Monday, July 25, 2016

Interview with author Linda Weaver Clarke

Q ~ Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I have traveled throughout the United States, teaching people to write their family history and autobiography. I am the author of 20 books: six historical romances, four mystery suspense novels, a children’s book, a cozy mystery series, and two non-fiction. One of my books, Melinda and the Wild West, was a semi-finalist for the “Reviewers Choice Award.” All my books are family friendly.

I have two blogs. One is only for my books and articles I've written about the subjects in my books at https://lindaweaverclarke.wordpress.com. The other is at http://lindaweaverclarke.blogspot.com, where I interview authors that have family friendly books.

Q ~ What is your favourite quote, by whom, and why?
“There is one thing needful for joy, to which man is entitled. It is the service we render mankind.” –David O. McKay

Why do I love this quote? I love the message. We will have true joy if we serve others.

Q ~ What is your favourite genre to read? To write?
My favorite genre to read is historical “clean” romance. My favorite to write is romance with a touch of adventure or mystery.

Q ~ How did you begin writing? Was there a single catalyst or a series of events?
I have always loved writing. After writing my ancestors’ and parents’ biographies, I couldn’t stop writing. So I turned to historical fiction. Since my ancestors’ stories were so vivid in my mind, I actually gave some of their exciting experiences to the main characters. So my ancestors were the inspiration for getting me started. My first historical romance, Melinda and the Wild West, actually won an award for the Reviewers Choice Award. After writing five historical romances, I turned to mysteries. All my stories are family friendly.

Q ~ Can you tell us a little bit about your Amelia Moore Detective series and what inspired you to write it?
I love to challenge myself, so I decided to leave the historical romance genre for just a while and try out something new. The thought of a woman detective sounded fun, but I didn’t want her to be the run-of-the-mill detective. I wanted her to be different. That was when I came up with a detective that dealt with “missing persons.” It’s been really fun coming up with a missing person for each book and trying to figure out why that person was missing.

Amelia Moore, the founder of the Moore Detective Agency, specializes in missing persons. With the help of her good-looking partner, Rick Bonito, the business is flourishing. This series is a ROMANTIC COZY MYSTERY. What are cozy mysteries? It’s a clean mystery that usually has a woman as the main “sleuth.” You get to know the main characters personally and the story is about them as they solve the case. That’s what drew me to this genre, because I love getting to know the characters personally rather than just solving a mystery.

Q ~ How much research goes into your books?
I research the places I have my characters go so thoroughly that I’ve had people, who are from those areas or have visited there, tell me that I described it perfectly. If there’s something in that area that is of interest, then I’ll add it to the story.

Q ~ Your novels take place all over the world, how do you decide on the setting of your book?
It has a lot to do with my interest in that country. For example, in The Shamrock Case, my great, great grandfather was from Ireland. I knew a little about him and his life there. Immediately I began to wonder to myself… what would it be like if I were adopted and didn’t know my heritage? What if all I knew was that my biological parents were from Ireland? What if my grandparents were still alive? If so, I would like to meet them. At this point, I saw a story begin to build in my mind.

Q ~ How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
Names are a fun yet difficult one. I have to find a name that fits the characters. If he is a tough and rugged rebel, then William or James would not suit him. If he is a gentleman, then Jess or Austin would not suit him, either. It takes time to settle on a name.

Q ~ What question do you wish that someone would ask about your book, but nobody has?
I would love to answer this question: What is Rick Bonito like and are you attracted to him? Haha. I am definitely attracted to him. Rick is a good-looking man in his thirties with curly chocolate brown hair, dark eyes, and an olive complexion. His dark stubble is close to his face, giving him a rugged look. Don’t let the rugged look deceive you, though, because he is a very caring and sensitive person. As for his outward appearance, he always wears Levis and a tee shirt, either with a V-neck or one that had four buttons down the front that he never buttons up. When he folds his arms across his chest, it’s obvious that he works out. He is totally ripped. Rick also has a bucket list and tries to check something off his list when he’s on a case.

Q ~ Of the works you’ve written, which is your favourite? Is there also a character that holds a special place in your heart?
I absolutely love The Rebels of Cordovia, which is a historical romance in a made up country. This time period was during a time when swashbuckling men and brave women engaged in daring and romantic adventures, those who fought with bravery and valour. These courageous men and women were looked up to because they defended the people from oppression. What is this story about?

A group of men and women who called themselves Robin’s Rebels realize they must help the people survive this oppression. In this battle for freedom, a love story begins to blossom. Daniel, a rogue and a leader of the Freemen, doesn’t realize that the sweet feminine woman he has met and is falling for happens to be the leader of Robin’s Rebels. Realizing the importance of uniting all the rebel groups, Daniel tries to recruit Robin’s Rebels but they refuse. Now he has to find a way to convince them. When he finds out the leader is actually a woman, what will his reaction be?

The characters in this story hold a special place in my heart because they remind me of how our country fought for liberty. Not only that, but the love story is quite touching.

Q ~ What are you working on next?
I just finished my last book for The Amelia Moore Detective Series. Since I wrote The Rebels of Cordovia, I’ve had quite a few people ask me if there is going to be a sequel. If I didn’t plan one, then they recommended that I do so. These requests touched my heart, so I decided that was my next project. I would stay with the same theme of the first book, though, with swashbuckling men and courageous women who engage in daring and romantic adventures as they help their fellowman.

I’m calling it The Highwayman of Cordovia. This love story takes place after the small country of Cordovia gains its freedom. One year later, a group of powerful men want to take over and replace the leader with a king. As they preach from the streets, they try to convince the people to join their cause. With the help of a highwayman and a pastor’s daughter, they try to save their country from being taken over by a power-hungry leader. As they strive to stop the “Kingmen” and thwart their plans, Christine finds herself falling in love with Austin Knight. The only problem with this relationship is that she does not know he is a highwayman. If she finds out his trade, what will her reaction be? As a pastor’s daughter, will love override her values?

Q ~ If you could give aspiring authors one piece of advice, what would it be?
Read as much as you can because that will influence your writing and help you to understand plots, descriptions, and how to add emotion to a story.

To buy my books, ebooks, or audiobooks, you may go to my website at http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/purchasebook.html. You may click on the book you’re interested in and it will take you to Amazon or click on Barnes and Noble, Audible, etc.



About The Mysterious Doll


Pauline Jones is confused why her boyfriend took off without telling a soul where he was going. But that isn’t all. Sam Whitaker is accused of stealing a valuable porcelain doll from the museum. His disappearance makes him look guilty, but Pauline is convinced he is innocent. When Amelia finds Sam, she realizes they need to prove his innocence. Where is the antique doll and who has taken it?



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