What the Wilderness Reveals

I received an extra Christmas present--author copies of my March release, Would-Be Wilderness Wife, earlier than expected!  I thought you deserved an extra present too, even if it is officially the new year, so I’ll be giving away a copy at the end of this post. 

First, the cover.  I must admit that my design skills are pretty rudimentary, so I am always honored and delighted when the Art Department at Love Inspired Historical takes ones of my ideas and runs with it.  My heroine, Catherine Stanway (who was introduced in The Bride Ship), is a nurse at a time when women were only beginning to be professionally trained for the role.  Her circumstances reminded me a little of another early medicine woman, played so memorably by Jane Seymour, so I sent the Art Department this picture (which is no doubt copyrighted to CBS or Sullivan Productions) as one of my scene suggestions along with a possible cabin and the forest surrounding it.

How delightful to see the final cover!  Notice the log cabin in the background and the hint of a tree behind Catherine for the forest.  I am wondering what Pacific Northwest wilderness farm has such dry brown grass, but maybe there was a drought I’m not aware of in 1866.  J 

As I often do, let me give you a hint of the actress and actor I was thinking of as physical role models when I wrote Catherine and Drew’s love story.   The lady is better known for her ability to lose a guy in ten days and going after fool’s gold than making a life in the wilderness.  And though you cannot see the gentleman on the cover, he is more famous for wielding a hammer than the ax of a lumberjack and appears to be donning a black hat soon rather than the white hat of a hero.

Post your guesses in the comments, and feel free to guess the same person someone else does.  Next Friday I’ll chose one lucky commenter to receive a signed copy of the book, a full six weeks before it hits fine bookstores near you.

Merry New Year.