I Feel Like I'm on a Merry-Go-Round of Writers

Most writers find their niche and stick to it, growing a following and improving their skills. I mean, can you imagine Agatha Christie writing paranormal romance?

Some write 2 sub-genres, say contemporary and romantic suspense. Then there are a few--like me--who have no clue what they want to write when they grow up. My writing career, short though it's been, has been on a revolving wheel of "gee, what do I wanna write next?" Now that I'll soon be writing exclusively for Random House Loveswept, I'm being told what to write or given a choice between what's hot on the market.

My first book was a contemporary Western. Then I wrote two historical
Westerns followed by two more contemporary Westerns. Some were books and some, novellas. I wrote a 3-book romantic suspense series set in Paris. Following that was a 3-book bear-shifting contemporary series set in the Scottish Highlands. Intermixed with the bears was a 3-book series of firefighters in Florida. Now, my editor wants a series of ex-SEALS with physical and emotional wounds, finding healing on a ranch.

How am I going to develop a following when I keep hopping from one type of story to another? Readers won't be able to say I love the suspense stories or the Westerns written by Vonnie Davis, because I'll have no niche. Look for me on the merry-go-round of writers. Mainly under the section marked "spiced with humor." Now, there's my niche.

HISTORY, IT'S JUST OLD STUFF

By Brenda Daniels

Don't immediately jump on me for that title. It's a quote from my seventeen year old niece. The comment came up during a discussion of her college classes.

Sad to say, that seems to be the attitude of many people. Those of us of a "certain" age remember the warning about learning from our past mistakes so we don't repeat them.

I did my best to explain the necessity of knowing how past wars started and having the ability to hold an intelligent political conversation.

If she can recite the words to a Taylor Swift song, she can explain the Monroe Doctrine. Wait, I'm not sure I could do that. Hmm, better come up with a better example. Thinking it over, I realized that to her, the 9/11 tragedy is history since she was a toddler at the time. Dang, I'm old.

I'm currently working on a historical novella set in the late 1800's. Thankfully, my critique partner, Caroline Clemmons writes historical romance and  has offered to check it for accuracy. I realized I needed help when I needed to know what a female mule is called and what type of plates would people be eating off of.

The historical romances I used to read in the 80's (1980's) are very different from those published today. Inaccuracy irritates me. Yeah, I've noticed the trend to be politically correct or completely avoid the nastier parts of our history. But, that's another rant that I won't go into today. My heroine is alone in a log cabin about to have a baby!

WHY TEXAS? OR IDAHO? WHY NOT?

Each author has a favorite setting for his/her books. Mine is Texas. Why? I live here and have traveled across most of the state. I enjoy writing about places I’ve been so I’m confident the descriptions I write will ring true with readers.

With all the resources available today, writing about a place one has seen is not necessary. Nevertheless, my books are set primarily in Texas. Which leads me into today’s post. My upcoming release is set in Central Texas near the town of Bastrop. I think that’s a lovely town, but I prefer writing fictional towns so I can incorporate exactly what I need and no one can say, “There’s no place like that in such and such town.”

Writing is such a nice profession. We can make up whatever we wish. For my upcoming release, MAIL-ORDER PROMISE in the duet MAIL-ORDER TANGLE, I needed ranching country that was exporting beef to other ranches in 1880.

Jacquie Rogers’ half of this duet, MAIL-ORDER RUCKUS, had a stricter time frame due to the development of Idaho Territory. So, we pooled our knowledge plus what we obtained from the internet. We came up with a lovely setting for both books.  At least, we think they’re great settings.

Setting for MAIL-ORDER PROMISE

We needed a place in Texas near the Colorado River where cattle were raised and sold or driven to be sold in Idaho Territory, Montana, and Wyoming. We needed a group who emigrated to Texas and founded ranches in that setting—people who also might have moved to Idaho Territory.

Ranchland in Idaho Territory

If you live in Central Texas, you know there were many German settlers in Central Texas. Many still speak an antiquated form of German at home. But these settlers welcomed Scandinavians as well as other Europeans and Mexicans.

Jacquie lives near Seattle, I live near Fort Worth so we couldn’t meet in person. Conspiring by phone, we came up with the Johanssen family from Sweden and a Swedish town named after one in Sweden, Valdesta. Jacquie and I plopped our Johanssen family there.

We are excited about MAIL ORDER TANGLE, which goes on sale September 12th. You can preorder now on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Mail-Order-Tangle-Caroline-Clemmons-ebook/dp/B00MZ6ZRXC/ref=sr_1_11?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1408824167&sr=1-11&keywords=caroline+clemmons

Here’re the synopses:

Mail-Order Promise

by Caroline Clemmons

Ellie Dickerson and her sister are in desperate straits when she contracts to become a mail-order bride to a Texas rancher on the condition she can bring her sister. After her arduous trip from Virginia, she learns her fiancé has died. His brother is handsome. And single. And he doesn’t want her. But he has sworn to take care of her and see she has a home. Somewhere, but where? What will happen to her and her sister?

Kage Johanssen, co-owner of a ranch in Idaho with his cousin Matt, is forced to take over his family’s Central Texas ranch on the death of his older brother. Kage is in no hurry to get married, and when his brother’s bride shows up, she’s everything he doesn’t want in a wife—except she’s stunningly beautiful.  Despite his deathbed promise to his brother and his attraction to Ellie, he’s convinced she doesn’t have the grit to be a rancher’s wife.

When a greedy, sadistic villain attempts to take over the ranch and kill Kage, can Ellie save her true love?  What will it take to prove that she’s the only woman for Kage?

Mail-Order Ruckus

by Jacquie Rogers

Matt Johanssen returned to the ranch he and his cousin Kage started in Owyhee County, Idaho Territory, not knowing he took Laura Dickerson's heart with him.  Now that her sister no longer needs her, Laura wants a home of her own and a family to put in it.  No other man would fill the bill as well as Matt, but he’s not interested.  Not wanting to live as a spinster aunt the rest of her life, Laura signs a contract with a marriage broker, choosing to go to Silver City, near Matt’s ranch, in hopes that he might come around.  But he’s not on the roster of eligible grooms!

When Matt sees Laura among the brides on display on the balcony of the Idaho Hotel, he feels gutshot. He’s in no position to take a wife, not with a ranch eating up every spare moment and dollar. But if he doesn't step forward, the one woman he wants will be wed at the end of the week—and not to him.

Will Matt walk away from the woman who stole his heart or let go of everything he's worked so hard to build in exchange for love?

Jacquie and I hope you are enchanted with the synopses and will preorder MAIL-ORDER TANGLE.