What's In a Name?

 Recently, I decided to dust off a manuscript that's been languishing under the proverbial bed for years and redo it. I blame Covid for giving me too much time to think about things. This is the story that started me on my writing path but which never saw the light of day, despite being written and rewritten numerous times. 

Part of my redo is to rename my main characters. No one knows anymore, or cares if they do, that Mary Jane used to be a code name for marijuana. 

And the hero's name needs to change also, since basing your characters on real persons can be filled with all kinds of landmines that are better avoided. He can still be from the same era, just not bear the name of a famous person.

So, new names are in the works. Along with a new title for the story. What, you might ask, am I keeping from the old manuscript? 

That's yet to be determined, other than the basic premise,  Time travel has always held an appeal for me. It's a good way to combine my love of history with my enjoyment of contemporary situations. And, after the crazy year we've all been through, it'll be fun to bounce back and forth from the past to the present, and figure out which is the more harrowing. 

As Rachel Maddow is fond of saying, watch this space.

It Could Be Worse

I consider myself one of the lucky ones. Not only can I escape the current situation we Americans find ourselves in by losing myself in a book, I also have the ability to write my own books and can create my own worlds. 

It may seem like a great idea to leave this current situation behind and run back in time, there are some things that need to be considered first. When I write my historical books, I tend to spend very little time talking about how people performed the basic functions of bathing, going to the bathroom, catching or growing their food, Although they were basic necessities, they aren't glamorous, and they have no place in a feel-good romance. 

I was reminded of that fact the other day, in conversation with a friend who had just finished reading my latest book, A British Heiress in America. The heroine, Pippa, has a penchant for cheroots, thin, dainty cigars. While in today's world, a woman smoking tobacco is commonplace, in the late 1700s, it was never done, so she has to pilfer her cheroots anywhere she can. 

My friend asked how Pippa could have possibly gotten away with it without anyone noticing, since the cigar smell is pungent and tends to cling to one's body and clothing. Her comment then led to a discussion about all the other odors emanating from a person's body during this era and how the scent of a good cheroot might be welcome since it would mask all the others. 

So, when this world we're currently living in gets you down, think about all the good things it offers.

 

Count your blessings. 

 And flush the toilet. 

Emancipation Day

Since February, when a character from a manuscript I was working on, appeared on the scene and wouldn't leave me alone, I've been working on her story. The aforementioned manuscript, from whence she emerged, has been pushed under the bed. At least something good came out of that whole experience.

The story takes place during the Revolutionary War in America. I wasn't that well versed in Revolutionary history before, other than knowing the basics, so I had a huge learning curve. And the story begins in England, where my character sails from, so I had to familiarize myself with sailing vessels used in the late 1700s. And then, there was Boston. Other than the Tea Party and the Common, I didn't know much about that place, either. But I love historicals where I take two normal people who happen to be living through perilous times and sink them into the history. Think Rose and Jack on the Titanic and you'll understand.

Boston Tea Party

Anyway, in the course of my research I learned Bostonians celebrate something called "Evacuation Day" every March, even to this day. That's the day the British ships left the harbor for good, having been intimidated by the large number of cannons pointed at the harbor from Dorchester Heights. The Brits didn't know there was no ammunition to back up the bold presence. They also didn't know some of the cannons were simply painted logs, made to resemble a cannon. The Brits couldn't take the chance, so they ended their blockade and evacuated the area.

Cannons being moved to Boston from upstate New York. 

My main character has been fighting her own battle. She's desperate to escape the rule of her father, who wants to marry her off to a man with great wealth. She'd rather marry for love. As she stands in the harbor watching the ships leave and hearing it referred to as Evacuation Day, she thinks instead it should be called Emancipation Day. Because she's found love and her father can no longer run her life.

The manuscript is now finished, except for writing a synopsis. So in a way, this is my Emancipation Day. These characters, and this story line, have been a daily part of my life since February, and I'm ready to move on. My next idea also sprang from one of those manuscripts taking up residence under the bed. A high-priced English courtesan decides to migrate to America. What could go wrong?

Stick a pin in that for a couple months.

Lots Of Firsts This Week

Yes, dear friends, it's been one week of triumphs. First steps on my new hip, first BookBub ad for the Cotillion Ball Saga bundle of three books which vaulted sales into the top 100, first novella trending well on Amazon. All good things.

Your Deals

The Cotillion Ball Saga By Becky Lower Ginger, Heather, and Basil Fitzpatrick were raised to follow their hearts — even if it means defying all of society’s conventions. Passion, suspense, and adventure combine in these captivating novels set in the tumultuous years before the Civil War.  $0.99 Originally: $2.99 Amazon   Barnes & Noble  Category: Historical Romance

I live in a Cape Cod house in a quaint college town, which has two bedrooms upstairs and two down. There were several reasons why I bought it, not the least of which was for the wide-board pine floors in the two massive upstairs bedrooms. Having lived in small spaces for so many years, I reveled in the largesse of the master bedroom upstairs. Sadly, those days are gone. The house no longer works for me, since it's best that I avoid stairs now. Thankfully, my great neighbor gathered the troops and got the bed moved down. So, now I am living all on the first floor.

My first novella, An Unconventional Courtship, is selling well this week, too. It was such a fun story to write, since I am already very aware of the personalities of Charlotte and George, the heads of the Fitzpatrick family. Now I got to explore exactly how they got that way. One of the reviewers said the book was quirky and fun, which pleased me immensely, since that's exactly who they are.

While I was laying around with my bum hip, I took a workshop from one of the masters in the industry. I applied her principles to the next book in the series, number 8. The edits are due back to me on Monday, and my editor told me her suggestions are very light, which was a first. So that worked, too.

Like I said, a week of firsts. What will next week be like?

Stuff The Stocking Time--Week Four

I'm recuperating from hip replacement surgery, so I've decided to turn my blog over to my chapter mates in December. We're a prolific group of authors, featuring three Golden Heart finalists in the past two years alone. And we've been published in a variety of ways–from traditional houses to self-publishing to small presses. One thing our books have in common is that they're the results of active imaginations that run the gamut–historical, erotica, contemporary, paranormal, romantic suspense. I'm sure every visitor to the blog this month will find something to load onto a Kindle for a gift, or add it to your own.

American Historical--The Duplicitous Debutante, by Becky Lower

   In 1859, ladies of New York society were expected to do three things well: find a husband, organize a smooth-running household, and have children. 
   Rosemary Fitzpatrick’s agenda is very different. As the author of the popular Harry Hawk dime novels, she must hide her true identity from her new publisher, who assumes the person behind the F. P. Elliott pen name is male. She must pose as his secretary in order to ensure the continuation of her series. And in the midst of all this subterfuge, her mother is insisting that she become a debutante this year. 
   Henry Cooper is not the typical Boston Brahmin. Nor is he a typical publisher. He’s entranced by Mr. Elliott’s secretary the moment they meet, and wonders how his traditional-thinking father will react when he brings a working class woman into the family. Because his intentions are to marry her, regardless.
Rosemary’s deception begins to unravel at the Cotillion ball, when Henry recognizes her. The secretarial mask must come off, now that he knows she is a member of New York society. But she can’t yet confess who she truly is until she knows if Henry will accept her as F. P. ElliottThe more time they spend together, the closer they become. But when Rosemary reveals her true identity to him, will Henry be able to forgive her or has her deceit cost her the man she loves?

http://amzn.to/1sGJQbq

Historical Romance--Lady Catherine's Secret, by Sheridan Jeane

Winner of the Where the Magic Begins contest for Best Historical Romance 

London, 1853. Despite Lady Catherine's love of fencing, she needs to stop pretending to be a boy and fraternizing with men…but not until after she competes in the upcoming fencing tournament! Her mother plans to marry her off by the end of the season, so this will be her last chance to enjoy her freedom. When she impulsively puts her reputation at risk to save the life of a dashing competitor, all seems lost when he sees through her disguise. 

Daniel, Marquess of Huntley, wants to overcome the rumors of his father's madness so that he can be embraced by London society. His plan is to marry the most proper woman who will have him, and then raise stable, respectable children. He certainly isn't interested in some hoyden with a penchant for masquerading as a boy and flaunting society's rules. In fact, he'd prefer to keep his distance. 

When an obsessed suitor discovers Catherine's secret and threatens blackmail, the only path out of social ruin is marriage. But what kind of protection does matrimony provide when a vengeful suitor is plotting the ultimate revenge?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NJREAIO


Regency Historical--The Seduction of Sophie Seacrest, by Mary Campisi


Love and Betrayal...Regency Style

The Seduction of Sophie Seacrest is Book One of Mary Campisi's Regency historical series, An Unlikely Husband.

When Holt Langford, the new Earl of Westover, returns to England after twelve years at sea, he resembles more pirate than nobleman, a far cry from the scrawny youth whose father shipped off to become a man. No one recognizes him, and he'll use this anonymity to enter a game of subterfuge in order to expose the scoundrel who has vowed to destroy Holt's family business.

Unfortunately, that scoundrel has a devoted daughter, Sophie Seacrest. Sophie can't deny her attraction to the unorthodox stranger who stirs her blood and makes her thick things no proper lady should. Holt and Sophie are drawn into a seductive tangle and just when he's about to reveal his true identity and his honorable intentions, she discovers the truth and must choose between love and family duty. 

An Unlikely Husband Series:Book One: The Seduction of Sophie Seacrest (Sophie & Holt’s story)Book Two: A Taste of Seduction (Francie & Alexander’s story)Book Three: A Touch of Seduction: a novella (Ariana & Jason’s story)Book Four: A Scent of Seduction (Julia & Jon’s story)

Amazon  http://amzn.to/1sub09y

i-Books  http://bit.ly/1pbzAIF

Nook  http://bit.ly/1rhB6s7

Kobo  http://bit.ly/1uMpMEC 

The Pony Express

I just turned in Book 7 in the Cotillion Ball Series. This one takes place in 1860, and is not situated in civilized New York City, but rather, St. Joseph, MO and beyond. It has nothing to do with the cultured confines of a ballroom or a Cotillion Ball, except for the time frame.

One of my favorite parts of writing American historicals is uncovering bits of history about which I know very little and doing research on them, and how they affected everyday citizens. The Pony Express is no exception. This time, I learned a lot about a little known slice of Americana.

I'll be writing about The Pony Express in detail over the coming months, as part of the buildup to the release of Expressly Yours, Samantha. There is so much to talk about, but today, I wanted to share with you the one thing that really jumped out at me, and how something like The Pony Express would never be possible today.

This route of nearly 2,000 miles was cobbled together by William Russell in only 67 days. Every ten to fifteen miles, a relay station was established, where riders could change horses. At about every eighty miles, a home station was set up, where a change of rider would occur along with a fresh mount. Wherever possible, existing structures were used, but in many cases, a relay station had to be thrown up using whatever materials were available. The route followed the Pioneer Trail, which in the summer was clogged with wagon trains heading west, and spanned the states or territories of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California. And it wasn't just the route that needed to come together. There were horses to be purchased–500 to start with in each of the seven different divisions, and riders–80 to 100 for each division.

Can you imagine something of this magnitude, and spanning so many states, being put together today in a matter of months? It would never happen. There would be legislation developed, people to be bought off, lively debates would take place on the floors of the various state houses, and ultimately, nothing would be accomplished.

As quickly as it came into being, The Pony Express died out only eighteen months after it became an American icon. As soon as the telegraph line extended from coast to coast, the ponies and their riders were no longer an efficient resource for disseminating information, and the doors to The Pony Express were closed. It existed only 18 months, but its colorful legend is part of our American history. Some of the men who rode for the Express went on to fame and fortune in the Wild West shows, but most of them faded into oblivion. Samantha, and Valerian, are two of those who were part of The Pony Express for a time. I hope you'll enjoy their story, which will be released in March, 2015.

Here's a bit about the story: Samantha Hughes needs to get away from her wicked uncle, and, following her aunt’s death, she has one day to escape. A sign in the post office offers an avenue out. She can cut her hair, pose as a man, and become Sam Hughes, a Pony Express rider.

 Valerian Fitzpatrick has defied his parents and stayed in St. Louis for the past year. He doesn't want the weight of responsibility his brothers have in the family business. All he wants to do is ride horses, and, fortunately, the Pony Express is starting up and looking for wiry young fellows. When Sam Hughes helps Valerian control a runaway horse, Joseph, Valerian’s brother-in-law, tells him their meeting was destiny. 

Over the weeks and months that follow, Sam and Val work side by side on the exciting Pony Express. Val assumes Sam is on the run from the law, and helps shield his buddy from the Pinkerton agents. He thinks this must be the destiny Joseph talked about. Although Samantha harbors feelings for Val, he has no idea she’s a woman. Until she suffers a stray gunshot wound and he has to undress her to staunch the wound. 

Friendship turns into attraction and maybe even love. When her uncle tracks her down, she is forced to run yet again. She realizes the danger she’s put Valerian into, having him try to shield her from her uncle, and leaves him behind with a note to not track her down. Will he be able to find her again, or is he relieved to not have any responsibility again? 

Our Private Worlds

I'll admit it–I caught the genealogy bug years ago. I methodically traced my family tree back to the Revolutionary War and to Europe. One of the things I kept noticing was the way the last names of various family members kept intersecting. I realized travel was hard, and there wasn't a large gene pool to draw from, so I kept track as cousins married first and second cousins. As more and more branches on the tree interconnected, it became a family joke that the inbreeding explained the occasional lunatic in the family–those who lived in their own private worlds.

Today, as I write this, I've just finished the seventh book in my American historical series. It takes place in 1860 and the story line is woven around the Pony Express. I've spent the last few months studying the movement of horses, and learning more about this portion of American history than I ever thought possible. I told a friend the other day that, after a morning of working on this novel, I was surprised to see cars driving by my door instead of horses. My private world has consisted of dirt roads, wide open prairie land and wild mustangs. Am I this generation's occasional lunatic? Or am I merely an author?

The book, Expressly Yours, Samantha, is about ready to be shipped out to my publisher. Normally, I take a break from my historicals, and intersperse a contemporary, just to lighten things up and to keep me grounded in reality. But, for some reason, the 1860s keep calling me. I'm thinking of taking a leaf from the old family tree and write about my great-great-grandmother, who had to maintain a homestead in the hills of southern Ohio and keep four children alive while her husband fought in the Civil War. Obviously, the woman could have used a strong man during these years. Who better to camp out in her woods than a half-breed Ojibwa Indian? So, I'm headed back into the 1860s, where I'll roam the hills and woods of southern Ohio with Susannah and Raoul. I'm headed back into my own private world again.

Here's the cover blurb for Expressly Yours, Samantha, set to release in March, 2015.

Samantha Hughes needs to get away from her wicked uncle, and, following her aunt’s death, she has one day to escape. A sign in the post office offers an avenue out. She can cut her hair, pose as a man, and become Sam Hughes, a Pony Express rider.

Valerian Fitzpatrick has defied his parents and stayed in St. Louis for the past year. He doesn't want the weight of responsibility his brothers have in the family business. All he wants to do is ride horses, and, fortunately, the Pony Express is starting up and looking for wiry young fellows.

When Sam Hughes helps Valerian control a runaway horse, Joseph, Valerian’s brother-in-law, tells him their meeting was destiny. Over the weeks and months that follow, Sam and Val work side by side on the exciting Pony Express. Val assumes Sam is on the run from the law, and helps shield his buddy from the Pinkerton agents. He thinks this must be the destiny Joseph talked about. Although Samantha harbors feelings for Val, he has no idea she’s a woman. Until she suffers a stray gunshot wound and he has to undress her to staunch the wound.

Friendship turns into attraction and maybe even love. When her uncle tracks her down, she is forced to run yet again. She realizes the danger she’s put Valerian into, having him try to shield her from her uncle, and leaves him behind with a note to not track her down. Will he be able to find her again, or is he relieved to not have any responsibility again?

Civil War Repercussions With Linda Pennell

The Blog Tour rolls along this week, lineup is at the right. Also, play along on The Romance Reviews  site all month long for fabulous prizes and a good time.

But before you head off to visit the blogs, pull up a chair and get to know Linda.

My good friend Linda Pennell is visiting me today, all the way from Texas. Linda's a fellow Soul Mate author, and another historic author. Her book, Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel, was released July, 2013 and her most recent, Confederado do Norte, came out in July of this year. It is set after the Civil War, and is based on an actual event--a repercussion I did not know about until reading her book. I had a few questions to ask this lovely lady. Here we go!

   What is your current project about?

I’m so glad you asked! My recently released historical is entitled Confederado do Norte. Here’s a taste of what it’s about.

Set during the aftermath of the American Civil War, Confederado do Norte tells the story of Mary Catherine MacDonald Dias Oliveira Atwell, a child torn from her war devastated home in Georgia and thrust into the primitive Brazilian interior where the young woman she becomes must learn to recreate herself in order to survive.  

October, 1866.

Mary Catherine is devastated when her family emigrates from Georgia to Brazil because her father and maternal uncle refuse to accept the terms of Reconstruction following the Confederacy’s defeat. Shortly after arrival in their new country, she is orphaned, leaving her in Uncle Nathan’s care. He hates Mary Catherine, blaming her for his sister’s death. She despises him because she believes Nathan murdered her father. When Mary Catherine discovers Nathan’s plan to be rid of her as well, she flees into the mountain wilderness filled with jaguars and equally dangerous men. Finding refuge among kind peasants, she grows into a beauty, ultimately marrying the scion of a wealthy Portuguese family. Happiness and security seem assured until civil unrest brings armed marauders who have an inexplicable connection to Mary Catherine. Recreating herself has protected Mary Catherine in the past, but this new crisis will demand all of the courage, intelligence, and creativity she possesses simply to survive.   

 What’s next for your readers?

Great question! I have a World War II novel out on submission. It’s entitled Casablanca: Appointment at Dawn. Here is a taste of it, too.

Casablanca, 1943 – a viper’s nest of double agents and spies where OSS Officer Kurt Heinz finds his skill in covert operations pushed to the limit. Allied success in North Africa, perhaps the outcome of the war, may hang on Kurt’s next mission. The nature of his work makes relationships impossible; nonetheless, he is increasingly torn between duty and the beautiful girl who desperately needs his help.

Sarah Barrett, U.S. Army R.N., is finished with wartime romance. Determined to protect her recently broken heart, she throws all of her time and energy into caring for her patients, but when she is given a coded message by a mysterious dying civilian, she is sucked into a vortex of danger and intrigue that threatens her very survival. The one person who can help Sarah is Kurt Heinz, a man with too many secrets to be trusted.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that it gets picked up soon!  

  What’s your favorite part about writing? Least favorite?

My favorite part of writing is the creative process that comes with getting to play “let’s pretend” and then seeing the product of my imagination appear on the page. As a child, I had a big imagination and loved to take on new personas and characters during play. Writing is my adult version of that.

 Why do you write in the genre you do?

I love history – pure and simple!

 Have you ever written a character based on someone you know?

Having grown up in the Deep South where storytelling has a long and honored tradition, the people and places I’ve known and the experiences I’ve had cannot help but creep into my writing. Sometimes this is a conscious choice, other times I don’t realize the similarities until the work sits for a while.

 Where do you rank in the family hierarchy? First child? Only child? Baby? Somewhere in between?

I’m an only child who has always longed for siblings. Since I don’t have any, I create my own brothers and sisters through friendships and connections with cousins.

 Are you a dog or cat person?

Both! A pet parent, just like a mom to human children, isn’t supposed to have favorites!

 Sun or fog?

I love both. There is something lovely and ethereal about a foggy day spent curled up with a good book or by the fire. Since I live in Texas, I better like sun or move to a cooler climate!

Bio, Social Media, Buy Links, etc.:

I have been in love with the past for as long as I can remember. Anything with a history, whether shabby or majestic, recent or ancient, instantly draws me in. I suppose it comes from being part of a large extended family that spanned several generations. Long summer afternoons on my grandmother's porch or winter evenings gathered around her fireplace were filled with stories both entertaining and poignant. Of course being set in the American South, those stories were also peopled by some very interesting characters, some of whom have found their way into my work.

As for my venture in writing, it has allowed me to reinvent myself. We humans are truly multifaceted creatures, but unfortunately we tend to sort and categorize each other into neat, easily understood packages that rarely reveal the whole person. Perhaps you, too, want to step out of the box in which you find yourself. I encourage you to look at the possibilities and imagine. Be filled with childlike wonder in your mental wanderings. Envision what might be, not simply what is. Let us never forget, all good fiction begins when someone says to her or himself, "Let's pretend." 

I reside in the Houston area with one sweet husband and one adorable German Shorthaired Pointer who is quite certain she’s a little girl.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLindaBennettPennell

Website:  http://www.lindapennell.com/

Twitter:  @LindaPennell

Buy link for Al Capone at the Blanche Hotel:  http://amzn.to/16qq3k5

Buy link for Confederado do Norte:  http://amzn.com/B00LMN5OMI