Tuesday, I interviewed Keli Gwyn about her debut release. If you missed out on that fun, you can read it here. Now that I've had the opportunity to read A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, I can't wait to tell you about it.
First, let me say, as an inspirational romance set in the old west, this book was WAY out of my normal reading. But, since I've followed Keli's journey to publication, including crying with her when she opened her first shipment of books (Did you miss that? You can see it here.) I felt so invested in this book, I did little dance in the kitchen the day I opened it.
Sorry, no video of that.
About the Book
An
ever-resourceful widow, Elenora Watkins arrives in El Dorado ready to
go into partnership with Miles Rutledge. When he refuses, Elenora
becomes the competition across the street. Is this town big enough for
the two of them?
Miles can’t help but stick his
well-polished boot in his mouth whenever he comes face-to-face with
Elenora. Can he find a way to win her heart while destroying her
business?
Miles’s mother, Maude, is bent on
Elenora becoming her new daughter-in-law while Elenora’s daughter,
Tildy, thinks Miles would make a perfect papa. How far will these
meddlers go to unite this enterprising pair?
Check out Keli's video of the real life inspiration for her story.
What did I think?
Let me just say, I smiled like a loon through most of this book. The characters are immediately real and loveable. There is one particular scene where the men in the barbershop are teasing Miles that made me realize people in that time were real. They had lives not so removed from ours. They weren't all gunfighters and staunch lawmen. They loved their families, flirted with their wives and the men, because they are men, still showed affection by dogging on each other.
Having been accused (or praised~ whichever way you want to take it) in my life of being a "stubborn, independent woman", I loved the character of Elenora. Her quick wit and resourcefulness instantly drew me to her. The banter between her and Miles adds a delightful flavor of humor and authenticity to the story.
This is an inspirational romance, but the message of faith is by no means heavy-handed. References to the Lord and prayer arise organically and do not pull the reader from the story as I have seen in other inspirational works.
There is also plenty of "romantic tension". Enough to keep you turning the page to find out "Will they?" or "Won't they?" for just a kiss!
So, my question to you is, what have you ever wondered about the old west? Can you imagine the people you know living there? If you were there, what would you be? A shop owner? Sheriff? Outlaw?
The names of those who leave a comment today will be combined with the names from Tuesday and entered in the drawing for an autographed copy of Keli's book.
Keli's debut A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, Californiareleased this month. It has been a joy getting to know Keli and watching her succeed in her writing journey. She is one of the sweetest people I've met and I am thrilled to have her with us today.
You can see a video of Keli opening her first shipment of books below. Be sure and grab some tissues!
I live in the heart of California’s Gold Country. I love
this historic area and wanted to bring it to life on the page. El Dorado is a
small town a few miles from where I live. It’s a sleepy suburb now, but it was
a thriving community in 1870, the year my story takes place.
When I read about
the town’s leading businessman, a well-respected mercantile owner named James
B. Wetherwax, I wanted to learn more about him, but I found little information.
Being a writer, I could imagine such a man, and I did.
My hero, Miles Rutledge, is that man. Of course he needs a
woman in his life, so along comes enterprising Elenora Watkins, who opens a
shop across the street from his. Women in California have been able to own
businesses since the early days, a fact I learned from the plaque on Emigrant
Jane’s storefront, a building still standing in my hometown of Placerville.
I know you have a love for all things Victorian, which makes
me think about English parlors and tea. How does that translate into writing
about the "Old West"?
Don't you love her outfit?
Many of the men and women who first came to California
hailed from the East, where they were used to the Victorian ways. They brought
their culture with them.
While things
were wild in the early days of the Gold Rush, progress was rapid. By 1870 my town of Placerville had a philharmonic society, a
brass band, and a roller skating rink. One could visit places like San
Francisco or Sacramento City and attend performances by some of the top-name
entertainers of the day. The many stately Victorian homes seen throughout the
Gold Country boast parlors that would have served tea and treats on par with
anything served back east.
Your book has been described as "a laugh-out-loud, witty,romantic comedy." Not words you usually hear associated with historical fiction.
How do you think humor fits into this particular genre?
What a great question, Dawn. I believe people like to laugh,
and there are many inspirational historical romance authors who ensure readers
will do just that. Mary Connealy,Margaret Brownley, and Karen Witemeyer have
sent me into spasms of laughter at times, as they have many.
I’ll let you in on a secret. I didn’t set out to write a
funny story. I’m not all that funny in real life. If I can manage to tell a
joke without cracking up, I often forget the punch line, which makes me laugh
even more. While others who know me well weren’t surprised to find a humorous
element in my voice, it came as a pleasant surprise to me. I hope readers enjoy
my stories, and if they get a chuckle out of them, that’s a nice bonus.
In your guest post last year, you discussed some of the
challenges of writing inspirational romances versus mainstream. What challenges did you face writing this story? How did you manage those?
My biggest challenge in writing A Bride Opens Shopwas rewriting it, which I did three times. The
last time was after my agent, Rachelle Gardner, had offered representation.
Turns out I’d been a bit too nice to my characters and needed to ramp up the
conflict. I had fun making things more difficult for Miles and Elenora. Not to
worry. I told them to trust me and assured them everything would work out well
in the end.
As a result of my rewrites, I’ve become a huge advocate of
outlining a story before starting one. If I have the beginning, major turning
points, black moment, conclusion, character arcs, and internal and external
conflicts figured out ahead of time, I’m much more likely to end up with a
story that flows well and will keep a reader turning pages. There are still
surprises as I write, though, which keeps things fun.
What does a typical writing day look like for you?
I must be atypical, because no two days look alike. Right
now I’m spending the majority of my time on promotion, since my book has just
released. When I’m in the planning stages of a new story, I’ll spend countless
hours devouring reference books. During the actual writing phase, I lose track
of time as I immerse myself in the 1800s. I can get so into the period that
hearing the phone ring or the dryer buzz startles me, since such sounds have no
place in my story world.
If you could travel back to the Victorian days and live
there for one week, what you be your top three must-do experiences?
Ooh! What fun! Lemme see. Since I live in the Gold Country,
I’d like to see a mining operation in full swing. While I don’t like the way
the land was ravaged, I’m curious about all the steps in the process. I’d like
to watch the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, especially the
boring of the tunnels through the Sierras. I marvel at what our forefathers accomplished
without computers or the heavy machinery we have today. And I would take a few
of my days to pop in and out of shops in towns across the country, seeing all
the things for sale, so I could add that detail to my stories. Of course, I’d
take note of the clothing, conveyances, and cuisine everywhere I went.
Your book is dedicated to your husband. In what way has he
supported your writing? What would he tell us living with a writer is like?
Gwynly has supported me in every way imaginable. Just the
other day he was stuffing copies of my book in padded mailers. Last night he
and a friend were practicing the folk tunes they’ll be playing at my launch
party. And my dear guy has even agreed to wear a full Victorian outfit at my
author events, complete with frock coat, silk puff tie, and top hat.
If you were to ask Gwynly what living with a writer is like,
he would probably grin. And then he’d tell you life with this particular writer
is never dull. He’s tactful that way. If he were honest, he’d tell you how many
times he’s had to wait for dinner, for me to do a load of whites, or for me to
drag myself away from the computer to take a walk or join him on a ride in his
classic MGB.
What would you tell someone
(like, oh, I don't know...me!) who is still trying to find their place as
an author?
Have fun! The pressure to follow every “rule,” final in contests, send
out queries, get an agent or a contract, etc. can rob us of the joy of writing.
When that happens, writing can cease to be fun and our work can suffer. I know,
because I’ve been there. When the Lord led me to let go of my expectations, I
started having fun again, my writing took a real leap forward, and things began
happening for me.
To learn more about
Keli, you can visit her new Victorian-style cyber home atwww.keligwyn.com, where you'll find her parlor, study, carriage house, and more, along
with her blog and her social media links.
Thank you so much for hosting me again, Dawn. It’s great to have another
opportunity to spend time with you and your blog’s visitors.
I have a question
for them:
Who’s been the most supportive person in your life as you’ve pursued
your dreams?
Keli will send a copy of her new book to a lucky reader who leaves a comment.
