 Our guest author, Beth Williamson, shares her views on writing and history. Read on…
My new series with Samhain, Devils on Horseback, kicks off today with book one, Nate. This series is not only brand new (the Malloys are all epubbed now), but it was a departure for me in terms of writing. If you’ve never read my work, I tend to have some subtle, dry humor punctuated with vivid characters, emotion, action and sex. Nothing that sends you to the pits of hell with angst, but enough that readers feel along with the H[ero] and H[eroine].
Devils on Horseback made me step off the edge a bit. (No panicking now, I’m safe in a chair on my cushy butt.) The edge of what I felt was my standard writing style – not my voice, per se, but the style in which I wrote.
With Nate, I dove into a touchy era in American history, post-Civil War, and into areas of the human mind not generally explored in romance novels. When I mention the heroes are ex-Confederate soldiers, some folks ask me why I chose that past for them since they not only lost the war, but they stood for some unpopular ideals. The answer is, the men who fought in the war were just that–men. They had hopes, dreams, and lives they left behind and many came home to nothing but ash and death. This is true of my Devils – their town was razed by Sherman’s March to Atlanta. Everything they’ve known, loved and valued is completely gone. They have to start from less than nothing, along with carrying the horrors of war on their backs.
Now the human mind aspects of the Devils series is about what people can and do endure, and the consequences that result. For example, in Nate’s book, he’s become what we would refer to as obsessive-compulsive. He’s got to have everything in order, in its place, or he loses control. He’s rigid, unbending and trapped by it. It’s a hard-fought battle to maintain who he is and our heroine, Elisa, makes him hang by his fingernails (not literally of course – that’s not my style).
While the Devils are dealing with and discovering who they are, they face adversity in each of their stories. Nate struggles with his conscience as he and his friends try to evict Elisa and her family from their land. When do you draw the line between self-sacrifice and need? He also fights the idea that he can give control over to someone else – namely Elisa.
Devils on Horseback: Nate is a powerful story, IMHO, with plenty of action, hot sex (of course), and a gritty, sometimes not pretty, view of the Devils’ world. There’s guns, blood, sex, twists and hopefully some unforgettable men you’ll come to love as much as I do.
Jake’s story is in the works, to be published next March [’08]. He surprised me quite a bit while I was writing—he’s suffering from what we’d call post-traumatic stress disorder. The woman who captures his heart is caught in the sticky web of prejudice and deceit.
Wow! Thanks, Beth! I’ve always thought the period immediately before thru immediately after the American Civil War to be the most interesting part of our history, myself.Â
What about you folks? Ever wanted to put on a hoop skirt? Be a Yankee or a Reb spy? How many of you go to Civil War battle re-enactments or have toured the battlefields?
You got me with the Obsessive-Compulsive. I have a close family member with OCD. This is a tough one to write about b/c it is extremely hard to understand, even for the person with OCD. She has a hard time explaining how she feels most of the time. I’m interested how Nate’s OCD plays out!
~ Hi Gwen!! Thanks for posting this. I’m obviously very fascinated with history. Many times people focus on reconstruction, carpet baggers, and the really hard times for Americans. I’m trying to capture the people who survived and how they had to adjust to a new way of life in the midst of recovering from war and discovering who they were.
~ Hi Tracy! My MIL is OCD and my DH has a touch of it as well so I’ve seen first hand how and what they have to deal with. I hope you like Nate, he’s an easy man to fall in love with. 🙂
Beth, considering you’ve dealt with it in your life, I’m sure you’ve “gotten it right”. I’ve been disappointed with how OCD has been portrayed in other books. Now, I’m very intrigued.
That is an interesting time in history. So many lives lost and changed forever.
Tracy ~ I hope I did okay! *nervous*
Maureen ~ It is interesting! I haven’t written in that time period before so there was a lot to learn and research.
I can honestly say that this book has it all. Friendship, adventure, action, love , sex and loyatly. It’s a fantastic story asn a wonderful start to the new series. I can NOT wait for Jakes!!!
I wrote my master’s thesis on how Old West outlaw legends (Jesse James, Wild Bill Hickok, etc.) helped reform the cohesive image of Americana after the Civil War, so this is a favorite time period of mine. I’m glad SOMEbody is writing it!!
Sasha ~ *smooch* Sasha’s got a thing for my redheaded, smooth-talking thief. 😉
Carrie ~ Wow, that’s fantastic! Very cool. It’s my very favorite genre. I heart the Old West.
Beth~seriously, I wouldn’t be nervous. Usually, the people that get it “wrong” don’t have family with OCD! If you have first hand experience with it, I’m sure it’s great!! :o)
I’ll be buying it tonight or tomorrow, and I’ll read it as fast as I can! :o)
Tracy ~ Thanks – that’s sweet of you to say. 🙂 Woot! Please let me know what you think of Nate. I’m more than curious to get your take on him.
Beth, I’m intrigued even more with Nate now that you mention OCD, knowing a few people who have it in varying degrees. I can see just how post-war trauma would set it off.
Jakes a real charmer. *blush*
Pam ~ I do try to “bless” my characters with real life problems and issues. I think it helps the reader identify with the characters more – I mean, we’re not all perfect angelic beings. I write characters like I want to read – hope that makes sense. (It’s really early in the morning!)
Sasha ~ LOL! Yeah those charming men. Wish there were more of them. 😉
Beth, I just finished reading Nate’s story. I have some thoughts about Nate and the OCD. I tried to send you a message on your website but I went waaaaay over the character limit. LOL I sent you another message so you have my email if you want to contact me that way. It’s too long to put in a comment here too.
quick note on OCD: very subtle and well done.
My only question is this: when do the other Devil books come out?????!!!!!! 🙂 😉
You are more than welcome to comment here Tracy. No worries on length at all!
go for it 😉 I look forward to seeing what you have to say.
Tracy ~ I replied to your e-mail that you can send me comments any time (gave you the addy too). Syb says you can write them here too – whatever you feel comfortable doing.
Thanks for the kudos!! Book 2, which is Jake’s story, is set to be published March 27, 2008. I know it seems like a loooong time between the books, but I also have another Samhain release in November, so it’s all about spacing the releases out. 🙂
Sybil~okay. I’ll post them here as well as email them to you Beth. Now that I look at my comments (I saved them in Word) it’s not as long as I thought LOL
Honestly? If I wasn’t reading it knowing he was written with OCD in mind, I may have missed it! (that’s a good thing!) It was very subtle. It was there (in the need to wash), and very well done. Since his OCD wasn’t the focus of the book, we didn’t see his anxiety associated with that need to wash. If the OCD had played a bigger part in that story (conflict in relationship with heroine or such), then I think then that would have been necessary to show the anxiety level he felt when he couldn’t wash. But subtle worked perfect in the parameters of this story.
What I saw was more how others would see Nate. His attention to detail, cleanliness, grooming habits etc~as just a quirk of his personality. They are not aware that Nate feels a NEED to do this. They think that he just likes to.
We caught glimpses of Nate’s need to do it, but it wasn’t “angsty” as it wasn’t the focus of the story.
Where most authors go wrong is making OCD look more like a side show at a carnival. I hate that. But yet, I find Monk interesting and funny. Go figure. LOL
I hope that is what you were hoping to hear. :o)
Let me know if I was on target with my assessment or not!!
oh, and Jake, the little charmer, can’t wait to read his story!! I’ll get it on my calendar!! 🙂
The angry, one-armed Lee has caught my attention. I’m a sucker for a guy overcoming a disability and the woman that bullies him into realizing his worth 😉
Thanks Tracy! I really tried to show how rigidly controlled Nate was, and not showing his weakness was part of that control. I’m so glad it worked for you. 🙂
And really, your assessment will always be on target because every reader is an individual. Your experience is unique to your likes and dislikes which is what makes reading so powerful.
Jake, the charmer, yep. 🙂 His heroine is a feisty Italian woman named Gabrielle.
Lee, yeah, I love the tortured hero too – especially those with disabilities. There was a book, danged if I remember the name, a Medieval where the hero (a knight) had gone blind and was angry as all hell about it. I loved it – and the way the heroine didn’t let his blindness be an impediment to experiencing life.