Goddess Fish: "Highland Quest" by B.J. Scott Virtual Book Tour (ends 2/15) WW

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No longer content in the shadows of his older brothers and on a quest to find his destiny, Bryce Fraser's chosen path is fraught with danger, passion, and decisions. Can his unspoken love for spirited, beguiling Fallon be triumphant in a time of war and uncertainty, or will they both fall prey to the devious plans of a traitorous laird from a rival clan?

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Excerpt

Loch Ryan Scotland, 1307

“Wa . . . water,” Bryce mumbled, but there was no one there to listen.

 His throat was parched and he ran his tongue over dry, cracked lips, but his action offered no relief. An entire loch lay only a few feet away, but he couldn’t muster the strength to drag himself to the bank and quench his thirst. 

“Cold . . . so cold.” 

 Despite the sun beating down on him, he’d swear he was encased in ice. His life’s blood seeped from his wounds, soaking the ground beneath him. He tried to raise his head, but the excruciating pain radiating across his chest stole his breath away. 

Was this what it felt like to die? If so, he prayed the Almighty would be merciful and take him now. 

Bryce moaned, a shift in his position bringing on another nauseating wave of agony. He sucked in a short, sharp, gulp of air and stretched his arm out as far as he could, his fingers grappling in the dirt. 

If only I could reach my sword. 

Beads of perspiration dampened his brow. As the strength slowly drained from his body, drawing a simple breath became more difficult. The end grew near. No time to make amends for sins of the past, and he had committed his share. 

Regrets? He had those, too. “Fallon.” He whispered her name then heaved a ragged sigh. 

Challenges of writing realistic romance novels (Guest Post by the Author)

Thanks you for hosting me on your blog today. I look forward to visiting with you and your guests.

This question is an excellent one, especially for an author who writes primarily historical romance. With so many books on the market and more coming out every day, it is hard to find a fresh plot idea and to pen a novel that a reader can relate to on many levels. . . keeping it real so to speak. As opposed to contemporary books, people who read historicals usually do so because they want to be transported to the past, to get a sense of what it would have been like to live in medieval times, during the Civil War, or in Regency England. So a writer must do their homework if they want their book to be believable and still remain period accurate. Research is the key, along with the author’s own knowledge and passion for the era. If you write what you know and love it will show.

Many readers of historical romance are well versed in the era and expect the settings, dialogue and customs to reflect the period. This means the writer must make sure their book meets those expectations. For someone picking up a historical romance for the first time, it can be an entirely different story. They find the customs and dialogue difficult to understand and can easily become confused in the plot or the motivation behind the characters if the story does not progress in a way a modern romance might. For this reason the writer must keep both seasoned and new readers to the genre in mind.

The dynamics between couples changed dramatically over the centuries and it is a challenge to write your Hero from the past in such a way that the reader does not take an immediate dislike to them. Our Hero while he may be honorable and adore his lady might behave in a manner that the modern-day reader might not approve of or understand. This is primarily because they act or respond the way they would have in a given time period, which in many cases meant  making decision on the spur of the moment, in the face of danger, war and adversity, thereby forcing them to put duty before desire. To live each day as if it might be their last, because it could very well be.

The same goes for our heroine. Until the early twentieth century, women were not even considered to be persons under the law. They were seen as property, had no rights to speak of and basically were at the mercy of the male head of the household, or in the case of Scottish historicals, the laird of the clan. A subservient heroine, one who conforms to tradition and offers no objection makes for a dull and boring book. However a woman that is bright, voiced her opinion freely, is resourceful, tenacious, courageous, and goes against the norm, while desired for a heroine was not the common. So the challenge for the author is to create her in a way that will appeal to the reader, a woman they can cheer on, but still must maintain believability. For this reason some readers find the historical heroine comes across as uncertain, less aggressive and slower to react to an injustice than a modern-day heroine.  What the writer and reader must keep in mind is that in that particular time period, that was they would have behaved. The goal of the author is to have the characters rise above the way things were and forge out a new path for themselves, one that leads to a mutually satisfying HEA ending.

The storyline of a historical is also a challenge because it often encompasses a long period of time. Transitions between scenes that might take place months apart must to be crafted with care. This is a romance novel and not losing that aspect in a historical in not always easy; especially during extended periods of time when out of necessity the Hero and Heroin must be apart. Sometimes this can’t be avoided so the author must try to establish a solid base for their relationship early in the book, yet not have things happen between them too quickly that the excitement and story is over before it begins. Many of the historical romances were take place during brutal or violent times.  It was not uncommon for the men to go off to war and leave their women behind, but this did not mean there was no love or passion between them. Establishing inner conflicts that the characters must come to terms with along with the external conflicts is also important if you hope to keep your reader entertained and what happens in your story believable.

Everyone sees or looks for something different in a book they read so there are many challenges a writer faces if they hope to create a romance that is realistic and entertaining.  But it important to remember, no matter how hard you try, you will not please everyone. Put your best effort forward and always be open to suggestions as to how you might improve your next book.

 With a passion for historical romance, history in general, and anything Celtic, B.J. always has an exciting work in progress. Each story offers a blend of romance, adventure, suspense, and, where appropriate, a dab of comic relief. Carefully researched historical facts are woven into each manuscript, providing a backdrop from which steamy romance, gripping plots, and vivid characters—dashing alpha heroes and resourceful, beguiling heroines you can’t help but admire—spring to life. A member of RWA, World Romance Writers, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, and Savvy Authors, B.J. also writes contemporary, paranormal, time travel, and romantic suspense.

C.S. Lewis first captivated B. J.’s imagination in the fourth grade, and her desire to write sprang from there. Following a career in nursing and child and youth work, B.J. married her knight-in-shining-armor, and he whisked her away to his castle by the sea. In reality, they share their century-old home in a small Canadian town on the shore of Lake Erie with three dogs and a cat. When she is not working at her childcare job, on her small business, or writing, you will find her reading, camping, or antique hunting.

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The author will award gifts of swag (including a canvas tote bag, a mouse pad, a pen, book thong, bookmark, can cooler, magnet, and key chain -- US/Canada only) to randomly drawn commenters from this tour and her Virtual Book Tour, and a grand prize of one $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from this tour and her Super Book Blast.

 

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Check it out here.