The Importance of Having a Will
In my latest release HEARTSONG, I tackle the very important issue of what happens when a person dies without a will, especially if they have underage children.
While brainstorming for HEARTSONG, I knew I wanted to have two important plot points in the story: 1) An arranged marriage, or sometimes called a marriage-first in contemporary romance, situation between the hero and heroine. 2) A child would be the reason for this unwanted union. 3) I wanted this child’s relationship to be the hero and heroine to be different, meaning I didn’t want the child to belong to either one of them, and yet, still be related to them. So, after disregarding a slew of ideas, I came up with the idea of an orphan. However, in this modern age, a parent can specify in their will who they want to care for any underage children. I nearly threw out this idea because a man as rich as my hero’s father would have had a will… But his young wife? Maybe not.
And this is where my dilemma arises. My hero’s young stepmother dies without a will. She just never got around to writing one, while her much older husband left everything to her in his. There wouldn’t have been a problem if he’d died before her, their son would have remained with his mother; however, they are killed together in a plane crash, leaving no care provisions for their young son. In real life, as in the story, the child’s fate is decided upon by the state, which usually gives custody of the child to his/her closest living relative. However, in HEARTSONG, ten-year-old Jesse has several close relatives who all want to care for him. His brother, Gabe, who is the hero, and his mother’s sister—Jesse’s aunt Michaela—who is the heroine, both want Jesse. Also Jesse’s maternal grandfather believes he’s the best one to care for Jesse.
The court battle that happens in the story along with Gabe’s and Michaela’s insane plan to win custody of Jesse could all have been avoided if his mother had taken the time to write a will. So, the moral of the tale, despite the happy-ever-after, is don’t let this happen to your family. No one is too young to have a will drawn up.
Gabriel McKenna is living the dream. A rising country music star he’s no stranger to fame, money, or beautiful women. Despite his bad boy image, he’s also got a heart of gold, and when his ten-year-old brother is orphaned, he wants to take him under his wing. But the judge on the case is less than impressed by Gabe’s reputation and awards custody to the grandfather Gabe knows firsthand is abusive.
Michaela Finn is no stranger to heartache. Years ago she was engaged to Gabe McKenna, but two days before their wedding he ran off to Nashville with a female talent scout. Now Gabe is back in her life with an insane plan. Marry him, so he can get custody of his younger brother. Michaela can’t bear to think of any child being hurt, but she’s just not sure her heart can carry a happy tune when Gabe is playing lead…
ABOUT THE BOOK
Gabriel McKenna is living the dream. A rising country music star he’s no stranger to fame, money, or beautiful women. Despite his bad boy image, he’s also got a heart of gold, and when his ten-year-old brother is orphaned, he wants to take him under his wing. But the judge on the case is less than impressed by Gabe’s reputation and awards custody to the grandfather Gabe knows firsthand is abusive.
Michaela Finn is no stranger to heartache. Years ago she was engaged to Gabe McKenna, but two days before their wedding he ran off to Nashville with a female talent scout. Now Gabe is back in her life with an insane plan. Marry him, so he can get custody of his younger brother. Michaela can’t bear to think of any child being hurt, but she’s just not sure her heart can carry a happy tune when Gabe is playing lead…
EXCERPT
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Although Sara Walter Ellwood has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her contemporary westerns. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for over 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia. Sara Walter Ellwood is a multi-published and international Amazon bestselling author of the anthology set Cowboy Up. She also publishes paranormal romantic suspense under the pen name Cera duBois.
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