Hi everyone,
I’m sharing Part Two of the making of my historical
western romance, Love, Lies and Redemption. In the first blog, I talked about
how the book came to be and discussed the research involved in writing a
historical romance. Today I’ll explore the characters and touch on another
subject—realism.
The book opens with Sam, the hero, bleeding from gunshot
wounds and stumbling across the prairie. He’s wondering if he is already dead
and suffering in hell for what he has done in the past.
This gives readers initial insight into Sam. Right from the
start, we know he has done something that he feels guilty about, and he is
harboring secrets. We also learn that Sam is stubborn and not the type of man
to give up easily.
When readers meet Cassie in her store, they see that she
works hard trying to make her store successful. But they also watch her going
through the motions and wondering why she bothers.
Each character is at a crossroads, and everything is about
to change for them. As the book progresses, we learn that Cassie is headstrong,
independent, and not the type to take guff from Sam, or the people in town.
She’s running a store all by herself and doesn’t like to accept help or rely on
anyone.
I contrasted Cassie’s independent nature with a secret
vulnerability. The consequences of a failed relationship left Cassie
emotionally fragile and broken. She says she’s not afraid of anything, but
later we learn that’s not true. Deep down, she fears losing the store. She’s
also afraid of falling in love with Sam, only to lose him. Cassie has
experienced many losses in her life, and she is hesitant to open her heart and
trust anyone.
Sam is a noble man who feels he has a debt to pay and a duty
to watch over Cassie, and this leads to conflict between them. She doesn’t want
to admit that she needs his help, and he is being overprotective of her (or so
she thinks…).
Although Sam comes across as honest and open, readers
quickly discover that Sam is keeping his past a secret and is hiding his true
identity—and much more—from everyone. Sam is a troubled soul who has also
experienced a lot of loss in his life. Without giving too much away, readers
learn that Sam lost someone very important to him through an act of violence,
and he’s set on getting his revenge—and that’s not pretty.
This leads me to my next topic—realism. Before I sat down to
write, I did a lot of research about general stores, what life was like in the
1870s, etc., and I learned that life back then was very difficult and much
different from how we live today.
People died of infections, diseases, and all sorts of other
ailments, and there was the threat of violence to consider. The west was known
for being “lawless” and some people took advantage of the fact that you
practically could do whatever you wanted.
Life for anyone in the “wild” west was tough. Combine that
with the fact that women virtually were the property of their husbands and had
no rights, and you have the makings for pretty rough times for women.
I incorporated a few of these elements into the book. How
could I not? The setting and time period have to be realistically represented
in a historical romance. Although readers might take issue with including
violence in a romance, it has a place in the story (to a degree). If everything
was too perfect or too pretty, the book would lose the richness in details that
bring it—and the characters—to life.
Having Sam face the threat of a potentially lethal
infection, Cassie trying to help a woman escape a violent marriage, and Sam
admitting the horrific truth of his past, all work together to give the book an
authentic feel.
And part of an author’s job (especially when writing
historical romances) is to let readers live the story through the eyes and
experiences of the characters. One thing authors are told is to make life
difficult for your hero and heroine. If there is no conflict or drama, the
story becomes dull, and the characters have nothing to strive for and don’t
grow.
Yes, I may have put Sam and Cassie (and a few other
characters) through an emotional wringer, and yes, they had to face violent
situations, but they’re strong and their challenges built up their resilience.
And of course, as in any romance, it all worked out
happily-ever-after. Here’s the book summary:
Love, Lies and Redemption
Shot and left for dead, Sam Hixton stumbles into a general
store on the Nebraska prairie and collapses into the arms of Cassie Wilcox.
Cassie’s world is turned upside down when the handsome
stranger drops into her life. Sam is another complication she doesn’t need: her
business is dying and her trouble with the townspeople is escalating. Yet she’s
determined to keep the store open — no matter what the cost.
As Sam recovers from his injuries, he hides the truth about
his identity and convinces Cassie to let him work in the store. He’s attracted
to her and admires her independent nature, but quickly realizes Cassie’s in way
over her head. They fight their growing attraction, and Cassie questions
whether she can trust her fragile heart to a mysterious stranger. Will he
accept her once he knows about her troubled past?
Cassie resists Sam’s advances and represses her feelings
until one fateful night when they give in to their fiery passion. Together,
they work out a plan to save the store, but find their efforts are thwarted —
and their lives endangered — by the locals.
Sam’s secret returns to haunt him and pulls him away just
when Cassie needs him the most. Will he regain her trust when she learns the
truth?
Cassie has everything invested in the store — can she save
it and find true love with Sam before it’s too late?
Order Love, Lies and Redemption here:
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/mdzL6W
Read reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/love-lies-and-redemption
Want more romance? Visit my site: www.KelliWilkins.com and
follow my Facebook pages:
Facebook Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins
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https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1703805359922371/
I hope you enjoyed this look at the making of Love, Lies and
Redemption. I had a great time creating the characters and I think readers will
fall in love with them as much as I have.
I welcome comments and questions from other authors and
readers. Be sure to follow my blog for the latest updates and visit me on
social media.
Happy Reading!
Kelli
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