By Carp;ine Clemmpns
Stay tuned for more details next week. Thanks for stopping by.
Stay safe and keep reading.
BESTSELLING AND AWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF WESTERN ROMANCE! Caroline Clemmons writes historical and contemporary genre fiction. Historical romances, contemporary romantic suspense, mysteries, and paranormals are among her current works. Learn more about her at https//www.carolineclemmons.com
Showing posts with label KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. Show all posts
Sunday, October 27, 2024
WE WANT YOU!
Friday, June 07, 2024
Kids!
By Caroline Clemmons
Frequently, my books include children as supporting characters. In my books, of course, the homeless children find great homes with loving couples. The 19th century had many children living on the streets. (Unfortunately, there still are.) Readers of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist or of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables (much better and more in depth than the play or the movie) are provided a glimpse into the grim life of orphans or abandoned children. Who could forget Victor Hugo’s young boy living in a culvert?
But I write happily-ever-after books that offer a vacation for the minds of those experiencing exhaustion from the hectic lives we live today. Or, who simply like a fun story to read quickly. I hope I offer food for thought even though the books are not lengthy tomes.
In my opinion, the way a character reacts to a child reveals a great deal about the person. Yes, the characters are people in my mind, friends I get to know well or villains who are dealt with severely.
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Seeing a rough, strong bounty hunter like STUART McGee rescue a baby still in diapers lets readers know he has a kind heart, protects those in need, and accepts responsibility. Readers learn a lot watching a would-be con-man Nate Bartholomew with three young orphans, one of whom is ill and another is mute, in award winning THE MOST UNSUITABLE HUSBAND. Sometimes it’s humorous, other times frightening.
Henry Cameron
Several books in my current historical western romance series, Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides, include children. In Book One, rancher GENTRY McRae and Heidi don’t hesitate to help three frightened children. Book Two has Sheriff JESSE Cameron and Rosalin adopting two boys, one at a time. In Book Five, KEITH Martin, and Elliana take in three unusual siblings, thanks to Elliana’s quick action.
Why are they unusal? Most of the children in my books are attractive. Not so at first glance in Keith and Elliana’s story. The three children’s red hair has been chopped in tufts that stick out in all directions. Their faces are so freckled there is hardly any white skin showing. But they are not doomed.
I have a beautiful, strawberry blonde cousin who is kind and loving. She is twelve years older than me, and I have always admired her character and her lovely complexion. Imagine my surprise when I saw a picture of her from junior high. Her face was covered in freckles. I don’t mean the cute, tiny freckles sprinkled across her nose. Nope, these were huge ones melded together. Now, please don’t think I am judgemental and shallow. She was pretty with freckles, but she was self-conscious. Apparently some people make fun of those who have them, especially girls.
My cousin grew up on a West Texas cotton farm where she helped “chop cotton,” as we called hoeing weeds in the fields, and “pull bolls,” which is harvesting the cotton in back-breaking work. Fortunately for farmers, that is now done mostly by harvesting machines. Obviously, she was in the sun a lot. I wish I had that picture of her in junior high to show you how lovely she appeared even with large freckles.
What happened to her freckles? My uncle kept adding acreage to his farm and it was too large for the family to handle. My uncle’s fortunes increased, and he was able to hire people to harvest his cotton. At the same time, their improved financial situation allowed my aunt to purchase creams that lightened spots on skin. I suppose not spending long days working in the sun helped fade the freckles, too.
When Elliana and Keith brought home the children, Elliana immediately acquired creams to fade their freckles and she protected them from too much sun. Elliana also shaped the girls’ scarecrow hair while Keith took the boy to the barber. As you can imagine, going from living with a terrible stepfather to being in a safe, loving home made a huge difference in their sense of well being. To me, the immediacy and ease with which Elliana and Keith welcomed three children into their home demonstrated their compassion and kindness.
I hope you’ll read and enjoy y books. I love to write for you.
Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and keep reading.
Photo credit: Pexels.com
Friday, May 31, 2024
BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE
By Caroline Clemmons
Writing a book involves dozens of
details. You and my fan group, Caroline’s Cuties, helped name the horses and
dog. Thank you! That was fun. Those were only a tiny part of writing a book.
For instance, they have to have a house.
Usually, I select a Victorian frame home. Sometimes I use brick to build
the house. In the town in which we used to live, there’s a beautiful Victorian
home of red brick. The home has an elevator, which must have been expensive and
unusual at the time the home was built. I’ve been in the front room of that
home, but didn’t get to try the elevator. On one visit, the hostess opened the elevator door for my
friend and I so we could see inside.
For Keith Martin’s home, I wanted
something different, but correct for the period. My youngest daughter and I
love to go on home tours and also simply drive through certain neighborhoods
that contain lovely homes. We don't covet those homes, we simply enjoy seeing the variety of details. After recalling those we’ve toured or seen, I
decided on Italianate-style architecture for Keith’s home. Of course, Keith
would never have conceived of building such an elaborate house. He was
fortunate that his friend Levi Iverson (book 4) steered him toward buying the
home.
Here’s a photo that
is the closest I found.
This one has been divided
into apartments.
If you (as I wasn't) aren’t familiar with
the definition of Italianate, here is what Wikipedia says:
Italianate
architecture is a popular 19th century style of building that was inspired
by 16th century Italian Renaissance architecture combined with
Picturesque influences from farmhouses of the Tuscan countryside.
This
Victorian-era style that began in Britain and spread around the world favored
the use of elements from a romanticized past to create buildings that offered
an alternative to the prevailing formality of classical architecture.
That’s not as helpful as it could be, is it? So, I kept looking. Here are some elements included:
Tall house from two to four stories
May have a Belvedere cupola or tower on
top
Decorative window trim, tall windows
Bay windows
Porches with decorative woodwork
Cast iron or pressed metal decorative
elements on balconies and porches
Entrances with decorative details such
as columns and brackets
Elliana and Keith's Foyer
She expected to live in a log cabin
or small home until she arrived.
You can read about it in their story as
it appears in KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, book 5, Texas Hill Country Mail
Order Brides. If you haven’t read it, get your copy at:
https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Order-Bride-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0CW7B2GZS/
There are four earlier books in the
series: GENTRY (the rancher. Book 1), JESSE (the sheriff, book 2), QUINN (the
reluctant rancher, book 3), and LEVI, book 4). All are available on Amazon in
e-book and print, and all are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. Here’s the series
link—if you scroll through the ads.
Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and
keep reading!
Friday, May 24, 2024
NEWLYWEDS
By Caroline Clemmons
Every newlywed couple has a period of discovery where they learn more about each other. When Hero and I married, we'd known one another since we were teens growing up on the same side of Lubbock, Texas, and attending the same church. There were still many discoveries as we settled into our happily-ever-after.
Imagine how difficult it must have been for a mail order bride and her groom to adjust to married life. If you're interested in reading about some actual mail order brides, read Chris Ennss' book, Hearts West. Hopefully, you'll be interested in reading about Keith and Elliana Martin in Harrigan Springs, Texas. That's book 5 in the Texas Hill Country Brides, KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. It's a bit different in that--while Keith contacted the matchmaker--the bride's family attorney arranged for her to marry Keith.
In case you haven't yet read the book, here's the Amazon link
https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Order-Bride-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0CW7B2GZS/
Here's an excerpt to tempt you:
She
sat erect and sent him an unyielding glare. “What an unkind thing to say. What
have I said or done to give you that impression?”
Uh-oh,
he had better tiptoe around that subject. “Nothing at all. I just meant that
most people, even kind and generous ones, want to control their funds.”
“Well,
you’ll find that I am not ‘most people.’ I am just what I say and what you
see.”
Elliana Martin
He held his hands out at his sides then dropped them back to the arms of his chair. “I apologize for offending you. I assure you it was not my intention.”
Her
lovely brow remained furrowed and her vivid blue eyes narrowed. “I should hope
not. Were you not told I’m quiet, kind, and generous?”
“As
a matter of fact, you were described as so perfect that the description would
only fit a saint. I see now that you possess many of those qualities. I suppose
I’ll see more of them as we become better acquainted.”
“Now
you’re making fun of me, but it’s all right. I’m not a bad sport unless you try
to bully me.”
“I
wasn’t making fun, and I don’t like bullies, either. An uncle and a couple of
my cousins are terrible bullies and mean as anyone can be. The only reason
they’re not in jail is that they’ve paid off some of the police and haven’t
been caught by others. My father is almost as bad and does as my uncle tells
him. I’m relieved I’ll never see them again.”
“Don’t
you intend to visit your parents?”
“Never!”
He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “Elliana, in my family, I’m the
white sheep. The rest are not people you’d ever want to meet. Imagine an entire
family of people like Trey. They don’t even know where I am. It’s important to
keep it that way.”
“Oh,
that is severe… and sad.” She stared at her hands a minute then looked up at him.
“I guess we’ll have to start our own family and include friends here.”
“That’s
my plan. We can’t choose our family members related by blood, but we can choose
good friends to become our family.”
She
let out a sigh. “I’m glad we can agree.”
Sty safe and keep reading!
Friday, May 10, 2024
A HERO AND A HEROINE
By Caroline Clemmons
Have you
wondered how authors choose a hero and a heroine? There’s a saying that if he’s
a fireman, she has to be a firebug—accidentally of course. If he’s a lawman,
she should be a criminal (unjustly accused, I’m sure). I used this last phrase
for JESSE AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE; for BLUEBONNET BRIDE, from the Stone
Mountain TX Series (one of my best selling books); and RACHEL, from the Bride Brigade Series. Actually, I’m
sure you know there’s a lot more to building a hero and heroine than those two phrases
indicate.
Lawman vs. Accused woman
Chemical
attraction is important, of course, but eventually the couple has to talk to
one another. Basic values, common interests, and more figure into the creation
of a couple who can achieve a happily-ever-after. A good sense of humor is
important in any relationship. As in real life, the hero and heroine need to “fit” one another.
KEITH
For
instance, let’s look at Elliana Barrington and Keith Martin from KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. Elliana
grew up wealthy with strict social and personal values. Keith grew up in a
family of criminals in which he was virtually a captive. Elliana knew all the
right social responses and how to conduct herself as a lady—unless injustice aroused her anger. Yes,
quiet and elegant Elliana had a temper she unleashed on bullies and scoundrels.
Keith trained himself to appear the honest businessman he was, but inside he hated his lack of knowledge of the correct social behavior. At the same time, he feared someone from his past might appear. He worked to become more gracious and learn proper social behavior. After buying the bank and later his home, Keith was strapped for cash. Elliana had unbelievable wealth, but also feared someone from her past would appear to endanger her new life.
Elliana
Although they had different upbringings, they had much in common and they had the same goal of a family and a useful, happy life among friends. Doesn’t that sound like what we all want? Certainly it fits my wishes.
Elliana had
kind, loving parents who died young. Keith’s parents are still alive, but too
terrible to contemplate. Elliana and Keith each has a different way of handling adversity, but
the two meld as a couple. You can obtain the story of their adventures at
https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Order-Bride-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0CW7B2GZS/
If you
haven’t yet read the Texas Hill Country Mail Order Bride Series, why are you
waiting? This sweet historical western romance series is available from Amazon
in e-book and print. Each of the series is also enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. The first five
books of the series are GENTRY, JESSE,QUINN, LEVI, and KEITH. Currently, I am
writing book six, SIDNEY. The seventh book will be ISAAC.
Stay safe and keep reading!
Friday, May 03, 2024
A HILL COUNTRY TREAT
By Caroline Clemmons
John O. Meusebach
In 1846, under the leadership of John O. Meusebach, 120 German immigrants arrived at what is now Fredericksburg. Meusebach had renounced his title as Baron Otfried Hans Freiherr von Meusebach to lead the immigrants as a "commoner" and the commissioner general of the Adelsverein, the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas. Most of this group was from the Rhine River Valley. The site he chose was on Barons Creek (named for Meusebach) four miles north of the Pedernales River. (As an aside, I must tell you that no matter that an early mapmaker misspelled the name as Pedernales, it is pronounced purr-den-alice as it has been for several hundred years.)
Meusenbach named the town Fredericksburg after Prince Frederick of Prussia. The town was laid out like the towns of the Rhine with a broad avenue and a town square. Each family received a plot in town and ten acres nearby to farm. On the town square, they built the octagonal Vereneine Kirche, the Society Church, which was shared by different denominations on alternating Sundays. The church also provided a town fortress and a place for community meetings. During the Civil War, the Germans were Union sympathizers and none of them owned slaves.
Octagonal Vereneine Kirche
Here’s something I found fascinating: The land the Germans settled was the range of the Penateka Comanche, a fierce group. Many other white men tried to make the Comanche move away. The Germans asked permission to live on the land and share it with the Comanche. The Germans said the Indians would always be welcome in town and businesses. Just shy of 34 years old, Meusebach was 6 feet 2 inches tall with a bright red beard. The Comanche called him El Sol Colorado, the Red Sun. He negotiated the signing of the Meusebach-Comanche Treaty with Santa Ana, which eliminated the threat of Indian attack, and is still unbroken to this day! Another thing I found interesting was that many Germans refused to speak English, hoping that would keep them out of politics and local problems. Didn't work that well, but I suppose it's good to hang on to your native language. One of our friends had not heard English spoken until he entered first grade. Big culture shock for him.
End of history lesson. <g>
A substantial Sunday house,
some were much smaller
Each time I have been to Fredericksburg, I have found new things to love. One of those is the Sunday houses. Farmers who lived too far to travel to church on Sunday morning sometimes built a small house in town. The family drove in on Saturday morning and spent the weekend. This allowed for shopping and possibly a party on Saturday. After an overnight rest, the family could attend Sunday church services. Sad to say, I have heard that many of them have been torn down to make way for so-called progress. I found the houses picturesque.
Other area interests are numerous wineries. The area has become well-known for their fine wines. Many of them offer tasting rooms. There are delightful local inns in case you need to recover from too much tasting. <g>
Winery near Frederickburg
Antique shops pull me in like magnets. A branding iron I purchase came from a shop next door to the Admiral Nimitz Museum. The iron is actually a large Z on which is centered a smaller S. The effect is a dollar sign unless you look carefully. Hero said that was definitely my brand. Imagine the nerve of the man! <g> In spite of his comment, the branding iron is displayed in our living room with many other western and American Indian memorabilia and framed western prints of bluebonnets and windmills, etc. Looking at them makes me happy.
Perhaps you can tell I love the Texas Hill Country. I hope you’ll help me celebrate it by reading my series. The last one released is KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, Book 5. It's available in e-book and print and is in KU. The Amazon buy link is:
https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Order-Bride-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0CW7B2GZS/
I’m currently writing Book 6 about SIDNEY, owner of Garton’s Mercantile. It contains a litle more humor as well as some adventure. Stay tuned….
In the meantime, stay safe and keep reading!
Friday, March 29, 2024
A HORRIBLE THING HAPPENED
By Caroline
Clemmons
What?
What? But, sure enough, when I checked I was appalled—and humiliated!
https://www.amazon.com/Order-Bride-Texas-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0BZDT6Q1J/
I love the characters in this book—except for the villains, of course. Even bad guys have their place in a story. The orphans Keith and Elliana adopt create a family feeling. For me, children enliven a story, just as they do in life. I’m certainly grateful for our two daughters! The house is gorgeous. In case you think no one could get such a wonderful home at a bargain, let me tell you that I once knew a couple who did. They had a party there soon after they moved in. The only furniture in the main part of the home were folding chairs and a couple of folding tables they borrowed from their church.
“Another gem of a story
in this series and hoping there will be more.”
“Keith and the Mail Order Bride was so good I read it all in half a day. Can’t wait for the authors other books.”
“So refreshing to read new book by Caroline Clemmons! As always,, well-written, good plot, setting, and characters.
"Kept me up reading well past my bedtime!”
Keep Reading!
I’m at work on the next book in the series, which is about
Sid Garton, owner of Garton’s Mercantile. I’m enjoying the book, and hope your
will, too.
Thanks for stopping by.
Friday, March 22, 2024
WELCOME ELLIANA
By Caroline Clemmons
Hello,
Friends,
I’ve
invited for tea recently wed Elliana Barrington Martin, bride of Keith Martin. Their
story is in KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, Book 5, Texas Hill Country Mail
Order Brides, a sweet historical western romance and adventure. [Elliana glides
in wearing an impeccable lavender silk dress trimmed in lace. She is dark blond
with wide blue eyes and alabaster skin. Her regal bearing might make her appear
unapproachable if it were not for her delightful smile. She appears to be a
young woman who smiles frequently.]
Elliana Barrington Martin
CC:
Please have a seat, Elliana. Thank you for joining me today. [I pour our tea
into my best china cups, hoping I don’t rattle the cup and saucer as I hand it
to her.]
Elliana's Interview Dress
EM:
[She takes the cup and saucer with no apparent effort or concentration.] Thank
you for having me. I appreciate the invitation.
CC:
Will you tell readers a bit about yourself—your age, how tall you are, and so
forth? [I hold the pastry plate for her to select one, then set the plate on
the table between us. She chose a shortbread cookie.]
EM:
[Her eyes ice over briefly.] One doesn’t usually ask a woman her age, and I can’t
imagine why your readers would like to know. [She takes a deep breath and her
smile returns.] I’m twenty-three and about seven inches over five feet. I grew
up in Evansville, Indiana, where both my parents and my father’s brother and
his wife lived with my grandparents.
[She
has a wistful expression.] My parents were a wonderful couple. Papa helped
Grandpa with his investment business and they were successful for clients and
for our family. Papa was devoted to Mama—everyone was. She was elegant but kind.
She laughed easily and was quick to hug me. While they were alive, I was
happiest while they were alive. My parents and aunt died in a tragic accident when
I was twelve, and my grandmother took over my care. My uncle Joey and then my
Grandpa died a few years apart. I adored Gran, and I knew she doted on me. But
she was much more serious and formal than my mother. She had a bad heart and
recently passed.
CC:
You have my sincere condolences. How did you come to be a mail order bride?
EM:
You see, Uncle Joey’s son Trey was only a couple of years older than I was. Sad
to admit, but he was a terrible person. A greedy bully, vengeful and always in
debt, even though he had a very nice monthly allowance from his trust fund.
Gran wanted me away from Evansville when her Will was read. She had left our family
home to become the Barrington Girls Academy and a good deal of money to others,
especially to me. She knew my cousin, Trey, would be furious and seek to harm
me unless I was elsewhere.
CC:
That sounds frightening. But if you were getting a large legacy, why did you
need to marry a stranger?
EM:
For all Gran’s having trained me to be a strong woman, she thought the right
husband would help protect me. Uncle Alexander was given the task of
finding that man. He wasn’t really my uncle, but my godfather and our family
attorney, Alexander Penobscott. How he located Keith I have no idea, but he is
quite resourceful and a leading attorney, not just for Evansville, but for
surrounding states as well. I’m not certain he looked for a man seeking a mail
order bride, but that’s the way it worked out.
CC:
Was it an arduous journey?
EM:
[She rolls her eyes.] The train would have been rather pleasant if I hadn’t
been so sad about Gran. I have to say I hope to never, ever ride a stagecoach
again. It’s an onerous way to travel. I apologize, but I don’t believe I should
reveal more about that part of my trip.
CC:
How do you like your new home?
EM:
If you mean Harrigan Springs, I love it. Since I grew up in a city, I was
surprised to learn I love living in a small town. The people are friendly, but
curious. It’s true what they say about small towns: If you sneeze on one side
of town, someone on the other side of town will say “bless you.”
CC:
How about your home? After growing up with wealth, have you adjusted?
EM: [laughs] Traveling there, I had no idea what to expect. For all I knew I’d be living in a log cabin. I had to trust Gran and Uncle Alexander. I knew that Gran had her companion, Jane, supervises the packing of many things from our home and having them shipped to my new address. I was so surprised to find Keith’s home, well our home now, was a beautiful and luxurious Italianate-style house. Seeing inside was also a surprise, for there was almost no furniture.
CC: Is there anything else you’d like for us to know?
Foyer of the Martin Home
EM:
Oh, there is so much more, but I simply must go. I’ve promised the children I’d
take them for a drive to visit friends on a ranch outside town.
CC:
Children?
EM:
Readers will simply have to buy the book to find out more. [She elegantly
rises.] Thank you for your hospitality. Please excuse me. [She she leaves]
CC:
Goodness, it sounds to me as if Elliana left out quite a few details. If you
haven’t read KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, you can find it in e-book and
print at Amazon. It’s also in Kindle Unlimited.
https://www.amazon.com/Order-Bride-Texas-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0BZDT6Q1J/
Thank you for stopping by.
Friday, March 15, 2024
INTERVIEW WITH KEITH
By Caroline Clemmons
Welcome,
Friends.
Our
special guest today is Keith Martin, hero of the historical western romance KEITH
AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE, book 5 of the Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides.
Come in, Keith, and have a seat. [Keith takes a seat facing me. He’s wearing a
business suit, has blue eyes and dark brown hair and a short beard. He’s
probably a little over six feet tall and is a strikingly handsome man.]
CC:
Tell us about yourself, Keith.
KM:
I’m a banker in Harrigan Springs in what’s called the Hill Country of Texas. It’s
a real nice community. Let’s see, what else can I tell you? Oh, I recently
bought a house there, a place so fancy I can’t believe I own it.
CC:
How did you come to own your home?
KM:
The previous owner was a wealthy politician who decided to move back to
Washington D.C. Levi, who often buys property, alerted me the place was for
sale.
CC:
Tell us about your friends there.
KM:
Sheriff Jesse Cameron and Levi Iverson, the blacksmith, are my two best friends.
Ed Ferguson, the attorney, and Reverend Isaac Wood, and Sid Garton at Garton’s
Mercantile are also good friends. In fact, I guess most people in town consider
me a friend.
CC:
Surely there are people in town you don’t care for.
KM:
Well, I don’t like to gossip about people, but since you asked a direct
question, I’ll admit I don’t care for the precious owner of the bank or his
wife, the Worthingtons. Let’s change the subject please.
CC:
Tell us your age and about your background. Where did you grow up and what was
your family like? Siblings?
KM:
I’m thirty-one and I’m an only child. [He flashes a charming grin] My favorite
relative was my great-grandmother, Nonna. She raised my father and uncle after
my grandparents died when my dad was just a toddler. Nonna was an amazing woman
who lived to be ninety-nine.
CC:
Living that long is unusual. What about the rest of your family?
KM:
[shifting in his chair and looking down] Um, I’d rather not talk about them.
CC:
Are there any special difficulties in your job? Any problems fitting in when
you first arrived?
KM:
Harrigan Springs is a friendly community. Gradually, I’ve increased the number
of bank depositors. One problem was I didn’t know anything about the manners
needed for formal social situations. Mrs. Alice Pickard, a local widow and the
church pianist, has been secretly teaching me things like which fork to use.
She’s another of my favorite people here. Oh, man, she makes the best pies I’ve
ever eaten.
CC:
What are your plans for the future?
KM:
[He leans forward and his eyes sparkle] I intend to sink roots here for life. I
want my children and grandchildren to grow up here. Now that I have a fancy
house, I’m going to send for a mail order bride.
Italianate Home similar to Keith's
CC:
I’m sure she won’t mind since she’ll have a beautiful place to live. Thank you
for coming, Keith, and good luck with your bride.
KM:
Thank you for having me, ma’am. [He stands and leaves the room}
Friends,
read about Keith’s adventures and misadventures in KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE.
You can find it at Amazon in e-book and in print. Of course, it’s also in
Kindle Unlimited.
https://www.amazon.com/Order-Bride-Texas-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0BZDT6Q1J/
Friday, March 08, 2024
HELP WELCOME KEITH!
By Caroline Clemmons
Happy Book Birthday
to KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE! I’m so excited about this book and eager to
share it with you. Book 5 of The Hill Country Mail Order Brides, KEITH is a
sweet historical western romance in which multiple obstacles add bumps on the
road to happily-ever-after. Of course, each of my books end happily, the
adventure is arriving there.
Buy Link:
Here is the Amazon
link to purchase the e-book, which is also available in print and is enrolled
in KU.
https://www.amazon.com/Order-Bride-Texas-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0BZDT6Q1J/
The summary:
Elliana Barrington has to escape from Evansville before a deranged
cousin learns the terms of their grandmother’s will. So, Elliana is sent to
marry a man in Texas, who hopefully can protect her. She knows her greedy
cousin expected to inherit everything. Although he received a generous
inheritance, the desperate cousin has debts he can’t pay, debts owed to
dangerous men. He plans to force Elliana to sign over her money to him. She is
kind and generous and willing to share her legacy. But her grandmother’s
unbreakable will is specific—if Elliana attempts to give her cousin any funds, everything
they each inherited will be forfeited to charity.
After escaping a difficult situation, Keith Martin created a new life as the banker of Harrigan Springs, Texas. He’s won the respect of the community and has made many good friends. After buying a house, he sends for a mail-order bride. What a surprise to receive a letter from a young woman’s attorney, complete with a contract. Although not sure he’s doing the right thing, Keith agrees to marry the woman and fulfill the contract’s conditions. He expects a shy, overprotected bride—but he’s in for a surprise!
Fate has troubles in store for Elliana and Keith, threats that involve everyone in their household. They strive to protect themselves and the three orphans they’ve adopted. But, how can they reason with her crazed cousin? Can this couple overcome their complex circumstances to build a happy lifetime together?
An excerpt:
She sat erect and sent him an unyielding glare. “What an unkind
thing to say. What have I said or done to give you
that impression?”
Uh-oh, he had
better tiptoe around that subject. “Nothing at all. I just meant that most
people, even kind and generous ones, want to control their funds.”
“Well, you’ll
find that I am not ‘most people.’ I’m just what I say and who you see.”
He held his hands
out at his sides then dropped them back to the arms of his chair. “I apologize
for offending you. I assure you it was not my intention.”
Her lovely brow
remained furrowed and her vivid blue eyes narrowed. “I should hope not. Were
you not told I’m quiet, kind, and generous?”
“As a matter of
fact, you were described as so perfect that the description would only fit a
saint. I see now that you possess many of those qualities. I suppose I’ll see
more of them as we become better acquainted.”
“Now you’re
making fun of me, but it’s all right. I’m not a bad sport unless you try to
bully me.”
“I wasn’t making
fun, and I don’t like bullies, either. An uncle and a couple of my cousins are
terrible bullies and mean as anyone can be. The only reason they’re not in jail
is that they’ve paid off some of the police and haven’t been caught by others.
My father is almost as bad and does as my uncle tells him. I’m relieved I’ll
never see them again.”
“Don’t you intend
to visit your parents?”
“Never!” He
leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “Elliana, in my family, I’m the
white sheep. The rest are not people you’d ever want to meet. Imagine an entire
family of people like Trey. They don’t even know where I am. It’s important to
keep it that way.”
“Oh, that is
severe… and sad.” She stared at her hands a minute then looked up at him. “I
guess we’ll have to start our own family and include friends here.”
“That’s my plan.
We can’t choose our family members related by blood, but we can choose good
friends to become our family.”
She let out a
sigh. “I’m glad we can agree.”
I hope you choose
to read KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE.
In case you
missed any of the series, here they are:
Book 1, the rancher, GENTRY AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE
https://www.amazon.com/Gentry-Texas-Country-Order-Brides-ebook/dp/B0B6YN6QHK
Book 2, the sheriff, JESSE AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE
https://www.amazon.com/Jesse-Order-Bride-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0BD64JC1D/
Book 3, the rancher, QUINN AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE
https://www.amazon.com/Quinn-Order-Bride-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0BSTMWV5X
Book 4, the blacksmith, LEVI AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE
https://www.amazon.com/Levi-Order-Bride-Texas-Country-Brides-ebook/dp/B0BZDT6Q1J
Thanks for
stopping by,
Caroline
Friday, February 23, 2024
PREORDER KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE
By
Caroline Clemmons
Yay! Time to preorder KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE! Yes, I
finally finished book 5 of the Texas Hill Country Mail Order Brides Series,
which will be released on March 8th. Here’s the preorder link at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW7B2GZS
Once it's released, it will be in e-book and in print. As usual, it will be enrolled in KU. And, here is the cover, designed by Charlene
Raddon at Silver Sage Covers.
Let me share the blurb with you:
Elliana
Barrington has to escape from Evansville before a deranged cousin learns the
terms of their grandmother’s will. So, Elliana is sent to marry a man in Texas,
who hopefully can protect her. She knows her greedy cousin expected to inherit
everything. Although he received a generous inheritance, the desperate cousin
has debts he can’t pay, debts owed to dangerous men. He plans to force Elliana’s
to sign over her money to him. She is kind and generous and willing to share
her legacy. But her grandmother’s unbreakable will is specific—if Elliana
attempts to give her cousin any funds, everything they each inherited will be forfeited
to charity.
After escaping a
difficult situation, Keith Martin created a new life as the banker of Harrigan
Springs, Texas. He’s won the respect of the community and has made many good
friends. After buying a house, he sends for a mail order bride. What a surprised
to receive a letter from a young woman’s attorney, complete with a contract.
Although not sure he’s doing the right thing, Keith agrees to marry the woman
and fulfill the contract’s conditions. He expects a shy, overprotected bride—but
he’s in for a surprise!
I couldn’t find exactly the model for Elliana Barrington, but this
is very close.
Elliana Barrington
Here’s an excerpt
She sat erect and sent him an unyielding glare. “What an unkind
thing to say. What have I said or done to give you that impression?”
Uh-oh, he had better tiptoe around that subject. “Nothing at all.
I just meant that most people, even kind and generous ones, want to control
their funds.”
“Well, you’ll find that I am not ‘most people.’ I am just what I
say and what you see.”
He held his hands out at his sides then dropped them back to the
arms of his chair. “I apologize for offending you. I assure you it was not my
intention.”
Her lovely brow remained furrowed and her vivid blue eyes
narrowed. “I should hope not. Were you not told I’m quiet, kind, and generous?”
“As a matter of fact, you were described as so perfect that the
description would only fit a saint. I see now that you possess many of those qualities.
I suppose I’ll see more of them as we become better acquainted.”
“Now you’re making fun of me, but it’s all right. I’m not a bad
sport unless you try to bully me.”
“I wasn’t making fun, and I don’t like bullies, either. An uncle
and a couple of my cousins are terrible bullies and mean as anyone can be. The
only reason they’re not in jail is that they’ve paid off some of the police and
haven’t been caught by others. My father is almost as bad and does as my uncle
tells him. I’m relieved I’ll never see them again.”
“Don’t you intend to visit your parents?”
“Never!” He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “Elliana,
in my family, I’m the white sheep. The rest are not people you’d ever want to
meet. Imagine an entire family of people like Trey. They don’t even know where
I am. It’s important to keep it that way.”
“Oh, that is severe… and sad.” She stared at her hands a minute
then looked up at him. “I guess we’ll have to start our own family and include
friends here.”
“That’s my plan. We can’t choose our family members related by
blood, but we can choose good friends to become our family.”
She let out a sigh. “I’m glad we can agree.”
Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and keep reading!
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