How Do You Decide What to Write Next? Answer:Sometimes, I have to look at what's due. What have I promised to my editor? My fans? Is anything on pre-order? Once I've met obligations, and it's literally just ME picking what happens next, I choose the story that's most impatient to get out. I have those. Stories that are on my mind, with the plot and characters doing circles from the back of my brain to the forefront, over and over until I take notice of them. That's how I decide. Which story is taking up the most of my mental bandwith? That's the one that has to get out next!
Great question! -Sally
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 Do you like character bios? I always have, and they're pretty essential for me to create as an author. Today, I'm sharing the heroine for my next western/Victorian novel: Evelyn Lyon, Countess Tyneham. At least, that's her name for about half the book. Then she becomes Mrs. Evelyn Morgan, wife to our favorite foreman, "Frosty." Evelyn is so much fun to write. She's my third heroine who starts her novel as a widow - but she's the first one who isn't all that sad about it. She's too busy surviving to mourn a man who didn't hold her in very high regard. I've loved writing about her as a love interest because she has so much going on in her head and emotions, so much to worry about, with a daughter as dependent on Evelyn making good choices as Evelyn is. Karen Gillan (ugh, typo in the graphic - sorry!) is Scottish. My heroine is not. But Karen has that copper-haired, playful beauty that I picture as I write Evelyn. This book is different from the first of my westerns because, this time, we have a woman who is used to the stylish life of English High Society suddenly dropped in the desert, amid coyotes and cowboys, and expected to learn how to do everything a prairie wife has to accomplish every day. While caring for three children and coming to know the near-stranger she married. Evelyn has a lot of pluck, though. She's determined to make the best of things. And if that cowboy she married wants to flirt with her, he can go on ahead and flirt! She'll just keep on guarding her heart. At least. She'll try. ;-) She has a hard road to travel. Her mother brought Evelyn up to believe that her only asset is her beauty and her only value is that of a pretty wife on the arm of an important man. Before long, Evelyn discovers what her mother taught her may not be the only way to claim a place in the hearts of others. Copper for the Countess is the second book in the Hearts of Arizona Western/Victorian romances. It's available for pre-order now and will be released in September.   Kevin McGarry is one of my favorite Hallmark movie actors... ...And so I have cast him (mentally) as Chris "Frosty" Morgan, the next Sally Britton hero y'all will be meeting. If all goes according to plan. (Manuscript is with my editor right now!) Isn't he something else? If you're a fan of Hallmark movies and TV shows, you've seen him before. I only knew him from his work on the show When Calls the Heart, but I've since gone looking for him in other places. (Autumn Stables is a super cute Hallmark romance you can rent on Amazon, btw.) Kevin McGarry is the perfect Frosty, the hero of my second western novel, Copper for the Countess. Here's why. In Silver Dollar Duke, readers met Frosty alongside my hero, Evan. Frosty is the foreman of KB Ranch, and he's also a man of few words. Most of the time. He's a good guy. He smiles a bit crookedly when amused. He's easy-going, so long as you get the work done before you play. He's a gentleman, too. He'd never leave a lady to fend for herself, and he minds his manners. Describe as tall and slim, with dark hair, and ice-blue eyes, he's a working man and believes a good day is a day in which the job gets done right. In my new western, we're back on KB Ranch land, and Frosty is just starting to wonder if there's more to life than cattle. That's when the news comes that his best friend from childhood, his cousin, has passed away. Leaving two children orphans and in Frosty's guardianship. Frosty's never had much of a problem with rounding up cattle and cowboys alike, but children? He's a bit like a duck in the desert--lost. (Fact: There are a lot of ducks native to Arizona. But you get the idea.) I love cowboys. There's something about a man in denim, a hat, plaid, and a good pair of boots that makes me happy. I think learning that my husband spent a couple of summers working on a ranch increased the appeal, back when we were dating. Frosty has a pretty interesting backstory, but I'm always at odds with how much to share, since some of it isn't so "sweet." He found himself in a pretty bad situation during his first years as a cowboy. I've based Frosty's story on my own family history. I'll be sure to share more when it's not so spoiler-y. (Probably on my Facebook Group, Sally's Sweet Romance Fans.) What do you think? Are you looking forward to Frosty's book? Never fear, Regency-only readers. I have two Regency novels coming up in just a few months. And a whole host of Regency plans.   Yesterday, Discovering Grace turned TWO years old. I can't believe this story has been out in the world for that long. I thought I'd take a moment today to tell you a bit more about why I wrote a character who - on the surface, at least - is a bit of an introvert. Quiet. Unassuming. Avoids being the center of any attention - very unlike her twin sister.
I think people get the wrong idea about introverts, sometimes. We aren't really shy. Just content with quiet, keeping to our small circle of friends, and happy in our environments. Grace and I share a few traits. We both like the idea of adventure, but find we like staying tucked up at home even more. We're both willing to go with the flow, but if you try to push us out of our comfort zone, we are going to push back. Which is precisely what Grace does when her father - in a moment of temper - tries to send her on the adventurous ocean voyage meant for her sister, Hope. Grace is even-tempered. She is kind, too, and has found numerous ways to help her community while staying in the background. All those charitable organizations that Hope steers about? Grace is the one with the good ideas. The popular parties that the sisters host? Hope might look like she's taking the lead, but Grace is the one doing all the planning. The sisters compliment each other, and love each other despite their differences. So when Grace faces the thought of being sent away from all she loves, SHE is the one who decides she and Hope need to switch places. Hope, though surprised that her sister is "rocking the boat," eagerly goes along with the plan. The fact that this means Grace gets to stay near Jacob, the man she has loved for more years than anyone would guess, is icing on the cake. Or is it? After all, he's pining for the sister who left. Isn't he? We find out later, in Hope's book, that she's known about Grace's love for Jacob all along. And heartily approves of the two of them as a couple. It was tricky to write books about the sisters, letting people see how they viewed each other and their relationship. But SO rewarding. I loved writing them both. I loved writing Grace. I wanted to show how someone who wishes to remain at home can still be a heroine. I wanted her to be a different kind of strong than her sister. I hope you love Grace, too. If you haven't read this story yet, it's available on the following platforms:
If you have to wear glasses...
 Typing Gloves.Whether the A/C is too cold or you're in the bitterness of winter, these are amazing for keeping you warm without compromising the use of your digits. I own four pair and use them ALL the time. They're the perfect gift for the writers in your life. Or for you. I mean, it's hard to turn the pages of a book if you're wearing mittens. More to come....You know how some people have weird/fun things in their office? Knick-knacks, organization hacks, that one reference book you wish you'd seen before... I have a ton of that kind of stuff. Things that bring me joy, things that are super functional, stuff that suits my personal aesthetic. I thought I'd share some of my favorite odds and ends in a series of posts about office supplies. And some of you are just like me. I know it. Where the very idea of walking into a stationary shop or office supply store makes you giddy. :-D So prepare yourself. |
AuthorI write clean and sweet Historical Romance Novels, I live in the desert, I'm a mom of four, madly in love with my husband, and I love to read! Affiliate Links Used In PostsArchives
December 2021
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