Good Morning and Welcome to the first edition of Saturday Spotlight in May 2025. Can you believe this year is already almost half over? I guess the old adage, "time flies when you're having fun," really is true because I'm having a blast featuring authors, artists and books on this blog!
With that said, it is my pleasure to bring back into the spotlight, Valerie Massey Goree with her book, Meet Me In the Yorkshire Dales.
Welcome, Valerie, can you give us a little insight as to why you wrote Meet Me In the
Yorkshire Dales?
Hi, Pam. Thanks for hosting me. Meet Me in the Yorkshire Dales is book two in the series: From England with Love and…Treachery.
These stories center around American characters who meet in England, have to deal with mayhem, overcome obstacles, and fall in love.
To describe the story behind book two, first, I need to explain why I wrote book one.
Meet Me Where the Windrush Flows is set in the Cotswolds, England. I wanted to visit this picturesque area and decided to set a novel there. Initially, Windrush was a stand-alone book, but I enjoyed the research trip so much that I chose to explore other areas in England where I could set two more novels to form the series.
Ta-da. That meant I had to travel to England again!
I love setting stories in real places I’ve visited or where I've lived. That way, I can incorporate the atmosphere, the culture, the uniqueness of the area.
The Yorkshire Dales have always fascinated me. If you’ve watched the TV show “All Creatures Great and Small”, then you’ve seen the Dales. My friend and I spent two weeks in the villages featured in my story. While there, I took numerous photos of the scenery, the dry stone walls, the lush green fields, and the seventeenth-century cottages. I visited museums, questioned the locals, and read up on the history of the villages.
A trip to England is too expensive to only stay for two weeks, so…I needed to find a location where I could set book three. I chose the City of Bath and purposely planned a September visit when the Jane Austen Festival is scheduled. The title of book three is Meet Me In Bath at the Jane Austen Festival.
These are the only stories I’ve written so far that are tailored to the settings. The characters in the books are not related, but the common setting—England—ties them together.
OH My Goodness, Valerie! How amazing! I went to England and the Jane Austen Festival in September of 2024 and it was an amazing trip! You can find out more about it in the archives on my travel blog, Bathroom Blues. Tell us more about Meet Me in the Yorkshire Dales...
Sure here's the blurb and an excerpt!
To inherit her grandfather’s estate, Roxanne Clarke has to prove the identity of her birth mother. Considering all the ancestry help online, that shouldn’t be a problem. However, the only clues Roxanne has are an old photograph and hints provided by a member of her grandfather’s household that her mother was born in Yorkshire.
Accompanied by her best friend, Avery, and Avery’s twin brother, Lucas, Roxanne travels to England. Their attempts to identify Roxanne’s mother send them from one village to another. To add to their frustration, a fellow Texan is following them, threatening them, trying to locate the woman first.
Lucas has been in love with Roxanne since high school, but botched their relationship two years ago. While helping her find her mother, can he salvage their once-blossoming romance, build a new beginning, and keep her safe when the Texan’s actions intensify?
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
Fanning her face with a magazine did little to relieve the stuffiness in the waiting room. The indoor temperature almost matched the early June morning. Roxanne glanced across at the sofa by the window where a blonde with a movie star figure sat and said, “You’d think lawyers could afford air-conditioning.”
“I thought the same thing.” The woman gathered her shoulder-length curls into a ponytail and dabbed her nape with a tissue. “Did you by any chance receive a letter demanding your presence here today?”
“I did. It’s all a bit mysterious.” Roxanne adjusted the patch covering her left eye. “I don’t think I’m in trouble, and I know I don't have a wealthy aunt who’s named me in her will.” She’d fashioned her long hair into a twist secured with a claw clip to keep it off her neck and out of her eyes. The patch seemed to attract stray strands.
“Me neither.” The woman pointed to the ornate metal clock on the opposite wall. “Mr. Ogden’s running late. I—”
The inner door opened, and a tall, elderly woman emerged. “Mr. Ogden will see you now. Please come through.”
A sweet but pleasant floral scent surrounded the blonde as she walked past Roxanne and entered the office.
A middle-aged man in a gray suit stood beside an antique oak desk. “I’m Thomas Ogden, and I apologize for the warm room and for keeping you waiting. A technician is on his way. My office is much cooler. Please, have a seat.” He gestured to the two armchairs and sat in his desk chair. “Would either of you like something to drink? Coffee, water?”
Roxanne and the blonde shook their heads.
“That will be all, Mrs. Edwards.”
The tall woman exited through a side door.
The blonde settled on the chair closest to the desk and crossed her legs. The skirt of her maroon dress barely covered her thighs.
For a fleeting moment, Roxanne wished she’d worn something more sophisticated than blue jeans and a coral pink shirt. A trivial thought for such a serious occasion. She perched on the edge of a coffee-colored leather armchair and cleared her throat. Enough dawdling. “Why are we here, Mr. Ogden?”
“Straight to the point. I like that.” He smoothed the pages of a file on his desk. “Did you bring identification?”
Roxanne set her passport on the desk, and the other woman produced a driver’s license.
Ogden opened the passport and looked at Roxanne. “You are Roxanne Ruth Clarke?”
“Yes.”
The lawyer picked up the driver’s license. “You are Petra Christine Vandiver?”
“I am.” Her voice had taken on a silky quality.
“With that important task out of the way, I can tell you why you were invited—”
“Summoned, more like.” Roxanne bit her lip as he raised an eyebrow at her. “Sorry.”
“Please, no more interruptions. You are here because one of you is the sole heir to your grandfather’s estate.” He leaned back and folded his arms, a smug expression crossed his oval face.
His statement swirled around the cool room and punched Roxanne in the gut. Seldom at a loss for words, she stammered, “Wh…what?” She stared at Ogden and then at Petra, who blinked rapidly and shifted in her chair.
“I know this is a big surprise for both of you, but I will explain.” The lawyer pointed to the file.
He sure was taking his sweet time. Roxanne stood and paced to the window. “I don’t think I should be here. I’m adopted and was always told I had no blood relatives.”
“Same here.” Now, Petra’s voice wobbled as if she were on the verge of tears. “I am curious, though.”
“Miss Clarke, please sit down.”
She complied with his stern request.
“By the way, why are you wearing a patch?”
Ready to jump up and read the contents of Ogden’s folder herself, she glared at him. “You’re interested in my physical appearance when my world has just turned upside-down?”
“Please indulge me.”
“I had surgery yesterday. A cornea transplant.”
“Why?”
As if it were any of his business.
“Please, Mr. Ogden.” Petra leaned forward, exposing more cleavage. “Get back to the will. Who is this man and how much…how big is his estate?”
“All in good time. It’s apparent neither of you knew you had a grandfather until today. You can wait a few more minutes. Now, Miss Clarke, do you know anything about your birth mother?”
His question knocked the wind out of her frustration. Roxanne swallowed. She’d been devastated by the answers her parents gave her when she’d asked. “No. The adoption was private and closed. I love my parents and they provided a wonderful, secure childhood, but it would be nice to…”
“How about you, Petra?”
She shrugged. “Nope.”
“I will now get to the nitty-gritty of your visit.”
Roxanne frowned. “Just a minute, Mr. Ogden. If Petra and I share a grandfather, does that make us cousins? If so, wouldn’t the eldest inherit?”
“Cool your jets, young lady. It’s not that simple.”
“Let the man explain.” Petra wrung her hands. “Don’t you want to know the details?” She uncrossed her legs and then crossed her ankles.
Roxanne glanced at her and could understand her desperation. “Please continue, Mr. Ogden.”
“I know your adoptions were closed. However, as adults, you can request information about your birth parents from the Central Adoption Registry.”
“I didn’t know that. Did you, Petra?”
“Nope.”
“I have important information, but each of you must sign a permission form before I’ll share it with you. Interested?” Ogden’s eyebrows rose.
Despite the cool room, adrenaline-heated blood coursed through Roxanne’s body. She placed a hand on her chest where she was sure a giant fist squeezed her heart. Did she want to know who her birth parents were? Or learn about her grandfather—apparently a wealthy person?
Petra examined her long, painted fingernails and said, “I am interested. Give me the form to sign.”
Before answering the lawyer, Roxanne would love to discuss the matter with her parents, who worked at a medical mission in Zimbabwe. Not because she needed their permission, but because she wanted them to be aware before she took this drastic step. Making on-the-spot decisions had never been a problem for her, especially in her career as a nurse practitioner. “Okay, I’ll sign the form, too.”
Ogden handed out two clipboards, each holding a sheet of paper and a pen. “Read the declaration thoroughly and then sign and date, please.”
It didn’t take long to do as requested, and they returned the forms to him.
“Thank you. I’ll sign as the witness and then have copies made for you.” He turned to the inner door and called, “Mrs. Edwards.”
A couple of seconds later, she entered the office. Ogden handed her the clipboards. “Copies, please.”
He set his elbows on the desk and tented his fingers. “Your grandfather is Howard Palmer. Have either of you heard of him?”
The name did flash in Roxanne’s memory for a second. “Um, didn’t he recently sell his cattle ranch?”
“Correct. He now lives north of San Antonio, and because of health issues, wants to locate his grandchild.” Ogden held up his hand when Roxanne opened her mouth. He continued, “Mr. Palmer had two children. His daughter died in childbirth thirty-some years ago, and Benton, his reprobate son, died in 2014. He led an erratic life. He was an addict, an alcoholic, and a womanizer. My father was Howard’s attorney for a long time, and when he retired, I took over the responsibility. We were fully aware of the ins and outs of the Palmer family. Benton had two children we know about.” Ogden glanced at Petra and Roxanne in turn. “Here comes the glitch. We recently discovered Benton married one of the women who produced a child; therefore, her offspring is the legitimate heir.”
The lawyer’s revelation hung in the air like gray smog. Roxanne’s father could be Benton Palmer. Absorbing the significant information Ogden shared, she massaged her left temple. “One of us is legitimate and the other isn’t? I didn’t think people cared about that these days.”
“Howard does.”
Petra curled her lip as she looked at Roxanne. “Let me see if I have this straight. She is my half-sister, and either her mother or my mother was married to Benton. But according to your earlier statement, you and Howard don’t know which one.”
“Correct.”
“How do you expect us to find out?” Roxanne asked.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
WOW, wonderful excerpt. Tell us a little more about yourself and how we can find you and your books...
I grew up in the former British Colony of Rhodesia, now called Zimbabwe in Central Africa. After serving as
missionaries in my home country of Zimbabwe and raising two children, My husband and I moved to Texas where I worked in the public school system for many
years, focusing on students with special needs. Now, I reside on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. A member of ACFW, I've been honored to win their Genesis Award. Meet Me in the Yorkshire Dales is my eleventh title and is available for Kindle (FREE in KU!), Paperback and Audio.
You can find more about me at my Website (sign up to receive my newsletter!) and follow me on Bookbub, Goodreads & Facebook.
All of my books are available at Amazon.
Thank You So Much for Visiting us Today, Valerie!
Friends, you can check out Valerie's previous visits HERE.
Meanwhile, exciting things are coming next week so be sure and drop by often.
Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT
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