15 Years of IWSG - Character Archetypes + FREE Books

 This is my Insecure Writers Support Group post for September 2026.

Alex's awesome co-hosts this month are: 

Kate Larkinsdale,

SE White, 

JS Pailly,

Olga Godim,

& Natalie Aguirre!

Please stop by their blogs and say thank you. 

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IWSG turns 15 this month!

via GIPHY

Kudos to Alex J. Cavanaugh for starting the group, and to all the admins who've kept IWSG going over the years! 

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Today, I'm also celebrating my mother's 91st birthday.

(I keep telling her she's going to outlive us all. LOL)

(This pic is from her 90th last year.)

Happy birthday, Mom!

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Keep reading. The freebies are at the end. 😉

September 2nd question - Do you have a favorite character archetype you tend to gravitate toward in your writing? 

The heroes of my romances tend to be masculine and protective with a soft side, while the heroines tend to be meek yet inwardly strong. Some of this arises from the historical settings and the social mores of the times, but I like people who are stoic and unpretentious, and that comes through in the way I craft my characters.

I veered from that tendency in book 3 of the Forging America series, Fool's Iron, when I paired an assertive debutante with a poor, half-drunk railroad worker. They're an unlikely couple, and writing them made me step outside my comfort zone. In a few of the scenes, the heroine goes head to head with the hero's best friend, and their 'frenemy' chemistry was so strong I wondered if I'd chosen the wrong character to be the hero of the romance. No joke! But in the end, Edgar and Maggie were perfect for each other. Edgar just needed someone to believe in him.

All the books in my new Sagebrush Springs series are set in and around the same fictional town, so I have recurring characters (general store owner, etc.). I've tried to think outside my self-imposed box when creating them and the MCs. I've also tried to infuse more humor into the books. (Cue spinster Opal Miller in The Rebel's Redemption. 😄) 

It's tough, though, as the plots I choose tend to be emotionally heavy in nature. I've cried more while writing the latest book than any other before it - and I'm not a crier! (If you buy The Widower's Heart, buy a box of tissues, too.)  To me, hardships make the HEA all the more satisfying, but many readers prefer lighter stories.

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Now for the FREE stuff!

The following e-books were set to be free from 9/1 thru 9/5, but please check the price before clicking 'buy.' Glitches happen.

When duty called, love paid the price.

Former Union Army lieutenant Jackson Maguire returns to his war-torn hometown with plans to propose to Caroline Bennet, but a crisis of honor forces him to take her sister as his wife instead. When fate reunites them, will Jackson’s confession of his motives be enough to heal Caroline’s shattered heart?

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Sagebrush Springs is a post–Civil War romance series.

Heat level: closed-door / wholesome

Click to find the book on your country's Amazon: In the Wake of Honor

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The way to a man’s heart is through his ego.
The way to a woman’s heart is through her child.

Edgar Grimes poses as Magdalene Meriwether's husband while she searches for a real one. Will she play him for the fool his father always told him he was, or will Edgar be the champion Maggie needs?

Sometimes the wrong husband is the right man.

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Can be read as a standalone

Heat level: slow burn / warm

Click to find the book on your country's Amazon: Fool's Iron

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My debut novel, Come Back, isn't free, but it deserves an honorable mention.

It's a loss leader that's perpetually priced at $2.99.

Sometimes a single choice alters the course of a person’s life forever.

When Rebecca Garvey is left behind in the wilderness of New Mexico Territory by a wagon train headed for California, she is rescued by a handsome, nomadic cowboy who returns her to her family...and to her betrothed.

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Come Back has a 4.5-star average on Amazon and over 1,160 reviews.

Heat level: slow burn / warm

Click to find the book on your country's Amazon: Come Back

I happened upon a surprise last week. A kind reader compared my writing in Come Back to that of LaVyrle Spencer. 💗 That's one of the nicest compliments I've ever received.

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One last freebie...

If you like historical romance, consider signing up for my author newsletter. I won't flood your inbox, and you'll get a free, exclusive book that's not available from retailers.

What’s worse than being a mail-order bride without a groom? 

Marrying the only man in town who doesn’t want a wife.

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This book contains some mild cowboy cursing and a kiss or two.

Click here to get Bride for Sale: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/uonrrvm6ze

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Thanks for visiting!

Happy anniversary, IWSG!!!

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IWSG is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. It's a monthly bloghop that offers a safe haven for writers to express their feelings and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. It's also a venue for offering  support, both in the form of comments and positive posts. Writers of all kinds are welcome. 

We 'meet' the first Wednesday of every month. If you're interested in learning more, click on the link above. And don't be intimidated by the size of the group. We're not expected to visit everyone on the list.