Rain Trueax

When I began writing books, I was in my early twenties. Before that, it was short stories. I had had an idea for an historical western romance and it slowly evolved through the years, along with other stories. I didn't try to get them published as it was more about the joy of putting together a plot and developing characters. Below are the stories from the first to the last-- for now. 

My life evolves from Oregon to Arizona with much of the West in between with our vacation trailer. Where will it end up? I have no idea but am trying to be open to the future through dreams and what I read. Isn't that what life is all about? The boxes you see behind me (there are more out of view) are the product of trying to combine what was two homes into one... Argh.

from 'To Speak of Things Unseen'

Working on the new book, I am definitely proving (at least to myself) that I don't write for the dollars. The first book in this series has not caught on at all. I suspect it's only had previous fans buying it with no attraction from paranormal or for that matter the average romance readers. 

Anyway I said I'd write five, and I will. Possibly having more will be a benefit-- someday lol. 

So here's a randomly chosen snippet from the next one (where I am only a bit over half finished). Since this is a rough draft, the excerpt might change some from the actual book, due out in late July-- I think. The heroine is trying to convince a small theater director and his potential cast, that she's got the perfect play for them to produce.

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    She looked back at David thinking if Chuck got out of line, he might be learning a few lessons he hadn’t counted on. She wouldn’t even need a plasma bolt to do it. She was well trained in the martial arts.

    “Vislogus is about those who use magic to combat evil. The hero is a loner for the most part and almost a sacrificial figure, who finds most don’t understand him.”

    “Magic?” David said with some skepticism in his voice. “How would that work into small theater? Sounds more like a movie.”

    “It’s the dialogue that would work. It would not require the whole book, but several of the chapters are heated with the conflict between the hero and the woman he wishes loved him, but she doesn’t. I suppose there is a little of Superman in it, but the dialogue is witty, fast moving and delves into the meaning of life.”

    “And it’s a bestseller?” David asked with even more skepticism. “That’s not the usual for Americans.”

    “Well I suppose the rest of it, the action is why it’s found such favor. The thing though is part of it could be a very thoughtful play with the way it pulls the reader or in the viewer into the questions of life. When Adolph is threatened, it’s mostly for those who don’t understand what he stands for.”

    “Avengers style?” Chuck asked slurring the words a little. “I could get into this.”

    Debbie glared at him. Elke wondered if the two had something going or more the case, Debbie wanted there to be.

    “Do you have a copy of the play?” David asked sounding a little more interested.

    “Not yet. That is the problem at this point. I could get the play written rapidly because it would practically write itself. I need though to get the writer’s permission.”

David let out a breath. “Who is it?”

    “Mitchell Ford. Do you know him?”

     “I have heard the name. I am trying to think of why.”

a rough draft

Yesterday I finished the rough draft of Bound for the Hills. I had begun the book 1/4/16 and finished it February 9, which meant 36 days (if I don't count the weeks or months ahead of writing where I am thinking and researching). 

Since a few writing days I didn't write anything, some I wrote five thousand words, a few maybe only a thousand, I don't have an average number per day (and have no intention of ever keeping track of that. This is one of the first times I actually know when I started and ended a book). I write what I get and usually that is several scenes, but I like to have time between events to think what might happen next. I am both a plotter and a pantser. I know where it's going but how it gets there, I find out a lot along the way.

Whatever the word counts, it was a lot of hours, but I feel good about the book. Next comes editing and roughly I am guessing the book will be out in March but not figuring on a date until I do the first edit and know how many problems I have. I put off my edits at least a week, usually more, to get some distance. Anyway, this is a snippet from early in the book. Again, remember, it's a rough draft which means it might change.

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     Ironically, it had been her last year in high school when two events changed her life. A friend loaned her one of the popular dime novels. She had snickered through it, at the same time she was writing a thesis on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Twice Told Tales. The praise for the book had come from the greats of Hawthorne’s own time, not the least of whom had been Longfellow, who stated the short stories and Hawthorne’s writing was “characterized by a large proportion of feminine elements, depth and tenderness of feeling, exceeding purity of mind.” 

     It was then that her mind had begun to spin with the possibility of merging the dime novel with the elements of classic plots and her own writing. She had to learn about guns and such, but she found them rather interesting anyway.

     A month later, she had sent off her first manuscript to one of the publishing houses, noted for the dime novels. A contract returned quickly, with an option for more. Was this her making or her downfall? In some ways, she thought, as she took another sip of sherry, it had been both. She had sold out the classics as she mined them for plots on which she spun a western tale.

     When requests came for the mysterious author, Will Tremaine, to appear at book signings or to give lectures on the West, her editor, Matthew Jefferson, the only one who knew there was no Will Tremaine, brushed them off with various excuses. Having these lusty, sometimes brutal westerns written by a woman would never do was his reason. She had her own.

 

Christmas Caring

Last Saturday I came into Facebook and saw a post from one of the authors, Kirsten Osbourne, that she wanted to put together a short story anthology. The stories did not have to be romances but did have to be Christmas related. Then she said she wanted to donate her portion of any profits to a charitable organization known for their good work at Christmas and around the year. Because it was almost Christmas, she added she'd have to have any stories by Monday morning.


Kirsten is an author whose ability to put together projects, I admire. I knew if this came off, it'd be good. She knows what she's doing. I went out of Facebook wanting to be part of it. Even more so as all the authors involved said they wanted to do the same thing-- all profits would go to a charity that not only is good at this time of the year but year round.

Writing has some moments like this-- where you wake up with no idea what you'll be doing. It's one of the things I love about being a writer. I sat down at the keyboard and immediately knew who the characters would be. This was some years later, but they had been in my fourth Oregon series. The drawback is that book won't be out until the 21st, but I figure this anthology will be around a long while since Christmas stories sell year round.

When you have the characters, often the story just flows and that happened Saturday. After editing it multiple times, I submitted the story the next morning. Along with over twenty other authors, it's in the new anthology. Some of these writers had a story from before, some did what I did and wrote it that week-end. The selection is a mix of romance and not so much-- with even two authors noted for sci-fi. 

To be part of this was such a win/win for me. It was a challenge to see if I could come up with something new when I'd been editing for the last two months, and even better to have it go to a good cause. Check it out, and if you like short stories, you can enjoy the read as well as be supporting a good cause.

Christmas Caring

Lately short reads have been great for me, and I look forward to reading these stories by some authors I am familiar with and some new to me. Another win/win.

Lands of Fire book trailer

From the time I learned book trailers were possible, I've made one for all my books. I am not convinced they are a sale's device, but they are fun to make, require me to think about the essence of the story, and are a challenge. I think I have mentioned I am also an amateur photographer, painter and sculptor. It's not hard to see how images are something I enjoy bringing to my books. 

Below is the one for Lands of Fire, which should be out November 5th although with Amazon, when you don't do a pre-release, exact times are iffy. 

In 1902, Jesse Taggert was considered to be slow-witted which is the word I use for him in the trailer. That does not mean stupid. He had abilities and ways of seeing things that someone who 'thinks faster' might not have. The movie Forrest Gump, which I saw for the first time after I'd written Lands of Fire, illustrated how someone can be slow in one way but in other ways, see more deeply than someone who maybe thinks too fast. Jesse is not the usual hero for romance novels, but he's every bit the hero in all the ways that count. 

The music for this trailer is something I found on JewelBeat. For me, it perfectly suits this story, which is western and set in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. This is a land that is beautiful, rugged and never simple.

Heat level: ♥♥♥♥ with some mild profanity and strong language

Buy links:

Amazon

D2D with all other buy sites as they become live

CreateSpace for paperback

Sale $2.99 from launch now through November 12th 

before it goes to regular price of $3.99

character lists

Ever wonder how historical series writers keep it all lined up? Character lists provide help for those of us without amazing logistical skills where tons of facts can be instantly attained at a moment of need. Character lists are helpful even when there is only one book. 

Once in awhile I have even given my hero and heroine a birth month based on the characteristics portrayed and which astrology sign makes that most likely. For those of you with no interest or knowledge of astrology, you might be surprised how often the time when one is born can tell a lot about natural traits. The reason for that is not clear to me, but just I have often seen it to be so. Do not confuse a birth chart with horoscopes.

Below is an example of one from my Arizona historical character lists. It has been added onto as books were written and characters added. When I start writing any book, I add in the new characters and their births-- maybe even deaths of some older people-- death is part of life unwilling as we are to see it come to those we love. 

I have had some reservations about sharing with readers these character lists mainly because if a reader hasn't read the books, the list gives away what will happen. Of course, romance readers already know a HEA is guaranteed. For those of you who don't read my books, this is mostly to give you an idea of what you can do if you ever decide to write stories that follow a family through many years. As the little image says, these books go from 1883 to 1906 or will go to 1906 when the last one is out.

On this list, some of these characters never became more than secondary ones but when putting together a character list, it's better to add them in case somewhere down the line, they get their own book. It happens. I do a second such list that has the basics of each major character in any book I am writing. This doesn't require birth dates but personalities and interactions. Some call this kind of information the bible as such are done for screen plays.

CHARACTER LIST FOR ARIZONA HISTORICALS

1837          Charles Provo (exact date and place uncertain)
1838          Jeremiah Taggert b. Illinois; James Redman b. Iowa

1839          -

1840                Rose Jarred b. Missouri

1841                --

1842                --

1843                Roman Alexander Oliver b. Kansas

1844                Raul Cordova b. Mexico

1845                Robert Mitchell b. New York

1846                –

1847                Delbert Sicilla b. West Virginia

1848                –

1849                Maria Jacinta b. Mexico

1850                Constance Banyon b. Maryland

1851                Wei Song b. California

1852                Samuel Ryker (O’Brian) b. Kansas

1853                --

1854                Cordell O’Brian b. Kansas

1855                Joseph Coburn b. Missouri

1856                ---

1857                James Redman m. Rose Jarrod Missouri; Clint Adams b. Nebraska

1858                Abigail Spenser b. Illinois

1859                --

1860                Vincent Coburn b. Kansas; Frances Johnson (Oliver) b. Kansas

1861                Priscilla Wesley b. Georgia

1862                --

1863                Ellen Buchanan b. Texas

1864                --

1865                --

1866                Asa Taggert b. Utah; Rafael Cordova b. Mexico

1867                Cole Taggert b. Utah

1868                Jesse Taggert b. Utah

1869                Juan Cordova b. Mexico m. Josita;

1870                Raquel Cordova b. Mexico  d. 1869

1871                –

1872                James Angus b. Illinois

1873                Felipe Valencia b. Arizona

1874                Clint Madison b. Illinois

1875                Eliza Wallace b. California

1876                Gabriel Cordova b. Arizona; Holly Jacobs b. Illinois

1877                Grace O’Brian b. Kansas

1878                Anita Cordova b. Arizona

1879                Alexa Johnson (Oliver) b. Kansas; Lily Jacobs b. Illinois

1880                Wei Zian b. Arizona

1881                –

1882                Sam & Abigail meet June and m. June and Nov. Tombstone

1883                –

1884                David Ryker b. Circle R Ranch

1885                Priscilla & Cord talk; Grace arrives in Tucson

1886                cabin—Jan; earthquake May 3; marriage—July

1887                Alice Ryker b. Circle R Ranch

1888                Jesse O’Brian b. Circle O Ranch; Raquel Valencia b. Tucson

1889                Daniel Cordova b. Circle O Ranch Jan.

1890                Ellen m. Robert Mitchell; Jose Valencia b. Tucson

1891                Alica O’Brian b. August Circle O

1892                Roberto Cordova b. December Tucson

1893                Grace leaves for back East; Royce Johnson (Oliver) b. Kansas

1894                –

1895                James Redman dies Feb. Tucson; James O’Brian b. Circle O, July

1896                –

1897                Rafe Joins Rough Riders; Margarita Valencia b. Tucson

1898                Rafe mustered out Feb. 15; Grace returns to Tucson June; Marries Rafe Sept.

1899                Donovan Cordova b. November Tucson on the Cordova Ranch; Rose Redman m.Roman Oliver. Tucson

1900               Holly Jacobs meets Vince Coburn in April – marries in July.

1901                Jesse marries Lily

1902                Tyler Taggert b. March- son of Vincent: Joshua Taggert b. April- son of Jesse

1903        -

1904        -

1905        -