I want to welcome Caroline
Clemmons. First I’d love you to
introduce yourself.
Thank you, Barbara, for having me as your guest today. I live
in North Central Texas with my husband and our menagerie of rescued cats and a
dog. Our two daughters are grown but live near us. I’m an Amazon bestselling
and award winning author who has given seminars and classes on
characterization, point of view, and layering a novel.
When not indulging my passion for writing, I enjoy
family, reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, and getting together with
friends. Find me on my blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, WattPad, Shelfari, and Pinterest. Subscribe to my newsletter
here to receive a FREE novella of Happy Is The Bride.
Tell us about your
latest release.
My latest release is Amanda’s
Rancher, part of Debra Holland’s Montana Sky Kindle World. Here’s the
blurb:
One desperate young woman.
A chance meeting.
A life-changing outcome.
Growing
up in a brothel, Mara O'Sullivan battled public disdain and contempt, but
always remained kind-hearted and virtuous. After testifying against vicious
bank robbers, her life is threatened and Mara must find sanctuary far from
everything she knows.
One
train ride changes her life as she fatefully meets a half-sister and a niece
she never knew existed. But when circumstances end her sister Amanda's life,
Mara makes a promise that she'll raise her niece Iris as her own and take her
sister's place as Preston Kincaid's mail-order-bride. As Mara and Preston
grow closer, their marriage no longer seems like a ruse, but a relationship of
love, passion, and desire.
Mara's
past comes back to haunt her and she finds herself in danger—will her new husband
forgive Mara's deceit and protect her as his own?
Now I have a few questions for you – I have found readers do
like to know fun things about us writers.
1.) Who is your
favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show.
And why?
From my book The Most
Unsuitable Wife, the assistant villains Burris and Willard Ainsley. They
caused terrible problems for the heroine but I couldn’t help liking them. They
were simple-minded and meant well, but were forced to help the main villain
through intimidation and fear.
2.) Who is your
favorite character out of your books? Why?
That’s hard because I love all of my characters. If I have
to choose just one, I suppose it would be Zach Stone from High Stakes Bride. He had terrible things happen to him, but he
persevered. He’d done so many courageous things even before he helped the heroine.
The heroine, Mary Alice Price, is another of my favorite characters. No matter
what she tried, odd things happened to her.
3.) What do genre do
you write? What made you pick that one?
Western romance, both historical and contemporary. Most of
my books are historical. I love history, especially Texas history. When I was a
little girl, my dad (who was old enough to be my great-grandfather) talked
about his ancestors coming to Texas from Georgia in 1876 and all their
adventures. I guess you could say I grew up loving history.
4.) What are you
working on now?
Right now I’m completing a novella for a contemporary
western anthology titled Come Love A Cowboy. This will be released around the first of
April. Usually I’m ready early, but this novella is the last one ready for the
anthology. First I was writing another book which I completed on time, but then
life interfered with my plans. I’ve
almost completed the story, though. Mine is set in West Texas near Post and is
titled Grant Me the Moon. The hero
is a rancher, but that makes him a cowboy, doesn’t it?
I just released book two in the Bride Brigade series, Angeline, on March 1. With so many
mail-order bride books (and I’ve written several), I decided to go a different
route and have a wealthy young widow go east and bring back several young women
to marry and settle in the town of Tarnation, Texas to prevent the town’s men
from moving away to find wives. Angeline is one of seven young women who
accompany the widow to Tarnation.
5.) What got you to
start writing?
As a child, I wrote little stories and illustrated them. The
heroine was always blonde with blue eyes and wore beautiful dresses, usually
blue. I patterned her after a slightly older relative I wanted to be like. Then
later in school, I drifted toward journalism and was the newspaper editor. From
there, I just wrote stories for whatever church or club I was in and turned
them into the local newspaper. That’s how I acquired a job working for a
newspaper. The editor liked my stories and I always had a captioned photo to go
with them. One day she asked me to replace a columnist they’d just let go. That
was a fun job and I met so many interesting people. Then, my mother-in-law brought me a grocery
bag of romance books and told me I could write them. I read some and decided I
wanted to try. Several years passed before I was published by Kensington. Now I
am self-published and loving the control I have.
6.) Where do you get
your ideas from?
I have a friend who answers that question by saying she buys
them from a small factory in Ohio. Actually, the answer is EVERYWHERE. When I
first began writing fiction, I worried that I would run out of ideas. I kept a
notebook of ideas as they occurred to me. Things I see from the car window or I
hear on the news might spark an idea. Sometimes just sitting in my office,
these characters pop into my head and want me to tell their story. I have so
many ideas for books that I’ll have to live to be two hundred to write them
all. Thanks heavens!
7.) What would people
who read your work be surprised to find out about you?
Maybe that I’m basically shy (although I can fake being
outgoing for short bursts of time) and that I don’t like writing sex scenes.
There are only so many ways to insert tab A into slot B so it’s difficult to
find a fresh way to write a sex scene. And remember, the characters are real
people to me, so I feel like a voyeur. Yes, I know that’s crazy.
8.) Do you have any
special talents?
My mother-in-law asked me to put together a book about her
family for her grandchildren and I did. Then we had to order more printed
because her nieces and nephews wanted copies. Naturally I had to do one for my
mother to keep from hurting her feelings and print enough for her nieces and
nephews. Now my brother and I have just finished a larger family history for
our father’s family. I don’t know if that’s a talent or a curse.
9.) What was the one
piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck
with you? Why?
The usual things made an impression but something you might
not expect was to do enough research that I didn’t use anachronisms. I always
do more research than absolutely necessary to be certain I understand the
history of the time and location. Even in fiction, I believe an author owes her
readers a story truly representative of the time and place. When I read a book
that has something out of time or context, I don’t enjoy the book as much
because the error takes me out of the story.
10.) If you could talk
to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what
would you talk about?
There are so many that come to mind so choosing is hard. Maybe
Mother Theresa. She made such a vivid impression on me when I saw her
interviewed on television. I’m a Protestant, but I have great respect for most
other religions. Mother Theresa was from a wealthy family and gave up
everything to serve. She must have been a remarkable woman.
11.) What song would
you say describes your life?
“I Will Survive”. So far, that’s true. ;-)
12.) If you could come
back as any animal – what would it be?
A house cat. Our three certainly lead a luxurious and
pampered life.
Excerpt of Amanda’s Rancher:
They reached the church and Preston jumped down from the
wagon and came around to help her alight. With a smile, he lifted Iris high
over his head before he set her on the ground. Her giggle brought tears to
Amanda’s eyes.
That was the first time she’d ever heard her daughter make
the girlish sound. Iris had smiled, spoken, but never laughed until she met
Preston Kincaid. For that alone, Amanda would be the best wife she knew how to
be.
Inside the church, Mrs. Norton handed Amanda a bouquet of
daisies secured with a white ribbon. The interior was plain with wooden benches
and an altar raised one step above the rest of the floor. Although there were
several windows, none had stained-glass as did the churches she’d seen in
Georgia.
The minister was waiting at the front of the church and wore
a black frock coat and matching string tie. His brown hair and beard were
thickly streaked with gray. He stood at a simple lectern with what looked like
a Bible in one hand while he conversed with another man.
Amanda was surprised only one other person besides Reverend
and Mrs. Norton were in the sanctuary. She’d supposed Preston had many friends
in the area and thought at least his ranch hands would attend. The second man
turned and proved to be an older version of her groom who came forward to greet
her.
Preston cupped her elbow. “Amanda and Iris, this is my
father. Most folks call him Tom, but I call him Papa.”
Amanda smiled at the handsome man who must be around fifty.
He was tall, but maybe an inch shorter than his son. Silver sprinkled the same
dark hair. “May I call you Papa, too?”
He beamed his pleasure and his blue eyes crinkled at the
corners. “I’d be honored. And in the absence of your father, may I walk you
down the aisle?”
“Would you? I’d be ever so grateful.” She laid her hand on
his arm. Nerves had set in and she needed his support or her knees might give
way.
Preston said, “Iris, why don’t you stand with me while my
papa walks Mama to meet us?”
Iris shook her head. “Mommy, not my old mama?”
Preston frowned. “Old mama?”
Panic sent bile into her throat that threatened to choke
her. Don’t throw up on your wedding dress. “Perhaps you remember my mother
recently died.”
Sympathy shone from his blue eyes. “Of course.” He took
Iris’ hand in his and strode to the front.
Mrs. Norton began playing the piano. She nodded toward
Amanda. Papa Kincaid gently led her up the aisle.
Walking toward her husband, Amanda was conscious of
Preston’s stare, as if he could see into her mind and knew her for an impostor.
Although he held Iris’ hand, the intensity of his blue gaze unnerved her. She
wondered if he was disappointed or if he were as numb as she.
Thankful for the presence of her future father-in-law beside
her, she tightened her hold on Mr. Kincaid’s arm.
In response, he patted her hand her where it laid on his
sleeve. Without looking at her, he whispered. “Steady as you go. We’re almost
there.”
Iris gave a tiny wave and Amanda couldn’t resist smiling at
the child. The little girl truly was a blessing. Focusing on Iris gave Amanda a
target she could face.
When they reached the front, Mrs. Norton ceased playing.
Preston took the bouquet from Amanda’s hands. “Iris, would you hold this for
Mommy so she and I can be married?”
Iris looked at him adoringly and reached to receive the
flowers. Reverend Norton opened his Bible and began the ceremony. Preston took
Amanda’s hands in his. She was conscious of his calluses, but also of the size
and strength of his palms dwarfing hers.
When the minister indicated, Preston slipped a ring onto her
finger. This new one belongs to me, even if my groom doesn’t know my true name.
After the ceremony, Preston brushed his lips gently against
hers.
Iris clapped a hand across her mouth in surprise then said,
“Mommy? That man kissed you.”
Preston knelt eye-to-eye with her. “I’m your new Daddy,
remember? Mommy and I were just married and now I can kiss her whenever she
says it’s okay. Do you think you can call me Daddy?”
Iris nodded. “Are you gonna kiss me too?”
He smiled broadly. “I certainly am.” He leaned forward and
gave her a loud smack on the cheek.
The child giggled. Twice in one day this kind man had made
Iris happy. Amanda owed Preston all her wifely devotion.
She hopes you’ll give AMANDA’S RANCHER a try and let her know
how you like it. If you like it, please leave a review on Amazon! Positive
reviews are so helpful to authors. Many venues won’t let anyone promote unless they have a certain number of 4 and 5 star reviews.
