Sandra Jones's Blog, page 6

Shall We Dance?--Snippet Sunday

For this week's Snippet Sunday, I'm posting an excerpt from my November release, HER WICKED CAPTAIN, the first book in The River Rogues series.The worldly hero, Capt. Rory Campbell, a riverboat gambler, has orchestrated a dance in the backwoods settlement of Posey Hollow, and has invited the local fortune-telling heroine, Dell Samuels, as his special guest. 
Rory tugged at his cravat. “I’m delighted you changed your mind about coming.”“I didn’t. I’m here with my family and a patron. I’m doing a card-reading later, otherwise I wouldn’t have.”“Then the good fortune is all mine for sharing the pleasure of your company.” His hand cupped her elbow gently, guiding her a step closer to him to avoid a young couple headed to the dance floor. She tingled beneath his touch. “Your patron is a lucky man…or woman. I’d like nothing more than to see you in action.” Heat fanned up her neck at his words spoken in a low teasing voice. 

Add on Goodreads Pre-order on Amazon or Nook

The Devil's Henchman, Captain Rory Campbell: Snippet Sunday

She played right into his hands…

In two more months when HER WICKED CAPTAIN is released, I'll be able to introduce you to Captain Rory Campbell, aka The Devil's Henchman--a high-stakes gambler and right-hand man to the most dangerous pirate on the Mississippi. In the meantime, here's a snippet from him upon reuniting with his childhood acquaintance Philadelphia "Dell" Samuels after both have grown up apart:

Beauty such as hers was wasted on the dirt farmers who lived in a place like the river port before him.

Philadelphia. Creamy skin and flashing dark eyes. He’d love to see what crinoline and a red satin dress would look like wrapped around her lovely body. Or red satin sheets for that matter. Or perhaps in nothing at all.

A little polish, a little private tutelage, and she could be the envy of every cardsharp on the Mississippi.


Exactly what Rory wanted.



Add on Goodreads Pre-order on Amazon or Nook

The Devil's Henchman, Captain Rory Campbell: Sunday Snippet

She played right into his hands…

In two more months when HER WICKED CAPTAIN is released, I'll be able to introduce you to Captain Rory Campbell, aka The Devil's Henchman--a high-stakes gambler and right-hand man to the most dangerous pirate on the Mississippi. In the meantime, here's a snippet from him upon reuniting with his childhood acquaintance Philadelphia "Dell" Samuels after both have grown up apart:

Beauty such as hers was wasted on the dirt farmers who lived in a place like the river port before him.

Philadelphia. Creamy skin and flashing dark eyes. He’d love to see what crinoline and a red satin dress would look like wrapped around her lovely body. Or red satin sheets for that matter. Or perhaps in nothing at all.

A little polish, a little private tutelage, and she could be the envy of every cardsharp on the Mississippi.


Exactly what Rory wanted.


Add on Goodreads Pre-order on Amazon or Nook

Smitten by Adah Isaacs Menken

June 15, 1835 – August 10, 1868

This week marked the anniversary of the death of Adah Isaacs Menken. There are few characters in American history I find more intriguing than Ms. Menken, a famous actress in her time, though some of the facts of her life are still a mystery. In part, her obscurity was self-created because Ms. Menken told many versions of her life story. She was also known by other names.
A great chameleon or maybe even a "Renaissance woman," she enjoyed acting, art, and poetry. Most authorities say she was of European and Creole descent, and for all of these she inspired my fortune-telling heroine, Philadelphia Samuels, in the first book of The River Rogues series, HER WICKED CAPTAIN. 
During Menken's infamous career as an actress, she traveled the world. Her most notorious role was when she rode a horse on the stage in the nude! She had many admirers, as you can probably imagine! I wish I could've known her, but her legend continues to flourish and grow.

Available for pre-order on Amazon.

My Memphis

Maybe I'm partial because I've lived in the shadow of Memphis most of my life, but it's one of my favorite cities. From a history lover's perspective, I'm intrigued by the Mississippi River and its Delta culture. I get completely wrapped up in the stories of Memphis's romantic and often tragic past.

The disaster of the Sultana's sinking, one of America's worst accidents:


The Civil War


The Peabody Hotel is a city legend:

And let's not forget the food:

After enjoying BBQ, you need a walk down Beale Street, where if you're lucky like me you might catch the band Lucero playing. I don't have to mention Memphis was home to many of the most influential musicians of our time...but I will! ;-)


Another favorite stop of mine is Burke's Books. It's an eclectic bookstore with lots of antique books, rare finds, and signed copies. I could spend days there. 
That's just a small part of what I love about Memphis, and now you know why I enjoy including it in my writing from time to time!

More Old Photo Inspiration

Sometimes I run across the occasional hottie while researching for my historicals. 
This one is Anton Chekov, one of my husband's favorite writers. I just think he'd look at home in a western romance. 


And another favorite. I like this one because they're both wearing tartan trews. Bonus points awarded for plaid if they're Scottish men. ;-)


This is from a post originally published September 23, 2012. I just think this guy is worth reposting. 




Right now I'm really crushing on this guy. The 1800s clothes, the proud angle of his head, and that wild hair. Swoon!

I think I could manage to write something about him! This is a face that surely launched a few sighs in the salons. "Tea, wine, or me?"

I discovered him at: http://17sixteen.wordpress.com/tag/men/

Another great place for man candy of yesteryear is http://mydaguerreotypeboyfriend.tumblr.com/page/2

I also collect crushes on the images of dead poets like rich people collect debt. Byron, Shelley, Keats. Le sigh. Poe, too--but for his romantic words, NOT the daguerreotypes of him. (Sorry, Edgar!)

Tasty Summer Reads Hop

I'm so thankful Codi Gary invited me to the hop!!! Treats & romance? Yes, please!!! 



Here's how the hop works: every author along the hop invites other authors to answer five questions about their current summer release or WIP (work in progress) and a tasty recipe that ties into it!




I've just sent my latest story to my editor, so the title is still a secret! But here's what I can tell you. It's a Medieval tale of two mortal enemies, along with otherworldly creatures, murder, revenge, & redemption…oh, and they just happen to be lovers, as well.






Here are my five questions:



1)When writing are you a snacker? If so, sweet or salty?

Both! I eat trail mix. I love mixing raisins and whole natural almonds, but I can't eat them out of a bag or I'd weigh a billion pounds!




2) Are you an outliner or someone who flies by the seat of their pants? Are they real pants or jambes?

Half and half. I start with a premise--usually a big conflict. Then I create character files on Scrivener along with a very loose plot with a few key points. The rest I let happen organically. Writing historical is great for pants-plotting. The research and characters really drive what happens.




3)When cooking or baking, do you follow the recipe exactly or wing it?

Recipe!!! I'm a disastrous cook. I love to try, but I'm really awful. I need exact instructions. LOL. However, I can measure pretty good without cooking tools. I have skills, people!




4) What is next for you after this book?

A Western romance and a YA. I have three series started, so I'm working on the next books in those series. ;-)




5) Last Question...on a level of one being slightly naughty to ten being whoo whoo steamy, where does your book land?

7 or 8. My current couple is more adventurous than any other couple I've written. I like very, very sensuous. (Mom, don't read this one!!) But I've yet to dabble in erotica.






My Summer Recipe:







Clarrey, or Spiced White Wine with Honey (recipe borrowed from Tasty Trix)


I love, love, love wine!!



Ok, so it's a little hard to find great treats with a connection to the 12th century. Oh sure, there's mulled cider and roasted (*insert meat name*) with (*insert herb name*), but for summer? Not so much! Food simply spoiled during the summer in those days. However, they loved their honey and wine, and that's something I'll gladly embrace. 






Ingredients:

1 750 ml bottle of sweet white wine. *
1 cup of honey
1 tbsp each of cinnamon, ginger or galingale, and cardamom 
1 tsp white pepper
cheesecloth


Slowly bring the wine and honey to a boil, skimming any scum off of the surface.  Turn off the heat, add the spices, cover and let sit for 24 hours. The next day, using a ladle, strain the drink through 2 or 3 layers of cheesecloth. The spices will have left a rather nasty scum on the bottom; try to scoop up as little of it as possible. Bottle the strained wine and let it sit for about a month - though it's really good right away! A tinted bottle helps keep the light's harmful effects out.




I've tagged my writing pal Angela Campbell, also posting this Monday. Click her name to learn more and share her recipe.




Enjoy the hop!!




--Sandra

author of "Her Christmas Knight" from Five Golden Rings: A Christmas Anthology

www.sandrajonesromance.com

History's Most Romantic Couples

This month my husband and I celebrate our 24th anniversary. We've had our ups and downs through the years, but all-in-all we've enjoyed our happily ever after. Some of my favorite couples from history transcend time with lasting love. They had issues, dealt with them, overcame, and remained together through it all.



As far as literary couples, I'm crazy about Percy and Mary Shelley. Mind you, Percy cheated on his first wife (who later committed suicide), but his poetry was filled with romantic longing. He encouraged his second wife, Mary, to write and inspired her novel, Frankenstein. After his short life (he drown in a boating accident while on vacation), Mary still loved him dearly and held a candle for him until the day she died.













There are so few enduring couples in entertainment, but a few stood the test of time. One of my favorite couples was Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.  They were married 35 years, and Johnny was holding her hand when she died. He credited her for keeping him off drugs.











In history, I adore George and Martha Washington. They endured despite their struggles through war and politics. Martha kept all of the letters her husband wrote her and burned them before her death rather than letting anyone see their private words. I'd love to read them, but I understand her wanting to keep his memory to herself.









I think what makes these couples work is that they understood each other so well, and there was a perfect balance of give and take. If there is too much of one person doing all the giving or taking, the relationship is doomed. No competition here, just encouragement. A partnership. Now that's romantic!

The Appeal of the Outlaw

"Stand and deliver!"


Ever since reading the legend of the outlaw Robin Hood, pirates and highwaymen have been favorites of mine. In modern times, I'm sure I wouldn't find anything romantic about a criminal, but as historical figures in novels, I find these rogues extremely alluring. I'm sure I'm intrigued by the dangerous lives they lead, often with double identities. I also love the bad-boy persona, and the confidence they carry themselves with. I mean, who can resist the swagger of an alpha hero with nefarious skills?




My top five outlaw heroes:


1. Sebastien from  Heather and Velvet by Teresa Medeiros




My copy is worn and well-loved. Sebastien is my favorite outlaw ever. He's a hungry soul and craves the redemption that he thinks will only come from money, but he's not greedy or cruel. From the Goodreads blurb: The courageous beauty and her sensuous outlaw ignite fires of passion that blaze from the storm-swept English countryside to the wild moors of Scotland...forging unbreakable bonds of love.


2.  James Mallory from Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey


The classic combination of girl disguised as cabin boy and a former pirate. The black sheep of a proud and tempestuous family, the handsome ex-pirate once swore no woman alive could entice him into matrimony. But on the high seas his resolve will be weakened by an unrestrained passion and by the high-spirited beauty whose love of freedom and adventure rivals his own.


3. Sebastien from The Rogue Pirate's Bride by Shana Galen


A newer pirate romance with a kick-ass heroine. Raeven Russell is out for revenge, but now she’s not so sure she wants the dashing captain to change his wicked ways.


4. Alex Savege from Captured by a Rogue Lord by Katharine Ashe



Another recent title with a couple who have hot chemistry. His kiss was irresistible, his caress unforgettable, and he hides a devastating secret. A Robin Hood upon the sea, Alex Savege is the brazen pirate Redstone, seizing the yachts of spoiled noblemen to settle an old debt. Serena needs a hero, but her heart is in the gravest danger --- for it is soon to be captured by a man as skilled at seduction as he is at plunder.


5. Pierce Deforte from Bride of the Wind by Shannon Drake



My favorite pirate ever and a classic Fabio cover. The daughter of a wealthy Virginia planter, innocent Rose Woodbine curses cruel fate for leading her to the court of the British King Charles -- and into an unwanted marriage with handsome and dangerous Lord Pierce Deforte, a man she dares never love.His soul searing desire for the stunning Rose had once blinded Pierce to the treacherous machinations of his enemies. Now banished from his beloved England, he lives the life of a pirate -- seeking vengeance on those who betrayed him... including the beautiful temptress whom he once held dear. On a storm-tossed sea they are united once more -- he, no longer a noble, but the notorious brigand called Dragonslayer. And she, one his bride, is now his helpless prisoner -- forced to submit to his fury, his will...and the blistering, sensuous need that chains her captive heart.


Outlaws will always be in my TBR list and on my keeper shelf. Got any other outlaw heroes to recommend?

Inexperienced Heroines

I've always been a little naive. Although I write
sensual romance, I'm embarrassed to admit I'm one of the last people in the room to get a dirty joke or
catch sexual innuendo. Here's a recent example. My husband had an appendectomy
and was having some pain in his side a few days later. He used a bag of frozen
peas as a cold compress, which I offered to put back in the freezer after a
while. Here's how the convo went down:




Me: Do you want me to freeze them before they lose
their pea-ness?

Him: I don't think they have one.

Me: (silence)




Yep. I'm the slow one. This explains a lot about
why I enjoy romances with innocent heroines. Don't get me wrong. I also like
experienced ladies ( i.e. Beth Ackerley from The
Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie) who cut right to the chase, but in
historicals, I can sympathize more with virginal heroines. Everything is new
for exploration and the hero is more worldly with lots to share with
his lovely new partner. It makes for great tension, as long as the writer
treats the situation in a way that hasn't been done ten thousand times. 




I think writers can make an
inexperienced heroine still sizzle for today's readers as long as she's smart,
independent, and a balanced match for the hero. I love to watch the character
make the complete arc from innocent to vixen.




Inexperienced or experienced? Do you
have a preference? 




I'm hosting my first Goodreads
giveaway for a signed copy of MOONLIGHT MADNESS my Renaissance time travel
romance.  And yes, the heroine is innocent. 




.goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px;
font-style: normal; background: white; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important;
text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;
border: 1px solid #6A6454; -moz-border-radius: 5px; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;
background-image:url(http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou... background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596;
outline: 0; white-space: nowrap;
}
.goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(http://www.goodreads.com/images/layou...
color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer;
}


Goodreads Book Giveaway








Moonlight Madness


by Sandra Jones

Giveaway ends March 03, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win




Blurb:




While visiting Wales, Rance Kingsley,
Viscount Waldenham, receives a warning that his daughter will soon be kidnapped
by Spanish enemies. Before he can aid her, Rance tumbles into a mysterious
portal to the future. His only hope is to find his soulmate, the key to
returning. However his curse continues when all signs point to Tess Hartman, a
straight-laced teacher, as his match.


After a cheating boyfriend, the only male Tess wants in
her life is Dante, a troubled teen she would like to adopt. To bond with the
boy, Tess brings him on a class field trip to Britain. But the Shakespeare
experience becomes too real when sexy, eccentric Rance seduces her.
When Tess
falls for Rance's kisses and travels with him across four centuries, she's
convinced he's made a mistake. How could she love a man who deceived her,
separating her from everything she cares about, a man with MOONLIGHT MADNESS?