Falling in love with characters

You might assume that every writer loves her characters. I've fallen in love with mine, but not before I've written the book -- and by then I usually love my bad guys as much as my heroes and heroines.

When I started the Chisholm Cattle Company series though, I didn't much care for any of the Chisholms -- because I was still in love with the Winchesters. I thought I would never write another family that I liked as well.

I'm here to tell you that I was wrong. It took a while before I fell for the Chisholms. I don't think I really fell until the last book. By then, I was invested in their lives.

By the time I wrote CORRALLED (it comes out in March after too long a wait, I know), I was loving the Chisholms. (Ignore the "check to LOOk inside unless you go to Amazon.com )

I didn't realize how badly I'd fallen though until two nights ago when I read the final draft and last book in the Chisholm series: WRANGLED (It comes out in June). I hadn't seen the book in months. I'd been working on a larger book for HQN (UNFORGIVEN comes out in August from Harlequin). So it was like reading a brand new book for me.

You won't ever hear me say any of my books are great. I know a lot of authors do say that about their books, but I don't feel comfortable doing that even when I like a book a lot. I figure how good the book is is up to the reader -- not me. I'm too biased.

But I was breathless reading the last 100 pages of WRANGLED. For the last 20 pages I was in tears. (I usually cry at the end of my books. Just not this much.) Yep, I was completely hooked and sad to see the Chisholms stories end.

Often when I finish a book, I can't tell if the tears (if I don't cry at the end, why would a reader?) are those of exhaustion or emotion for the story. So it is nice to get that last line edit and be breathless and in tears. I can send the manuscript off now and get on another one. My job is done. The Chisholm Cattle Company story has been told.

I just can't wait for you to read the last two Chisholm stories and tell me what you think. That, after all, is the true test.

Hello new year!

I'm excited about 2012. I love new years, new beginnings, a clean slate. I have lots of plans this year. Lots of resolutions and plenty of books to write.

I'm enjoying writing JUSTICE AT CARDWELL RANCH (it comes out in Oct.) It's the sequel to CRIME SCENE AT CARDWELL RANCH. I love the heroine. It is someone from the first book. Clue: she was a deputy with Hud Savage. I want the hero to be a surprise but he was also in the first book.

Meanwhile, ICE LAKE is out this week with my Intrigue buddies Julie Miller and Delores Fossen -- three stories. Then in March, the long-awaited continuing Whitehorse: Chisholm Cattle Company fifth book in the mini series: CORRALLED.  The Chisholms story ends in June with WRANGLED.

In August, my first HQN, a 90,000-word single-title book, UNFORGIVEN, comes out. I'm excited about it. It has a fun bunch of unusual characters who live in the shadow of the Crazy Mountains in southern Montana. With luck, it's the first of an on-going series.

Then JUSTICE AT CARDWELL RANCH in October. So that's what's happening as far as books for 2012.

Meanwhile, I have some personal resolutions. This is going to be the year that I am actually going to do them!

So what do you have planned for 2012?

The best gift ever

I was recently asked what was the best gift I have ever received or given.

It was hard to chose since I've been blessed with so much. I guess it depends on what you consider a "gift."

By far the best gift I ever received was my daughter. I remember the day she was born. I was hoping for a little girl. I got my wish. But I had no idea what an amazing young woman she would grow into. She is a constant gift, thoughtful and loving and always ready to lend an ear or a hand.

When she graduated from college, my present to her was a trip to Hawaii. It ended up being a wonderful present for me as well, getting to spend that time with her in such a beautiful place. I could never give her anything as wonderful as she has given me.

Yesterday my stepdaughter called with an early Christmas present. She is expecting. We are delighted that our lives will be blessed with another grandchild.

During this gift giving season, I can't help but look at all the gifts I've already received. A husband who makes me laugh and keeps me grounded, a wonderful daughter, two beautiful stepdaughters and now a sixth grandchild.

There are so many gifts in life that we never expect and those are the truly good ones.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! May your gifts be the good ones.

When is a story finished?

It's amazing all of the changes that come to  mind -- the moment I mail off my manuscript.

Just before Thanksgiving, I mailed off an over 90,000-word manuscript. I'd worked on this for months, rewritten, edited over and over and over again.

But there must be something about dropping it in the mail that makes the plot suddenly become clear. I wanted to chase down the mail truck and hijack my manuscript.

However, since I've been here before, I jotted down notes as the changes came to me. It was the first time I saw the whole book and could see the holes as if I'd fired a shotgun through all 432 pages.

So I'm in rewrite/edit mode. It's not a bad place to be. I know this book. I know these characters. I know what I have to do. Fortunately, my wonderful agent and editor have also given me input.

I've learned a lot over the years and the almost 60 books I've written and had published -- although a lot of days I feel like a beginner. But the one thing I am sure of is if a reader doesn't see the same character I do, then I didn't get that character on the page. If I have to explain my plot or my character's motivation, then I didn't do my job.

I've also learned that input only makes a book better. This one has been read by four readers so far, one an agent and two editors. The fourth, an avid reader who assured me that the story is there. (You need one person who reads your manuscript and loves it. Preferably not a relative.)

Now comes a couple of large things and a bunch of little things before the book goes to production and ends up in print. I've seen the cover. It is beautiful. I'm getting excited -- just as I do with every story that through trial and error becomes a book.

In the meantime, it is December in Montana. This photo was from last year but it is snowing right now!

What makes a good cover

As a writer, one of the moments we wait for anxiously is when we finally see the cover of our latest book.

It's with crossed fingers that we wait and hope.

Everyone has heard the horror stories of a really bad cover. Characters who look nothing like the ones inside the book, ugly heroes and heroines, oddities like a cover character with too many limbs. Some covers have a background that has nothing to do with our stories. Eye and hair colors are often wrong, along with clothing. I overheard one author talking about a cover with cactus. Unfortunately her story was set in the far north.

So when you get a good cover, it is with a sense of relief and gratitude to the designers. As writers we fill out detailed instructions for covers. After that, it is in the hands of the publisher. Like titles, we often have little control.

I'm more than a little delighted with my March cover. CORRALLED is the continuation of the Chisholm Cattle Company series set in Whitehorse, Montana. It is book #5 with the final book of the series, #6 WRANGLED coming out in June. 

Logan Chisholm loves adventure. He's at home on a Harley as he is on a horse. He finds himself in the Flathead Lake Valley when he hears country western music playing at a local bar. The moment he steps into the bar, his life is destined to change.

Capturing Logan wasn't an easy task, but the cover designer did a great job. I fell in love with him all over again. :)

Is it a book?

The day before Thanksgiving, I finished my book. I was too exhausted from months of writing to do anything more with it than drop it off with a couple of trusted readers.

This week, I began reading it for the who-knows-how-manyeth times. After letting it sit for four days, it was interesting to read it. When I finish a book, I never know if it is any good or not. I have no confidence that it is.

I'm 200 pages in. It is such a relief to like this book. There are scenes that I actually love. Scenes that make me smile. Not because I wrote them, but because the characters came alive and are now living, breathing beings that I feel I had nothing to do with creating. I like them because they are so much better than anything I could have dreamed up.

I again remember why I do this. All the hours, the eight pounds I gained, the aching back, the worry and stress, and the rotten cold I've come down with. It all seems worth it because I think it's a book, a real honest to goodness book.

I've heard from one of my readers. The other one will be checking in this week. But ultimately it will be the editor who decides if I've written a book worth marketing.

Most of the time at this stage, my attitude is: If I like the book, then that's all that matters. But this book is different. It's almost 100,000 words. That's a lot of words. And I haven't ever done anything like this before. So I guess I'm a little nervous.

Tomorrow I will finish reading it. I had to quit tonight because the cold medicine is working. By tomorrow night, I'll know if it's all there, if it works.

Then hopefully I can send it off to my editor. I sent the first 200 pages to my agent already. After tomorrow, I wait and hope for the best. I like these characters a lot. I want to see them get what they deserve -- to really live beyond the computer folder where they now live. I'm rooting for them.

For so long, I haven't let myself think about holding this book in my hand. But now I can't wait.

If I've done my job, UNFORGIVEN will hit the shelves in August.

Giving thanks

I took a class once that reminded us to write down three things that had happened that day to be thankful for before we went to bed each night.

What a wonderful idea. I did it for at least the length of the class. I need to start doing it again. It's a great way to end a day -- thinking of the good things that I had to be thankful for that day instead of worrying about what I had to get done the next day, or regretting something I ate or didn't clean, or chastising myself for not making it to the gym -- again.

I think it's too bad that every day isn't Thanksgiving. (Except for the part where we need to cook for two days, eat for fifteen minutes and then spend hours cleaning up and trying to find space in the fridge for all the extra food.)

I know, Thanksgiving isn't just about food. (Tell that to the turkey.) All kidding aside, I know that it's a day best spent with family and friends. It's about sharing and about taking the time to give thanks for each other. It's just too bad that it takes a holiday for us to often make the time to do that.

I often put off that very thing. We always think those people will be there when we have more time to visit. Often they aren't. There have been several people I meant to spend more time with and suddenly they were gone.

We will be spending the day with my stepdaughter and step son-in-law and the grand babies. There is nothing I enjoy more than being with them so I'm thankful that the roads are supposed to clear so we can make the trip.

The next day I will drag my poor husband to several stores on Black Friday because we'll be near stores and Christmas is coming. He will be thankful when it is over and we get to drive home again.

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I am reminding myself to take time to be thankful for the people in my life, to make more time for them and to start counting my blessings each night again. Could lead to some sweet dreams, don't you think?

I hope each of you count your blessings this Thanksgiving Day and that they are many.

I'm thankful for each of you.