Take Five and Meet Author Caroline Clemmons

It's my pleasure to introduce you to bestselling author Caroline Clemmons. You'll learn a bit about her and her writing as well as her Texas Bride Series.  

Welcome to An Indie Adventure,Caroline.  Tell us, what inspired you to write your book CASSANDRA?

Although I love to read and write mail-order bride stories, I wanted something a little different. I came up with the idea of a small Texas town where there are lots of bachelors and no young women plus a young widow who wishes there were more young women in town. She goes back to her hometown of Richmond, Virginia to find suitable young women she will bring back to stay with her until they choose the man they wish to marry. So far, Josephine (book one) and Angeline (book two) have wed. Now it’s Cassandra’s turn. The folks in the town of Tarnation call the young women the Bride Brigade, and that’s the name of the series.

What were your experiences as a child or adult that contributed to you becoming a writer?

My dad is probably responsible for my love of telling stories. He used to talk about how his family came to Texas and told things that happened that were funny and/or interesting. In addition, I was a voracious reader and loved imagining my own stories. I remember writing and illustrating a few when I was in first and second grade. Then in school, English was always my favorite subject until I was old enough to take journalism. That really hooked me on writing but I didn’t try to write a novel for publication until much later.

What is most difficult for you to write?  Characters, conflict or emotions?  Why?

Yes. LOL I believe emotions are the most difficult. I know in my head what my characters are feeling, but don’t always get the emotion down. I write fast and most of the first draft is dialogue. I have to go back and layer in the emotion and body action, etc.

What is the first thing you do when you begin a new book?

I start a bible with all the characters. Usually, I write series, so I don’t want to lose track of eye and hair color or occupation. This is after I’ve plotted the book and written a two or three-page story synopsis to use as an outline as I write the book, a sort of map from the beginning to the destination. Then I’m all set to write the book. I take detours from the outline, but I always come back to the map. I have plotting partners who help me map the book. Then I go home and dive in, fleshing out the story as I write. Writing novels is a wonderful job!

If you were a TV, film or book character, apart from one you've created, who would you be?  And why?

I suppose Taylor Stapleton from Julie Garwood’s PRINCE CHARMING, one of my all-time favorite books. Taylor looks frail, cool, and ladylike but she is strong and determined and capable. She fulfills her promise to her grandmother and along the way discovers love and adventure and defeats her corrupt uncle. That’s a historical, as most of my favorite books are.

If you prefer a contemporary, then I think perhaps Flynn MacGregor in Lori Wilde’s THE SWEETHEARTS’ KNITTING CLUB. Flynn struggles to carry on as the matriarch of her family since her mother’s death. She’s dealt with an alcoholic father (now in AA), a wild sister (now reformed) and twin brothers. She’s taken her mother’s place in the Sweethearts Knitting Club—even though she can’t knit. She depends on her sister to knit for her. I can’t say why, but I empathized with Flynn and was rewarded when she found true love. 

Give us a brief summary of CASSANDRA, Book 3 of the Bride Brigade:

A desperate plan…

A masquerade to achieve a goal…

Lies that create a web…

Cassandra Bradford has the cast off wardrobe to pose as a lady. Her goal is to marry a wealthy man who can provide her young brother with a sound future. Drat the luck! The first man she sees in Tarnation is a dusty cowboy who sends her heart pounding. Not for her. She has a better life in mind.

Samuel Drummond is one of the wealthiest ranchers in that part of the state, but he wants that kept quiet. His first wife married him for his money then left when she became bored with ranch life. He won’t let that happen if he remarries. He intends to find a woman who wants him no matter how poor she thinks he is.

When both Cassandra and Sam learn omissions the other has made, there are fireworks between them. They must work through their anger and hurt to achieve happiness.

  

Buy Links: 

Amazon 

Bio:

Caroline Clemmons is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of historical and contemporary western romances. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel.

Caroline and her husband live in the heart of Texas cowboy country with their menagerie of rescued pets. When she’s not indulging her passion for writing, Caroline enjoys family time, reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, and getting together with friends.

Find Caroline:

On her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, WattPad, Shelfari, and Pinterest. Click on her Amazon Author Page for a complete list of her books.

Subscribe to Caroline’s newsletter here to receive a FREE novella of HAPPY IS THE BRIDE, a humorous historical wedding disaster that ends happily—but you knew it would, didn’t you?

She loves to hear from readers at caroline@carolineclemmons.com