BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR CAROLINE CLEMENS

Today we sit down for a chat with author Caroline Clemmons. Caroline writes contemporary and historical western romance, time travel romance (past to present), and mystery. Her romances usually include a mystery because she feels it makes them more interesting to write. Learn more about Caroline and her books at her website and blog.

When did you realize you wanted to write novels?

As a child I used to “write” and illustrate stories—each of which usually involved a beautiful princess in a pretty blue dress. Later I became a voracious reader. It wasn’t until I was married with my own children that I thought about writing for publication. My first book was Be My Guest in 1978.

How long did it take you to realize your dream of publication?

Years and years and a lot of rejections. Until I joined Romance Writers of America, I didn’t realize how bad my letters requesting representation and/or publication had been. This is why I recommend anyone who wants to become a writer to join a professional chapter, which has quality programs on the basics of writing and access to those who need critique partners. Any critique partner won’t do—I’ve had a couple of terrible critique partners (one who plagiarized my work) and some excellent ones.

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author?

I began with a traditional NY publisher but they dropped me after four titles because I argued with marketing—not a good idea. Still, I was right, and they were not, and now I make more indie than I ever could have made with them. From NY I went with a lovely small press, The Wild Rose Press. Lovely, professional staff but I decided to strike out on my own. I’ve been very pleased with the result. In my opinion, indie publishing is the best!

Where do you write?

I have a small office adjoining our master bedroom. The walls are pink, so my family calls it my “pink cave”. I use a desktop with a thirty-inch television as a monitor that is so easy on the eyes after hours of writing. So nice to have a short commute to work.

Is silence golden, or do you need music to write by? What kind?

I used to listen to classical music while I was writing. For the past two books I’ve used Dragon speech-to-text software due to wrist and hand problems, so I’ve not had music in the background. My West Texas twang is confusing enough for Dragon without adding music. However, my wrist and hand problems are almost gone.

How much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in particular?

We are the sum of all our life experiences, so in that way I suppose all plots and characters come from my life or what I observe around me. I strongly feel that each character carries a part of me, even the villains. Each of us is so complex that we have many “people” living inside of us.

Describe your process for naming your character?

Character names are serious business. If historical, I choose a name that’s correct for that time period. If contemporary, I still choose carefully. Names can set a mood. Heroes especially need a strong name. My latest heroes are the Knight brothers and their cousin.

Real settings or fictional towns?

I prefer fictional towns so no one can say, “I’ve been there and that street doesn’t have a café” or some such comment. With a fictional place, I can put whatever I want/need in the town and no one knows the difference. I often have a real town or city nearby, however.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?

I’ve had some pretty quirky characters but I suppose it’s the heroine of Texas Rainbow who loves vintage clothes and speech.

What’s your quirkiest quirk?

So many to choose from, LOL. I suppose it’s my addiction to Cherry Dr. Pepper.

If you could have written any book (one that someone else has already written,) which one would it be? Why?

I guess it would be Julie Garwood’s Prince Charming. I love that book and reread it occasionally. She achieved the perfect blend of English and USA western historical.

Everyone at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours?

How long do I have? My stars, there are so many things I wish I’d done differently, especially raising our daughters.  I wish we’d home schooled them, done all sorts of things differently. They turned out so well and I’m proud of the adults they are—and a little in awe. 

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

People who think tearing down someone else elevates them. Why not be kind? 

You’re stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?

1. My husband  

2. A machete if there’s vegetation on this island 

3. Fishing line (my husband is a great fisherman so we wouldn’t starve)  

What was the worst job you’ve ever held?

I once worked for a doctor who was ill-mannered to his patients and a pinch-penny with his staff.

What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

That depends on my mood. Among those I’d consider are westerns by Louis L’Amour, Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase, Prince Charming by Julie Garwood, and The Promise of Jenny Jones by Maggie Osbourne. I love reading, so I could go on and on with books I loved enough to save them and reread. 

Ocean or mountains?

In general I prefer mountains because I really dislike being hot. I do love watching waves, so if I can stay indoors and view the water through glass, that would be nice. I love walking on a beach when it’s dark and the moon is out.

City girl/guy or country girl/guy?

City girl now. We lived in a rural area for a couple of decades, but moved back to the city four years ago. I do enjoy being close to everything I need and having a well-manicured lawn cared for by someone else.

What’s on the horizon for you?

More books! I plan a book a month for the rest of this year. I have so many plots and characters in my head that I want to write. 

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your books?

Not just for me but for all authors: if you enjoy a book, please leave a nice review.

Texas Storm

A Texas Time Travel, Book 3

Jeannie Luttrell’s passion in life is piloting airplanes. She doesn’t mind the low pay, long hours, or the fact that as a World War II Women’s Air Service Pilot (WASP) she has to pay her own expenses. A faulty oil pressure line causes her P-51 Mustang’s engine to fail and she has to bail out during a storm. When she lands the wind drags her across the ground and into a small ravine where her head strikes a rock.

When Caleb Knight sees a person struggling with a parachute on his cousin’s ranch, he knows what has happed. Another woman has landed in the small part of a ravine that appears to be a time portal from the past. Twice before a woman has come forward in time at this spot. He stops and takes the stranded pilot to his cousin’s home but then he plans to be uninvolved. Darned if he’ll let the family rope him into their shenanigans.

No matter how hard he tries, Caleb can’t avoid Jeannie. Soon, he isn’t so certain he wants to. But, how can two strong-willed individuals who view the world differently build a relationship?  Especially, now that they have the same enemy plotting against them?

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#RETRO-FASHION WITH GUEST AUTHOR CATHERINE CHANT

Award-winning author Catherine Chant writes rock ‘n’ roll romantic fiction and stories with paranormal twists for young adults. Learn more about her and her books at her website. 

One of the fun things about writing a time travel romance novel set in 1973 is researching the clothing. Most of the outfits used in Nothing Stays the Same are things I remembered from my childhood, since I grew up in the ‘70s, but I also did some online research to find some questionable outfits that represented the times, and then dressed my characters in them.

I created a Pinterest board as I went. (If you can't see the Pinterest board—you may need a Pinterest account--I have placed links to some of the images in the article below).

Bell Bottoms

A definite fashion staple of the ‘70s. This style of jeans started in the 19th century with sailors, but became popular for everyday wear in the 1960s. Kids were still wearing them in 1979 when I was in high school. They're probably something that will never go completely out of fashion, though they may never be as wide as what David Bowie was wearing in this photo from 1973. 

My main character, Leah, in Nothing Stays the Same is a jeans and sneakers type of gal, so she of course went for the blue jeans whenever possible, and didn’t mind the wide leg.

Gauchos and Culottes

One fashion piece from the early '70s that features in my book has made a recent comeback. Gauchos! You can buy them new at places like Macy's.

Anyone else ever wear these? Or culottes or skorts? They were all very big in the early-to-mid ‘70s, and my school wardrobe had quite a few. I remember the gauchos less fondly than the culottes, though. Culottes looked a lot like a skirt (as seen here), which wasn't bad, but gauchos always felt like high-water pants to me.

I cringe now just thinking about them. Not attractive at all, so of course I decided to torture one of my characters and make her wear them. Leah's older sister, Callie, the heroine from Wishing You Were Here, gets stuck in gauchos in her first scene back in time--hideously bright orange ones, just like I had to wear to school. {evil grin}

Earth and Other Shoes

Earth shoes are classic icons of the '70s, so of course they make an appearance in the book. Anyone remember them? Introduced in 1970, they were quite popular when I was in school, but I never wanted a pair. Ever. They were plug-ugly, if you ask me, but unisex, so both men and women could wear them.

In the book, Leah shares my opinion on the Earth shoes, but sadly she's forced to wear them most of the time. Supposedly the heel design made them good for your back, but that still wasn't enough to make me want them.

No, my coveted footwear in the early '70s was a pair of white go-go boots. My best friend had a pair and I wanted them so badly, but my mother got me black ones instead. Sigh. I still wore them, but I really wanted the white. In one scene in the book, Leah gets to live my dream and wear a pair of white go-go boots to a party.

I also mention the classic white Keds sneakers in the book. Every girl I knew growing up had at least one pair and we’d use white shoe polish to keep them pristine if the washing machine didn’t. Callie chooses to wear Keds whenever she can. After the gauchos incident, she tries to go for a simple, understated look whenever possible.

Men's Fashions

Although I admit I tortured my characters with vintage fashion, I could have done a lot worse. :-) I tried to stay away from the truly embarrassing styles that men endured in the ‘70s, such as the plethora of ugly knit vests and ponchos that were around, but the male characters in Nothing Stays the Same couldn't escape the classic corduroy trousers, the loud polyester shirts or the blue and white striped "Winner" sneakers from Sears. I had a pair of those puppies myself and wore them until they fell apart. They were unisex, like Earth Shoes. The ‘70s seemed big on equal opportunities for groovy footwear.

Men's swimsuits were particularly "interesting" in the '70s, as well. I stayed away from hand-knit briefs in the book, but they did exist and did not look comfortable at all! Instead, I opted for the tight, shorty-short style you see here for one scene where the characters attend a beach party.

So What's Your Pleasure?

If you found yourself stuck back in 1973, what do you think you would wear? What would you avoid? Are there any vintage '70s fashions you wish would make a come back?

I think I still have a yearning for those white go-go boots, but the gauchos at Macy's are starting to grow on me. I might have to go take another look. :-)

Nothing Stays the Same, the Soul Mates series

One Choice Changes Everything…

Soccer star Leah Reinard has been crushing on Brennan Basford for ages. When they end up at the same summer job, she thinks the fates have finally aligned in her favor. That is, until Brennan suddenly disappears. One day he’s there, the next day, he’s gone. And no one but Leah remembers he ever existed.

Brennan’s wish to change the course of his dead father’s life has dropped him back in 1973, on the set of his father’s successful teen sitcom, and into the midst of its disintegrating made-for-TV band, The Beat Detectors.

Brennan’s determined to redirect the course of his father’s young life and create the happy ending the man deserved, but even the smallest change to the past is wreaking havoc with the present.

Can Leah find Brennan in time to stop him from ruining both their futures?

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GUEST AUTHOR CYNTHIA LUHRS ON SURVIVING MEDIEVAL ENGLAND WITHOUT CHOCOLATE (AND OTHER CREATURE COMFORTS)

Cynthia Luhrs is the author of the Merriweather Sisters Time Travel novels set in medieval England and children’s books about the adventures of a very big polka dot pig named Jig and his BFF, Penny the chicken. Her idea of a perfect day is no interruptions and the freedom to live in her head all day, writing to her heart’s content, a glass of sweet tea next to her as she creates the next book. Of course her tiger cats frequently disrupt this oasis of serenity. Learn more about Cynthia and her books at her website. 

Surviving Medieval England without Chocolate (and Other Creature Comforts)

What’s in your purse or pocket right now? Those of you who tend to carry everything but the kitchen sink are likely thinking, it would be easier to tell you what isn’t in my bag.

If you were suddenly transported to the past how would you fare? Your phone with its GPS and various apps would no longer be of any use. Though you could still play a few games, look at pictures or listen to music…until your battery died. And if someone saw your phone? Well my friend, I hope you like a toasty fire. In my purse right now: a phone, wallet, lip balm, voice recorder, and a few tissues and fireballs. Perhaps not so helpful to surviving 1300s England.

Lucy Merriweather, the heroine in A Knight to Remember, is southern. She loves Pepsi and chocolate, and is absolutely terrible with directions. Lucy is thrown back in time wearing a wedding dress and sparkly platform heels. If she could have packed a bag, she would have brought: matches in a waterproof container, antibiotics, chocolate, and knowledge. Take another look in your purse and think about what you might bring.

Without further ado, I give you – the top 5 essentials for time traveling to medieval England:

1. Solar powered GPS. Without your smartphone or map and no street/road signs, it’s difficult at best to find your way. Especially if you believe, as Lucy does, that north is always in front of you, west is to your left, east is to the right and of course, south is behind you. Just be sure to keep the device hidden from superstitious eyes.

2. A hidden stash of chocolate. Because hello, chocolate.

3. Patience. Everything moves slower. Think about how integrated technology has become to our everyday lives. Lucy has no Internet, phone, or access to social media. Not to mention, no cars. Only horses or a cart or carriage. But the roads are not like the roads we think of today. Lucy thinks they’re more like muddy paths at best.

4. A solar shower. No more hot showers, and try to keep your dress clean. No handy washer and dryer.

5. A green thumb. If you’re the lady of the castle, it’s not as important but you still have to worry about the weather and crops. No popping over to the grocery store. And no more fruit and vegetables out of season. Winter isn’t very exciting in the meal department.

And a bonus: Knowledge. With knowledge you would know what’s going to happen and prepare for coming events. Black plague, anyone? You’d know how to ride a horse, take care of wounds and illness, how to start a fire, and the use of plants for healing. All sorts of useful tidbits.

What “thing” would be the hardest for you to give up? Could you adapt to life in the early 1300s? Would you even want to try?

A Knight to Remember
A Merriweather Sisters Time Travel Romance

Fall through time... 

Vacation to England. 

Check. 

Haunting castle ruins. 

Check. 

Proper English lord for a boyfriend. 

Well, almost check. 

Be careful what you wish for… 

Lucy Merriweather’s supposedly perfect boyfriend attempted to murder her during a visit to Blackford Castle. Falling through time to 1300s medieval England, she lands in a tangled heap at the feet of a tarnished grumpy knight with secrets of his own and no time to spare for a crazy damsel in distress.

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BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--GUEST AUTHOR RED L. JAMESON

Romance author Red L. Jameson makes a return visit to Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers today and sits down for an interview. Learn more about Red and her books at her website and blog.

When did you realize you wanted to write novels?

When I was about four or five. I'd fold paper until it looked thick enough, wrap construction paper around it and tie the edge with yarn to make my first books. Gosh, I loved making books!

How long did it take you to realize your dream of publication?

Two thousand years. Yep, I'm that old. ;) Actually it took a little more than ten years to become published with my fiction writing. However, academically I never had to wait that long.

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author?

Now, I'm all indie.

Where do you write?

In my office, which is a converted guest bedroom. Sometimes I'll write in my bedroom. Actually, now that I think about it more, I kind of write anywhere I can. But I prefer my office.

Is silence golden, or do you need music to write by? What kind?

Silence is platinum. :) Sometimes I'll write with music, especially if my son has a million of his friends over, but I'm not a happy camper when I do. Or perhaps I'm not happy because I know I'll be cleaning mud from the floor after my son and his friends.

How much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in particular?

Hmm, I'd say my characters are definitely drawn from my family and friends. As for plot, I'm the kind of person who hates conflict and drama in my real life, so that's all imagination.

Describe your process for naming your character?

Sometimes they just come to me. Sometimes I look at baby name books or online. Sometimes I'll have a name change while writing, which is never fun, but essential to get it right.

Real settings or fictional towns?

Both

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?

In my current WIP my heroine works with children a lot and comes up with some fun euphemisms. That's been flinging flanging fun.

What’s your quirkiest quirk?

I'm an odd dichotomy for a woman, I think. I love clothes and makeup, hate shopping, can change my tires myself and chop wood, but hate cleaning--although I'll do it, of course. I also like getting dirty and playing with my son, but love being very girly with pretty makeup on while I'm doing that. What can I say? I'm weird.

If you could have written any book (one that someone else has already written,) which one would it be? Why?

To Kill a Mockingbird. I wish I was that genius to have written such a beautiful book.

Everyone at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours?

I had some fast-food with my son yesterday and feel a little sick now. I wish I would have eaten something else.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

Gossips and bullies.

You’re stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?

The most important thing is my family, then my Mac laptop, and then…I’m not sure. Maybe my makeup. Ha!

What was the worst job you’ve ever held?

A janitor for a girls' dorm. Girls can be very messy and gross.

What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

To Kill a Mockingbird.

Ocean or mountains?

Both!

City girl/guy or country girl/guy?

Both! I live in the country but love visiting cities.

What’s on the horizon for you?

My newest series is a paranormal romance featuring beings who even mythology doesn’t remember: the dísir, an all-female society of winged avengers turned into fairy godmothers.

Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself and/or your books?

I love writing and my goal with each book is to move someone the way I’ve been moved by some of my favorite books. I’d love to know some of your favorite books that moved you or even changed your life.

Duchess of Mine

Book 4 of The Glimpse Time Travel Series, where mythical muses play naughty matchmakers

Seventeenth century Highlander Michael Cameron should have been prepared for his journey to Philadelphia in 1895. After all, it wasn't the first time he'd been kidnapped by two mischievous muses, who delighted in taking him by surprise and shuffling him off to far-flung lands and eras. But nothing could have readied him for angelic Gabriella Murray, the Duchess of Northampton. She’s a beautiful, lovely, gorgeous—did he mention just how bonny Gabby is?—duchess, and he’s a lowly Scot. How is he going to solve the missing children case the muses have given him with such a distracting woman?

Becoming friends with a muse, Gabby feels her life has taken a turn for the fantastic, which suits her fine, since being a duchess is gray and depressing. So, when that muse asks her to go on an adventure imitating her idol, Sherlock Holmes, of course she says yes. However, Michael, who is to play her Dr. Watson, is quite possibly the most handsome and intriguing Highlander she’s ever encountered. Lord, Sherlock never had to contend with an overwhelming desire for Watson. How can she concentrate on the case when he’s more fun than she’s ever had before?

As Michael and Gabby hunt through the mean streets of cities such as Chicago and Detroit, they dive deeper into a world of danger and violence. Fighting against their growing attraction to each other, they race against time to find the children, knowing that with every corner they turn, they might be too late. 

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BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--GUEST AUTHOR JANIE EMAUS

Janie Emaus writes time travel romance, young adult novels, and humorous essays. She's also a staff writer for In The Powder Room and blogs frequently for The Huffington Post, Better After 50, and Generation Fabulous and was named a 2013 BlogHer Voice of the Year. Janie believes that when the world is falling apart, we're just one laugh away from putting it together again. Learn more about Janie at her website. – AP

Time Traveling Possibilities

Lately, I’ve been thinking a great deal about the future. And not the near one where my granddaughter will become a teenager (Ohmygod, already?) or where I’ll celebrate my thirty-fifth wedding anniversary (Ohmygod – even louder).  No, a future several centuries from today. One in which time traveling could possibly be a reality.

Imagine if there existed an organization called the Time Traveling Matchmakers Inc., whose mission statement would be “to bring soul mates together, to live as one, in harmony, peace, and love.” 

This is the premise of my latest novel, Before the After. Of course, even in the future, nothing will be perfect. And a matchmaker sent after his own soul mate could turn  the entire future upside down.

Writing about what may be possible ahs caused me to reflect on how much has changed in the past one hundred years.

I’m sure my grandparents could never imagine a world in which almost everyone walked around with a handheld electronic device. Where people were constantly scrolling up and down a screen, communicating with people they’ve never seen in person.

Sometimes it’s even hard for me to fathom how much has changed since my high school days.

Take this scene for instance. I walk into my daughter’s house and in a boisterous voice, I yell, “Hi everyone.”

Silence.

My granddaughter is texting on her  iPhone. My grandson is playing on his Kindle. My son-in-law is on his computer. My daughter is on her iPad. Even the toddler thinks he’s on a “real” phone, sliding his thumb across his toy.

Why, the only one who acknowledges my presence is their crazy, sixty pound boxer. He could knock me down for all they care.

And this has me worried about the future.  Have we become so plugged into our cyber worlds that we are ignoring the “real” one around us?

What about that “heart pounding, groin pulsating, got-to-have-it now” feeling?  The one where we actually touch each other.

If this ceases to exist, if people become satisfied by “virtual” love-making, then I do hope time traveling becomes a reality.

I’d employ the services of the Time Traveling Matchmakers, Inc. and travel back in time, perhaps to the 1950s, to once again experience life before technology took over the world.

How about you? Where would you go?  

Before the After

Love takes on a new meaning when soul mates are brought together through time and space.

Like every goal-oriented twenty-something, Jessica Singleton, an aspiring filmmaker, is obsessed with finding her future as quickly as possible. Tick Tock. What she doesn't know is that the future is obsessed with finding her, too. Renn Porter, an agent with Time Traveling Matchmaker's Inc, blasts back in time—and into her life—in order to transport Jessica to the soul mate who has paid for this service...in the future. But things turn dangerous when it's revealed that Renn has been sent after his own soul mate.

Jessica wants nothing to do with this strange guy and his crazy romantic notions. Who has time for a soul mate anyway? But tell that to her heart.

Caught between two times, Jessica and Renn must struggle to stay alive. Falling in love is the biggest risk either of them has ever taken—because, as they are destined to learn, the very existence of Time Traveling Matchmakers, Inc. rests in Jessica's hands.

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