It’s fun making up characters—and even more fun getting to know them. When it’s a character you already know, like Jake, the process becomes even more exciting.
At the end of A Bride’s Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee, Jake wasn’t exactly hero material. Troubled, restless, not always easy to like…but his journey isn’t over yet. In A Bride’s Journey to the Colorado Territory, Jake begins to change—and readers will get to see his transformation.
One of the ways I explored Jake’s heart was by writing an “interview” scene before he boards the steamboat that carries him west. Think of it as an exclusive front‑page scoop in the Cairo Evening Times, giving us a glimpse into Jake’s mindset before everything shifts.
Article from the Cairo Evening Times
Reporter: Hey, you there! Sir! Can I catch you for an interview for the Cairo Evening Times?
Jake: I suppose. Don’t know that I’ll have much to say.
Reporter: You never know. People are curious about other people. Where you headed to?
Jake: Up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, then onto the Colorado Territory.
Reporter: Thought the gold rush was over. Think you’ll have any luck?
Jake: Probably not. My luck hasn’t been what I’d call good for quite some time. I figure it can’t hurt to try and turn it around. Then again, maybe if I stop thinking luck has anything to do with it—just hard work and more prayer—I might find what I’m really looking for.
Reporter: Leaving a sweet girl behind pining for you? Maybe a family?
Jake: No. There’s no one. Not even family that will miss me. My horse didn’t even look back when I sold him—moseyed on like he’d found his new best friend. You might say I burned all my bridges and tore up my railroads, and they aren’t likely to be rebuilt.
Reporter: You don’t plan on returning East?
Jake: Can’t think of a reason why I would.
Reporter: If I use your story, I’d like to print your name with it.
Jake: Jake Miles. But I doubt anyone will care what I have to say.
Reporter: Like I said—you never know what people will find interesting. Thanks. [waves to the next passenger] Hey you, over there, can I get an interview before you board?
One of the first things I did was write this interview before Jake boards a steamboat bound for St. Louis.
Why This Interview Matters
This short exchange says so much about Jake:
- He’s broken and uncertain.
- He knows hard work and prayer matter more than luck.
- He doesn’t yet believe his life story is worth telling.
And yet… readers of Christian historical romance know that God has a way of working transformation in the most unlikely hearts. A Bride’s Journey to the Colorado Territory lets us watch Jake’s journey from bitterness toward hope, from isolation toward love.
Your Turn
Would you want to sit next to Jake on that steamboat? Do you think his answer about not returning East will hold true?
Leave a comment below—I’d love to hear your thoughts! And don’t forget, you can order your copy of A Bride’s Journey to the Colorado Territory (Book 2 of the Frontier Legacy Brides series) today and continue the journey with Jake and Cornelia.
If you like stories about the Oregon Trail, happily-ever-after, and Christian romance, this book is for you. Start your journey with Cornelia and Jake today!
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