Friday, September 18, 2015

NEW SERIES, THE BRIDE BRIGADE

To writers, starting a new book or story is exciting. Ooh. the possibilities. While I plot my stories, that plot is like a roadmap on a leisurely trip. There’s still plenty of opportunity for side excursions.

My new series is called Bride Brigade. The first, JOSEPHINE, is almost ready to release. While I’m editing that one, my next story in the series, ANGELINE is underway. Thanks to Kathy Shaw for thinking of the name Bride Brigade. Skhye Moncrief designed the covers.

Book one of the Bride Brigade series

I love the name of this town, Tarnation, Texas. If it really existed outside my head, it would be in the Palo Pinto Mountains just north of where Interstate 20 passes by today. Of course, in the last quarter of the 1800s, there were no paved highways in that area. This series actually is set in 1873 to avoid Indian conflict yet predate the railroad.

In this series, a lovely young widow named Lydia Jane Harrison (the name of an ancestor) regrets there are no women her age in town. In fact, there are mostly men in the area. Other than Lydia, there are only a few married women and several elderly widows. Many young men are moving away due to the shortage of marriageable women.

Book two
Lydia’s good friend Sophie Gaston prevails on her to do something to solve the problem before Sophie’s doctor son carries out his threat to move his medical office to Fort Worth. After all, most red-blooded young men want a wife and family. Lydia agrees and goes to her former hometown of Richmond, Virginia to recruit nice young women to accompany her to Texas.

Intending to round up four suitable young women, her compassionate nature means she ends up with seven. That’s good for the town. At 28, Lydia enjoys having the companionship of women near her age. Folks in town label the seven women as the Bride Brigade. Soon the girls are referring to themselves in that way.

There are a variety of stories but all promise a happily-ever-after. That’s what we all want, isn’t it?


More about the JOSEPHINE on Monday.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Caroline,
First of all, congrats are in order for this new series of books. I love the title: Bride Brigade - very appropriate. This sounds like an interesting series. I'm looking forward to reading the books. Way to go.

Unknown said...

Caroline I love this name and I know I will love every book in this series.I have loved every book of yours that I have read.I am eagerly awaiting the release of your new series !!!