Gabriel Hart is
the main character (protagonist) in my book. The title was AFTER THE FIRE, but my husband would like me to put it to a vote because of an idea he has. We will get into that in another blog………..back to Gabriel.
Now, I have written him as a dark haired, blue eyed man, around 33 and not drop dead gorgeous, but quite a looker. He’s 5’10” tall, muscular build and a heavy equipment operator/foreman for an excavating company out of the East Bay.
I couldn’t find any men to photograph that fit this profile. I will need to work on it because THIS GUY, (above), is almost too pretty. You get the jest though. Moving on.
Gabriel is from Oklahoma and raised by parents that had land, farmed, and his father and uncles all taught him to run heavy equipment. From dozers, to backhoes, swathers, and excavators, Gabriel has run them all at one time or another.
When a vacation to California finds him love, Gabe moves on a whim to be with her. They live together in San Ramon and are engaged when tragedy hits. On Christmas Eve they are in a fatal car crash on interstate 680, killing his fiancée and Gabriel himself, is injured quite badly.
After recovering, a very sensitive soul, Gabriel feels loath to ever date after the death of Shelly, his fiancée. He buries himself in work at the excavating company he is employed at and refuses dinner dates with friends. Slowly, Gabe becomes somewhat of a hermit. He takes on extra work and eventually is the foreman of their best crew.
When the Valley Fire hits Lake County, Gabe’s company contracts to send them to do clean up. There were so many homes destroyed and all the different government agencies were rallying troops to help out. Gabe was fine with leaving for as long as it took to help out. He had nothing keeping him at home anyway. Not even a pet.
Gabriel is a loner, but sensitive and loyal. He is a good man with a great heart. Somewhat shy, he usually keeps to himself. He doesn’t back out of a conversation with a stranger, he just doesn’t usually initiate conversation. He believes in doing the right thing, he loves his family, but since he’s an only child, found it hard to return to family after the death of Shelly. His parents would only baby him and he had survivor’s guilt as it was.
Pressing on in California, Gabe found it easier to become invisible. If he returned to Oklahoma, he’d just be badgered with questions from family friends and his cousins. His and Shelly’s friends in California, respected him not wanting to date or talk about it.
Meeting Sarah McKinney in Lake County, California, was the furthest thing on his mind. He never thought his heart could be pulled so quickly. She didn’t even have to look at him. He merely saw her eyes. Those pained, beautifully mysterious, eyes! Instantly he was intrigued.
If you want to know more about Gabriel Hart and Sarah McKinney, you will have to keep reading the blog. I will eventually post the first chapter of the book.
Next Blog: I will be enlisting your advice! I need a vote to go out on my blog, Facebook, and Twitter, to tell me your thoughts on the book title. No spoilers for what else it might be. Just read next blog. Haaaa! After all, I’m writing this for ALL of us. You should weigh in on the title.
Wishing you all a painless Friday to get to our weekend.