By Caroline Clemmons
Writing a book involves dozens of
details. You and my fan group, Caroline’s Cuties, helped name the horses and
dog. Thank you! That was fun. Those were only a tiny part of writing a book.
For instance, they have to have a house.
Usually, I select a Victorian frame home. Sometimes I use brick to build
the house. In the town in which we used to live, there’s a beautiful Victorian
home of red brick. The home has an elevator, which must have been expensive and
unusual at the time the home was built. I’ve been in the front room of that
home, but didn’t get to try the elevator. On one visit, the hostess opened the elevator door for my
friend and I so we could see inside.
For Keith Martin’s home, I wanted
something different, but correct for the period. My youngest daughter and I
love to go on home tours and also simply drive through certain neighborhoods
that contain lovely homes. We don't covet those homes, we simply enjoy seeing the variety of details. After recalling those we’ve toured or seen, I
decided on Italianate-style architecture for Keith’s home. Of course, Keith
would never have conceived of building such an elaborate house. He was
fortunate that his friend Levi Iverson (book 4) steered him toward buying the
home.
If you (as I wasn't) aren’t familiar with
the definition of Italianate, here is what Wikipedia says:
Italianate
architecture is a popular 19th century style of building that was inspired
by 16th century Italian Renaissance architecture combined with
Picturesque influences from farmhouses of the Tuscan countryside.
This
Victorian-era style that began in Britain and spread around the world favored
the use of elements from a romanticized past to create buildings that offered
an alternative to the prevailing formality of classical architecture.
That’s not as helpful as it could be, is it? So, I kept looking. Here are some elements included:
Tall house from two to four stories
May have a Belvedere cupola or tower on
top
Decorative window trim, tall windows
Bay windows
Porches with decorative woodwork
Cast iron or pressed metal decorative
elements on balconies and porches
Entrances with decorative details such
as columns and brackets
You can read about it in their story as
it appears in KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, book 5, Texas Hill Country Mail
Order Brides. If you haven’t read it, get your copy at:
https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Order-Bride-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0CW7B2GZS/
There are four earlier books in the
series: GENTRY (the rancher. Book 1), JESSE (the sheriff, book 2), QUINN (the
reluctant rancher, book 3), and LEVI, book 4). All are available on Amazon in
e-book and print, and all are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. Here’s the series
link—if you scroll through the ads.
Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and
keep reading!