Take it from a guy: If you’re in love with somebody, you will swim the stream, you will climb the mountain, you will slay the dragon. You’re going to get to her somehow, some way. ~Phil McGraw
Slaying the dragon for your true love – now, that sounds romantic. And a bit dangerous, I have to admit. Dragons are big and in storybooks they can fly and breathe fire. I suppose slaying a dragon for your true love is a storybook idea too. Romance threads through many stories whether dragons exist in them or not. All my stories have some romance among the words. Some more than others. Some of my stories might have a stronger emphasis on the historical elements of the story instead of the romance but even in those, I think a yearning for love is part of the stories.
When I first began thinking about my characters and their stories in An Appalachian Summer, I wanted to up the romance in the story . I wanted to make the love story shine a little brighter among the words, be one of the driving forces behind the story. At the same time I wanted to shine light on the history of the Frontier Nursing Service history and the young women who volunteered as couriers. So, I have my young character, Piper, who is at the perfect age for romance. But hold on. Is there a best age for romance? Or can romance happen regardless of age? I’ve had several stories where I’ve had romance blooming for one of my story characters who is a bit beyond that perfect falling in love age. There’s Ruth in River to Redemption. There’s Truda in An Appalachian Summer. But I didn’t forget about Piper. Or Jamie. 
Jamie was the one who stirred up the romance a little higher in An Appalachian Summer. Don’t you just love to read about a guy so in love? And Jamie was, even when he thought his quest, his ability to slay the dragon due to his life circumstances was next to impossible. But that yearning for love did have him climbing that mountain even thought his yearning was mixed with his worry that love wouldn’t be enough. I hoped that would keep the romance thread strong in this story.
One reviewer says this about the story, “An Appalachian Summer is an atmospheric novel about the frontier nurses of the Appalachian Mountains, women couriers, and life and love in the 1930s. With romance aplenty, adventure and lighthearted moments, An Appalachian Summer is a light and easy book to enjoy.” (Madison)
I liked reading that the reviewer thought there was romance aplenty. Perhaps I did bury a little more romance in my words in this mountain story although I feel all my stories have some very essential love and romance. After all, don’t we often say love makes the world go round? For sure it can make a reader keep reading to find out how indeed that guy so in love will find a way to climb the mountain, slay the dragon and win fair maiden.
It’s not long until Christmas and books can make a wonderful gift for your family and friends. Could be you want to give yourself a gift of reading. If so, I hope you’ll give one of my books a try. A great place to go book shopping is Baker Book House. An Appalachian Summer, along with many other books, is 30% off plus free shipping. That’s a deal hard to beat. I’ve been to Baker Book house. It’s a lovely Christian bookstore with shelves and shelves of books along with beautiful gift items and more.
What makes you pick a book? Romance? History? Characters? Setting?
Comments 6
I usually check out the characters, and the history. I’m especially fond of Kentucky history. It is full of adventure and colorful characters. I love reading the novels of Janice Holt Giles because of her account of the historical characters. I enjoyed reading Appalachian Summer. Being from Appalachia, I surely could identify with the characters and the description of the hills in Eastern Kentucky, since I’m so familiar with them.
Author
So glad you enjoyed my mountain stories, Carolyn. I read all Janice Holt Giles’s books years ago and did enjoy all of them. That was probably before I wrote my first historical novel. I’ve stayed with Kentucky history or settings in all my books because I too love Kentucky.
I almost always choose Historical Romance.
Author
That sounds pretty good to me, Sue, since most of my recent novels have been historical fiction. I appreciate you giving some of my stories a try.
I received an ARC complimentary copy of An Appalachian Summer, loved it. Thank you and the publisher. Reviews posted.
Probably the thing that makes me pick a book is the history. I especially like books set in the 1800s, not Civil War books, but pioneers or people not involved in the war efforts. I like some books that are set in history up into the 1920s, but after that not so much. I have read contemporary, but it doesn’t grab me the same way. Many nights of sleep, I’ve sacrificed to the reading of really good books! <3 Of course, there has to be good characters and setting, to keep the story flowing well.
Author
Thanks for your thoughtful answer to my question. I have some books set back in the times you prefer for your stories, but some that I still consider historical stories set in the 1930s and 40s. I’m even thinking my Hollyhill books set in the 1960s are beginning to be historical. 🙂 I hope you find many good books to read, and thank you so much for posting reviews for An Appalachian Summer. You might like River to Redemption that is set in 1833 and then 1845.