. Driven by money and comfort, William was evil to the bone and didn’t care who he killed or hurt just as long as he was the victor in any given situation. He wasn’t a big man, appeared to be a weakling by the henchmen he kept in his employ and the bodyguards who shadowed him, and if you ask the women he kept time with, most would say he wasn’t handsome; their only reasons for being his mistress either his money or fear. As I delved deeper into William’s psyche, because, after all, what makes a man that money hungry and evil, I learned his was not a happy, or normal, childhood. He was an orphan, living along the docks on the east coast, pilfering what little food and clothes he could, taking shelter in one shack after another, fear and human instinct to survive pulsing through him. As he matured, it was the fear of losing what little he’d scrappled to gain and forever living in poverty that kept him chained to darkness; a man who was unwilling to trade his ill-found wealth for honor, friendship, and even love.  

Where William is a villain in the form of a person, can there be another form of a villain? One where the author doesn’t imagine hair color or physique but rather something below the surface that can’t be seen with the naked eye? There is and Hunter Barlow knows this villain well. The son of a madam who viewed him as nothing more than a nuisance and brothers who deserted him, one could make the assumption that Hunter’s mother and brothers are the villains in his story, but in truth, Hunter’s emotional turmoil is the antagonist to his protagonist.  Betrayal and heartache are what he has to acknowledge and defeat, not a face determined to see him penniless or dead, and sometimes it’s those battles that fester deep within that are much harder to defeat than an evil man.

Whether a person or an emotion, delve as deep as you can into your villain. Find out the reason for such evilness or for a deep-rooted fear of never being loved. I guarantee your snooping will lead you to places you never imagined, and make your story that much better. And your hero will thank you for it.     

 

 

ARCHETYPES, MYTHS AND THE STORY OF THE WEST: part two -writers and screenwriters

Photo (c) by Doris McCraw

Part two of the discussion of writing stories/novels and screen writing. This section deals with some of the similarities between the two and the underlying importance of engaging your reader/watcher.

For those who would like to review the first part, you can access it here: writers and screenwriters

So here we go.

• Psychological effect
  • It’s important for writers to understand the human psyche. By doing so the writer can effectively communicate their message to their audience.
    • The best stories include both sides of conflict equally, thus allowing the audience to form their own opinions.

When we start a story, we usually have an idea of where we’d like the story to go. As noted above, some of the best stories have multiple views of what is happening. I’ve heard it said a story is only as good as it’s villain. I don’t know how others feel, but in my first published novella, “Home for His Heart”, I felt I needed a villain who was strong enough to force the hero and heroine out of their respective fears. That the villain felt justified in his actions made him even scarier than just a bad person.

• Symbolic Linkage – Symbolic links are a handy tool for any writer. Most audiences are smart and are have a common culture; therefore writers can effectively use what some audiences might already have been subjected to.

The story of the West has been told by many authors in many different forms. This is also true of the film industry. As we look back to the early western writers and film makers we see a cleaner delineation of good and bad. We can reference events and most will understand the connection. As time has passed, the stories have become more complex, the line between hero and villain have sometimes been blurred. One of my favorite films is the original ‘3:10 to Yuma’ with Van Johnson and Glen Ford. Although you know who the hero and who the villain are, the story adds the element of good in the bad. The remake with Christian Bale and Russell Crowe added more on screen violence and more of the pieces of good and bad for both the hero and the villain. However, if you really want to see how one story can be told is a myriad of ways, read the original short story by Elmore Leonard. It is a great, yet short read.

photo (c) by Doris McCraw

• Archetypes – Another way to engage your audience is the use of archetypes. In particular the concept of an archetype reveals recurring mental images and/or themes that encompass many different cultures and societies throughout time. One could say that we as humans innately understand archetypes from birth. Character examples might include: The Hero, The Caregiver, or The Wizard. Story specific examples might include: The Hero or The Rebirth.

If there is a more perfect description of the Cowboy as hero, I don’t know what is might be. We have the archetype right there. The Cowboy is the hero, the caregiver and for some a wizard who is there to save the day. When I was writing “Chasing a Chance” my hero was just a man who wanted to find and help the woman he’d always loved. Through the story he learns just how much he was capable of. In some ways, his journey is one of rebirth into who he always was.

• Myths – With archetypes also comes the use of Myths. Constructing your own myths, legends and saga can also have a big impact on an audience. Myths help make a connection in the same way that both symbolic links and archetypes do. As a myth story unfolds the audience instinctively understands what’s at stake and instantly realizes this is an epic larger then life adventure ahead.

We as Western and Western Romance writers make use of the myths of the West in our storytelling. It is what has drawn us to the genre and keeps us telling its story.

So as storytellers, what part of myth, archetype and symbolic links do you use? I realize I love telling stories of people who come to understand what they are capable of and of making peace with their past. The stories of the West, the journeys and new starts fit so well with the men and women I come to love as I strive to tell their stories.

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

writing fiction as

Angela Raines - author: Where Love & History Meet

For a list of Angela Raines Books: Here 

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here

Meet Jessie Kane from Be Mine, Valentine

With Valentine’s Day approaching, love and romance are in the air (and the taste of chocolates are on the tips of many tongues). I invite you to get to know Jessie Kane, my heroine from, Be Mine, Valentine.

I grew up on a farm in Virginia. It was just Ma and Pa and me working hard from sun up ‘til sun down. The list of chores never seemed to end, but I’m not complaining. Ma and Pa were the best parents; kind, loving, strict when there was need. I lost them to fever before the start of the war between the north and the south. Even though the farm was small, the chores were too many for one person. I sold the land and moved to Chicago where I took an unusual job for a woman―a private investigator specializing in finding runaways. My first assignment I spent a good amount of time honing my skills. Through trial and error, and my own stubbornness, I became adept at tracking those I was hired to find and escorting them home, except for the last girl. Two days before I caught up to her, she was killed in an accident. I mourned as if she were my own daughter, then forced myself back into the saddle to locate the Cantrell’s grown son.

Craig Cantrell proved difficult. He’d changed his name to Gage, fell in with a band of outlaws, and led me on a long chase across the southern territories. Every time I thought I’d caught up to him, he’d vacated his hideaway a day or two before. Sometimes, even a week. Worse, Gage’s fiancée caught up to me and insisted she accompany me in my search. She’s a thorn in my side, too delicate for the trail, but I finally convinced her to hole up in Austin while I follow another lead. A source in Tucson is certain Gage is in Revolving Point, Texas. I have my doubts. The woman in Tucson is unreliable, and too selfish for her own good… and correct in her claim!

Gage Cantrell is the first person to greet me when I arrive in the notorious town along the Rio Grande. Cocky, temperamental, evasive; it’s going to take some careful wrangling to corner him and convince him he can safely return to Chicago. But that’s the least of my worries. For a woman who has never been interested in love and settling down, the eatery manager has set my heart to thumping. And my pulse to pounding. Handsome and quiet, with a warm heart and sorrowful eyes that have captured my soul, this Valentine’s Day, Tom Porter will ask me to be his Valentine. And his wife.

Excerpt:

Quietly moving across the floor, he nudged the door open to find Jessie wearing her night clothes and sitting in a chair before the hearth, her blonde hair hanging loose down her back. She cradled a cup in her lap, caressed the rim while staring at the low-burning fire. He filled a cup and joined her.

“Can’t sleep,” he asked.

“Oh,” she startled, and arched her neck toward him. “I didn’t hear you.”

“I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He nodded toward the hearth. “May I join you?”

Her guarded gaze traveled the length of him. “Al-all right.” She shifted her attention back to the crackling wood.

He pulled a chair beside her and sat, took a long drink of the hot brew. “Are you up because you’re worried about the squatter?”

“No. The sheriff and the deputies will find him.” She kept her gaze on the flame. “They won’t allow harm to come to their wives and children.”

“Reckon you’re right about that.” He took another long swallow to settle the unease snaking through his gut. He had plenty to say to her, and hoped the words came out right.

“Why are you awake?” she asked.

“I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Most people do.” She leaned forward, pulled a log from a basket beside the hearth and added it to the fire. Sat back in her chair.

“Jessie,” he started, only to pause and take a deep breath. He let it out slow, prayed his gumption wouldn’t desert him. “I apologize for what I said to you earlier. You’re more than a waitress to me. You’re someone I care about very much.”

She sniffled and met his gaze. Except for the moisture clinging to her eyes, her expression was void of feeling. “So you’ve often said.” She cocked her head. “Are you willing to do something about that?”

He swallowed hard. “If you’re referring to marriage, than I’m sorry, but the answer is no. I can’t marry you.” He touched her arm. “But I can be your friend.” And love you with everything I am. “Someone you can depend upon for anything.”

“I have friends, Tom,” she said, stonily. “I want more than that.”

Be Mine, Valentine is available at Amazon for .99cents.

www.amazon.com/DP/ B01ATV451O

****Jessie Kane was first introduced in Debra's Bandit, which can be found here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0095IG390

Flavoring Your Story

courtesy of: houseoflasagnanyc.com

Some people enjoy spending hours in the kitchen cooking a delicious meal. Those who do most likely have a favorite dinner they like to prepare. I have two; turkey and lasagna. About mid-morning on Thanksgiving Day, my mouth begins to water as the aroma of turkey roasting wafts through the house. The same holds true when I have a tray of lasagna baking in the oven. But unlike an hour’s prep time before the turkey goes into the oven, there’s more to making lasagna than just layering pasta, cheese, and sauce into a baking dish. 

  

courtesy of: thebestthingieverateandthensome.wordpress.com

Being 1/4 Italian and from New York, the key ingredient to a great-tasting lasagna, other than whole milk cheese and a wooden spoon, is the sauce. Many people and restaurants use sauce from a jar or cans of diced tomatoes to make their lasagna. In my opinion, that is wrong on so many counts. For that delicious, melt-in-your-mouth taste, the sauce needs to cook for days, not hours. The puree, spices, and meats need time to marry together. The longer they simmer the thicker and more flavorful the sauce. I usually simmer sauce for 3 to 7 days, refrigerating overnight. 

What does making sauce have to do with writing? More than you might think. As with any dish, too much, too little, or too many spices will sometimes ruin a meal. The same applies to crafting a western romance.
As with any dish, the right spices make your taste buds zing. The same applies to crafting a western romance. Instead of garlic and oregano, the author satisfies the reader’s appetite by flavoring in speech, descriptions, mannerisms, and the hum-drum of everyday life true to the era. If the story is set in the 1800’s, the heroine wouldn’t curl her hair with a plug-in curling iron. In modern times, she wouldn’t wear longs skirts and petticoats unless she was attending a costume party. But, as holds true with the spices you add to your food, overuse of flavoring can kill your story. Readers like to envision as much as they like vivid description.

Another way to flavor your story is by sprinkling in sounds and smells―Josh pulled his bandanna up over his nose as he stared at the carcass lying near the creek. Or with action―touching a finger to a hat brim or flicking the reins over the team of horses pulling the stagecoach keep the reader in historic times. The shrill ringing of the telephone or the sleek curves of the red Corvette keep the reader in present day.  

courtesy of: reenajacobs.com

Flavoring doesn't just apply to western romance. Many eras have their own dialect and wardrobe. If you're setting reflects the Roaring ‘20’s or Viking warriors, invest the time to learn the terminology and everyday life of your time frame. Gently fold the terms and descriptions into your story and your readers will savor your subtle flavoring in the same fashion your family relishes the meals you cook.