FINDING MY MOJO

 

By Caroline Clemmons

Mojo

Mojo (mainly US, informal, slang)

Mojo is a singular noun meaning magic, power, (life) energy or something intangible. It can mean anything, but it is mostly used to mean magic. For example, saying “I’ve lost my Mojo” means you can no longer do something as well as you did before, or maybe you are downcast, depressed.

Where's my Mojo?

There you have it—me. For the last few weeks, I have spent too much time contemplating life instead of either cleaning out the bedroom closet or concentrating on writing my next book. I like the characters of the book, but the plot was getting too far off my usual stories. I have been despondent. Fortunately, Hero is patient and hasn’t told me to get over myself.

In general, authors are highly strung individuals who spend a lot of time listening to characters only they can hear. You may be thinking that mental institutions are filled with people who have similar problems—and you’d be right. The difference is that authors understand that no one else can know these characters unless we translate what’s in our heads onto the computer monitor.

Author obsessing about sales

We also totally obsess over methods to sell our books. Should we have ads on Facebook and Amazon? Does our newsletter have enough opens and clicks? Are the new covers working? Should we run an ad on this site or another? Would we recoup the expense of a Book Bub ad?



But I digress. You see, I lost my Mojo a couple of months ago. I moped around the house, spend too much time on Messenger and Facebook and email, read too many books, dithered over this and that, until it’s a wonder my family didn’t take me to a mental hospital.

This is about retrieving my Mojo! I have to thank Australian author Margaret Tanner, whose books I enjoy. In a Facebook author group, she mentioned that she doesn’t run ads and doesn’t have a newsletter, yet she makes a living wage. (Not luxury living, but a watch-your-budget living). Reading her comments was as if Margaret had come to my house, taken me by the hand, and said, “Just write. Write what you love.”

Me at Margaret's news

So, that’s what I’m doing and my Mojo is back! I put aside the book I was struggling to like well enough to finish. Joyfully, I started work on a new book that I love. I hope you will love it, too. It's titled KEITH AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. He is such a cutie!

Celebrating--sure, that's how I look. To

be truthful, my hair is shorter than this.

(Would you like to buy a bridge?)

Stay safe and keep reading!

DESPERATE IN DELAWARE 99¢ SALE AND NEW COVER

DESPERATE IN DELAWARE

By Caroline Clemmons

 

Don’t you love the new cover for DESPERATE IN DELAWARE? To celebrate the new cover, the ebook is on sale for 99¢ from January 20^th to midnight January 26^th. You’ll find there is also a print version, and the book is enrolled in Kindle Unlimited.

Amazon buy link https://www.amazon.com/Desperate-Delaware-Yours-Truly-Lovelorn-ebook/dp/B089RW8WV8

 

I love writing anytime, but especially when the story is set in Texas, my home state. Of course, not every man in Texas is tall, dark, and handsome. Those in my books are, though, and so is my personal hero, my husband. I even call him Hero when I talk about him. Hero fits him in many ways!

DESPERATE IN DELAWARE is set in a part of North Central Texas that I find particularly interesting. Hero and I went on a couple of the Palo Pinto County Historical Society Tours. We loved them. A couple of places on the tour have become sites in several of my historical western romances.

 

About the Book

 

Mina Fae Stapleton vows she will wait no longer! Since her parents’ death she’s been living with her sister’s family. She helps care for her sister’s home and her sister’s adorable children. But, she wonders when she’ll have her own husband and children. There is not even one eligible man near her age in her small town. She can’t avoid hearing the snickers and hurtful remarks—old maid, spinster, on the shelf. When her cousin sends her a newspaper clipping from a Yours Truly: The Lovelorn’s column, she is surprised when the letter to the columnist reads as if she had written it. That’s the catalyst she needs—she decides to follow the Lovelorn’s advice and change her location. She goes to Texas to visit her cousin. She refuses to watch her life disappear until she’s left with only regrets!

Austin Wright hates to admit he’s lonely. He wants a wife and children, but there’s always time—isn’t there? At the urging of Mina Fae Stapleton’s cousin, he attends a party given to welcome Mina to Texas. At the party, he realizes he has to speak quickly or lose his chance with Mina Fae.

Nothing is that easy. Misguided miners threaten not only Austin’s ranch, but all those below the supposed gold mine. Austin tries to convince the two men there’s no gold, but their avarice has convinced them to take dangerous measures. Will he be able to reason with them in time?

  

Excerpt

 

After a harrowing stagecoach ride, they arrived at Palo Pinto. When the stage stopped, she waited until the other passengers stepped out before she climbed down. There was Cindy to greet her. The tall man with Cindy must be her husband, Bert Kennedy.

Cindy ran forward and hugged her. “I’m so glad you’re here. I know you’re exhausted but I promise you’ll be glad you’ve come.”

Mina laughed with pleasure at seeing her cousin once more. “I hope so because I’ll never ride that stage again. Well, not for a while anyway.” She stood on tiptoe to accept Bert’s kiss to her cheek.

“I’m happy to finally meet you.” He grinned at her. “We left the twins with our housekeeper so we’d better load your trunks and get home before she gives notice.”

Bert called to a tall man standing nearby. “Austin, make yourself useful and give me a hand with this luggage.”

The man, who wasn’t bad looking, gave her a long scan from head to toe and back up, then stared from the pile of luggage back to her. “You plan on opening a store or did you just bring everything you ever owned?”

Austin Wright

She started to give him the sharp side of her tongue but Cindy interrupted.

“Miss Mina Faye Stapleton, this is our good friend, Austin Wright. Austin, Mina is my favorite cousin and she’s moving to Palo Pinto.”

Mina’s pique evaporated. She laughed and nudged Cindy. “Are you still stealing my line? I’m the one who only has one cousin while you have two.”

She sobered and glared at the rude man. “How do you do, Mr. Wright?”

“I do fine, Miss Stapleton. Good thing I’m here. Bert could have killed himself if he’d tried to load these trunks alone.”

As if the man hadn’t left Mina aghast with his latest rudeness, Cindy linked arms with Mina’s. “Let’s leave them to their job and walk to the house. It’s only a short way.”

 

Stay safe and keep reading!

  

SHERIFF JESSE CAMERON, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

By Caroline Clemmons

Welcome Sheriff Jesse Cameron as our guest today, the hero of JESSE AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE. Jesse, thank you for agreeing to our interview.

Thank you, ma’am. I’m honored to be invited, though I dinnae ken why your readers would be interested in the Harrigan County Sheriff.  

I know you’re a Texas sheriff, but I detect an accent in your speech. Would you tell us from where you’ve come?

Aye, I came from Scotland. First, I worked as an indentured sailor for 7 years to pay for my passage to America. I started my indentured service at 14—almost 15—because I could pass for 18, you ken? I was tall for my age.

An indentured sailor sounds hard. Did you like life on a ship?

Nae, I hated every day, but I'd given my word to work 7 years. I never break my word, you ken? A man's word is his honor. I wanted to come to America, and didnae have the money for the fare. This was the only way I could manage to get here.

What was life like growing up in Scotland?

My family lived on a farm not far from Kelso. We raised sheep. Mum also had chickens and a few goats for milk. She made and sold her goat cheese. We also had a couple of cows. You can tell I didnae escape caring for the animals. We lived in a small cottage, but we enjoyed one another. I had a grand time growing up. I didnae mind working with Da on the farm, but that wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life.

Your leaving must have upset your parents.

Aye, they worried about me leaving so young. Mum and Da are great parents who understood my wish to leave and live in America. In fact, they will join me here after my Gran dies. She’s a grand lady, so no one is eager for that day to come.

What brought you to send for a mail order bride?

Several months back, I helped fight a grass fire on a local ranch. Volunteers barely saved the house, but much of the grass and some cattle were destroyed. A couple of people collapsed from the heat and stress. If not for a sudden downpour, more would have been lost, including men exhausted from fighting the fire. The sudden danger presented to so much land and so many people reminded me how fleeting life could be. I evaluated my life and realized it was time to settle down. I bought a house and sent for a bride. My best friend is my deputy, and he decided to send for a bride from the same matchmaker. Turned out our brides are cousins.

Rosalin

That sounds like a good result. Are you each pleased with your bride?

Aye, the plan worked out grand. My bride, Rosalin, is beautiful, regal, intelligent, and works hard to please me. I couldn’t be happier—except I feel like there’s something she’s hiding from me. I haven’t worked out what it could be, and she insists there’s nothing. She brought her nephew, who’s 8. He’s a good boy, but he has a lot of nightmares. My deputy is sure pleased with his bride, who is a pretty chatterbox.

Oh no, I dropped my list of questions. Pardon me while I gather them.

Ma’am, I appreciate you having me here today, but I have to get back to work. Tell your readers if they’d like to learn more about me, check out my story in JESSE AND THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE at Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BD64JC1D?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420

   

The Medina River near Harrigan Springs. Texas