Stitches Thru Time: setting

Friday, April 1, 2016

Fun with Knight in Shining Apron by Carole Brown

I'd love to introduce the two protagonists in the up and coming book: KNIGHT IN SHINING APRON book two in the West Virginia Romantic Mystery series. I'm asking them three questions today. Readers, FEEL FREE to chime in with questions of your own in the comment section.

ME: Can you give us a brief description of each other. Starli Cameron, you go first in describing Joel.

Starli: Sir Joel Peterman-Blair is a topnotch, famous and in-demand chef. He's volunteered hours serving those in third world countries. He's blond good-looking and trim, but with his sanguine personality, his teasing does get on my nerves quite a bit. He's too over-confident and too flirty, in my opinion.As a nephew to my matre de, I felt obligated to hire him, even when I know it will be a temporary job.

Joel: Tickled to get to describe my favorite person in the whole world, and by that, I'll glad confess I fell in love with the Appleton Ice Maiden, or as I prefer to call her, My Princess or Your Majesty. She's a bit haughty and seems cold to those who don't know her--and Starli, cover your ears, that's a good girl--but it's only because she hurts so much from the deceased monster who was her husband. She's an exceptional pianist and a really good ice skater. She loves the winter time. She's a white-blond beauty who trusts few people but those who are really close to her.

ME: You sound perfect for each other, and I'm assuming you get together? No answer? Hmmm. Next question: Why did you choose you particular careers?

Joel: I've always loved to cook and create outstanding recipes. Once I graduated from cooking school, I've worked in several famous restaurants and have done a lot of charity work for those less fortunate. Having a lawyer as a father, naturally he wanted me to follow in his footsteps but I was totally not interested. Fortunately, Uncle Lawrence made sure I could do what I was called to do--create and cook.

Starli: I wanted to be a professional pianist, but gave it up to marry Ryan Stratton. When he died, I inherited his insurance and started Apple Blossoms, the classiest restaurant around Charleston, WV. I have live music, and insist on the best chef and food. Even though I can't cook--really!--I love my restaurant. It's my anchor.

ME: When will this book be available?

Joel and Starli glance at each other, grinning. Together they say: Late spring. More than that, we're not allowed to say. It's the second book in the series (Sabotaged Christmas is the first one), and we hope you enjoy our story! We do. :)

ME: Thanks for joining us. We hope to hear more from you two at a later time!

About Carole:

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. She loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas.

She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?

Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/browncarole212
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sunnywrtr/boards/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brown
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/113068871986311965415/posts

Check out her books here

http://www.amazon.com/Carole-Brown/e/B00EZV4RFY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1427898838&sr=8-1

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Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Make Them Think You Live There: The Importance of Setting

Can your readers smell the food on the table and hear the sounds of the countryside? Setting is a critical feature of any novel, and should be another character; drawing the reader in and making them feel the rain on their face. One of the greatest challenges in writing Land of My Dreams, my debut contemporary Christian romance, was to make the reader feel as if they were in Scotland. This was no small undertaking, considering I have only spent two weeks there in my entire life.

In 2006, when my husband and I were preparing for a trip to Scotland, I began to gather information in order to see as much as possible. However, it wasn’t enough to make me an expert. Here are seven steps which helped me create a story world capable of convincing readers I had lived in Scotland:

First, if at all possible, travel to the place you’re writing about. When I went to Scotland, it never occurred to me that I would someday write a book about it. I kept a trip diary, and we took over 700 photographs, but only a few are of the area where the book takes place.

Second, learn cultural details, music, food, speech, history. I filled my iPod with Scottish folk tunes and classics and devoured tour books. Scotland is not northern England. It is a country with a rich and moving history of its own. And yes, I ate haggis.

Third, what is the weather like? Rain is a part of life. If Scots waited for the weather to clear, they would never do anything. Sunshine is as unique for them as rain is in my native New Mexico. Children played in the pouring rain wearing sleeveless shirts and shorts while I was bundled against the dreich weather, and hoping not to get drookit.

Fourth, learn something about how people talk. Basically, dreich is wet and rainy, and drookit is soaking wet. They use “Way In” instead of “Entrance,” and “Way Out” instead of “Exit.” When you order water the waiter will ask if you want “Still” or “Sparkling.” I was criticized for having male characters say it was a “lovely day,” but it is a common term for both men and women. There are websites of common Scottish/Gaelic names, slang, and phrases.

Fifth, I created a screen-saver of over 400 photos of the area where Land of My Dreams takes place. I have scenery, historical places, road signs, shop windows, and animals, almost anything that is a part of everyday life. If I need to describe something I look at the photos and then write and revise until it feels right.

Sixth, create similes and metaphors that compare and contrast things familiar to your audience with things that are commonplace to the characters. For example, Kieran is drawn to Bonny “like a bee to heather.”

Last, find someone who has lived there. I offered a $75 Amazon card on the Romance Loop of ACFW for someone to edit for Scottish content. Contemporary must be as accurate as or more so than historical because people can go there and see if what you said is true.

Efforts to make your story world appealing, realistic, and mood-setting will be worth all the research that goes into creating it. When someone reads Land of My Dreams, I want them to smell the New Mexico chile roasting and hear the skirl of bagpipes.

About the author:

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, set in Scotland and New Mexico released in April 2014. She has led weekly women’s Bible studies for 19 years. Her devotionals, poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, FaithWriters, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 38 years. They have two adult children.