Help . . . I'm Stuck!

Posted by Michelle Griep for author Sarah Ladd

Author Sarah Ladd

Has this ever happened to you? You are writing a novel. You love the characters. You are excited by the plot. But WHAM! You hit a wall a few chapters in, and you don’t know what to write next.

Some call it “writer’s block,” but whatever you call it, it can be discouraging and frustrating. Every writer struggles with this at some point, but there are certain things you can do to get yourself out of a writing slump. Here a few ideas to help you get “unstuck” and get the words flowing again:

Have fun with backstory

Is a character in you novel causing you to stumble in your story?  Take a few minutes and write a scene about the character’s early life … a scene from their childhood or an interaction with his or her parents. Chances are that this scene will never make it into your final manuscript, but occasionally just getting back to the basics with your character and learning more about his or her motivations can add spark to your story and keep you forging ahead.

     Point of view switch

If you are having trouble getting a scene to flow, why not try switching the POV of that particular scene?  Sometimes, taking a look at a situation from another character’s viewpoint can shift the scene’s momentum and get you back on the right track.

     Get inspired with setting

If you write in a historic time period or specific setting, watch a movie that takes place in a similar setting.  Or, if you are a Pinterest user, consider taking a few minutes to create a visual board for your book. This is a great way to engage other parts of your brain in the creative process.

Make the time to read.

Read, read, read!

Stephen King said, “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”  And that is so true! If you loose your inspiration or can’t figure out where to go next with your story, read a book by an author you admire. Read a classic. Read a book on the craft of writing. Sometimes, just getting your head out of your own story and spending some with other words with jump-start your creativity.

     Talk it out

Have a good writer friend?  Give them a call. Meet with them for coffee for a quick brainstorming session. Sometimes, just talking about your story out loud can make you think about your novel in a different light. Who knows, you and your brainstorming partner might even come up with a fresh idea or two to get your book moving in the right direction!

     Take a little break

     Tight timelines and busy schedules make us feel like we need to be writing during every free second we have. But often that can be counter-productive. Take a walk. Exercise. Go shopping. Take your mind off of the words. Sometimes, giving yourself a little space from your project can renew your vigor for your story.

Do you have a tip for getting “unstuck” when writing?  Share it with us in the comments section – we’d love to hear it! 

Sarah E. Ladd has always loved the Regency period — the clothes, the music, the literature and the art. A college trip to England and Scotland confirmed her interest in the time period and gave her idea of what life would’ve looked like in that era. It wasn’t until 2010 that Ladd began writing seriously. Shortly after, Ladd released the first book in the Whispers on the Moors series, The Heiress of Winterwood (2013). That title was the recipient of the 2011 ACFW Genesis Award for historical romance and is a finalist in the Debut Author category of the 2014 Carol Awards. The second book in the series, The Headmistress of Rosemere (2013), was on the ECPA best-seller list for several months. Her upcoming release, The Curiosity Keeper, will release in July 2015. Ladd also has more than ten years of marketing experience. She is a graduate of Ball State University and holds degrees in public relations and marketing. Ladd lives in Indiana with her husband, daughter and spunky Golden Retriever.

To keep up with Sarah E. Ladd, visit www.sarahladd.com, become a fan on Facebook (Sarah Ladd Author) or follow her on Twitter (@SarahLaddAuthor). 

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BOOK CLUB TALK WITH JULIE KLASSEN

ABOUT AUTHOR: Julie Klassen I worked in publishing for sixteen years (first in advertising, then as a fiction editor) and now write full time. Two of my books, The Girl in the Gatehouse and The Silent Governess won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Girl in the Gatehouse also won a Midwest Book Award and The Silent Governess was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.

I graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoy travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends. My husband and I have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.

What have been the benefits to you in having relationships with reading groups?

I have enjoyed talking with book clubs on the phone and in person. It’s been a strange and wonderful experience to hear people talk about my characters almost as if they were real people. I thought I was the only one who did that!


Where would you like to see your relationship with reading groups grow? How do you think your goals can be met?

 The marketing folks and I have been dreaming up ways to make group discussions about my books more fun and interesting. To accomplish this, we’ve provided group games, recipes, and of course, discussion questions. I’d love to hear ideas of other things book clubs would like to see.

Do you have a set size a reading group has to be before you'll talk to them on the phone or in person? What do you feel most comfortable doing? 

No set number. And as far as by phone or in-person, it really depends on the distance. Anything over, say 40 miles from St. Paul, MN and phone is the way to go.

Which type of book club meeting do you prefer? Why?

 I’ve attended meetings in churches, coffee shops, and homes. Whatever the location, I prefer informal meetings where the groups proceed with their usual agenda of treats, chatting, and discussion. I like to take part in the conversation and answer questions to give a “behind the scenes” look at my books. But I prefer not to give a formal presentation or dominate the meeting.

Julie researching servant life in old England (May 2011)

What have you learned about your book and yourself from book club meetings? If so, what?

I’ve learned it makes me feel oddly self-conscious to listen in as people talk about what they liked or wished had been different in one of my books--something I have created in quiet solitude. Don’t get me wrong--people are always kind. But it is still a strange experience sitting there on the “hot seat,” awaiting the group’s “verdict.” :)

Something I have learned about books, is that everyone sees the characters differently, even though they’ve all read the same description. I once took a “quiz” of the actors I had in mind when describing each of five romantic possibilities in one of my books (The Apothecary’s Daughter). The women loved taking the quiz and several exclaimed how easy it was. They were sure they’d gotten them all right, only to be completely “wrong.” (The images in their minds weren’t “wrong,” just not the same as the author’s.) It was fun and eye-opening to hear all the different comments. I think of the group of about 10-12 people, only two matched the characters the same as I would.

Did you learn more about your characters than what you had originally intended? If so what?

Julie researching servant life in old England (May 2011) 

Beyond my answer above, I can’t think of a specific example, but I love it when people fall in love with my characters--just like I do!

Have you been surprised by readers’ eactions to one of your books? Characters? If so, which ones?

 A small percentage of readers were pulling for a different romantic interest than the man my heroine ends up with in The Apothecary’s Daughter. It’s the book for which I probably receive the most requests for a sequel.

Has your book club experience - getting feed back from reading groups - helped you in writing future books? If so, how has it helped you?

Yes. I think it helps any author to have a clear picture of his or her readers--whom they are writing for and what kinds of characters, situations, twists, and endings will please them.

What would you like to see in reading groups that you haven’t experienced yet?

Maybe a “murder mystery” featuring characters from one of my books? Maybe everyone coming in period costumes? Ok, either of those would be way above and beyond the call of duty! Or, maybe some intrepid hostess might try preparing one of the meals or baked items mentioned in the book. That could be fun and delicious. I hope!

What was your most memorable reading group experience? What made it so fun?

Julie visiting a church’s book club (June 2011)

I’ve been to several really enjoyable reading groups, so it’s hard to choose. I’ve enjoyed those where the hosts have put on an “English tea,” and others that were super casual but the group was obviously comfortable with each other and enjoyed laughing and talking together--and included me in their fun.

What is it that draws you to writing in the Regency time period?

It’s all Mr. Darcy’s fault. I fell in love with Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen’s other novels and the costume dramas based on them. It was a romantic time (at least if you had money!) and I’m drawn to the chivalry of the period, the courtly behavior at a ball, the dresses and up-dos, and the gallant gentlemen in those tall Hessian boots. On a deeper level, it was a time when being a true “lady” or “gentleman” was something people aspired to. A time when many in society followed polite rules of conduct and a high moral code. Things not always as evident today.

Why write Christian Fiction? What is the draw for you?

I write Christian fiction because my goals in writing are to delight readers and to glorify God. I hope to include Christian content in a way that is natural and seamless to the story.

What do you hope readers take away from your new book?

In The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, I hope readers learn as Margaret does not to judge (people or situations) by appearances alone. I hope they are reminded that though we all make mistakes, we have a merciful Heavenly Father waiting to forgive us and offer us second chances. Readers are also really going to enjoy learning more about the Upstairs-Downstairs world of servants and those they served in a country estate--a special treat for fans of the PBS series, Downton Abbey. 13.

Can you give us a peek at what you are working on now? When will it be out?

I am writing away on my next Regency stand-alone novel with romance and mystery. It is due out December 2012. Please sign up for my email list at www.julieklassen.com  and I’ll keep you posted. Or find me on Facebook.

Julie

 Thanks Julie for stopping by and I appreciate you talking about Book Clubs. A topic near and dear to my heart. Looking forward to your next Regency!! It was great working with you for The Book Club Network 10 book giveaway.

 Blessings

Nora :o)
The Book Club Network
www.bookfun.org 

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Beyond Jane Austin: The Real Regency Romance

Award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes has wanted to be a writer since knowing what one was. Her first book won the National Readers Choice Award in 2007, and her third book was a Carol Award finalist in 2010. Her first book with Baker/Revell, Lady in the Mist, was picked up by Crossings Book Club, and six of her books have ben chosen for large print editions by Thorndike Press. She has been a public speaker for as long as she can remember; thus, only suffers enough stage fright to keep her sharp. In 2002, while in graduate school for writing fiction, she began to teach fiction in person and online. She lives in Virginia with her husband, two dogs, and probably too many cats. Contact Laurie Alice on her website here

Beyond Jane Austen: The Real Regency Romance

To prepare for writing this post, I asked Regency writers how they would define a Regency novel/romance. Then I asked readers, most of whom had never picked up a Regency novel, what is their immediate reaction to the term Regency romance or Regency novel. My conclusion is that the writers of the genre know it inside and out. Readers opinions lie at both ends of the “unlike” to “love it” spectrum and all the areas in-between. Amidst th

ese observations resides the reason why early nineteenth century Great Britain is my time period of choice for reading and writing.

What is a Regency Novel?

Most people believe that Jane Austen defined the Regency novel. After all, she lived in and set her books in the time period when George III was mad from an illness and his son became the Regent ruler of the country. This is specifically 1811-1820; however, for publishing purposes, the time period extends from the French Revolution as far as to the end of George IV’s reign in 1830 for reasons I won’t get into in this post. My point here is that Jane Austen did not write Regency novels.

“Jane Austen,” says Tamela Murray, an agent with the Laube Literary Agency and author of two Regency novels and one Regency novella, “wrote contemporary novels. Austen did not have the perspective of whole picture insight into Society.”

Today, we have access to information about the working classes, the disastrously poor, the urban lives, and the place Great Britain played on the world theater. Now, we e

njoy thousands more resources than Ms. Austen could have found or afforded such as private journals, many newspapers, and other original sources such as military documents and scores of other books written during her time. Austen wrote of her microcosm. She wrote rather cynically of her microcosm. Her novels were no different than the author from a small town in America without television or the Internet, writing about the people and events of that town—perceptive regarding human nature, often witty, more often than not snarky, ultimately a view no broader than what one can see through a set of binoculars.

Because of the movies and numerous spin-off novels with Austen’s world, readers responded to my query with, too often for this regency writer’s pleasure, “Boring,” or “Not my favorite”.

So let us, bored and disinterested reader, leave Jane Austen in her contemporary and narrow little world and leap forward about a hundred and ten years to the advent of another English lady onto the scene—Georgette Heyer. I haven’t read her biography, so don’t know a great deal about her personally. I do know, however, that she was brilliant and a fabulous author and a huge influence on my writing and thus my life. Heyer brought the Georgian era alive with everything from swashbuckling romances, to drawing room comedies of manners, from mysteries, to gothic novels set from the 1740s, to 1820.

Georgette Heyer set the stage for the modern—Post Modern to be literary—Regency novel. She gave us a perspective of the haut-ton, the highest of society, to the middle class and even glimpses into the darker side of that fascinating era. She gave us a broad spectrum of the Napoleonic wars and dashing, sometimes dangerous, heroes, with spirited but never anachronistic heroines.

“In my mind,” says Rita award-winning author Diane Gaston, “what defines a book as a Regency is the setting. Is it set in the "Regency World?" To me, the Regency world means that it is written from the British perspective, about the places, events, and people who lived in Great Britain or were British during roughly 1790 to 1830. The setting could include British India, British characters in Europe (such as British soldiers in the Napoleonic War--like in my Three Soldiers Series ), or even America (War of 1812, for example), but it is about British characters and involved in British social, political, or economic concerns. Mostly, though, the stories take place in Great Britain and are about the social world of the privileged, although some of my Regencies have been about characters who are not of the aristocracy, but whose lives are more peripherally involved.

Shannon Donnelly, an award-winning Regency author, responds to my ques

tion with, “it was an era when style mattered more than almost anything else. Good "ton" mattered -- wit and fashion.” (Note: “Good ton” means having a respectable reputation in Society.)

I think of gentlemen and ladies, fashion, glitz, glamour, and society,” replies Kristi Ann Hunt, fan of the genre and writing her own Regency novel. “I think of the wonderful interest created by a period in such transition - the shift of power among the classes where society and family history still reigns supreme, but money can buy you a place, too. The horse is still the main form of transportation but the train is making an appearance as well. Even indoor plumbing is making its way into buildings. Mostly I think I'm going to read a book that takes me to a place that is either a world in transition or one where reality is still covered with a sheen of old society. I expect characters that are at least aware of the strict social rules, even if they choose to break them. I expect men to treat women like ladies. I like the clothing of the time period.”

All of these ladies and the scores of others who responded to my questions sum up the subgenre of historical romance novels in this same fashion. Wholeheartedly, I concur. It is an exciting time in history with a world of opportunity for romance and adventure, grief to overcome and joy to share, advancement in science and a powerful need to carry the grace of God to a society that went to church out of obligation and habit and not a need to w

orship.

Although Jane Austen’s endurance into the twenty-first century brings readers to an awareness of the Regency period, her novels barely scratch the surface of everything going on in that world. Georgette Heyer and those who followed in her footsteps—Clare Darcy, Patricia Veryan, etc.--took the genre one, two, a dozen steps further.

In writing inspirational Regency romantic adventures such as my espionage plot in A Necessary Deception, I wish to open a whole new world to readers—the realization that the people of the Regency era needed more substance. It was a world of constant seeking after entertainment and pleasure, concern about their shoes and clothes and appearance, leaving little room for God. . .

Sound familiar?

Yes, the parallels are often eerie and enough for another blog post. Let us just say that, through writing a spiritual aspect into the Regency subgenre, I, like my predecessors, the late Jane Orcutt and beloved Marylu Tyndall, and my co-Regency authors Ruth Axtell Morren, Louise M. Gouge, and a handful of others, wish to open up a new horizon to readers of Christian fiction and Regency romances.

A Necessary Deception

When young widow Lydia Gale helps a French prisoner obtain parole, she never dreams she will see him again. But just as the London Season gets under way, the man presents himself in her parlor. While she should be focused on getting her headstrong younger sister prepared for her entrée into Society, Lady Gale finds herself preoccupied with the mysterious Frenchman. Is he a spy or a suitor? Can she trust him? Or is she putting herself and her family in danger?

Discover a world of elegance and intrigue, balls and masquerades as Laurie Alice Eakes whisks you into the drawing rooms of London Society on

this exciting quest to let the past stay in the past—and let love guide the future.

Buy A Necessary Deception at:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

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Introducing Debut Author Mary Moore

Mary has been an avid student of the Regency era since the 1970's and is a member of the ACFW's historic fiction community. She has been writing historical fiction for over fifteen years.

She had to put her writing on hold while undergoing a battle with breast cancer, but is now even more excited about her writing as she tries to incorporate some of her own struggles throughout my books. She am dedicated to encouraging others in the Lord and using her gift to His glory.

A native of the Washington, DC area, my husband, Craig, and I now live in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with our only child, a black lab named Darcy! When not writing, I enjoy time with my husband, reading, watching movies and weekend getaways!

How Did You Come Up with the Story?

No, I never did have a “what if” moment when planning the story. Truthfully, I never intended to write a story to begin with! I grew up reading Regencies voraciously. Sometimes, while reading another book, I would think that it would really be interesting if this is the way the plot went instead of the way it did, or you know I would have made this character this way instead of that way! So I knew I had ideas floating around in my head, but no real intention of using them.

I started to actually write as a way to kill time while my husband worked evening shifts at the hospital. The Regency period in England is just a blip in time, so there seemed to be only so many stories before some started to overlap. All I knew was that I wanted to read something completely different than anything I had read before. AND, I wanted to add an inspirational element to the story. When I started reading them in the early 70’s there were nothing but secular stories. Some were really racy, some were just sweet, but I thought it would be a whole new way to make them different. So I decided to write my own and once I had the disability idea, the rest of the story just followed.

Anything Strange or Funny Happen?

No I can’t think of anything entertaining that happened while I was writing this other than the fact that I had no intention to write at all!

The Journey:

That night on my couch was 15 years ago. It was handwritten and it was for my own pleasure. But once I typed it out, I figured out in my heart it wasn’t just for my pleasure, why would I have wasted time doing that if it were? I let my dear sweet sister-in-law read it (I cringe when I think of the state it was in back then) and she loved it. Don’t all of our supporting family members!  I made a few attempts to get it published, but I didn’t know one bit about the process and, therefore, failed miserably! I won second place in a writing contest with the top two submissions being reviewed by a top editor in Kensington/Zebra. I knew I was on my way then. Imagine my surprise when nothing happened. I never heard back from anyone and didn’t know how to go about following up, so it didn’t go anywhere. I sent that editor my second book later, thinking she might remember me, but it went the way of the first.

Oddly enough, in 2004, while I was undergoing chemo for breast cancer, we found the box of manuscripts I had written and had apparently thought enough of to move with us from the suburbs of DC to rural southwestern Virginia. Since your body loses all track of time on chemo, nights become days and days become nights, it killed lots of time reading them all again. But this one, then The Scent of A Rose, called back out to me and I reworked it, trying to incorporate some of my struggles and apparently making my heroine more believable. And this time, God (and my persistent sister-in-law!) made me really think about trying to get it published again. And I knew this time, if it happened, it would be a ministry, not just a book.

I googled Christian literary agencies and said a prayer and picked one. God took it from there. It went into the hands of my, now, agent, Jenni Burke and she just happened to be a Regency fan. She worked really hard with me to get this polished and ready to be proposed to publishers. We communicated often by email during this phase, but when she called on my cell phone one day, I heard what I hoped. Love Inspired Historical wanted it and they were prepared to get it into a spot only nine months later. The day after my contract was signed; I received a dozen roses from Jenni to celebrate my first book and my first sale. Since then working with Jenni and Rachel Burkot, my editor at LIH, has been great and holding the finished product in my hand was just a blessing from God.

Writers Block:

It’s been awhile since I’ve addressed this because I have five manuscripts already written. But along with the completed five, I have several that I found that were half written. I must have run into a stumbling block, however, and just turned to another story line altogether. I think it will be a challenge to see if I can go through some of the partial manuscripts and figure out exactly where I was going with each one. I’m hoping that will be the case and I don’t end up with the dreaded writer’s block. It will have to be with God as my co-pilot.

Am I a Visual Writer:

Believe it or not, I’ve never thought about it that way before, but I am very much a visual writer. When I read, I picture the people in my head, and sometimes stop and check the front of the book. If it doesn’t match, I d

on’t like it, but it doesn’t affect the story, I just go with the imagined look. I realize I took that kind of visual awareness into The Aristocrat’s Lady. There is a scene where she is wearing a green ball gown that I describe in great detail. And one of the first questions I ask those that have read the book is, “Did you picture the green dress?” LI did the most awesome cover. It was everything I asked for and more, and I think that if you read like I do, you’ll be satisfied when you flip back to the cover to be sure Lady Nicole matches her description.

I also have pictures in my head of each character, where they live, etc. I know when I watch a movie, like on BBC, the actor that plays each role sticks with me. When I read the book of a move that I like (and I always do) sometimes that’s a good thing and sometimes it’s not. If I don’t like the actor playing the part it sometimes intrudes when I’m reading. That’s why describing what my characters and where they are in each scene is very important to me.

What’s the most Difficult Part of Writing and How do you overcome it?

Actually, it came during the revision process with LI. Having never been published before, I had no idea what to expect. LIH has many requirements that have to be met as I’m sure all publishers do. I just didn’t know it! I had to delete 25,000 words which was very hard. They wanted certain scenes changed and some character left out. When there really isn’t any choice, you just hunker down and do it. And I learned a lot about my writing in the end. Even though there were hard things to do to a manuscript that I thought of as finished, the suggestions did actually make the book better and I’m thankful for that.

Where do You Write?

Oh dear, I’m preparing myself for the really professional writers to grab their hearts and moan! In case you’re wondering, the picture is of the recliner in our TV room; no desktop, no laptop anywhere in sight. I write on my couch in a spiral notebook. Has everyone calmed down a bit? I have tried and tried to write on the computer, but I’ve been typing for so long that I KNOW when I’ve hit a wrong key or made a typo. And for some unknown reason I just can’t let it go. So I go back and correct a word that may never even end up in the story! In my notebook while I’m writing away, it doesn’t bother me if I spelled something wrong, I know I’ll type it into the computer correctly later. Ideas pop into my head all through the process, and I just flip ahead several pages, make a note about what I want to put in the story at that point and go back to what I was writing. I know experts everywhere are rolling their eyes

, but it is what works for me!

What does a Typical Day Look Like?

It sort of depends on which day, because I work 2 days a week which changes that whole day, but on days I don’t work I guess they are pretty standard. I do aerobics three times a week (have to keep exercising for my joints) first thing in the morning. Then, while I’m in town (I sound like Mayberry RFD don’t I?) my husband and I will do errands for the week. Mid afternoon I work on some form of my new job, that of writing. I check out emails, I work on things with a deadline (revisions, blog interviews, setting up appointments for a little publicity), then work on things I WANT to get done (which rarely do get done by that time!). My website is always a constant concern, updating it, and getting set up on sites like Goodreads and Facebook and the millions of others I’ve only heard about so far. Then dinner and the evening belong to my husband, most of the time. We love to watch old movies, or new movies that we’ve bought because we watch them over and over again. I’m a night owl, so when my husband goes to bed, I finish whatever I left off before dinner, play a few games of Text Twist on the computer, then off to bed. Wow, writing it down like that makes what I thought was dull, sound really dull! 

Daily Writing – Do Scenes Flow Freely?

As I mentioned earlier, I am not at the point yet where I have to come up with a brand new story because I have others already written. But even if I didn’t, I don’t see myself as a “how many words per day” kind of writer. I wish I could and I’m always envious when one of my loops challenges each other to do a certain number a day. I’m all about deadlines at this point. I think organization is one of the gifts God has given me (although you wouldn’t think that if you saw my desk at the moment). So I prioritize based on the deadline date. I wouldn’t say the word

s flow freely onto the page because I have to rework a lot of what I write. But I guess they come steady enough that I can usually meet a deadline even if it throws off my entire daily routine outlined above.

The Best Writing Advice I’ve Gotten:

People have given me such good advice over the years, that it is hard to pick the best, but one that has helped me the most is about Point of View (POV). When we sent the manuscript out to target readers, I got some feedback that said they were not entirely sure which character was thinking in a certain scene. I got a little bristly (to myself, of course) but went back and read it and saw the confusion. So I fixed those specific instances. But when I was trying to cut out the excess 25,000 words for LI, someone told me to cut out the POV from every character except the hero and heroine. I was aghast at first because I realized that I want to know what everyone is thinking! And that was the way I was writing! Now I know you don’t HAVE to leave out a secondary character’s POV, but to make me do it right, she limited it and all I had to worry about was whose head do I want the scene to be in. I have to watch myself, but it has helped me tremendously to make my stories tighter and less confusing thereby making the story flow much better.

The Advice I’d Give to a Writer waiting to be Published?

Two things! Once you’ve written a page, a paragraph, a chapter, whatever length works for you, read it back to yourself out loud. Computers can do spelling and grammar checks, but you will never know how it sounds to the reader until you read it out loud. You find the same word used in two sentences, or that you started the last three paragraphs with “she” or that a sentence just needs to be turned around a little bit to make it flow better. It also helped me with that dreaded POV thing above! The second thing is just to hang in there. Use a critique group so you are not writing in a vacuum and think it sounds great to you. Try to write that cover page that is going to get you noticed. Join the RWA and ACFW for contact with published and non-published authors that you can learn from. It took me 15 years, but 15 years of refining and reworking the ms while learning everything I could about how to get the publishing process started. It’s worth the wait!

Thanks so much for this opportunity to be a part of this great blog, I’m humbled, indeed!

The Aristocrat’s Lady is an inspirational historical novel set in Regency England, to be released on September 6^th by Love Inspired Historical. It’s a story about Lady Nicole, whose disability leaves her feeling unfit for love and marriage. She determines God’s plan for her is to remain on her father’s estate helping the tenants she has known all of her life. But when she meets Lord Devlin in London, she embarks on unchartered territory. She likes him so much and he likes her, but she does not reveal her malady. Neither of them wants to fall in love, and they fight every inner voice that tells them that they are. When the facts about her disability become known he is devastated at her lack of honesty and she believes they were only together because he did not know about her limitations. Lady Nicole is sure her deviation from God’s plan has caused all of the pain and it isn’t until Lord Devlin understands her convictions that he proposes God has a different plan for her altogether.

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