Hi everyone. I hope you're having a wonderful summer. Mine is busy but fantastic and tons of fun. Travel, lunches, and home time has all centered around writing. I am in heaven! I have noticed something though in all my writing that I thought I'd share.
Two years ago I became acquainted with and joined a Facebook group of readers and authors called Pioneer Hearts. The focus of the group is Western Historical Romance. The readers are voracious and the authors, who number 149, do a great job of meeting their demands.
One thing I've noticed is that the interest is not only focused on western historical romance but Mail Order Brides reign supreme. Men on the Western frontier found their success in many different enterprises but lacked the company of a wife and family. With very few to no women in the remote areas of the West the ways to get those women to them was challenging. The best way was to advertise.
It's interesting to learn that a woman by the name of Eliza Farnham started the Mail Order Bride movement around the time of the California Gold Rush. She was shocked by the way the men lived their lives and horrified by their living conditions. Eliza developed a process to bring women out West for these men. The women applied by way of an application so Eliza could ensure only the best and most lady like applicants would be selected. Sadly, Eliza failed in her attempt as only three women came.
In 1864, Asa Mercer succeeded where Eliza failed. He brought hundreds of women to Seattle and they even paid for the privilege mostly because of the War. The imbalance of the women in the East and South to the men in the West spiked the interest of both genders.
I can't possibly name all the authors who write Mail Order Bride books, but some you may recognize are Brenda Jernigan, Kit Morgan, Cassie Hayes, Debra Holland, Kirsten Osbourne, and Cindy Caldwell.
My first Mail Order Bride story will be out later as part of a super seekrit project. I'm looking forward to sharing the story with you.
Y'all have a good rest of the summer. When we next meet, hopefully we'll have cooler tempertures!
Hugs,
Carra
Carra Copelin Website, Carra's Blog , Carra's FB page , Carra's Twitter Page
We watched a television documentary recently on the Civil War. No wonder there were no men left to marry. The few who were able moved West because there was nothing left of their homes--and often no one left. Being a mail order bride would have been frightening, but I might have risked it.
ReplyDeleteFascinating history lesson! I knew about Mail Order Brides, of course, and have read their stories. But I didn't know the actual historical figures behind it. I can see how the Civil War would have definitely been a catalyst for men moving West, and eventually, women moving with them. In those days, women had so few options!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the awesome information, Carra. MoB stories are my favorite both to read and to write. I just hope all those real MoBs had happy endings, or at least happy-ish. I would havae been too big a weenie to be one, for sure. Best of luck with the new story!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the awesome information, Carra. MoB stories are my favorite both to read and to write. I just hope all those real MoBs had happy endings, or at least happy-ish. I would havae been too big a weenie to be one, for sure. Best of luck with the new story!
ReplyDeleteCarra--you can add Celia Yeary to the Mail Order Bride list.
ReplyDeleteTrinity Hill Brides: Books I, II, and III....Kathleen, Lorilie and Annalisa. My most successful book so far..most money, and most reviews, and all on three Top 100 lists for a long time.
The thing is, I thought the Mail Order Bride idea was passé, long gone as a viable way to write a series. But I went to Amazon and typed in "Mail Order Bride Series" and lo and behold, I got hundreds and hundreds...and the large majority were successful.
So, I got really busy and wrote the three stories.
They definitely are popular. I might even try another series set in another part of the country.
Thanks for the wonderful post and the history behind Mail Order Brides. I loved it.
Mail order brides brings great satisfaction to the reader because it's so irresistible watching two people who don't know each other, or maybe even disliking one another, grow into loving each the other. I enjoyed reading your article about real mail order brides. I wouldn't have had the courage they did to marry someone I didn't know in a place far from home.
ReplyDeleteI've never written a mail order bride story, unless time travel bride applies, but I have thought about it because of the great reception by readers.
I wish you all the best, Carra.