A Family Friendly Book Blog: June 2018

Monday, June 25, 2018

Follow Your Dreams

Dreams are a part of life and they come straight from the heart. If you work hard enough, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. This was Jenny’s philosophy. Follow your dream!

“Linda Weaver Clarke has captured the essence of reaching for your dreams, no matter what happens to throw you off the path of getting there,” wrote Allison King, Rebecca’s Reads. “Jenny’s Dream is a book for all ages that can wrap you up and make you feel all warm inside with the love and hope that dreams can come true if you believe hard enough.”

Jenny Roberts has many dreams, but will she be able to fulfill them all? Jenny is home from college and feels restless. She wants to spread her wings and fly away. When Will asks her what her outlook on life is, she answers, “Dreams are an important part of life, and without them, life would be dull. If we can envision it, then I believe it can be accomplished.”

Jenny’s dreams include falling in love with the “prince of her dreams.” As the summer passes, Jenny begins to recognize her true feelings for Will. When she realizes that he means more to her than a kindred friend, she must now choose between a career and matters of the heart. The only thing standing in her way is an unpleasant memory from her past, which has haunted her since childhood. She must learn to forgive before she can choose which dream to follow. This book is about the miracle of forgiveness.

Suko's Notebook wrote: “Linda Weaver Clarke blends fact and fiction and brings the story to life through wonderful descriptions, of the characters' thoughts and emotions and of the untamed landscape. I felt as if I was surrounded by the vast wilderness of Idaho, experiencing the story firsthand. Although this book is set in the past, the romance in this story is beautiful and passionate and timeless.”

While Jenny is trying to realize her dreams, her father is concerned about the safety of his family. A ten-foot grizzly bear is seen in the area and its boldness has frightened the community. There is one man with the courage and determination to protect his family and neighbors: Gilbert Roberts! He attempts to defy this great beast but Melinda will not have her husband be part of it. Gilbert has other ideas. Old Half Paw must be stopped. “Jenny’s Dream” is the story of a young girl’s desire to become a writer and how she finds love and forgiveness, with the legend of Old Ephraim as the subplot.

“Jenny’s Dream tells a beautiful story that incorporates the value of loyalty, love, family and forgiveness into it,” wrote Paige Lovitt, Reader Views. “Each relationship demonstrates friendship, respect and love. I also enjoyed how the author put real experiences, taken from her family, into the plot. This is a great touch because it makes the story seem real. Jenny’s Dream is a wonderful story. It is a wholesome novel that will be enjoyed by family members of all ages. I think this series is destined to be a classic.”

“Jenny’s Dream” can be purchased through local and online bookstores and Audible audiobooks.

For more information, visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com.

LEARN HOW TO GET A FREE AUDIO BOOK FROM AUDIBLE! Receive this audiobook free if you join audible.com. Membership includes two free audiobooks and you can choose from 150,000+ titles. Go to Linda Weaver Clarke’s Audible Page and find the book you’re interested in and sign up for some free audiobooks. My Audible Page: https://www.audible.com/author/Linda-Weaver-Clarke/B004P47EWO

Monday, June 18, 2018

Is It Possible to Fall in Love Through Letters?

There are many websites where you can meet others and try to find your soul mate… your one and only true love. Is this possible? I’ve heard of stories about someone falling in love through letters, yet had never met in person. We’ve all heard of someone who met her sweetheart this way. The question is this… is it possible to fall madly in love through letters only…without meeting?

To me, it seemed strange. But yet, sort of romantic. One day I asked my mother how she met my father. They had been married for years and were still in love. I could see it in the way he treated her, the way he wrapped his arms around her waist while doing the dishes and the way he kissed her neck when he thought I wasn’t watching. Yes, they were in love. So I asked my mother how they met. Low and behold, it was through letters. What? I had to know more. I learned that her girlfriend was a teacher in southern Idaho and she decided to be a matchmaker. She knew a good-looking twenty-nine year old farmer that my mom could write to. So she gave my mother his address and visa versa and they began writing.

My mother told me that through letters she was able to get to know my father’s soul, his innermost feelings. She said that we all tend to hide our feelings in person and try to impress our date… but when writing a letter, it’s easier to write our deepest feelings on paper. I had never thought about it like that before. My mother said that it didn’t take long to realize how wonderful my father was and she began falling in love with him through his letters. After realizing their feelings for one another, they decided it was time to meet. She told me about their first meeting: “When our eyes met, my heart leapt within me and a warm glow filled my soul, telling me that he was the man I was going to marry.”

This story and their love letters, which I had the opportunity to read, were so romantic and it touched my heart like no other story ever told. It didn’t take long for me to realize that their story was precious. How many others had met and fallen in love this way? Soon this story became the inspiration for my next novel, Edith and the Mysterious Stranger. I gave Edith the same feelings and struggles that my mother had while searching for her soul mate. My mother was a spunky one! There is one difference in my story, though. I don’t let my readers know who encouraged the “mysterious stranger” to write to Edith until the last chapter.

“The Power of the Written Word -- this is the life lesson I took away from Linda Weaver Clarke’s book Edith and the Mysterious Stranger,” wrote Wendy Cleveland of Reader Views. “I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in a good inspirational read from beginning to end. You won’t be disappointed.”

In this Inspirational Historical Romance, Edith is a nurse and has gone home to assist her cousin who is “with child.” Edith has wonderful qualities but never gives a man a second chance because her expectations are so high. However, all that changes when a mysterious stranger starts writing to her. For the first time, she gets to know a man's inner soul before making any harsh judgments. Whoever he is, this man is a mystery and the best thing that has ever happened to her. The question that puzzles her is whether or not he's as wonderful in person as he is in his letters… letters that were given much thought… letters written so eloquently… letters that touched her heart! Who had written such letters?

The Amherst Bee Newspaper of Buffalo, New York wrote: “Clarke draws the reader into a world full of color and intrigue right from the first page. The end is uplifting. I would highly recommend Edith and the Mysterious Stranger to anyone looking for a novel that just makes you feel good.”

This book can be purchased through local and online bookstores and Audible audiobooks. For more information, visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com.

Monday, June 11, 2018

Love Letters and a Mysterious Stranger

Intriguing letters… letters that were given much thought… letters written so eloquently… letters that touched Edith’s heart! Who had written such letters? This was the last thing Edith had expected in this historical romance.

“Linda Weaver Clarke has a talent for weaving fact and fiction into a satisfying story,” wrote Betsy Brannon Green, best-selling mystery author. “Her research and dedication to accuracy give readers a taste of the true Wild West. Also, her ability to create realistic and likable characters gives readers a chance to experience the West, as it must have been, through the eyes of characters we grow to love and admire.”

Edith used to sing professionally but has now settled down and serves others through her nursing abilities. While visiting her parents in Idaho, she meets two men. Henry, the superintendent of schools, seems to be arrogant, flirtatious, and quite impressed with her talents. Joseph, a farmer and ranch hand, acts completely disinterested in her and unimpressed with her talents. At first, both men get on her nerves until she decides it’s about time to not be so judgmental.

“Clarke’s passion for her historical subject matter is apparent in the solid writing, which transports the reader back in time effortlessly. Her multi-layered characters are unique individuals who evoke empathy. The experiences, challenges, dialogue, and dress are realistic for the time period and the descriptions are so vivid the reader is more a participant in the events than a page-turner. Edith and the Mysterious Stranger is a highly recommended read. It’s a great adventure story with strong values; great for the entire family.” --Lisa Haselton, Allbooks Reviews

“Edith and the Mysterious Stranger” can be purchased through local and online bookstores and Audible audiobooks. For more information, visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com.

Monday, June 4, 2018

The Inspiration Behind Award Winning Historical Romance

It is interesting to know the inspiration behind the book that authors write. Some authors are inspired by an event in their lives or by something they’ve read in a newspaper. Others have dreams that motivate a new story. In my case, it was personal. I had a heartrending experience that I never forgot. This experience was the inspiration for my award winning romance novel, Melinda and the Wild West.

I was a substitute teacher for an elementary school and had subbed for this one class before, but this day was different. This day something was definitely wrong and I was not sure what it was. As I moved toward the back of the room, I noticed a desk that was hidden behind a bookshelf. I peered around the corner and saw an eight-year-old girl resting her head against her arms. I was surprised. Why was this student separated from the rest of the children? Why was she hidden behind this bookshelf… alone?

One of the students volunteered, “She has to sit there because she’s a trouble-maker. She doesn’t do her schoolwork and fights with the boys at recess.”

She was a slender and pretty young girl. After excusing the children for recess, I talked to her. It took quite a while to soften her angry eyes and her rebellious attitude. So I decided to compliment her. I told her how pretty her dress was and how nice her hair was fixed. After a time, I had the young girl smiling. I didn’t like where she was seated, so I moved her desk beside my own where she could be near me and I could help her. When the students entered class and noticed what I had done, they complained but I set them straight. Since I was in charge that day, her desk would remain by mine.

As the day wore on, I spent much time with this young girl, helping her, talking to her, having her pass out papers to the students. I even sat beside her during a music class. By the end of the day, I had grown to love this young student and my heart went out to her. She had been bullied by her peers and misunderstood by her teacher. As a result, the teacher had labeled her as a troublemaker in front of the students. At the end of the day, I was supposed to write a note about the young girl’s behavior so she could give it to her parents. After the class was empty, I packed up and walked out the door.

To my surprise, the mother of the young girl walked up to me with the note and asked, “Did you write this?” After acknowledging that I had, the young mother’s eyes welled up with tears as she said, “Her teacher has never written anything positive about my daughter. I want to thank you very much. This means a lot to me.”

A teacher’s job is a difficult one and I know it. I appreciate what teachers do to educate our youth, but many times we make mistakes and have to remind ourselves to apologize when we say something unkind. Children tend to forgive so easily.

This experience affected me quite a bit and I never forgot it. I remember when my own eight year old daughter was labeled as a troublemaker, simply because she was an active child. Angela’s teacher didn’t know how to cope with a lively child and had given her a negative label. This broke my heart. I realized that my daughter’s self-esteem was being hurt.

The following year, Angela’s new teacher was an elderly woman who understood my little girl. She realized my daughter had a tough time sitting still, so she allowed her to stand at her desk as she did her work. Because of the love of a teacher, my daughter wanted to try harder. This sweet elderly teacher helped to boost my little girl’s self-esteem.

Why do teachers have to give negative labels to children? It tears them down and degrades them in front of their peers. My husband told me about a young classmate of his, whom the teacher called “dummy” whenever he did something without thinking. The students soon picked up on it and the boy lived with this label until he left school. How would he have turned out if the teacher had labeled him something positive? What if he was labeled as “one who can create with his hands” or “one who is kind to others?”

I soon realized that negative labeling was something that had been going on for years. A few months later, I sat down and wrote this historical romance, Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho. This story is about a teacher who helps a rebellious student, but it’s a rugged rancher who challenges Melinda with the one thing for which she was least prepared—love.

“Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho” can be purchased through local and online bookstores and Audible audiobooks. For more information, visit www.lindaweaverclarke.com.