Tidbit: Changing Horses
The publishing journey is like paddling down a river. Sometimes it's white water fast and you have to hold on tight, blinking from the splashes slapping you in the face. Other times you work your patootie off digging the oar into deadly still water, wondering if you're getting anywhere. Recently, my canoe hit a strong current that's sucking me in a totally different direction than I expected to go.
I'm shelving my Cherokee research books and pulling down info on Napoleon. Yeah, I know. What the heck? The two aren't even remotely related. That's because I'm switching stories mid-stream. The era is roughly the same, within a 25 year time period, but I'm putting Colonial America on pause in exchange for Regency England.
A few years ago, I wrote the first of 3 books in a series I call the Bow Street Runners. The Runners were the first fledgling police force in London. And get this...it was originally founded by an author. Who have thunk?
Henry Fielding hired a few officers in 1749. They worked out of his office and court (he was also a magistrate) at No. 4 Bow Street. They served writs and arrested offenders on the authority of the magistrate.
My idea for the series was to feature a different officer in each book. As I said, the first one is finished already. It's called BRENTWOOD'S WARD. Here's a blurb:
There’s none better than NICHOLAS BRENTWOOD at catching the
felons who ravage London’s streets, and there’s nothing he loves more than
seeing justice carried out—but this time he’s met his match. Beautiful and
beguiling EMILY PAYNE is more treacherous than a city full of miscreants and
thugs, for she’s a thief of the highest order…she’s stolen his heart.
If that whets your appetite, HERE'S a Pinterest board with pix.
Now then **annoying knuckle cracking sound** here's what I'll be working on next. . .
Officer ALEXANDER MOORE goes undercover as a rogue gambler to
expose a traitorous plot against the king—and a master he is with his disguise,
for JOHANNA LANGLEY believes him to be quite the cad. But when Johanna is swept
up in the intrigue, Alex must choose between his mission and reputation as a
crack Bow Street Runner or the woman he’s come to love.
So, it's back to merry ole England for me. Don't worry. I'll pack you along as well. . . though that may be a little tricky to explain to the TSA.