Author in the spotlight: Caroline Clemmons presenting her book "Gabe Kincaid"

Welcome to my blog, Caroline. It's a pleasure to have you here today. 

Please tell us about your writing. Can you explain the title without giving too much away?

Gabe Kincaid is a handsome lawyer in the office of his great uncle. He hates lies and liars and works hard to uphold the law and see justice accomplished. Great, but his personal life is a bit . . . boring. Katie Worthington is masquerading as the fortune teller in a circus while she evades two killers who want her dead. She and Gabe meet when a brawl at the circus involves her.

What was your journey as a writer?

My training was writing journalistic style, which is good for meeting deadlines and word count. However, newspaper writing doesn’t necessarily translate to fiction. Until I joined a Romance Writers of America chapter, my writing was pretty bad. I didn’t know about character arc, POV, pacing, tension, and on and on. I just wrote my stories. Worked for Nora Roberts; did not work for me. Fortunately, there was an RWA chapter in my area where I heard wonderful workshops and met critique partners. I also read craft books and took a community ed class on writing fiction to sell.
Let me warn new writers that not every person willing to be a critique partner is the right one. Over the years, I’ve had a few bad critique partners. One plagiarized my work, which shocked and appalled me. A couple of others said everything I wrote was wonderful—nice to hear but so not helpful. Eventually I found great critique partners who hold me to a high standard and offer excellent suggestions to improve my writing.

I am inspired by authors like Arturo Perez Reverte, Jack Vance, Dan Simmons, Beatrice Small, J.R.R Tolkien, C. S. Lewis. What writers inspire you?

Louis L’Amour, Jodi Thomas, Lorraine Heath’s western historicals, Nora Roberts, Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz, Agatha Christie, Loretta Chase, Jacquie Rogers, and many others of my writer friends. I love reading a well-crafted book whose characters come alive, don’t you?

Who has been your biggest supporter?

Without a doubt, my sweet husband I call Hero. Besides cheering me on, he does so much to insure my writing time is free of computer and household woes. He even does the cooking so I have more time to write. See why I call him Hero?

What advice can you give to aspiring writers?

Join a writers group, even if it’s an online group. Find a good critique group. (Refer to second question above) Hone your craft. Persevere. Don’t let anyone steal your dream.

Gabe Kincaid has reasons to hate lies and those who tell them. He moved from Austin to Kincaid Springs and joined his great uncle’s law firm. Gabe believes he’s happy and pushes aside those moments of loneliness, of wishing for more. He strongly believes in the law, in justice, and obeying rules. Doing what’s right is fulfilling, isn’t it? Then why is he so fascinated with a circus fortuneteller who spins tales faster than a cowboy whirls his lariat?

Katie Worthington poses as Dorothy Duncan in a small-time circus. If she isn’t behind the scenes mending costumes or in the circus kitchen, she’s disguised as the fortuneteller, Maharani Shimza, Mystic of the East. Even so, she worries about being killed by the men pursuing her. She fears a brawl at her fortune telling tent that sends her into the Kincaid’s protective custody will end with her exposure and death. Then, a death at the circus implicates her. How can she escape when that attorney pops up every time she turns around?   

Will Gabe and Katie let the sparks between them ignite into a passionate romance or will her secrets destroy their chance at a happily ever after? 

EXCERPT 

Sheriff Ben Liles pushed through the crowd, followed by two deputies. “Make way, folks. Make way.”

Gabe followed to see what event warranted three lawmen. Monk joined him.

At the fortune teller’s tent, the largest man Gabe had ever seen had his arm protectively around one of the prettiest women he’d laid eyes on. Must be the fortune teller he’d heard about. Three young men were restrained by a combination of locals and circus workers. 

The woman’s elaborate headdress had toppled sideways. Long, thick hair too black to be believed tumbled around her shoulders. Her blouse had been ripped and she clutched it together with one hand while she righted her turban.

She glared at the youths who looked straight off the farm. “It’s their fault. That one in the middle attacked me and said terrible things. Then his friends helped hold me. If it weren’t for my friends there’s no telling what they’d have done.”

She stepped around the strongman and spit at the young men’s feet then raised a hand toward the sky as if invoking a decree. “May you never again have a day of happiness. May the misery you inflicted on others pass to your children and to your children’s children. May your descendants also curse you for the rest of time because you have brought this misfortune upon them.”

Ben stepped between her and the men. “All right, you’ll all have to come with me. We’ll straighten this out at the jail.”

“Jail?” She stamped her foot. “You should throw them in jail and lose the key. Sheriff, I did nothing wrong. I defended myself and there’s no reason I should have to lose hours of income.”

Outcries from the locals about crooked circus workers worried Gabe. Circus folks jeered back with their own accusations.

Ben held up his hands. “Anyone else who says anything will come to jail, got that?” He gazed around the now silent crowd. “I want the young woman, the three men who allegedly accosted her, and the strongman to come with me.”

“Allegedly?” Her green eyes sparkled with the fire her voice conveyed. “Oh, no, there is no allegedly, sheriff. These three attacked me and Atlas defended me. There is no reason he or I should be taken to jail.”

“She’s right, sir,” the strongman called Atlas spoke. “Good thing I was nearby.” He smiled at her. “Although, she was defending herself pretty well when my friends and I answered her yell.”

Ben’s eyes narrowed in speculation. “Which friends?”

Atlas’ smile disappeared and his eyes hooded as he flexed his considerable bicep muscles. “You can see I’m able to defend myself and my friend Shimza here.”

“Winfield, take statements from these onlookers. Mitchum, you help me escort these people to jail.” He waved off Monk. “Magonagle, you go on and enjoy yourself.” His glance caught Gabe. “Kincaid, you help out here.”

Danged if he would. “Ben, I just got inside the gate. I haven’t had a day off in months.”

Ben snapped handcuffs on the three young men. “You can have one tomorrow. Right now, I need your help and you’re an officer of the court. Fall in line.”

Where can readers find your work? 

GABE KINCAID is at Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Google Play, and iTunes.

My print books are at Amazon, CreateSpace, and B&N. My ebooks are at most online stores. You can see a list of my titles on my website at http://carolineclemmons.com and my Amazon author page at http://amzn.to/1lpYjXS

Thank you for being my guest today. I wish you the best of luck with your writing. 

Thank you for hosting me as your guest, Zrinka.