By Caroline Clemmons
Several years ago, GRANT ME THE MOON won
1st place in short romance for the International Digital Awards
presented by Oklahoma RWA. Writing this book was a pleasure. As do many of my
books, this one contains mystery as well as romance.
How did I choose the setting? I’m so
glad you asked.
Hero and I grew up in Lubbock, Texas. After
we married, we drove from where we lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to
Lubbock to visit family a million, gazillion times. Maybe not that many, but
that’s what it seemed. We went so often we knew when ranchers or farmers
painted the barn or got a new tractor.
On the way via Highway 84, we passed through Post, founded by the cereal magnate Charles William Post, at the foot of the Caprock Escarpment in Garza County. C. W. Post bought 250,000 acres in Lynn and Garza Counties to start an experimental colony. He bought a number of ranches, fenced off the land in 160-acre tracts, laid out a townsite, built houses, and in other ways worked to attract settlers. In 1907 Garza Count was formed and the town of Post City designated as its county seat.
Evidence of early man found in Garza County includes hundreds of artifacts. In 1934 archeologists also discovered the 16-foot tusk of a prehistoric imperial mammoth. Evidence of early man found in Garza County includes hundreds of artifacts from prehistoric man which were uncovered in the county in the 1960's and named the Garza point. The archeological site is called—what else, the Garza Site. We definitely would have visited the site if we had the opportunity. That’s on private land, though, so we couldn’t have a tour. The same is true for the Lott Site which is less than a mile away.
Nevertheless, Hero and I always wished
we could visit the Garza Site. We’ve enjoyed hiking through places like Chaco Canyon,
Hovenweep, Mesa Verde (to which tourists can view across a ravine but can no
longer walk through it as we did), and various others whenever we had the opportunity. We grew up very near Yellowhouse Canyon and the Lubbock Lake Site. Since we couldn’t visit the Garza Site, I
invented one on a nearby ranch.
Writing fiction is so great!
I don’t know why Post captured my
imagination, but it did. The thought of C. W. Post’s Utopian community in dusty
West Texas both tickles and puzzles me. Post is a nice town with the benefits
of a small town, but only forty miles from the larger city of Lubbock. Primarily
ranch land, the area has a particular desert beauty. The Double Fork branch of
the Brazos River passes through the county. The area also has wind farms to
export electricity.
Our parents are no longer living and we
don’t have occasion to drive through there now but my fascination with Garza County
hasn’t diminished. Perhaps that’s why Post seemed the perfect setting for GRANT ME THE MOON. This is book two of
the Texas Caprock Tales Series. Book one is BE MY GUEST and book three, will be
CAPTURE A STAR.
Allow me to share some of GRANT ME THE MOON. Here’s the blurb:
All Tory Fraser intended was to show her
high school history club students a local archeology dig. How could she know
the excursion would involve a murder? Or that one of her students would be
suspected as the killer? And she had no idea she would meet the man of her
dreams.
Grant Grayson has taken over management
of Grayson Ranch near Post, Texas to give his grandfather a less arduous
schedule. A flash flood washed away an old talus slope on the ranch to reveal a
prehistoric cave that is a Clovis site. Being a good citizen, he invited the
nearest large university archaeology department to excavate the cave. When a
gorgeous blonde high school teacher asks his permission to take her students to
the site, how can he deny her? Especially when he is instantly attracted to her
as he’s never been to anyone.
Tory and Grant are drawn into the
investigation to clear her student but unintentionally make themselves a
target.
Now I’ll share an excerpt from GRANT ME THE MOON:
He guided her inside [the
restaurant] and they were shown to a table.
After they’d placed their orders,
he asked, “Your grandmother, is she all right?”
“Grandpa died last spring. She’s
not ill, just frail and deeply in mourning. I was lucky there was an opening in
the school.”
“Where did you teach before?”
She offered a wry smile, almost
as if embarrassed. “Assistant professor at Texas A&M.” She shrugged and
tilted her head. “I realize it appears I took a backwards step, but I was the
one who could rearrange my life to move here. Fortunately, I genuinely enjoy
teaching high school history and living here.”
“So your grandmother is sad
rather than ill. Does she get around well?”
She raised her eyebrows and
nodded. “In fact, she can keep up with me. After Grandpa passed away, she was
so heartbroken that we were afraid her health was deteriorating. Actually, it
was. She wasn’t eating properly and not sleeping well. Or, she was staying up
most of the night and sleeping most of the day. With me here, she keeps regular
hours and we have breakfast and supper together.”
He reached across the table and
laced his fingers with hers. “But not tonight.”
She met his gaze and smiled
before she slid her hand to her lap. Disappointment claimed him at the loss of
her touch.
“I stopped by the store on my way
home and bought her a chicken pot pie in a brand that’s healthy. I only hope
she’s doing as I asked and having that and a salad for dinner.”
After they’d eaten, he drove
under the speed limit on the way back to Post. Her company fascinated him and
he wished he could prolong the evening. When they reached the edge of the
Caprock above Post, he pulled over at a wide space on the shoulder and opened
the sunroof.
“I love this spot. You can see
the lights of our little town below and the stars above.”
She relaxed against the seat and
head rest. “The almost full moon tonight obscures many of the stars. This is a
beautiful vantage point, though. As if we’re divine and are hanging above the
world. I could almost reach out and touch the moon.”
He reached for her hand and
entwined their fingers “Should I grab it for you?”
She offered a whimsical smile.
“Let’s leave it there so everyone can enjoy the moonlight.”
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Grant-Moon-Texas-Caprock-Tales-ebook/dp/B06XZZCRYM
Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and keep reading!
