Caroline Clemmons talks about her book, Gabe Kincaid

Inspiration for GABE KINCAID

By Caroline Clemmons 

Thanks, Penny, for having me as your guest. Like most authors, I love my job and can’t wait to get started each day. Writing is hard work, but our characters won’t let us stop. Ooh, sounds like we’re nuts, doesn’t it? Well, in a way we are. But we use our crazy powers for good—mostly.

I love Happily Ever After endings for books. Plot ideas come from everywhere. Something in a newspaper, magazine, or television may spark a “but what if?” idea. Each of us hears stories that should have a different ending. One such was the kernel of Pearl Parker’s life in THE MOST UNSUITABLE WIFE. For instance, my grandmother’s brief anecdote about a girl in the Tennessee village where she was born prompted me to imagine a happier life for the young woman. That’s what authors do, we imagine life as we’d like to see it in contemporary times or as we wish it happened in historic times.

My characters—as is true with many authors—appear to me in the inciting incident as if I were watching a scene on television. That’s the good part. The hard part comes in fleshing out the characters with backgrounds, goals, motivation, and throwing up obstacles that hinder their achieving the happily-ever-after we expect from a romance. 

 

How many variations to a hunky western hero are there? How many incarnations of a feisty, strong heroine can you imagine? And how many ways can one insert Tab A into Slot B? As you can imagine, the more books an author has written, the greater the challenge of creating a fresh twist on basic story plots.

For my sensual western historical release, GABE KINCAID, I believe I achieved an enticing mix of characters and situations that readers will enjoy. This hunky hero, Gabe Kincaid, has reason to despise lies and those who tell them. Instead of the usual cowboy or rancher in a western historical, Gabe is a lawyer in the small town of Kincaid Springs, Texas. The year is 1887.

Heroine Kathryn Elizabeth “Katie” Worthington walked in on a murder and is on the run from the two powerful killers who want her dead. Where can she go? Katie doesn’t want to endanger her friends so she sets off on her own to find a hiding place. At the edge of town, a circus presents the perfect solution. As Dorothy Duncan, she washes dishes and mends costumes for two years—safe from prying eyes. Later, as fortuneteller Maharani Shimza, Katie’s outlandish costume keeps her anonymity. But her plans go awry in a big way. You knew that was coming, didn’t you?

Writing about a circus that’s come to a small town kept me smiling. I loved researching circuses of the time (1887) and changing an uptight young lawyer’s outlook. Gabe really needed to lighten up. Katie tried to fit into circus life, tough for a proper young woman from a wealthy background. No, those are not the plot obstacles. Takes more than that to weave an interesting plot, doesn’t it? Throw in a trio of hormone-laden farm boys, said couple of killers after Katie, and a second psycho creating havoc in the circus and you have the basic idea.

Here’s a brief excerpt of their first kiss in GABE KINCAID to tease you:

She pressed her hand against his arm. “Don’t, Gabe. It’s such a nice afternoon. Don’t spoil it by prying.”

“All right. But I wish you’d trust me with all your secrets, Shimza. I feel like a fool calling you that, but I don’t even know your real name.”

“Shimza will do. And I do trust you to keep me safe here.”

“But you don’t think I could if you told me more, is that it?” He gently clasped her shoulders and turned her to face him.

She met his gaze, pleading with him, “Please, it’s too . . . complicated.”

Slowly he slid his hands across her shoulders, lightly up her neck. He caressed her cheeks with his thumbs while he rested his hands gently on either side of her face. “Then let’s make it a little more complicated.” He leaned forward and claimed her lips.

She dissolved against him. His gentle kiss increased in fervor. Her arms slid around him and her fingers weaved into his hair.

His hands slid across her back. Stroking. Touching. Hugging. One of his strong hands skimmed her ribs beneath her breast. Brazenly, she wished he’d move higher where she ached to be touched. As it was, the heat of his touch near burned through her clothing.

He broke their embrace, his chest heaving. “I’ve never kissed a client. Grandpa will have my hide.”

She rested her head against his powerful shoulder. “Mmm, I don’t think so. Perhaps you noticed we were seated next to one another at dinner. I could be wrong, but I think the Judge and Mrs. Kincaid are conspiring. Judge Kincaid smiled when we left the dining room together.”

“You don’t say? Then, if it’s all right with you, I’m kissing you again.”

And he did. Not that she was an expert, but her verdict was he kissed very well indeed.
GABE KINCAID is available in print from Amazon and in e-book at Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Google Books, and from iBooks and iPhone.

About the Author

Caroline Clemmons is an Amazon bestselling author of historical and contemporary western romances whose books have garnered numerous awards. Her latest release is GABE KINCAID, book four of her popular Kincaid series. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel. 

 

Caroline is a member of Romance Writers of America, Yellow Rose Romance Writers, From The Heart Romance Writers, and Hearts Through History Romance Writers. Her latest publications include the acclaimed historical Men of Stone Mountain series: BRAZOS BRIDE, HIGH STAKES BRIDE, and BLUEBONNET BRIDE and the audio books of BRAZOS BRIDE and HIGH STAKES BRIDE. 

 

Caroline and her husband live in the heart of Texas cowboy country with their menagerie of rescued pets. When she’s not indulging her passion for writing, Caroline enjoys reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, painting, and getting together with friends. 

Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest. She loves hearing from readers at caroline@carolineclemmons.com.

Thanks again, Penny, for having me as your guest.