Make-Believe Mondays With Lyn Cote

Today on Make-Believe Mondays my guest is Lynn Cote.

Lyn, first, tell us a little bit about the manuscript
you’re working on now.

Lynn: This year I'm writing 3 books-the second and third of my new "Texas Star of Destiny" historical (inspirational) series for Avon Inspire. And the second in my "Gabriel Sisters" series for Love Inspired Historical.

The Texas series covers the years 1821-1848 in of course Texas. And I have 3 heroines that exemplify the three types of non-Native women in Texas at this time.

• Dorritt is a Southern spinster who comes to Texas with her family in the first wave of angloamericanos.

• Alandra is a Spanish lady whose mother was a mestiza of mixed Spanish and Native American blood.

• And Mariel is an immigrant who flees Germany in the 1840's during political revolution.

My Gabriel Sisters are Quaker women in the mid-nineteenth century who are passionate about improving the life of others. Verity (HER CAPTAIN'S HEART out in 12-08) goes South in 1866 to open a school for freed slaves. Felicity, the manuscript I'm writing in 2008, opens an orphanage for the orphans left by the Civil War and their sister Mercy becomes a doctor.

As you can see, I like to write about strong women who are not only shaped by their times, but are active in shaping their times and moving into a better future.

Debra: Yes, and it's one of the things I like about your books. Well, and of course I do have enjoy a good western.

Ray Bradbury said, “We are cups, constantly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.” How do you keep your creative cup filled?

Lyn: I read a variety of books in various genres and I watch movies that I deem especially creative. It's interesting that I love to read fantasy and paranormal but I'm unable to write fantasy.

I've benefited from reading JK Rowling's Harry Potter books, Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy, and watching the Buffy series. I find fantasy excites my imagination and my passion for writing about the battle of good vs. evil which is so important to my novels. My heroines are what I call "passionate participants in their times"—just like Harry, Frodo and Buffy.

But I find that recreating a time that has been forgotten is my métier. I dislike historicals that just add long dresses to a contemporary story. I try as best I can to take my reader back into the past.

Debra: Yes, I agree with that. I think if you're going to write about a time period, the research is very important. Knowing what is happening in the year you are writing about, whether you use it in the story or not.

Lyn: BTW, Ray Bradbury and I share the same home town, Waukegan IL! We went to the same high school—40 years apart but the same building!

Debra: How fascinating! And I would say they trained you both well.

Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?

Lyn: I find Tami Cowden's book on the Hero and Heroine Archetypes as a good launching point. Once I figure out which archetype or combination of archetypes my hero and heroine are, I find they begin to "live and move and breathe." And their story begins!

Debra: Thank you, Lyn. I haven't read that one yet.

And thank you for visiting Make-Believe Mondays, to share a bit of the magic of writing with our readers.

Please visit Lyn Cote at
www.LynCote.net

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Debra's News/Debra is watching:

This week I've been resting up from our trip out west. I've up and about and feeling much better. Those two days in bed gave me plenty of time to think about all that I saw and experienced out west and I've come up with a new idea for a western historical novel. The western theme seem to have continued this week as I attended a rodeo Friday night and a hispanic wedding Saturday night. Sunday I started writing that new novel. It's always exciting to begin a new one.

www.debraparmley.com