SETTING AS A CHARACTER

  

 By Caroline Clemmons

 One of the enjoyable things about writing is choosing and developing characters. You may not have considered this, but often the setting becomes a character. Many such series and books come to my mind, and I imagine the same is true for you.

Our world is filled with beautiful and awe inspiring places to inspire writers. Some books require a small town in the U.S. that does not have to be identified by state. Another might be set in a large city but need only generic description of the locale. Many may give detailed descriptions of major cities, complete with turns onto various streets.

Most of my books use the setting to advance the plot. For instance, in AN AGENT FOR LYDIA, the Badlands’ Hole in the Wall is crucial to the story. In MURDOCH’S BRIDE, the blizzard that strands the train and passengers could not have occurred in Florida.

So it is with my current series, Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides, set in (obviously) the Texas Hill Country of Central Texas. The gently rolling hills with abundant water made ranching a major industry in the 1800’s. It still is, although land is now being swallowed by developers.

Gentry McRae and his partner are ranchers near the town of Harrigan Springs in the first of the series, GENTRY AND THE MAILORDER BRIDE, Heidi Roth. The story moves into town for the second book about Sheriff Jesse Cameron and his mail order bride, Rosalin Arnold in JESSE AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. Gentry’s youngest brother takes center stage in QUINN AND THE MAIL ORDER BRDE, Priscilla Bradford. Back in town for book four, runaway bride Maeve’s rescuer is Levi Iverson in LEVIAND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. Heiress Elliana seeks refuge in Harrigan Springs with banker Keith Martin in KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE.

Currently being written is SIDNEY AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. Sidney Garton has sent for a mail order bride who can cook and keep house and also help him in Garton’s Mercantile. Antoinette Fourier is gorgeous, but she is not at all a bit of a surprise.

I hope you’ll read these books. I’ve loved writing them for you.