In this post I’ll reveal the characters who took over and surprised me.
- Logan Ramsay (Healing a Highlander’s Heart)—Logan was so larger than life that he took over the entire book, changed my plans for the series, and became the de facto leader of the Ramsay clan. Even though Quade Ramsay was the chieftain, it was Logan you all fell in love with, and right from the start. Logan was the person who broke through the Grants’ defenses and kidnapped the laird’s sister right from her own bed! He wasn’t the least bit nice to Brenna Grant—in fact, he was bossy, impatient, and rude. And you all fell in love with him. I had no idea! The character of Logan Ramsay jumped off the pages, demanding not only his own story, but the stories of his siblings, as well. He demanded his clan be a major part of the series, and he got it! Instead of a series of five books, Clan Grant became Clan Grant and Clan Ramsay, a series of eight books because he had three siblings. And your love for him still goes on! *Why? I believe his popularity extends from his love for his family. True, he risked life and limb to save his brother Quade, but once you all heard about how much he loved his family, you were all lost. I’d love to go into detail here, but I don’t want to spoil anything for those who haven’t read this novel yet. If it was something else, please tell me. I’d love to know. For this one, I say thank you, readers. I have loved writing about Logan, especially once he found his match in Gwynie.
- Ashlyn (Journey to the Highlands)—Caralyn’s daughters, Ashlyn and Gracie, stole your hearts. I expected readers to fall in love with Gracie, but instead you all loved Ashlyn just a touch more. Why? I believe because she was such a fierce protector of her wee sister. Ashlyn was eight and Gracie was two in Journey to the Highlands. I think you were all lost when Robbie Grant found the two lassies out in the woods where they’d spent the night alone, both hungry. Robbie gave an oatcake to each girl, except Ashlyn promptly turned around and handed hers to Gracie. She explained her actions with a simple, “Gracie needs it more.” Robbie handed her another one, and Ashlyn slipped into her pocket to “save for later.” And you all know that oatcake went to Gracie as soon as his back was turned. The rest, as they say, is history.
- Magnus (Ashlyn)—Magnus stole your hearts. This was a total surprise for me, but a pleasant one. I have a few guesses as to why: his big smile, his sense of honor, the fact that he lost his wife and child are just a few, or maybe it was the snowbank. But I don’t always know my readers’ minds because when asked, one reader said, “No, it was the dogs.” Who knew?
- Maddie (Rescued by a Highlander)—Maddie was my first heroine, so I expected her to be popular, but she wasn’t. When my reviews began to come out on Amazon, my greatest criticism was that Maddie was too perfect, too sweet, just too…everything. She wasn’t too perfect to me. She did have flaws—she was too trusting, naïve, and timid (especially around Alex when he yelled), and she couldn’t stand up for herself. So why is she on my unexpected list? Because despite all the negatives I’d heard from readers, when I ask the readers who have read the entire series which heroine they love the most, they often tell me that Maddie is their favorite.
I love pleasant surprises. Thank you!
