Making A Dream Come True
We all have dreams. We set goals, whether to lose weight or become a best-selling author. But what about when a dream isn't yours? Have you ever set out to help someone else realize their biggest wish?
I am fortunate to be able to make my mother's dream come true. Back in the early 1980's, she wrote a romance novel. The woman who introduced me to the world of swashbuckling alphas and the feisty women who tamed them, had a dream of becoming an author with her books on the shelf next to her idols.
After writing her story, she sent it off to publishers who returned her book with encouraging words but a polite 'No Thank You'. She kept all those rejections but put away the manuscript, letting her life move in a different direction.
Her life took a tragic turn and she passed in 1998, never seeing her dream come true. When my father downsized, my sister discovered my mom's manuscript and gave it to me. Reading through it, I had a huge smile on my face. The typewritten pages and her handwritten notes and edits reconnected me with her. But the story had some major issues. It lacked dialogue and had a great deal of head-hopping. There were also problems with some secondary characters who were little more than stereotypes. But how to keep her story while making the changes??
Over weeks and weeks, I typed her story into a word document, making changes along the way. I added character actions, rather than 'said' and took out the stereotypes. But how much of the original story to keep? Should I keep the head-hopping? It felt like the books I used to read by Johanna Lindsay.
With the help of an amazing editor, we trimmed down the point of views and created a finished product, I'm sure she'd love. Finally, I am able to bring her dream to life and share her talents with others.
Eighteen-year-old, Andrea “Andy” Lawrence has enjoyed
freedom since the death of her mother. Her eyes change color with her moods,
especially when her legendary temper sparks. When her father sends her to her
aunt and uncle in Richmond to experience big city living, Andrea will need her
stubborn determination to navigate backstabbing women and her drunk uncle.
Travis Winfield Scott enjoys his freedom as a rake and
scoundrel, charming all the women while investigating which Southern gentlemen
are shipping ammunition and stirring up the Native Americans. Settling down is the
last thing on his mind until he comes face to face with spirited Andrea
Lawrence.
Can Andrea learn to temper her freedom with society’s rules
or will she lose the one man who truly understands her heart? Will Travis solve
the mystery of who wants to incite the Natives, or will his passion for the
spitfire win his heart?
Follow this sweeping love story spanning Virginia to New
Mexico after the Civil War as two headstrong personalities clash.
Available in Ebook and Print
Until Next Month,
4 comments:
Melissa, how wonderful you were able to bring your mom's story to life. I just downloaded it from Amazon. Best of luck.
Thank you Cara. I've already given my father a print copy. :)
So nice you have done this for her
Thank you Vicki. I wish she could have seen it!
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