Bringing Unlikely Characters Together

The best thing Bringing Unlikely Characters Togetherabout writing is that an author can make anything happen.  Anything that can be imagined can come alive in the world of the book.  Righting wrongs of the past?  Go for it.  Travelling through time?  No problem.  Other-worldly creatures?  Bring ‘em on. 

Of course my personal favorite is always bringing two unlikely people together.  On the outside they are as different as chalk and cheese, but on the inside, where it counts, they are soul mates.  Both of their lives are better because they’ve found each other.

I brought together two of these elements when I wrote my novella “Burning Love”.  The unlikely couple is Riley, a firefighter, and Iris, a travel agent.  Home, and the house he grew up in, means everything to Riley.  He is lovingly restoring the old house his great aunt and uncle raised him in when his parents died.  He can’t imagine living anywhere else.  Iris on the other hand, dreams of exotic locations and wonderful adventures.  Her bohemian upbringing by her footloose parents makes staying in one location for any length of time feel stifling.  In six weeks she’ll start her new job as a recreation director on cruise ship and leave Portland, Oregon forever.

How will these two bridge the divide between them?  That’s where the “other-worldly” creatures come in.  Angel-in-training Angelica has messed up every job she’s been given in Heaven.  She’s sent to Heaven’s Relationship Division, where angels match mortals with their soul mates, for one last chance to redeem herself.  If she messes up there, she’ll spend the rest of the afterlife in Service Division, cooking and cleaning up after other angels, a fate Angelica considers worse than death.  Hildegard, her supervisor in Relationship Division, is dubious about Angelica’s chances for success, considering her past failures.  But when Angelica sees Iris and Riley she is convinced they are right for each other and she contrives to bring them together.  She makes a deal with Hildegard.  If Iris and Riley fall in love in the next six weeks, and stay together for their happily ever after, Angelica will become a full-time employee in Relationship Division and be on her way to earning her wings.  But if this match fails, she will immediately report to Service Division.  Can Angelica and Hildegard help Iris and Riley fall in love, or will Angelica become the best dressed angel in Heaven’s cleaning crew?  Will Iris and Riley realize they belong together before their six weeks are up?

“Burning Love” is now available from The Wild Rose Press (http://www.thewildrosepress.com) I hope you’ll stop by to see how this unlikely couple finds their happily ever after, with a little help from their friends.

Jana Richards can be contacted through her website at http://www.janarichards.net  She participates in the group blog http://prairiechickswriteromance.blogspot.com

15 Responses to Bringing Unlikely Characters Together

  1. Jana Richards

    Hi Linda,
    Thank you for the encouragement. I’m really hoping that readers find “Burning Love” to be a lot of fun!

    Jana

  2. Jana Richards

    Thanks Patsy. I’m hoping readers are really into angels this year!

    I’m glad you stopped by.
    Jana

  3. Jana Richards

    Hi Danielle,
    Thanks for stopping by. It is fun to bring very different people together in a story. The trick is to find those core values that they both share, despite being very different on the outside.

    Cheers,
    Jana

  4. P.L. Parker

    What a great idea! Love the concept. Good luck on sales.

  5. Danielle Thorne

    Ms. Jana, this sounds wonderful! I love the premise. You’ve got a new twist on a favorite idea–when Heaven intervenes. I also enjoy bringing two very different people together and watching them come together. This sounds super! Best of luck!

  6. Linda Poitevin

    Jana, this sounds like huge fun…congratulations on a fresh new premise and the new release!

    Warmly,
    Linda

  7. Jana Richards

    Thanks Lauri. I’m kind of partial to angels as well! “Burning Love” just seemed to be the perfect title since the story begins and ends with a fire!

    Cheers,
    Jana

  8. Lauri

    Hi Jana,

    This sounds like a great read! I love angel stories, and being an Elvis fan, I love the title of this book!

    Congrats!
    Lauri

    (If this is posted twice it’s because the first one didn’t take, so I’m trying again!)

  9. Jana Richards

    Thanks very much Pam. I’m a little biased of course, but I think it’s a fun read! My angel Angelica is one of my favorite chararacters I’ve created. She’s a hoot!

    Jana

  10. Jana Richards

    Thanks very much Pam. I’m a little biased of course, but I think it’s a fun read! My angel Angelica is one of my favorite chararacters I’ve created. She’s a hoot!

    Thanks for dropping by.
    Jana

  11. Pam S

    Hi Jana,

    I enjoyed your post. Your book sounds like it will be a fun light hearted read. Will have to add to my to be read pile. Congrats on the release!

  12. Jana Richards

    Thanks Linda. I really apprecite that. It was great fun to write.

    Jana

  13. Linda Henderson

    I really like the sound of your book, I like the angel storyline.

  14. Jana Richards

    Hi Karyn,
    “Other worldly’ people and creatures are fun to write because they’re not bound by the restrictions of being human. They can do anything an author wants them to do!

    Thanks for dropping by,
    Jana

  15. Karyn

    I love reading books containing ‘other worldly’ influences! What a great premise.

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