Talkshow Thursday: Linda Weaver Clarke
Linda Weaver Clarke is visiting again, and I'm thrilled to be discussing her latest release. Pull up a chair and get to know this fascinating lady!
LM: Congratulations on your most recent
publication, The Fox of Cordovia,
book 3 of your fabulous Rebel series.
Here's the description: In this swashbuckling romance, a sinister plot has just been uncovered and it’s up to a former patriot and a young nurse to discover who is behind it. Caroline is engaged to the future mayor of Laketown, a man of influence and greatly respected. But all that changes when she overhears a conspiracy behind closed doors. After being discovered, she runs for her life. Caroline needs to report her findings, but whom can she trust? When she asks Jesse Conover for help, the adventure begins.
“Swashbuckling” is used in the description. I love that! What was your
inspiration for this story?
Linda: This
series was inspired by the stories of patriots who fought to be free from the
dictatorship and tyranny of a king. Liberty is something that I cherish, so I decided to
write about a small country that struggles to be free. The idea of a country
that has to fight for its liberty stayed in my mind for a long time until I created The Rebel Series. In book 3, The Fox of Cordovia, the country has had
its liberty for 3 years, but there is a plot that threatens their freedom.
LM: Did you set
out to write a series or did that just happen?
Linda: No, I
didn’t plan on it being a series. After receiving some wonderful reviews and
encouragement from readers to continue the story, then I decided to write book
2 and 3.
LM: You write
romance, mystery, non-fiction, and children’s books? Do you have a favorite
genre?
Linda: My
favorite genre to write is a mixture of romance, mystery, and adventure. I
absolutely love stories that are page-turners, which have some mystery and
suspense. To make a story that is a page-turner is a real challenge.
I love a romance where the man and woman know they are meant
for one another, even though there are trials along the way. Since I don’t care
for drama between a couple who is in love, I need to have enough drama in the
main plot of the story.
My favorite time period is during the 18th and 19th
centuries. It’s during a time when men defended a
lady’s honor and treated women with respect. The women, on the other hand, were
not pansies. I love the fact that many of the women fought for what they believed.
LM: What’s the
quirkiest thing you’ve ever done?
Linda: I’m not
sure if I’ve ever done anything quirky. I must be very dull. I can share a very
interesting childhood story, though.
When I was young, my
father would tie six sleds together in a long line and then tie the first sled
to the back of the car. We lived in the country and the roads were packed with
snow, so it was perfect for sledding. He would pull our sleds down this country
road and we had so much fun. The first sled was actually wide enough for two
people to lay on and it was my favorite. The last sled was my least favorite. When
we passed a home with a dog, it would chase after the last sled, barking as it
ran after it. I remember hearing my brother, who was on the last sled, laughing
and yelling at the dog, as it chased him.
LM: How fun! Here are some
quickies:
Favorite Color: Yellow and mauve
Favorite Author: Serena Clarke who writes clean romantic fantasy
Favorite Food: Taco salad
LM: What are your
passions outside of writing?
Linda: Music. I
love listening to music. My family. I love playing games with my children. My
husband. I enjoy being about him, just talking, watching movies, and going on
short vacations together.
LM: What advice
can you give to not-yet-published writers?
Linda: Make sure
you do research on the subject you’re writing about. People notice if something
isn’t quite right.
For example, I wanted to know if they danced the waltz in
the late 1700s, since that was the time period for The Rebel Series. I couldn’t
have my characters dance the waltz if it hadn’t been created.
When I did some research about the “waltz” for The Highwayman of Cordovia, I was
surprised by what I found. The peasants were the first to dance the waltz. It
was such fun that bored noblemen would sneak out and go to the country-dances.
The Oxford English Dictionary back
then called the waltz “riotous and indecent.”
In a 1771 German novel, someone complains about the
“newly-introduced waltz” among the aristocrats. He wrote: “When he put his arm
around her, pressed her to his breast, cavorted with her in the shameless,
indecent whirling-dance of the Germans and engaged in a familiarity that broke
all the bounds of good breeding—then my silent misery turned into burning
rage.” I was so intrigued by this description and it made me laugh. The waltz finally
became fashionable when the wife of a Russian ambassador endorsed it.
LM: Where can
folks connect with you?
Linda: To read a sample chapter from each of my books in
The Rebel Series, go to http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/historicalromance.html
and click on the title. To purchase a book, click on the book cover and it will
take you directly to Amazon. My books are also available at Barnes and Noble.
I really like book
trailers because they can help readers feel what a book is like and whether
they’re interested in reading it. Here is a trailer for each of my books.
The Rebels of Cordovia
The Highwayman of
Cordovia
The Fox of Cordovia
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