Today I’m
interviewing an awesome author, Linda Weaver Clarke.
Linda Weaver
Clarke is from Color Country, which is located in southern Utah. It’s a
beautiful area full of red mountains, which sits likes an oasis in the middle
of the desert. She had traveled throughout the United States, teaching people
to write their family history and autobiography at libraries. She is the mother
of six daughters and has several grandchildren. Linda is the author of several
historical romances, a mystery suspense series, a children’s book, and a cozy
mystery series. All her books are family friendly. Visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com.
Linda, I
noticed you are writing a cozy mystery series. This is different from what
you’re used to writing. What made you decide on cozy mysteries?
After writing
historical romances for a while, I wanted to reach out and challenge myself a
little more by trying another genre. The writing process between romance and
mystery is quite a change for me with a completely different mind set. With
romance, you plan out the plot around the meeting of a couple. As you write,
you develop some sort of charisma between the characters, making the reader
feel excited that one day they're going to fall in love. You, as the reader,
know the outcome. But with a mystery, the reader is in the dark. The author has
to come up with a plot that no one can figure out until towards the end of the
story. In a way, it’s more challenging. This genre is quite popular and it’s
one of my husband’s favorites.
That does sound like it would be fun to write! So it looks like your new release is #7 of the Amelia Moore Detective Series. Tell us briefly
about The Lighthouse Secret.
I call this
series a “romantic” cozy mystery. Amelia Moore, the founder of the Moore
Detective Agency, specializes in missing persons. With the help of her
good-looking partner, Rick Bonito, the business is flourishing. Rick Bonito’s
uncle supposedly drowned five years ago and his body was never found, but
something did not seem right about the report. Uncle Antonio was an excellent
swimmer. His disappearance seems quite suspicious to Rick’s father. He never
felt the complete truth had come out about his brother. It is now up to Amelia
and Rick to find out the truth about his uncle.
Wow! This story sounds like something I'd really love to read. Will there
be any more books in this series?
After
writing seven romantic cozy mysteries and four mystery suspense novels, I
decided to go back to historical romance, which is my favorite, after this last
book. I’ve already started a new series and I’m very excited about it.
My books are
available in print and e-book form at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. If you go to
http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/purchasebook.html, then it will lead you to the
correct bookstore with one click.
Thank you, Linda. I know you'll do great with this series.
**CONTEST**
Leave a message on this blog with your name and email, and you will be entered to win a free ebook of Linda's newest release, "The Lighthouse Secret".
I found an awesome review that I just had to blog about!!
My first YA Fantasy book, The Witch Hunt (book 1 of the fairy tale series, Where Dreams Come True) was reviewed by InD'tale! magazine! Not only did the reviewer give it a 4.5 star review, but they gave it a "Crowned Heart" for excellence, which means it's one of their TOP PICKS!
The Witch Hunt (Where Dreams Come True#1) Marie Higgins,
Dusti Miller FANTASY:
The story’s prologue occurs in 1720 Salem, Massachusetts,
with a cursed book snatching two teenage brothers from their world into a fantasy
forest. The first chapter picks up in current day Salem, with
football-jock-cheerleader chasing Rick Stevenson taking on a hundred-dollar
dare from fellow jocks to break into the local “haunted” King family house. His
nosey (and polar opposite) twin sister, Brooke, follows him inside, hoping to
talk him out of it. Eric King, their strange, reclusive neighbor discovers them
but not before Brooke takes the troublemaking book. Eric is the King family’s
“Keeper” of the book, but is no match for Brooke’s curiosity. Eventually, all
three teens are sucked into a land of macabre fairytales gone wrong.
This story is sure to
tickle the fantasy of YA readers, keeping them glued to the pages until the
very end! Although television series like “Once Upon a Time” have cheated
stories like these of their uniqueness, this one is still quite an entertaining
read, with plenty of conflict for young minds to ponder. What’s more, the story
is bursting at the seams with uplifting morals and lessons in the form of
facing fears, respecting opinions of others, and most notably, not judging a
book —or individuals—by outward appearances.
Ms. Higgins and Ms. Miller have scored a winner with this
fantasy geared toward younger readers from pre-teens to fourteen or so, as well
as more mature readers who are young at heart! Lori Leger
When
she entered the children’s ward, some of the children cheered and waved. The
head nurse rushed to her and curtsied. “Welcome home, Princess.”
“Thank
you, Mrs. Meyers. Is my father around?”
“He
is still in a meeting, I’m afraid.”
Clarissa
grinned. “Good. That means I can spend more time with the children.”
There
were many new faces but a few she’d recognized from a year ago. These were the
terminally ill children that came in regularly for treatments. Her heart went
out to them, wishing she could cure them somehow. But for now, her friendship
would just have to suffice.
Charlotte,
the sickest out of all of them, lay in bed but her gaze followed Clarissa. When
she moved closer to the girl’s bed, she smiled wide.
“It’s
so good to see you again.” She patted the girl’s hand tenderly.
“I
have missed your stories, Princess.”
Chimes
of the phrase me too rang through the
room and Clarissa laughed. “Do you want me to tell you a story, then?” The
chimes turned into shouts of excitement, which made her laugh harder. “All
right, I shall.”
Mrs.
Meyers brought a chair for her as the children gathered around…well, those who
could get out of bed, anyway. “What story do you wish me to tell?”
The
children were silent as they looked from one to the other. Finally Charlotte
straightened slightly in her bed. “I would love to hear the story about the man
and the Rapunzel flower.”
Clarissa
had always told the children stories, making them sound as if they were
fictitious. They’d be surprised to know that most of these stories were true.
But it was more fun to tell them as though they were not real.
“Once
upon a time,” she began and the children hushed, “there was a man who was to
become king, and he fell in love with the most beautiful girl in the kingdom.
He wanted to win her love by doing something no other man had dared to do before.
He wanted to obtain for her the most beautiful of flowers…the Rapunzel flower.
But the only place the flower grew was near a tower in the east forest where a
wicked old witch lived, recluse from the rest of the kingdom.”
She
paused, linking her fingers together and resting them on her lap. Before she
continued, she noticed a man had walked into the room, wearing a familiar
uniform. It surprised her to see Ryder here, but then, he was probably assigned
to keep watch on her today. Secretly, she found herself hoping he was there for
her and not his duty to watch over her. He smiled at her as he leaned against
the wall, folding his arms over his wide chest.
“Nobody
else had dared enter the witch’s gardens,” she continued, peering back at the
children. “But this man was different. He was the bravest in the whole kingdom,
and he would do what was necessary to win the fair maiden’s love.” She lowered
her voice for this next part. “So one night, he scaled the large rock wall that
separated the witch from the rest of the kingdom, and entered her gardens.
Cautiously, he crept to the Rapunzel flower and plucked it from the ground.”
She
paused, trying to create a suspenseful moment. The children seemed enthralled
with the story so far as they all leaned toward her and remained silent.
“But
before this man could leave, the witch jumped in his path, stopping him.” Some
of the children sucked in their breath. “She wanted to cast a spell over him
for stealing her flower, but he convinced her not to harm him. He told the
witch of his great love for a fair maiden, and how he wanted to impress her
with the loveliest flower in the kingdom. The witch was taken with this man’s devotion,
so she promised to let him go on one condition.”
Once
again, she paused for affect. But the children became restless and asked, “What
was the condition?” She sneaked a peak at Ryder, and he even appeared eager to
hear the rest of the story. She bit back a laugh and focused on the children.
“Her
condition was this—that he could take the flower to the fair maiden and marry
her, but their first daughter would have to be named after the witch.”
The
children cringed and shook their head.
“Ewww…”
one said. “Why would anyone want to name their child after an ugly witch?”
“Well
you see,” Clarissa interrupted, “a long time ago, the witch had been a
beautiful woman and many men had vied for her attention. But when they
discovered she was a witch, they hated her. Over the years her heart hardened,
and she built the rock wall to separate herself from the rest of the kingdom
because she felt everyone had judged her harshly.”
“So
did the man follow the witch’s orders?” Charlotte asked, pulling away from her
pillow and sitting up in bed.
Clarissa
nodded. “Indeed, he did. He presented the fair maiden with the Rapunzel flower
and they married. Their first child was a girl, and they named her after the
witch.” She paused again, but not as long this time. “However, the story did
not stop there. Oh, no. The witch wanted more. Much more.”
The
children’s eyes widened, but they didn’t ask questions this time.
“You
see, for a few years, the witch had been watching the little girl from afar,
and the witch wanted the girl for herself. So one day when the little girl was
playing in her yard, the witch snatched her and took her to the large tower.”
Prickles
of recollection ran over her arms and up her back. She tried shaking off the
eerie sensation, but she couldn’t. The dream she’d had this morning had seemed
so real. Was she finally remembering what had happened back then?
She
continued before the children became restless again. “Nobody saw the witch take
the girl, so when her parents noticed she was missing, they scoured the kingdom
looking for her, but she couldn’t be found. Several days passed, and the search
grew hopeless. But then one day, the man realized there was one place they
hadn’t looked.”
“The
witch’s tower,” a little boy shouted.
Clarissa
laughed. “Exactly. The witch’s tower.” She rubbed her hands over her arms,
hoping the unsettling awareness still within her would disappear. “The man
decided he was going to sneak back into her yard and watch her. Two more days
passed and he couldn’t see any trace of his daughter. But then one day he
watched as the witch called up to the tower window, “Rapunzel, let down the
rope so I can climb up.”
One
of the girls giggled. “They named the girl after the flower?”
“No,
but this was what the witch called her, because the little girl reminded the
witch of the lovely flower.”
The
children nodded and the little boy asked, “Then what happened?”
“Just
as the little girl lowered the rope out the window for the witch to climb, the
man jumped out from his hiding spot and knocked the witch unconscious. He then
climbed the rope and rescued his daughter.”
They
clapped and cheered, but Clarissa motioned her hand to calm them. “The story
isn’t over yet.”
“It’s
not?” one asked.
“No.
You see, just as the man had left the tower with his daughter, the witch became
alert and attacked the man. She hit him with a large stick. Thankfully, the
king was strong, so he fought her, and of course, eventually killed the witch.”
The
children stood and cheered. Clarissa laughed, clapping her hands at their
display. She loved their reaction. They always responded this way with her
stories. Perhaps that was why she loved coming to the children’s ward so much.
Their infectious laugh was the best kind of medicine.
“Princess?”
one of the children asked. “What was the witch’s name?”
Clarissa
shook her head. “I’ll have to save that question for another time. Perhaps we
can make a game of it.”
Once
again, the children shouted with excitement. She looked at Ryder. His smile
stretched from ear to ear as he applauded. Her heart warmed to see the
enjoyment etched in his expression. Just as she remembered, his eyes gleamed
with happiness. She realized how hard it was to look at anything else when he
was in the room. He was such a handsome man—one she would love to get to know a
little better now that they were grown.
As
many times as she’d told that story over the years, she thought her memories
would bring back the fear she once had of strangers. But the fear was no longer
with her. Perhaps she hadn’t recalled how it had really happened word for word, but she’d only been six years old
when the witch had kidnapped her, so she didn’t remember a lot. Had these
reoccurring dreams opened up her memory in some way?
Her
father hated this story, and scolded her for telling it to the children. But
she was happy to know he loved her enough to rescue her and destroy the witch,
which of course was the moral of the story, anyway.
Of
course, she couldn’t help but sigh knowing her father loved her mother so much
that he risked his life by climbing the rock wall to get her the Rapunzel
flower.
She
leaned back in her chair. Perhaps that was the very reason she hadn’t found a
man she’d consider marrying. She wanted a love like her parents had. She wanted
a man who would risk his life to prove his love.
Too
bad that was the fictitious part of all of this. There was no man out there
like her father.
I'm thrilled to introduce you to book #4 of my Where Dreams Come True Series - "Keep on Believing", my historical Cinderella story. Here is a teasing excerpt...
“Uh…I take it the
proposal didn’t go as planned?” Darby asked as he wrung his boney hands against
his middle.
“It was a
disaster.” Chris marched into his bedroom in search of another change of
clothes.
“What happened?”
Darby’s short, skinny legs stumbled over each other in attempt to keep up with Chris’s
wide strides.
“She said no,”
Chris snapped. “Actually, her very words were—If you would consider working under my father as the Financial
Advisor’s Assistant to the king, I might consider your proposal.” He made
the tone of his voice a little higher to sound like a woman. Over his shoulder,
he threw Darby a stare. “Apparently, being a schoolteacher isn’t good enough
for Rosanna or her family.”
Tears swam in
Darby’s eyes. He slowly shook his head. “Oh, how sorry I am for this, my
friend.” He wiped his eyes. “This is all my fault. I fear I’m not very good at
being a soothsayer. If I hadn’t encouraged you to talk to her or court her…” He
hitched a breath, which elicited a high pitch sound, and slapped his hand over
his mouth. Tears filled his eyes faster.
“Darby, it’s not
your fault.” Chris needed to calm his friend down before the poor man swooned
from stress, which he’d done several times before. “I was the one who wanted to
get to know her. If I didn’t want to meet her, I would have ignored your
advice.”
Sighing heavily,
Darby shook his head as his breathing regulated. “From now on, I shall just
stick to dabbling in magic and leave my soothsayer hat buried in the ground
where it belongs.”
Chris chuckled.
“Yes, stick to your magic. The more you practice, the better you’ll become.”
Darby scurried
back into the other room, so Chris closed the bedroom door and proceeded to
change his clothes. He and Darby had been together for years. They met at an
orphanage. Both were amongst the oldest children in that center. Darby was only
older than Chris by five years, but his deformities made him look like an old,
hunched over man. Darby wasn’t exactly bald, but the hair on his head sprouted
in different areas, and over the years, it had grown longer. The man’s arms and
legs were twisted, but he could still manage to walk and use his hands. And
although most children found him repulsive at first, Chris knew they would just
have to get to know him in order to realize what a special person Darby O’Brian
really was.
He definitely kept
Chris entertained with his magic. After all of these years, the poor man could
still only call himself an apprentice. Darby tried hard, but most of the time,
his spells didn’t turn out exactly right. In the end, the mayhem Darby caused
made them laugh.
After Chris
shucked his dirty clothes and dressed in clean ones, he joined Darby in the
main room. His friend stood by the stove, stirring a spoon in a pot. Well,
actually, the spoon was stirring itself while Darby was staring out the window.
Chris grinned. His
friend’s magic could handle smaller tasks, thank goodness. “What are we having
to eat?”
Darby jumped as if
startled and stretched his hand toward the spoon, but instead of grasping it, he
managed to knock it away from the pot. Flying through the air, the spoon spun,
flinging food around the room.
Chris ducked.
Thankfully, the sailing food particles didn’t dirty his clean clothes. Darby
squealed and raced after the spinning spoon, his hands clumsily trying to grasp
onto the utensil that was clearly still under a spell because it wouldn’t stop
swirling.
Hiding his smile
behind his hand, Chris moved to the stove and peeked inside the pot. Carrots
and potatoes floated in the boiling thin sauce, along with a few chunks of
meat. They couldn’t afford much, and they had to make the meat last as long as
they could.
Grunts and groans
from Darby jerked Chris’s attention to his friend. Running with hands in the
air, he kept up with the flying spoon, but was too short to touch it. And
jumping was out of the question for this little twisted man.
Chris chuckled and
moved to help. When the spoon flew past, he grabbed it. Immediately, the spell
that had been around the utensil broke, and the spoon was now just as normal as
the others in the cupboard.
He handed it to
Darby. “Here, I believe this is yours.”
His friend’s face
turned red. “Indeed, it is. Thank you, Chris.”
Between March 13th through March 20th, you will have a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card! Experience these amazing authors and enter for a chance to win. Follow the bottom box for how to enter the giveaway!
Both of my books - "The Sweetest Kiss" and "Champion" will be on sale for 99 cents during this time. Check the other stories for sale prices, as well.
