And thank goodness! I tell you, Boaz has been such a pain to deal with for the past month. I can’t recall having such a difficult time working with any character ever since Dave Larson “disappeared” after I refused to give into his irrational demands back on April 17. 2012.  No wonder I never worked on the third Dave and Mary book.  Who needs that kind of headache?

Boaz: Whoa, whoa!  Are you saying I am nothing but a headache to you?

Ruth: Well, you are hard to deal with.

Boaz trying to look innocent when he’s caused Ruth nothing but grief

Boaz: Can I help it if you didn’t understand my motivation?  The key to writing any book is to understand what the character wants.

Ruth: Which I believe you summed up as getting your kids back in an interview I did with you not too long ago.

Boaz: While that’s true, you didn’t look deeper than that, and that’s something you’re supposed to do as my author.

Ruth: I can’t look deeper unless you let me.

Boaz: It sounds to me like you’re trying to blame me for something that is wrong with you.  I can’t tell you how many men thought the horse was the problem when it was really the way they handled the horse that made the horse “hard to work with.”

Ruth: I have 38 romances under my belt.  After writing that many of them, I can assure you that I understand the process a lot better than you do.

Boaz: You’d better be careful.  It’s those who think they know it all that really don’t.

Ruth: *thinks to herself* I only have one more chapter left and then I’ll be done with him.

Patty, the kind of gal who doesn’t stop until she gets what she wants

Patty Dixon (heroine in Patty’s Gamble): Well, I for one am celebrating this great feat, Ruth.  It’s about time we finally got around to my story.  I’ve been waiting all these years for you to rewrite and expand the novelette “The Keeping of Greg Wilson”.  I’ve been patient for a long time as I waited to finally get Greg to admit he loves me.  Why, in Mitch’s Win alone, Heather’s plan failed miserably.  For a while there, I wondered if you were going to pair me up with Boaz since you had him sit right next to me at the supper table.

Ruth: I’ll have to post the scene from Mitch’s Win on Sunday to remind everyone of that time.

Patty: It was downright disheartening.  No offense, Boaz, but I don’t want anyone but Greg.  I’ve had my heart set on marrying him from the first time I saw him when I was just a school girl.

Boaz: No one cares about your silly fantasies.

Eva as she tries to reason with Boaz

Eva: I’m shocked, Boaz!  How could you talk to her that way?

Boaz: It’s Ruth.  She brings out the worst in me.  Did you see how she opened up this post?  She said I was a pain to deal with.

Eva: Well, you have been a tad bit difficult.

Boaz: After all we’ve been through, you’re taking her side?

Eva: No, but to be fair, you haven’t been very forthcoming in what you wanted.  I’ve had to sit you down a time or two and find out what was going on.

Ruth: Thank you, Eva.  Had it not been for you, the book would have been a total flop.

Patty: And mine wouldn’t have gotten started.  I really don’t understand why you men have to be so difficult.  You have a woman who’ll cook and clean for you, and on top of that, you get another benefit I’m too much a lady to mention on this blog.

Boaz: Though you have no trouble undressing in front of Greg or slipping in his bed.

Patty: *gasps* How do you know that?

Boaz:  *snickers* I know all about that conversation you had with Eva and Heather in my book.

Patty: I never said anything about undressing in front of him.

Boaz: I might have peeked at the notes Ruth has for your story.

Patty: Boaz, you are horrible.  I hope the book ends with your hair setting on fire.

Eva: Patty!

Patty: It’d serve him right for going into my personal moments.

Boaz: Personal moments?  Ruth writes about everyone’s personal moments.  With her, there is no such thing as privacy.  Quite frankly, she’d be better off writing something pure for a change.

Ruth: No way.  Spice is nice, guys.

Richard Larson, the one who never got a book….and boy is he upset! LOL

Richard Larson: I sure wouldn’t mind you throwing some spice my way.  In fact, I’d be happy if you got my book done this year.

Boaz: Who are you?

Eva: I think I know who he is.  The name Larson is pretty familiar.   Rachel Larson marries Herb in Boaz’s Wager.

Richard: I’m Rachel’s uncle.  But no one even remembers me because I never got my own book.  It was supposed to be Wagon Trail Bride.

Ruth: I didn’t forget you.  In fact, I have your book over at my Works In Progress page on this blog.

Richard: But you put me on hold.

Ruth: I’m writing in it when I have time.

Richard: Which is never thanks to Boaz the time hog.

Boaz: Hey!

Patty: Well, the rewrite did cost the rest of us some missing days.

Ruth: This is why I say Boaz has been a major pain.  He has caused all of us a great deal of missed days.

Patty: Don’t take it personally, Richard.  Ruth delayed the writing of my book so she could work on the Nebraska series, the South Dakota series, and some other books.

Richard: Yes, but will my story ever be told?

Ruth: Yes, but I need to finish up with the Montana stories.

Boaz: Speaking of which, will you write about the men who sold Rachel and Eva at the beginning of Boaz’s Wager?

Ruth: I plan to but I don’t plan to put it in the Montana series.

Richard: Please tell me you’ll write my book first.

Ruth: I hope to.

Richard: I want a guarantee.

Ruth: I can never tell anything this far out.

Boaz: Be a pain, Richard.  It’s the only way to get her attention.  *hehe*

***

Credits for Photos:

Boaz: © Megdypro4im | Dreamstime.com

Patty: © Igor Dolgov | Dreamstime.com

Eva: © Candybox Images | Dreamstime.com

Richard: © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com