Planning Your Novel Part 4 - Characterization Special: Dancing Horse Heroine

By Elva Cobb Martin  ---Check out the above YouTube Clip!

If you're planning a novel, I assume you've studied a lot about characterization and how best to plan and detail your characters. But today with the above YouTube clip I am sharing with you something I've run across with planning my Spanish heroine in my current wip (work in progress).

In my research I ran across the Spanish horse or the Andalusian breed which has had a large influence on the bloodlines of the beautiful Lipizzaner breed of horses of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna. That's why it's called the Spanish Riding School, but it's in Vienna, Austria.

I've had horses myself and love them. I am thinking about making my heroine more special than ever by setting her on a Spanish horse stud farm where she has learned the beautiful dancing with the horses like you see in the clip. Don't you think this will make her a much more special character that readers will love?

Remember, one of my first points in planning your novel in Part 1 was Research and More Research! I've spent some time studying out the Spanish or Andalusian horse and had a great time doing it. My novel will be much richer as a result. These horses are still being bred in several nations and very popular all over the world, not just in Spain or Austria.

In the clip you can see where the Lipizzaner got it's beautiful dressage genes! And don't you love the Spanish guitar accompaniment?

Of course, I've got MUCH research on this subject I may never get to use in my novel, but that's fine. I'd rather be on the rich end rather than the skimpy one.

Here's a few quick notes from my research for you horse lovers like me!

Spanish horses, including the Andalusian, originated from Arabian and Berber horses from North Africa. They were brought to Spain in the 8th Century. (Think Muslim invasion and takeover of Spain which continued several centuries and hence the mosques still standing there).

During the 15th and 16th Centuries (think of the Catholic deliverance of Spain, Queen Isabella's Empire, and Columbus) these majestic high-stepping Spanish horses became the status symbol of the royal courts throughout Europe. 
Note: my photo may be of Isabella...and it might not be. But you get the picture. ( :



1580: When the importation of horses from the Spanish Peninsula became more difficult, the Vienna court under Archduke Karl II decided to develop their own breeding farm in . . . Lipica. He sent buyers to Spain and they brought back stallions and mares. They became the foundation of the Lipizzan breed. And, yes, I have the rest of the exciting story about even these Lipizzan horses and all they went through during the various European wars, even their rescue during WWII by our own General Patton. But that's another story. . . for another day.

Have you planned a special talent or work for your main character that people will love to learn about? This is the kind of thing that makes an historical or a contemporary novel much richer. In my contemporary Summer of Deception novel, I shared the growing and making of tea by my hero. You can find the novel here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071L28PHH
I also have a beautiful Arabian horse in this novel named Haidez.

Do join the fun and tell us about your character's special talent or work. Please click on the social buttons below to share if you found this blog helpful.

Blessings,
Elva Cobb Martin

Planning Your Novel - Part 1

by Elva Cobb Martin

Are you planning your first novel or trying to get started with your next one? I give God the glory for two novels recently released by Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas, Summer of Deception and In a Pirate's Debt. You can check them out on Amazon at this link: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI. 

This summer I am researching and planning my next novel which will become a series, I hope. Here are the steps that have helped me in the past and, I believe, will assist me again.

1) Read, Read in Your Genre --and Time Period if Historical.
I find it very important to immerse myself in the genre I'm hoping to write. In your genre, find the best, most successful authors you can and read and study what makes their novel interesting to read. I often take notes and write in the margins!

If writing an historical, find books in your time period. Since I'm planning an historical series set in the 1700's like my pirate novel above, I am reading novels of established authors set in this century. It's amazing how many great ideas come to me as I soak up stories set in my chosen time period and place. Reading a contemporary novel,or one set in the Regency Period, or during World War II won't help keep me on target, so I save those novels for another time. I also look for movies set in my time period and save them in my TV groups. I take notes on setting, dialog, dress, conflict, historical tidbits, etc. 

4) Jot Down Your Initial Storyline
My basic story idea is of a heroine, an indentured servant, who has a bad past she's carrying like baggage, even after she becomes a Christian. (See the "lie" she believes and the spiritual plot possibility of her overcoming?) After a terrible incident in Spain she fled for her life to the New World as an indentured servant. She falls in love with her master after he becomes widowed, but she feels like soiled goods he will never be interested in. She desires to find respect, security and love and will go to some lengths to find them. (See the motivation and goals unfolding?) And, of course, I will give the widowed hero problems, conflicts, and goals to complicate the romance possibility we will pursue from Charles Town to the Spanish Main. Of course, some of these details will likely change as I write the story! (More on characterization, lies, motivation, and goals in Part 2.)

3) Research and Research Some More
Having the Internet has made research so much easier. Seldom do I have to make a trip to the library for research. This novel will have a heroine who is an indentured servant. Yesterday I googled "Indentured Servants in America" and came up with great information. I printed some articles and saved some to my computer. I already know this story will be set mainly on the Spanish Main in Cartagena so I googled that and came up with some great articles and maps.

How do you plan a new novel? I would love to hear your comments. Next time I will share Part 2 that works for me.

Blessings,
Elva Martin

Creating a Great Hero - Part 3 Horatio Hornblower

by Elva Martin

What makes a great hero? Click here if you missed
 Part 1 - Atticus Finch  http://bit.ly/2HFDkD3
 Part 2: Captain Blood  http://bit.ly/2KfpHc9

We've covered several characteristics of great fictional heroes and today we'll look at Horatio Hornblower, the wonderful British Royal Naval officer during the Napoleonic Wars era created by C.S. Forester. The eleven-volume Hornblower Saga follows an English seaman, Hornblower, as he rises from Midshipman to Admiral in England's Royal Navy. This historical series and hero has thrilled generations and become the subject of films,radio and television programs. I'm told even Winston Churchill read these novels on his way to Royal Navy meetings during WWII.



Two fave actors of mine who have played Hornblower are 
Ioan Gruffudd                                     and Gregory Peck.

So what has made Horatio Hornblower a great hero to so many?

Having read the books, listened to audio, and seen movies of several in this series, my first thought is that here is a man who possesses all the other qualities of heroes we've talked about but adds certain other interesting qualities.

1) He is man of the strongest principles, especially those relating to British Royal Navy Protocol

In the West Indies Admiral Hornblower is suspicious that the American ship Daring has been hired by Napoleonic former soldiers and supporters to rescue Bony from his St. Helena island prison. 

Sharpe, consul-general at New Orleans warns Hornblower,

"Daring's an American ship, my lord."

That was an important point, a very important point. Daring had an ostensibly legal errand, and she flew the Stars and Stripes. He (Hornblower) could think of no excuse for taking her into port for examination. His instructions had been very strict regarding the treatment of the American flag.

So the during the rest of the book Hornblower chases the Daring to stop her rescue of Napoleon, but he does not cross British protocol in doing so. This brings up the next unusual quality possessed by this hero.

2) He is possessed with amazing ingenuity and finesse to carry out his job as British Admiral of the West Indies

Hornblower has confirmed the French captain of the Daring is on a secret mission to rescue Napoleon from St. Helena Island but how can he stop him without firing on the American flag and causing an international incident? He comes up with the Big Lie (at least he thinks it is a lie). He apprehends the much larger ship, the Daring, and goes aboard. The French Captain, who is also a Count, has to allow him aboard and show him proper honor as he is the English Admiral of the West Indies. Here's the amazing dialog.

"Ah Count Cambronne," said Hornblower, (to the French captain) and then made himself speak French. "It is a pleasure to meet you again."

"And to what do I owe this pleasure, milord?" asked Cambronne. He was standing very stiff and straight, his cat's-whisker mustache bristling out on either side.

"I have come to bring you the very worst of news, I regret to say," said Hornblower. Through many sleepless nights he had rehearsed these speeches to himself. Now he was forcing himself to make them naturally. "And I have come also to do you a service, Count."

"What do you wish to say?"

"Bad news."

"Well?"

"It is with the deepest regret, Count that I have to inform you of the death of your Emperor."

"No!"

"The Emperor Napoleon died at St. Helena last month. I offer you my sympathy, Count."

Hornblower told the lie with every effort to appear like a man speaking truth. 

"I received the news two days back in Port of Spain," said Hornblower. "In consequence, I cancelled the arrangements I had made for the arrest of this ship."

Hornblower suffered mentally by telling this lie because the Count would not believe him until he gave his word of honor as a gentleman. But he did give it, believing it was for the peace of the world in peril from a renewal of the deadly war with France they had just won. And the Count believed him and called off his mission. In the next port, Hornblower learns the shocking news that Napoleon had, indeed, died on St. Helena three weeks earlier. He recouped the honor of his word.

3) Though a mighty warrior who will give the enemies of England no quarter, he is still a compassionate forever true lover of Lady Barbara and needs healing of jealousy of her first husband.

In the last volume of the Hornblower series, Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies, he has finally married Barbara when she became a widow after her arranged first marriage. Something she says to him, when death seems imminent for their whole ship during a hurricane, heals his old jealousy.

She not merely said that she loved him; she had said she had never loved anyone else. Hornblower, huddled on the deck of a waterlogged ship with a hurricane shrieking round him, was suddenly aware that an old hurt was healed, that he would never again feel that dull ache of jealousy of Barbara's first husband, never, as long as he lived.

4) He is a great leader of men who will follow him to prison and even to death. . .

In most of the Hornblower books the reader sees this heroic characteristic carried out in many situations.  

Don't miss the next part in this series as we hone in on "The Man of Steel and Velvet." --Heroes, who not only display most of the characteristics we covered so far, but who also have a life-changing, empowering, relationship with Jesus Christ.

Thanks for stopping by. Would love to read your comments, and please do share this blog by clicking on the small icons below.

Blessings and Happy Mother's Day coming,

Elva 

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. Jim Hart of Hartline Literary represents her. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin

 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon:http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI