Location, Location and Location

Post by Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines 

Photo Property of the Author

As we come out of our 'isolations' many of us are playing catch-up. I decided to look back at what started me on this journey. What I realized is I enjoy short stories or short novellas. I have written novels but my first love is the short story I enjoy writing and reading them.

But I've also realized that location plays a big part in my imagination when I'm preparing a story. The three Agate Gulch stories have their start in the mountains near an area @Florissant, Colorado. 

The two stories I'm looking at today, are "Never had a Chance," and "Angel of Salvation Valley,". Both stories take place in @Colorado, the state I reside in.

In the case of "Never Had a Chance," the story is a continuation of my first novella, "Home for His Heart," where I've taken up the story of my heroine's brother, Tom. Tom, in the course of the story, arrives in @PuebloColorado and immediately gets himself into trouble. As the town of Pueblo has a rich history of people of Spanish and Italian descent, I was able to use that information to add color to the story. In this case, the location becomes a major influence on the story and its outcome.

In "Angel of Salvation Valley," I was influenced by the area around @GardenoftheGods. I don't mention the park as such but the concept of a Garden of the Gods played a big part in the telling of this paranormal story. It is a story of good and evil, and what people will and will not do when placed in an untenable situation.

Below are excerpts that I'm using to illustrate the idea.

Amazon

            "Never had a Chance":

 "My sister, my dear sweet sister," Tom slurred. "Here's to my sister. May she have a long, happy, married life, damn her."

Tom had been sitting in the bar in Pueblo for the whole afternoon, drinking. He'd had a fight with his sister and soon to be brother–in–law. They'd wanted him to help out at the ranch, maybe run errands. He'd wanted to relax, spend time with his new friends in Agate Gulch. Truth was, Tom was feeling out of place. He'd been surprised when he finally recovered from his beating at the hands of Oliver's gang, to find that his sister, who'd deserted him, was living in the town where he'd run.

"Something happening?" the bartender asked, as he wiped the scarred bar top.

"She's getting married. I finally found her and she's getting married," Tom answered, throwing back the rest of his drink. He did love his sister, but her leaving him to Oliver's tender care still did not sit well.

Two men moved to sit next to Tom, listening to his slurred words. Exchanging looks at the bang of Tom's glass, they nodded.

Amazon

"Angel of Salvation Valley"

 Standing in the valley's entrance two days later, Drew felt a bit of envy. "I can understand why Ham is upset that he lost this place," Drew whispered. Before him lay lush green grass with natural barriers all around the small place. Even as he admired its beauty, a part of his mind wondered at Ham owning such a place. Ham didn't strike him as someone who'd really want to work a place like this.

"That's silly," Drew said as he shook his head. If Luke said it was Ham's, then it was Ham's. Yet, even as he thought it, the doubt wouldn't leave him. Then the pain began a throb behind his eyes, easing up as he let the thought go.

He looked around to see if the others had followed him but saw no one. He'd asked for the chance to scout the area and get a look at the woman he was to kill. Ham had spoken against it; even Luke had hesitated before agreeing.

"If I'm to do this job, I want to make sure I get it done right," Drew said. "I can't if I don't know the lay of the land."

"If you say so, just remember your bargain," Luke had warned, a slight movement of his hand signaled his agreement to the plan.

"I won't. It means too much to me."

Now here he was, looking at a piece of heaven. The heaven he'd dreamed of, the place he could call home. If he'd had something like this, he wouldn't have been riding around searching, wouldn't have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and ended up in prison. He'd do anything to have a place like this. Maybe someday, when all this is over, he thought.  

How has location influenced your storytelling? When reading, is setting important to you?

  

A Victorian American Halloween (and FREE Short Story: THE WITCHING EVE)-- by Kristin Holt

by USA Today Bestselling Author Kristin Holt

Victorian Americans Celebrated SOOOO

Differently Than We Do

Are you still cleaning up Trick-or Treat candy wrappers?

Victorian Americans did not associate candy with Halloween. No one went trick-or-treating. None of that occurred until several decades into the 20th century.

They did, however, go "Tricking". They called it Pranking. Or just plain FUN.

Sometimes, the fun went too far.

In my Halloween Short Story, The Witching Eve, kids enjoyed playing pranks on their neighbors and friends--just like real people did historically--and, as my book description includes, "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt."

America's Melting Pot developed its own brand of Halloween fun, as Irish and Scottish Immigrants brought their traditions with them.

  

Victorian Americans (and their Old World home countries) enjoyed parties at home, and enjoyed fortune-telling games at those parties. Including baking trinkets into a cake (or an Irish sweet, yeast bread known as barmbrack, or simply "brack"), and whoever found the thimble, matchstick, scrap of fabric (or rag), button, ring, etc. (in their slice) would be destined for that bit of good (or bad) luck in the coming year.

Barmbrack "Brack", a yeasted sweet bread with added sultanas and raisins:

Image: Barmbrack, courtesy of Wikipedia.

 

Who knew an Etsy store sold Barmbrack trinkets?

Other mildly superstitious parlor games included use of mirrors, candles, staircases, water, melted lead, and so much more--mostly to forecast romances and quality of those marital unions. "Divination rituals such as the one depicted on this early 20th century Halloween greeting card, where a woman stares into a mirror in a darkened room to catch a glimpse of the face of her future husband, while a witch lurks in the shadows, may be one origin of the Bloody Mary legend." ~ Wikipedia

Image: Public Domain, courtesy of  Wikipedia.

Most of these superstitious, American Immigrant, and soon-to-become passé traditions make a showing in my new short story--one I've decided to GIVE to readers. (Because I like readers; I like you!) Trick or treat? Definitely a treat. From me to you. You can put it in your orange pumpkin if it's still on the kitchen counter or bedside table. If you want to. 

I have a brand-new, barely published Sweet Western Historical Romance Short Story to share with you--FREE of charge! This title released on 10-30-17, and through 11-4-17, you can download it FREE. Because the story was designed as a perk to my newsletter subscribers (and they received it first), "free" does mean you need to sign up for my newsletter in order to download my gift. Grab it NOW, because it probably won't be available for several months, and then, it'll be in a multi-story/book bundle.

Sign Up for Kristin's Newsletter Here

Kristin's Newsletter Details:

1. No more than TWO per month, typically just one

2. Super easy to UN-subscribe

3. Your email address is safe--I'll NEVER sell it, give it away, or use it for anything else

4. Subscribers see my new content FIRST

5. Every monthly newsletter has a DRAWING for valuable prizes...

6. ...and frequent additional "freebies" (like paperback books)

7. TWO free reads, right now, for subscribers-- THE WITCHING EVE and THIS NOELLE

8. Note: Just signing up for my newsletter will NOT deliver The Witching Eve...so remember to go to its download page.

Hurry! Your opportunity to claim this short story FREE ends at the stroke of midnight on 11-4-17.

 RELATED POSTS--LOTS MORE HISTORY!

 

Copyright © 2017 Kristin Holt LC

Victorian Courtship: Love in Pa's Hat

by USA Today Bestselling Author Kristin Holt

While researching something else entirely, I stumbled across this little gem in Walnut Valley Times (newspaper) of El Dorado, Kansas of May 21, 1880. The original short story, titled "Love in Pa's Hat" reads like so many other Victorian-era fictional tales rich in mores of the era. It's a charming short story, encouraging obedience by young ladies to their fathers (who always know best), while reaffirming the rightness of true love. Good girls, naturally, who carry on a proper courtship will be awarded with the desire of their hearts. (Read: Virtue and Patience, two of Victorian America's most highly prized female attributes.)

The author of the tale remains unnamed; rarely, if ever, were newspaper columns attributed to a specific writer. More often, when syndicated, the column would disclose the original source. (Such as this story,  having been obtained "From the Hair-Dresser's Chronicle.") As you read this cute short, you'll see why such a tale was sold to that magazine pre-May, 1880--The hairdresser is cast in the role of Cupid.

"Love in Pa's Hat" Part 1, Walnut Valley Times of El Dorado, KS, May 21, 1880

"Love in Pa's Hat" Part 2, Walnut Valley Times of El Dorado, KS, May 21, 1880

"Love in Pa's Hat" Part 3, Walnut Valley Times of El Dorado, KS, May 21, 1880

What kind of hat? Top hat? Bowler?

More bowlers won the west than Stetsons, but wealthy businessmen like "Pa"? Probably a tophat.

 

According to Victoriana.com, businessmen from 1850 to 1900 wore top hats.

Courtesy of Victoriana.com (speaking of men's clothing and tophats)

Did men really have a barber (or hair-dresser for men) look after their beard and wig twice per week (as Pa did in this tale)? Oh, yes.

The amateur historian will find rich elements of daily life (at least for the middle- to upper-class American) peppered through the story: brushing of men's hats, ironing of the hats by a professional to restore its shape (I suppose) or perhaps its finish. Use of the term "swain" prompts a quick dictionary check, as the term is outdated. Swain simply means a young suitor or lover (which we know is a G-rated term in the Victorian era).

Definition of 'swain', courtesy of Google.

 

Did you learn something new? Or have thoughts to share about the elements of Victorian-American life gleaned from this short story? Please scroll down and comment.

Do you know someone who would enjoy this article? Please share!

Copyright © 2017 Kristin Holt LC