Julie Lence: No Luck At All

No Luck At All
by Julie Lence

Romancing The West welcomes Julie Lence, who grew up in upstate new York. She married her high school sweetheart and accompanied him on his twenty year career with the Air Force. Currenly, she resides in the west. She's a stay-at-home mom who spends her days taking care of her family and home and working on her next story. Julie credits Judith McNaught for instilling in her the urge to write, Johanna Lindsey for the inspiration to create large families and sagas, and Linda Lael Miller for all things western. She enjoys hearing from fans of the romance genre and can be reached at:
unwound@flaconbroadband.net.

RTW: Thanks for joining us today, Julie.  So let's get down to it: what aspect of life in the old west intrigues you most? Did you work that into No Luck At All?

JL: The one aspect I love about the old west is a sprawling ranch house, complete with a front porch and horses in the corral. There's something soothing about smoke spiraling out of a chimney and a man and a woman sitting on the front porch in rocking chairs, spending time together after a long day of chores, with an occassional whinny from horses in a nearby corral.

No Luck At All has both a front and back porch. Creel and Racine spend time on both, with each other and with family. And horses do whinny from the corral out back.

RTW: If you lived in 1874, what modern day convenience would you miss most?

JL: My first thought was the washing machine, because I would hate to have to scrub clothes on a washboard. But overall, I would miss electricity and running water. Hauling water from the creek and having to make candles and cook over a fire are definitely not my things.

RTW: Are there any common errors in western historical romances that bug you? If so, please set us straight.

Julie Lence, author

JL: Western hictorical romances are works of fiction. Some authors do strive to include actual events in history, or to portray day-to-day living or locations as accurately as possible. When I read for enjoyment, I don't pick out mistakes, such as an article of clothing that may or may not have been worn in a certain decade. What bothers me the most, and this is true for any genre, is when little details are not paid attention to. Ex: one scene the heroine is making dinner. Her next scene, the hero walks in, they have an exchange of words and then go to dinner, completely out of sync with her having just made dinner. Little things like that irk me, because it takes me out of the story and makes me wonder, what happened to the dinner she just cooked? When I write, I try to pay attention to every minute thing, and thank my critique partner for finding the mistakes I miss.

RTW: Why is Creel perfect for Racine?

JL: From the moment she was born, Racine's mother has hated her. She has shunned Racine and instilled in her the belief that she is unworthy of love. Racine's father strives to make up for the loss of her mother's love, but then, Racine is attacked by a dog at a young age and left with scars on her cheek; scars which heal but are still visible to Racine. Mama uses the incident to further convince Racine she is unlovable, because now she is hideous. Believing Mama, Racine shies away from society, until she meets Creel.

Creel is perfect for Racine in that he truly loves her. He would do anything to make her happy, because she is his world. Unbeknownst to him, Racine harbors deep insecurities. A terrible tragedy unveils those insecurities, and Creel does everyting he can to convince Racine her mother's words and claims are nothing more than lies. She is lovable and loved by him, more than she knows.

RTW: We'd love to see Creel and Racine in action. Please set up the scene for your excerpt.

JL: Creel Weston is returning home with a medical degree and a new wife. He knows what to do with the degree. His wife he isn't so sure about.

Excerpt from No Luck At All by Julie Lence

"A sassy mouth isn't becoming of you." He sat across from her.

"Ungratefulness doesn't become you, either," she rallied back.

"Butchering me like a side of beef does?" He raised a brow.

"I butcher you?" Disbelief shone in her eyes. "You butcher me. Most of the time you don't talk to me and when you do, you're mean."

"Have a heart, Racine. I'm doing the best I can."

"If this is your best, I'd hate to see your worst." She fidgeted with the sash on her robe. "What's bothering you, Creel? Why do you think the worst of me?"

"Because," he barked and instantly regretted it. Fear sprang into her eyes and she sank back in her chair, her shoulders trembling. "I apologize," he said quietly, leaning forward and resting his arms on his thighs before folding his hands together to conquer the churning in his gut. If he wanted any kind of normalcy with her, it was now or never.

No Luck At All is available at Amazon.

RTW: What are you cooking up for us next?

JL: Currently, I'm working on a new series set in fictional Revolving Point, Texas. This series is another trilogy and features outlaws as heroes.

RTW: Anything else you'd like to add?

JL: Thank you for having me as your guest today, Jacquie. I always enjoy talking about western historical romance, and all things western in general. Your site is a great escape for people like me who value the old west and the folks who tamed the harsh land.

Thanks so much for joining us today, Julie, and we look forward to reading your article in Thursday on your research journeys and how they affect your western stories.

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