SHARING MY HOMETOWN AND MY BOOK

This post is late going up because my computer attacked itself. Actually, a virus attacked, and it took a while for my sweet Hero to evict the evil virus. Usually, I schedule a post days ahead. Wouldn’t you know the time I’m down to the wire, the computer gets sick? I simply cannot understand why people think it’s fun to attach a virus to some unsuspecting person’s email. Good heavens, people, get a life!

Many of you know that, for the most part, I grew up in West Texas in and near Lubbock. My family moved there from Southern California when I was seven. The area is an arid, oftentimes dusty place, but a good place to live. My family were blue collar and lived on the wrong side of the tracks. All my friends were from similar households, so I had no clue we were poor. Why would I? My parents made certain I had everything I needed and most of the things I wanted. And after all, we gave to the Salvation Army to help the poor. Yes, I was naïve, but happy.

Lubbock, Texas known as
The Hub of the Plains

Growing up in West Texas imprints that locale into your blood. It’s called “the Land of the Tall Sky” and carries with it a certain freedom. When I lived in Florida, for instance, I always felt the sky was too close to the ground. Silly perhaps, but I am not the only one who has had this experience.

In the Land Of The Tall Sky,
you can see miles and miles
of nothing but miles and miles

Another thing I like about the area around Lubbock is that you can see miles and miles. Unless you are in a ravine or canyon, like Yellowhouse Canyon, the land is flat with few trees. When I talked with my editor in NY about being able to see a mile away, she doubted me. But it’s true. We were discussing my heroine in HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME and her being able to see the home of a friend.

One thing I don't like about West Texas is a sand or dust storm. Yikes! For asthmatics like my family, you can't get your breath. It's as if grit has replaced all the oxygen. There's a dust storm in HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME and in THE MOST UNSUITABLE COURTSHIP. They happen, and they are chokers.

HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME rights have reverted to me now and it has a new cover. My Hero is currently uploading it to Amazon. Ramona Lockwood, of Covers by Ramona, designed the new cover. No, there are no mountains in the Lubbock area. There is a playa in the book, though. I love the colors of this cover.

Here's the blurb:

Courtney Madison has battled poverty her entire twenty-five years but is determined to make a safe and happy home for her teenaged brother after the recent death of their mom. Her mom’s illness left Courtney with a mountain of hospital bills, her formerly sweet brother Jimmy is now cutting class and hanging with a rough crowd, and she’s just learned she’s being downsized in two weeks. Hanging on by the threads of a fraying rope, she learns she’s inherited two million dollars from a kind elderly man she befriended when he was in the hospital across the hall from her mom. She thinks her inheritance in West Texas is the answer to all her prayers--but Courtney learns that while money improves her life, it doesn’t guarantee happiness. This modern Cinderella encounters problems even a fairy godmother couldn’t imagine.

Rancher/entrepreneur Derek Corrigan has incredible instincts for flourishing in the business world. With women, not so much. In fact, his friends bemoan he’s King Midas where money is concerned, but his judgment of women is pathetic--evidenced by his late wife and now the flamboyant woman he’s been escorting of late. As far as Derek is concerned, all he wants is to be a good dad to his children Warren, aged 8, and Meg, aged 5. Derek suspects the worst of his new neighbor and vows to fight his attraction for her. The only way he can protect his children and himself is to keep his private life very private. Besides, he knows what women do to him--they always leave and take chunks of his heart with them. He's been there, done that, had the vaccination and is cured. Isn't he?

This is the first of three books planned for the Texas Home series. In HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME, Derek Corrigan has been searching for his sister and mother for years. In the second book, FINDING MY TEXAS HOME, Derek Corrigan’s sister finds him—and meets Derek’s best friend, Rusty McCullough. The third book is RETURN TO MY TEXAS HOME and features Rusty’s sister Elaine McCullough and the return of her high school secret crush, Chance Stewart.

HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME will be available for purchase from Amazon in a couple of days. If you haven’t read it, please give this sweet contemporary romance a try.

Thanks for stopping by!

AN INTERVIEW WITH CAROLINE CLEMMONS

Usually I ask about the same questions to my guest authors. Today I thought I would interview—ME. I know, you think you know quite a bit about me already, maybe all you ever wanted to know. Please don’t give up on me. Here I go:

Tell us about growing up:

Whew, glad no one asked whether I was sweet or horrid. My parents moved to the Bakersfield, CA area when I was a baby and then moved back to Texas the summer before third grade, when I was seven. We eventually settled in Lubbock when I was ten, a few months after the birth of my younger brother. (Then he was ten years younger than me, but now he’s passed me and is my older brother. Funny how age works, isn’t it?) 

Lubbock, Texas bills itself as the Hub of the Plains

We were our dad’s second family, and he was a lot older than our mom. Our half-siblings were near our mom’s age. In fact, our eldest half-brother was two years older than our mom.  Our half-siblings and their children live in California and look as beautiful as people who live there are supposed to. Many of them could pass for movie stars or models. I think I’m the only chubby one in the family.

As an adult, Hero and I lived in Oxnard CA one summer and loved it, in Cupertino CA a year and loved that, and in Windermere near Orlando FL for two-and-a-half years. The rest of the time, we've lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Although we currently live on a small acreage, we're selling that (hopefully soon!) and moving into Fort Worth.

When did you decide to write?

I loved reading as long as I can remember. My dad taught me to read when I was very young, four. I think his motive was he wouldn’t have to read me the funny papers every evening. I loved Bugs Bunny.  Yeah, I still do. 

But I didn’t write until I took journalism. Then I didn’t write books until my mother-in-law gave me a grocery bag of romances. That’s when I wanted to become Nora Roberts.  Yeah, I still do.

Nora Roberts

Writing is not quite as easy as reading, but I love both. To date, I’ve written three novellas and thirteen novels that include a time travel romantic suspense, a cozy mystery, a mystery, three contemporary romances, and the rest are western historical romances. All except one novella are set in Texas. Write what you know.

What is your favorite way to relax and recharge?

I love reading, family, getting together with friends, working on genealogy, research (yes, I get lost in it and love it), and travel.   

What’s a quote that sums up how you feel about life?

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Ghandi

Where do you prefer to write?

Hot tea and a couple of cats for company

I write in what I call my pink cave, which is a lovely room that used to belong to Darling Daughter 2. She decorated it with prints and photos and I’ve added to them with family photos, knick knacks, a couple of plaques from my friend Geri Foster, and assorted clutter. I have all my research books here in my cave. I prefer my PC to a laptop and save the laptop for travel. I like classical music when I’m writing because I believe it adds rhythm to the words. For email, I like Ella Fitzgerald or Carol King or others. We have our house listed for sale, so I hope I'll have a nice cave after we move.

Are you a plotter or a panzer?

Definitely a plotter since I heard Laura Baker and Robin Perini give their “Story Magic” workshop years ago. They saved my life! 

My critique partners are terrific at helping me plot. Darling Daughter 1 recently helped me with a current plot problem. Whew! Nice to have talented friends and family members.

Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?

I do use some real events as secondary mentions, but not as main events. For instance, in the Men of Stone Mountain series, I mention Brit Johnson being murdered by Kiowas near the site of the book. That’s true, sadly. The closest I’ve come to using real people as characters is basing the aunts in that series on my mom and her sister. I love those two characters because of that connection and happy memories.

Do you set daily writing goals?

Sure I set page counts. Do I make them? Seldom, but then I have spurts where I amaze myself. Life often interferes.

What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

An escape from reality or whatever bugs them and a pleasant way to spend a few hours, that they end each book with a sigh of contentment wishing for my next book.

What long-term plans do you have for your career?

To keep writing as long as I can sit in my desk chair and prop my fingers on the keyboard. LOL I have too many characters in my head begging me to write them for me to give up now.

Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?

I’m finishing up a novella that is a spin off from the Men of Stone Mountain series. In the third book, there’s a character briefly mentioned named Bear Baldwin.  For some reason, he appeared in my head as a terrific guy who’d written away for a mail-order bride. This is an extension of a short story I wrote, but I’m having lots of fun with my heroine. She’s a substitute for her friend and the hero is a bit miffed he’s been passed off like a pair of old boots. There’s a bad guy—isn’t there always in my books?—after the heroine, so she’s eager to get wed before the cad shows up.  The title is TABITHA’S JOURNEY and it will be out the first week of June, 2013.

 

Tabitha Masterson

After that, I’ll be working on Storm Kincaid’s book, THE MOST UNSUITABLE COURTSHIP. I hope to have it released in mid September and resume the Kincaid series concurrently with the Stone Mountain series.I love both those series. I hope it's all right to say I like my books and characters. I do. I can't expect readers to love them unless I do, too.

Storm Kincaid

Next will be another spin off from Men of Stone Mountain about the first of November, CHRISTMAS ON STONE MOUNTAIN. I haven't narrowed down the cover for it yet. The hero is Buster Parish, the new sheriff of Radford Springs, Texas. 

What advice would you give to unpublished authors?

Don’t let anyone steal your dream! Hone your craft and persevere.

A fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.

Darling Daughter 2 and I used to have three antique booths. We brought home the best stuff. It's not that we're such bad businesswomen, really, but we love antiques and hate to part with them. We have a new rule that we can't bring anything else home unless we get rid of something. If we won the lottery, though, we’d  each buy a bigger house and get back in the antique business. ☺

Something about you that would surprise or shock readers.

I am afraid of the water and am a lousy swimmer. Even though I'm chubby, I sink like a stone. In spite of that, I love watching water and also boating. Yes, I ALWAYS wear a life preserver.

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?

Please sign up for my newsletter on the sidebar

Thanks for stopping by! 

PEEK AT HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME

Please let me share the opening chapter of my sweet contemporary romance, HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME, available in print and e-book from The Wild Rose Press and other online sources. Unlike many of my romances, no one dies or is kidnapped in this book. Focusing on family values, you'll find humor, pathos, blossoming romance, and...okay, a bit of larceny. The setting for this modern Cinderella story is in and near where I grew up in Lubbock, Texas.



A Lubbock County
cotton field

 My dad was involved in the cotton business, but there are numerous ranches in the area as well as many other industries. Lubbock is cited as "The Hub of the Plains" by locals. Part of the story takes part in the fictional town of Sweet Springs, and there are two other books planned for the Sweet Springs series. Here's the blurb for HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME:

Courtney Madison has battled poverty her entire twenty-five years but is determined to make a safe and happy home for her teenaged brother after the recent death of their mom. Her mom’s illness left Courtney with a mountain of hospital bills, her formerly sweet brother Jimmy is now cutting class and hanging with a rough crowd, and she’s just learned she’s being downsized in two weeks. Hanging on by the threads of a fraying rope, she learns she’s inherited two million dollars from a kind elderly man she befriended when he was in the hospital across the hall from her mom. She thinks her inheritance in West Texas is the answer to all her prayers--but Courtney learns that while money improves her life, it doesn’t guarantee happiness. This modern Cinderella encounters problems even a fairy godmother couldn’t imagine.

Rancher/entrepeneur Derek Corrigan has incredible instincts for flourishing in the business world. With women, not so much. In fact, his friends bemoan he’s King Midas where money is concerned, but his judgment of women is pathetic--evidenced by his ex-wife and the flamboyant woman he’s been escorting of late. His main interest is his two children, Warren eight, and Meg five. He's intrigued by Courtney, yet Derek suspects the worst of his new neighbor and vows to fight his attraction for her. He knows what women do to him--they always leave and take chunks of his heart with them. He's been there, done that, had the vaccination and is cured. Isn't he?

And here's a peek at the first chapter that begins in Dallas:

                      Chapter One

Courtney Madison rushed down the main aisle of Baker’s Books. Warmth enveloped her, a welcome change from the freezing Dallas weather outside. She was hurrying toward her office at the back of the store when a man stepped from the mystery section. Their collision knocked off his western hat and a stack of books from his hands.

Downtown Dallas, where Courtney
works in a book store

“I’m so sorry.” She leaned over to retrieve his things.



“My fault. Let me help.” He bent and grabbed the Stetson.



Her head collided with his and her purse slid from her grasp. Pain radiated across her scalp. She’d be sure to have a bump tomorrow.


Both straightened and stepped back. She stared at the books she’d knocked from his arms. “How could I have been so clumsy? You must be wondering what’s keeping the rest of the Three Stooges…” When she raised her head, her sentence trailed away.



Cobalt blue eyes met her gaze. He stood a good seven inches taller than she, which put him at about three inches over six feet. A deep tan with crinkled lines at the corner of each eye suggested a man at home in wind and weather. The white line of a scar on one cheek and a tiny crook in his nose added ruggedness to his otherwise breathtaking good looks.

 Close your mouth before you drool on him.



When she knelt again to retrieve the half dozen or so books he’d dropped, he bent to help, his large tanned hands making short work of the task. A unique scent teased her nostrils, a blend of subtle woodsy toiletries.



He leaned nearer, speaking low. “I thought tornado season started in March, not January.” A smile spread across his face and created a twinkle in his gorgeous eyes.



She knew he meant her, but after an upsetting meeting with her brother’s school counselor this afternoon, combined with her formerly sweet brother’s recent behavior changes, she felt as if she’d been sucked into the vortex of a tornado herself.


Her face heated in a blush. “Speaking in defense of this particular tornado—” she pointed to herself “—I was whirling along nicely until I hit your brick wall.” She pointed to his broad chest and smiled.



He swept up her purse and offered it to her as he rose. She saw the sparks of interest in his twinkling eyes.



“Thanks.” Courtney stood and slid the bag’s strap over her shoulder. Something about him tugged at her memory, but surely she’d recall meeting a man this attractive.


He shifted his reclaimed stack of mysteries and his hat while he gave her an appraising look. The twinkle in his eyes faded and his brows knit. “Are you Courtney Madison?”



Perplexed he knew her name, she nodded, but still couldn’t place him. “Have we met somewhere?”



When he held out his right hand, his smile was polite but cool. “I’m Derek Corrigan.”



“Of course, Sam Warren’s son. Sam showed me photos of you and your children.” She took his warm hand in hers, making her wish she’d worn gloves on her errand. “I was so sorry I couldn’t attend Sam’s funeral.”



Her throat closed and she fought the tears that gathered in her eyes at the mention of Sam’s name. Sighing, she patted their clasped right hands with her left. “And I’m so sorry you lost Sam. Even though you kept your birth name, I know he was your father in all the ways that count.”


“That he was.” His voice grew gravelly. “Appreciated your note and the flowers.”


She smiled up at him. “I’ve missed hearing from him. He was such a dear man.”



He eased his fingers from hers and looked around. “Is there somewhere we could speak in private?”



Embarrassed she’d held his hand for so long, Courtney also became aware that the only other customer in the store now inched closer, obviously eavesdropping. “Let’s go to my office, shall we?” She gestured toward the back then turned.


Her assistant manager, Billy, ambled in their direction. “Need help back here?”



“Everything’s fine now but I’ll be in my office for a while. Could you continue watching the register?”



“Sure thing, Courtney.” Billy headed for the check-out counter near the front of the store.

Lubbock in West Texas
where Derek has
an office

Though Derek waited for her to guide the way, he carried himself with the air of one used to leading, of giving orders and having them obeyed without question.



She smoothed her hand self-consciously along the waist of her old gray corduroy—her best work dress—and led the way through the maze of aisles to her office. The tiny cubicle at the side of the storeroom shrank even smaller with this man in it. What she’d once thought a subtle rose potpourri on her desk now seemed overwhelming. She knew Derek was a wealthy businessman, and reasoned he probably thought her office shabby.



If he did, she admitted he’d be correct. She’d used her own funds to paint the windowless walls a soothing sea-foam green. From garage sales, she’d found the ladder-back visitor’s chair and two framed prints for the walls. In spite of her efforts to glamorize the tiny space, the office was obviously only a walled-off area of the storage room.

Derek appeared to scan the nameplate on her desk.


Courtney Madison, Manager.



The polished brass plaque on a mahogany stand had been a gift from her mother and Jimmy two years earlier when she’d been promoted to Manager. As far as Courtney was concerned, the title might as well have said Terminated Manager, Desperately Seeking New Position.


She hated thinking about the huge book chain megastore that had opened only one block away from Baker’s Books. Despite all the marketing strategies she, her coworkers, and the owner had tried, sales had plummeted. Mel Baker would emerge from retirement in one week to reclaim his position as manager of Baker’s Books. At that time, Courtney’s and Billy’s jobs ceased.


Not that the change was a black mark against her abilities. In fact, Mel highly praised her management and the way she’d fought declining profits. But with Billy and Courtney gone, the store’s two largest salaries would be eliminated. Mel hoped to salvage the independent bookstore he’d founded and owned for thirty years. Sadly, Courtney believed Mel was fighting a battle he’d already lost. She sighed and pulled her attention back to her visitor.



Courtney slid her arms from her jacket and hung it and her purse on the coat rack. With so little room in her office, she stepped around to sit at her desk, extending her hand toward the only other chair. “Please, sit down.”


Derek complied then placed his hat on the desk. He wore his black hair in a traditional style. Nothing less than custom tailoring had produced the gray western-cut suit he wore with casual elegance. He crossed one leg over the other, displaying hand-tooled black boots. “Didn’t you get a letter inviting you to the reading of Sam’s will?”



She nodded. “That was nice of Mr. Webb, but if I could have gotten away from work, I would have used the time to attend the funeral. I dropped Mr. Webb a note that I trusted him to see I received whatever Sam wanted me to have.” A thought struck her, and she braced herself for more bad news. “Or, do I forfeit the gift since I couldn’t attend the reading?” She wondered at the odd expression on his face and his wrinkled forehead.



From an inside jacket pocket, he removed a folded sheaf of papers. “You get what Sam willed you, regardless of whether or not you showed up to hear about it.”

Anticipation made her smile. “Great. I’ll bet he left me a copy of his and Maggie’s wedding photo. I’d asked him for one. When I heard Sam had included me in his will, I decided that’s what my inheritance must be.” But surely he would have kept a photo flat.



He narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t know Maggie. Why would you want her in the photo?”



She sat straighter, wondering about his gruff tone. “Sam told me stories about her, the early years of their marriage, and how hard they worked. I feel as if I knew her through his tales. They must have been a great team.”



“They were. He was never the same after she died.” He exhaled and shrugged. “That’s not why I’m here. A few days before he died, Sam mentioned you’d asked him for a loan.”



“D-do you mean he agreed and you’re honoring it?” Hope built in her chest. Maybe there was a chance for her and Jimmy to start over after all. “When I didn’t hear back, I figured he was hesitant to give me the loan.”



“Not at all. He mentioned your request. Apparently, he made certain you got precisely what he wanted for you even in the event of his death.” He unfolded the papers and pushed them across the desk. “Here’s a copy of Sam’s will detailing all he’s left you.”



“All? You mean more than one thing?” She took the papers, but her mind whirled so much she couldn’t read them. Instead, she watched the man across from her.



Derek flexed his shoulders slightly and moved as if he sought a more comfortable position on the narrow chair. “You made quite an impression on Sam because—with some conditions—he’s left you property worth well over two million dollars.”



Courtney’s heart almost stopped. Her hands shook and a chill swept over her. Could all the blood have drained from her body and she still be alive? The ticking clock on her wall became a gong that echoed in her mind.



Two million. Two million. Two million.



She clasped her hands in her lap to still their shaking. The walls of the tiny office closed in. She gasped for air, tried to speak, and then gasped again. “Did…um, did you say…t-two million dollars?”



He nodded but his eyes narrowed. “I did.”


“You can’t mean it.” Her heart pumped so fast her head swam. She’d asked for a loan to start a business, nothing more.



“It’s true.” He watched her, eyes still narrowed.


She blinked and shook her head. Still unable to take in the will’s content, she looked at her hands and refolded them on top the desk.


“I don’t understand. Sam hinted several times that he wanted to help Jimmy and me. I knew he had money from the way he talked about himself. But I thought Sam was, well, just a semi-retired farmer with a comfortable nest egg.”

Where Courtney will
be living on the
West Texas Plains

Derek laughed. “Sam farmed and ranched. In fact, he owned two ranches—and three farms, cotton gins, oil wells, apartment buildings, and an office complex—in addition to his portfolio of various other investments.”


“Oh my. That’s so much more than I imagined.” She looked up, trying to reconcile Sam’s wealth with the sweet elderly man she’d known. “Not that he bragged, you understand. He mentioned he had more than he needed to last him all his life and could afford to give some away. He kept hinting he could help Jimmy and me.”



She leaned forward. “That’s why I dared ask him for the loan. To be paid back with interest, of course. If he hadn’t dropped pointed hints, I wouldn't have asked for the loan. But I never dreamed he was so wealthy.”



“Now you have the full picture.”


As memories of the wizened old man returned, she looked past her handsome visitor. In spite of Sam’s unhealthy pallor, years of exposure to the sun had weathered his skin like leather. Though age and disease had bent his gnarled body, his smile and the twinkle in his pale eyes made him appear lively. “Perhaps you know I met Sam while my mom was in the hospital across the hall from his room. Sometimes he came into Mother’s room to talk. Other times, I saw him in the hall and walked with him or I stopped by his room.”


Derek nodded and slid his fingers along the knife-sharp crease on his trouser leg. “He introduced me to your mother when I came to bring him home.”



Really? She wondered why her mother hadn’t mentioned that. “He cheered me with stories of the farm and things that had happened to him and Maggie early in their marriage.” The memory of Sam’s chuckle brought a smile as she recalled one of his outrageous yarns. He’d always made her laugh, even when her mother’s illness had dragged Courtney to her lowest ebb.



After a deep breath, she met Derek’s gaze. “His letters were just the same. They were funny, and he helped me through a hard time. I’ve missed them more than I can say.” She rested a forearm on the desk. “I’m sorry, this must be hard for you. You must miss him far more than I ever could.”


Sadness swept across Derek’s face before he regained his composure. He pushed the papers toward her, tapping them with his forefinger. “You’ll see proof in there of the kind of businessman Sam was. If you accept his legacy, you’ll be agreeing to be a rancher, a landlord, and to try several of the many hats he wore.”



Courtney picked up the papers. Encrypted legal terms tempered her excitement with confusion but, as she expected, the will named Derek as main beneficiary. The pages trembled in her hands as she scanned those portions where her name appeared. Unbelievable. She licked lips that had suddenly become as dry as the West Texas cotton Sam had grown. “ Can this be right?” Heart rate pounding in her ears, she raised her gaze. “I get a ranch and two farms, one of which includes the house where Sam lived?”


“That’s right. The ranch adjoins the farm Sam lived on and the other farm is nearby.”


A ranch. Farms, plural. And money. More than she’d ever dreamed of possessing. She pressed trembling fingers to her mouth and tears of joy filled her eyes.



A huge knot of worry unwound in her chest. Thanks to God and Sam Warren, her future was secure! Jimmy was truly saved. A thrill rushed through her. She felt like dancing. No struggles to stretch her paycheck for rent on a rundown duplex and other bills. Instead, she could sweep Jimmy away from his horrid, rough friends.



“You know, friends tell me I’m too serious and act too old for my age. I guess I can’t help that, taking care of my mother and brother as I have. Everyone’s always telling me to lighten up. Lighten up?” She smiled, truly smiled for the first time in a long while. “I’m practically floating.”



Her hand touched the worn fabric of her corduroy dress and her fingers worried the age softened cording. She could buy new clothes. “I can’t believe it’s true, can’t absorb all the details. I’ll study the will at home and try to decipher it.”



Derek toyed with the brim of his hat. “Let me cut to the basics. Sally and Joe Bailey live in a house behind the one you’ve inherited. They’ve worked for Sam for as long as I can remember. Sally cooks and runs the house—she’s a great cook, by the way. You can depend on Joe to run the farm. There are also relatives, our little church, the Sweet Springs Children’s Home, and several other charities mentioned.”



Her gaze sped across the pages looking for the names he spoke. She pointed at a section of the paper and turned it sideways for him to see. “Are these the conditions?”


“Right. Whether you like it or not, for the first year you must live on the farm and be actively involved in the community.” His jaw tightened. “The farm must show a profit and you can’t turn your responsibilities over to a manager while you reside somewhere else.”
 Must live there?



A house and a dozen other benefits popped into her mind. But what did she know of farming?


“That doesn’t give me much time to learn about farming and such.”



He shook his head. “You don’t have to do the actual plowing and planting. Joe will do that. You have to take an active interest in all of your properties, make or help make decisions.”


“Active interest? No problem. I like to keep busy. I don’t know any other way to live.” She straightened in her chair, excitement building at the thought of a new challenge. “I think I can manage to show a profit with this Joe person there to advise me.”



Especially since no dollar amount or percentage of profit was named. Just the same, she wondered about that part. She’d need to hire an accountant.



“What happens if I fail to make a profit or leave before the year is out? Not that I would leave, you understand.”



He drummed his fingers on the desk. “Sam was very generous where you’re concerned. I suppose he couldn’t conceive of you refusing his bequest but, if you do, or if you leave before one year is up, your share goes to my son, Warren. In that case, you’d receive fifty thousand dollars free and clear. If you fail to make a profit?” He dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. “Well, the way things are set up, I don’t see how that could happen.” He shrugged. “Even one dollar over expenses is profit.”



She exhaled and slumped back in her chair. “I know Sam wanted to attract young people back to Sweet Springs and revitalize the community. The loan I asked for was to start a business there.” She pressed the will to her chest, no longer suppressed the laughter bubbling inside her. “This is great. Better than great. This is wonderful.”



Hallelujah! Her prayers had been answered. Throwing her arms wide, she rejoiced. And no more searching for a new job. A new life awaited her in West Texas, and the salary was un-be-liev-able.



Derek held up his hand, palm toward her. “There’s more. Investments you and I share.”



What had he said? “We share investments?” She pointed at herself then at him. ”Do you mean you and I, together?”


He drummed his fingers on the desk again and watched her. “Sam and I shared numerous investments. He left his participation in several of those to you.”



Setting an elbow on the desk, she propped her chin on her hand. She watched this handsome stranger. His inscrutable expression gave her no clue to his true feelings, but he must have a strong opinion of Sam’s will. “What on earth could Sam have been thinking to arrange this bizarre situation?”



When she realized she’d spoken aloud, she raised her head. Her own mind answered before Derek had a chance.
 To save you.



With King Midas here to guide her, she wouldn’t blunder around and lose half her money before she learned the ropes.



Derek shrugged and looked at the door. “Sam had his reasons and, as you can see, you’re a major beneficiary.”



“Well, I…I don’t know what to say. Apparently you’re right and I have indeed inherited a large fortune.” Ah, this probably explained Derek’s less-than-enthusiastic attitude. She sobered. “You want me to refuse this bequest so it will go to your son?”

He shook his head. “You misunderstand my concern. My son doesn’t need the money. Nor, I might add, do I. I don’t care whether you accept or refuse.”



His voice held controlled irritation. At her, the will, or his trip in frigid weather? If her inheritance made no difference, why had he come personally to notify her?


“Then, you aren’t contesting the will?”



His scowl indicated such an action was beneath him. “Certainly not. The money was Sam’s to do with as he saw fit. I merely delivered your copy of the will. And a counteroffer.”


She could not imagine the sum represented by Derek’s share of Sam’s estate, or the financial worth of this obviously prosperous man seated across the desk.



“A counteroffer? You came over three hundred miles to deliver this yourself and make an offer?” Ah, she should have known. This really had been too easy. She crossed her arms. “All right. What is it?”


“I’m prepared to give you the cash value of your inheritance. You won’t have to relocate, won’t have to live on the farm at all, much less stay a year. You’d have it all now.” He leaned near and met her gaze. “Two million right now. No waiting, no gamble. How does that sound?”


Like a dream come true, that’s how. With two million she could buy a great house, a dependable car, travel, do anything her heart desired.


Wait. Why would Derek do that? More importantly, she knew why Sam made those conditions in the will. He wanted young people in his community. He’d counted on her to do her part, just as they’d discussed by mail. She’d genuinely liked Sam and believed he’d returned her friendship. He wanted her in West Texas to help fulfill his dream of enlivening his hometown.

And Jimmy. At that farm, her brother would be three hundred miles from his horrid friends. If she took the money, how would she explain her reasons for leaving Dallas? Hmmm, she tapped a finger on her chin.



No, West Texas seemed like a good solution. In the required year, Jimmy would make new friends. Hopefully, they’d be honest, hardworking friends, instead of punks who pulled him toward dropping out of school or worse.



Decision made, she shook her head. “Sorry, not interested. Sam trusted me to help revitalize Sweet Springs. So, I’ll do my best to fulfill his expectations. You’ve wasted a trip.”

Courtney inherited a
cotton gin

His eyes widened at her refusal. Then annoyance showed in his eyes briefly before the calm mask dropped back into place on his handsome face. “Since I had business in Dallas, it was no trouble to come here and deliver a copy of the will. I admit that after hearing Sam praise you so highly, I was curious and wanted to meet you.”



In her business life she’d been used to placating others. The annoyance she glimpsed briefly in his eyes unsettled her. She met Derek’s gaze and sought to convince him his disapproval was unwarranted.



“You know I asked Sam for a business loan. Please believe that I had no idea he’d include me in his will.”



“He explained that.” Derek uncrossed his legs and stood, brushing at imaginary lint on his sleeve. “So, you’re rejecting my offer and you intend to move to West Texas as per the conditions in the will?”



“Yes.” She calculated her remaining time at the bookstore and figured time for packing her and Jimmy’s belongings. “We’ll arrive in Sweet Springs two weeks from Monday.”


  HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME has received excellent reviews. Here's part of one review:

Becca at The Romance Studio gave HOME, SWEET TEXAS HOME 5 Hearts

...Ms. Clemmons has penned a fabulous novel in this one with some great secondary characters, such as Derek’s children and Courtney’s brother that helped bring more ambience to the story...this is a story I’d definitely recommend because it illustrates that no amount of money in the world brings happiness and that love does.



The buy link at The Wild Rose Press is

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/caroline-clemmons-m-38.html


At Amazon, the buy link is:
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Sweet-Texas-Caroline-Clemmons/dp/1601549393/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320262075&sr=1-12





Thanks for stopping by!

Am I Seeing Things?

Have you ever seen a mirage? Remember the old western movies where people stranded in the desert believed they saw water only to discover it was actually more sand? Or when you’re driving on the open road on a particularly hot day and you see shimmering water on the road ahead? Those of us in the Southwest are used to road shimmer. That’s not exactly what I mean. This is about an astonishing experience Hero and I had a few years ago. When I mentioned it to a friend, she suggested I share.

View of the Caprock from Hwy. 84.
There are numerous windmill farms along the
Caprock because the wind usually blows here.

Hero and I were driving between Snyder and Post, Texas on Highway 84 toward Lubbock. On the left is a raised bed for the railroad tracks to prevent the tracks from being washed out in the occasional flood. (See my old 1998 short romance, BE MY GUEST, in which the heroine’s car is washed off this highway.) On the right are ranchlands and farms. Technically the terrain is rolling prairie, but most people think of it as flat as a pancake, which is why it floods in a heavy rain. Other than a few creeks and a wide branch of the Brazos River with almost no water in it under the highway, there’s nowhere for the rushing rainwater to go. The land changes just past Post when you drive up onto the Caprock and then you’re on the high plains, dubbed the llano estacado, or staked plain, by early Spanish explorers. Oh, it still looks flat, but you’re at a higher altitude on the Caprock.


Minus the tall trees, this is the mirage we saw.
Isn't it gorgeous?


Only a few months before, Hero and I had driven to Estes Park, Colorado to attend a meeting. Loved that place! Sigh. But, back to this drive from Snyder to Lubbock. We left Snyder pointed toward Post, when there appeared a huge mirage in front of us that exactly mirrored the mountains we’d seen on the way to Estes Park. And I mean exactly! The mirage was so clear that we could see individual boulders, crags, the tree line, and snowcapped peaks. The mountains looked as if we would drive right up to them if we remained on Highway 84. Incredible! If we hadn’t seen it, you could not have convinced either of us it could happen. As we drove, it remained perfect for at least fifteen minutes. Gradually, the edges began to soften, then the image faded and gently evaporated. Once again, nothing to look at but rolling prairie and blue skies.

We wondered what a first-time traveler on that highway thought. Imagine his or her surprise. In the two photos above, you can see the vast difference between the real landscape and the mirage. By the way, I owe an Australian author whose name I’ve forgotten an apology. She wrote a romance long ago about a hero who saw the heroine in a mirage. I thought it was a crazy story line, which just proves that nothing is impossible.

Have your ever seen a mirage like this or had an incredible experience while traveling? I’d love to hear about it if you have.