Once upon a time, I wrote a book--a nice Regency romance with a
hero and a heroine, a cute kid, a lady villain (vanquished by the end of the
book, of course), and a happily ever after. Title was David: Lord of Honor, and
it fell about mid-way through the very long Lonely Lords series. Thereafter, I
went about my business as an author, finishing out the series, writing new
trilogies, but every so often, a reader would ask, "What about Daniel
Banks?"
Daniel was a problem, that’s what about
Daniel Banks. In David's book, Daniel had been married to the lady villain, a
selfish brat of a disgrace of a wife. Because Daniel was also a Regency vicar (I pictured him somewhat like the image below of Daniel Day Lewis),
I couldn't see prying him loose from that marriage. The best I could do was get
Daniel and the disgrace separated by the end of the book. Daniel struggled
nobly on alone, a sadder but wiser (and really good looking) sweet guy.
What about Daniel Banks? Another reader
would ask. Never has a secondary character generated so much reader sympathy.
So I asked Daniel, "Reverend Dude, you have any ideas? You're married, you're a
vicar, you're poor, and you don't have a cute kid underfoot any more, 'cause you
selflessly placed the boy in the wealthy viscount's household. The READERS are
asking about you, though, so how 'bout you give an author a hint?"
He muttered something about missing the
boy, and, "Aren't you the bestselling author, Grace?"
Nothing like a handsome, noble, devout,
miserably married, good looking Regency vicar to conjure the fear of writer's
block. But then another reader would ask, "When will you write a story for
Daniel Banks?"
Well, alrighty, then. The readers had spoken, and Daniel deserved a happily ever after. His mistakes had been made in good
faith, but they were mistakes all the same, marrying that woman foremost among
them. A hero is a good guy who hasn't put his mistakes right yet... Scene led
to scene, and Lady Kirsten Haddonfield had some great ideas where Daniel was
concerned. Before long, I'm writing a book, and things are looking up for
Daniel Banks. There are cut kids underfoot, love is in the air, and a happily
ever after is only a few hundred pages away.
So what about Daniel Banks? Reader, I hero’d him. It took some
research, some blind faith, some nudging from Lady Kirsten, but by the end of
Daniel’s True Desire, there’s a terrific happily ever for all concerned… except
the disgrace of course, and she does NOT deserve one. The readers are clear
about that!
If you’d like to read an excerpt that link is here.
If you'd like a peek at David: Lord of Honor, that link is here.
Is there a character who has stuck with you long after the ending of
a book or a movie? A sidekick, confidante, mentor, or secondary heroine—possibly
even a former villain—that might be a candidate for a happily ever after?
To one commenter, I’ll send a signed copy of Daniel’s True Desire.
I always thought Mrs Hudson deserved a love interest to keep her sane (and Safe) during all of Holmes and Watson's shenanigans
ReplyDeleteDaniel is certainly deserving of his happy ever after. I have other favorites from among your books - Christian, Ethan, Asher, and Devlin. (And now I'm wanting to read all their stories again.)
ReplyDeleteBeen looking forward to this one!
ReplyDeleteAny of your secondary characters deserve a book - we want you to keep writing and writing and writing :)
ReplyDeleteI like that a series becomes popular, because this means that the secondary characters always get their own stories.
ReplyDeleteYes, it does happen sometimes that a secondary character captures the interest. In one book I read recently, Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas, I found that I liked the hero's brother West more than the hero. Here's hoping he gets an HEA along the way. As for your own books, Grace, I can't help but think back to Trenton, Lord of Loss, and wonder, "What about a book for Cattulus?"
ReplyDeleteI pestered Shana Galen about writing a book for a secondary character in her Lord and Lady Spies series. She wrote Blue's story and I wasn't sure he got his HEA-- so I mentioned it to Shana. She wrote a Christmas novella for Blue and his lady -- and I know they lived happily ever after.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to a series with Matthew and Axel's sons. And doesn't NIck have another brother?
I love it when author's pull secondary characters into the spotlight. I can stay in that world a little longer, and I feel like I get to know the characters better.
ReplyDeleteLike Susan Gorman, I'd love to see the Belmont Boys get their own series, as well as Adolphus Haddonfield.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm talking Haddonfield's will we ever find out which brother the Haddonfield in Kiss Me Hello (I think) is descended from and how he ended up in America? Oh, and Ethan's boys. Do we get to see more of them?
not really
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com