I’m happy to
welcome mystery novelist Linda
Weaver Clarke back to Reviews and Interviews. Today we’re chatting about
her new historical mystery with a touch of adventure and romance, The Fox of Cordovia (Book 3 of The Rebel
Series).
Bio:
Linda Weaver
Clarke was raised among the Rocky Mountains of southern Idaho and now lives
among the red mountains of southern Utah. She has traveled throughout the
United States, giving lectures and teaching people how to write their family
histories. Linda is the mother of six daughters and is the author of over 22
books: historical romances, romantic cozy mystery series, mystery suspense
series, and a children’s book. All her books are family friendly.
Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews,
Linda.
Please tell us about your newest
release.
The Rebel Series is a mixture of romance and adventure.
Each book, set in the late 1700s, is a love
story with mystery and intrigue as a young couple and their rebel friends
strive to help their country. The romance in this series can be enjoyed by
young and old alike. For those who enjoy strong women characters, all three
books have this in common. They are independent women who have an opinion and
are not afraid to express it. The heroes in this series are rebels with a sense
of justice. They are chivalrous and their feelings run deep for the young women
they’re in love with.
The third
book in this series, The Fox of Cordovia,
has adventure and mystery along with a “second-chance”
love story. A sinister plot has just been uncovered and its 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.
What inspired you to write this book?
The idea of a country that had to
fight for its liberty stayed in my mind for a long time until I created The Rebel Series. I love historical romance. This series
was inspired by the stories of the American 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 struggled to be free. In book 3 of this
series, the country of Cordovia has had its liberty for 3 years, but there is a
plot that threatens this freedom.
What is your biggest challenge when
writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)
This is a
great question. 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. When I’ve finished the book, I will sometimes go back and add
something more if I feel it doesn’t have enough intrigue.
I love a
romance where the man and woman know they are meant for one another, and even
though there are trials along the way they never give up on the other. Because
I don’t care for drama between a couple who is in love, I need to have enough
drama in the plot of the story.
If your novels require research – please
talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while
you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?
I love research
and I do it before I begin writing. When I did some research about the “waltz”
for The Highwayman of Cordovia (Book 2),
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. The waltz finally became fashionable when the wife of a
Russian ambassador endorsed it.
I learned some
interesting facts about lamplighters for The
Fox of Cordovia. The city is careful about who they hire because
lamplighters also act as night watchmen and need to be trustworthy. I also learned
that the job is usually handed down from father to son and kept within the
family.
In The Fox of Cordovia, they make their
getaway in a pirate ship, so I had to research what pirate ships were like so I
could describe it adequately.
While writing the
first book, The Rebels of Cordovia, I
found out that they referred to “dresses” as “gowns.” The word “dress” refers
to dressing for dinner and used as a verb rather than a noun. I love research.
What authors do you enjoy reading within
or outside of your genre?
This is an easy
question. My daughter, Serena, is my favorite author and I love reading her
books. She has written a fantasy romance series set back during the medieval
times. It has castles, adventure, heroes, romance, action, and intrigue. The
second book in this series is my favorite because it’s about an arranged
marriage. It’s so intriguing to see two totally different people come together
who were raised in different countries with completely opposite mannerisms and
learn to understand one another. Here is The Isian Series in order: The Treasure of Isian, The Alliance of
Isian, and The Secret of Isian by
Serena Clarke.
Anything additional you want to share
with the readers today?
When I sent The Fox of Cordovia to a reviewer in
Ireland, I was delighted with her review. I would love to share it with you. Inishowen
Cailín wrote on her blog: “I loved this book. It is full of adventure, drama, intrigue and
suspense. We've got kidnapping plots, pirate ships, daring rescues and romance.
The author weaves an exciting tale and a sweet romance together in a way that
will appeal to all readers.”
Book Trailers:
Thank you for coming back to Reviews and
Interviews!
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