Forced to Write
Any of you who have ever taken a class where you are required to write a piece of creative writing fiction can understand how frustrating it is to be forced to write. In my experience, nothing good ever comes out of the pencil or fingers when someone is constantly hovering over my shoulder, commanding I write this way or that way, sneering at my ideas, and practically demanding I change part of my soul. A bit dramatic? Probably. Completely true? Absolutely.
Classes
This semester, my last fall semester, has been a rough one, and it's only October! Not that I hate any of my classes. In fact, I quite enjoy the majority of them, which doesn't happen quite often. The reason this semester has been so hard on me is because of the Advanced Creative Writing class I have to take. Yes. HAVE to. I love writing. It is my greatest passion in life. Nothing relieves my concerns or lifts my spirits like writing can. But, not when it is, again, forced out of me.
We have to write a short story for the class, which will then go through the workshop process. For those of you who don't know or haven't experienced a workshop, it can be a very helpful opportunity for writers of all levels. I've loved workshops, as it gives me the other eyes I need on my work. It can be very hard to sit there silently as you listen to everything that is wrong with your work, but all in all, it can be very beneficial.
The hardest thing for me when it comes to workshops in classes, however, is that those reading it are being forced to read it, just like I was forced to write the piece. Double negative. Double negative. Not fun.
If you didn't want to write the piece, and the people reading it don't want to read the piece, I find it hard to believe that anything positive or constructive will come naturally out of the work.
That is why the semester has been rough. And that is why I write when it's not forced. Because when I write when I have to, I tend to take a negative approach which inevitably leads to some of my worst work I've ever seen.
Take a Breath
Wow. As you can see, the frustration of forced writing has really gotten to be lately. Which is exactly why I needed to write this blog post. So I can write something I want to write for people who want to read it! Because if you're reading this right now, I know it's not because you're forced to. It's because you're genuinely interested. And I appreciate it! Thank you!
Lucky You
And so, for sticking with me through my ranting and raving, you now get to read about my fourth random fact for writing A Secret Fire.
Shocking
It was for me, anyway, that my book was published. After all, I was not planning on having it published, let alone having it leave my eyes to anyone else. I wrote it solely because Emma and Thatcher's story needed to be told.
I had the idea for so long that it was festering inside me, screaming at me each and every day. It wanted to be on paper. It needed to be on paper. And when I finally relented, it took off like I could never have imagined.
I was so excited how it was turning out that I couldn't help myself. I blurted out to my little sister that I was writing a story. A story that I was going to finish.
Embarrassing
I do not want to admit this, but I have to. Mostly because you've stuck with me for this long, you might as well get something funny out of all of this.
Before A Secret Fire, I had never finished a story. In my life. I had never finished anything. The only final drafts I've ever had of things were of my poems. Not even short stories had a I fully finished. This, for a Creative Writing major, is kind of ridiculous. My problem was that I couldn't finish anything because I was afraid of what people would think of what I was writing. Once I started worrying, the story went downhill, and so did my confidence.
So What Was Different
I finally decided, with A Secret Fire, that I was going to write it for me and me alone. Then, in that way, I didn't have to worry about what other people would think. I realized that I had control over it. I didn't have to let anyone read it but me!
Aftermath
Finally, after writing half of my story, I gave it to my sister, Marinda. Again, we were both shocked that I got that far. Marinda had always read everything that I have written, and she always told me that she was disappointed when I never finished anything. So, when I told her that I was for sure going to finish it, and I was already a good eighty pages in, she couldn't wait to read it (I hope, at least).
I gave it to her and waited what seemed like ages. To my sheer delight, however, she finished it within hours! She told me that she really enjoyed reading it, and this boosted my confidence like no other. She's always been great with my writing, but she can't lie, so I knew I should feel good!
After that, I had the courage to give it to my husband, he read ten pages in (a huge deal for a man to read a romance novel) and he said it was really good, too. Now, this man cannot lie. Seriously. He can't. Which is a wonderful trait to have. :)
Decision
It was a huge decision to have the book published. I didn't want to at first, because of my worrying, but after the encouragement of my family, I was able to let go of my fears and let my story out to the world!
THANK YOU!
I just wanted to give a huge thank you to those of you who have read my book. It was such a big deal to me to have people read my work, but each time I receive any feedback on it, I am so grateful that I did it and that my family and husband were there for me.
I really appreciate each and every one of you that have read A Secret Fire! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it! Thank you thank you thank you to all of you!!
Until next time, happy reading!
Deborah
Friday, October 5, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Random Fact About A Secret Fire #3
Oh, Nancy Jane
Questions
Deborah
Questions
Many people have asked me where the inspiration for Nancy Jane came from. Was she based off of someone from my past? How did I come up with the nasty things she did to Emma in A Secret Fire?
The Answer
*This post includes a few small spoilers*
I don’t really know. I mean, we’ve all had those people in our lives, be they boys or girls, that have ruined certain days, sometimes years, for us. But was there just the one?
No. Not for me, anyway. Nancy Jane is not based on anyone specific that I knew. She was mainly the accumulation of people I had witnessed being rude to others, people who I have interacted with myself years back, and people who I can imagine are out there tormenting everyone with their pompous and degrading attitudes.
I remember seeing television shows and movies, reading books, and seeing in real life when the ‘bad girl’ would always end up just being ignored, and that was the only pleasure the victim would receive. I did not want this to happen in A Secret Fire, mainly for Emma’s sake. I wanted Emma to feel empowered, to be able to stand up to the bully in her life, and to feel, for once in her life, that she was in charge. However, I did not want her to be as rude to Nancy Jane as she was to Emma, because then she’s just as much in the wrong, and that is just not who Emma is.
So, as we read in A Secret Fire, I came up with a way to have Emma stand up for herself, but not be nasty, this being, in my opinion, the best way to handle certain situations with bullies of every kind. But of course, as the author, I could be a bit crueler than Emma could, so I allowed the pink-clad Nancy Jane to get what was coming to her: a nice dousing in some horse-spit water!
Confession & Conclusion
I must admit, however, that I enjoyed writing Nancy Jane Tilman’s part in the novel. She brought out another complication in the story, as well as another way to allow Emma’s character to shine through the writing. My favorite part was being able to write about Nancy Jane’s clothing and accent. She reminds me of the annoying Gertie Cummings on the musical, Oklahoma: always giggling and getting in the way of true love!
I’ve also considered writing a branch off of A Secret Fire where I tell Nancy Jane’s story, but I just don’t know if I could do it. I’d either have to keep her as nasty as a flea or change her into something as sweet as a Georgia Peach, and I just don’t know if I could decide between the two! So, for now, I’ll keep Nancy Jane just as she is: flirting, scowling, and sopping wet.
Until next time, happy reading!
Deborah
Monday, August 27, 2012
Random Fact About A Secret Fire #2
My Obsession
For as long as I can remember, I have loved horses. There is something special about them, the way their muscles jult when they run, how their hair literally flows in the wind. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than those graceful animals.
How It Came To Be
It started at a very young age, my love for the animals, and although there were many reasons for it, I will share the most memorable experience. The first time I can remember feeling moved at seeing horses run was when one of my older brothers and his friend watched Return to Snowy River. (If any of you have not seen this movie and love horses and Australia and romance and anything and everything good in this world, you need to watch it.) I was very young, and, of course, my brother didn't want to have his annoying sisters around, so I stayed in my room which was right next to the livingroom which was where they were watching it.
I remember they sat down and ate lunch as the movie started, and I was instantly intrigued by the beautiful music I heard coming from behind the wall. And then I heard the pounding of horse hooves against solid earth, the whinnies coming from running horses, and the crack of the whip above all else.
I remained silent in the room, trying to hear as much as I could, but it soon got to the point where I couldn't hear enough! So, sneaky as I was at so young an age, I silently walked into the kitchen so my brother would think I was simply moving from room to room, and then I got on my hands and knees and crawled around the livingroom wall. I hunched behind the couch the boys were sitting on and held my breath, praying they wouldn't hear me. When no movement was heard in front of me, I relaxed more, and peered slightly around the couch so I could see the small TV with only my right eye.
And there I sat for nearly two hours, completely enthralled with what I was seeing. The romance in it was superb, the horses were fantastic, and the dirt flying up from the black horse's hooves was empowering! I loved every second of it and was highly disappointed when it came to an end.
So, with a crook in my neck and a sore back, I scurried back into the kitchen, stood upright, and sauntered to my room, proud of myself for my little deception. I didn't feel bad, though I probably should have. Instead, I justified it by telling myself that I would never had been introduced to that wonderful movie if I had not been so sneaky. And to this day, I'm glad I did it! (Sorry to my brother and his friend for the public confession. I hope you can forgive me.)
My Birthday & Christmas Wish
And so it began, my obsession with horses. From that point on, every single birthday and Christmas I celebrated I asked for a horse. Seriously. Every single one. Not one has gone by when I have not asked for a horse. And I still do, and will continue to until my wish comes true! Of course I never expected to get one; I had done my research (even at the young age) to know what they cost. But without fail, just as long as I had asked, my parents would buy me a horse! A stuffed one, that is. But each one I received was still just as precious to me as anything. I still have them all, some fifteen of them, on my bed or in my spare room.
When I started dating my husband, he knew how obsessed I was with the animals, and I didn't even have to ask him to get me a horse (even though I did when he asked what I wanted...I was only joking, of course...), because on my birthday, he took me horseback riding! It was the most wonderful thing ever, and I'll never forget how happy I was!
How I Deal With It
Though it's hard to not have something I desperately want/need, I get by with the wonderful horse presents each year, watching Man From Snowy River, Return to Snowy River, Hidalgo, and the Heartland series constantly, and by, and this is the most obvious to readers of A Secret Fire, including them in my writings!
Spitfire & Sweet Tooth
I knew I wanted to add so much more in A Secret Fire about horses, but I knew it wasn't crucial to the integrity of the novel, so I restrained myself and included what I thought was an adequate amount. I have read stories where the author knows so much about something that he/she puts in an excess amount of information in the story that just bogs it down, and that is not what I wanted to have in A Secret Fire.
So, instead, I only put a few scenes in with Emma and her horse, Spitfire, and Thatcher and his horse, Sweet Tooth. Those are some of my favorite scenes, when a horse is involved, because it adds another dimension, another character, to the storyline. And having an animal be a character always adds another interesting way to see the main characters' behaviors and quirks.
As for choosing the names of the horses, I knew I needed to choose ones that I liked, and that I knew that Thatcher and Emma would've liked, too.
Emma's was named Spitfire because it is the complete opposite of Emma. Emma goes to Spitfire when she needs to unwind and let herself go, and she can only do this with her horse. Having a horse named Spitfire gives Emma some of the courage and strength she needs to let go of her worries at certain times.
Thatcher's was named Sweet Tooth because that is exactly what Thatcher has. He has a hankering for all things sweet, but shows it at only certain points of the novel. Also, described in A Secret Fire, we hear that Sweet Tooth gets his name from eating "a whole bucket of sugar cubes as a colt." This shows that Sweet Tooth, like his master, can't stop himself from eating something sweet and devouring the whole thing!
The End of My Long-Winded Explanation
And so, with having such an obsession with horses, I was able to add another dimension to the characters in A Secret Fire, and I hope you've all been able to see that come about!
Until next time,
Happy Reading!
Deborah
Find A Secret Fire at http://www.asecretfire.com/
For as long as I can remember, I have loved horses. There is something special about them, the way their muscles jult when they run, how their hair literally flows in the wind. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than those graceful animals.
How It Came To Be
It started at a very young age, my love for the animals, and although there were many reasons for it, I will share the most memorable experience. The first time I can remember feeling moved at seeing horses run was when one of my older brothers and his friend watched Return to Snowy River. (If any of you have not seen this movie and love horses and Australia and romance and anything and everything good in this world, you need to watch it.) I was very young, and, of course, my brother didn't want to have his annoying sisters around, so I stayed in my room which was right next to the livingroom which was where they were watching it.
I remember they sat down and ate lunch as the movie started, and I was instantly intrigued by the beautiful music I heard coming from behind the wall. And then I heard the pounding of horse hooves against solid earth, the whinnies coming from running horses, and the crack of the whip above all else.
I remained silent in the room, trying to hear as much as I could, but it soon got to the point where I couldn't hear enough! So, sneaky as I was at so young an age, I silently walked into the kitchen so my brother would think I was simply moving from room to room, and then I got on my hands and knees and crawled around the livingroom wall. I hunched behind the couch the boys were sitting on and held my breath, praying they wouldn't hear me. When no movement was heard in front of me, I relaxed more, and peered slightly around the couch so I could see the small TV with only my right eye.
And there I sat for nearly two hours, completely enthralled with what I was seeing. The romance in it was superb, the horses were fantastic, and the dirt flying up from the black horse's hooves was empowering! I loved every second of it and was highly disappointed when it came to an end.
So, with a crook in my neck and a sore back, I scurried back into the kitchen, stood upright, and sauntered to my room, proud of myself for my little deception. I didn't feel bad, though I probably should have. Instead, I justified it by telling myself that I would never had been introduced to that wonderful movie if I had not been so sneaky. And to this day, I'm glad I did it! (Sorry to my brother and his friend for the public confession. I hope you can forgive me.)
My Birthday & Christmas Wish
And so it began, my obsession with horses. From that point on, every single birthday and Christmas I celebrated I asked for a horse. Seriously. Every single one. Not one has gone by when I have not asked for a horse. And I still do, and will continue to until my wish comes true! Of course I never expected to get one; I had done my research (even at the young age) to know what they cost. But without fail, just as long as I had asked, my parents would buy me a horse! A stuffed one, that is. But each one I received was still just as precious to me as anything. I still have them all, some fifteen of them, on my bed or in my spare room.
When I started dating my husband, he knew how obsessed I was with the animals, and I didn't even have to ask him to get me a horse (even though I did when he asked what I wanted...I was only joking, of course...), because on my birthday, he took me horseback riding! It was the most wonderful thing ever, and I'll never forget how happy I was!
How I Deal With It
Though it's hard to not have something I desperately want/need, I get by with the wonderful horse presents each year, watching Man From Snowy River, Return to Snowy River, Hidalgo, and the Heartland series constantly, and by, and this is the most obvious to readers of A Secret Fire, including them in my writings!
Spitfire & Sweet Tooth
I knew I wanted to add so much more in A Secret Fire about horses, but I knew it wasn't crucial to the integrity of the novel, so I restrained myself and included what I thought was an adequate amount. I have read stories where the author knows so much about something that he/she puts in an excess amount of information in the story that just bogs it down, and that is not what I wanted to have in A Secret Fire.
So, instead, I only put a few scenes in with Emma and her horse, Spitfire, and Thatcher and his horse, Sweet Tooth. Those are some of my favorite scenes, when a horse is involved, because it adds another dimension, another character, to the storyline. And having an animal be a character always adds another interesting way to see the main characters' behaviors and quirks.
As for choosing the names of the horses, I knew I needed to choose ones that I liked, and that I knew that Thatcher and Emma would've liked, too.
Emma's was named Spitfire because it is the complete opposite of Emma. Emma goes to Spitfire when she needs to unwind and let herself go, and she can only do this with her horse. Having a horse named Spitfire gives Emma some of the courage and strength she needs to let go of her worries at certain times.
Thatcher's was named Sweet Tooth because that is exactly what Thatcher has. He has a hankering for all things sweet, but shows it at only certain points of the novel. Also, described in A Secret Fire, we hear that Sweet Tooth gets his name from eating "a whole bucket of sugar cubes as a colt." This shows that Sweet Tooth, like his master, can't stop himself from eating something sweet and devouring the whole thing!
The End of My Long-Winded Explanation
And so, with having such an obsession with horses, I was able to add another dimension to the characters in A Secret Fire, and I hope you've all been able to see that come about!
Until next time,
Happy Reading!
Deborah
Find A Secret Fire at http://www.asecretfire.com/
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Random Fact About A Secret Fire #1
Favorite Names
For years, I've been obsessed with the name William. I can't remember how it came about, but I believe that there is no stronger, handsome a name in the world. So when I saw A Knight's Tale, that wonderful movie with dreamy Heath Ledger playing a stalwart knight named William Thatcher, I fell in love with the name even more and promised myself I would name my son "William" someday. And that was at age twelve.
Well, I still have that desire, some ten years later, and am dead set on making it happen (and luckily my husband likes the name, too)!
William?
Whenever I wrote stories, before I figured out a male character's name, I would always slip in "William" until I found the real ones, but William has never stuck with any character, and that is for two reasons. One, I don't want my son thinking he was named after a character in my book. I think a girl would be okay with it, but not a boy. And CERTAINLY not after a romance book. And two, the name is so special to me that I want to save it solely for a future son (and hopefully the name fits him!)
How Thatcher Came to Be
So, I had a dilemma. I wanted the main male character in A Secret Fire to have a good, solid name, but what name could compare to William?
I've loved the name "Thatcher" since I'd seen A Knight's Tale, but there were two problems again. One, it's a LAST name, not a first. And two, my husband (and family) didn't see the sense in naming a son "Thatcher." Years before, I had always thought it a strong name and wanted to name another son that, but, I gave in and agreed that we wouldn't name our future son "Thatcher." But it was hard, I tell you! How could I NOT name my son "Thatcher"?
And then it hit me. Thatcher was the man in A Secret Fire. There was no doubt about it. I brainstormed for a few more weeks, but nothing else came close to the name, not even William! And I won in so many ways by choosing this: because I got to name someone "Thatcher," because I finally found the solid name I'd been searching so long for, because Thatcher makes me think of a strong, handsome man, and because I absolutely love the name!
His Last Name
Then came choosing Thatcher's last name. I wanted something different and strong to match his first, so I thought long about this one, too. I scanned through phone books, school directories, baby name books, the credits on movies, the graveyard I walked through every day to get to school, but nothing popped out at me. I knew I wanted some strong, almost harsh letters to match the "ch" in
"Thatcher," so the name "Deacon" caught my eye while I was browsing the internet one day. I loved the fierce sounds of the "d" and "c". But, I didn't like the spelling because it seemed almost too preachy. That, and it didn't fit at all with his character. So I tweaked the spelling, ending up with the strong "Deakon."
Rest at Last
I couldn't believe when I finally found the name I liked enough to name a character after it, but I was relieved when it happened! There is nothing more freeing than finding that name the character needs, and there is nothing more satisfying than creating a solid name like Thatcher Deakon.
Find A Secret Fire at http://www.asecretfire.com/
For years, I've been obsessed with the name William. I can't remember how it came about, but I believe that there is no stronger, handsome a name in the world. So when I saw A Knight's Tale, that wonderful movie with dreamy Heath Ledger playing a stalwart knight named William Thatcher, I fell in love with the name even more and promised myself I would name my son "William" someday. And that was at age twelve.
Well, I still have that desire, some ten years later, and am dead set on making it happen (and luckily my husband likes the name, too)!
William?
Whenever I wrote stories, before I figured out a male character's name, I would always slip in "William" until I found the real ones, but William has never stuck with any character, and that is for two reasons. One, I don't want my son thinking he was named after a character in my book. I think a girl would be okay with it, but not a boy. And CERTAINLY not after a romance book. And two, the name is so special to me that I want to save it solely for a future son (and hopefully the name fits him!)
How Thatcher Came to Be
So, I had a dilemma. I wanted the main male character in A Secret Fire to have a good, solid name, but what name could compare to William?
I've loved the name "Thatcher" since I'd seen A Knight's Tale, but there were two problems again. One, it's a LAST name, not a first. And two, my husband (and family) didn't see the sense in naming a son "Thatcher." Years before, I had always thought it a strong name and wanted to name another son that, but, I gave in and agreed that we wouldn't name our future son "Thatcher." But it was hard, I tell you! How could I NOT name my son "Thatcher"?
And then it hit me. Thatcher was the man in A Secret Fire. There was no doubt about it. I brainstormed for a few more weeks, but nothing else came close to the name, not even William! And I won in so many ways by choosing this: because I got to name someone "Thatcher," because I finally found the solid name I'd been searching so long for, because Thatcher makes me think of a strong, handsome man, and because I absolutely love the name!
His Last Name
Then came choosing Thatcher's last name. I wanted something different and strong to match his first, so I thought long about this one, too. I scanned through phone books, school directories, baby name books, the credits on movies, the graveyard I walked through every day to get to school, but nothing popped out at me. I knew I wanted some strong, almost harsh letters to match the "ch" in
"Thatcher," so the name "Deacon" caught my eye while I was browsing the internet one day. I loved the fierce sounds of the "d" and "c". But, I didn't like the spelling because it seemed almost too preachy. That, and it didn't fit at all with his character. So I tweaked the spelling, ending up with the strong "Deakon."
Rest at Last
I couldn't believe when I finally found the name I liked enough to name a character after it, but I was relieved when it happened! There is nothing more freeing than finding that name the character needs, and there is nothing more satisfying than creating a solid name like Thatcher Deakon.
Find A Secret Fire at http://www.asecretfire.com/
Monday, August 20, 2012
Born From the Mind
Random Ramblings
Yes, it's getting to be that time again. The time when the earth becomes cooler and the days become shorter; when the trees become less green and the smell of pumpkins growing on the vine encompasses the air...Or am I getting ahead of myself? Is it really still only August when the days are just as hot as before and the sun never seems to go down; when the trees are full and the smell of lawns being mowed makes its way into each house with windows open? No, it's not getting to that time again, but thank heavens there is still good to be found in the little month of August!
School begins next week, the last time for me. It's sad in a way, I enjoy learning and receiving an education, but I suppose it's time for a new chapter of my life. One as a college graduate!
My Summer
The summer has been a busy one, and it'll be sad to see its end. We started out by completing a journey of a lifetime for me. My husband, Christian, is from England, and we were blessed enough to be able to travel there for a month. We got to see everything from Mr. Darcy's home in Pride and Prejudice, to Ireland's coast, from Scotland's rugged mountains to London, Bath, and Stratford-Upon-Avon. It is a beautiful country with so much rich history that I didn't want to leave! Not only did it inspire me in my writing, but in so many other ways, as well, and I hope to go back one day soon.
After England, life slowed down drastically. Christian worked every day from sun up to sun down, so with that time, I was able to write, coming up with new ideas for new stories every day. Last summer was the polar opposite for me, as I wrote one story, writing about those characters I have grown so close to that they seem real. But instead of that story going in my box of writings like all the other work I've written, I was able to get it published. And that story with those dear characters of mine turned into A Secret Fire, my first published novel.
The Makings of A Secret Fire
A Secret Fire is a historical, clean romance set in the old west. It is filled with handsome cowboys, barn raisings, and, of course, romance! I love the story of the main characters, Emma Marchant and Thatcher Deakon, for to me, their's is as real as my own love story. The obstacles they have to overcome to get to each other, the insecurities Emma feels, the trepidation Thatcher experiences, all are so real and vivid to me.
I had been thinking about the main points of A Secret Fire for years and years, ever since I received my love of romance novels at the ripe young age of twelve. Although I'm sure I've read books before that have been romantic, the first I remember was Charlotte's Rose by A.E. Cannon. That young adult novel about a young girl crossing the plains and falling in love grew on me from the very start! I loved everything about it, especially the main character! Now, I've loved to write my entire life. I can't remember a time where I didn't have a pencil or keyboard glued to my finger tips. And, as I finished reading Charlotte's Rose, I couldn't help but want to write something like it! My mother helped me write a message to the author, expressing my joy in reading her wonderful novel, and to my great joy and surprise, she wrote back! I was completely flattered that a real author had taken the time out of her day to write back a random twelve-year-old girl. I knew right then and there as I read her responding email over and over again that I wanted to make writing, not only a greater passion of mine than it already was, but my career.
A Real Author
And that started my dream of becoming a "real" author, just like A. E. Cannon. With that desire came my love of all things cowboy or englishman. I've loved horses as long as I've loved to write, and I've loved the UK (and the delightful accents they provide to the world) as long as I've loved both! So, with those loves, A Secret Fire blossomed somewhere in my subconscious.
But it wasn't so easy as to write it all out and have the story take form itself. No, I had to wait years and years for Emma and Thatcher's story to really shine through my busy schedule and bogged down life. Still, their story remained in the back of my mind, unnamed just as the characters, a few scenes popping up in the forefront every once in awhile, but nothing concrete.
That is, until I was twenty-one and visited the American West Heritage Center in Logan, Utah. That place was astounding. The atmosphere of the cowboys dressed up in full garb, of the women in beautiful red and blue, full-length dresses, of the horses chomping down on hay handed to them by the cowboys themselves, was enough to bring Emma and Thatcher out of the dark for good!
I came home that night and wrote down every single thought that had entered my mind that day at the Heritage Center. I had everything from romance and horses, to cowboys and kissing, and I couldn't stop! For four months straight I wrote their story, finding time between my busy class schedule and everything else going on in my life then. I couldn't stop! I was having the time of my life finally writing what had been in me for years.
And so, A Secret Fire was born from the recesses of my mind, heart, and soul, and here it is today, published and bookshelved, ready for any and all to read the story that captured my heart so long ago. I hope you can take the time to read it someday, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I've loved writing it.
Until next time,
Deborah
You can find A Secret Fire at http://www.asecretfire.com/
Yes, it's getting to be that time again. The time when the earth becomes cooler and the days become shorter; when the trees become less green and the smell of pumpkins growing on the vine encompasses the air...Or am I getting ahead of myself? Is it really still only August when the days are just as hot as before and the sun never seems to go down; when the trees are full and the smell of lawns being mowed makes its way into each house with windows open? No, it's not getting to that time again, but thank heavens there is still good to be found in the little month of August!
School begins next week, the last time for me. It's sad in a way, I enjoy learning and receiving an education, but I suppose it's time for a new chapter of my life. One as a college graduate!
My Summer
The summer has been a busy one, and it'll be sad to see its end. We started out by completing a journey of a lifetime for me. My husband, Christian, is from England, and we were blessed enough to be able to travel there for a month. We got to see everything from Mr. Darcy's home in Pride and Prejudice, to Ireland's coast, from Scotland's rugged mountains to London, Bath, and Stratford-Upon-Avon. It is a beautiful country with so much rich history that I didn't want to leave! Not only did it inspire me in my writing, but in so many other ways, as well, and I hope to go back one day soon.
After England, life slowed down drastically. Christian worked every day from sun up to sun down, so with that time, I was able to write, coming up with new ideas for new stories every day. Last summer was the polar opposite for me, as I wrote one story, writing about those characters I have grown so close to that they seem real. But instead of that story going in my box of writings like all the other work I've written, I was able to get it published. And that story with those dear characters of mine turned into A Secret Fire, my first published novel.
The Makings of A Secret Fire
A Secret Fire is a historical, clean romance set in the old west. It is filled with handsome cowboys, barn raisings, and, of course, romance! I love the story of the main characters, Emma Marchant and Thatcher Deakon, for to me, their's is as real as my own love story. The obstacles they have to overcome to get to each other, the insecurities Emma feels, the trepidation Thatcher experiences, all are so real and vivid to me.
I had been thinking about the main points of A Secret Fire for years and years, ever since I received my love of romance novels at the ripe young age of twelve. Although I'm sure I've read books before that have been romantic, the first I remember was Charlotte's Rose by A.E. Cannon. That young adult novel about a young girl crossing the plains and falling in love grew on me from the very start! I loved everything about it, especially the main character! Now, I've loved to write my entire life. I can't remember a time where I didn't have a pencil or keyboard glued to my finger tips. And, as I finished reading Charlotte's Rose, I couldn't help but want to write something like it! My mother helped me write a message to the author, expressing my joy in reading her wonderful novel, and to my great joy and surprise, she wrote back! I was completely flattered that a real author had taken the time out of her day to write back a random twelve-year-old girl. I knew right then and there as I read her responding email over and over again that I wanted to make writing, not only a greater passion of mine than it already was, but my career.
A Real Author
And that started my dream of becoming a "real" author, just like A. E. Cannon. With that desire came my love of all things cowboy or englishman. I've loved horses as long as I've loved to write, and I've loved the UK (and the delightful accents they provide to the world) as long as I've loved both! So, with those loves, A Secret Fire blossomed somewhere in my subconscious.
But it wasn't so easy as to write it all out and have the story take form itself. No, I had to wait years and years for Emma and Thatcher's story to really shine through my busy schedule and bogged down life. Still, their story remained in the back of my mind, unnamed just as the characters, a few scenes popping up in the forefront every once in awhile, but nothing concrete.
That is, until I was twenty-one and visited the American West Heritage Center in Logan, Utah. That place was astounding. The atmosphere of the cowboys dressed up in full garb, of the women in beautiful red and blue, full-length dresses, of the horses chomping down on hay handed to them by the cowboys themselves, was enough to bring Emma and Thatcher out of the dark for good!
I came home that night and wrote down every single thought that had entered my mind that day at the Heritage Center. I had everything from romance and horses, to cowboys and kissing, and I couldn't stop! For four months straight I wrote their story, finding time between my busy class schedule and everything else going on in my life then. I couldn't stop! I was having the time of my life finally writing what had been in me for years.
And so, A Secret Fire was born from the recesses of my mind, heart, and soul, and here it is today, published and bookshelved, ready for any and all to read the story that captured my heart so long ago. I hope you can take the time to read it someday, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I've loved writing it.
Until next time,
Deborah
You can find A Secret Fire at http://www.asecretfire.com/
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