What do you expect?

Okay, Miss Leann, I'm going to defend myself.  Guys don't spill their guts.  That's just a girl thing.  Do you know any man who wants to share his feelings?  Give me a break.  You just didn't want to write about Tessa, but you wanted to learn about my skeletons.  You wanted to learn about my ex-fiancee, my mistakes in high school and problem with gambling.  I mean, Zach also wasn't to eager to admit when he was in a funk. 

You know, I wouldn't have said anything about my gambling, but Tessa was hurting and I wanted to help ease her pain but it blew up in my face.  She'd lived with a gambler, and when I confessed by gambling, she pushed me away.

I know horses and cows.  They're much easier to deal with than females, but I'll say that a girl is nicer to cuddle up to than my horse and definitely my cows.

ACFW Conference

I just came back from the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference held in Dallas.  It was great to spend time with other folks who are as weird as I am.  I talked to old friends and made some new ones.  I  met my new editor at B&H. Several of the other writers who are writing WWII books  were there.  (My book is set in the Netherlands and England).   I also talked to the editors for Love Inspired Romance.  Which brings me to my current work which is out right now.  My son-in-law sent me a picture while I was at the conference of my book on the shelf at Walmart.  It still is a thrill to see your baby in the store.  I'll confess that every author I know counts how many book are still there.  We want them gone.

Well, because I was gone last week and getting on line at the hotel wasn't easy, I didn't post, but I know my characters are eager to start spilling the beans.  I think Ethan is first up, so turn in on Thursday.  I'm sure he'll have a lot to say.  If you have questions for him, ask. I know he'll answer the.

Ethan and Tessa

When characters come to you, they intrigue you and you start asking who are you?  When I started writing Second Chance Ranch Zach McClure, the hero, had two siblings, Beth and Ethan.  Beth was the youngest and Ethan the eldest.  Through both Zach's and Beth's books, Ethan was the calm steady presence who everyone depended upon.  He was the level head.  A girl couldn't ask anything better from a man.  And he's  a hunk...

That's great, right?   Uh, not really.  How boring.  All readers love the bad boy, the fallen hero because we want to redeem him.  So what do you do with the nice guy?

When I started Ethan's book, the man was really closed mouth.   Stubborn.  He wouldn't talk to me for days.  But I was determined to tell his story.  Don't you just hate when a man won't open up?  Well, it took me sometime to pry it out of him, but I found out.  And of course, Tessa proved to be as much as a challenge.  She had her secrets, but was more willing to share.  But I got the straight skinny and it's in the book.



I'm sure Ethan's not going to take my bad mouthing him lying down, but he'll have to live with it.

All the characters give behind the scenes comments on the current book (as if I could stop them), but I'll continue blogging my thoughts.  And what crazy thoughts an author has.  Since this fall is a new beginning for this blog... I hope you readers will comment, ask questions about the book, let me know what you want to know.  Hopefully, it will give y'all insight.