Behind the Scenes of A COWBOY FOR KATIE, by Debra Clopton

This week The Borrowed Book is spotlighting Four Weddings and a Kiss, a collection of new Western Bride novellas by Margaret Brownley, Debra Clopton, Mary Conneally, and Robin Lee Hatcher. Today, Debra Clopton talks to us about her contribution to the work.

Writing this novella, A COWBOY FOR KATIE, was such a joy. I absolutely fell in love with Crazy Katie Pearl’s fighting spirit after the tragedy of being trapped beneath her home after a tornado destroys it and kills her Pa. She had me hooked from the first moment as I began her story. And Treb Rayburn was such a hero to me as he developed through the story. This is only my second historical western but this and my other novella An Ever After Summer were both such delights to write that I’m sure I’ll be doing more of them when I find time between deadlines writing my contemporary novels.

Katie Pearl came to me as a full blown character. She popped into my head talking to herself and her old horse Myrtle May. And the fact that she was thinking about shooting a cowboy if she needed to totally had my fingers flying across the keyboard because I had to find out why she was acting and thinking the way she was. I don’t want to give too much away about the story and hope you’ll grab a copy and join in on the journey Crazy Katie Pearl took me on through this novella. Deciding to write about a crazy heroine was a challenge for me, but like I said, she came to me the instant I decided to do just that.

                 

I’m a pantser. That means I pretty much create the story as I go, literally my brain and imagination become one with my fingers when my fingertips touch the keyboard. This also means that the creation of the story is as much an adventure for me as it is for you as you read it. I do guide the story as I learn more and more about my hero and heroine and their past, so I do take control of the story at a point. This enables me to create more conflict for the characters which produces the sparks that I love to create between my hero and heroine and the conflict that drives the story forward.

What I knew going into this story was that I needed a bride who would be considered an unlikely bride.  I had gone through my possible reasons why a bride would be considered unlikely and being too independent hit me instantly. But then I thought of Crazy Cora from the movie Quigley Down Under. Now, I have always loved that movie and both Cora’s character and Tom Selleck’s character. Thinking about it I knew I wanted to write a story with a heroine who everyone believed was crazy…even she believes it to some degree. That’s when Katie came to me and took over. I believe everyone would be really shaken up if they went through what she had gone through and that it would take a while to regain their bearings. Katie turned out to be one of the most courageous characters I’ve ever written.

                 

So that was a sneak peek at the behind the scenes of A COWBOY FOR KATIE. It was a delight to write and I so hope readers will embrace it and love it too.   

Debra Clopton is an award winning author of sweet, heartfelt, western romance that face life with a smile. With over 2 million books in print, Debra's first book-to-movie aired on ABC Family and starred LeAnn Rimes.

Make sure you stop by tomorrow, when you can enter to win a free copy of Four Weddings and a Kiss!

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Did You Know? ~ Rosemary, a Versatile Herb

Our own Elizabeth Ludwig inspired today’s blog topic. She posted a link on her Facebook page about the memory enhancement properties of the herb rosemary. I wondered what other medicinal and health properties this wonderful herb has. Turns out there are many.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an evergreen herb, native to the Mediterranean. In my neck of the woods, it grows as an annual. I grow it every year just so I can smell its fragrant scent when I rub my fingers along its spiky leaves. Rosemary is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae along with oregano, thyme, basil, and lavender. The name rosemary derives from the Latin ros meaning "dew" and marinus meaning "sea" - "sea dew."

Yes, rosemary smells good, but its benefits go way beyond that. It’s been used as a medicine both internally and externally. Typically it’s prepared as a dried whole herb or a dried powdered extract. Rosemary teas and liquid extracts are made from fresh or dried leaves. 



In Europe, rosemary is used to help treat indigestion. It’s said to relieve flatulence and stomach cramping. Rosemary contains carnosic acid, which is said to fight off free radical damage in the brain. Canosic acid also promotes eye health. 

Rosemary may be an effective herbal anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor agent, according to one study, published in Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry. (See report here.) Research published in Oncology Reports found that “Constituents in rosemary have shown a variety of pharmacological activities for cancer chemoprevention and therapy in in vitro and in vivo models.” (See report here.)

Rosemary oil applied externally helps ease muscular pain, sciatica, and neuralgia. It’s been used for centuries in products for the hair and scalp, stimulating the hair follicles and circulation in the scalp.

All in all, rosemary seems like quite a little powerhouse herb. As a cooking spice, it’s outstanding. One of my all-time favorite uses of rosemary is in garlic mashed potatoes. You’ll find a great recipe for this here, at the Washington State Potatoes site.

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The Long and Short of Writing Novellas by Author Margaret Brownley

My husband is a bottom line kind of guy. Whenever my daughter came home from a date he would ask if she had a good time.  That's it. That's all he wanted to know.  Not me. I wanted all the juicy details.  Everything.

So writing long historical novels was right up my alley. Eighty-five thousand words?  No problem.  A twenty-thousand word novella?  Now that was a horse of a different color.

So how does a long-winded writer learn to write short?  I'm embarrassed to admit this, but when I wrote my first novella I actually wrote something like fifty thousand words and then cut like crazy.  Now I know better, but novellas still pose a challenge.  Skimp on story or characterization and readers will feel cheated.

Still, there are some advantages to writing short.  Novellas are popular with readers and they keep your name out there between books.  They also make you concentrate on your writing strengths and weaknesses. 

Of course if you're the type of writer whose strengths include writing long narratives and intricate descriptions this might not work for you.  There simply is no room in a novella to go into great detail.  Every word has to count and then some. Lucky you if writing strengths include action scenes and dialogue—the crux of a well-paced novella.

I also found that the sooner the narrative question can be worked into the story the better. This creates tension and keeps the reader interested. 

For COURTING TROUBLE, my story in Four Weddings and a Kiss, I got started on the wrong track.  I opened the scene in the heroine's point of view and wasted valuable verbiage describing her arrest for the murder of her husband.  My friend solved the problem. "Dump the first chapter," she said. 

Taking her advice I started the story with the second chapter.  Not only did this save nine hundred words, it pulled the reader in quicker. We immediately understand the hero's dilemma.  The woman on trial for murder has the worst possible reputation.  He has no desire to defend her, but how can he say no to her young son's plea for help? And what if fails to win the case? Putting these emotional and narrative questions up front quickly grabs a reader's attention and that's what it's all about. 

Wait. There's more:

Keep Character Goals Clear and the Time Period Short
My heroine's goal was simple.  She wanted the jury to find her innocent. This is something that can happen (or not) in a few short days.  Goals that take years to accomplish don't work in a novella.  The challenge I had was keeping the time short—and the romance long, if you know what I mean.  I didn't want the relationship to feel rushed.  

Don't Skimp on Characterization
Readers want to know what makes your characters tick and why they do the things they do.  Goals and motivations must be clear. 

Keep the Story Moving
Save the introspection and flashbacks for your novels. 

Forget the Crowds
The fewer characters in a novella, the better.  Everyone has to pull his or her weight and then some.   

Limit Subplots and Viewpoints
Stick to the main story as much as possible. Subplots should be short and easily resolved. Some people say you should tell your story from a single viewpoint, but I write romance and like to go back and forth between the hero and heroine.  Two viewpoints are probably the most you can get away with. 

Finally:
 Remember, big ideas don't need a lot of words—they just need the right words.  And that's the long and the short of it.

NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MARGARET BROWNLEY has penned more than thirty historical and contemporary novels. Her books have won numerous awards, including Readers' Choice and Award of Excellence. She's a former Romance Writers of American RITA^® finalist and has written for a TV soap.  She is currently working on a new series.  Not bad for someone who flunked eighth grade.  Just don't ask her to diagram a sentence.  

Find Margaret:
Website: margaret-brownley.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/margaretbrownly

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/brownley1/

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Sunday Devotional: Psalm 27

I’ve been trying do these reflections on the Psalms in order, but this is one favorite I keep coming back to ... another sweet, lovely piece that needs very little commentary.

Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
² When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
³ Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

Think of the whole contingent of our adversaries. All those who oppose us, whether in human form or not. What is even the sum of those, compared to the God of the universe?

⁴ One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
⁵ For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

This is not “going to church” every day. This is communing with God in the sanctuary of our own heart ... living with such a sense of His presence that we are there, continually, in the throne room of heaven. And there, in His presence, we are hidden away when trouble assails us.

The thing is ... do we believe this?

⁶ And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

⁷ Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
⁸ When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
⁹ Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.
¹⁰ When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take care of me.

Too many of us have had the experience of parents turning away from us, and however we steel ourselves to the disappointment, the fact remains that it hurts ... because the most basic human expectation is that our parents will love us, care for us, be there for us. And regardless of how well our first caregivers met that expectation, or didn’t, the Lord is there, and will take care of us.

¹¹ Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
¹² Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
¹³ I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

Here is the thing that keeps us going, when everything around us crumbles. We believe in heaven—that someday, sometime, we will see God, and He’ll make everything right, and soothe our pain and fears once and for all—but do we still believe there is yet hope for this life? That someday, somehow, we’ll live to see God’s goodness, here on earth?

¹⁴ Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

And once again we are reminded that in the waiting itself, strength is found.

Yes, Lord! Help us believe. Help us to wait.

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Face to Face with Author Amy Clipston

I always wrote as a child, but I don’t want to be a writer until I found a link to a local Romance Writer’s of America chapter. I went to a meeting and met writers in all stages of their careers. I joined the chapter and then learned how to polish my skills. I signed with my first agent in 2005 and sold my first book in 2007. My first book, A Gift of Grace, which is the first in my Kauffman Amish Bakery series, was published in April 2009.

I love receiving my first box of books, holding the book in my hand, and smelling it. There’s nothing like the smell of a new book. I dread the editing process. Rewriting the book and reworking the story is always a challenge, but it’s worth it to hold that new book!

I write alongside a full-time job. It’s not easy to juggle two demanding occupations, but I make it work. I handle Human Resources for my department with the City of Charlotte. I work four 10-hour days and enjoy my Fridays off. On Fridays, I usually work on my latest book and run errands, and I also try to have lunch with my younger son at his school at least once a month. During the summers, I enjoy sleeping in and then taking my kids to the pool at the aquatic center. At the pool, I’ll find a table in the picnic area and work on my latest book or read.

I’m definitely a Type A plotter!  I start off with a detailed synopsis. After my editor approves it, I write a very detailed outline, going chapter by chapter, and scene by scene. I use that outline as a roadmap for the book. The outline changes and grows, but it keeps me on track to help prevent the dreaded writer’s block. My outline usually prevents writer’s block because I know where I’m headed with the story. If I get stuck, then I’ll toss ideas around with my agent or my editor. Talking through it with another person helps.

If I’m on deadline, I try to write every day. I’ll write late into the night during the week, since I work a full-time job. I’ll also write all weekend long, only taking breaks to eat and sleep. I have to push myself to get through that first draft, and then I polish before I hand it off to my friends and agent to read. I used to need complete quiet while I worked, but now I use headphones and music to block out the noise of my family.

I always pray at night while I’m writing and ask God to make the story pleasing to Him. When I’m writing on weekends, I go into a room with a cup of tea and my headphones. A few of my cats are normally my only company. I have to leave the door cracked so the cats can go in and out as they please. I get up periodically and walk around, and when I get sick of the hot tea, I drive Diet Coke and flavored water.

I try not to sit all day long. My goal is to get exercise at least five days per week. I love Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds. At work, I reserve a conference room at lunch time and do the video every day. I also do the video on weekends with my mom. We love Leslie!

I am definitely a cat person. Four cats own my family and me – Jet, Molly, Rico, and Lily. They have four different personalities. Lily is the smallest and the loudest, and she’s the bully. She picks on the other cats. Jet follows me around like my shadow. He’s a big, fluffy tuxedo cat. Molly is a sweetheart, who tries to mind her own business. She sleeps with my younger son. Rico likes to follow my husband around and sit on his lap.

Some folks may not know that I donated a kidney through a swap for my husband in 2011. My husband, Joe, had received a kidney from his brother in 2004, and it only lasted 4 years.  Joe went back on dialysis in 2008, and he was very ill. No one matched him, so I signed up to give a kidney through the paired donation program. Through that program, I donated a kidney to a woman, and the same day, her husband gave a kidney to Joe. We’ll celebrate our three-year kidney-versary on June 14. I wrote a memoir called A Gift of Love about our story. I’m an advocate for organ and blood donation.  Donate life! Donate blood!

Amy Clipston is the award-winning and best-selling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery series. Her novels have hit multiple best-seller lists including CBD, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. She is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and four spoiled rotten cats. Visit her online at www.amyclipston.com 

Facebook: AmyClipstonBooks 

Twitter: @AmyClipston

Make sure to stop by tomorrow, when you'll have a chance to win Amy's newest title, A Mother's Secret!

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Did You Know?~Plantain

When I was little, I used to earn a nickle for each weed I pulled from our yard. Little did I know that one of those pesky weeds I pulled was an herb with many great health benefits. The plant I'm talking about is called plantain (no, not the bananas). There are several varieties of plantain, but all of them look similar. You might recognize the plant in the pictures.

Plantain (also called ripple grass, waybread, waybroad, snakeweed, slan-lus, and white man's foot) has been known as a healing herb for many years. It was highly regarded by the Saxons and mentioned in their writings as one of the nine sacred herbs. Pliny mentions the plant, as do Chaucer and Shakespeare.

The plantain seems to have followed the migrations of colonists to every part of the world. Wherever the English took possession of the soil, plantain grew. Thus it's one name: white man's foot.

This little weedy pest is a true healing power house. It's main claim to fame is its drawing power. As a poultice, it draws out dirt, stingers, insect venom, and (it's claimed) infection from an abscess. It also stays a bleeding wound. An ointment of plantain can ease itching. Plantain oil can relieve the inflammation of a sprain. 

And along with it's medicinal use, plantain can be eaten. The young leaves can be used in salads, and the seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids

So next time you're looking around your yard and see plantain and think you need to get out a heavy duty weed killer (or pay your kids to do the dirty work), stop and remember how helpful this little herb can be. 

For more information, check this link at A Modern Herbal.

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A Mother's Secret by Author Amy Clipston

I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce my new book, A Mother’s Secret, on the Borrowed Book Blog.  This book is the second in my Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel series and is set to release June 3. A Mother’s Secret releases one year after book one, which was A Hopeful Heart. 

In book one, Hannah Glick, a recent widow, finds herself stuck at a crossroad in her life. Her community offers her love and support, but a new friend offers her the chance of a new life after unexpectedly losing her husband. Wealthy businessman Trey Peterson is surprised at his attraction for the gentle Amish woman who works as a housekeeper in the Lancaster Grand hotel where he is staying. They share a common bond of loss and are able to offer each other comfort and support as they journey through their grief. Joshua Glick wants nothing more than to offer his friendship and love to Hannah and her family. Not only is he her husband's brother and business partner in their shared horse business, he has always been in love with Hannah. Are they destined to be only business partners or will Joshua be able to convince her that they belong together for life?

The Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel series was inspired during the Amish Country Holiday Book Tour in November 2011. During the tour, Vannetta Chapman, Shelley Shepard Gray, and I stayed at the Berlin Grand Hotel. Alicia Mey, Senior Marketing Director for Zondervan, was impressed with the hotel, and she pitched the idea of using a fictional hotel in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as the setting for my new series. She suggested I create a series about Amish women who work in at fictional upscale hotel. She was intrigued with the idea of the Amish and "English" (non-Amish) clashing in such a unique environment. Her idea turned into the series, and I'm so thankful for Alicia's idea that I dedicated A Hopeful Heart to her.

I enjoyed writing A Hopeful Heart and juxtaposing the Amish and English life through the hotel. Throughout the series, the women who are the main characters work in the fictional hotel. I have to admit that A Mother’s Secret is my favorite book in the series. Carolyn Lapp, the heroine of the book, is different from the other Amish women I’ve featured in my previous books. Due to her painful past, she’s more outspoken and less traditional than any other Amish character I have created. I also enjoyed giving Joshua Glick his own story since he had his heart broken in A Hopeful Heart.

In A Mother's Secret, Carolyn Lapp dreams of marrying for love. But will the errors of her past destroy this dream forever? Carolyn Lapp longs to have a traditional Amish family. But she lives on her brother's farm with her parents and her 15-year old son, Benjamin. Carolyn has never revealed the identity of Benjamin's father and lives daily with the guilt and shame of her youthful indiscretion. Her brother simply will not forgive her. His answer is to arrange a practical marriage for Carolyn to Saul, a widower with a little girl. But Carolyn isn't convinced that Saul really loves her and believes he is simply looking for someone to help raise his daughter. When Benjamin causes trouble at a local horse auction, horse breeder Joshua Glick decides that he must be taught a lesson. Carolyn and Joshua are unmistakably drawn to each other, but Joshua mistakenly assumes that Benjamin is Carolyn's brother. Carolyn fears that if he discovers the truth, her past will destroy their budding romance. After years of shame and loneliness, Carolyn suddenly has two men vying for her attention. But which of them will give her the family---and the unconditional love---she's longed for?

A Mother's Secret was inspired while I was writing A Hopeful Heart. I felt Joshua Glick needed his own story after he had his heart broken in the first book. I really like Joshua’s character, and I enjoyed telling his story. This book is dedicated to my amazing editor and dear friend, Becky Philpott. She’s been a tremendous support to me with my books. I’m grateful for her friendship and her guidance with my books.

I hope readers enjoy A Mother’s Secret. Book three in the series, A Dream of Home, will follow in December and will feature Madeleine Miller, another housekeeper who works at the Lancaster Grand Hotel.

Amy Clipston is the award-winning and best-selling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery series. Her novels have hit multiple best-seller lists including CBD, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. She is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and four spoiled rotten cats. Visit her online at www.amyclipston.com Facebook: AmyClipstonBooks Twitter: @AmyClipston

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