Asmost of my readers know, I have used prostitutes in many of mystories, some of them prominent characters who had a direct affect onthe plot/heroine/hero. Who can forget Anna Gale in Savage Destiny #3,RIVER OF LOVE? And how about Gretta MacBain in Outlaw Hearts #3 –LOVE’S SWEET REVENGE; and Dallas Blackburn in Outlaw Hearts #6,SHADOW TRAIL?

       Grettawas a prime example of the fun-loving, good-hearted type – a true“Madam,” as compared to the common street prostitute.

       AnnaGale was kind of in the middle of good-hearted and scheming. Shetruly loved Zeke Monroe, and she managed to blackmail him intosleeping with her. You will have to read RIVER OF LOVE to see thereason. Zeke was never truly unfaithful to his Abbie-girl.

       Andthen there is Dallas from SHADOW TRAIL. She is a good example of thereally wicked type, and she nearly got Jake killed, then re-enteredhis life after he was happily married and helping raise a big family.Dallas awakened things from Jake’s past he would rather notrevisit. He hated the woman, but the news she brought him later inlife forced him to let her back into his family circle in order torescue a granddaughter he never knew about.

       SoiledDoves, Whores, Painted Ladies, Prostitutes, Madams, Ladies of theNight, call them what you will. For some strange reason I loveincluding prostitutes in one way or another in my stories. They addwickedness, comedy, challenges to the heroines, temptation to theheroes, and are a great catalyst for plot involving the hero and hispast.

       Inthe book SOILED DOVES (Prostitution In The Early West), by AnneSeagraves, you can read about women of the night – all sorts ofwomen with a host of reasons for what they did. Some died of diseaseor suicide. Others became famous and quite wealthy. We all know thatoverall, prostitution, especially “back in the day,” was amiserable profession that usually led to an early and miserabledeath. But it wasn’t always so.

        Yes,some women were forced into the profession to make enough money toeat. Some were sexually abused from a very young age and it was allthey knew … or because of the abuse, they felt unworthy of a normallife with husband and children. Some just flat-out enjoyed men. Andsome saw a way to get rich by following the railroad constructionsites, hanging out in mining towns and around Army forts, or justproviding fun for philandering husbands in the city.

       Whocan explain men’s sexual needs? No need for romance when it comesto pure pleasure … usually drunken pleasure with a woman who wasnot looking for a relationship. Some men could be happily marriedfathers who enjoyed secret relationships with “bad” women. Lordknows (sadly) such things still go on today. And, of course, therewere plenty of lonely men out west, men starving for a woman’stouch, army men and prospectors and men who went west to claim landand intending to send for their families once they were settled –all wanting a woman to satisfy those uncontrollable desires. We“normal” women can’t understand why men are so needy in thatdepartment, but prostitutes had no trouble finding plenty of businessin places where men outnumbered women about 50 to 1.

       Alot of this is tongue in cheek. I don’t mean that there is nothingwrong with what some call the oldest profession in history. Of courseit’s wrong – and dangerous – and traumatic – and sad. We turnup our noses at such a life, but it did exist (and of course it stilldoes, mostly illegally unless you are in Las Vegas). You can’twrite the Old West without involving prostitution, just as you haveto involve outlaws and Indians and buffalo and cowboys.

       Ofcourse, I have written the ugly side of prostitution, where a womanis forced into the life. There is nothing fetching about the filthyred-light districts, or about men who sometimes got their kicks bybeating a woman first before having his way with her. Some of thesewomen were sold into slavery, and that is a side of the profession Ihave also written about a few times, always with compassion andmaking sure (in my fictional stories) they find a way out of theirsituation and those responsible for their fate meet their own badending.

       ButI have to admit it is a bit fun writing about the fancy Madams whoran their own brothels and loved men. Women like Gretta MacBain are ahoot. They flaunt their profession and advertise it just by the waythey dress and walk. The “good hearted” Madam is such a greatcharacter, like Belle Watling in GONE WITH THE WIND. Such women wereoften like sisters or mothers to the women who worked for them. Andthey could actually be good friends with men like Rhett Butler andtruly understand what that man needed. Such was Gretta MacBain toJake in my Outlaw books. Jake never touched the woman sexually, butshe sure tried his patience. She loves and wants Jake, but at thesame time she respects his marriage and his deep devotion to hiswife. And in Book #3 she testifies at a trial that could send Jaketo prison. Her testimony helped keep Jake out of jail, and his wholefamily loves her for it. In the Outlaw series, Gretta eventuallymarries one of Jake’s ranch hands and lives a good life as adevoted wife herself. I just love Gretta, which is why I kept her infuture stories after book #3.

       Well,I promised a blog about ladies of the night, mainly because one of myfans said she loves reading about the prostitutes as much as aboutthe heroes. I think it’s the challenge I place between the two thatmakes the story more interesting. And it’s just plain fun writingsome of these women. Let’s face it, most of us women love thethought of being daring and wild sometimes … the thought of beingbold and saying whatever we have on our minds with unabashed flair …dressing sexy, being glamorous and high-spirited, flaunting our bestassets at will. Of course, we don’t follow through, at least mostof us don’t. But when we read about women like Gretta and Belle, wesmile, and we understand them.  And sometimes, we even dress up as them for writers' conventions.

       Meantime,no man in any of my books understands such women like Jake Harknerdoes. He grew up with them. Some were like mothers to him, protectinghim from his cruel, drunken, abusive father when Jake was little. Ilove the fact that Jake understands these women and in some instancesactually defends and befriends them, while remaining devoted to hiswife, who in turn understands Jake’s reasoning and the early lifethat led him to befriending such women. You have to read OUTLAWHEARTS to understand all of this, but I absolutely love writing aboutJake, who is a very troubled, confused man who can love mightily andhate just as mightily. One thing Jake never puts up with is the abuseof a woman, no matter what her reputation. Jake’s past makes him atremendous psychological challenge to write, and I love thatchallenge.

       I’mglad my readers understand when I sometimes make a prostitute a majorcharacter in my stories. It’s almost impossible not to when I writeabout Jake, but I have used such characters in other books with nevera complaint from a reader. It’s just a part of life in the OldWest, and many of the big Western movies from the 60’s through the90’s involved prostitutes or featured one or more as maincharacters.

       Suchis life, and that’s what I write – real life. No fluff. Nocupcakes. Just damn good westerns that tell it like it really was.Watch for my next book – BE STILL, MY HEART, which involves a“virtuous” woman who is involved with TWO MEN, a handsome,skilled guide and hunter … and a hot, hot Cheyenne warrior. Shealso loves a little Indian boy who steals her heart and forces theheroine and both men into a heart-breaking decision.