My Inspiration for GRANT ME THE MOON – Which is included in the
8-book Anthology COME LOVE A COWBOY
For several years, the setting and characters in GRANT ME THE MOON have nagged me to write this story. The idea first occurred on a trip from our home in the DFW Metroplex to visit family in Lubbock. We drive through Post on that trip. I’d written one story set in this area, BE MY GUEST, but my interest in the town continued.
I can’t explain why this setting appeals to me as it does. Post is a small town of approximately six thousand people and the county seat of Garza County, Texas at the foot of the Caprock, the start of the Great Plains also known as Llano Estacado. Perhaps the fact that I grew up in nearby Lubbock explains why the area fascinates me.
Post City was founded by cereal magnate Charles William Post as a utopian colonizing venture in 1907. He designed the community as a model town and laid out the streets logically. After he purchased 200,000 acres of ranchland, he established the Double U Company to manage the town’s construction.
The Double U Company built houses and numerous business structures which included the Algerita Hotel, a cotton gin, and a textile plant. They planted trees along every street. In addition, they sold farms and houses to settlers. The town shortened its name to Post when it incorporated in 1914, the year of C. W. Post’s death.
My husband (Hero) and I love visiting ancient ruins and pre-historic dwellings and remains. The Garza site, named after the county, is on private land not available to the public. I’ve always wanted to see that dig, which is a Clovis site. So, I decided to have a similar fictional site for my story, GRANT ME THE MOON, discovered by the hero, Grant Grayson, on his ranch. High school history teacher and sponsor of the History Explorers’ Club is Victoria “Tory” Fraser. Naturally a good history club sponsor would want her students to visit this recent discovery. Trouble starts with when Grant makes an innocent statement to the students.
GRANT ME THE MOON Blurb
All Tory Fraser intended was to show her high school history club students a local archeology dig. How could she know the excursion would involve a murder? Or that one of her students would be suspected as the killer? And she had no idea she would meet the man of her dreams.
Grant Grayson has taken over management of Grayson Ranch near Post, Texas to give his grandfather a less arduous schedule. A flash flood washed away an old talus slope on the ranch to reveal a prehistoric cave that is a Clovis site. Being a good citizen, he invited the nearest large university archaeology department to excavate the cave. When a gorgeous blonde high school teacher asks his permission to take her students to the site, how can he deny her? Especially when he is instantly attracted to her as he’s never been to anyone.
Tory and Grant are drawn in to the investigation to clear her student but unintentionally make themselves a target. Now they must evade the killer to celebrate their new found love.
GRANT ME THE MOON Excerpt:
This evening, she’d traded her business suit for a blue sundress and left her golden hair down, which he liked much better than the bun-like twisty thing she’d worn this afternoon. Instead of the killer heels she’d worn earlier in the day, she wore low-slung white sandals.
The forty-mile drive to Lubbock passed quickly with talk of archaeology and travel to ancient ruins.
As they entered the city, he asked, “Do you have a food preference?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want liver or Brussels sprouts. Anything else is fine.”
A laugh erupted from deep inside him. “I don’t like liver either. How about a steak house with a variety of food?”
“Your call, Grant, because I’m not familiar with what’s available. I’ve been reclusive this year. Except for school functions, I’ve spent evenings and weekends with Grandma.”
He chose a restaurant on 82nd Street and pulled into the parking lot. “Monday evenings are not especially busy, so we shouldn’t have trouble getting seated.”
He guided her inside and they were shown to a table.
After they’d placed their orders, he asked, “Your grandmother, is she all right?”
“Grandpa died last spring. She’s not ill, just frail and deeply in mourning. I was lucky there was an opening in the school.”
“Where did you teach before?”
She offered a wry smile, almost as if embarrassed. “Assistant professor at Texas A&M.” She shrugged and tilted her head. “I realize it appears I took a backwards step, but I was the one who could rearrange my life to move here. Fortunately, I genuinely enjoy teaching high school history.”
“So your grandmother is sad rather than ill. Does she get around well?”
She raised her eyebrows and nodded. “In fact, she can keep up with me. After Grandpa passed away, she was so heartbroken that we were afraid her health was deteriorating. Actually, it was. She wasn’t eating properly and not sleeping well. Or, she was staying up most of the night and sleeping most of the day. With me here, she keeps regular hours and we have breakfast and supper together.”
He reached across the table and laced his fingers with hers. “But not tonight.”
She met his gaze and smiled before she slid her hand to her lap. Disappointment claimed him at the loss of her touch.
“I stopped by the store on my way home and bought her a chicken pot pie in a brand that’s healthy. I only hope she’s doing as I asked and having that and a salad for dinner.”
After they’d eaten, he drove under the speed limit on the way back to Post. Her company fascinated him and he wished he could prolong the evening. When they reached the edge of the Caprock above Post, he pulled over at a wide space on the shoulder and opened the sunroof.
“I love this spot. You can see the lights of our little town below and the stars above.”
She relaxed against the seat and head rest. “The almost full moon tonight obscures many of the stars. This is a beautiful vantage point, though. As if we’re divine and are hanging above the world. I could almost reach out and touch the moon.”
He reached for her hand and entwined their fingers “Should I grab it for you?”
She offered a whimsical smile. “Let’s leave it there so everyone can enjoy the moonlight.”
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Caroline Clemmons is an Amazon bestselling and award winning author of historical and contemporary western romances. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel.
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 time with family, reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, and getting together with friends. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, and Pinterest. Subscribe to her newsletter here to receive a FREE novella of HAPPY IS THE BRIDE.
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