Birth of A New Story--The Hero

Some people wonder how I write a story. I don't know; I just do it.

Since I'm starting a brand new story for a Medical Romance Anthology from Highland Press I thought I share some of the experience with you.

This is a short story, 15,000-20,000 that features a medical aspect to the romance. Romance means there is going to be a "happily ever after" ending so the hero and heroine will be engaged if not married at the end of the story. Ok, I'm preaching to the choir here but bear with me. I usually have a method to madness.

There are several signature elements to stories I write. One, the hero is or was in the military. We have our choice of five--Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. Which one depends on the character and what I want him to do. Since I've decided the hero will be an air medical transport helicopter pilot, I'll exclude the Marines and the Navy leaving the Army, USAF and the Coast Guard. The USAF and Coast Guard are known for their rescue activities but our hero need not be an actual trained rescuer, he is a helicopter pilot. The Army is a proud service that will serve my purpose. Two, he's going to own and ride a Harley.

The bare bones of this story involves our helicopter pilot hero, and a Labor and Delivery Nurse who is also a certified Nurse Midwife. I have kernels of conflict and some ideas on a heroine but this blog post is about the hero.

Oh yeah, he needs a name. Good thing he told me his name. Major Brandon Reynolds, US Army Reserve. He's single, some what of a male chauvinist and thoroughly professional. Oh yeah, he doesn't do babies well-has six nephews and two neices who live in the same town, but he loves the little crumb crunchers, as he calls them.

His engine is purring and I better get to the heroine before he runs out of gas.

Next up: The Heroine