I’ve always been a fan of KyLee’s books, and today I’m excited to interview one of her characters, Clara Alexander. I just love a good story about a reformed convict. There is something about overcoming the past and living in a new life that Christ gives that makes me give a happy sigh.

KyLee is graciously giving EVERYONE who signs up for her newsletter, she has a free ecopy of her short story, The Debutante’s Revenge.

Before we dive into our interview, let me introduce you to the story that Clara takes part in.

Now it’s time to jump into our interview with Clara!

CC: Clara, would you please introduce yourself to my readers? How would you describe yourself?

Clara: I would describe myself as intelligent, attuned to the needs of others, and—if I’m being honest—a tad bit impulsive. As for my role in the story, I suppose I am the star—well, with dear Beau, of course. You see, I came west to Virginia City to live with my father and his new family after finishing school. By then, I believe that happily ever afters were about as realistic as Tommy knockers and Father Christmas, so I determined that rather than catch an eligible husband—like many of my friends—I would rely on my God-given intelligence.

I love to write, and in the West, there seems to be a certain bending of social norms, so I hoped I might begin my career as a journalist there. Then I ran into Beau in the mine, and one thing led to another. The next thing I know, we are trouncing around Virginia City, reporting on shootings—and did I mention there was a murder?

CC: The West is definitely a good place to escape when you don’t fit the social norms. It sounds like it’s been an exciting time.

What is it that you want? What’s standing in your way?

Clara: I want to make a difference—to prove myself worthy of love because I am clever, not merely beautiful, as my mother was. So, as I mentioned, I pursued journalism. I also long to be part of my father’s family again, though that may be even more challenging than establishing my career. You see, my stepmother was once his mistress before my mother passed away, and I struggle with what I believed were well‑deserved feelings of bitterness.

As for my writing, the obstacles are many: the editor at the Territorial Enterprise, other journalists, and those who insist upon protecting me. The world is not a gentle place, and people—Father among them—wish to shield me from its uglier corners.

CC: It’s hard when people want to protect us, but we don’t want or feel we need their protection. And what a hard family dynamic!

If you had time to read a book, what would you pick up and why?

Clara: I used to read Emma with my mother! Honestly, she and Emma have some similarities. I love all manner of writing, though—including poetry. Poe’s melancholy and moral tension speak to something in me—the grief I still carry, the bitterness. His shadows feel familiar. But then there is Wordsworth, whose stillness and spiritual quiet remind me of the peace I keep chasing. Between the two of them, I suppose you could chart the whole map of my heart.

And of course, I love my hymns. Wycliffe gives me the ancient, doctrinal backbone I cling to when the world feels unsteady. Fanny Crosby offers the tender devotion of my own century—simple, heartfelt truths that settle into my soul. Those hymns remind me of who I long to be, not who I fear I am becoming. 

Then there is the Bible—my compass. When life feels muddled and gray, Scripture allows me to test the black and white of things, especially within myself.

Little Women is another sort of scripture to me. I long for the closeness the March sisters share—something I lost when Mother died and Father remarried. That book feels like the home I wish I had known.

I suppose I read to understand myself—and to imagine who I might yet become.

CC: Oh! I love that. You read to understand yourself and who you might yet become. That is truly beautiful.

What was your childhood like? How has that influenced who you are today?

Clara: My childhood was happy—mostly. I spent a great deal of time with my mother back East. Father fought in the Civil War, and it was during that time that my mother developed tuberculosis. I began to feel as though our roles had reversed. I became the caregiver, the strong one, and she was the one in need. We never truly switched back.

My family followed my Uncle Titus and Aunt Melanie out West, and in the drier climate my mother’s condition improved. We were happy for a time. Then everything fell apart. My mother became very ill again, my father was unfaithful, and our family unraveled. Mother died, Father married his mistress, and a few months later my little brother was born. I thought matters might improve then, but instead Father sent me away to a finishing school back East.

Suffice it to say, that was the end of my childhood.

[sighs softly] It is a sorrowful tale, I know. But do not trouble yourself. By the end of my book, Beau and I have our happily‑ever‑after, and my family finds healing as well.

CC: Finding that healing must have been quite the journey!

If you could ask God a question and have it answered, what would it be?

Clara: Honestly, I didn’t consider questioning God until the end of the book. He is sovereign and allows both good and bad things to happen. It is His good and perfect will. I suppose I believed in the sovereignty of God to such a degree that I never thought to question Him.

At one point, though, I believed that while God was good, He did not necessarily protect His children from harm or hurt. I rather felt as though He were far away in His Heaven and did not need—or truly mind—me, so long as I didn’t do anything too terribly wrong. If I could just stay out of His bad graces, I thought I would be safe. But there came a moment in my story, when I realized I loved Beau—but that there was no possible way we could be together—when I finally asked God why He had brought him into my life. And what I discovered was that God meant to show me not only the truth of His love, but that He is real and active in my life, even when I cannot see it.

CC: That is definitely hard to wrestle with. Sometimes He feels so far away and like He doesn’t specifically care about us as long as we stay out of trouble. Praise the Lord, that is not an accurate view of him.

You risked your reputation, your safety, and your father’s goodwill to write for a newspaper under a false name. Was it worth it?

Clara: [a soft laugh, then she straightens her posture]

“Worth it.” That is a most curious phrase. Worth, as I understand it, speaks to value—what something costs, or what one is willing to pay. And that, I suppose, was precisely the matter at hand: my value. What I was worth in the eyes of the world.

Everyone seemed to have an opinion on that subject. Mr. Goodwin believed my worth extended no further than a society column and perhaps a recipe or two. Theo valued me only so long as my words bore his name. Even Father—dear as he is—thought it more worthwhile to send me to finishing school than to allow me to remain and grieve my mother properly.

[her voice softens]

But here is what I learned while crawling through a mine shaft with nothing but a rat for company: one’s worth is not determined by what others assign. It is what God Himself placed within you before your first breath.

So yes—every muddy hem, every false mustache glued to my face, every argument with Beau about the dangers of trousers—worth it. Not because my name appeared in print, but because Mr. Rankin was freed. Because Mr. Peterson’s murderer was brought to justice. Because Maudy Jane McCready found a good man and a clean life.

[she touches the red scarf at her neck, smiling]

Scripture tells us that wisdom cries aloud in the streets. I believe the Lord intends truth to be spoken boldly, even—perhaps especially—by those whom society least expects to speak it. I am merely attempting to be obedient.

And if Beau happens to think the result is magnificent… well, that is a blessing I shall not pretend to mind.

CC: It sounds like you lived quite a life, and I look forward to diving into the details as I read the book.

Unfortunately, it’s time to wrap up, so here’s our last question, and it’s always a fun one. What is the weirdest thing on your bucket list?

Clara: [she blushes, then laughs softly]

Well, I suppose that depends upon what one considers “weird.” I have no desire to jump from cliffs or ride in hot‑air balloons or any such nonsense. But I *do* have one ambition that most ladies of my acquaintance would find quite shocking.

I should like to ride the Virginia & Truckee locomotive — not in the passenger car, mind you, but up front with the engineer. I want to see the firebox, feel the heat of the boiler, and watch the great wheels catch the rails beneath us. There is something thrilling about all that power harnessed for purpose. It reminds me of what words can do when set in motion.

I suppose it is an odd wish for a lady. But then, I have never been particularly good at being only what a lady is expected to be.

[she smiles, a little sheepishly]

Besides, Beau says he will arrange it someday — provided I promise not to leap off the engine in pursuit of a story.

CC: Oh! That does sound like fun!

That’s it for now. If you liked getting to know Clara, I highly recommend you go check out Kylee Woodley’s The Convict’s Courtship. 

KyLee Woodley writes inspirational historical romance with a pinch of adventure. A cheery romantic, she loves to evoke bygone days and heartwarming love stories. KyLee teaches preschool at a lab school in Texas, where she lives with her husband and their three teenage children. Historical Bookworm Show—a steadily growing podcast for history lovers and fans of historical fiction. Raised in the Pacific Northwest and now rooted in Texas, KyLee carries a deep respect for American values and the power of redemption. She began ministering to the homeless and addicted as a teenager, and that compassion continues to shape her stories—loving the unlovely is a timeless theme.

In her spare time, she cares for a rescue dog named Lucky, a feisty feline named Hazel, and two adorable Boston Terrier puppies. She listens to contemporary Christian, country, and early‑2000s rock, visits bookstores and coffee shops with her teens, and watches adventure movies with her husband, who might resemble Superman.

You can connect with her at:  Website  |  Newsletter  |  Facebook  |  X  |  Amazon