spiritual wounds | Novels Now

Really exciting news this month because I can also tell you about a new book in the production process. You’ll have to check back for the cover Reveal and publication date, but meantime, TA RA………………………………………………………….

COURTING THE COUNTESS will be my 4th published full-length romance when it comes out from Endeavour. It’s the story of a young woman whose beauty has been lost in a fire. As such, Courting the Countess, is a most appropriate study for this month’s round robin feature: What mental, physical or spiritual wounds or scars have you used in your stories?

Courting the Countess began life as an entry for the Elizabeth Goudge Award competition when the then RNA Chair, Christina Courtney, asked for a novel opening based on a fairy-tale.

WHAT IF, I thought, the Beauty was the man and the Beast was the girl?

Easy enough to create a physical illness or disability for one of the characters, but what implications does the loss of beauty have for a person? Lots, I would say and thereby was my story found.

Injuries and pain bring with them a loss of confidence and zest for life. Can my hero restore her? What spiritual wounds might he be living with that help or hinder him in this task? There have to be some, I think, in a well-rounded novel or the light and shade is compromised.

Courting the Countess, like my other books also has a lot of fun, dry wit and period detail – 1819, Scottish Regency, Edinburgh. As a writer I don’t believe in whacking the reader with mental, physical or spiritual burden all the way through. Life is a kaleidoscope, but the heroines of any romance need a fair bit of angst to work through and show their characters to best advantage.

If this subject interests you, then please head along to one of my blogging friends, below:

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Victoria Chatham http://victoriachatham.blogspot.ca
https://bobrich18.wordpress.com/2016/08/27/the-wounded-healer
Rachael Kosinski http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Anne Stenhouse https://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com
A.J. Maguire http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com