Forever Kind Of Woman

 Wild Women Authors is pleased to welcome back author Susan Payne as she celebrates the release of Forever Kind of Woman, a historical romance out of the Wild Rose Press. First up is physician Tess McLeish.

Where are you from? “I was born in Ohio, traveled to Michigan with my father where I attended medical school, then to Chicago where I trained with my husband the famous Torrey McLeish and then to Forever, Texas.”

Tell us a bit about Forever Kind of Woman. “I went there to marry a doctor in need of a help-mate as well as wife. I wanted to use my training to help women with breast cancer. We are now just beginning to treat these patients with the kind of surgery and pain care they deserve. I want to open a clinic where that can be done.”

What did you think the first time you saw Sheriff Noah Carter? “I was so set on seeing my fiancé waiting for my arrival, I’m afraid I sort of over-looked him. I mean if its possible to over look a man over six feet tall, broad and good-looking. He certainly took my breath away once I did pay attention.” 

And your second thought? “That this man was capable and loyal and deserved a woman in his life.”

Did you feel it was love at first sight? “No, but it didn’t take too long. I was waiting for my fiancé to make up his mind which meant I wasn’t going to jeopardize that for anything or anyone. I needed to marry Dr. Waverly. None of the plan worked without doing so.”

What do you like most about Sheriff Carter? “That he doesn’t take long to form a plan. He does things on the run which is how being a sheriff probably works best. I have more time to come to a decision for the most part. I mean in a medical emergency I work quickly, but there are certain procedures that take over. That must be done under certain conditions. It’s not the same. Plus, people aren’t usually shooting at me as I do my job.”

How would you describe Sheriff Carter? “Physically he’s an excellent specimen of a man. His character is without doubt. His sense of duty strong. His knowledge of right and wrong unstoppable.”

How would he describe you? “Head-strong, definitely will be in there along with capable, determined, knowledgeable…I like to think he’s proud to know me.”

What made you choose doctoring as a career? “I am actually a trained surgeon. Many doctors have never nor will ever perform surgery. It isn’t for the feint of heart, I assure you. Now that Chloroform is being used, there have been more progress. Prior to that, we had to cut into patients wide awake and screaming while others held them down. I am glad there are more humane ways of dealing with such things.”

What is your biggest fear? “That Noah will get hurt and I will be unable to help him or sure him. I guess that’s what love does to a person. Makes them fear losing the thing they love the most.”

How do you relax? “I read, I like to sit quietly under the stars and I knit to keep my fingers nimble for suturing. I guess I’m pretty boring over all. I’m not sure what my stalker found so intriguing about me.”

Who is your favorite fictional character? “Aouda, the woman in Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty days. She was married against her will. I suppose I identify her since I, too, married where there was no love.”

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? “To be true to myself, from my father. My husband taught me to be flexible since practicing medicine isn’t a game that follows concise rules. You need to handle the veritable that always occur.”

Thank you Tess for taking time out of your busy practice to speak with us. Now we'd like to chat with Susan.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? “All the old west movies that Hollywood could produce. I watched them and absorbed their very essence. No one actor or writer or producer. I watched them all with rapt attention.”

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? “The fact that stalkers are not new. Anyone can become a victim and although they are unpleasant, we can deal with them so much quicker now. So many ways to track someone can be reversed to track your stalker.”

Tell us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced your decision to submit to them? “I found The Wild Rose Press last year and submitted my Sweetwater Series for self-publishing. Then I submitted some other works and they put me under contract.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? “The next out, I believe is the anthology of Regency Christmas stories. Then Rescued By a Highlander and The Texas Ranger and the Professor. A couple more historical westerns, Three Sisters and another Regency, Blind Faith.”

Susan brought an excerpt from Forever Kind of Woman: 

     Tess felt pretty good about her week’s work and sat on the back porch, watching the sun go down. Looking over to the sheriff’s house, she saw he was striped to the waist, washing his underarms then his torso. She was mesmerized by the long strokes he made over his tan skin, the muscles bunching and stretching as he washed then rinsed each portion of his body.

     She realized she was staring when he went to push down his trousers to bare the rest of his body for ablutions. Lowering her gaze, she moved quickly into her darkened kitchen, making her way upstairs feeling the heat of a blush on her face.

     She chided herself for her foolishness. She had seen naked men as cadavers, during surgeries and examinations, at much closer quarters. Why should this man be so much more interesting to her? He was attractive and an excellent specimen of manhood, but would that make her heart beat faster merely thinking of him becoming naked in front of her?

To purchase Forever Kind of Woman go to Barnes and Noble or Amazon Books at:

https://www.amazon.com/Forever-Kind-Woman-Susan-Payne/dp/1509232427

To learn more about Susan Payne and the stories she creates, go to:

http://www.authorsusanpayne.com

authorspayne@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/susan.payne.14203

or tweet susan reid payne @ susanreid460