Writing a Historical Western Romance

Empire Ranch, Arizona March 2018

Two years ago, I went searching for a beautiful place in Arizona to set my Western romances. I've wanted to write a Western for YEARS. I've started and stopped several stories based in old dusty towns, with blacksmiths, cowboys, boarding houses, saloons, the works. But no story ever captured my interest enough to really work through an entire plot.

Until this one. Let me tell you, I'm really excited to get this SERIES (yes, as in more than one book) out into the world. While I'm not ready to give EVERYTHING away, I would love to share a little about what's coming...

I grew up watching Westerns with Hollywood legends such as John Wayne, Yul Brenner, and even all the cowboy musicals like Annie Get Your Gun, Calamity Jane, and the less-likely stories such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. 

My grandparents and mother fed me novels by Louis L'Amour, the classiest author and father of the modern western novel. I read Zane Gray, too. I also loved Johnston McCully's Zorro books. Then I hit up the Christian fiction genres with everything from Love Comes Softly to all the amazing books by Karen Witemeyer. Seriously. Read Short-Straw Bride and tell me you haven't fallen in love with the genre at least a little bit.

But Regency is my first love, so Regency is where I've stayed. Well. After two years of publishing, it's time to branch out a little.

I'm in the middle of writing my first book in a three-book series. Each book will focus on a different couple, all will be based in the same area in Arizona.

I prepared and researched for this series by doing several things. I checked out a HUGE stack of books from the local library in Sierra Vista, Arizona (lots of great stuff you can't find elsewhere), I've ordered and read books written by people who lived at the Empire Ranch and in Tombstone from 1870-1900, too. Then I went to the Empire Ranch and walked the grounds for several hours AFTER the official tour was over. It's an incredible location - you almost forget you're in Arizona. It's at a higher elevation, has LOTS of natural grasses and water, and it's so peaceful. 

​I'm not the only one who thought that ranch was a perfect setting...

Yup. I, too, felt like my childhood was a lie when I learned Oklahoma! was filmed in the middle of Arizona. 

But there's more to my western romances than a bunch of cowboys and cactus. You see, I'm writing a Western/Victorian Romance! That's right. One of my main characters is fresh off the boat from England, and the Wild West isn't quite what he expected. 

I can't wait to share more, including a cover reveal, VERY soon.

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So until next time. ;-) Adios.