DO YOU PREFER HEAT OR COLD?

By Caroline Clemmons

Don’t get me wrong, I love my home state, but in the summer I forget why. My favorite times are spring and fall and I enjoy winter unless we have ice. But this heat—no thank you!

Not for me though, unfortunately, that's
how my hair looks today.

I know there are droves of you who live for summer. I see you in your shorts and cute tank tops and sparkly flip flops. I envy you, but I’m hanging close to the A/C.

There was a time when I was a lover of summer, too. I remember the days when I’d beg my parents to let me play in the lawn sprinkler. We wanted to get cooler, so my brother and I would run through the spray. (My parents didn’t have central air-conditioning until after I was married.) On good days, friends and I could go to the public swimming pool. The poor moms had to sit in the heat and watch. Well, they could have joined us, but I don’t think that ever occurred to anyone.

How crazy were you as a teen? My friends and I would help one another print a boy’s initials on each other’s back using adhesive tape. Then we’d sunbathe, hoping our effort would result in the initials of our crush showing whenever we wore a swimsuit. Mine never did because I didn’t tan easily. Okay, so we didn’t do drugs or sex or shoplift—or any of the other things our parents had warned us from doing. We were, in a word, nerds, but also nice girls who had fun doing our nerdy stuff.

Now during summer I usually write books set in winter. When the heat is scorching outside, I love being inside writing about snow. Actually, I love writing about anything at anytime, but times like writing snow in summer are especially therapeutic.

This year, I goofed. I’m writing all summer books until I switch to my Christmas story.

I just released LORRAINE, Bride Brigade book 6, which is set in late spring and summer. In case you missed getting your copy, it’s available from Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0725WQ6XG. Yes, this IS a hint! An invitation. A plea. ☺

Now I’m working on SNARE HIS HEART for Debra Holland's Montana Sky Series of Kindle Worlds, and this book is set in late spring and summer. Worse, it begins with a house fire. That makes me uncomfortably warm simply thinking about it. Thank goodness that scene is short before we switch to the heroine’s embarrassing dilemma. I think the above cover turned out well, don’t you? Release date is July 15.

This is my fifth book for the Montana Sky Series of Kindle Worlds. The others are AMANDA’S RANCHER, THE RANCHER AND THE SHEPHERDESS, MURDOCH'S BRIDE, and BRIDE'S ADVENTURE. They're all stand alone but are loosely linked in locale and having ranchers as heroes. In each, there's interaction with characters from Debra's books and my other Montana Sky Series books. We're linking mine by calling them the Loving A Rancher Series.  Do you think that's a good series name?

During June, there’s a 99 cent sale on THE RANCHER AND THE SHEPHERDESS and BRIDE’S ADVENTURE. You can learn what other books from the Montana Sky Series are on sale this month at Debra Holland's website:

http://debraholland.com/kindle-worlds.html

Back to writing in my little pink cave while keeping cool under my ceiling fan in my lovely air-conditioning. Ahhhhh. Thank goodness for modern conveniences while I write about the Old West.

What’s your favorite activity in summer?