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? 

WHAT IS A KINDLE WORLD?

Filling in for Mary Adair, who is ill

When I promote my books and novellas in Kindle World, people often ask what is a Kindle World and how is that different from any other e-book for Kindle. So, here's the explanation:

There are numerous Kindle Worlds. The one in which I write is Debra Holland's Montana Sky Series. What this means is that I use my hero and heroine for a story, but it is set in Debra's locale of either Morgan Crossing or Sweetwater Springs in eastern Montana. In addition, my hero and heroine interact with characters Debra has established.

My usual setting for a book is Texas, so I had to learn about Montana. I've never been to the state, but I'd love to visit the state sometime. A view of the mountains sounds lovely.

There are advantages to being in a Kindle World. One is the chance to acquire new readers. I'm all for that! Another advantage is that Amazon helps promote. Promotion is a mill stone around the neck of every author. The time we spend promoting our work is time we aren't writing. Besides, I want to write, not deal with all the other things necessary to sell my books.

The disadvantages are that the author loses rights to the book or novella. This was the hardest point for me to wrap my head around. No one wants to give up rights to their work.

The author still receives royalty payments but cannot turn the book into print or place the story with any other vendor. In addition, the royalty payments are split between the author and the owner of the world--in my case that's Debra Holland.

Amazon controls pricing and sales. For instance, Amazon placed MURDOCH'S BRIDE on sale this month for 99 cents. I can't complain, because the sale has made the book a bestseller. Seeing that little orange banner on my Amazon page is always nice.

I've been very pleased with the results of my foray into Kindle World. So far, I've written four stories for Debra Holland's Montana Sky Series. The latest is BRIDE'S ADVENTURE. Another will be released in July.

AMANDA'S RANCHER is the first one I wrote and the longest and my favorite. I love the hero and heroine and the struggle they overcome. For AMANDA'S RANCHER, I spent a lot of time researching. Although I'd read and enjoyed Debra Holland's books, I had to reread them and take notes. THE RANCHER AND THE SHEPHERDESS includes the least of Debra's characters of the four I've written. BRIDE'S ADVENTURE was fun to write because of the predicaments she causes for herself.

Now you know what a Kindle World is. I hope you'll read and enjoy mine!

THE STORY BEGINS WITH "WHAT IF"?

What keeps a writer writing? Not the promise of riches, because most writers don’t reap the royalties that Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, and others do. Those authors are the exception. For writers in my situation, I write because I can’t help myself. ☺ I have so many stories I am compelled to share. When a reader buys my book, that’s a bonus.

Receiving an email from a reader who enjoyed one of my books is like a drink of cool water after struggling through desert heat. If that reader also leaves a good review on Amazon or Goodreads, I am especially thrilled.

An acquaintance announced that when she was a certain age, she would retire from writing. She is past that age now and writing as much as ever. You see, writing is like an addiction and there is no 12-Step Program to help us.

Do artists see possible paintings wherever they go? Do sculptors see a design in every cliff or stone? I can only speak for writers. Yes, we see a story in everything.

When I’m riding in a car and see an old house that’s been deserted, my imagination is ignited. Who built that home? What happened to the family that the building has been deserted? My mind creates stories of the residents.

Every news story and conversation is fodder for my imagination. I think “but what if” to create a new ending or more beautiful journey.  In fact, a lot of my stories start with “what if”.

There are heroes and heroines rumbling around in the creative portion of my mind who are eager to have their stories told. I suppose being a writer is a form of insanity. We hear voices and see people no one else can—at least not until we commit them to paper or e-book.

Creativity has many forms. Writing stories is the one that has chosen me. 

My latest stories are BRIDE'S ADVENTURE for Debra Holland's Montana Sky Series Kindle World. If you read MURDOCH'S BRIDE, you'll remember young widow Amelia Douglas. She's the heroine of BRIDE'S ADVENTURE. This is available for $1.99 http://a.co/7GoiVFD

GRANT ME THE MOON is a contemporary western romance that was in the anthology COME LOVE A COWBOY but is now available as a single title. I'm warning you in case you  purchased that anthology so you won't buy a book you've already read. Currently, it is $2.99 but on April 10th, it will go on special for 99 cents for three weeks. After that time, it will be $2.99. The next in that series, CAPTURE A STAR, will be released in late May. GRANT ME THE MOON is available at  http://a.co/geC7w79