HERE WE GO AGAIN!

Can you believe it’s August? We've had an unusually hot summer here in North Central Texas so I’ve been hibernating under the fan in my air-conditioned pink cave and happily writing. The months are flying by way too fast. So many projects, so little time.

I’m in the midst of a special treat for me. In the past couple of years I was fortunate to have six books included in Debra Holland’s Montana Sky Series of Kindle Worlds, and these six comprise the Loving A Rancher series. Now that Amazon has deleted all Kindle Worlds from their inventory, Debra has returned the rights to me provided I remove all of her character and place names. She is gracious to do this because she could have kept them.

I’d like to tell readers a bit about writing in someone else’s world. The originating author sets all the parameters. She names as many characters, each person’s occupation, and each person’s physical and personality traits as she wishes. Those joining in the world must truthfully portray all the things the originator has labeled while contributing her characters and her plot line.

This doesn’t mean I had to use all of Debra’s characters in each book I wrote. Instead it means that if I mentioned one of Debra’s characters, I had to depict the character precisely as she did. In addition, the town layout had to be related as she had indicated on the map provided in her Montana Sky Series Facebook group.

Since I had read Debra Holland’s books, I believed I knew her characters. Still, I had to go back and make lists to be certain I was faithful to her creation. This makes writing in someone else’s world more time consuming, but Kindle Worlds were good to me and for me. Each of us has to try something new occasionally to stretch our mental muscles. Plus, being associated with Debra Holland was a great honor.

All the same, I can’t tell you how excited I am to have the rights to these books returned to me! The locales are now Cottonwood Springs and Randall Crossing, both still in Montana. My characters remain the same. These six books are all available for pre-order now (not so gentle hint!). Each will also be available in Kindle Unlimited.

I’m happy to announce that the first of these is being re-published on Friday, August 3, AMANDA’S RANCHER, http://a.co/jddh1g7. Please pardon the lack of modesty but this is one of my favorite of the books I’ve written in the past few years. This was an Amazon experiment and is longer than the usual Kindle World book. It involves stolen identity, mystery, murder, adventure, and romance. 

On August 17, THE RANCHER AND THE SHEPHERDESS will be re-published, http://a.co/4mFnOaL. This is about a young Irish widow who comes west to marry a rancher. He expects someone used to the hard life of ranching. She thought she qualified because she’d helped her Da raise sheep on their tiny holding in Ireland. Imagine her surprise when she sees the vastness of Montana ranches.

On August 30, MURDOCH’S BRIDE releases, http://a.co/9CwbAUk. This was the most popular of the books I wrote for this world. I enjoyed writing it, as I have all of my books. This one involves people being snowed in for a couple of weeks. They are in a large house, but is any house large enough to peacefully accommodate three men (one of whom dislikes women), the housekeeper, three stranded women (one of whom is a complainer), and at times the ranch hands?

On September 13, BRIDE’S ADVENTURE releases, http://a.co/4MtQIZm. Amelia sets off on an adventure to Oregon that sends her back to Cottonwood Springs. Sometime next year, I’ll be doing two spin-off books set in Texas because so many readers requested books about Amelia’s brother and his best friend.

On September 27, SNARE HIS HEART, will be released, http://a.co/2wXXekY. This is my version of the Beauty and the Beast. The hero was badly scarred trying unsuccessfully to rescue his wife from the fire in which she died. The heroine arrives prepared to love him and his children.

On October 13, CAPTURE HER HEART, will release, http://a.co/0SHNEtj. How does a woman who’s been mistreated by every man in her life learn to trust? Read this to learn how.

I have a giant favor to ask. If do read or have read these, would you please leave a review? When Amazon removed the Kindle World version, they also removed all the reviews. Each worthwhile place to advertise books requires a set number of good reviews before they'll accept the ad. So, without reviews, I can't get ads. Without ads, I can't sell enough to get reviews. It's a vicious cycle. But that's another story. If you are one of the readers who leaves reviews, bless you!

See you next month. Stay safe and cool.

LAUNCHING 2018 WITH A SALE!

By Caroline Clemmons

Happy New Year! Launching a new year is heady stuff. Do you make resolutions? Figure out what went wrong last year? Make a fresh start? Roll out of bed and say it's just another day?

Honestly, I didn't make resolutions but I did go over my past year then made a business plan for 2018. The difference? I don't vow to do anything, but I set goals I believe I can accomplish. I give myself a road map for the year.

Amazon started my year with a sale on AMANDA'S RANCHER, one of my favorites of my books. As an author, I like every book I write or I wouldn't write it. Some stand out as favorites, though, and this is one of them.

Take a good young woman who has less than nothing and give her more than she'd ever hoped for and that's the plot of AMANDA'S RANCHER. Things don't go smoothly, of course. In fact, they get pretty mixed up, hectic, and dangerous, but that's what makes a good story, right? 

Normally, AMANDA'S RANCHER sells for $3.99. During January, it's on sale for only 99 cents at http://a.co/55V804X. It's also available in Kindle Unlimited.

If you haven’t read this book, I hope you’ll give AMANDA’S RANCHER a try. So far, all the reviews are 5 stars!

Here's the blurb:

One desperate young woman.

A chance meeting.

A life-changing outcome.

Growing up in a brothel, Mara O'Sullivan battled public disdain and contempt, but remained virtuous, kind-hearted and gracious. After testifying against vicious bank robbers, her life is threatened and Mara must find sanctuary far from everything she knows.  

One train ride changes her life as she fatefully meets a half-sister and a niece she never knew existed. But when circumstances end her sister's life, Mara makes a promise that she'll raise her niece as her own and take her sister's place as Preston Kincaid's mail-order-bride. As Mara and Preston grow closer, their marriage no longer seems like a ruse, but a relationship of love, passion, and desire.

Mara's past comes back to haunt her and she finds herself in danger—will her new husband forgive Mara's deceit and protect her as his own? 

Mine isn't the only title from Montana Skies Series Kindle World that's on sale. These books are well-written, sweet romances set in Debra Holland's Montana Sky Series locale and in which some of her characters appear. Given the parameters, I'm impressed with the variety of plots and strong characters. These are great reads!

Of various lengths on sale for 99 cents in January are:

Cassie Hayes, HOPE ON THE HORIZON, http://a.co/j52waG9

Cynthia Woolf, THORPE'S MAIL-ORDER BRIDE, http://a.co/93cm35B

Elizabeth Ayers, LOVING MATILDA, http://a.co/8qWNKs9

Louella Nelson, RYE'S REPRIEVE, htto://a.co/dzgbaWd

Linda Hubalek, NOLAN'S VOW, http://a.co/gc16DsY

Linda Carroll-Bradd, LACED BY LOVE, http://a.co/gcigdYv

Patricia Thayer, SLATER'S BRIDE, http://a.co/9gcC2w9

Reminder: All Kindle World books are now in Kindle Unlimited.

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!