Author Spotlight week - Excerpt from West of Heaven

Hi all - enjoy this excerpt from Barbara Scott's upcoming novel, "West of Heaven." The novel will be released on 15 APR. Leave a comment and Barbara will chose 2 lucky posters to win either a PDF of "West of Heaven" or "Listen With Your Heart." (poster's choice) Also, comment on one of Barbara's other posts this week and your name will also go in the hat for the drawing to win her novels. Winners will be announced here - on this post on Monday, 28 MON. Please leave an email in your comment so it will be easier to get ahold of you.

Read. Enjoy. Leave a comment.
Smiles
Steph




Tom brought up a hardy mousey brown horse that should suit her. He had a sleekness to him and a wise look. He stood solid while Jean Luc saddled him. Marcella came up to take his reins, stroking the horse's nose and talking to him in soft reassuring tones.

"Does this one have a name, Tom?" Marcella asked.

"Redemption they called him."

"Redemption." From her mouth, the name whispered through the morning air like a word of endearment. The critter ate it up like sugar lumps.

"You got a way with horses." Jean Luc pulled the cinches tight. "Sweet-talking might be all you need to keep you seated. Maybe he won't buck at all. He ain't puttin' up a fight now, but, just in case, try to sit back and catch his rhythm and ride with it."

"Until I land in the dirt with the best of them." She whispered something else to the horse as Jean Luc came around to give her a leg up.

"Have a good ride." He stepped back to clear the way.

Marcella steered Redemption toward the center of the corral, taking an easy pace, showing a confidence that let the horse know he was in good hands. He responded with a cooperation that thrilled Jean Luc. They walked the boundary of the corral without a bump or a bother. A mumble of appreciation rippled through the townsfolk who'd been attracted by the unusual Sunday morning goings-on.

When she looked up, Jean Luc signaled his encouragement by snatching off his hat and waving it in the air. Ezra and Tom nodded enthusiastically. She urged Redemption into a post trot, raising herself in her stirrups so she was half-sitting and half standing, her body bobbing up and down in perfect rhythm to the horse's gait. On this go round she beamed at Polly's barely contained excitement and at Glory with her hands on her hips, no doubt puzzling out why she hadn't drawn Marcella's horse instead of the one she'd chosen.

In truth, Jean Luc suspected it was Tom's horse sense that had reserved this mount for her. Not too shy to show off, Marcella directed Redemption into some quick turns and stops before taking him one more time around. She brought him to a smooth stop in front of Jean Luc and dismounted.

Tilting back her hat, Marcella took off her bandana and used it to dab at the sweat on her brow. "I don't know, Jean Luc, do you really think I had to change clothes for that ride?"

Jean Luc rubbed his chin. "Well, how else do you think that horse knew you meant business? Now, ready for some breakfast? Or should we start right in on ropin' and tyin'?"

Author Spotlight Week - Barbara Scott talks about her love for westerns

I think if I followed the advice to "write what you know" none of my books would ever be written. West of Heaven is my first historical Western romance, and I had fun writing it. Certain conventions of this genre make it very appealing. Who can resist the iconic cowboy, the girl who tames him, the vivid settings, and the colorful secondary characters filling the background of most Westerns? All of these combine with classic stories of white hat vs. black to make this genre attract devoted followers.

Historicals of many eras appeal to me. My first book for Desert Breeze was an historical, Listen With Your Heart. It was also set in 1871, but started at the Chicago Fire and moved east to New York, Connecticut, and eventually Ireland. I've written a Civil War ghost story trilogy and a YA historical set during the pre Civil War Kansas-Missouri border wars. I love the research involved. Usually something I come across researching one book is the spark for the next. I guess the consistency is the American focus.

The opportunity to go larger than life with characters is more acceptable in historicals than contemporaries. (Where would a swashbuckler fit in the twenty-first century?) I am very much a character focused writer. If I can redeem a disgraced trail boss who is also a murder suspect, or take a bunch of fallen women and send them on a cattle drive I'm happy.

One of the difficulties with Westerns is their familiarity. With a cattle trail book, you have to expect the difficult river crossings, the stampede, campfire talk, and rustlers. Making these fresh and memorable in West of Heaven was my goal, made easier by the cowgirls that make up the outfit.

I love reading and writing historicals, but I can't help but dabble in contemporary romance as well. In fact, my October book from Desert Breeze, Talk of the Town, will be a contemporary.

Author Spotlight week - Q&A with Barbara Scott

STEPH: I don't know much about West of Heaven. What's it about?

BARBARA: West of Heaven is a Western romance set on the cattle trail. Assumed orphan, Marcella McGovern comes to Texas for the reading of the will of her unknown benefactress, Sophie Castleman. To her shock, she discovers that not only was the woman her mother, but the owner of the local house of ill repute, Sophie was killed along with Marcella's secret father, a cattle baron.. Marcella inherits the bawdy house and all her father's marketable cattle. When her father's widow issues the ultimatum to take the cattle or pay an outrageous price for their keep, Marcella turns to disgraced trail boss Jean Luc Desloge and Sophie's unemployed "ladies" for help.

STEPH: Where did the inspiration for the novel come from?

BARBARA: The characters inspired the story. Jean Luc (Lucky) came to me while I was writing Listen With Your Heart. He was a cowboy so I had to write a Western for him. Marcella and Sophie's girls are based in the work life I had. No, I did not work in a bawdy house, but I did work with mostly female middle school educators. I thought it would be fun to cast that teamwork and spirit in a totally foreign environment.

STEPH: Where is it set? How important is the setting to the novel?

BARBARA: West of Heaven starts in the fictional south Texas town of Onion Creek where cattle is king. It them tales the cattle trail north to Abilene, Kansas. The year is 1871, the year which marked the peak traffic of the historic cattle trail, The setting dictates the plots progression, but it's what happens between departure and destination that's all important.

STEPH: Did you have to do a lot of research?

BARBARA: I enjoy researching so it was no burden, but, yes, I had to start from scratch on this one, I've never lived in the West, never been near a longhorn, and I've seen one rodeo in my life. The last time I was on a horse was in Girl Scouts. Consequently, I had to research everything for cowboy clothes to grub, to horse terminology. I tend to research before and during a project. This time I researched up to the copy edit. A question asked by this final editor lead t a discovery that changed a big scene near the end of the book.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

BARBARA This book was written in bits and pieces, but the last two-thirds was written in three months.

STEPH: Cast the movie. Who are the leads?

BARBARA: I love casting my books as movies. My problem is the actors keep getting older. The longer the book takes to write and get published, the more often you have recast the roles. At this point, I see Jason Ritter as Jean Luc, Marcella could be played by Alexis Bledell, Rose McGowan could be Polly, and I see Sara Rue as Queenie. I'd cast Eriq LaSalle as Jasper and Nate Corddry as Charles.

STEPH: What's your writing space like?


BARBARA: I used to have a spare bedroom to myself, but we moved and my space is now part of the family room., I had to cut back half my book shelves, so I had to donate a ton of books . I'm down one set of file drawers which has made me think twice about what I keep. Working in the family room, I'm less isolated, but I've always been able to work with distractions. I think that ability comes from growing up in split grade classrooms where you never worked in complete silence

STEPH:. Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

BARBARA: I read ebooks my iPhone and computer.

STEPH: What was the last book you read?

BARBARA: Strangely enough, it was Moby Dick. I'm toying with the idea of writing a book called Ahab's Daughter.

STEPH: For Fun: What country would you like to visit that you haven't all ready?

BARBARA: I have to pick Ireland. Both sides of my family have roots there. I researched locales for Listen With Your Heart that I would love to see in person.


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Barbara's book, West of Heaven, will be avail from Desert Breeze on 15 April. Here's a link:http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-150/Barbara-Scott-West-of/Detail.bok