May-June Newsletter

Good Morning!

Today is a celebration as my twin girls graduate high school. Yes! Awesome, I know. Their last two years they did alternative high school, in that one home schooled and the other went to an academy for half a day, all online. Both are progressives moves. Where do they get that from I wonder? It was their own choice and I applauded it. Occasionally, it was difficult with teachers and administrators communications but we worked on it. Both are headed to community colleges, and will pursue four year degrees, possibly in healthcare. I warned them how hard nurses must work with all kinds of hours and holidays and no lunch breaks. But I also gave them hope and told them of great rewards. Bright futures are what I hope for all our June graduates. Good luck!

I’ve been very busy with writing and spring cleaning. The most fun though was launching my store on Zazzle.com. It’s called TheIvoryTide. Until I work out any kinks or get a logo or obtain my very own place, I’ll operate off of Zazzle. I will do two collections a year by designing items and clothing from my photography. They package and ship, and hopefully, I’ll make a little $$$. My palm tree photo and silver sea photo were the spring/summer highlights. Check it out. You can order the little notebook below.

TheIvoryTide

In early May I attended the Atlanta Writer’s Conference, and pitched my story Chocolate for Lilly to no avail. I love the conference and I met a couple other lady writers but I won’t fool ya, it’s depressing and I keep going back for more. I must lift myself, take the criticism (they all have different viewpoints you don’t know what is right or wrong), and move along, do my own thing. George Weinstein does a fabulous job and the meeting is very professional. It’s 1st class. Like I said, maybe I need to stop going (I’ve been to four now). Maybe I’ll never get readers; maybe I will. The people that have read my books have liked them. I’ll take that. I’ve written an essay on politics and social media and will submit this. Maiden Voyage, a Lighthouse Tale is a short story already submitted. It’s a little gem in my book but probably needs more editing to fine tune the tale. I have another short about nightcrawlers-who would write anything about worms?

Atlanta Writer’s Conference

Chocolate for Lilly Query

This historical novel of fiction set in the jazz era of the 1920’s, prohibition, women’s suffrage, post war and the attraction of two souls, is intended for adults. Think The Great Gatsby meets Little Orphan Annie by way of Murder on the Orient Express. 

It’s 1919 and women’s lives are about to change, but before Emmaline can figure out that future she must find her sister that she never knew she had. Robert has just finished his college studies and already has a sizeable portfolio noting his inventions. These childhood friends meet up at the perfect moment in time, and decide to help one another setting off on an adventure only the spirited would undertake. Pretending to be married they board the train from New York City, and first up is the idyllic setting of their childhood, summer homes in North Carolina. What they find in their secret pool alerts them to nearby bootleggers but they are on a journey to find her sister that didn’t perish in the burned out orphanage, and he to showcase his prized paper inventions to none other than Thomas Edison. A train strike doesn’t stop them, a party at the Vanderbilt estate, a shootout nor two opposite coasts of business. They even meet an undercover Washington D.C. reporter, who delivers the chocolate for Lilly, along the way willing to help them as he is after the hit men and their bosses. Her long lost sister, Lilly, gets out just in time on the east coast and the couple, Robert and Emmaline, on the west coast share a first kiss while rowing out from the shores of Edison’s winter retreat.

In the end, the two sisters, Emmaline and Lilly, are united with all the family present in North Carolina, and Robert has partners to back his ventures. This could be a series going forward with the story of their inventions and hotel business in Florida.

I’m an Indie Author and delighted to introduce myself to you! I’m on Amazon.com under the pen name of Caroline Clemens where I have a couple novels, poetry, and my first novella, “Kiss Ride.” I blog at carolineclemens.com and theivorytide.com. I’ve written journalism styled articles for The Guardian Liberty Voice and received two honorable mention awards for “Bleu Moon,” which is the middle segment of my contemporary novel “Into the Vines.” I find this creative process to be a work of art with hopes of producing more titles, such as a thriller I have in the works.

Sincerely,

Caroline Clemens

carolineclemensauthor@gmail.com

Lastly, I have decided to put professional covers on my books starting with the very first real book I wrote. I’m changing the title, re-editing, and adding this wonderful cover by Dani from Brazil you see above. More to come on that. Thanks for reading the newsletter from a starving artist-haha. My humor is emerging, engaging me to write that satire, humor-filled artists role. It will be based upon my favorite comedian.

Caroline Clemens

*art work by Danielle

*photography by me