An Inside Look at Loving a Wild Stranger
By
Kelli A. Wilkins
Hi everyone,
Today I’m sharing an inside look and
an excerpt from
my latest historical romance, Loving a Wild Stranger. This
full-length pioneer-wilderness romance is set in the Michigan Territory and
blends adventure with a sensual love story.
Here’s the summary:
Loving a
Wild Stranger
A
woman running from her past… straight into the arms of an untamed man
In a moment of
desperation, Kathleen Stanton flees her pampered life in Kingston, New York and
ends up stranded in a small town in the Michigan Territory. Out of money and
forced to rely on her instincts, she impersonates a handsome stranger’s
mail-order bride.
Committed to her deception, Kathleen
calls herself Michelle and starts her new life with Luther in an isolated cabin
in the wilderness. Luther can’t believe his luck when
his beautiful bride arrives, but something doesn’t feel right about his new wife.
Michelle has terrifying nightmares involving a man named Roger and is reluctant
to talk about where she came from.
Luther’s friend, Redfeather visits and tries to convince Luther to send Michelle back east. Distrusting Michelle, he warns Luther that his bride is not what she seems. But Luther is in love with Michelle, and he is harboring a secret of his own—one that might force Michelle to reject him when she learns the truth.
Michelle falls in love with Luther
and adapts to her new way of life. Together, they face off against brutal
townspeople and overcome harsh living conditions. When they finally give in to
their desires and agree to become a proper man and wife, a dark figure from
Michelle’s past resurfaces and threatens to destroy everything.
***
The idea for this book started with
a simple premise: a woman on the run impersonates a mountain man’s mail-order
bride and lives in his cabin in the woods. From there, I thought about the
characters and how they would interact, learn to live with each other, and
naturally, fall in love.
But before I started writing, I went
to the library and did a lot of research. First, I had to decide on the time
period. When and where I set my story would determine all the necessary details
that bring the characters to life—and also influence the plot.
Once the time period was finalized,
I needed to learn about mail-order brides, fur trapping and trading, Native
Americans, and get an overall feel for what life was like back then. As I wrote
the book, I incorporated my research as background information. This gives the
story a rich historical feel without going overboard with details that might
bog down the book or bore readers.
I enjoyed creating the characters
and all the conflicts that take place between them. Michelle and Luther are
very different people—sort of like a city
mouse and a country mouse—and I played on
their differences in lifestyles, clothing, expectations, etc. throughout the
book. When Luther’s friend Redfeather arrives, Michelle realizes how far she is
out of her comfort zone and begins to see her situation (and Luther) in a new
light.
As Luther and Michelle get to know
each other (and fight for each other) they realize they have a lot more in
common than they once thought. They both had to fend for themselves to survive
in a rough world, with little or no family support. This brings them closer
together and makes their love stronger.
I enjoyed writing this book, and I
hope readers will fall in love with the characters the way I did.
Here’s an excerpt:
Kathleen’s knees shook as she strode down the
sidewalk toward the livery. She had to get out of the store before there was
trouble. She felt sorry for that man, Luther. He’d seemed nice enough when he
gave her back her glove.
The coach waited near the livery, and her
trunks still sat on the sidewalk. She had some time left. What should she do?
She didn’t dare get back on the coach, but this town was awful and she didn’t
want to stay here. Perhaps she could throw herself on the mercy of the church.
There had to be one somewhere and the reverend would take her in. Or would he?
Kathleen crossed the street and entered the
livery. A round-faced man slouching behind the counter straightened up.
“You must be from the stage,” he said, gazing
at the front of her dress.
She folded her arms across her bosom and
looked him square in the eye. “How did you know?” she asked, her voice dripping
with sarcasm.
“Because I’ve been with all the women in town
and you ain’t one of ’em. You Clyde’s new girl? I’d pay two dollars for a night
with you.” He winked.
“How dare you! I’m looking for the church.”
The man spit a stream of tobacco juice on the
floor next to her brown boots. “We ain’t got a church. If you ain’t the new
whore, then what are you doin’ here?”
She spotted the newspaper the man had open on
the counter in front of him. An advertisement for wedding lace gave her an
idea. “I’m a mail-order bride.”
“That so?” He scowled. “Who’s the lucky man?”
Kathleen twisted her skirts and tried to
stall for time. “There’s a problem with the papers you see…”
She glanced out the window. The driver stood
near the coach, scratching his head. A second later, she heard the familiar
clomp of boots on the sidewalk. This was her one chance. It had to work. She
had always trusted her instincts, and now she could only think of one answer.
Her gut told her to take the risk. “Luther’s his name and—”
“Luther?” The liveryman’s eyes widened.
“Well, you’re in the right place.” He arched an eyebrow. “You sure it’s Luther?”
She nodded as the coach pulled away. All hope
of escape left town in a swirl of dust. Her trunks lay abandoned on the
sidewalk. There was no going back now. This man thought she was a mail-order
bride. She tried to remember what she’d read about them. It sounded simple, a
man sent money to a company and they sent a wife.
She tensed as the livery door opened.
“Hey, Karl. I pulled the wagon—” Luther
stopped as he spotted her.
She averted her gaze and smoothed her skirts,
suddenly ashamed of her appearance. What man would accept her unwashed and
dusty?
The liveryman laughed. “Hell, Luther, looks
like ya got more than you thought goin’ home with ya.”
“What’s that mean?”
Kathleen closed her eyes. What had she done?
This wasn’t a game anymore.
“Seems your wife came special delivery on the
coach.”
“My
what?”
She heard the surprise in Luther’s voice.
What if he hadn’t sent away for a bride like the men in the store had said? She
had to think of a story, now. Luther’s boots clomped across the floor and
stopped in front of her. When he cleared his throat, she opened her eyes.
Luther stood two feet away, holding his hat
in his hands. His head was cocked to one side. “He foolin’? This a trick they
paid ya for?”
“No,” she whispered. “No trick.”
As Luther’s shoulders relaxed, his face
softened.
Kathleen clenched her hands behind her back,
took a deep breath, and started her story. “I had paperwork for you to fill
out, but there was a problem on the stage and some luggage got left behind, so
there’s nothing for you to sign.” Her voice wavered, and she coughed lightly.
“I sent the mail order place a wire. They said they’d send the papers as soon
as they can, so…”
“That’s fine, ma’am.” He smiled. “My name is
Luther Dubois, and you don’t know how long I’ve been waitin’ for you. Come with
me. I’ll put the feed on the cart, and we’ll get settled.” Luther lifted a
bulky sack from the floor and walked to the door, obviously expecting her to follow.
She hurried after Luther. A chestnut-colored
horse and a wooden cart waited outside the livery. Luther headed to the cart
with the sack slung over his shoulder like a dead body. He half-turned to her.
“He give you any trouble?”
“Who?”
“Man inside, Karl. The men in this town ain’t
known for their manners, especially when it comes to women.” Luther dropped the
sack into the wagon.
“My trunks are over there.”
“I’ll fetch ’em. But I’m afraid I ain’t got
room for you in back with all the supplies. You’ll ride behind me.”
She watched as Luther carried her trunks to
the cart and tucked them in next to sacks of flour, grain, and other supplies.
“You ready, Miss…”
All of a sudden she realized that Luther had
never asked her name. “Evans, I’m Michelle Evans,” she answered. After months
on the run, she was smart enough never to give her real name.
“Me-chelle, that’s French.” Luther smiled.
“Miss Me-chelle, we’ll be on our way.” He mounted the horse and reached down to
her. “Give me your hand and swing your leg over.”
Kathleen bit her bottom lip, unsure. If she
did this, there was no turning back.
“Now don’t tell me you ain’t never rode a
horse before,” Luther joked.
Kathleen placed her hand in Luther’s palm and
he hoisted her onto the horse. She sat behind him and adjusted her skirts.
Where were the saddle and stirrups? Luther rode only with a blanket and reins.
“Wrap your arms around my middle and hold on.
We’ll get home before dark.”
Home? She clutched Luther as the horse
lurched forward, willing herself to stay strong. If she started to cry now,
she’d never stop. What in heaven’s name had she done?
***
I hope you enjoyed this inside look at the making of Loving
a Wild Stranger. I welcome
comments and questions from readers. Be sure to follow my blog for the latest
updates and visit me on social media!
Happy Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Kelli
A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100
short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span
many genres and heat levels.
Loving
a Wild Stranger was released in January 2017. This
historical/pioneer romance is set in the wilds of the Michigan Territory and
blends tender romance with adventure.
Kelli's third Medallion Press romance, Lies, Love & Redemption
was released in September 2016. This spicy historical western is set on the
Nebraska prairie in 1877.
In 2016 Kelli began re-releasing her romances previously
published by Amber Quill Press. Visit her website and blog for a full title
list, book summaries, and other information.
Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to
Writing Fiction is a fun and informative non-fiction guide based on her
years of experience as a writer. It’s filled with writing exercises and helpful
tips all authors can use.
If you like to be scared, check out Kelli’s horror ebooks: Dead
Til Dawn and Kropsy’s Curse.
