JERRI'S LITTLE MUSE!

ANOTHER NIGHT FALLS
COMING OCTOBER, 2012

Jerri's Little Muse

I write what I feel. It’s probably the reason I usually have more than one book going at a time. At the moment, I’m revising Whispers of a Legend, Time of the Nuxvenom, but at the same time I’m about half way through on a regency romance, Broken Legacy, and in the back of my mind, I have Winds of Betrayal stirring within me. Most authors don’t write like this.

It’s just how I write. The story lives inside of me. It’s almost like I have someone whispering over my shoulder telling me what to write. My muse perhaps? Has to be because sometimes I wonder where I come up with my ideas.

I’ll give you an example. When I wrote Patriot Secrets, it was titled Before the Sun Sets and was way too long. When I sent it to my publisher, she told me to cut it into two books. Last year, I picked up the second part to revise for Winds of Betrayal. I hit the second chapter and I had to stop. Something just didn’t feel right. There was something missing.

The whispers began again. I went back and read over Patriot Secrets. There it was. Rebekah who was barely mentioned in Patriot Secrets now because the heroine in Ruse of Love. My bridge book between Patriot Secrets and Winds of Betrayal emerged.

Ah…then I have Sumner Meador. When I began the Tides of Charleston series he was nothing more than the half-brother of Cathryn Blankenship. Now Sumner is the hero in my next release with Whiskey Creek Press. If you have an affinity for alpha male heroes, you’ll gonna love Sumner. The epitome of an American hero! A cowboy before there was cowboys. Pays to listen to my little voice…Another Night Falls is due out October 1^st!

So what kind of stories does my little muse give me. You can get a chance to find out. Since we’re giving away freebies this month, here’s your chance for a copy of Ruse of Love!  

Let me know if you think I should continue to listen to my little muse! Leave a comment and win a copy. 

Have a good one! Keep reading!

RUSE OF LOVE

The tides of war have shifted. When all eyes turn south, Doctor Jonathan Corbett finds himself once more thrust into the war’s turmoil. On assignment from General Washington, the dashing doctor discovers his mission has taken him straight into a conflict where the British are not the only ones to be feared.

Rebekah Morse has no time to contemplate the exploding war around her. Caught up as a pawn in a deadly conspiracy, she finds her only hope lies with her old friend, but things have changed since they last saw each other.Yet destiny has not intervened in their lives without cause. Rebekah’s strength, courage, and breathtaking sensuality sets within Jonathan a desire he swore never to feel again. When Rebekah’s life is threatened, Jonathan is determined to save the stubborn woman whether she wants to be saved or not. Now Jonathan and Rebekah must face the perilous threat together—only to discover a passion they never imagined...

HEADLINES FOR SURE! ALPHA MALE HEROES!

Interview Assignment 1776: Doctor Jonathan Corbett: Historical Romance: Winds of Betrayal Series…new release, Ruse of Love.

 

Dawg gone it! I forgot insect repellent. The mosquitoes are huge and swarming around me, but what did I expect when I volunteered for this assignment to interview alpha males in romance novels? So, I bet you guys are wondering where I'm at. I know...I know I thought I was supposed to be going on an assignment to a contemporary romance...but no. The new girl, Arabella, took that assignment. She's flying off to her assignment in someone's private jet!!! She's getting to cover those Billionaire series and living the life of luxury. Where am I? I’ll tell you. In the midst of mosquito heaven somewhere in the backwoods of the Carolinas! Okay, okay, I confess I overslept...again. Yes, Frank, my boss, warned me. I didn’t listen. So now I've got to go find this doctor. I ask you who is going to be interested in an army doctor back in 1780?

 

“Where the hell did you come from?”

 

Abruptly, I turned and came face to face with my objective…maybe my day wasn’t going to be as bad as I first thought. No, not bad at all. Tall, unquestionably handsome, and those eyes, those mesmerizing blue eyes… Deep breath. You’re here for a reason. Remember your cover story. Questions.

 

“Dr. Corbett?” I asked. “Dr. Jonathan Corbett?”

 

“Depends on whose asking.”

 

His response was short and to the point. I nodded. No nonsense. Not bad…a challenge, but not bad. I gave him a small smile.

 

“My name is Missy Elliot. I heard you served with the Continental Army up north. Saratoga. Served under General Washington. My father runs a small paper in Charleston…I mean, Charles Town.” Okay, slow down. Frank’s gonna kill you if you screw this up. Keep your facts straight. Charleston wasn’t called Charleston until after the war. After the war! I paused for a moment to compose myself. These time changes were gonna be the death of me. “He’s sick at the moment. Gout.”

 

“Not uncommon,” Dr. Corbett answered me. “But it doesn’t tell me why you’re here. It’s not safe for an unescorted woman. To be honest with all the raiders around this area it’s not safe for anybody.”

 

“I assure you I will be as brief as I can. My father wanted to interview you. A person of interest in these parts, Dr. Corbett. Something of a legend. It’s not often you hear of a fighin’ doctor.”

 

“I’m a doctor first. The fighting part just happened. Sometimes you don’t have a choice.”

 

“From the way I heard it you gave no thought to yourself, but grabbed a rifle and led a group of…”

 

“That was in Saratoga.” Jonathan Corbett cut me off.

 

Doesn’t like to talk about himself. Brave, courageous and humble. Nice, but it’s my job to get him to talk. “Patience, Dr. Corbett. The good people of the Carolinas want to understand you, the Virginian doctor. Is there any truth to the rumor that you came down here for a woman? A Rebekah Morse?”

 

No answer, just a stare that would have killed me if it had been a bullet. Asked and answered. “I apologize if you think I’m being noisy, but you have to admit you are an intriguing person. It would be quite understandable your first wife died…”

 

“I don’t talk about Catherine. Now you will have to excuse me. I have to get back to a patient.”

 

I glanced around. What patient? I timed this interview in-between battles. Where was I anyway? We weren’t close to his unit’s camp. Wait. There was a small cabin up the road a piece. Was someone coming out of the door? A broad muscular man ducked down to step outside… he wore no shirt which gave me a full view of his firm abs; his sweat glistened in the sunlight. Oh, yeah. My day was getting better and better.

 

“Who's this, Doc?” the man asked from the porch.

 

Dr. Corbett...Jonathan...looked back at me. He shrugged, “Not quite sure, but she’ll be leaving. Won’t ca, ma’am? I’m doing a favor for a friend that needed a doctor. Not interesting I’m sure to anyone.”

 

“I think the readers...for my...father's paper, would love it if I included...your friend…”

 

“Where are my manners? Sumner Meador, this is…”

 

My heart fluttered. Sumner Meador clicked in my head....Tides of Charleston Series...Hero in book three, Another Night Falls, soon to be released. Oh...oh...oh...can we say exclusive? Then Sumner's next statement  sent shivers down my spine.

"Doc, don't have time for this. Jake's seems to be doing better, but we need to get him out of here and back to the British before you know who discovers him."

I almost shouted for glee! I knew it! I just knew that Jonathan Corbett had to have been the doctor that saved Jake! Jake Penington, alpha hero of Books One and Two of the Tides of Charleston series. Headlines for sure!

"Looks as though we'll have to put this interview on hold at the moment, ma'am," Doctor Corbett said. 

But I won't be that easily dismissed. Oh, no! I won't leave this jackpot...three leading heroes converged into one spot....to be continued....

Whatever is a girl to do? We love our alpha heroes. 

RUSE OF LOVE
COMING AUGUST 7TH!

Want to learn more about the men in the interviews? Yes, at one point all three men interact with  each other in these two series, Tides of Charleston and Winds of Betrayal. Check out their adventures.  

PATRIOT SECRETS

Want to catch up with the series, Book One of Winds of Betrayal, Patriot Secrets is going to be free on Amazon coming up August 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9th in celebration of Book Two, Ruse of Love's release!

And don't miss out on Tides of Charleston Series, The Judas Kiss and The Promise already released. Coming soon...Another Night Falls...September, 2012!

And Missy Elliot's interview will continue...two weeks from today...

Have a good one! Keep Reading!

 

SETTING THE TABLE

Have you ever planned an event that you wanted to be just right? You work endlessly over every detail to make sure your party is a success. Painstaking time is spent to get every aspect of your event perfect...from picking out the date of the event, invitations, the food, to even where your guests should park. Every detail. Nothing is overlooked. For in the end your one desire is for everyone to leave satisfied and happy they came.

That's my mindset when I sit down to write a book. My one desire is to create a story that will stay with a reader. I want my book to be the one you can't put down and even disappointed when you finish it. Okay, maybe, I'm getting a little carried away, but you get the idea. I want you to enjoy my creation.

Like planning a party, you have to create the right mood and atmosphere. 

If I ask you what you think of when you think of a romantic dinner, doesn't your mind wander to a small table covered with an elegant white tablecloth in a dark and secluded area lit only with two candles burning on either side of the two wine glasses. A single red rose bud sits in a crystal vase serving as the centerpiece. While a couple of empty chairs wait for the lovers to enter the room. Not what you would plan if you were planning your ten-years-old birthday party.

That's why when you're writing the setting is so important...like setting the table.

I was thinking about settings to books while I was editing an upcoming release. I have two books coming out soon. Ruse of Love in August and Another Night Falls in September. Both are set in Charleston during the American Revolution. They even have a couple of character exchanges. But I was thinking of how the stories evolved. Truthfully, both were inspired by Patriot Secrets. I have said many times I'm fascinated by the American Revolution. While I was doing research on the American Revolution for Patriot Secrets, I literally stumbled over the Southern Campaign. When I was in school, I swear I never learned about the battles in the South during this time.

The whole of the war took a interesting turn in the South. We Southerners even then walked to a different beat. The more I researched, the more I was drawn to this place, Charleston...Charles Town before the American Revolution. Interesting, intriguing, romantic all words I connect to Charleston. Last summer, I visited Charleston and fell in love with it. It was just as I imagined...more so. Different I have to admit from my visit to London this year. Not going to go into details about my trip to London yet, but my visit to London didn't inspire me the way Charleston did and I write about both places. London though is a huge city in the middle of getting prepared for the Olympics.

Charleston on the other hand...just walking down the Main Street inspired stories within me. Remember I write romantic suspense. Charleston still holds within it a charm of people forgotten; a remembrance of a time lost. Charleston has character...good and bad...that's good for me. Without conflict, I wouldn't have stories. At a convention last year I attended a seminar given by Donald Maass, he said something that when I write I live by. 

What’s the worst thing your antagonist must do? Make it against his/her principles. Make it unthinkable. Then make it imperative.

To do this to my characters, I have to have a setting that would enhance my stories. Charleston is perfect.

For me, my stories cry for a setting such as Charleston. Underlying the beauty of Charleston is a different character. To understand better, you need to understand the early Charleston. No matter the beauty, Charleston had death surrounding it. With its warm weather, Charleston became a haven for sickness, mainly fevers of all sorts from yellow fever to malaria. The area was made up of a diversity of people from the elite to slaves and don't forget the Indians within this mix. The elite of Charleston tried to emulate the aristocrats of England. Their homes illuminated their wealth even today you can see the magnificent dwellings. Yet most of their wealth was built on the back of slaves. During the American Revolution, at times the war seemed as a civil war which had little to do with the British. More as if the war gave anyone who held a grudge against another justification to go after that person. Greed and revenge motivated vicious crimes. But within Charleston, there were also brave, courageous men and women who help forge our country. I love some of the stories I've read of the brave women and their actions they took to save lives and their homes.

COMING AUGUST 7, 2012

On August 7th, Ruse of Love will be released. It's Book Two in the Winds of Betrayal series.

The tides of war have shifted. When all eyes turn south, Doctor Jonathan Corbett finds himself once more thrust into the war’s turmoil. On assignment from General Washington, the dashing doctor discovers his mission has taken him straight into a conflict where the British are not the only ones to be feared. 

Rebekah Morse has no time to contemplate the exploding war around her. Caught up as a pawn in a deadly conspiracy, she finds her only hope lies with her old friend, but things have changed since they last saw each other.

Yet destiny has not intervened in their lives without cause. Rebekah’s strength, courage, and breathtaking sensuality sets within Jonathan a desire he swore never to feel again. When Rebekah’s life is threatened, Jonathan is determined to save the stubborn woman whether she wants to be saved or not. Now Jonathan and Rebekah must face the perilous threat together—only to discover a passion they never imagined...Ruse of Love by Jerri Hines-Coming August, 2012! 

Following this release, Another Night Falls will be released. Another Night Falls is Book Three in the Tides of Charleston Series!

COMING SEPTEMBER, 2012

  Sumner Meador walked in a world of wealth and privilege of Charles Town’s elite, but that was years ago. Now he fights in the Southern backwoods driven by the passion he holds for the Patriot cause, shadowed by his past.  Reeling from a devastating defeat at the hands of the British, Sumner seeks haven at his farm, only to find an interloper, an unwelcome and unwanted distraction. He has no time for the young woman or the complications she brings with her, but soon discovers he has no option but to give aid to the stubborn, courageous beauty whether she wants it or not.

 A widower, Sumner has been haunted by the death of his wife and is consumed with a desire for revenge. Jane Kilmer has been violently thrust into the midst of the civil war ensuing in the backwoods. Hiding from one of the most dangerous vigilantes, Jane trusts no one. Suddenly, she has no choice but to put her life in Sumner’s hands. Both desire revenge, but neither wants what happens-to fall completely, undeniably in love with each other- so much so, that both are willing to die for the other. And they might have to. 

Another Night Falls coming September, 2012!

Both books are set in Charleston during the American Revolution...both a historical romance/romantic suspense. Both, I hope, will be a must read...and you will put down the books satisfied and happy you read them!

FREE READS!

And just for fun...want a few good FREE reads....click on the title. If you're interested in Book One of the Winds of Betrayal Series...Patriot Secrets....and if you're interested in Tides of Charleston Series....The Judas Kiss and The Promise.  Enjoy! Have a good one!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

I can't believe how fast time has flown. It's the 4th! I love the 4th of July. I should I'm an American Revolutionary buff! The whole of the war fascinates me. The American Revolution was an anomaly in revolutions. You have only to compare it to the French Revolution to understand the magnitude of what our Founding Fathers accomplished!

Credit has to be given to our Founding Fathers for the path of freedom they laid down for us. Understanding that conflict was inevitable to secede from British control, the country that emerged from this conflict has to be admired. The United States of America may not be perfect, but there's nothing like it in the world. There's no where else I would want to live. 

It's this fascination with the American Revolution that has inspired two series I'm writing- Winds of Betrayal and Tides of Charleston.  The Winds of Betrayal series is historical fiction at its fullest. The first book, Patriot Secrets, deals with the fires that burned within the hearts of the Patriots at the beginning of the war following the journey of two siblings- Jonathan and Hannah Corbett. The price for the freedoms we enjoy came with a price...a high price. We need never to forgot the sacrifice. 

PATRIOT SECRETS

PATRIOT SECRETS

In the midst of the struggle for America's bid for independence, Hannah Corbett makes a fateful decision, descending into a world of deceit. Spurred by revenge, she heads to New York, setting in motion a dangerous game for which there is no return. Searching desperately for the man who betrayed her family, she faces the cold and brutal reality of the life of a spy. Caught in a web of lies, living with betrayal, she is trapped. She has nowhere to turn except to a man it would be treasonous to love, setting duty and desire at war. Her heart is ripped apart when she must choose between the man who risks his career and life to protect her and the only thing that has remained constant in her life...her belief in her cause.

Coming Soon!

Coming later this month, Ruse of Love will be released continuing the journey of Jonathan Corbett in the midst of this turmoil. The tides of war has shifted as all eyes turn toward the South. 

Have a happy and safe July 4th!

As a side note...July 4th is a special day to me for another reason as well...it's my wedding anniversary...25 years tomorrow!

KISS ME I'M IRISH!

May the sun always shine on your windowpane, May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain, May the hand of a friend always be near you, May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you!     Irish Blessing.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! A day when the whole world is Irish! Have you ever wondered why everyone wants to be Irish…even for a day? Oh…there will always be the stereotype of a typical Irishman, probably best known for their ability to out-drink most other races. Or do you think it is the Luck of the Irish that everyone is seeking? Seen any little Leprechauns lately or chased any pots of gold?

I believe there is a romance to the thought of being Irish. Perhaps I’m bias because I married myself an Irish Lad…twenty-five years ago. I’m excited because to celebrate the family is traveling to Ireland this summer. I’ve never been. Looking forward to the adventure and it will be an adventure!

So today everyone is Irish. What does that mean to you? Here are a few tips on being Irish that I have learned over the years.

The Irish never know how to tell a short story.

The Irish may not know the words to a song, but it doesn’t stop them from singing it.

If you’re Irish you can't wait for the other guy to stop talking so you can start talking.

Matter of fact, why wait? Without question, the Irish like to talk.

I hear the Irish like their beer.

Being Irish means you have this need to know everything about everyone.

Being Irish means you have a big heart.

One more thing, St. Patrick’s Day is St. Paddy’s Day.

Honestly I don’t think I’ve ever met an Irishman I didn’t like. Have a great day. May you always have the luck of the Irish on your side.

May you live a long life Full of gladness and health, With a pocket full of gold As the least of you wealth. May the dreams you hold dearest, Be those which come true, The kindness you spread, Keep returning to you. Irish Blessing.

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

This coming week, Patriot Secrets with Wild Child Publishing is going FREE on Kindle Select. I'm so excited because I love this book. It's my mother's favorite book of mine. So if you want a copy, wait until Wednesday, March 21st. It will be free until the 25th. Tell your friends and join me over on my blog for a contest!

PATRIOT SECRETS


Today Dreamscape is free! Don't miss out on your free copy!

DREAMSCAPE

THE SILENCE OF HEROES by Jerri Hines

November means Thanksgiving. It also means Veteran's Day. Friday, November 11, 2011. A day to honor our unsung heroes- those who have protected us so that we can enjoy our freedom. To all of those who have served- thank you.

Our lives as we know it-our freedoms we take for granted- are due to their sacrifices. Unsung heroes-most cases we don't even know their names.

When I write, I use inspiration. I have studied history and have used scenarios of deeds of others before me. Patriot Secrets was a tribute to the ones who put their lives on the line for the cause they believed would better the world around them. Not for themselves, but their children, family and neighbors. There is something within these people that sacrifice themselves for the better of others. Why are these special people so willing to lay their lives on the line for people they have never met? I believe there are several reasons- honor, duty, love, belief in God, and empathy.

Empathy. The technical meaning of empathy states the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another. Empathy to me means someone who feels the pain, the hurt, the love, the fear of an another no matter of their race, ethnicity, or religion.

Today's blog is dedicated to one such person. Her name is Irena Sendler. Do you know her? I didn't until a couple of days ago. I was taken back because I take pride in knowing my history. If I had heard of her before, I would have definitely remembered. Why had I not heard of her? She even had a Hallmark movie made about her.

In the last couple of days, I have researched Irena Sendler. I have researched all I could find on her. It's hard. She only came to light here in America when students in Kansas did a Holocaust project and wrote a play, Life in a Jar. Someone left a comment on a blog I was reading about her that said it was important for every Jewish child to know her name. I beg to differ. I believe its important for all children to know her name.

Irena Sendler (Sendlerowa) was born in 1910 outside of Warsaw, Poland. Her father, a Catholic doctor, died of typhus caring for poor Jewish families. She was greatly influenced by her father and his deeds. When World War II began, she was a Senior Administrator in the Warsaw Social Welfare Department. In 1939 the Germans invaded Poland. It became a crime to help any Jew. A crime punishable by death. Not by a trial. No, immediate- most shot dead. And the punishment not only extended to the person, but their family as well. The Germans threw over 400,000 (some reports say 500,000) Jews in a place that became known as the Warsaw Ghetto.

Irena risked her life along with ten other ladies within the Welfare Department. I wish I had their names. I don't. For five years she and the other ladies worked endlessly rescuing Jewish children from certain death. Over 2,500 children were saved by any means possible from the back of her ambulance, hidden under blankets, in sacks, in toolboxes, and even in coffins. She trained her dog to bark continuously to hid the cries of babies. Irena was not alone in her quest. The Catholic church helped her. She said the sisters never turned away a child. The priest created false baptisms records for the child's identity. Eventually, Irena began working with the underground resistance, Zegota.

In 1943 she was arrested, severely tortured and sentenced to death. She escaped only because the Zegota bribed an German guard. For the rest of the war she remained hidden and working with the underground resistance. Irena kept a record of all the children, who they were, their family and where they were placed hidden in jars buried in a neighbor's garden. Unfortunately after the war, few of the children were reunited with their families because most relatives of these children had been killed. Recognition for her work and the work of her companions did not come until after the Kansas students called attention to her work. When the war was over Poland was overtaken by the communists who hid their deeds because of the connection to the underground resistance. Some of the women were even imprisoned by the Communist.

Irena Sendler died on May 12, 2008 at the age of 98. She has been noted to have said, "Every child saved with my help is the justification of my existence on this Earth, and not a title to glory."

Ellie Wiesel quoted "In those times there was darkness everywhere. In heaven and on earth, all the gates of compassion seemed to have been closed. The killer killed and the Jews died and the outside world adopted as attitude either of complicity or of indifference. Only a few had the courage to care..."

Heroes are often silent. It is up to us to give them the honor they deserve. The other day I read about a death of a fallen soldier, Sgt. 1st Class Kristoffer B. Domeij, who had been deployed 14 times. He had even helped out in the rescue of Jessica Lynch. His only request in case of his death was that his family not talk to the media.

Most heroes emerge given their actions under extreme circumstances. They do not seek fame and glory. They do not request a reality show or book deal. They are simply people who make our world a better place to live... To all of these people thank you...

To learn more about Irena Sendler I have left the links I have found and used for this blog and also the link to the obituary of Sgt. 1st Class Kristoffer B. Domeij.

Moral Heroes      Irena Sendler An Unsung Hero   Army Ranger Kristoffer B. Domeij 


Today's book give away- PDF copy of Patriot Secrets.

IS ROMANTIC LOVE REAL?

The Notebook

Love is the foundation of most books. A bold statement. It is though. In most books whether mystery, fantasy, science fiction, mainstream, historical, paranormal, etc…somewhere in the book there is a romance or lack there of that is the driving force behind the book. People need love to thrive. So romance will always thrive.

We dream of it when we don’t have it. We dream of it when we do. From ‘You had me from hello’ to the final scene of the Notebook where Allie asked “Do you think that our love can create miracles?” Within each of us is a desire to find that kind of love. Is it real this kind of love?

I contend it is. I’m a romantic. I always have been. I believe in love at first sight and happily ever after. Growing up in the hill country of northeast Mississippi, I spent a great many days and nights reading about that love. I fell in love with the classics, Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. I snuck into my mother’s closet and read books she would never have approved of for me. Does anyone remember The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodwiss?

The Flame and the Flower

Ah, Kathleen Woodwiss a pioneer in romance writing. I love her books. Another favorite, Ashes in the Wind! She turned the romance writing world around to where writing sex scenes weren’t taboo anymore. Though I don’t believe that love scenes have to constitute sex scenes, but the way Ms Woodwiss wrote them you believed they were love scenes.

Romance books allow us to live our fantasies. For a brief moment in time we escape. Can you imagine how many governesses after reading Jane Eyre dreamed of marrying their employer?  Probably not a reality to most, but a brief reprieve from their own lives.

Everyone needs to believe that they can obtain that love. Romance novels allow us to hold to that belief.

Oh, I have problems with some romance novels as do we all. I have been known to point out a few discrepancies on historical romances. Then there is that romance formula we are suppose to follow when we write romances where alpha male meets damsel in distress. I admit I have problems following the formula at times. I believe love comes to my characters in different ways.

Is there a difference, though, between romantic love and true love? With romantic love it’s the emotion that follows a narrow path leading to only one thing…passion. With this passion emerges only one thought. When we are in romantic love we will sacrifice everything for that passion. Does it wane over time this passion? It’s my belief that is a question to be answered by an individual. This I will say- to evolve to true love you have to go down the path of romantic love.

I think back to an incident in my life that weighs in favor of an evolving romantic love. Once when I was a child of no more than nine or ten, my grandmother had a heart attack. It was bad. All of us cousins were brought to one of my uncle’s who lived close to the hospital while our parents were at the hospital. We were outside playing when I wanted a drink. Running back into the house, I paused at the patio glass door. Sitting at the kitchen table alone was my grandfather. The sadness in his eyes couldn’t be denied. He sat quietly staring down at his wedding ring turning it over and over. Even at my young age I comprehended clearly the pain he felt and why. Is it not what we truly strive for? For that kind of love when you truly are one person.

Our job as romance writers is to create a world that draws the reader in, to connect our character to their life, to feel their emotions, to experience their love and perhaps at times imagine our love in real life as the perfect hero.

My true love (hubbie) is at this moment in the bathroom putting down a new floor. Maybe not the most romantic thing in the world to some, but as I sit at my computer my hero is racing to save the love of his life. Comparable? 

It shouldn’t be surprising to know that all my heroes are in some form or fashion formulate from the love I share with the love of my life. After over twenty-five years he still makes my heart flutter. Writing and reading romances helps bring me back to the time when we first met, to the time when we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.

Patriot Secrets

So the question remains. Is Romantic Love Real? Simply put…yes.

You will find my next release, The Judas Kiss, out this coming January with Whiskey Creek Press. A historical romance. I’m excited because it’s the first in the Tides of Charleston series. You will find my other books, Dream Walker and Patriot Secrets, at most ebook stores. Follow me on Facebook- Novel Works is my fan page where I recommend books, authors, blogs… I’m also on Twitter  @jhines340. 

Inspiration to Write

I’m so excited! Love the new look. So happy to have all our new Roses! Welcome! Where Romance is Never Out of Season. This is going to be great! I love our new...everything!

So we are supposed to introduce ourselves. Let you get to know us. I thought about this for a while. I have decided to give you a little insight into what inspires me to write. Oh, I am like most I believe. I have wanted to write since I was a child. Got side tracked a tad with life in general, but I believe that everything we go through gets us to where we’re supposed to be. So, it just took me a little longer to become a writer.  

The question becomes what inspires a story. For me it starts with an idea. What if? Then I let it blossom from there. I don’t use an outline. Can’t. My story doesn’t flow if it’s tied down. I love history. I guess it explains why I write historical romances.  

So then what inspired my paranormal book, Dream Walker? First, let me correct a misguided belief by my mother that it’s not her autobiography. No, she hasn’t read it because the heroine has her name. For whatever reason, she thinks I based, my heroine, Ramona, on her. The truth is unless my mother is a demon fighting superwoman that I know nothing about, it isn’t about her. I just happened to love her name (love her too).  

So my inspiration for Dream Walker? I love paranormal stories. There is nothing better than a good ghost story, but to be honest Dream Walker came about because of an experience I had.  

Have you ever had something happen to you that you can’t explain? Something that you couldn’t forget? I did. Once a long time ago after the birth of my daughter who is in college now. I’ll never forget it because it seemed so real. 

I remember my daughter was a baby, no more than six or seven months. My husband was home and I went down for a nap in the afternoon while she was sleeping. At that time a young teenage girl had gone missing in the state. A terrible situation. The police thought she had been abducted and taken out of state like another recent case. While I was sleeping, I had a dream, a terrifying dream. I remember it was in color. I have never dreamed in color before or since. I saw things, vivid things. I saw a young girl with her sister playing, smiling at me. I saw flashes of scenes of a man watching a school bus parked on the side of the road; I saw the girl riding a bike to a graveyard and crying by a grave; I saw a man calling that girl over to his garage. Then I saw a hand in the ground. It looked like I was in a cellar of some sort. Then I saw her and felt an overwhelming sensation of peace…

I woke up scared to death. My husband couldn’t calm me down. I told him about my dream. Everything. I told him I thought it was that girl that was missing. He told me (just like I thought at the time) I was concerned about the girl. It was natural to have a dream like that. The picture of the girl was all over the news. I went to work the next day and told a couple of co-workers all the details. How real it all seemed.

Let me explain something before I go on. I’m not from New England. At the time, I had only been up here a few years. I couldn’t tell you much about one town from another. Another fact, where I’m from we don’t have many cellars or basements, but if you did, it had a concrete floor, not necessarily here in the older houses of New England.  

A few days later the State police found the young girl’s body in the basement of her neighbor’s house. The young girl’s father had died the year before and she visited her father’s grave almost everyday. They believed that when she came home from one of those visits that her neighbor called her over to his garage. They found her buried in a shallow grave in his cellar. 

Okay. Okay. My husband explained it all to me. I had figured it out. He told me I watched too many cop shows. That’s all. Except it felt so different, so real. But what are you going to do? I think my husband was afraid people would think I was strange. So I didn’t say much about it after.  

Years later we moved to a different part of the state and I started a new job. For the first time I worked the overnight shift. One night on break we were talking about strange things that happened to us. I told my story. One of the girls I was working with told me that she knew the family it happened to. Did I know it happened the next town over to where I lived now? I didn’t, but I then I began to wonder. The dream seemed so real I could still picture it in my head. 

One day not long after, I was out shopping with my two youngest children not far from the town. So, I told them we were going for a ride. They asked for what and I told them. They laughed at me. Silly. I know. Basically, I was looking for what? A dream? Then my oldest girl asked me again what I was looking for. I told her again, a church with a road going down a hill to a graveyard. She pointed. “Like that?” Within minutes, I drove into a graveyard and up to a grave I had seen in my dream. Along side of that grave was another; the girl’s.

I don’t have an explanation for it. I don’t know why it happened, but I do believe something did. I’ve never had another dream like that. Sometimes I remember that sense of peace that overcame me at the end of the dream. Sometimes I think it was to let the girl’s mother know she was okay. If it was, I didn’t do a good job on that. I think the woman would have thought me a nutcase for sure. So instead I wrote about it. The inspiration for Dream Walker.  

Now you know a tid-bit about me that most don’t know. I can see my husband cringing now.    

 Jerri Hines is a paranormal-suspense/historical romance writer. She has two books out with Wild Child Publishing, Dream Walker and Patriot Secrets. Coming in January 2012, her first historical romance with Whiskey Creek Press will be to release. Join her on Facebook -Novel Works and follow her on twitter @jhines340.