Guest Author Day with Caroline Clemmons

Please give a warm welcome to Garnet Chandler from GARNET by Caroline Clemmons today as we sit down and see what makes her tick.

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not saving (the world, clients, your mate)?

I love entertaining my niece, Hyacinth, who’s six, and my nephew, Joey, who’s eight. I enjoy cooking but desperately need more help since the deaths of my husband Mike, his brother, and sister-in-law.

What is it about your love interest Adam that makes you crazy in a good way?

He gives orders as if this were his café instead of mine. On the other hand, he helps me and is wonderful with the children.

Do you sometimes want to strangle your writer? Thrash her/him to within an inch of their life? Make them do the stupid crap they makes you do?

Umm, yes. I don’t see why things happened as they did. I could have used less drama, that’s for certain.

Favorite food?

I love peach cobbler and make it frequently. I must admit the townspeople who eat at the café request it.

Tell me a little bit about your world. What are your greatest challenges in that world?

I was a mail-order bride who found myself married to a dreamer unable to grow up only nine months before he died. Thank heavens my sister-in-law Dessie helped out in the café until her death.  After the mine explosions, I was alone with two children to raise and no one to help me in the café, although Joey tried, bless his heart.

Describe yourself in four words.

Resilient, loving, hopeful, determined

What do you do for a living?

I own and operate the Crystal Palace Café in Wildcat Ridge, Utah.

What do you fear the most?

Failing my niece and nephew. They’ve lost both parents and still have nightmares. I can’t let my own exhaustion spill over and cause me to lose the café.  Then they would have to live with their mean-spirited grandparents, who beat their mother so much she had scars as an adult.

GARNET Blurb:

A widow with two children to care for, a bounty hunter that is badly beaten, and the crime that brings them together . . .

Garnet Chandler has lost everything. The only things remaining are her café, custody of her niece and nephew, and what little bit of sanity she has left. After the deaths of her husband and in-laws, she has made it her mission to provide for the children. When the children are kidnapped, Garnet has to find a way to rescue the last ties to her family. What she doesn’t expect is the handsome bounty hunter that comes to her aid.

Bounty hunter Adam Bennett is on his last job. He’s on the trail of a killer who escaped from prison and left a string of bodies in his wake. When he manages to catch up with the man, Adam is beaten and left for dead. Instead of dying, Adam vows to capture the killer and those that have teamed up with him, but he doesn’t count on rescuing two children in the process.

Can Garnet and Adam join forces to capture the killer and rescue the children in time? Will the children be able to stay with Garnet, or will the grandparents take them from her? Can Adam teach Garnet that even though she thinks she doesn’t need a man, having one isn’t all that bad?

Garnet is a sweet western historical romance.

Universal Amazon Buy Link: http://getbook.at/GarnetWOWR

G Excerpt when Adam shows up at the café the day after a prowler broke in the previous night: (375 words)

A loud rap at the back door startled her. She kept the curtains closed unless they were serving food so she couldn’t see who had knocked.

Joey grabbed his stick. “Don’t answer it. Might be the robber there.”

She wiped her hands on her apron. “Or a friend who needs something.” Joey didn’t know the Colt was in her apron pocket. After taking a deep, bracing breath, she opened the door.

The dirtiest man she’d ever seen stood there. His beard was as dirty as his clothes. Fresh cuts showed through the mud on his face. He was tall and broad-shouldered but looked as if he could barely stand.

“Ma’am, my name is Adam Bennett. Please don’t be put off by my appearance. I was robbed up the mountain a ways and lost all my gear. I’m mighty hungry. If you need anything done, I’d like to work for a meal.”

Joey was by her side. “He isn’t the one from last night.” All the same, her nephew kept his pick handle in his hand.

“We’re the Chandlers. Come in and sit down. Wait, wash your hands and face at the sink first. You can’t handle food while you’re that filthy.”

While the man washed his hands, she filled a plate from leftovers and poured a cup of coffee. “Joey, please get my medicine box from upstairs.”

He leaned close. “I don’t think I should leave you alone while he’s here.”

Joey took being man of the family seriously. “Oh, all right. Hyacinth, would you get the medicine box for me?”

“How come he doesn’t have to and I do?” Usually sweet, Hyacinth was a bit spoiled and definitely jealous of her brother.”

“Because Mr. Bennett is injured and needs our help. Please hurry.”

Her niece stomped up the stairs while muttering under her breath, her golden curls bouncing with each step.

When Garnet glanced at the man, she saw he’d wolfed down his food. “I’ll get you more. How long since you’ve eaten?”

“Not sure how long I was in and out of consciousness up there. They attacked me on Saturday. What day is this?”

“Monday. No wonder you’re hungry.” She set another plate of food in front of him and refilled his cup.