Throughout history, the existence of the family unit has played a significant role, continuing to have a huge impact on most of our lives. Because of the opportunity to improve one’s fortune, and the types of employment available, never mind plain old gender inequality, the early settling of the West drew more men than women. As more communities were created a settled, the result was a disproportionate percentage men and women of marrying age.
The early settlers who struck out in search of new opportunity and the chance to settle new lands soon realized that when people compete for the same land and resources, success and failure often depended how prolifically one is able to reproduce. Extra sets of hands are imperative to work the farm or the ranch. One way men chose to attract a woman partner was to advertise for a bride.
I’ve written many mail order bride romances, but I wanted to do a different type of series with Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Thus, I set out to create a family of seven brothers; a series where each man eventually meets and marries his soul mate.
As I started creating my leading men, developing their personalities, interests, skills, and goals, I quickly realized that having my heroes be biological brothers didn’t lend itself to the types of conflicts and storylines that would make interesting reading. I didn’t want them to all come from the same background and parents.
I felt the series would have far more appeal if each man was a loner, a product of his individual background and baggage. It’s difficult to be a loner if you grow up in a large family. Thus, I brought together seven young men from a diversity of backgrounds, circumstances, fortunes and talents. Swearing a loyalty to each other, this new family united in a single cause. Revenge.
For fun, I included a set of identical twins, but the others were as different from each other as they could possibly be. My newly-formed ‘found family’ banded together over a stretch of years at different times for different reasons. Having been knocking about on their own, none of them were accustomed to being part of a family dynamic, let alone the cooperation and compromise required to ensure a family functions and thrives.
One of the rabbit holes my research into families throughout history led me to was the ‘birth order theory’, where the eldest is perceived as the leader, the most responsible and conscientious. Middle children are thought to be more adaptable, diplomatic, and good at keeping the peace. The youngest is often seen as more playful, sometimes having a rebellious streak, or being irresponsible.
With seven brothers in my fictional family, did that mean there were five middle-children? Or two that were more irresponsible, while two who clashed for the leadership role. Numerous possibilities presented themselves. Maybe the elders were the first ones who formed this rag-tag family, while the late-comers were viewed as the youngsters, regardless of biological age.
Along the way, I couldn’t resist a quick analysis of my own siblings and my own children to test out the birth order theory.
Meanwhile, the series progressed with varying levels of commitment from the ‘brothers’ some intending to leave once the need for revenge had been fulfilled, others resenting the changes that befell their family, as one-by-one each brother claimed a bride. The remaining bachelors weren’t always happy about the intrusion of a woman, let alone several women into their male-dominated lives.
The end result was tons of fun, with lots of conflict. Not unlike every family I have ever known, including my own. But one thing is for sure. Differences aside, family is and always will be, the backbone of society as we know it today.
What do you think about the birth order theory as it applies to your own family? Do you think a found-family, together by choice rather than birth, can share the same loyalties as one that shares blood? What about children who are adopted? Or an only child? I don’t always see eye-to-eye with my siblings, but when we lost a parent recently, I was very grateful not to be an ‘only’.
Leave a comment below, sharing some of your thoughts and theories regarding family for one of three chances to win a free copy of Book 1, Brody’s Bride. If you’ve already read the series, I’ll gift you a different title from my back list.
Meanwhile the series prequel, Before the Brides is available to everyone who signs up to join my VIP readers list. http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1
You can learn about the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers series, tagline: “Bridgerton meets Yellowstone.” CLICK HERE
About Kathleen:
USA Today Bestselling Author Kathleen Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes. Blaze in One Fantasy Fall is a movie stuntman, who rides a Harley instead of a horse.
With over 60 published novels to her credit, she enjoys pushing the boundaries of traditional romance into historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction.
She makes her home in the Pacific Northwest and loves to hear from her readers. http://www.kathleenlawless.com
Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers. http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1
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One of the many reasons I find the Wild West fun to write about is the opportunity afforded women during the time. With a ten-men-to-every-woman ratio in many of the territories, women were more concerned about suitability than availability. As someone who lives on an island where there are eight single women to every available man, I prefer those odds of 150 years ago.
Since Lila is part of the Rescue Me Mail-Order Brides, I had to create a strong Alpha male character to rescue my heroine from imminent danger. I liked the idea of a Bounty Hunter, a man who makes his own rules and is his own boss, but that lifestyle meant a hero who is always on the move. Not exactly a happily-ever-after prospect for our bride.
The station’s platform was bustling with activity as folks called out, pushing and shoving in all directions. Once again, she rued her short stature. For it was impossible to see over the heads of those around her.
The more research I do, the more I am filled with admiration for early settlers who packed up and left everything familiar in hopes of a better life. Especially the women. I like to think many of them had more freedom in their new homes—at least I write uplifting stories that express that sentiment. My heroines are independent and forward-thinking, focused on making a better life not only for themselves but for others. Historian Elizabeth Jameson noted western women “understood that they performed valuable work for their families and their communities”.
