READING VS. LISTENING?

As long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by books. Fortunately, my dad was a proponent of reading. He backed me each Saturday morning when I’d say, “Just one more chapter,” to my mom, who wanted me to clean my room and help with other housework. Of course, you know what happens with “just one more chapter”, right? I’d finish the book, then clean like crazy to make up for the delay.

I still love reading and indulge myself when I’m not writing. In the last few decades, there’s a competitor to the written work—audio books. My first experience with one was really a cassette my husband received for his birthday from a friend. That was a Louis L’Amour novel. We listened to it on a trip.

Since then, audio books have taken off. I was delighted when one of my first books was turned into an audio version—until I realized the publisher got the money and not me. Rats! On the advice of a very savvy author, I delved into the audio market with two of my books.

BRAZOS BRIDE, book one of Men of Stone Mountain TX, was my first experiment. This book has been a big seller for me and now is perma-free on Amazon and is also in Kindle Unlimited. Amazon offered me a great deal to try audio whereby they would supplement the narrator’s fee. I’d been itching to try audio, so that was the incentive I needed. Woo Hoo! I was on my way. Hero and I searched for a narrator who would accept Amazon’s terms and we auditioned those who were willing. We chose a woman with a wonderful voice and we split the royalties: a quarter for her, a quarter for me, and a half for Amazon. Hmmm, what’s wrong with this picture?

The same savvy author advised me that I’d be better off hiring the narrator. So, for HIGH STAKES BRIDE, book two of Men of Stone Mountain TX, we paid the narrator a flat fee per hour and then we only split with Amazon. Yes, the mighty Amazon always gets their cut. We used a different narrator because the first woman was booked for months and we didn’t want to wait. When we get the bit between our teeth, we are impatient.

So, how about you? Do you listen to audio books? Do you prefer holding a book or e-reader in your hand? One of my friends downloads audio books onto her iPhone and listens while she does embroidery or sewing. Another listens while she commutes.

If you enjoy or want to try an audio book, I have promo codes to give away that will allow you to get one of these two audio books for FREE (or both if you wish). Just send me an email at caroline @ carolineclemmons.com (without the spaces) with AUDIO BOOK in the subject and I’ll send you a promo code or codes. Invite your friends to do the same.

My next book will be released on February 9^th. This is another “secret” project so I can’t tell you what it is or the person in charge would kill me. This is a kind of project with which I’ve not been involved before so I’m eager to see the results. I can tell you the title is AMANDA’S RANCHER and I’m excited about the release.

Thanks for stopping by!

#REVIEW OF WINTER BRIDE -- #WESTERN #HISTORICAL #ROMANCE

By Mary Adair

Winter Bride is Caroline Clemmon’s latest addition to her Stone Mountain Texas Series.  I read this book in one sitting. Winter Bride is not a short story, it is just that absorbing! I could not put it down!

The story opens with Sheriff Butch Parrish rushing to the livery to save a woman from a brutal beating by her husband. Her husband is gone by the time Butch arrives to find a gruesomely battered Glenna Tucker. Despite the poor woman’s seriously injured condition, she manages to tell him her husband is likely on his way home where her sister and children are trapped with no transportation and without food. She begs the sheriff to help them.

Sheriff Parrish packs supplies and hurries out to the small farm the family is leasing from Zach Stone. If you have read the Men of Stone Mountain stories, you will remember handsome Zach Stone from Book Two.

 Okay… I digress! Back to the story.

The sheriff is unable to track down the scoundrel on his way to the farmhouse and is shot by the villain. In spite of his injuries, he does rescue Glenna Tucker’s sister, Kendra, eight-year-old Caleb, and his two younger sisters, Mittie, and Abby.

Every man in Kendra’s life has been no better than her brother-in-law. This lack of fatherly support, though it molded her into a strong, dependable, independent woman, sadly also caused her to have a distrust for all men. Kendra loves her nieces and nephew and is determined she will open her own business and provide for her family. Her fear is her brother-in-law will return to steal away his son and murder anyone standing in his way. Sheriff Parrish is there to give her the support she needs and unbidden her trust for the handsome sheriff grows. 

Butch Parrish still mourns the loss of his wife. He is not ready to love again. Yet the three children touch a place in his heart that he cannot ignore and his attraction to Kendra is simply undeniable. As he supports Kendra in purchasing a business and home for her family as well as watching over the family’s well-being and keeping the peace in town, his admiration and love for her grows.

I do not want to put in any spoilers, but I do have to say if you enjoy Caroline’s books, you will love this one. Ms. Clemmon’s writing style is unmistakable. Her stories are filled with a love and warmth that leaves you running to Amazon to look for more of her work, and there are many to choose from. 

Author Caroline Clemmons knocked another one out of the park with Winter Bride. This story is filled with personal growth, budding love and the hometown and family interaction that I so enjoy in her books.

I would give Winter Bride an easy 5 Stars.   

PASS THE POISON, PLEASE

My latest trilogy, Men of Stone Mountain, is about the three Stone brothers: Micah, Zach, and Joel. Aren’t brothers enough of a link for a trilogy? Yes, but there’s another link to these three books. Each involves poison in some way and is a mystery as well as a historical romance. No, I’m not bloodthirsty and I don’t intend to use my knowledge to wipe out any real people. In this trilogy, however, I wipe out a several people. Ah, the joys of being a writer! We are allowed to vent our frustrations by killing people on paper. And it’s legal. ☺ I love my job!

Studying herbal medicine is sort of a mini-hobby. I’ve taken the excellent herbal class Beth Trissel occasionally offers, as well as perusing my books on folk medicine. Pioneers relied heavily on their ability to recognize healing plants as well as those that discouraged pests and vermin. No Walgreens or WalMart around in those days.  Early settlers also learned that what can heal, if administered improperly, can harm. Cue eerie music.

Don’t you suspect a lot of so-called natural deaths were helped along before modern medicine and forensics discouraged using potions and tinctures to kill? Maybe I’m suspicious by nature, but I believe a lot of troublesome people died prematurely, helped along by a supposedly loving family member.

“My father in law Uriah? Why, he had a heart attack and up and died.”

“My first two wives? Each took sick and died on me.”

If you lived in the middle of nowhere, who was around to prove otherwise? If you lived in town, forensics had not advanced to today’s level. Even if a lawman or physician suspected murder, he had to prove it. A few poisons left tattletale signs, others left none. And that’s not even counting falls and other so-called accidents. You think life is dangerous now?

Often pioneers learned more about the local plants from friendly Native Americans. As people moved West and the topography and climate changed, they found many plants with which they were unfamiliar. They required help to discover which helped and which harmed. Have you wondered who first tasted this or that to see if it would make good food or medicine? I admit I often wonder trivial things like that.

I’ve heard that women are more likely to use poison than men. Perhaps that’s due to lack of physical strength. In this trilogy, both sexes are involved in using poison—some for evil, some for self defense. And I wanted each to be a natural poison found in the wild.

Here are the three books:

BRAZOS BRIDE’s heroine, Hope Montoya, is a smart woman and figures out that someone is poisoning her. Who and why are more difficult problems.  Until she knows, she can trust no one who has access to her food or medicine. She vows to fight for her life, but she’s so weakened by the poison that she can’t fight alone. Enter our hero, Micah Stone. Do you hear the “1812 Overture?” You know, I’ve heard a highbrow is someone who can hear that music without thinking of the Lone Ranger. But I digress.

In HIGH STAKES BRIDE, Alice Price is on the run from her less-than-bright stepbrothers who plan to hand her over to a man she considers the meanest man in Texas to settle a gambling debt. Enter Zach Stone to lend a hand. But in the end quick thinking Alice has to save herself, with Zach fast on her heels to the rescue.

In BLUEBONNET BRIDE, Rosalyn must escape an unjust death sentence for poisoning her husband with dried oleander from her garden.  She flees to the ends of the earth, or so it seems to her, and meets Joel Stone. Only he can save her, but his family helps. Those Stones stick together. I love that fact about them.

In the event you wish to buy any of these books, I’m happy to share that I have combined the three into a boxed set, MEN OF STONE MOUNTAIN: MICAH, ZACH, AND JOEL, at a reduced price that saves you two dollars at Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/Men-of-Stone-Mountain-ebook/dp/B00DTGQXLW/ref=sr_1_15?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1374026596&sr=1-15&keywords=caroline+clemmons

Individually, each book is also available at iTunes, Kindle, Nook, Kobo and at Smashwords.

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