by Roseanna White | Jan 4, 2012 | Remember When Wednesdays, Uncategorized
I looked down at my calendar this morning and realized that, round about this time in 1784, things were getting interesting for my characters. =) Within a day or two of this date, my hero had finally tracked down and come face to face with my heroine after a tense separation–and she had made her opinions on this action of his very well known.
The result was the scene snippet that was up on Shannon Vannatter’s romance blog last week, and I thought I’d share it today since it’s kind of a “This Day in Annapolis“ sort of thing . . . and because I need to get cracking on some editorial duties this morning. đ
Speaking of which, WhiteFire’s next title is only 11 days away from its digital release, and the print version is available for pre-order on Amazon! Walks Alone is an amazing historical romance that will intrigue, surprise, and delight you as you journey with a determined immigrant from Holland as she makes her way to Denver City . . . and straight into a band of wild Cheyenne. =)
Now for that snippet . . .
from Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland
âI have heard enough.â She whipped
the blanket off her shoulders and folded it with a series of sharp,
angry motions.
He stepped between her and the door.
âThis particular anger is more for Wiley than me, isnât it? I had
no way of knowing you did not intend me to read it. So if you would
like me to deliver you home to Williamsburg so you can berate himââ
She slapped the blanket onto a chair.
âI will stay right here, thank you.â
Her anger was clear, yes. But more,
there was stony determination beneath it. âYou mean it. Even
knowing how your family misses youââ
âPerhaps if my family had respected
my wishes and canceled the wedding plans, then I would not have to
stay away.â
He studied the upward slant of her
chin, the fierce burning in her eyes. She would not be budged. Which
meant he had two choices. He could give up and go home, convince
their families the betrothal was off. If he chose that option, then
he would in effect being saying good-bye to her once and for all.
Giving her her wish, which might be the gentlemanly thing to do.
But the light caught the depths of her
hair, and her eyes shone like moonstone. Her dress hung in total
disarray, but her spine was straight and strong.
Emerson dragged in a long breath and
cast his lot on the second option. âIf you will not come home, then
I shall stay here.â
She blinked, as if uncertain she had
heard him correctly. âYouâŚwhy in the world would you do that?â
His smile felt wry upon his lips.
âBecause if you are the woman I begin to see you must be, then you
are worth the world.â
For a moment he thought he glimpsed
tears in her eyes, but then she averted them, and he couldnât be
sure it was anything more than a reaction to the whiff of smoke from
the chimney. Her hands fisted at
her sides. âYou have never lacked for
lovely words, Emerson. But it is too late. Go or stay, it is no
concern of mine.â
He inclined his head. âThen with your
leave, my dear, I shall stay.â
With all the lack of concern of a
British lady, she picked up her coffee and took a long drink. âEnjoy
the town.â
âI think I shall do so more this time
than ever before. Given the company.â
Her brows rose. âI know not what
company you have in mind, but I promise you it shanât be mine.â
He pressed his lips together against a
grin. âThen I suppose you shall stay hidden in Randel House?
Because I assure you, darling, I still have friends enough in
Annapolis that if you step out to a ball or fete, I will have secured
an invitation to it as well.â
She looked as though she would have
liked to dash the cup to the ground. Instead she raised her chin.
âVery well. Enjoy the holiday celebrations too. But if you call me
âdarlingâ again, âtis the plank for you.â
A smirk sprang to his lips before he
could stop it. âYou have pirates among your new acquaintances?â
âScores of them.â She sashayed past
him with a smirk of her own, leaning close enough to say, âAnd
Capân Mobcapâs not one to be trifled with.â
He let her by, mostly so she wouldnât
see his lopsided smile. Getting to know Lark Benton might be the most
enjoyment heâd had in ages.
by Roseanna White | Jan 2, 2012 | Word of the Week
It’s the first Monday of 2012, and though we may not all make resolutions, I imagine many of us are thinking about what we want to do differently this coming year, and what we won’t want to budge on. We’re embracing the idea of a fresh start in some areas and accepting the traditions as a way to motivate ourselves.
So I figured this would be a good word to share the history of today. =) Did you know that “motivation” wasn’t in use until 1873? Pretty late! And even then, it was only used in a literal, physical sense of “causing to move toward action.” The sense of “inner or social stimulus” didn’t come into play until 1904.
I discovered this last year when writing
Annapolis and was baffled for a good long minute. My character was claiming that his friend would question his motivations. But if he couldn’t question his “motivations” in 1783, then what was he questioning?
Then I had a “duh” moment–he would be questioning his motives. “Motive” carried that very meaning since the 15th century. Which rather begs the question of why we ever thought we had to add that “-ation” ending to it, doesn’t it?
Which brings me back to one of my favorite quotations–I believe this is from Pascal, though I’d have to look through my old notes to make sure, so if I’m wrong, please correct me. I love this one because it’s basically saying “Don’t be pretentious, dude.” So a fun one to start off our new year . . .
“Think with deep motives–but talk like an ordinary person.”
Happy New Year!
by Roseanna White | Dec 29, 2011 | Thoughtful Thursdays, Uncategorized
Last year when reviewing 2010, I mentioned that I prayed for a word for the year–a word to live up to, or that represented a promise from the Lord. He gave me the word shine. As I went through the past twelve months, I often reminded myself that my purpose was to shine for Him, to be the mirror to His light, even when I didn’t feel like it.
Did I succeed? Well, much of that is something I can’t know. But I know the effect it had on me. And I know that I saw Him shining in my life in 2011–a lot.
At the start of 2011, I was launching Jewel of Persia. It was a slow launch, but it’s been such a blessing to watch how it’s grown and multiplied, until finally it hit the Amazon Kindle bestseller list in its category. Its ranking changes hour to hour, but it’s there. That’s so stinkin’ exciting!
I spent the first month and a half of the year writing Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland. I wrote it with absolutely no idea if it would be good enough, if Summerside would like it, if it was my ticket to a big publisher or if–as I’d truly begun to think–the Lord wanted me to stay with our small press. Every single day, I woke up and gave that book to Him, saying more than once that it had to be His, because I just couldn’t write it otherwise. Unlike Jewel of Persia, it wasn’t a story I wrote from a fire within me, feverishly and without the desire to pause. I agonized through every chapter of Annapolis, uncertain the whole way.
I turned it in on my son’s birthday, 11 February 2011. For the next month, I couldn’t tell you how many times I prayed, “Make me okay, Lord. No matter what happens with it, make me okay.” Because I knew that one way or another, I’d have an answer soon, and that this was my only shot with this story.
On March 15, I got the call from my agent. Summerside was buying Annapolis, and it would release 1 December 2011. Nine short months away!
But in this business, you have to always be looking ahead. Publishing lines are scheduled so far in advance, that if I wanted another book out around a year after this one, I had to get cracking now. So throughout the spring and summer, I decided on my next project, found an editor interested in it, and wrote it. I signed with a new agent, the fantabulous Karen Ball. I turned in this project to the editor super-excited about it. Got an offer for another from another. Was offered a three book deal on the one I’d just finished.
A banner year–a shocking, wow-look-how-it-all-clicked banner year. I went from having one solid lead for a contract but absolutely no certainty that I could pull it off, to having five contracted books in the works. I got to watch my biblicals, the stories of my heart, find their foothold. I got to work with some fabulous authors with WhiteFire, contracting and editing three amazing works of historical fiction.
In my personal life, I got to watch my daughter grow by leaps and bounds in her schoolwork, and my son develop a single-minded pursuit of all things with wheels. My hubby and I celebrated our 10th anniversary with an amazing weekend in Niagara Falls, and we topped the year off with a gift of kittens for our kiddos–hands-down the best gift they’ve ever gotten, they say. =)
 |
| Misty morning view of the American falls |
 |
| My parents looking on while Rowyn jumps on the couch, totally startled, and Xoe squeals in delight. |
So here we all are, another new year on the horizon. I’m praying for another word from the Lord to represent 2012, and praising Him for my year of Shining, for all that He did and helped me do in 2011. I’m praising Him for the friends I made, the friends I grew closer to, giving to him my grief over the friend I lost.
 |
| My friend Mary, who succumbed to cancer this summer but lives on in the legacy of faith she left in many lives. |
Thank you, Lord, for a year of reaping after so many of sowing. Thank you, Lord, for the promise of all that’s to come. Thank you, Lord, for planting the garden of my life with so many amazing friendships that have bloomed and made my world beautiful.
Thank you, Lord, for carrying me through every shadow, every valley, so that I can again glimpse and cling to Your shining light.
How was your 2011? And what are you hoping for in 2012?
by Roseanna White | Dec 22, 2011 | Thoughtful Thursdays, Uncategorized
This is the last post I’ll have up before Christmas . . . and probably the last before I do a look-back-over-the-year on next Thursday. So first and foremost, I hope each and every one of you has a fantastic Christmas and that 2011 wraps up well for you!
Excitement is building around here! What presents have arrived are all wrapped–but I’m still waiting for the elves–i.e. the mail lady and UPS guy–to deliver a few. Yikes! Cookies enough have been baked to keep us, though we’ll probably make some more over the next week. Our homeschool week is all but done, and we’ve squeezed a full week’s worth of stuff into it. All that’s left is some reading-to-her and two math lessons. Woot! We’re going to celebrate its completion by watching the Christmas Carol movie that came out two years ago, the one with Jim Carrie and computer animation. I hear it’s great. =)
A few highlights for me thus far came from my publishers. The one I still can’t talk about yet sent out gifts to all their authors, and it was just so awesome to get that and realize
I’m one of their authors! =) And then I got an email from my editor at Summerside that included the information that the cover model for
Annapolis isn’t a stock photo or hired model as I had assumed, but the friend of someone at Summerside–so cool! And better still, that the model has read and loved
Annapolis, and her kids are now calling her “Lark.” =) This greatly pleased the folks whose friend she is, and they too are reading and loving the book and referred to me as Summerside’s own Jane Austen. Talk about making my day!
Well, my plans for the day involve getting the house ready to receive guests–and kitties–squeezing in some writing, and tying up any other loose ends so we can enjoy the Christmas break. Over which I’ll hopefully get lots of writing-work done, LOL.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
by Roseanna White | Dec 21, 2011 | Remember When Wednesdays
I’ve never written a novel set solely around Christmas. But as I’m contemplating fun holiday stuff I could write about here, I realize that both of my last two books have Christmas on the page.
Love Finds You In Annapolis, Maryland does in fact take place from the end of November through the end of January, so it’s full of Christmasy goodness and many traditions from the day.
If you missed it last year, I blogged about many of these traditions in a post called
Remember When . . . Christmas Was Banned? which also (obviously) touches on how Christmas was not an observed holiday in New England.
In
Annapolis, Christmas was far from banned. Being Anglican–the only church in the city was what came to be renamed the Episcopal church when it became unpopular to name them “church of England”–the city celebrated in the style of Merry Ol’ England. I had a lot of fun writing that chapter too, with mention of wassailing, of the hanging greens, and of the simple gifts they gave each other. (
They certainly didn’t have to check five different online stores for that remote control car their sons really, really wanted and then bite their nails when they saw it wasn’t due to arrive until December 23rd . . .).
When I started writing another Colonial and did all my research, I realized this next one, too, would have to include the Christmas season–though it goes from November to October so certainly doesn’t focus on it. Still, Christmas Day gets a chapter.
When I first realized that both my hero and heroine had been either living in or raised in the parts of New England that would not have observed Christmas, I had a moment of panic. Oh no! They wouldn’t view Christmas like I do!!! How in the world do I capture their thoughts??
As it turns out, their views of the day came naturally to their characters and in fact really helped me form those characters. See, Winter (my heroine) grew up in a Congregationalist home on Long Island that could trace its roots back to the Puritans. In her home, Christmas was a day of quiet reflection. No gifts, no music, no parties.
Now all of a sudden she’s in a home that celebrates–loudly and boisterously. Winter isn’t wowed by it–she’s saddened and disgusted by it, and feels far, far from home. All she wants on this holy day is to close herself into her room, read her Bible, and spend some time in quiet contemplation and prayer, thinking about what it truly means that Jesus came down as a babe.
Instead, she’s forced into an elaborate gown, paraded through a drawing room full of mercenary, shallow socialites concerned only with who got the more expensive gift, and forced to listen to the drunken jolly-making of New York’s elite.
Merry she isn’t. Because she longs for the quiet of communion with the Lord. Much like she does through the rest of the book.
Though I’ve always celebrated and loved Christmas, writing that chapter really helped me understand how a different approach could be precious and beloved.
This year, no matter what
your traditions are, I pray that you observe them with
Joy, share them with your loved ones, and come away with that unmistakable Christmas feeling–the one that says, “God has blessed them, one and all.”
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, sheâs homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her booksâŚto offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.