C.B. Clark's Blog, page 2
November 21, 2019
Aloha From Maui!
The beautiful sands of Big Beach.
Aloha! My husband and I just returned from two fabulous weeks in Maui. The trip was great, and we got our fill of surf, sun, and sand. We spent our days walking the miles of pristine sandy beaches and hiking through verdant tropical rainforests. The eerie creaking and clacking of bamboo trees in the wind in a shaded bamboo forest is something I’ll never forget. We also trekked over craggy black lava beds to secluded beaches, and climbed to over 10,000 feet to the top of the Haleakala Crater and hiked the cold, desolate moonscape on the Slippery Sands Trail.
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View from the Haleakala Crater. 10,023 feet above sea level
Swimming and playing in the warm sea was a joy. Sea turtles and colourful tropical fish swam around us in the clear azure waters. We even tried boogie boarding—not something I’d recommend when the beach lifeguards have issued a red flag warning for the surf. Let’s just say, we put on quite a show for the people watching from the beach, and we survived intact.
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Many of the roads in Maui can be challenging. The most well known is the road to Hana with its narrow, winding sixty-four miles (one way), including 620 hair pin turns and fifty-nine single-lane bridges. Whew! At times, the vehicle coming towards us scraped by with mere inches to spare.
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One of the many waterfalls on the road to Hana.
It has been almost forty years since I was last in Maui. Lots has changed, but the warm, friendly, slow-paced vibe is the same, and like a comfortable shoe, I slipped back into Maui time. Mahalo, Maui.
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Beach was closed as five reef sharks were sighted.
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One of the many lava formations.
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October 16, 2019
Exploring The Rock
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I’ve travelled to many beautiful locations, but my recent trip to Newfoundland was one of the best. Newfoundland is a hiker’s paradise with stunning ocean vistas, abundant wildlife, very friendly locals (The people in this province took in hundreds of stranded airline passengers after the 9-11 tragedy), and best of all—no crowds.
Every town has trails, and my husband and I hiked along shaded, forest paths, climbed steep, rocky cliffs, rapelled down cliff faces, and explored hidden beaches and sea caves. Incredible views waited around every bend.
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Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was amazing. We arrived the day before Hurricane Dorian was due to hit, but the weather was sunny and warm, with not a breath of wind. Impossible to believe a massive hurricane was headed our way. We took advantage of the beautiful day and hiked Gros Morne Mountain (806 meters), a very challenging sixteen-kilometer climb with a hard scramble up steep, rocky scree to the top. The views of the fjords and surrounding mountains were breathtaking.
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View from atop Gros Morne Mountain.
The hurricane hit the next afternoon, but we managed to get in a windy hike in the morning through scrub forest and peat bogs to a waterfall. We were fortunate, and other than a power outage and downed trees, the storm caused only minor damage.
Our next stop was L’Anse aux Meadows, the location of the first known presence of Europeans in the Americas. More than a thousand years ago, Vikings settled there on the tundra and barren rocks.
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Port aux Choix was another mind-blowing experience. The rugged landscape and the pounding surf were incredibly beautiful. Crossing the limestone barrens with fossils embedded in the rock, and passing through ancient archaeological sites was a dream come true. We even spotted a herd of woodland caribou.
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Rocky shores, picturesque fishing boats, and wind-swept cliff tops made Bonavista, where John Cabot discovered North America in 1497, another fascinating area to visit. At Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America, we faced driving rain, gale force winds, and fog, but also rugged beauty.
Aside from the terrific hiking, and great wildlife viewing (moose, caribou, coyotes, and puffins), the food was unique. We ate our fill of bakeapple berries, wild blueberries, partridge berries, and blackberries. The traditional Newfoundland dish of fishermen’s brewis, made with salted cod, hard tack bread, scrunchins (salted pork fat, chopped into small pieces and fried in grease) was tasty, but definitely not healthy. Fried bologna was another treat. And then there was cod—deep fried, battered, breaded, cod tongues, and cod cheeks.
We stopped in Dildo, Horny Head Cove, Tickle Bay, Witless Bay, and Cuckholds Cove. Is it any wonder the Rock is one of my favorite places? I’m a come-from-away gal, but I’ll definitely be back.
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August 14, 2019
A Close Call!
Rivers are funny things. They change from season to season and from week to week. That’s part of what makes them so fascinating, but it also makes them dangerous.
My recent canoe trip down the Blackwater River proved this point. My husband and I have canoed this river countless times and always had a wonderful experience. The river wends its way through remote, rugged wilderness in north central British Columbia. The banks are lined with towering cottonwood trees, pristine wetlands, pine forests, high sandy banks, and rocky cliffs. Wildlife is abundant and eagles, black bears, moose, deer, geese, herons, and ducks are common sights.
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A young cow moose on the upper section of the Blackwater River.
We set out on our adventure on a sunny morning in July. The first fourteen kilometers was an easy float as we navigated around shallows, hidden rocks, sweepers, and logjams. It was a beautiful, relaxing day…until…it wasn’t.
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The calm waters of the upper Blackwater River.
Due to recent forest fires that transformed the terrain, we missed the outflow of the Euchiniko River and continued along the Blackwater. Almost immediately we realized our mistake, but there was no turning back. The full force of the river quickly funneled between towering cliffs and rocky canyons. Large boulders lurked beneath the rushing water, and spray soaked us as we hurtled through the grade 2+ to 3 rapids.
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The canyon.
Knowing a narrow, impassible canyon was downriver, we dug our paddles in deep and pulled hard for shore. We decided to line our canoe (tie ropes to the stern and bow) and float the canoe down the river to avoid the worst of the canyon. The plan fizzled almost immediately. The submerged rocks were covered with slippery weeds, and we risked twisting an ankle (or worse) if we continued wading along the shore.[image error]
With no other choice, we left our canoe on the bank of the river, and with our gear in tow, we struggled, some times on our hands and knees, up the steep river bank. We climbed over downed, fire-scorched trees, fought through tangled clumps of prickly wild rose bushes, and fended off hordes of hungry mosquitoes. Finally, we reached a logging road where we flagged down a passing vehicle and caught a ride back to our truck.
The next day, we returned and descended the steep bank to retrieve our canoe. After the canoe was loaded on the truck, we drove a kilometer down the road to a viewpoint overlooking the river. The thunderous roar of the churning water was deafening as the Blackwater River surged through narrow, boulder-filled channels that would have dumped us and destroyed our canoe. There’s no question—we wouldn’t have made it through without incurring injuries.
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The canyon as seen from above.
The trip was a frightening experience we’ll never forget. But we can’t wait for our next river adventure. We’ll just be better informed.
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Ready for the next adventure.
July 14, 2019
Fearless In Peru
This blog is from fellow Wild Rose Press author, Brenda Whiteside’s Fearless Friday blog.
Hiking the Inca Trail in Peru has long been a dream of mine. The stunning Inca ruins, the gorgeous mountain scenery, the terraced mountainsides…I wanted to see it all. What I hadn’t counted on were the devastating effects of hiking at a high altitude.
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Climbing the infamous Monkey Stairs on the Inca Trail.
The second the plane touched down in Cusco (elevation 11,152 feet), shooting pains attacked my joints, waves of nausea washed over me, and even walking the slightest uphill had me struggling to breathe. I took prescription medication for altitude sickness and chewed the cocoa leaves the locals swore would ease my symptoms. Nothing helped.
The hike was even harder. Each step up the ancient stone stairs required a massive effort. My heart thundered in my chest, and I gasped for oxygen in the thin air, but I was determined to finish. The trek lasted four days, and by the time I crested Dead Woman’s Pass (elevation 13,828 feet), I was exhausted, but thrilled. I’d done it! I’d pushed my body to its limits and beyond and made it to the highest elevation of the Trail.
This accomplishment filled me with a new confidence. I now know I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I went on to cycle through Central America and hiked towering, glacier-clad mountains in Patagonia. This strength of will also helps with my writing. When things get tough, and the writing muse deserts me, I keep on trudging…one step at a time until the writing flows.
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Made it! The iconic view of Machu Picchu.
Stop by Brenda’s blog if you want to see the original post.
July 10, 2019
10 Essentials for Attending Romance Novel Conventions by C. B. Clark (Romance Author University/Night Owl Reviews)
You’ve made the decision to attend your first romance novel convention. You’ve paid the registration fee, booked your hotel and your flight, and you’re ready to go… except, what the heck do you pack?
Last July I went to my first Romance Writers of America conference in Denver, Colorado. I’ve attended several smaller writing conferences, but this was the main event…a dream of a lifetime. I wanted to get it right. Before boarding the plane, I checked with my author friends to find what they suggested I pack. Here’s the list of essential items they shared with me.
1. Comfortable shoes. I know what you’re thinking. You want to look good, not like you’ve just schlepped in from the garden. But believe me, you want those comfortable shoes. You’ll spend long days and nights standing on your feet or wandering the endless hallways of the conference hotel. The last thing you want is for your feet to hurt. Also, it’s a good idea to bring a pair of sneakers for exploring outside your hotel.
2. Business cards. Bring business cards with your current contact information. Hand them out to the authors you meet, and agents or publishers you encounter in the lounge, restaurant, elevator, or at a pitch session.
3. Water bottle. The air conditioning in the hotel will parch you. Drink lots of water. You need to stay hydrated.
4. Several business casual outfits. You want to be taken seriously, so dressing the part is essential. You never know when that connection you made at a conference will pay off. Bring at least one dressier outfit for award nights or dinners out. Make sure you pack a sweater or a light jacket. In Denver, the air conditioning system blasted frigid air on the workshop attendees even though the temperature was in the high 80’s outside the hotel.
5. A notebook, several pens, and a highlighter. Great for taking notes during workshops and for keeping track of the email addresses of the many fascinating people you’ll meet. I met so many people that I resorted to jotting a brief description of each person and one thing they mentioned in the course of our conversation in my notebook. That way, when I saw them again, I had instant recall, and they were very impressed with my memory.
6. Your favorite snack. Anything chocolate works great to restore your energy and help you relax after a long day. A glass of wine doesn’t hurt either.
7. Headache medication, blister pack, and breath mints. You’ll be putting in long days (and nights), and you don’t want your smile to dim because of a throbbing headache or a blister on your heel because you didn’t listen to the advice and brought sexy, three-inch stilettos rather than that comfortable pair of shoes you were advised to bring.
8. Extra suitcase. Essential for all the freebies, SWAG items, and armfuls of books you won’t be able to resist buying. It’s possible to ship the books you’ve purchased to your home, but far better and cheaper to fit them inside your luggage.
9. A friendly smile. You have to be confident enough to talk to the person sitting beside you in a workshop, at lunch, or in the lounge and learn about their writing journey. You’ll be surprised at how much you have in common. Everyone is friendly and welcoming at writing conferences, and romance writers are the best.
10. A good sense of humor. The long lineups for lunch, the frenzy of the goodie room, book signings, high pressure meetings with agents or editors, hours spent sitting in large rooms listening to workshop presenters, and the late night schmoozing all take fortitude. If you can laugh at the crazy mayhem, you’ll have a wonderful time.
Conference season is upon us, and I hope you’ve registered for a romance writers’ conference. You’ll love every minute of the hustle and bustle and return home energized and ready to write that next novel.
List by C. B. Clark
Secret Betrayal
Buy Now
Librarian Marissa Reynolds has spent years distancing herself from her crime kingpin uncle. When she awakens in an unfamiliar hotel room with blood on her hands and no memory of how she got there, the past returns with a vengeance, and her life spirals into a nightmare.
Straight-laced Assistant District attorney Scott Bannister has spent his life seeking justice for the senseless shooting deaths of his parents. When he realizes Marissa is the niece of his prime suspect, he crosses a line, guaranteed to jeopardize both his life and his beloved career.
He’ll do anything to destroy her uncle. She fears he’s using her to achieve his goal. As the body count mounts, and their lives are threatened, they must put aside their distrust and work together to find the devious killer. Will they be able to forgive and find true love?
Award winning author C.B. Clark has published five romantic suspense novels. She has worked as an archaeologist and an educator, and enjoys hiking, canoeing, and snowshoeing with her husband and dog near her home in the wilderness of central British Columbia.
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June 12, 2019
It’s Book Release Day!
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Secret Betrayal, my fifth romantic suspense, published by The Wild Rose Press, is out in the world! What could be more exciting?
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Blurb:
Head college librarian, Marissa Reynolds has spent years distancing herself from her crime king pin uncle and his criminal empire. When she awakens in an unfamiliar hotel room with blood on her hands and no memory of how she got there, the past returns with a vengeance, and her life spirals into a nightmare.
Straight-laced, Assistant district Attorney, Scott Bannister has spent a lifetime seeking justice for the senseless gangland shooting deaths of his parents. When he realizes Marissa is the niece of his prime suspect, he crosses a line guaranteed to put in jeopardy both his life and his beloved career.
He’s made it clear he’ll do anything to destroy her uncle. She fears he’s using her to achieve his goal. As the body count mounts, and their lives are threatened, they must put aside their distrust and work together to find the devious killer. Will they be able to forgive and find true love?
And here’s a sneak peek:
She pushed to her hands and knees. The pounding in her brain mushroomed into a full-blown, jackhammer assault. With a moan, she sank onto her bottom and grabbed her head in a fruitless effort to keep her brain from exploding. Despite the pain, she needed to get up. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
Faint wisps of light seeped through the edges of the window curtains. The distant sound of traffic echoed through the glass. A lamp imbued the room with a soft, rosy glow, revealing a king-size bed. The cover on the bed was a glossy, garish pink, the pillows covered in the same lurid color, the edges trimmed with frilly, black lace.
She rubbed the back of her neck and closed her eyes, but when she opened them again she was still in the unfamiliar room. A battered desk faced the bed, a large, flat screen television on top. The flickering images of a naked, full-breasted woman being entertained by two equally naked men played across the screen.
A wingback chair, covered in black leatherette sat in the far corner where a door was ajar revealing the cracked linoleum floor of a bathroom and the edge of a chipped porcelain sink. A framed diagram of a fire escape route was posted on the back of the other door. A hotel room? She dug her fingers into her temples. Why couldn’t she remember?
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2H4kvbO
Nook: https://bit.ly/2Jlz4Kp
iTunes: https://apple.co/2Hno9O2
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/secret-betrayal
Google Books: https://bit.ly/2XlPANO
April 23, 2019
Morocco Adventures
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I’ve just returned from three wonderful weeks travelling in exotic Morocco. What an incredible country. The people were warm and friendly, the food was delicious, and the geography was stunning. The mix of Berber, Arab, and European influences creates a fascinating blend of old and new world.
The cities are vibrant and colorful, but the real adventure is venturing beyond the ancient, high, stone walls of the medinas, and exploring the twisting, narrow streets of the kasbahs. The streets teem with hagglers, hustlers, mule drivers, and motor scooters. We leaned very quickly that when someone shouted, “Balak!” we needed to get out of the way as a cart or donkey was bearing down on us. The shops sell everything from freshly butchered camels and goats, hand-woven carpets, lamps, shoes and clothing of all types and descriptions, to fresh vegetables and fruit. The smell of the spice stalls with their baskets of freshly ground turmeric, cumin, saffron, cinnamon, and paprika is intoxicating. Hidden deep inside the medina is the leather factory where pigeon droppings are used to cure animal hides to make beautiful leather coats, purses, and shoes.
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Spices for sale in the souk.
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The tannery in Fes overlooking the dye pits.
There is so much more to Morocco than cities. Todra Gorge, located on the eastern side of the High Atlas Mountains, with its stunning, red limestone cliffs, provided a great hike where we passed nomads herding their goats on the rocky ledges. Another hike took us into the High Atlas Mountains with their jagged peaks frosted with freshly fallen snow.
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Todra Gorge.
Another highlight was the camel ride in the Sahara Desert. Traversing the desert with its rippling, golden sand extending as far as the eye could see and stark, wind-sculpted dunes on the back of a camel was something out of another time. After watching the sun set over the sand dunes, we enjoyed a feast of tagine (made with chicken and vegetables cooked in a colorful earthenware pot), fresh-baked bread, cinnamon-sprinkled oranges, and fragrant, sweet mint tea. Our bed for the night was in a traditional Berber tent. The tents, though basic, were comfortable until a sandstorm arrived. We awoke in the morning to a world buried in sand. Some of our fellow travellers had to be dug out of their tents.
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All set for the camel ride into the Sahara Desert.
Essauira, a small seaside city on the Atlantic Coast, was fascinating. The city is surrounded by the towering stone walls of a medina. The remains of an old fort (cannons included), fronts the pristine beach. We bought a variety of fish (octopus, herring, sole) in the bustling fish market and took our purchases to a local restaurant where they cooked our ‘catch’. Delicious!
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View from the old fortress in Essaouira.
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Volubilis.
Volubilis is an ancient Roman town near Meknes, where we wandered amongst the stone ruins; Ait Benhaddou, a World Heritage site, has a well-preserved medina; Toubkal National Park with the wild Barbary apes; and Marrakech, an exciting city rife with snake charmers, trained monkeys, and women eager to paint your hands with henna.
If you’re looking for a unique, fulfilling travel experience, Morocco is the place for you.
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Barbary apes
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A shepherd we met along our trek in Todra Gorge.
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Inside the medina.
February 12, 2019
Coming Soon!
I’m so excited! My fifth romantic suspense published by The Wild Rose Press is coming out soon. Here’s a peek at the cover and book blurb.
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Book Blurb:
Head college librarian, Marissa Reynolds has spent years distancing herself from her crime king pin uncle and his criminal empire. When she awakens in an unfamiliar hotel room with blood on her hands and no memory of how she got there, the past returns with a vengeance, and her life spirals into a nightmare.
Straight-laced, Assistant district Attorney, Scott Bannister has spent a lifetime seeking justice for the senseless gangland shooting deaths of his parents. When he realizes Marissa is the niece of his prime suspect, he crosses a line guaranteed to put in jeopardy both his life and his beloved career.
He’s made it clear he’ll do anything to destroy her uncle. She fears he’s using her to achieve his goal. As the body count mounts, and their lives are threatened, they must put aside their distrust and work together to find the devious killer. Will they be able to forgive and find true love?
Thanks to the very talented Debbie Taylor for the great cover and to ELF, my editor, for her tireless work on this book.
January 26, 2019
Fun In The Sunshine State
Blue Spring State Park
When most people think of Orlando, Florida, theme parks like Disney World or Epcot Center come to mind. On my recent trip to the bustling city, my husband and I, and our friends, stayed well away from the congestion of these popular attractions and headed into the state parks. Incredibly, there are seven state parks within fifty miles of downtown Orlando.
We were amazed at the pristine beauty of these nature preserves. A few steps from our car led us onto the many trails, and we entered a quiet world of primal beauty where few people venture.
The first park we visited was Blue Spring State Park. It’s a manatee refuge, and in the winter months, hundreds of these endangered mammals congregate in the warm, spring-fed waters of St Johns River. It was incredible to see dozens of these amazing creatures. The spring, with its crystal clear water, is also home to Great blue herons, egrets, cormorants, and a wide variety of fish.
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Manatees
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The spring at Blue Spring State Park.
Our next trip took us to Wekiwa Springs State Park where we hiked thirteen miles (20 km) through lush, tropical vegetation, past blue-green, algae-covered wetlands, and slow-moving rivers. A variety of animal tracks were visible in the soft mud (snake, wild turkey, bear, etc.), and we startled a couple of deer and a foraging wild boar.
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Wekiwa Springs State Park
The next day, we changed things up and drove to Titusville, where we rented bicycles and cycled thirty miles (48 km) along the Florida East Central Regional Rail Trail. It’s a paved path that follows an old railway bed (Yay! No hills). The ride took us past farms, open expanses of second-growth forest, and mossy swamps.
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An airboat tour of the Everglades was another highlight. The ride in the airboat was exhilarating, and the swamplands were stunning in their raw, earthy beauty. Alligators basked in the sunshine on the banks, turtles swam in the murky water, and hundreds of wading water birds scoured the grassy hammocks for food.
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Sunbathing alligator—Lake Tohopekaliga
Our trip to Florida was one of our best holidays. Great company, fantastic scenery, and warm weather—who could ask for more? I highly recommend that the next time you visit Orlando, step off the beaten path and enjoy an adventure in all the lush beauty this area has to offer.
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Wekiwa Springs State Park
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November 30, 2018
Oh! The Places You’ll Go, and the Friends You’ll Meet!
The Treasury in Petra.
I love to travel. Aside from experiencing new cultures, participating in exotic adventures, and seeing breathtaking natural and historical sites, I love the people I meet while traveling. In the past few years, my husband and I have traveled to many different countries.
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Machu Picchu, Peru.
We’ve hiked the Inca Trail, cycled through the Sacred Valley in Peru, kyacked across Lake Titicaca, and witnessed the wonders of Machu Picchu. We climbed the Mayan pyramids in Belize, ziplined over a tropical forest in Mexico, and watched turtles hatch on a moonlit beach. Cycling through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama was a highlight as we pedaled along dirt paths through verdant tropical jungles below active volcanoes spewing ash and smoke into the air.
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Cycling in Nicaragua.
Vietnam and Cambodia, with their long history of armed conflicts, were sobering experiences. We’ve visited Buddhist temples in Thailand and saw the famous Golden Buddha. Hiking through the desert in Jordan, we were awed by the striking colors of Wadi Musa and the massive sandstone ruins at Petra. We floated in the Dead Sea and stood in the spot where Jesus was baptized on the banks of the Jordan River. In Argentina and Chile, we hiked past calving glaciers and climbed mountains offering stunning views of glacial lakes and rugged wilderness.
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The Golden Buddha.
All of these experiences were incredible, but my fondest memories are of the fellow travelers we’ve met along the way. It’s amazing how, after only a few weeks, you get to know people so well, many of whom we still connect with on Facebook.
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Patagonia with friends.
Some of our best friends are a couple from Edinburgh, Scotland, and a woman from Australia. We met in Peru, and arranged another meeting in Argentina. That worked out so well, we’re getting together in Florida. Another adventure with good friends awaits!
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Mayan Pyramid, Belize.
