Rita Gerlach's Blog - Posts Tagged "christian-fiction"
Evolution of a Novel Series
Three years ago, after I had signed a contract with Abingdon Press for my stand-alone novel 'Surrender the Wind', I sat down at my computer and wrote three words.
Winter came early.
In my mind's eye a heroine by the name of Darcy Morgan appeared in the year 1778, the setting—the Maryland wilderness. I titled the novel Beside Two Rivers. In my notebook I wrote: the place—along the Potomac River in Maryland. Time—the Revolutionary War era.
I kept writing, and when I had enough chapters to submit to my editor, I sent them off. She called me and said as is she could not accept it. There was nothing wrong with the writing, but something wasn’t right. I knew I had to trust her, and explore the story deeper.
It was enlightening to have such a deep conversation over this book with my dear editor. But even more amazing were the revelations that unfolded one morning while I was in the shower. It hit me like the water suddenly going to freeze mode. I had written a good portion of Darcy's story in Beside Two Rivers. But I realized I had to write her mother Eliza's story. And then! I had to write Sarah's story. Thus the series was born in my heart, Daughters of the Potomac.
Once the idea for the series took shape, I had to set aside Beside Two Rivers and begin book 1 Before the Scarlet Dawn.
At the beginning I had questions.
Who is Eliza Bloome?
Where did she grow up?
Who were her parents?
What does she look like?
What are her beliefs?
What does she want?
Eliza began to take form in my imagination. I saw a young woman with raven hair, clear skin, and violet eyes. She is a bit naive when it comes to the ways of the world. She is the daughter of a vicar and lives with him at a small vicarage in the Hope Valley in Derbyshire, England until his death. Her mother died when she was a baby.
Eliza loves God and wants to do the right thing. She believes with all her heart that He is guiding her to the man she longs for. What she wants most is to be loved unconditionally, and to be accepted for her mind and soul, to find a husband who treats her as his equal.
To get this all down on paper, I jotted down these attributes in my notebook for Before the Scarlet Dawn. In writing the story, the best technique for me is writing the scenes out by hand first in the notebook. Writing freehand, for some reason I cannot explain, causes the words to flow out of me. It is raw, unedited prose. Perhaps it has to do with the right side of the brain, the creative side. All I know is this technique is what helps me start and finish a novel.
The story begins its evolution with Eliza sitting at her father's beside late at night. A knock on the door echoes up the staircase. The servant of a local gentleman must speak to Reverend Bloome in private. And what he has to tell launches the story.
Sounds a bit crazy, but I pictured Eliza telling me 'write my story'. She became to me a person who once lived, breathed, and walked this earth. If I could not achieve that, my readers will not connect to her.
So in the evolution of book 1 in the series, I began with characterization. Eliza, being the main character, comes on stage awaiting the inevitable. She then moves on and readers begin to meet the people in her life. Her devoted servant, Fiona Goodall. A suitor named Langbourne who sees winning her as a challenge. An indentured servant named Sarah that puts herself at risk for Eliza. And then the man Eliza loves above all others—Hayward Morgan—proud, wealthy, in search of a stalwart wife. The major players are in place, and the question arises. Will Hayward love Eliza unconditionally? Will he see her as his equal, and be devoted to her no matter how the storms of life rage against them?
My editor accepted the proposal enthusiastically. I will not deny how challenging it has been to write these books, with each woman’s story meshing with the others. But with any challenge, there is joy in accomplishing the task.
The Genre:
These books are not in the category of formula romances. They are what I like to call Historical Dramas. You will find romance, but you will also find a story about relationships between people. The stories are about forgiveness, redemption, loyalty, and the power of love. Each character has good points, but they are also flawed human beings that make mistakes and fall hard, and at some point struggle through the adversity, dust themselves off and move on. So the sugary sweet romances they are not.
~ Read Chapter One for free ~
http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/di...
Amazon.com http://tinyurl.com/3o8hzbq
ChristianBooks.com http://tinyurl.com/3uoyxbw
Winter came early.
In my mind's eye a heroine by the name of Darcy Morgan appeared in the year 1778, the setting—the Maryland wilderness. I titled the novel Beside Two Rivers. In my notebook I wrote: the place—along the Potomac River in Maryland. Time—the Revolutionary War era.
I kept writing, and when I had enough chapters to submit to my editor, I sent them off. She called me and said as is she could not accept it. There was nothing wrong with the writing, but something wasn’t right. I knew I had to trust her, and explore the story deeper.
It was enlightening to have such a deep conversation over this book with my dear editor. But even more amazing were the revelations that unfolded one morning while I was in the shower. It hit me like the water suddenly going to freeze mode. I had written a good portion of Darcy's story in Beside Two Rivers. But I realized I had to write her mother Eliza's story. And then! I had to write Sarah's story. Thus the series was born in my heart, Daughters of the Potomac.
Once the idea for the series took shape, I had to set aside Beside Two Rivers and begin book 1 Before the Scarlet Dawn.
At the beginning I had questions.
Who is Eliza Bloome?
Where did she grow up?
Who were her parents?
What does she look like?
What are her beliefs?
What does she want?
Eliza began to take form in my imagination. I saw a young woman with raven hair, clear skin, and violet eyes. She is a bit naive when it comes to the ways of the world. She is the daughter of a vicar and lives with him at a small vicarage in the Hope Valley in Derbyshire, England until his death. Her mother died when she was a baby.
Eliza loves God and wants to do the right thing. She believes with all her heart that He is guiding her to the man she longs for. What she wants most is to be loved unconditionally, and to be accepted for her mind and soul, to find a husband who treats her as his equal.
To get this all down on paper, I jotted down these attributes in my notebook for Before the Scarlet Dawn. In writing the story, the best technique for me is writing the scenes out by hand first in the notebook. Writing freehand, for some reason I cannot explain, causes the words to flow out of me. It is raw, unedited prose. Perhaps it has to do with the right side of the brain, the creative side. All I know is this technique is what helps me start and finish a novel.
The story begins its evolution with Eliza sitting at her father's beside late at night. A knock on the door echoes up the staircase. The servant of a local gentleman must speak to Reverend Bloome in private. And what he has to tell launches the story.
Sounds a bit crazy, but I pictured Eliza telling me 'write my story'. She became to me a person who once lived, breathed, and walked this earth. If I could not achieve that, my readers will not connect to her.
So in the evolution of book 1 in the series, I began with characterization. Eliza, being the main character, comes on stage awaiting the inevitable. She then moves on and readers begin to meet the people in her life. Her devoted servant, Fiona Goodall. A suitor named Langbourne who sees winning her as a challenge. An indentured servant named Sarah that puts herself at risk for Eliza. And then the man Eliza loves above all others—Hayward Morgan—proud, wealthy, in search of a stalwart wife. The major players are in place, and the question arises. Will Hayward love Eliza unconditionally? Will he see her as his equal, and be devoted to her no matter how the storms of life rage against them?
My editor accepted the proposal enthusiastically. I will not deny how challenging it has been to write these books, with each woman’s story meshing with the others. But with any challenge, there is joy in accomplishing the task.
The Genre:
These books are not in the category of formula romances. They are what I like to call Historical Dramas. You will find romance, but you will also find a story about relationships between people. The stories are about forgiveness, redemption, loyalty, and the power of love. Each character has good points, but they are also flawed human beings that make mistakes and fall hard, and at some point struggle through the adversity, dust themselves off and move on. So the sugary sweet romances they are not.
~ Read Chapter One for free ~
http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/di...
Amazon.com http://tinyurl.com/3o8hzbq
ChristianBooks.com http://tinyurl.com/3uoyxbw
Free Ebook version of The Rebel's Pledge
Today is the promotional kickoff for the October release of book 2 in the Daughters of the Potomac Series, Beside Two Rivers, from Abingdon Press.
To celebrate, I am offering my inspirational historical romance, 'The Rebel's Pledge', for free for Kindle, Saturday, September 1 through Monday, September 3. It's a swashbuckling romantic adventure that is set in both Colonial Maryland and Restoration period England.
I hope you will download a free copy. It's available for all Kindle apps. And if you don't own a Kindle, you can get Kindle for your PC for free.
The Rebel's Pledge ~ Kindle ebook cost --- $0!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Rebels-Pled...
Blessings,
Rita Gerlach
To celebrate, I am offering my inspirational historical romance, 'The Rebel's Pledge', for free for Kindle, Saturday, September 1 through Monday, September 3. It's a swashbuckling romantic adventure that is set in both Colonial Maryland and Restoration period England.
I hope you will download a free copy. It's available for all Kindle apps. And if you don't own a Kindle, you can get Kindle for your PC for free.
The Rebel's Pledge ~ Kindle ebook cost --- $0!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Rebels-Pled...
Blessings,
Rita Gerlach
Romantic Times Book Review ~ Praise for 'Beyond the Valley'.
Review in RT Book Reviews Magazine - 4 stars / February 2012 issue.
Creating characters with intense realism and compassion is one of Gerlach's gifts. Her books typically involve dramatic situations, giving her characters a chance to rise above their adversity. Beyond the Valley is a shining example of that, reminding us that we are never forsaken.
This is the third in the Daughters of the Potomac series. Sarah's character was introduced in the first novel, Before the Scarlet Dawn, and now she has her own heart-wrenching story that takes us from England to Virginia and Maryland. The historic setting is vividly descriptive, bringing the story to life, almost becoming a character unto itself.
You may shed some tears, but you'll come away with deep contentment and satisfaction of a story well told.
(Release date: February 1, 2013)
Creating characters with intense realism and compassion is one of Gerlach's gifts. Her books typically involve dramatic situations, giving her characters a chance to rise above their adversity. Beyond the Valley is a shining example of that, reminding us that we are never forsaken.
This is the third in the Daughters of the Potomac series. Sarah's character was introduced in the first novel, Before the Scarlet Dawn, and now she has her own heart-wrenching story that takes us from England to Virginia and Maryland. The historic setting is vividly descriptive, bringing the story to life, almost becoming a character unto itself.
You may shed some tears, but you'll come away with deep contentment and satisfaction of a story well told.
(Release date: February 1, 2013)
Beyond the Valley ~ Inspirational Historical Fiction
It was an amazing journey writing The Daughters of the Potomac Series. The Potomac area is one of my favorite spots, and its picturesque beauty inspired me time and time again to write about three courageous women as they faced the harshness of the wilderness in the 18th century.
'Beyond the Valley', the third and final book in the series has been released.
Beyond the Valley is my favorite out of the three. Sarah seemed to resonate with me on so many levels. She is a wife and expectant mother, a loyal friend, a grieving widow. Her faith is shown in a way relevant to the times she lived in, not just a Sunday Christian, but a virtuous woman whose daily walk with God required ultimate trust, though her trials cause her to question.
I hope for those who have read books 1 and 2 in the series will read Beyond the Valley to discover how Sarah came to River Run and the many trials she faced and the love she finds in a compassionate physician, Alex Hutton.
Here is a little bit about the story—
When Sarah’s husband Jamie drowns, her young life if shattered and takes a turn that she never expected. Pregnant and now widowed, she reaches out to Jamie’s family for help but they are unwilling. Instead they devise a plan to have her kidnapped and taken to the Colonies to live a life of servitude for seven years.
She is deceived and taken aboard a ship headed for the Colonies to be sold, bound to unspeakable hardship and forced into the same world she left.
Caught in the talons of servitude, she falls in love with a young conscientious doctor, Alex Hutton, who has arrived in Virginia to care for his widowed sister in law and two young nieces. Called back to serve in Washington’s army, he promises he will return for her, gain her freedom and wed her. Other plans were made for Sarah when her owner finds himself bankrupt and sells her the first chance he gets. She’s taken out into the frontier, captured by Indians, and faces unbearable hardship.
When the mistress of River Run along the Potomac encounters Sarah’s plight after she has escaped, Eliza Morgan pities her, and a way is made for Sarah to remain with her and care for Eliza’s young daughter, Darcy. Revolution has ignited in America, and together they endure many hardships which bring them together in friendship. But when Sarah learns that Zachary Halston, a local landowner, has seduced Eliza, she is troubled about what to do.
Grateful for Eliza’s kindness, Sarah is forever bound to keep silent. She promises Eliza to never reveal the secret that Ilene is Eliza’s child, even at the risk of living a life in shame if her master should ever discover the truth upon his return.
Trapped in Eliza and Hayward’s troubled lives, Sarah flees River Run. Will she make her way back to Alex and freedom as he searches the wilderness for her? Or will her hopes be crushed at the hands of the man who deceived her long ago in Cornwall when she faced destitution?
(Review in RT (Romantic Times) Book Reviews Magazine - 4 stars)
Creating characters with intense realism and compassion is one of Gerlach's gifts. Her books typically involve dramatic situations, giving her characters a chance to rise above their adversity. Beyond the Valley is a shining example of that, reminding us that we are never forsaken. This is the third in the Daughters of the Potomac series. Sarah's character was introduced in the first novel, Before the Scarlet Dawn, and now she has her own heart-wrenching story that takes us from England to Virginia and Maryland. The historic setting is vividly descriptive, bringing the story to life, almost becoming a character unto itself.
You may shed some tears, but you'll come away with deep contentment and satisfaction of a story well told.
Amazon: In Paperback - http://tinyurl.com/8dta3o2
In Kindle ebook - http://tinyurl.com/bjou7db
Barnes & Noble: In Paperback - http://tinyurl.com/ae6dbvu
Christianbook.com: In Paperback - http://tinyurl.com/b9vj4av
In ebook - http://tinyurl.com/agy6bv8
Buy the entire series in paperback at a discount: http://tinyurl.com/aclvcl8
'Beyond the Valley', the third and final book in the series has been released.
Beyond the Valley is my favorite out of the three. Sarah seemed to resonate with me on so many levels. She is a wife and expectant mother, a loyal friend, a grieving widow. Her faith is shown in a way relevant to the times she lived in, not just a Sunday Christian, but a virtuous woman whose daily walk with God required ultimate trust, though her trials cause her to question.
I hope for those who have read books 1 and 2 in the series will read Beyond the Valley to discover how Sarah came to River Run and the many trials she faced and the love she finds in a compassionate physician, Alex Hutton.
Here is a little bit about the story—
When Sarah’s husband Jamie drowns, her young life if shattered and takes a turn that she never expected. Pregnant and now widowed, she reaches out to Jamie’s family for help but they are unwilling. Instead they devise a plan to have her kidnapped and taken to the Colonies to live a life of servitude for seven years.
She is deceived and taken aboard a ship headed for the Colonies to be sold, bound to unspeakable hardship and forced into the same world she left.
Caught in the talons of servitude, she falls in love with a young conscientious doctor, Alex Hutton, who has arrived in Virginia to care for his widowed sister in law and two young nieces. Called back to serve in Washington’s army, he promises he will return for her, gain her freedom and wed her. Other plans were made for Sarah when her owner finds himself bankrupt and sells her the first chance he gets. She’s taken out into the frontier, captured by Indians, and faces unbearable hardship.
When the mistress of River Run along the Potomac encounters Sarah’s plight after she has escaped, Eliza Morgan pities her, and a way is made for Sarah to remain with her and care for Eliza’s young daughter, Darcy. Revolution has ignited in America, and together they endure many hardships which bring them together in friendship. But when Sarah learns that Zachary Halston, a local landowner, has seduced Eliza, she is troubled about what to do.
Grateful for Eliza’s kindness, Sarah is forever bound to keep silent. She promises Eliza to never reveal the secret that Ilene is Eliza’s child, even at the risk of living a life in shame if her master should ever discover the truth upon his return.
Trapped in Eliza and Hayward’s troubled lives, Sarah flees River Run. Will she make her way back to Alex and freedom as he searches the wilderness for her? Or will her hopes be crushed at the hands of the man who deceived her long ago in Cornwall when she faced destitution?
(Review in RT (Romantic Times) Book Reviews Magazine - 4 stars)
Creating characters with intense realism and compassion is one of Gerlach's gifts. Her books typically involve dramatic situations, giving her characters a chance to rise above their adversity. Beyond the Valley is a shining example of that, reminding us that we are never forsaken. This is the third in the Daughters of the Potomac series. Sarah's character was introduced in the first novel, Before the Scarlet Dawn, and now she has her own heart-wrenching story that takes us from England to Virginia and Maryland. The historic setting is vividly descriptive, bringing the story to life, almost becoming a character unto itself.
You may shed some tears, but you'll come away with deep contentment and satisfaction of a story well told.
Amazon: In Paperback - http://tinyurl.com/8dta3o2
In Kindle ebook - http://tinyurl.com/bjou7db
Barnes & Noble: In Paperback - http://tinyurl.com/ae6dbvu
Christianbook.com: In Paperback - http://tinyurl.com/b9vj4av
In ebook - http://tinyurl.com/agy6bv8
Buy the entire series in paperback at a discount: http://tinyurl.com/aclvcl8
New Release
Dear Readers,
I'm happy to share my newest book release with you, 'Thorns in Eden & The Everlasting Mountains'.
'Thorns in Eden & The Everlasting Mountains' is a 2-in-1 collection. You will find love, adventure, and suspense at the start of the American Revolution along the coast of Cornwall and the Maryland frontier.
Here's a little synopsis of what you can expect.
John Nash, has built a new life in the Maryland frontier, and journeys back to England to see his father before the first shots of the Revolution are fired. Rebecah, a young woman who has known little more than the solitude of an isolated manor has lost her father and is now under the control of a domineering patriarch. As their romance unfolds, they become trapped in the schemes of her uncle and immersed in one of the most infamous Indian wars in Colonial history.
As the firebrands of Revolution grow hot, they marry and work together to build their estate, Laurel Hill. Facing a strange new world, Rebecah experiences the prejudice of being English, but finds friendship and acceptance in the wilds of the Maryland frontier. Joy reins at Laurel Hill when she announces she is carrying a child. Nash, known as Jack, is captain of a band of rangers who protect the frontier families from Indian attack. His friendship with Chief Logan has not prevented the Indian War from reaching their peaceful home along the lush hills of the last outpost.
Can he protect his wife from warring Indians and from a man who has no allegiance to any nation, tribe, or creed, wanted for robbery and murder, who has vowed vengeance? In Thorns in Eden and The Everlasting Mountains, love and faith are the sustaining forces that cannot be overtaken by the vines of adversity.
In EBook:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CIV5IRO
Paperback to Follow.
Praise for 'Thorns in Eden & The Everlasting Mountains.
Rita Gerlach captures the feel of Colonial America in her sweeping saga, Thorns in Eden. With lush descriptions and well-drawn, captivating characters, Gerlach creates a story I won't soon forget. Jamie Carie, award-winning author of Snow Angel
I'm happy to share my newest book release with you, 'Thorns in Eden & The Everlasting Mountains'.
'Thorns in Eden & The Everlasting Mountains' is a 2-in-1 collection. You will find love, adventure, and suspense at the start of the American Revolution along the coast of Cornwall and the Maryland frontier.
Here's a little synopsis of what you can expect.
John Nash, has built a new life in the Maryland frontier, and journeys back to England to see his father before the first shots of the Revolution are fired. Rebecah, a young woman who has known little more than the solitude of an isolated manor has lost her father and is now under the control of a domineering patriarch. As their romance unfolds, they become trapped in the schemes of her uncle and immersed in one of the most infamous Indian wars in Colonial history.
As the firebrands of Revolution grow hot, they marry and work together to build their estate, Laurel Hill. Facing a strange new world, Rebecah experiences the prejudice of being English, but finds friendship and acceptance in the wilds of the Maryland frontier. Joy reins at Laurel Hill when she announces she is carrying a child. Nash, known as Jack, is captain of a band of rangers who protect the frontier families from Indian attack. His friendship with Chief Logan has not prevented the Indian War from reaching their peaceful home along the lush hills of the last outpost.
Can he protect his wife from warring Indians and from a man who has no allegiance to any nation, tribe, or creed, wanted for robbery and murder, who has vowed vengeance? In Thorns in Eden and The Everlasting Mountains, love and faith are the sustaining forces that cannot be overtaken by the vines of adversity.
In EBook:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CIV5IRO
Paperback to Follow.
Praise for 'Thorns in Eden & The Everlasting Mountains.
Rita Gerlach captures the feel of Colonial America in her sweeping saga, Thorns in Eden. With lush descriptions and well-drawn, captivating characters, Gerlach creates a story I won't soon forget. Jamie Carie, award-winning author of Snow Angel
