Lexi: Today’s guest has had her books reviewed on the blog but today we get to visit with her! Welcome, Linda Weaver Clarke!
Linda: Hello, Lexi. Linda has been reviewing my audiobooks on the blog and has done a wonderful job.
Lexi: We love books here and one of the main reasons is because they take us places. Contemporary, futuristic, historical, it doesn’t matter because the tale carries us out of our chair to somewhere new. What drives you as a writer and as a teacher of writing?
Linda: What drives me to writing stories full of adventure and romance is my imagination and the fact that I can go on an adventure along with my characters as the story develops into something fun. That’s about it.
Lexi: Doing things that scare us is a sure way to grow. You had the courage to go back to college as a non-trad. And again you showed your backbone when you began to put your writing work out there. How have your, sometimes frightening, life experiences affected how you write your characters?
Linda: I think that experience is what makes an author’s imagination grow. If an author has felt different emotions throughout his or her life such as joy, fear, frustration, or romance, then it’s easier to describe it in a story. If one has never experienced life, I would think it might be harder to describe those feelings. Writing emotion in a story is very important.
Lexi: In THE REBELS OF CORDOVIA, your heroine, Robin, shows a lot of gumption. She forms her group of rebels to stand up against the King and his unjust system. Do you have any favorite scenes that show Robin’s courage?
Linda: Robin’s group is called Robin’s Rebels and she has some devoted followers. One of my favorite scenes is when one of Robin’s followers pretends to be a stranded woman on the road. Her name is Polly. When the tax collector comes by with all the money that he has mercilessly collected from the people, he stops to see why Polly is weeping in the middle of the road. Here is the scene below:
“Seventy-five arrows flew through the air with the sound of buzzing bees and burrowed into the taxman’s coach. Instantly, Daniel called out his message. “Drop your muskets and scat! I’ll give you one second to consider it.”
When the soldiers hesitated, seventy-five more arrows covered the rest of the coach just like a pincushion. Without hesitation, the soldiers dropped their muskets, kicked their horses, and took off running. The captain, although, was quite chivalrous. He quickly picked up Polly and placed her on his horse and then took off at great speed.”
I liked this scene because it showed that the soldiers weren’t all bad. The captain worried about Polly’s safety and put her on his horse, not knowing she was also a rebel. Haha.
Lexi: Being able to take even a piece of a well known and transform it into something new takes talent. You were able to do that in THE REBELS OF CORDOVIA by taking the thread of Robin Hood and telling it your way. How long did you have this version bouncing around in your head?
Linda: When I thought about the influence Robin Hood had in my life as a young girl, I yearned to write a story based on this tale. The first thing that came to mind was that Robin Hood was the rebels’ inspiration and they realized they had to fight for their freedom as well. In my book, this is how I describe it:
“Some began talking about the heroes of the past, heroes who fought for their rights. They talked about the legend of Robin Hood who had helped the people centuries ago in England. How they wished to have someone like that to defend their rights! Whether or not the legend was true, the people were stuck with a dictator who made laws that crippled the people’s free agency and took away their rights.
“The little country of Cordovia was in the hands of a tyrant who cared very little about the people. Those who tried fighting against the new laws were thrown in jail. Some were there for months and others for years. What could they do? Their hands were tied. The youth were different, though. They felt the need to rebel, to fight for freedom of speech, freedom to worship as they pleased, and the right to choose their own leader. Equality among men was a new concept and they were willing to fight for it.
“A group was formed called “Robin’s Rebels.” Though the people laughed about the similarities to the legend of Robin Hood, it was not named after the legend. Robin was a young woman who had decided to fight for the rights of the people. She was not about to let another day go by without fighting against the tyranny of King Rupert and his men.”
For those who may not realize, this is a love story between the two leaders of rebel groups. Daniel is the leader of the Freemen while Robin Marie is the leader of Robin’s Rebels. I love how the love story gradually develops as they search for a way to free the people of Cordovia. This story has a surprise ending.
Lexi: We are glad the story bounced out onto the page! Thank you for coming by the blog, Linda. We hope to see you again!
The Rebels of Cordovia
(The Rebel Series Book 1)
by Linda Weaver Clarke
Paperback, 220 pages
Published April 17th 2013 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN 1484147650
There was a time when swashbuckling men and brave women engaged in daring and romantic adventures, those who fought with bravery and valor. These courageous men and women were looked up to because they defended the people. A group of men and women who called themselves Robin's Rebels realize they must help the people survive this oppression. In this battle for freedom, a love story begins to blossom. Daniel, a rogue and a leader of the Freemen, doesn't realize that the sweet feminine woman he has met and is falling for happens to be the leader of Robin's Rebels. Realizing the importance of uniting all the rebel groups, Daniel tries to recruit Robin's Rebels but they refuse. Now he has to find a way to convince them. When he finds out the leader is actually a woman, what will his reaction be?
The second book in this series is now available!
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