FINDING A NEW SERIES

By Caroline Clemmons

Beth Trissel is tending to her husband, Dennis, as they go for medical tests. So, you’re stuck with me.

One of the things I enjoy is finding a new book I love and learning it’s part of a series. How delicious! Not only do I get to read that one, I get to anticipate the rest of the series.

I also enjoy writing series. So far, I’m writing these series: Kincaid, Stone Mountain Tx, McClintock, Bride Brigade,  Loving A Rancher, Texas Time Travel, Texas Cap rock Tales, and my new Pearson Grove series. As well as having books or novellas in anthologies, I’ve had books in multi-author series such as Widows of Wildcat Ridge and my upcoming contribution to the Proxy Brides.

Keeping characters consistent requires a bible with names and at least a brief description of the occupation and appearance of each. Failing to do this gets authors in trouble. We can’t have a character with blue eyes in one book and brown eyes in the next.

I believe most authors enjoy writing series. Doing so allows us to revisit a place and characters we love. You see, our characters become real to us. We don’t want to abandon them.

What about you—do you enjoy a series or prefer a stand-alone book?

I hope you enjoy series because I have a new release in my Pearson Grove series, ALEXANDRA’S AWAKENING, book 2. This was a fun book to write. Alexandra was NOT a nice character in book one of the series but everyone deserves a chance to redeem himself or herself. The change has to have obstacles and Alexandra meets several.

Here’s the blurb for this sweet western historical romance:

A wealthy woman forced to change; a heroic sheriff standing his ground; the danger that unites them…

Alexandra Novak has been raised in wealth and is used to having whatever she wishes. Her parents have spoiled her and she’d begun to believe it her right. A fire that destroys her family home and almost costs her mother’s life starts Alexandra rethinking her values. When her father’s revelation shatters her world, she is determined to do whatever necessary to make her father happy—even if it means being nice to that girl he’s brought into their home.

Virgil Witt is the best sheriff Pearson Grove has had. Under his leadership, crime is at an all-time low. He has reconciled himself to the fact that he is destined to live alone except for his dog. Maybe that’s best since his job is a dangerous one. He can’t understand why Alexandra chases him, especially not after he’s explained he has no money.

When danger strikes the Novak family, can Virgil solve the problem in time? Can Alexandra convince Virgil she has changed? Can the two of them work together or will her need for the best resurface?

The Universal Amazon buy link is http://mybook.to/Pearson The book is also available in print and is free in KU. 

BOOKS OR MOVIES OR BOTH?

Caroline Clemmons here, filling in for Carra Copelin. Carra's busy being caregiver for her husband, who has had major health issues.

Obviously, I love reading, especially romance. If the romance includes mystery or suspense, even better. But I also love movies, especially when I can enjoy them in my own home. When my eyes are too tired to focus or my mind and body too tired to concentrate, a good movie on TV or one of the many subscription venues is relaxing. Like a mini-vacation for the mind.

Willie Nelson

Hero and I enjoy an evening movie, and it doesn’t have to be newly released. Recently we watched the Willie Nelson remake of “Stagecoach” starring him, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristopherson, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, and others I recognized but can’t recall their names. Willie Nelson co-wrote the music and sang it. Here in Texas, Willie Nelson is much revered. Hero has always been a Johnny Cash fan. This movie pushed all the buttons for us. Oops, I digress.

When a movie is a depiction of a favorite book, I have mixed emotions. With a book, the author’s descriptions create images of characters in my head. If the book is engrossing, I know who these characters are, how they dress, even how they walk. The reader is privileged to characters’ internal dialogue as well as vivid descriptions. Of course, a movie doesn’t need setting descriptions, but I miss the author’s version. One that comes to mind is Loretta Chase’s LORD PERFEC T.  When the main characters first see one another, Ms Chase has what I think is the most enchanting reactions recorded in any book I’ve read. My favorite is the hero’s thoughts about the heroine’s astonishing beauty and presence : “She is a woman who causes accidents merely by crossing the street.”

Depicting a book like Nora Roberts’ or Debbie Macomber’s as a screenplay usually results in a very pleasant movie. I love Ms Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle movies. (Say that fast three times.) For me, though, the movie doesn’t quite live up to the book. For instance, one of my favorite books by Nora Roberts is MONTANA SKY. That book scared me in many places and kept me turning the pages hurriedly to learn about the sisters. In the movie, some of the edginess disappeared. Oh, the movie was satisfying, but the book much better.

Hugh Jackman

For long, involved books like LES MISERABLES or EYE OF THE NEEDLE, only portions appear in the movie. Of course I enjoyed “Les Miserable.” Hugh Jackman! Oh, um, I mean the movie inspired me. Each of the actors performed superbly.

Ken Follett’s EYE OF THE NEEDLE is one complicated book, as are each of his tomes. The movie depicted only the last few chapters of the protagonist’s journey and the heroine’s courageous actions. I enjoyed the movie, but it paled in comparison to the book. Ken Follett is a gifted author and I am in awe of his ability. 

Every author hopes one day his or her books or book will be adapted into a movie. The fact is, though, that I enjoy reading books. I like to visualize each of the characters and the settings. Perhaps it’s because I’m old enough to have played “pretend like” as a child before watching TV or playing video games commandeered imagination. I also find that when an author's characterizations and descriptions are vivid, the pictures in my head don't match the movie version. 

Yes, I watched TV, but the selections for kids were very limited and I had chores and homework to keep me from being glued to the set. And, I read and read and read. Not great works like LES MISERABLES. Nope, but Nancy Drew and Louisa Mae Alcott launched me into other worlds.

Which do you prefer—movies, books, or both?

I hope you like books and will read my latest, MONK'S BRIDE, Kincaid series book 5, which is available on Amazon with this Universal buy link http://mybook.to/Monk. 

My next book, ALEXANDRA'S AWAKENING, Pearson Grove series book 2, is available for preorder and will be released April 26. That Universal link is http://mybook.to/Pearson.

Through a crazy twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a tiny office her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas cowboy country where they ride herd on their three rescued indoor cats as well as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds, and other critters.

The books she creates in her pink cave have made her an Amazon bestselling author and won several awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the West, both historical and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel, Texas Caprock Tales, Pearson Grove, and Loving A Rancher as well as numerous single titles and contributions to multi-author sets. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, reading her friends’ books, lunching with friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional nap. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, and Pinterest.

Join her and other readers at Caroline’s Cuties, a Facebook readers group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/277082053015947/ for special excerpts, exchanging ideas, contests, giveaways, recipes, and talking to like-minded people about books and other fun things.

Click on her Amazon Author Page for a complete list of her books and follow her there.

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To stay up-to-date with her releases and contests, subscribe to Caroline’s newsletter here and 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?

WHAT NEXT?

By Caroline Clemmons

Hero and I have always been voracious readers. We read and enjoyed all the books of a particular author. However, she had two main themes she varied slightly. When we got one of her books, Hero would ask me, “Is this Plot A or Plot B?” In spite of that, we kept reading her work.

I hope readers won’t say that about my books. I try really, really, really hard to have a new twist in each book. The more books I write, the more difficult coming up with something new is. I marvel at the authors who have written over a hundred books. After a few over fifty titles, I am combing my brain for new twists.

Characters and their stories don’t puzzle me. I have enough of those to write hundreds of books. More pop into my head each week. With my books, readers are guaranteed a happily-ever-after. But, what about the external conflict? The adventure? The action?

For instance, in the book I just completed, the hero had to rescue two people from a boat before it exploded. Then, the heroine had to rescue the hero. I’ve never used that before. I did have an explosion cause the mouth of a cave to be blocked. I hope the two are different enough that no one accuses me of using Plot B.  I’ll learn at the end of April when ALEXANDRA’S AWAKENING is released.

In the meantime, please watch for MONK’S BRIDE, Kincaid book 5, on April 12^th. You can preorder it now and it will magically appear (or so it seems to me) in your e-reader on the 12^th. The universal buy link is http://mybook.to/Monk