Finding a location in which to plop our characters has tremendous bearing on the story, but can be a bit of a dilemma for the author. Several elements come into play and must be considered. For instance what is the time period? Is the story a historical, contemporary, or futuristic? Is the story a time travel or paranormal?
I decided early on that all my stories would take place in my native state of Texas. This seemed the best plan for me because I'm comfortable writing about Texas and would be able to research easier here than in distant states. Next, Texas has varied terrain for any time period and with its multiple areas to choose from, each story can be unique unto itself.
When it came time to choose an area in which to base my Brides of Texas Code Series, the natural choice for me was right here in North Central Texas. The history of the Bennings and McTiernans started in Civil War when Ian Benning and Dermot McTiernan came from Ireland with its political unrest to start their lives anew in Texas with the land grant amended in 1850. The Texas Emigration and Land Company offered 160 acres to single men, plus a free cabin, seed, and musket balls.
The two men received their land located north of Dallas in the originally named Peters Colony. Each generation will have a chance to tell their stories in and around the fictitious town of McTiernan, along with the ever changing landscape that will either be a blessing or a challenge all the way to present day.
In Katie and the Irish Texan, A Brides of Texas Code Series, Book 1, the story took place in 1873, Dallas. The lusty town suited Dermot McTiernan's rowdy personality.
Overcome by the death of his wife, Ian Benning leaves
his small son in the care of best friends, Katie and Dermot McTiernan. He
rejoins his old outfit with the Texas Rangers to keep his mind off the loss of
his only love, Emma. His assignment takes him to Galveston on the Texas Coast
in pursuit of a group of bank robbers, and to the middle of a horrific
hurricane.
When it came time to choose an area in which to base my Brides of Texas Code Series, the natural choice for me was right here in North Central Texas. The history of the Bennings and McTiernans started in Civil War when Ian Benning and Dermot McTiernan came from Ireland with its political unrest to start their lives anew in Texas with the land grant amended in 1850. The Texas Emigration and Land Company offered 160 acres to single men, plus a free cabin, seed, and musket balls.
The two men received their land located north of Dallas in the originally named Peters Colony. Each generation will have a chance to tell their stories in and around the fictitious town of McTiernan, along with the ever changing landscape that will either be a blessing or a challenge all the way to present day.
In Katie and the Irish Texan, A Brides of Texas Code Series, Book 1, the story took place in 1873, Dallas. The lusty town suited Dermot McTiernan's rowdy personality.
Dermot McTiernan is determined to move on with his
life after losing his one and only love to another man. He decides to try his
hand at ranching in North Central Texas with his friend, Ian Benning. He
figures if that doesn't work out, there are many other opportunities in the
booming post-war state. When the luscious red-head from County Cork, Ireland
shows up in Dallas, can he retain the courage of his convictions and move on
without her?
Kathleen O'Donnell made a monumental mistake marrying,
Kelsey Gilhooley. Her decision for entering the union, no matter how honorable,
had made her life a living hell. Even though still married, she holds out hope
for finding the man of her dreams. When she comes across her tall, dark-eyed
Irishman in Dallas, Texas, will she be able to abandon happiness and walk away
a second time?
Book 2 of the Brides of Texas Code Series, Matelyn and the Texas Ranger, is set in 1875 Galveston in the middle of the 1875 hurricane that devastated Galveston and Indianola.
Matelyn O'Donnell accompanies her employer, Veronique
de Marceau, from New Orleans to Galveston, Texas to reunite Veronique with her cruel
and conniving husband, Gerard. Introduced to Ian Benning while aboard ship,
Matelyn dismisses him as a criminal in cahoots with Gerard. When their ship is capsized
from the vicious winds and waves in the Gulf of Mexico, Ian Benning rescues her
from certain death.
Will she accept that he is undercover and help him
bring de Marceau to justice?
Book 3, Angel and the Texan from County Cork, is set in 1879, around the Denison, Texas area in North Central Texas, in the middle of the worst snow and ice storm on record.
Jamey O'Donnell loves his
family, but feels the need to once again answer the call to adventure. On his
way to join the Silver Rush in Leadville, Co., Jamey stops to help his old
friend, Will Rivers. When he finds out his friend has been killed, he seizes
the opportunity to repay an old debt. He decides to stay to help the widow
rebuild her life and find who murdered his friend. Can he ignore the long
buried emotions she brings to the surface and then walk away?
Angel’s second husband,
Will Rivers, has been shot and killed leaving her with an impossible dilemma.
Either marry her neighbor to satisfy her husband’s debt or the stranger she
shot in her barn who says he’s a friend. Which one does she trust? Will she be
able to bury the feelings stirred by the stranger to live a life alone?
In addition to the surrounding areas of the story, the weather can also be used to set the scene. Katie's story dealt with a severe flood in Dallas, Matelyn had to survive a hurricane, and Angel had the deadly ice storm.
My most recent book, Laurel: Bride of Arkansas, had a tornado. Yes, I broke my own rule and journeyed to a neighboring state. (grin)
Thanks for stopping by, it's always great to see you here!
Carra
