Interview with Linda Weaver Clarke

Melinda and the Wild West: A Family Saga in Bear Lake Valley, Idaho
Linda Weaver Clarke
Bedside Books (2006)
ISBN 1589823672
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (10/06)

Reader Views would like to welcome Linda Weaver Clarke, author of the historical fiction novel “Melinda and the Wild West.” Linda is being interviewed by Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of Readers Views.

Juanita:  Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today Linda.  You are getting ready to release your new novel, “Melinda and the Wild West.”  Would you tell us the storyline of your new book?

Linda: I would like to describe my story as one of adventure and romance. It takes place in 1896. Melinda is from Boston, and against her mother’s advice, she chooses to go to Paris, Idaho to teach school. The idea of going to the Wild West appeals to her. She’s 26 years of age and feels that her life is standing still with no great accomplishments. She wants to do some good in someone’s life and maybe she could do it by teaching school in the West. Blending fact with fiction, Melinda is confronted by many obstacles. The infamous outlaw, Butch Cassidy, confronts her while robbing a bank, she comes upon an irritable grizzly bear, looses her way in a blinding blizzard, and realizes that she must help a rebellious student that is marked as a trouble maker.

“Melinda and the Wild West” is not only full of intriguing obstacles, but has the tenderness of romance. A rugged rancher and a determined schoolteacher from the east tend to clash and butt heads every time they meet. It’s a mystery to Melinda why Gilbert is guarding his heart, but she knows it has something to do with his past. Gilbert just happens to be a caring and loving father to little eight-year-old Jenny, the rebellious student.

Juanita: Is this your first book?  What inspired you to write “Melinda and the Wild West”?

Linda:  Yes and no. This is my first book published, but I had written others before this novel. Melinda and the Wild West was the book that my publisher liked best out of the ones I sent. Melinda and the Wild West is the first in a series of four books called “A Family Saga in Bear Lake Valley.” They are all ready written and waiting to be published after this one gets a good start. I have also written an adventure series that I’ll be sending to my publisher after this series is on its way.

You ask what inspired this novel. It’s the experience that little Jenny has at school, being shunned by her peers. It comes from a true personal story and it’s one that happens to many children. Jenny’s former teacher labels her as a troublemaker and the class picks up on it. This breaks Melinda’s heart and she realizes that she must do something about it before it ruins the little girl’s self-esteem. This is a stigma that many children have to live with during their school years if it’s not stopped. That was the inspiration behind my story.

Juanita:  This is a historical fiction novel. What type of research did you do in preparation for writing?

Linda: I enjoyed researching the area I set my story, and in doing so, I learned that Butch Cassidy robbed the bank at Montpelier, Idaho, which is only a short distance from Paris. I wanted to include this in my novel, so after much research, I found the city of Montpelier had recorded the incident with every little detail. I was thrilled. But before I could include it in my novel, I had to do more research. I had to find out what kind of person Cassidy was. I couldn’t portray him as something he wasn’t. I found out that he had a great sense of humor, a quick wit, had a charming personality and was admired by many. In fact he was called the “Robin Hood of the West,” who stole from the rich cattle baron and gave to the poor.

In my novel, Melinda is faced with danger when she startles a grizzly in the wild. Since I had never been in this situation before, I had to do a lot of research. It’s difficult for an author to know exactly how the character feels unless he has been in a similar situation, and that’s where research comes in. After reading many accounts about bear attacks, then I was able to better describe the situation. I found that some people who had been faced with a grizzly froze when the bear stood up on its hind legs, and one man said that he shook for half an hour after shooting the grizzly in self-defense. Many described what the bear looked like just before they turned and began to run. That helped me in describing Melinda’s frightening situation.

Juanita:  Why did you decide to use Paris, Idaho and the Bear Lake region?  Would you give readers a little descriptive morsel of what the area is like?

Linda:  My great grandparents were the first settlers in the valley and I felt drawn to it for some reason. Situated at the tops of the Rocky Mountains, the summers are beautiful and the winters are terrible.

A descriptive morsel? Well, here goes: “The jagged cliffs were magnificent and she could not take her eyes off the inspiring view. The flat, rich meadowland spread out for miles and miles between the mountains, exhibiting more shades of green and yellow than she could ever have imagined; and among all this were patches of bright red Indian paintbrush that seemed to set the land on fire. She had never seen such splendid scenery in her life, and certainly not something as grand as this. Melinda noticed a deer gracefully sprinting across the field as if it were flying in midair. A hawk lazily glided through the air, searching the ground for a meal. At every bend, a romantic scene opened before her.”

Juanita:  Melinda is a very independent and adventurous woman to leave Boston and move out West.  Would you tell us a little more about Melinda, her desire to become a teacher, and what her character will convey to readers?

Linda: Melinda is a very determined woman and when she makes up her mind to do something, then no one can change it. That’s one of the reasons why she and Gilbert don’t get along at first. She’s what you call “self willed.” But Gilbert very quickly finds out how much she hates that word. On the other hand, she’s a very loving teacher and tries to help Jenny through love and acceptance.

Juanita:  Were any of your characters’ experiences real-life encounters of anyone you know?

Linda: I included a few true experiences from ancestors just to make it more fun. There’s one experience that I slipped in about a bottle of “skunk oil” that my father had brought to school. He lived on a farm where plenty of skunks roamed the valley, hunting for chicken coops to rob. When he was a lad, he drained the scent glands from skunks into a bottle and took it to school to show to his friends. While showing it off, he accidentally dropped it and it broke, sending the most putrid odor into the room. School was dismissed for the rest of the day.

Juanita:  I understand that Melinda has an intriguing love interest in this story.  Would you tell us more about the romantic side of “Melinda and the Wild West”?

Linda:  From the very beginning, Melinda and Gilbert have been at odds with one another but that doesn’t seem to take away the underlying interest in one another. She is attracted to Gilbert and suspects that he feels the same way but he seems to be guarding his heart for some reason and she doesn’t understand why. She knows it has something to do with their differences in background: she’s from the city and he’s a rugged rancher. What that has to do with anything is a mystery to her.

Juanita:  What is the significance of Melinda’s experience with 8-year old Jenny?  Would you give us a little more insight into her relationship with the rebellious student?

Linda: When Butch Cassidy robbed the bank, she learned that he had come from good, religious parents but had gone astray. Melinda wondered what went wrong, asking herself, “What makes a person go the direction that Cassidy did?” She knew parents needed help from others to keep their child on the straight-and-narrow path. So if the parents needed help, where was the community to lend a hand? Where were the teachers to help instill values? This was something to think about. Melinda vowed that she would be ready: If she came upon a child who needed help, she would be there. As Melinda gave Jenny love and understanding, she found herself growing extremely fond of her.

Juanita:  Linda, would you comment on the spiritual nature of “Melinda and the Wild West”?

Linda: All I can say is that my novel just has good down-to-earth values that most Christian people believe. There’s no religious content in my book but just good values to teach our children.

Juanita: Linda, you have a very descriptive way of drawing readers so they may become part of the story, experiencing what the characters experience.  Would you comment on your writing style?

Linda:  I try to feel what my characters feel and describe it. I put myself in their place and feel the fear, the love, the frustration, or the anger that is inside them. What I usually do is get inside my characters and try to see what they see from their perspective. If I can feel it, then my readers will be able to feel it. If I laugh while typing my story, then so will my readers. If I cry, then so will my readers. I believe that emotion goes a long way when creating a story.

Juanita:  Linda, who would enjoy reading “Melinda and the Wild West”?

Linda:  If you enjoy a little romance with a little adventure, I believe from ages 16 to 99 is a good age.

Juanita:  What are you ultimately conveying to readers through your story “Melinda and the Wild West”?

Linda: I’m hoping to instill good values and create a little romance in the lives of busy people. Many times our world is bogged down with too many pressures of the day and we need to relax and get away for a while. That’s where the “World of Make Believe” comes in. I’m a big believer in “Make Believe.”

Juanita:  When can readers expect your next book?

Linda:  I have already submitted the second book and it will be available in about 9 to 10 months if all goes well.

Juanita:  How can readers find out more about you and your endeavors?

Linda:  You can go to my website at http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com. You can read a few short stories and an excerpt from my book.

Juanita:  Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today, Linda.  Your new book is getting high praises and we hope for many future successes with “Melinda and the Wild West.” 

Linda:  Thank you Juanita. I really appreciate you taking your valuable time to interview me.
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