Ginger's Six Sentence Sunday

Today, I'm sharing sentences from one of my older releases that I love, Sarah's Journey.  I aspire to be like my heroine and hope the good traits Sarah portrays mirror my own.  I'm posting the blurb to set up the story for you.

Blurb:  

Sarah Collins sets her sights on California for a new beginning but never dreams a war party will attack the wagon train she travels on.  She and her friend are the sole survivors, but when Molly succumbs to her injuries, Sarah has to find her way back to civilization on her own. Stampeding buffalo, the black prairie nights and eerie noises…just when she believes she’s facing the worst time of her life, a rattlesnake bite threatens to accomplish where the Indians failed.  Is it her time to die or does Sarah have a purpose that is yet to be accomplished? 

Here's today's six:

If not for the carnage, it would be a beautiful day—wispy clouds floated in a powder blue sky and an endless sea of waving prairie grass announced the arrival of spring.  The only sound came from the bubbling water in the nearby stream as it traveled over a rocky bed. 

Sarah remembered everything now.  They had just made camp when war cries sliced the air.  A few hours of daylight had remained, but one family’s illness prompted the wagon master to halt travel for the day.  Supper fires hadn’t even been lit when a band of whooping Indians with painted faces stormed the group.  

This book is featured with all my others on my Amazon Author's Page, and for sale directly from Eternal Press in both print and download.

Sarah from Sarah's Journey

Imagine being left all along when your family dies and trying to hold onto the small parcel of land you've lived on all your life.  When the hideous and gross banker sets his site on your as his wife and uses any hope of saving your home against you, what's a girl to do?

Sarah chooses the only option--sell what you can, buy a wagon and join a departing wagon train and hope that life in California will be better.  She hires a nice man to drive her, then deals with the guilt when he and every other member of the train is killed during an Indian massacre.  Here's the opening scene of Sarah's Journey:

Sarah Collins struggled to open her eyes against the glare. The pounding pain in her head urged her to keep them closed. She swept the tip of her tongue across cracked lips and shifted away from whatever jabbed at her back. Her hands groped along something gritty and provided no clue to her whereabouts.

Patchy memories filtered back, and bitter bile rose in her throat. “Oh, Lord,” she groaned, pushing up from the pebbled ground. Her pain dimmed at the sight before her; fear seized the breath from her chest as she surveyed what remained of the wagon train.

In a haze, she stood and scanned the area. Her throat constricted at the eerie site. The bodies of her new friends lay scattered amongst the smoking ruins, some oddly contorted and others positioned as they’d fallen. Her heart ached for the mother who sat propped against a wagon wheel, clutching her baby to her breast—both obviously dead. Sarah covered her mouth to stifle a scream. Oh sweet Jesus, who could kill a defenseless infant?

“Oh, God, there have to be others alive,” she muttered against her palm. As evidenced by an attacker’s body lying a few feet from her, someone had interceded and saved her. Surely, there were others alive. There had to be! The hair on
her arms bristled. Perhaps it was a bad dream. If not for the carnage, anyone would consider it a
beautiful day. She stared up at wispy clouds floating in a powder blue sky then scanned the endless sea of prairie grass. The only sound came from the nearby stream—peaceful water bubbling over a rocky bed. Dizziness left her unsteady. Her head sagged.

Total recollection flooded back. Sarah bit her knuckles and shivered. They had just made camp when war cries sliced the air. A few hours of daylight had remained, but one family’s illness prompted the wagon master to halt travel for the day. Supper fires hadn’t even been lit when a band of whooping Indians with painted faces stormed the group. There must have been twenty or more on horseback. The last thing Sarah recalled was running to fetch her rifle.

She dusted herself off and checked her body for injury. Other than her throbbing head, she seemed all right until something warm trickled into her eye. She touched her temple and felt a sticky lump. Her mind displayed the image of a scarred-faced brave, whose tomahawk struck only a glancing blow. She stared at her reddened fingertips and shuddered, seeing those hate-filled eyes again.

Her bonnet dangled down her back, its ribbon annoyingly tight across her throat. She pulled at the ties, removed and stared at the stained and dirty head covering. In its present condition she preferred going without one; she wiped her bloodied hand on the gingham material and tossed it to the ground.
 
The sun hadn’t climbed far above the eastern horizon. She figured she must have been unconscious all night, and with a sigh, lifted her dress, ripped a piece from her petticoat and held it to her wound. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she prayed to see another living soul. Surely she was no better than the rest of these simple folk who were trying to find a new start. She cast blurry eyes skyward. “Why would you spare only me, Lord?”

“Hello, can anyone hear me?” Her voice faltered. She scanned the campsite and listened, but no answer came. Nothing moved.

Sarah started toward her smoldering Conestoga, now barely recognizable. She’d used her last penny to buy it to make this trip, hiring a driver and packing everything she owned into the beautifully-crafted prairie schooner. This wasn’t how things were supposed to turn out. Headed for California, she wanted to leave all her bad memories in Missouri and forge new and happier ones. Maybe she’d wake up and discover this was all just a horrible nightmare. Her throbbing head told her it wasn’t likely.

The smaller wagon behind Sarah’s stood unscathed except for the arrows jutting from the canvas covering. In contrast to violence, delicate feathers decorating the shafts swayed in the breeze.

Her eyes smarted from drifting smoke. She called out again, but still received no response. Sarah summoned strength, gathered her wits and forced her reluctant legs to move. 

Unsteady at first, her determination gave her strength. She fought the urge to retch when she passed by the body of the wagon master, Mr. Simms. The top of his head had been slashed off, leaving a bloody pulp. She jerked her gaze away only to view three more male bodies, one clutching a lance stuck deep in his chest. All had been desecrated in the same savage manner.

She swallowed hard and forced herself to continue her search. Circling the camp, she found more bodies as she went from wagon-to-wagon. Next to what remained of her own, she found her driver, Fred Tanner. His eyes stared lifelessly at the sky; an arrow protruded from a dried circle of blood in the middle of his shirt. He, too, had been scalped. Sarah bent, and focusing only on his placid face, closed his eyelids. Guilt gnawed at her, and she straightened and whispered a silent prayer on his behalf. In their business arrangement, he had ended up paying far more dearly than she had.

Hope pushed her onward in a quest to find someone alive. The dead children sickened her  more than the deceased adults. Barely starting their lives, they came to a bitter end far too soon. She discovered most of them huddled with their mothers in the backs of the unburned wagons, fear still etched on their tiny faces.

The smell of charred flesh hung heavy in the air and made it difficult to breathe. Sarah crinkled her nose in disgust. Her shoulders sagged. Each person deserved a proper burial, but she couldn’t do it all by herself. Her head pounded in rhythm with the panic in her heart as she realized the seriousness of her predicament. The Indians had taken all the animals, and from what she could tell, most of the food. She had no idea where she was or how she would survive. Sarah collapsed to the ground and buried her face in her hands. Sobs wracked her body as she mourned each person’s passing. She’d barely gotten to know them. Only fifteen days ago in Independence, Missouri, these twelve wagons had gathered, full of excited and happy faces, ready to journey to a new life.

She cried until her tears ran dry, then finding composure, convinced herself weeping wouldn’t help. At twenty-two-years old, she was determined to see twenty- three. But how? She could walk for help, but in which direction, and how far? Even if she filled her canteen with fresh water from the stream, how long would it last before she reached another source? What if the Indians came back? It appeared they had taken all the weapons leaving her defenseless. She couldn’t just sit and wait. Besides, in the warm spring weather it wouldn’t be long before the bodies started to decay. Leaving appeared to be her only option.

I can't imagine how hard it would be to travel via wagon train and cover such a vast destination.  The mileage made each day depended largely upon undependable weather.  Traveling from Missouri to California required at least six months.  The wagons carried food, cooking utensils, water, and anything else required for the journey.  Imagine that a family of four carried 800 pounds of flour, 200 pounds of lard, around 700 pounds of bacon, a couple hundred pounds of beans, a hundred pounds of fruit, plus coffee and salt.  There was little room left inside for personal belongings, and it wasn't unusual to find items tossed alongside the trail to lighten the load.  On good days, the majority of the passengers walked alongside the conveyance.

Picture dressing in the period and hoofing it for miles each day along a rutted path lined by high grass.  Women traditionally wore stockings that reached the knee, leather boots that laced, and for safety reason and ease of travel, usually low-heels.  Undergarments consisted of a chemise (wide-necked and short sleeved, usually hemmed just above the knee.  Stays served as the bra of the day to support the breasts and back.  Usually made from bones, they molded to the body.  Sounds torturous to me.  :)

Underpants, or drawers as they were called, were full cut and hemmed about mid-calif.  All that walking was bound to cause chafing, and drawers helped prevent the discomfort. Petticoats were limited to at least one, but two or three weren't uncommon.  Times were tough but I think women always wanted to be seen as feminine.

Pioneer women usually didn't have more than a few dresses, so aprons were commonplace.  Most were plain and didn't match the garment worn by the woman, but usually were long and tied at the back.  Wouldn't it suck to have three items in your wardrobe to choose from?

Today we wear "hoodies" but in the olden days, women wore shawls.  Usually shaped from a square of wool cloth, the material hung in a triangle and wrapped around the body.  I'll keep my hoodie, if you don't mind.

Sunscreen hadn't been invented, of course, so for protection, women wore bonnets to shield their skin.  The stiff brim trimmed a lightweight, lighter colored material long in the back to cover the neck.  I've never looked good in hats of any kind, so I guess I'd just look like a nerd.  ;)

Hairstyles weren't as important as comfort and sensibility.  Long hair coiled into buns or braided kept hair washed only a few times a month from looking shabby.  Safety was an issue as well and common hairstyles made sure the pioneer traveler didn't get her long locks caught in a wagon axle.  Hey, it happened.

Face it, being a woman in the 1800s wasn't easy.  Now imagine your traveling companions have been slaughtered, you're alone, and have to decide  how you're going to survive.  Sarah made the decision and lived to tell about it. Read Sarah's Journey...available at Eternal Press or in print and download at Amazon.com.

Interview with Sarah Collins – Sarah’s Journey

HOST: Today our guest is Sarah Collins, the heroine in Ginger Simpson's Sarah's Journey. Sarah, it's very nice to have you with us.

Sarah: Thank you. I'm actually glad to be anywhere after the harrowing journey I had.

HOST: Oh, do tell us about it. Our reader's love historical romance novels.

Sarah: Ginger's latest book isn't a romance per se. It falls more along the lines of an "Americana". There's a romantic faction involved and it's peppered with historical facts, but it's really more about me and my struggles--trying to overcome the hatred and prejudice that existed in the old west.

HOST: Unfortunately, we still have some of those problems even today.

Sarah: That's very true. The roots of unkindness run very deep, and often for no real reason. I got a very good dose of unfounded hatred in Sarah's Journey.

HOST: How so?

Sarah: Let me start from the beginning. *cups her chin and sighs*. My parents both died from Typhoid fever and I had no relatives left in Hannibal. Let's just say the banker wasn't at all helpful, and tried to barter to make me his wife in order to save Papa's land. I decided it wasn't worth it, so I sold everything in the barn and a large part of what was in the house. I kept only what I thought I'd need to make a new start. I used the money from the sales to buy a wagon and team then joined a train set for California.

HOST: That seems brave for a single woman. Traveling such a long way, much less handling a team isn't an easy feat.

Sarah: I guess I should have mentioned I found a very nice man to be my driver. Actually, I gave very little thought to danger; I was more excited about seeing a new place and letting go of bad memories.

HOST: Tell us more, please.

Sarah: The wagon master and the other folks traveling with him seemed very nice. I felt safe traveling with the group, and I quickly became fond of Molly. We spent lots of time together, walking alongside the train and talking about our futures. We had such great plans and I never suspected *pauses and wipes a tear*...

HOST: Suspected what?

Sarah: That Indians would attack the train and kill everyone. I don't know how I survived. *lowers gaze to the floor*.

HOST: I can see this is very painful for you. Don't feel you have to continue.

Sarah: Oh, it's all right. I'm very lucky to be here. I tried to save Molly, but I didn't have enough medical knowledge or even tools. It was bad enough to lose her friendship, but then I realized I was truly all alone in the middle of nowhere with no idea what to do.

HOST: Oh, my gosh, what did you do?

Sarah: Luckily, I kept my wits about me. I realized that going back the way we came made more sense than heading in an unknown direction. The problem: The Indians took all our livestock and food.

HOST: How in the world did you survive without food?

Sarah: My Ma taught me a lot about roots, berries and such. I had no doubt I could find plenty to eat, and eventually, water. I filled what canteens I found, took just enough extra clothing to keep me warm at night, then set off. I had to leave in case the Indians came back again. Dealing with the coyotes and buzzards was already more than I could handle.

HOST: So, did you travel all the way back to where the train started?

Sarah: Ginger will have my head if I give away too much of the story. Let me just say that after everything else I'd been through, I got bit by a gol-darned rattlesnake. I thought for sure I was a goner, but a very handsome, and I hate to use this term, 'half-breed', saved me. You'd think I would have been overcome with glee, but I was eaten up with guilt because I realized he was the same person I'd left for dead when I tried to steal his horse. It's a long story, but you'll have to read Sarah's Journey to find out more.

HOST: Well, I'm going to have to read it. I can't stand being left hanging like that, but I understand you can't share more. Can you just give us a hint what happened after he saved you?

Sarah: One more little tidbit and that's it. Wolf promised to take me to Independence and introduce me to a friend of his. That's where I ended up. Wolf, too. Now, that's absolutely all I'm going to divulge. *giggles*

HOST: Well, I won't press for more. I do thank you for being here and taking time to share a little about your journey. I can't wait to read it.

Sarah: It's available at Eternal Press (http://www.eternalpress.biz in download format and on Amazon in print. I do have to warn you, it's not your typical 'happily ever after' ending. Don't you just get so tired of authors being so predictable?

HOST: Now you have me hooked for sure. I'll be looking for your story. Thanks again, Sarah.

  

Writing Historical Romance

I write western historical novels because I love that time period. The old west was raw, hard, and character building. To survive, the people had to have exemplary strength and determination. But, my fascination doesn’t end with the pioneers; I’ve always had an unexplained interest in the history of American Indians, so much so that I wonder if I lived a previous life as one. By writing about them, I can help alter the perception that TV westerns have fostered—that the red man was always the bad guy. In two previous novels, I focused on the customs and traditions of the Lakota Sioux. I tried to portray them as the proud people they were.

I often wonder if readers realize that writing an historical is much more time consuming than say writing a contemporary or suspense. Although the story is fictional, the facts to support history have to be accurate and true. The language has to fit the period as does the dress, and the gadgets available at the time. Back in the 1800s, which is the era of my choice, kids were goats, mothers were Ma, not Mom, and fathers were Pa, not Dad. The idea is not to overwhelm the reader with a history lesson, but pepper the story with facts that relate to the scenes and characters.

In writing my first novel, I had my hero delivering his bride to in a shack in the middle of the prairie. I described her reaction to a rundown house, grass growing through the wooden shutters, a few pieces of splintered furniture. When I described the rooms, I also described a heavy iron stove. My editor was quick to point out that a deserted shack was more likely to have a fireplace and hearth where cooking was performed, and that the abode wasn’t likely to be more than one big room. Thank God, for editors who help us learn our craft. Now, when I write about a room, I put myself back in the time period and see through the hero or heroines eyes what should be there. If there is a question in my mind, I research the object and see exactly when it was invented.

There’s no faster way to lose your credibility as an historical author than to yank your reader out of the story by having written about something that doesn’t fit the time. Imagine my Sarah, dressed in gingham, with her bonnet securely tied under her chin, coming in from the barn, carrying a pail of fresh milk. She sets the heavy container on the floor, and deciding to have some more coffee, pops a cup in the microwave to heat it. WAIT a minute. Something is wrong with this picture, and although I’ve used a very obvious discrepancy in time, you’d be surprised how quickly some historical readers are to pick up on even the slightest faux pas.

Still, despite the extra time and effort required, historical writing is my preference. My heroine in Sarah’s Journey is the kind of person I strive to be. I want her survival strength, determination, and her ability to stand up to people when others are mistreated. I want to right the wrongs of humanity, and if only through becoming Sarah for a brief time, I can show my readers how badly people of half blood were treated and how hard life was in the old west. I can hold up my head, trudge along the Oregon Trail and wonder what looms over the next horizon. Sarah’s Journey is a historical fiction but more so a story about a woman’s struggle to find a new life, deal with disappointment, and handle the realization that she loves a man that no one in the world but her is ready to accept. I hope people enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it. It doesn’t have a “traditional ending” but that’s all I’m going to say. You either GET it or you don't.

I asked a fellow author at Eternal Press to do a review of Sarah's Journey for me. He said the only western-type book he'd read was Shane, but he would give it a try. I picked this part from his lovely summary to share with you. Robert Appleton made my day when he posted:

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Simpson’s recreation of Western life. The word that kept coming to mind as I read this story was uncompromising. Little is omitted, whether it be gruesome wounds, the preparation of herbs and food, Sarah’s body language, or the precise terms for the different noises made by a horse. I loved seeing all this research come to life. The author’s passion for the period and particularly for her characters shone throughout. This was clearly a labour of love.

And he's right. Every book I've written is a favorite for different reasons, but I have a very soft spot in my heart for Sarah and Wolf and I think it showed. *smile*

Friday's Fiction - A Man's Perspective

I'm pretty sure this is the first review I've had done by a male peer, and I was quite pleased that Rob Appleton ventured outside his "comfort" zone and picked my book to read. We exchanged comments about the ending, because, clearly, when I wrote this book, I knew people would either love or hate a veer from the norm, so I truly understand his comments. Once I explained my reasoning, I think he agreed I had done the right thing. The other reviews I've received, to my great surprise, have supported and praised Sarah's conclusion. I'm so honored that he enjoyed my work. If you haven't read any of Rob's books, you're missing a great treat. Like Sarah's Journey, you can find them at Eternal Press

REVIEW: Sarah's Journey by Ginger Simpson

Sarah's Journey

by Ginger Simpson

Historical Western Romance
eBook
72,000 words
Eternal Press
http://www.eternalpress.ca/sarahsjourney.html

1850. Somewhere on the Santa Fe Trail...

Sarah Collins awakens to a scene of utter carnage. Everyone in her wagon train headed for California has been slaughtered during a savage Indian raid. Weak and dazed, Sarah finds one survivor, her best friend, and sets about trying to revive her. But the poor woman’s arrow wound is mortal. She dies. Sarah is now completely alone in the world—homeless, penniless and stranded. In scene after scene of arresting pragmatism, we come to know Sarah not by her misfortunes, but through the resourceful ways in which she deals with them. This is a woman of her time, an upstanding, God-fearing daughter of pioneers, and she is going to survive.

Soon after starting her journey back to civilization, Sarah happens on the body of a (seemingly) dying Indian. Irony rears its head and bites her—in the form of a rattlesnake—when she tries to take his horse and ends up in his care. He slowly nurses her back to health. Against all odds, on the road to Independence, an unspoken attraction develops between the two. His name is Grey Wolf. He is a handsome man of mixed blood—his father was white, his mother was Indian—who sees the world through eyes every bit as pragmatic as Sarah’s. Will their true feelings for each other win out? What will happen when they reach Independence?

Sarah’s Journey is a heartfelt Western romance that doesn’t merely settle for being a romance. Its themes of intolerance and defining one’s own identity are prevalent throughout. The protagonist is a sensitive yet uncompromisingly moral woman, a spinster on the verge of love. She is by turns abrasive and adorable, and particularly in the final third of the story, adorably abrasive. For Sarah, equality is not an ideal but an absolute. Woe betide anyone who suggests otherwise. Yet for all her forthrightness, the biggest obstacle she faces is in her own heart—forbidden love.

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Simpson’s recreation of Western life. The word that kept coming to mind as I read this story was uncompromising. Little is omitted, whether it be gruesome wounds, the preparation of herbs and food, Sarah’s body language, or the precise terms for the different noises made by a horse. I loved seeing all this research come to life. The author’s passion for the period and particularly for her characters shone throughout. This was clearly a labour of love. The only quibble I had was with the ending. I suspect many will lap it up, but I found the concept more compelling than the execution. I was hoping for a more bittersweet denouement. Nevertheless, it took a brave writer to end her novel that way. And having never read a woman’s western before, I can say unequivocally that Ms. Simpson, like her heroine, has real gumption.

--Robert Appleton


Don't miss this superb story at Eternal Press:

http://www.eternalpress.ca/sarahsjourney.html (eBook)

and now in paperback at Amazon!

It Pays To Google Your Own Name

Look what I found:


Sarah's Journey
by Ginger S Simpson Reviewed by Nicole

Sarah Collins is alive after an Indian attack on her wagon train headed for California, though she can't imagine why she escaped unscathed. She strikes out to find the nearest town and finds hunky Grey Wolf instead. He is a pure gentleman and nurses her back to health after a near fatal snake bite. She can’t seem to keep him off her mind. Grey Wolf finds himself in an impossible situation; they have no future together because he is half Sioux. Will Sarah and Wolf ever be able to share their love or will prejudices keep them apart?

Ginger Simpson creates an endearing love story with a twist that is sheer genius. The characters are complex and possess a connection that will make your heart flutter. The heroine is feisty yet proper and the hero is the kind of man you’d like to have waiting at home for you. Simpson achieves victory with Sarah’s Journey.

Feel The EarthQuake Again?

Nope...it's just me happy dancing again. I couldn't wait until the original was posted at Kwips and Krits, so I'm sharing it now.



Sarah’s Journey

Ginger Simpson
ISBN: 978-1-897559-01-7
May 2008
Eternal Press
http://www.eternalpress.ca/sarahsjourney.html
Historical Romance/Western
Historical Women’s Fiction
eBook
Rating: * * * * ½

Sarah Collins has decided to leave her old life behind and joins a wagon train heading for California in the hopes of making a fresh start. When her train is attacked by an Indian war party, Sarah is the only survivor. Now she’s on a journey back to Independence in the hopes of finding another chance. When she is bit by a rattlesnake and figures her journey is over before it began, a very unlikely rescuer happens along.

Half-breed Grey Wolf was on his way to meet the wagon train and act as their scout when he finds the remains of the wagons and no survivors. Desperate to raise the money he needs to make his dream of owning his own land come true he had thought this was his chance. Now what is he to do when he is scorned by the white folk for his heritage and rejected by the Indians for the same reason? Wolf doesn’t fit anywhere, until he happens upon a lovely young woman dying of a snake bite.

Sarah and Wolf decide to travel together, with the same destination in mind of the city of Independence and along the way their camaraderie turns into something far more. Can they ever find happiness in a world that hates people like Wolf and those who love them?

Sarah’s Journey is a story about overcoming all the odds and finding your true purpose in life. Sarah had no hope if she’d stayed in town but rather than accept defeat, she defies all expectations and sets out on a new path that most women would be frowned upon for during this time period. Even when failure seems like the only answer, Sarah adapts and changes, showing a determination and a strength most people never get to discover in themselves. Sarah truly does overcome some very tough odds to find the happiness so long eluding her. Sarah’s Journey, while of the traditional sense, traveling from one place to another, is more about the journey through her own heart and soul. She could have given up, most people would, after experiencing what she did, but rather than let it hold her back, Sarah just trudges on through, keeping her faith God will see her through and help her make her own road. I loved her for that very reason. She makes me wonder if facing the same circumstances, could I overcome the difficulties like she did?

The love story between Sarah and Grey Wolf progresses slowly and sweetly. They go from reluctant travel mates to respect and friendship, and later on into life-changing love. Wolf and Sarah help other to see past the prejudices of the day to look deep inside people for their true value and to try and make others do the same. It’s an uphill struggle but that doesn’t stop them from trying!

Sarah’s Journey is most definitely not your typical romance. In fact, while the romance is obviously there, I’d classify this more as historical fiction. So the ending of the story is completely unlike anything you may imagine. When I finished the book, my first thought was “What?” Then after reading the epilogue and taking some time to reflect on the story that “What?” became a “Wow!” Any other conclusion would not have suited our friends Sarah and Wolf. So if you ask me, Sarah’s Journey couldn’t have ended any other way. Kudos to Ginger Simpson for writing such a moving and beautifully told story that challenges all expectations!

© Kelley A. Hartsell, June 2008. All rights reserved.

Writing Sarah's Journey

I write western historicals because I love that time period. The old west was raw, hard, and character building. To survive, the people had to have exemplary strength and determination. But, my fascination doesn’t end with the pioneers; I’ve always had an unexplained interest in the history of American Indians, so much so that I wonder if I lived a previous life as one. By writing about them, I can help alter the perception that TV westerns have fostered—that the red man was always the bad guy. In two previous novels, I focused on the customs and traditions of the Lakota Sioux. I tried to portray them as the proud people they were.

I often wonder if readers realize that writing an historical is much more time consuming than say writing a contemporary or suspense. Although the story is fictional, the facts to support history have to be accurate and true. The language has to fit the period as does the dress, and the gadgets available at the time. Back in the 1800s, which is the era of my choice, kids were goats, mothers were Ma, not Mom, and fathers were Pa, not Dad. The idea is not to overwhelm the reader with a history lesson, but pepper the story with facts that relate to the scenes and characters.

In writing my first novel, I had my hero delivering his bride to in a shack in the middle of the prairie. I described her reaction to a rundown house, grass growing through the wooden shutters, a few pieces of splintered furniture. When I described the rooms, I also described a heavy iron stove. My editor was quick to point out that a deserted shack was more likely to have a fireplace and hearth where cooking was performed, and that the abode wasn’t likely to be more than one big room. Thank God, for editors who help us learn our craft. Now, when I write about a room, I put myself back in the time period and see through the hero or heroines eyes what should be there. If there is a question in my mind, I research the object and see exactly when it was invented.

There’s no faster way to lose your credibility as an historical author than to yank your reader out of the story by having written about something that doesn’t fit the time. Imagine my Sarah, dressed in gingham, with her bonnet securely tied under her chin, coming in from the barn, carrying a pail of fresh milk. She sets the heavy container on the floor, and deciding to have some more coffee, pops a cup in the microwave to heat it. WAIT a minute. Something is wrong with this picture, and although I’ve used a very obvious discrepancy in time, you’d be surprised how quickly some historical readers are to pick up on even the slightest faux pas.

Still, despite the extra time and effort required, historical writing is my preference. My heroine in Sarah’s Journey is the kind of person I strive to be. I want her survival strength, determination, and her ability to stand up to people when others are mistreated. I want to right the wrongs of humanity, and if only through becoming Sarah for a brief time, I can show my readers how badly people of half blood were treated and how hard life was in the old west. I can hold up my head, trudge along the Oregon Trail and wonder what looms over the next horizon. Sarah’s Journey is a historical fiction but more so a story about a woman’s struggle to find a new life, deal with disappointment, and handle the realization that she loves a man that no one in the world but she is ready to accept. I hope people enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it. It doesn’t have a “traditional ending” but that’s all I’m going to say. *Big Grin*

Ending Comment Contest for Sparta Rose

ESTELLA KISSELL!

Congratulations, Estella, you've won a free download of my new release, Sarah's Journey, plus an autographed postcard to go along with it. Please email me at mizging2003@yahoo.com to claim your prizes.

I'd like to thank everyone who played and left comments. You are so appreciated. I hope the rest of you will be so intrigued about the ending to Sarah's story that you'll purchase your own copy from Eternal Press .

I'll be holding another contest soon for a free download of Sparta Rose. It should be out next month. In July, I'm anticipating that Embezzled Love will be available as a prize.

Again, thanks for dropping by, and keep coming back. :)

Ging

Your Ticket to Escape

Yesterday I posted two incredible blogs, written by Phil Harris. He gave a very realistic viewpoint of our economy, and while some may believe this is a cyclical event, it's quite possible the economy may have passed the point of non-cycling. I started thinking about his comments and how all this is impacting my life as an author. Actually, it may work to my advantage, sad as that may sound.

A friend of mine received an newsletter from a Dorchester author in which she stated her publisher is offering people free Advanced Reading Copies of her book, as long as they commit to:

* Posting on message boards
* Suggesting it to fellow readers on one of your Yahoo! Groups
* Suggest the book for use in your local book club or readers group.
* Writing reviews on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com
* Writing a review on book review sites such as Goodreads.com, Shelfari.com
* Blogging about the book
* Other creative ways you have to “spread the word”

Can it be that Dorchester is already feeling the pinch and trying to cut back on expenses? That would be my guess, although I have been known to be wrong. But why else make a plea that's totally new and unheard of in mainstream publishing? I think big publishers will react to the economic status more than the small publishers who offer e-downloads at a much more inexpensive rate.

As fuel continues to rise, the cost of other products will escalate accordingly. Truck drivers have to charge more to cover their expenses, stores have to inflate their prices to cover it. It's basic math in that respect. As Phil points out, the travel industry will suffer, and many more people will be staying home rather than taking planned vacations. It's depressing and scary at the same time, not knowing where our future is headed.

What do we want when we're depressed. ESCAPE. To find another world that's filled with laughter instead of stress...romance instead of worry. A place that's comfortable, appealing, and sometimes a fantasy world, sexual experience or something beyond our wildest imaginations. So will you turn to reading as a means of coping with the unpleasantness? A book is as close as your computer.

It's a great time for E-Books to shine. As long as you can log on and find your favorite e-publisher, you have all these worlds at your fingertips. You don't have to leave home to get your books, or pay the extra costs for the gasoline/diesel that delivered them. Your favorite e-published authors have your tickets on a travel train that will leave the station and whisk you away to the destination of their choice.

Is reading a book going to cure the economy? Probably not, but it sure beats sitting around and waiting for the next shoe to drop. Besides, you're still supporting the economy with your purchases, just not having to dig so deeply into your pocket for entertainment.

By the way, did I mention that Sarah's Journey, Sparta Rose and Embezzled Love will all be released within the next few months? Eternal Press, Enspiren Press and Lachesis Publishing are all great places to find whatever escape you need. *big smile*

Sarah's Cover Art

If you visit this site, you'll find some book covers competing in the May contest. I'm very happy to say that Julie Darcy's beautiful cover for Sarah's Journey is among them. Please visit and pick your choice, whether it be Sarah's cover or another. This is a great opportunity to make someone's day and recognize the talent of a cover artist. So click the link below and cast your vote.

The Author's Lounge

Interview with Sarah Collins

INTERVIEWER: Today our guest is Sarah Collins, the heroine in Ginger Simpson's new release, Sarah's Journey. Sarah, it's very nice to have you with us.

Sarah: Thank you. I'm actually glad to be anywhere after the harrowing journey I had.

INT: Oh, do tell us about it. Our reader's love historical romance novels.

Sarah: Ginger's latest book isn't a romance per se. It falls more along the lines of an "Americana". There's a romantic faction involved and it's peppered with historical facts, but it's really more about me and my struggles--trying to overcome the hatred and prejudice that existed in the old west.

INT: Unfortunately, we still have some of those problems even today.

Sarah: That's very true. The roots of unkindness run very deep, and often for no real reason. I got a very good dose of unfounded hatred in Sarah's Journey.

INT: How so?

Sarah: Let me start from the beginning. *cups her chin and sighs*. My parents both died from Typhoid fever and I had no relatives left in Hannibal. Let's just say the banker wasn't at all helpful, and tried to barter to make me his wife in order to save Papa's land. I decided it wasn't worth it, so I sold everything in the barn and a large part of what was in the house. I kept only what I thought I'd need to make a new start. I used the money from the sales to buy a wagon and team then joined a train set for California.

INT: That seems brave for a single woman. Handling a team isn't an easy feat much less traveling such a long way.

Sarah: I guess I should have mentioned I found a very nice man to be my driver. Actually, I very little thought to danger; I was more excited about seeing a new place and letting go of bad memories.

INT: Tell us more, please.

Sarah: The wagon master and the other folks traveling with him seemed very nice. I felt safe traveling with the group, and I quickly became fond of Molly. We spent lots of time together, walking alongside the train and talking about our futures. We had such great plans and I never suspected *pauses and wipes a tear*...

INT: Suspected what?

Sarah: That Indians would attack the train and kill Molly, and everyone else. I don't know how I survived. *lowers gaze to the floor*.

INT: I can see this is very painful for you. Don't feel you have to continue.

Sarah: Oh, it's all right. I'm very lucky to be here. I tried to save Molly, but I didn't have enough medical knowledge or even tools. It was bad enough to lose her friendship, but then I realized I was truly all alone in the middle of no where with no idea what to do.

INT: Oh my gosh, what did you do?

Sarah: Luckily, I kept my wits about me. I realized that going back the way we came made more sense than heading in an unknown direction. The problem: The Indians took all our livestock and food.

INT: How in the world did you survive without food.

Sarah: My Ma taught me a lot about roots, berries and such. I had no doubt I could find plenty to eat, and eventually, water. I filled what canteens I found and took just enough to keep me warm at night then set off. I had to leave in case the Indians came back again. Dealing with the coyotes and buzzards was more than I could handle.

INT: So, did you travel all the way back to where the train started?

Sarah: Ginger will have my head if I give away too much of the story. Let me just say that after everything else I'd been through, I got bit by a gol-darned rattlesnake. I thought for sure I was a goner, but a very handsome, and I hate to use this term, 'halfbreed', saved me. You'd think I would have been overcome with glee, but I was eaten up with guilt because I realized he was the same person I'd left for dead when I tried to steal his horse. It's a long story, but you'll have to read Sarah's Journey to find out more.

INT: Well, I'm going to have to read it. I can't stand being left hanging like that, but I understand you can't share more. Can you just give us a hint what happened after he saved you?

Sarah: One more little tidbit and that's it. Wolf promised to take me to Independence and introduce me to a friend of his. That's where I ended up. Wolf, too. Now, that's absolutely all I'm going to divulge. *giggles*

INT: Well, I won't press for more. I do thank you for being here and taking time to share a little about your journey. I can't wait to read it.

Sarah: It's being released on May 7th by Eternal Press (http://www.eternalpress.ca) in download format only. As soon as EP locates a printer, it'll be available in book format. I do have to warn you, it's not your typical 'happily ever after' ending. Don't you just get so tired of predictable endings?

INT: Now you have me hooked for sure. I'll be looking for it on May 7th. Thanks again, Sarah.

My New Video Trailer

I have a very close friend at Trailmix video, and she stayed up late last night redoing the trailer for Sarah's Journey. I absolutely love the music, and of course, the new cover fits the story perfectly. I'll be at the Eternal Press April Launch this morning, so if you get a chance, stop by and chat. Sarah's not coming until next month, but I'll be talking about Paging Dr. Jones.

Eternal Press Readers Group

Enjoy Sarah's Teaser:

PROUDLY PRESENTING THE NEW SARAH....

My awesome friend and cover artist, Julie D'arcy has once again risen to the occasion. I truly owe her for all she's been through with me, and I'm so proud of the new cover for Sarah's Journey. Hopefully this will put to rest all the controversy over me using the other IStock.com image for any book that bears my name. I can only hope this one meets with everyone's approval. I know for certain I'll not buy another promotional item until the book is published and available for sale. *lol*

Hopefully all this hoopla has created such an interest that Sarah's Journey will be a big hit. *big smile*

Sharing My Newest Video

Sarah's Journey, coming soon from Eternal Press. I'll be entering this in the new covey trailer award next month, so if you find it to you liking, please cast a vote. Thanks.

Sharing My New Cover

The excitement never dulls. This book has been a real labor of love for reasons I can't explain. I connected with Sarah on so many levels, probably because she possesses all the traits I wish I did. She's brave, beautiful and determined not to let go of her beliefs--to stand up and argue when things aren't fair. Even when her heart aches, she's rational enough to make the most difficult decision of her life.
Sarah's Journey - Coming from Eternal Press in 2008. Stay tuned for more information. Here's an UNEDITED excerpt:

Sarah started toward her smoldering Conestoga, now barely recognizable. She’d used her last penny to buy it to make this trip, hiring a driver and packing everything she owned into the beautifully-crafted prairie schooner. This wasn’t how things were supposed to turn out. Headed for California, she wanted to leave all her bad memories in Missouri and forge new and happier ones. Maybe any minute she would wake up and discover this was all just a horrible nightmare. Her throbbing head told her it wasn’t likely.

The smaller wagon behind Sarah’s stood unscathed except for the arrows jutting from the canvas covering. In contrast to violence, delicate feathers decorating the shafts swayed in the breeze.

Her eyes smarted from drifting smoke. She called out again, but still received no response. Sarah summoned strength, gathered her wits and forced her reluctant legs to move. Unsteady at first, her determination gave her strength. She fought the urge to retch when she passed by the body of the wagon master, Mr. Simms. The top of his head had been slashed off, leaving a bloody pulp. She jerked her gaze away only to view three more male bodies, one clutching a lance stuck deep in his chest. All had been desecrated in the same savage manner.

She swallowed hard and forced herself to continue her search. Circling the camp, she found more bodies as she went from wagon-to-wagon. Next to what remained of her own, she found her driver, Fred Tanner. His eyes stared lifelessly at the sky; an arrow protruded from a dried circle of blood in the middle of his shirt. He, too, had been scalped. Sarah bent, and focusing only on his placid face, closed his eyelids. Guilt gnawed at her, and she straightened and whispered a silent prayer on his behalf. In their business arrangement, he had ended up paying far more dearly than she had.

Hope pushed her onward in a quest to find someone alive. The dead children sickened her more than the deceased adults. Barely starting their lives, they came to a bitter end far too soon. She discovered most of them huddled with their mothers in the backs of the unburned wagons, fear still etched on their tiny faces.

The smell of charred flesh hung heavy in the air and made it difficult to breathe. Sarah crinkled her nose in disgust, her shoulders sagged. Each person deserved a proper burial, but she couldn’t do it all by herself. Her head pounded in rhythm with the panic in her heart as she realized the seriousness of her predicament. The Indians had taken all the animals, and from what she could tell, most of the food. She had no idea where she was or how she would survive.

Sarah collapsed to the ground and buried her face in her hands. Sobs wracked her body as she mourned each person’s passing. She’d barely gotten to know them. Only fifteen days ago in Independence, Missouri, these twelve wagons had gathered, full of excited and happy faces, ready to journey to a new life.

She cried until her tears ran dry, then finding composure, convinced herself weeping wouldn’t help. At twenty-two-years old, she was determined to see twenty-three. But how? She could walk for help, but in which direction, and how far? Even if she filled her canteen with fresh water from the stream, how long would it last before she reached another source? What if the Indians came back? It appeared they had taken all the weapons leaving her defenseless. She couldn’t just sit and wait. Besides, in the warm spring weather it wouldn’t be long before the bodies started to decay. Leaving appeared to be her only option.

She pulled a ladle from a nearby water barrel and took a long draw. The coolness quenched her thirst and eased her parched throat, but another scan of the deserted campground stirred her fear. It was time to begin her trek and she wasn’t ready. In fact she felt scared to death. She dropped the dipper back in place and struggled against consuming hopelessness by remembering her faith. God had seen her through other troubled times, surely he wouldn’t abandon her now. He saved her for reason, but what?

Happy, Happy

I"m still reeling that it's been eight years since we all sat and chewed our nails over what would happen in 2000. I think that was the last time I stayed up to welcome in a new year. All I know is that watching the ball drop last night in NYC via Dick Clark's Rocking New Years Eve party, was not all that uplifting. I couldn't believe how he'd aged, and his speech was seriously altered because of his stroke. I think there comes a time when people need to hang up their 'famous' hat and retire. I've admired him for years and followed his career, but seriously... I went to bed more depressed than inspired.

Although 2007 was no productive as far as my writing career, I did see progress in Spencer, and that's far more important. I'm looking forward to two new releases this year, and hopefully the signing of a new contract for Sarah's Journey, but that remains to be seen.

I've got some interesting ideas planned for my blogging year, so I hope you'll stay tuned and join in the fun. Don't forget to scroll down and enter you choice of the most 'repulsive' word.

Hope you have a wonderful day. Be back tomorrow. :)