The Road Between Two Skies

“I have two names…Brenniss and Maggie…”

Because of a bizarre abduction, Brenniss’ promising future is shattered. Her memory loss requires rediscovery of herself as Maggie in an unfamiliar world. She recalls only pieces of who she was embedded in tragic events, while new friends support her self-acceptance as the survivor she is. Only by saying goodbye can reconcile her past and present.

***

Linda, congratulations on your debut novel, The Road Between Two Skies. Tell us what inspired you to write this story.

This book flowed out of me once I wrote “I have two names…Brenniss and Maggie.” I’ve been fascinated with persons who disappear from a normal life and relationships, only to be discovered months or years later, with no recall of this previous life, living an equally “normal” life with perhaps a new spouse and different job. I wanted to present a story of resilience, of survival and the insight to discover that new path.

What was your experience in writing this book? Was it a difficult subject to write about?

I was compelled by the characters and how they interacted, as well as reacted, to the circumstances of the story. How would a widower respond to an unknown woman who had been battered: a man who watched his wife die, now watching a woman fighting to live? How does a sheriff manage an investigation of a crime of which he has few clues and fewer resources? How does Brenniss/Maggie make sense of her situation with no memory to cue her?

I incorporated my own professional knowledge as a Speech/Language Pathologist: memory loss, language, sentence structure, concepts, and verbal expression. 

Your characters are so well-drawn. How did they develop? Did you have them formed in your mind before you started, or did they grow on their own as you wrote?

I pictured each character and their reactions in various settings as I “cooked” the ideas, months before I set pen to paper. They continued to add layers to their personalities as I rewrote portions, as well. I figured if I didn’t believe the characters, a reader wouldn’t either.

Tell us a bit about your writing process—do you do a lot of research? Are you an outliner or a “pantser”?

I’m afraid I’m a “pantser,” getting the story line down, first, then developing the characters and dialogue. But as I needed believable details, I did do extensive research. I use outlines, but more for facts. To me, an outline isn’t dynamic enough for something like a novel. The story lines may change or modify from the original outline.

Do you have a time set aside for writing? Did you do a lot of rewriting on this book? When I write more spontaneously, I get so absorbed in the characters and dialogue, 4, maybe 6 hours pass, and I don’t realize it. I still need to revise, but I have a more intense awareness of the characters when I return to the chapters.

What is your writing background? I did my share of writing bad poetry in junior high and high school; I wrote songs from high school to the present day (I wrote a song which the fictional Bonnie Meacham sings which is imbedded in The Road Between Two Skies). I even wrote a musical. It seems that writing was for my own expression. But my first real success was getting a poem published in a publication in Spokane, WA, then a local poetry contest; I considered that luck more than talent. But this book, started as a hobby, was something I became increasingly serious about. That led me to take the plunge toward its publication.

What would you say the theme or “take away” is from the book? We all have difficult losses to face: losing a pet, a job, a spouse, a child, your grandmother’s locket, a home. Each loss requires us to lose a part of ourselves. To define ourselves again we need to create a more encompassing identity. That journey is what Brenniss/Maggie is about. The only way she heals is by accepting the changes in her as her new foundation. Defining ourselves only by our defeats doesn’t allow us to grow.

What was your experience in finding a publisher for your book? For about 6 years, I sat on my duff and talked myself out of ever doing anything with this book because I felt hindered by my own skill level and the lack of an agent in a small town or rural area. Previously cautious about self-publishing, I started reading encouraging information about reliable self-publishing/hybrid publishing companies. Atmosphere Press was endorsed by Writers Digest, so I contacted them for an interview and within a few weeks, I had a contract and started the process. Atmosphere was terrific to work with due to their dynamic and knowledgeable staff. They were with me through the whole rewrite process, and now in support of my marketing.

Is there a specific part of the writing process that you find to be the easiest or most difficult for you? Everybody gets a writing block and mine usually occur about ¾ of the way through the book. I know how I want the story to end, but I can’t seem to connect where I am to that end. So, I played a little with point of view. It broke my block, because I could see a larger picture that didn’t repeat former information. The most difficult part of writing for me has been to believe in myself.

Where can we find your book? Amazon, Kindle, Barnes and Noble and, of course on my website: Lsfiferauthor.com.

What is next? Many have asked if I have a sequel in mind for The Road Between Two Skies and I don’t. I felt I told the story I wanted to tell in that book, but it is flattering to me that the characters were realistic enough that people want more about them.

My next book is Discovering the Grain. Izzy Stark is on a mission to fix up the house her late husband Dave inherited from his favorite uncle. She needs to heal from her husband’s death from an IED explosion just weeks before his discharge from the Army, as much as the house needs repair.

Links to social media: My website: Lsfiferauthor.com where you will find the first 27 pages of the book as a sample, where you can order the book, contact me or write those valuable reviews that entice future readers. Also: Goodreads.com for connections to other readers who have read my book and where you can also write your own review.

Bio

Linda Fifer grew up in Ohio surrounded by musicians and writers. She graduated from Kent State University with BS and MA degrees in Speech/Language Pathology, although originally started in theatre. She moved west to Montana and has spent several years in north Idaho. She has written a musical, songs and poems, been published locally in newspapers and more recently in Spokane Writes. Now retired after a 44-year career in Speech Pathology, she is inspired to create uplifting stories involving women who discover their strengths despite demanding challenges. Living in the west with her husband and two dogs, Linda is inspired by the nature surrounding her.

Happy Independence Day!

Most of us are happy to have a “day off,” to spend it with family and friends, barbecue, and watch fireworks. But do we take the time to really remember the significance of the holiday. It is to celebrate our freedom from tyranny. How much longer will we enjoy this?

4th of July Fun Facts 

1. The Declaration of Independence was not signed on July 4, 1776. That’s actually the day it was formally adopted by the Continental Congress, but it wasn’t signed by most signatories until August. 

2. American typically eat 150 million hot dogs on Independence Day, “enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. more than five times,” according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.

3. Three presidents have died on July 4: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Monroe.

4. John Adams believed that American independence should be celebrated on July 2, as that’s the actual day the Continental Congress voted for independence in 1776. 

5. Annoyed that Independence Day wasn’t celebrated on July 2, Adams reportedly turned down invitations to July 4 celebrations throughout his life.

6. Massachusetts became the first state to make the 4th of July an official state holiday in 1781. 

7. President Zachary Taylor died in 1850 after eating spoiled fruit at a July 4 celebration.

8. The famed Macy’s fireworks show in New York City uses more than 75,000 fireworks shells and costs about $6 million. 

9. Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is held annually on July 4. In 2018, champion Joey Chestnut ate 74 hot dogs with buns in just 10 minutes.

10. Independence Day became a federal holiday in 1870. 

11. As of 2016, July 4 was the number one holiday for beer sales in the U.S., according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association. 

12. In 1778, George Washington gave his soldiers a double ration of rum to celebrate the July 4 holiday. 

13. Every July 4, descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence tap the Liberty Bell 13 times in honor of the original 13 colonies.

14. Eating salmon is a July 4 tradition in parts of New England. 

15. Small towns in the U.S. typically spend between $8,000 and $15,000 on their fireworks displays. 

16. President Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872. 

17. About 16,000 July 4 fireworks displays happen around the country each year, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association. 

18. Starting in 1818, new stars and stripes were added to the American flag each July 4 to make the creation of new states. 

19. The U.S. Flag Code offers guidelines for flying the flag on July 4, and every day. 

20. John Hancock has the largest signature on the Declaration of Independence. 

21. The first July 4 celebration took place at the White House in 1801, hosted by Thomas Jefferson. 

22. One World Trade Center in New York is 1,776 feet tall to mark the year the U.S. declared its independence from Britain.

(Thanks to info first published in Parade by Lindsay Lowe.)

Christmas on the Ranch

Heidi Thomas

First published in It’s A Cowboy Christmas anthology Vol. 2, edited by Sally Harper Bates

Snow drifting lazily from the sky, the spicy scent of the pine tree twinkling with lights, platters and tins of cookies galore, and board games.

Christmas eve was always the “real Christmas” when I was growing up. An evening to look forward to for weeks of shining anticipation and wonder and awe.

It all started in 1948, when my mother emigrated from Germany. She arrived in November, just in time to experience the American Thanksgiving holiday, lots of snow, an outhouse, no electricity, and life on a ranch with real cowboys.

In December she received a letter, which had been lost and rerouted several times, informing her that, although she had spent two years filling out reams of forms in duplicate and triplicate, she was still lacking documentation to stay in America, and would have to return to Germany after the New Year.

Unless she was married.

Yes, she had come to America to marry my dad, but it became imperative this ceremony happen before the end of the year. After a search, they found a minister in a town 75 miles away willing to marry them on short notice. But because he was to leave on vacation right after Christmas, the only day available was December 24. And, because that evening was the church’s Christmas eve service and children’s program, the slot open was 4 p.m.

Since my dad’s family lived in “the middle of nowhere” in eastern Montana, and being practical, frugal ranchers, they couldn’t simply go to town for a wedding. No. Grandpa and Dad hitched up a trailer to the car, and they would pick up a load of feed—“as long as we’re in town anyway.”

So, at 4 o’clock on December 24, 1948, my parents were married on the pine-bough decorated stage in the Lutheran Church in Forsyth, Montana. A celebratory dinner at the Corner Café and a movie “The Fuller Brush Man” completed this landmark day. Oh yes, and the load of feed, hauled home on slippery roads, and a slight delay to fix a flat tire.

Every Christmas Eve thereafter, at 4 p.m., my mother would get dressed up, my dad came in from doing chores, and we sat around the Christmas tree, having coffee or hot chocolate and eating cookies.

The old coffee pot my parents used for many years

After supper, for several hours, we slowly and meticulously opened gifts, one at a time, carefully cutting the tape and saving the paper for next year. We savored each one—sometimes it was a picture from the Sears catalog of whatever item Mom had ordered but hadn’t arrived yet. And last, but certainly not least, Dad pulled the package from Germany from behind the tree, and we delighted in German chocolate, Lebkuchen cookies, lovely handmade lace items or fine china coffee cups. Mom marveled over each gift, with a misty, far-away look in her eyes. I know she missed her family and would not see them again for ten years.

About the time we began folding up the Christmas wrapping, Dad or Mom would suddenly say, “Did you hear that?”

Our ears perked up as we listened. “What? What did you hear?”

“I thought I heard bells.” Or “Was that footsteps on the roof?”

We rushed out to the front porch, where a pile of gifts had been left for us by Santa. We never did catch our dad putting them out there—sneaky guy, but it was the culmination of a warm, loving, happy family evening.

I will always cherish those memories.

Wild Cow Ranch Books a Collaborative Effort

Welcome to the Wild Cow Ranch! Georgia author Denise F. McAllister and Texas author Natalie Bright have teamed up to bring you a new western series. Book #1 MAVERICK HEART is available now and hit the #1 spot on Amazon Hot New Releases. Book #2 A WILD COW WINTER is available February 10, and Book #3 FOLLOW A WILD HEART will be released in March. The books are available on Amazon in print or eBook formats.

Q: What inspired the new Wild Cow Ranch series and what is it about?

Natalie: I enjoy stories about quirky, complex characters who leave their old life behind and start anew, and I’ve always wanted to write a story set in the Texas Panhandle. The Wild Cow Ranch series centers around our main character, Carli Jameson, who inherits a cattle ranch from a grandfather she never knew. Her journey is the main focus, which makes it women’s fiction, but included is the small-town vibe and a bit of cowboy romance. We’ve also added a faith element to these books, as Carli tries to discover who she is and what her purpose should be. Most of the characters hold with Christian values, but some do not. The stories are clean and sweet, the types of books you can pass along to a daughter or your mother.

Denise: Inspiration for this series was Natalie. She told me her idea, and we decided to write it together. Coincidentally, I had a similar story in my head before we even met so I guess it was meant to be. I love how we were able to bring experiences from my life in Georgia and Natalie’s in Texas together to create some of Carli’s adventures.

Q: What are some comparison titles of books or movies similar to this book?

Denise: I think of Hallmark stories but also anything with a strong female lead. This is about a woman who has had to learn how to make it on her own, a woman who has been forced, for whatever reason, to be independent. Sometimes that independence makes her a little distant from the very people who are trying to help her. In Book One, MAVERICK HEART, that person might be a potential love interest.

Natalie: One of my all-time favorite movies is THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER, in which the setting is as much of a character as the people. The Texas Panhandle plays a big part in our stories. I love westerns that include the connections with the land and livestock. Denise brings the knowledge of horses as horse shows were a big part of her youth, and as a cattle ranch owner, I’m including that element. If you like feel-good, hopeful stories with happy endings, you might give our new series a try. 

Q: Which scene or chapter in any of the books is your favorite? Why?

Natalie: My favorite scene is the snowstorm in Book #2, A WILD COW WINTER. Even though it releases on February 10, the story is centered around Christmas—a holiday that our main character, Carli Jameson, really dreads. The norther that blows in is typical of Texas Panhandle weather, which can be unpredictable. She and her horse Beau are trapped in a barn as temperatures drop, and she finds herself in a life or death situation.

Denise: I love it when Carli relaxes some and has peace, when she opens her heart to a love interest, and especially when she opens her heart to God. It’s a hard thing sometimes to give up control. But it can be such a better life to not have to carry life’s burdens all on your own. I also love in Book #3 FOLLOW A WILD HEART how we introduced art and museums to the story. Not many westerns have that element.  

Q: Was it easy to co-author these books?

Natalie: It has definitely been a challenge but has been very fulfilling creatively. The best part is having someone to bounce ideas off of, and to have brainstorming sessions about the characters and plot lines. Our process improves with every book that we write together.

Denise: It was a learning process. We had to be willing to compromise, listen to the other person’s ideas, and accept that our co-author might have a better way for the good of the story. Sometimes we hit a little bump in the road, but I think mostly that has to do with our schedules. We might write on different days or weeks. Then we come together and dissect everything, review, edit, revise. But at the core, we both have the same story in our heads. 

For buy links and more about the authors and their inspiration, read an interview on the publishers website https://christiankindlenews.com/get-know-wild-cow-ranch-co-authors/

Find the authors online at www.nataliebright.com or www.mcallisterediting.com

For more about the Wild Cow Ranch Series, check out the inspirational boards on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/natbright/maverick-heart/

Meet Carmen Peone and Lillian’s Legacy

I’m thrilled to have award-winning author and fellow Women Writing the West friend share about her books and writing process.

Carmen, Tell us what your recent book, Lillian’s Legacy, is about:

Lillian’s Legacy is about a young teen, Lillian Gardner, who in 1875 feels displaced by her family and like a shadow under her infamous horseracing older sister. Things get worse when her sister, Hannah, insists her wedding be on Lillian’s sixteenth birthday.

That day, a Welsh healer, who happens to be traveling north, stops at the Gardner ranch for a drink and rest. She discovers Lillian’s interest in healing and offers for her to tag along. Lillian accepts and heads out that night, in an attempt to prove she has value. Without confirming her plans with her folks.

The story goes on as Doctor Maddox mentors young Lillian, who is trying to discover if she has what it takes to experience tragedy, life, and death and find a way to help and heal. Along the way, Doctor Maddox shares what the legacy they should be leaving to their patients as female healers. 

The question is, will Lillian discover her true calling? Will she be respected as a female healer in training?

You’ll have to read to book to find out!

How did Lillian’s Legacy come about?

I had been pondering for a few years what the final book in the trilogy, and my young adult writing career, may look like and nothing came to mind. It felt like I had a blank canvas and no tools to work with.

Then one night at women’s Bible study, which I hosted last fall at my house, I was sharing my emptiness with the ladies, one of which was a local doctor, and a friend looked at Doctor Maria and said, “Why not make it about medicine?”

Doctor Maria Trevino went on to mentor me and read the book. She caught a few little things that made a big difference. One of which dealt with a few suture scenes. I needed to add something about stitching the wounds, especially deep ones, from the inside out.

Also, Lillian had to decide which injuries needed medical attention first. So, I had to re-arrange one scene to make that happen. I am so thankful and honored Doctor Maria agreed to work with me. She is a wonderful physician and woman.  

What is different about this book?

Most of my books are about girls and horses. I wanted this one to be different. This trilogy began with Delbert, Lillian’s brother who along with two friends go on a fishing expedition that turns bad, and Hannah was the horse racer I mentioned earlier.

It only made sense to have Lillian seek medicine as her mother is a healer who deals with local, natural plants and herbs. The tie fits so well as I married the knowledge Lillian had from her mother and Doctor Maddox’s western medicine of the times, which also included natural medicines. 

This trilogy, the Gardner Siblings, is a spin-off of my True to Heart Trilogy, which is the first series I wrote. The siblings were young in the True to Heart series and when they “turned sixteen,” I gave them their own story.

In reality, I wasn’t ready to let the characters go. But out of it all, I created a curriculum to go along with all of my young adult books.

What drives you to write your books?

I never intended to be a writer. I actually have an Abnormal Psychology degree, but when my Native husband and I moved onto the reservation in eastern Washington, I began to learn the culture.

My husband’s people, the traditions that surround me, and the land I live on are what inspires me the most. Not to mention riding in the woods on one of my horses.

Spupaleena, the main character in my True to Heart Trilogy would not leave me alone. So, I joined a writer’s course from Writer’s Digest, and off I went.

Do you have a message you’d like your readers to find?

The message I want my readers to know is we all have a dream inside of us. God has given me so many wonderful talents and gifts, they spill over into my characters. He’s given all of my readers talents and gifts as well, and I want each reader to discover theirs and live a life of purpose.

I especially want my young readers to know how incredibly valuable they are. And to know for every problem, there is a solution. We have a lot of suicides and drug and alcohol-related deaths on the reservation. I want youth to know there is always hope.

When did you first realize you were a writer?

I first realized I was a writer when my first book was published. That’s when I took myself seriously because I had a lot of doubt. Grammar and I were not yet friends. But along the way, I’ve learned how to write, including grammar and spelling, which were never my strong suit.

I’ve learned the more I write, the better I get. Daily writing time is a must. It has to be a priority.

How many books have you published?

This is tricky for me. The total books available for sale are eleven. I do count my first trilogy, making it 14, because I totally revamped them when my publisher went out of business. It was like starting over and writing the books from the get-go. Which was cool because I got to witness my progress as a writer.

Included in the eleven titles are four literary guides: two for my trilogies; one for my novel, Girl Warrior; and one workbook that teaches young writers how to write fiction.

I also have a novel in for consideration by a publisher. I’m excited about this one as it’s my romantic suspense debut. The official shift from YA to adult.

What was the hardest part of writing Lillian’s Legacy? 

The hardest part was figuring out the topic. Once I decided on medicine, it all came together. Then I threw in a twist which added an element of suspense.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it? 

I learned how incredibly hard the lives of doctors, especially for females, were in the 1800s. They had to treat patients in all sorts of weather, all hours of the day and night, and traveled miles at times on foot or by horse. 

Do you have any advice for other writers? (Any suggestions to help them be better writers?)

I suggest writers learn the craft in their genre as they write (if they don’t have a degree), attend conferences, and find a quality writer’s group and critique partners. Make writing a priority. Write every day, or at least six days a week, even if it’s a small amount of time.

Writers, know your skill and creativity are gifts. Take yourself seriously and others will too—believe your book or article or whatever your writing dream is will happen!

About Carmen Peone

Award-winning author Carmen Peone lives with her tribal husband, Joe, on the Colville Confederated Indian Reservation in Northeast Washington. She gathered cultural knowledge from family and elders and studied the language and various cultural traditions and legends under the late Marguerite Ensminger. She is a horse and photography enthusiast. With a degree in abnormal psychology, the thought of writing never entered her mind, until she married her husband and they moved to the reservation after college. She came to love the people and their heritage and desires to create a legacy for her family.

Lillian’s Legacy and the Gardner Siblings include a Literary Guide.

This is great for summer fun, homeschool learning, and historical knowledge in the classroom.

Find Out More Here

Purchase Lillian’s Legacy today on

Amazon

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Carmen loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

Website and Blog | Facebook | Twitter|  Instagram | Pinterest

A Historical Mystery Romance: One Last Dance

by Linda Weaver Clarke

One Last Dance: Felicity Brooks is a talented artist but her career is cut short when her father passes away. Realizing the importance of family, she travels home to care for her mother. When Felicity meets their new neighbor, a fine-looking bachelor, she soon discovers that he is hiding his true identity. Nicholas Adams is on a quest. But that is not all. When she finds out that someone is after a valuable heirloom…a precious treasure that her father discovered in his attic, her life takes a new turn. This Historical Romance is set in 1835.

Awesome Reviews:

“One thing that always keeps me reading this author’s books is her characters; they are engaging, funny and passionate. I especially liked Mr. Adams’ character as he was both witty and charming with an air of mystery about him. I was impressed by Felicity’s character. She was a strong woman who had seen some of the world, only to end up back home where everything feels different. I liked the quirky bond between Mr. Adams and Felicity. He has her pegged from the start and from the moment they meet you can tell at some point sparks will fly, and they will challenge each other’s perspectives on the problem at hand, which made this book rather gripping. One Last Dance kept me guessing until the end and left me wanting to read this book all over again. If you like Historical Romance with a mysterious touch and well-developed characters, this book is a must-read.” –Author Katrina Hart

“One Last Dance is a historical romance with a mystery to add to the tale. Felicity has always been a strong and independent woman. Amongst mystery, loss, paintings, and a career, she is going to have to decide if love has a place in her heart.” –Author Anna Del C Dye

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Willow-Valley-Historical-Romance-ebook/dp/B07GVNWSP9

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-last-dance-linda-weaver-clarke/1129427291

Linda Weaver Clarke’s links:

Linda’s Website: www.lindaweaverclarke.com

Linda’s Books: https://lindaweaverclarke.wordpress.com

Linda’s Audiobooks: https://family-friendly-audiobooks.blogspot.com

Linda’s Blog: http://lindaweaverclarke.blogspot.com

About the Author: Linda Weaver Clarke was raised among the Rocky Mountains of southern Idaho and now lives among the red hills of southern Utah. Linda is the author of 24 books. She has written in several different genres, which include: historical romances, romantic cozy mysteries, a mystery suspense series, children’s book, and non-fiction. All her books are family friendly. To learn more, visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com.

 

Labor Day Reflections

Growing up on a ranch/farm in eastern Montana, I often heard from my folks, “Every day is Labor Day.”

Cows don’t know when it’s a holiday or when Daylight Savings Time kicks in. Milk cows want to be milked at the same time every day. Beef cows need to be fed, even during a blizzard. Hay needs to be cut, baled and stacked when it’s ready–not next week after we take a vacation.

If we were lucky enough to have a few days between haying season and grain harvesting season, we occasionally could take a short vacation–maybe to Glacier  or Yellowstone Park. Those were rare but memorable family trips.

So those of us who have Monday through Friday, 9-5 type jobs and get a day off on “Labor Day,” let’s consider ourselves lucky and give thanks for all those who do labor on this day.

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Meet the Author: Bear Lake Family Saga

To win an ebook or an Audible audiobook, answer this question: “Why do you like historical romances?” and your preference of ebook or audio.

Who is Author Linda Weaver Clarke?

I was raised among the Rocky Mountains of southern Idaho and live in Color Country in southern Utah. I am the author of 23 books. I have several genres that I write in—a Historical Romance series: Bear Lake Family Saga, a Mystery Suspense series: The Adventures of John and Julia Evans, a Cozy Mystery series: Amelia Moore Detective Series, and a Period/Adventure Romance: The Rebel Series. I am also a missionary at the Family Search Center. I help people find their ancestors and learn about their heritage.

What draws readers to this historical romance series: Bear Lake Family Saga?

This series has strong female characters who have a destiny to fulfill. Each woman wants to make a difference in someone’s life. No matter the trial that comes her way, she is ready to fight for what she believes. I love the male characters. Even though they are strong and masculine, they have their tender moments that can melt your heart. Bear Lake Family Saga has plenty of adventure along with a tender love story.

What was the inspiration for this series?

My ancestors were my inspiration. I was writing their histories so my children would learn to appreciate their heritage. Their stories were intriguing and full of adventure. When I was done, I decided to write a historical romance series and give these true experiences to my fictional characters.

Give us a brief description of each story in this series.

Melinda and the Wild West (Book 1): Melinda is a schoolteacher. She has many challenges but it’s a rugged rancher who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared—love.

Edith and the Mysterious Stranger (Book 2): Edith is a nurse. When a mysterious stranger starts writing to Edith, she gets to know a man’s inner soul before making any harsh judgments. Whoever he is, this man is a mystery but is he as wonderful in person as he is in his letters?

Jenny’s Dream (Book 3): Jenny is an aspiring author. She has a dream to fulfill, but the only thing standing in her way is an unpleasant memory, which has haunted her since childhood. She must learn to forgive before she can follow her dream.

Sarah’s Special Gift (Book 4): Sarah is a beautiful and successful dance teacher but she is not an average young woman. Sarah is deaf, but this does not stop her from living life to its fullest. And it does not stop her from falling in love with a man who needs her help.

Elena, Woman of Courage (Book 5): The Roaring Twenties was a time of great change, when women raised their hemlines and bobbed their hair. As Elena fights to prove herself as the town’s first female doctor, the town’s most eligible bachelor finds it a challenge to see if he can win her heart.

Are your books in audiobook form?

Yes. I have a narrator who is narrating them for Audible. I have one narrator for Melinda and the Wild West, and then changed to a different narrator for the next four. Carolyn Kashner actually sings in Edith and the Mysterious Stranger, and she has such a lovely voice.

Who is the most intriguing character in this series?

I love all my female characters, but I feel that Elena from Elena Woman of Courage is the most interesting. She has to endure a lot of prejudice from the town bully who feels that women doctors have no right to practice medicine. But that isn’t all. This story takes place during the roaring twenties, and Elena has decided to be a part of this new generation by bobbing her hair and raising her hemlines. That takes a lot of courage. Of course, the town’s most eligible bachelor finds her most intriguing. He actually admires her tenacity. I admire Elena, as well.

(For history buffs: Bobbed hair caused a lot of commotion. A teacher in Jersey City was ordered to grow her hair back by the school board or she would be fired. Women with bobbed hair were fired from prestigious department stores without any warning. A preacher pounded the pulpit, saying that a “bobbed woman was a disgraced woman.” The raising of hemlines had its problems, as well.)

They developed a new vocabulary during the roaring twenties. What were some of the words you discovered while writing this story?

This was the fun part of writing Elena Woman of Courage. During this time period, they spoke a language foreign to their parents.  Here are some examples.

If you were excited about something, you say: Cat’s pajamas!

If you didn’t agree with someone, you say: Ah, horsefeathers!

If you were a feisty woman, you were referred to as: a bearcat.

If you were an attractive woman, you were referred to as: a doll.

Women were also referred to as: a tomato.

When John wanted to “spoon” with Elena, she said: The bank’s closed.

A woman’s body was referred to as a chassis and her legs were gams.

Where can readers find you?

My website has sample chapters to read: www.lindaweaverclarke.com

My Audible Page: https://www.audible.com/author/Linda-Weaver-Clarke/B004P47EWO
My Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/ZA-z2ckme8w

My Mother Seeks the American Dream

When my husband and I moved from Missoula, Montana to western Washington in 1996, I thought it would be an easy transition. We were both ready for a change, a great job became available for him, and I was a freelance writer. I could do that from anywhere.

But I was surprised at how difficult it was for me to adjust, become acclimated, and feel at home there. Everything I’d known changed—new grocery stores, new doctors, and new friends. I kept thinking, what must it have been like for my mom, who emigrated from Germany in 1948 after WWII?

I moved only a few hundred miles, the language and culture was the same, and we did actually have some acquaintances there before the move.

My mother came from an urban setting, where—at least before the war—they enjoyed electricity and indoor plumbing, and cultural experiences such as concerts and plays. She moved to extremely rural eastern Montana with no running water and an outdoor privy—the “middle of nowhere” where the nearest town was close to a hundred miles away—to live with the in-laws for nearly three years. She knew very little English, the culture was different, and people still considered Germans “the enemy.” Plus, she knew no one, except her fiancé, a man she hadn’t seen for two years!

A move like hers took a great deal of courage. I remember my nervousness when I went from my ranch home to college in the “big city” of Missoula, Montana. And I got to go home for quarter breaks and holidays. It was ten years before Mom was able to go back to Germany to visit her family.

All of these thoughts and questions ran through my mind until I was compelled to sit at my computer and write her story. I fictionalized it, so I could “fill in the blanks,” and with fiction, the author can create an ending that is the way it should have been.

It has been twenty years since I started writing my mother’s story, and Seeking the American Dream is finally published! It was not the right timing until now. I needed to study and learn my craft, to continue to make it better, and chronologically, it follows the “Cowgirl Dreams” series I wrote, based on my rodeo cowgirl grandmother.

Mom died thirty years ago, but I hope she would be proud of the results. You were a strong, brave woman, and I’ve always admired you.

Seeking the American Dream is available as an e-book and in print from Amazon and autographed copies through my website.

Advance Reviews:

“With beautifully researched detail, haunting descriptions, and the authentic language of the heart, Heidi Thomas’s Seeking the American Dream is a classic immigrant’s tale, a domestic drama that shows the rebuilding of the world as planned at the kitchen table, enacted in the fields, and put into action in the financial, emotional, and psychological details of daily life. A story of longing—and finally of belonging—we see one woman’s dream become the fulfillment of the American dream one step at a time.”

– Mara Purl, best-selling author of the Milford-Haven Novels

“Seeking the American Dream is such a beautiful, heartwarming book! It was a pleasure to read about Anna’s quest for her dream. I didn’t just enjoy it, I loved it! Heidi Thomas has a way of building suspense that just kills me. Readers will love it as much as I do.” –Carol Buchanan, award-winning author of “The Vigilante Quartet” series

“Once again, I open the pages of a Heidi Thomas novel and I’m transported to another time and place. From post WWII Germany to the sometimes-brutal Montana ranch life, Seeking the American Dream explores one woman’s journey as she faces impossible odds to live her dream. Ms. Thomas is excellent at period literature. You won’t be disappointed.”—Brenda Whiteside, Author of The Love and Murder Series
Synopsis: As a nurse, Anna Schmidt deals with the aftermath of a war-torn Germany on a daily basis. The destruction and suffering of WWII frame her existence until she meets American GI, Neil Moser. His stories of ranch life in Montana, his quiet kindness and compassion, and the attraction that blossoms give her hope for a different life. Before their relationship develops, Neil is suddenly shipped out of Germany, and Anna is left with nothing but a yearning for what might have been.

Anna’s dreams are renewed when Neil writes to declare his love and propose that she join him in America as his wife. After two years of endless paperwork, she is finally on American soil. But will Anna be able to overcome the language barrier and harsh Montana ranch life, to gain acceptance from his parents, and form a family in a country that still considers a German the enemy?

Book 1 in the American Dream series and the next generation of the Moser family.

Sink, Sank, Sunk–Which do You Use?

I’ve been noticing more and more use of words like “sunk” as the simple past tense, by authors and even in newspaper writing. For example: I sunk into the easy chair.

Here are some other examples: I’ve heard people say I seen it, when they should say I saw it. Or they will use the past tense instead of the correct past participle: We could have went to the movie.

My editor’s hackles go up!

The simple past tense of “sink” is “sank.” The word “sunk” is used as the past participle (or past perfect) and always requires the “helper” word “has” or “had.”

Sink: I sink the ship today.

I sank the ship yesterday.

I have sunk the ship many times.

 

See: I see it today.

I saw it yesterday.

I have seen it many times before.

 

Go: I go to the movie (or I’m going to the movie today).

I went to the movie yesterday.

I have gone to the movies many times.

I remember memorizing many of these verb forms when I was in grade school. Maybe they don’t teach that anymore?

Don’t even get me started on “snuck.” (A blog for another time!)