Guilty of Stealing His Heart by Nancy Lynn White
Nancy Lynn White’s debut novel Guilty of Stealing His Heart: Never Say You Love Me combines historical fiction, murder mystery, western romance and inspirational genres into one well-blended page-turner of a story.
Set in America’s Midwest just before the Civil War, the novel offers a nicely gritty sense of how the issues that made up life from December 1859 through December 1860 might have looked and felt — Northern versus Southern views of slavery, old-time bank robberies, women’s precarious status vis-à-vis men and their own personal safety in the vastly untamed Wild West.
If this sounds like a romp you’d be interested in, you can check out our full review of Guilty of Stealing His Heart here. Read below as we talk with the author herself about planning versus pantsing, subplots that have a life of their own and the allure of the Wild, Wild West — and the cowboys who call it home.
Q: Tell us a little about the main two characters of Guilty of Stealing His Heart. Who are Carrie and JT?
Writing about Carrie’s character was a catharsis for me. I put all the adverse events that had happened to me in the book, giving Carrie the impetus to answer the call. She uses the skills she learns as the book progresses and her bountiful love to conquer all. And JT, well, he’s my dream man. Let’s hope I meet him someday.
Q: You describe your book as both a romance and a cozy mystery. What prompted you to write a story that combined these two genres?
I’m a panster and a planner. A pantster writes by the seat of their pants. I used both to write my story. Before I start writing the actual first draft, I write out an outline for the story. That outline is driven by the scenes required by the genre I’m writing, while the remaining scenes require brainstorming. I started out writing a romance book, but as I wrote the outline, twists and turns for the story kept popping into my head. There were some weird thoughts that I wrote out that thankfully later were cut from the book. Some of my best scenes came from brainstorming twists and turns for the story.
I ended up writing a Historical Western Romance with mystery and spiritual subplots. The subplots probably shouldn’t have been included, but they demanded their say and made the book a better read. It’s all my fault there were so many genres covered in the book, but once I decided Carrie’s no-good husband was a murderer, there was no turning back.
Q: What made you choose to set your story out in the Wild West?
I grew up watching cowboy movies on TV and it developed into an obsession as I grew to adulthood. John Wayne was my favorite cowboy. Today it’s Kevin Costner. The romance of the Old West lures me back every time I hear gunfire, the sound of hoofbeats, or the smell of dinner cooking over a wood fire. Not to mention one of the most beautiful scenes in our country — the Wild West at sundown. The tension between the good and the bad keeps me confined to my seat. You should write about what you love, and I love the Old West.
Q: Were there any romance authors or stories that served as inspiration for your writing?
Blaze of Glory by Rosanne Bittner, any western by Charlene Whitman, Lonesome Dove and Dances With Wolves.
Q: What do you hope readers enjoy about your novel?
Everything, of course. The ups and downs of JT and Carrie’s relationship. How Billy adds to the story. Seeing Carrie conquer the betrayals in her life. The joy of finally finding her mother. Having faith in a true friend who will never betray her. Carrie’s struggle to obtain her dream. And all the mishaps that befall her along her way. 414 pages that will keep you awake at night until you’ve read the last chapter.
Q: Is there anything you can tell us about your upcoming novel, Wedding Bells and Murder?
Wedding Bells and Murder is the working title for a cozy mystery I’m writing. It may or may not come out before the next installment of the Grant family saga because I’m working on both books simultaneously. Book two of the Grant saga features Carrie’s best friend, Ruth, who is African American, and JT’s brother, Roy, who fall in love despite the consequences of such a union. Wedding Bells and Murder introduces Harlow Stallard, an exonerated murderer turned wedding planner. On the side, Harlow tries to help others who are behind bars but shouldn’t be. She’s a staunch advocate of the Innocence Project. Her story begins when two murdered men are found on her front lawn two days in a row.
About the Author:
Nancy Lynn White was born in Washington, D.C. into the nomadic life of a military family. She has one beautiful daughter and two of the most-loved grandchildren on the planet. She graduated from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio with a B.A. in English/Professional Writing. She is now self-employed as a freelance writer. She has the following creative non-fiction short stories published in magazines: “The Boss from Hell”, Work Literary Magazine, November 2014; “You’re Safer in a Plane Than a Car”, Shatter the Looking Glass Literary Magazine, January 2015; “Sippin’ Bourbon Dressing”, Good Ole Days Magazine, December 2016.
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