Sandra Lake, author of THE WARLORD'S WIFE and the newly released, THE IRON
PRINCESS, joins us to talks hijacks, truck driving, Scandinavian
smelting
practices, and what's in store for The
Sons
of the North Romance series! If that's not enough to intrigue you,
she's also gracious, funny, and immensely talented.
Jen: Hi, Sandra! Welcome to Fresh Fiction! We’re thrilled to have you
join us. Your acknowledgment page on your website is touching and heartfelt,
and it resonates with everyone who’s been labeled and labeled themselves as
someone less; less intelligent, less pretty, less athletic….
You dedicate all your work to the kindness of strangers who helped you find
your confidence and believed in your writing. What would you say to your
younger self if you had the chance?
Sandra:Love this question. More than anything, I would tell her that
she was enough, just as she is, or was, and I am. She worked so hard, but
never thought she’d done enough…she was exhausted that girl, so I’d put her
feet up and remind her not too take herself so serious. And, I’d tell her to
ditch the toxic friends that tread upon her insecurities.
I don’t actually have many regrets in my life. The mistakes I’ve made (of
which there are many) have all led me here and I like this version of me.
Forty is around the corner and I couldn’t be more excited. Oh, and I’d tell
that younger me in 1996, to not cut her hair like Jennifer Aniston, because
younger me (and older me) did not have her bone structure to pull that look
off.
Jen: I read in an interview that you were a long haul truck
driver
(radio handle Mother Trucker)! That’s a unique experience to bring to the
table. How did you go from driving a semi to writing The
Sons
of the North Romance series, which is set in 12th century
Scandinavia?
Sandra:It all started with hijacking my son’s school project on
ancestors, where I found out that my husband is half Swedish. How this fact
slipped my notice only speaks poorly of my observation skills. My kids and
my
husband look very Swedish, blonde and my husband’s pretty tall and my sons
are already taller than me and they’re all handsome, and I really should
stop
now, I’m coming off sounding very spoiled. I started out helping my son
research a few random facts on Sweden for school and the next thing I knew,
I’d lost five days at the local library. I’ve always been a history nut.
First draft of THE WARLORD'S WIFE literally poured out of me in 3
weeks.
(Side bar: Heather Graham, Josie Litton and Johanna Lindsey’s Viking series
are to blame for my Viking romance reading obsession.)
Mother Trucker, my alter ego, was born out of necessity. If you can’t beat
him, then join him. It was actually a lot more romantic than I just made it
sound. My husband started a trucking company before we married, we were just
kids, him 22, me 20. We lived on the road for eight months out of every
year,
at least. Was a crazy fifteen years, worked around the clock, and when we
weren’t working we traveled around the world. The other half of my husband
must be Gypsy and Nomad. Never a dull moment.
Our company grew, our kids grew and needed to go to this weird place called
school, so I came off the road. Therefore, too much time on my hand and why
I
hijack school projects.
I still hold a valid trucking license for North America, and take the random
trip with my husband when the kids are out of school and can come with us.
Jen: Personally, I can’t get enough of 12th century Scandinavia.
Ever since reading Sigurd and Brynhild’s romance in The Völsunga Saga years
ago, I will read and watch everything I can about Norse myth and all things
Vikings. It’s a fascinating culture and time period. What are some of your
favorite facts you’ve learned about the culture while researching The
Sons
of the North?
Sandra:My family background is in construction. Everyone in my family
has at least one bench or coffee table that I welded for them as a gift. I
love working with my hands and find ‘old school-old world’ craftsmanship
fascinating.
The Scandinavian culture from the Viking period developed and engineered
methods of forging iron and steel that are still used to this day. The
beauty
and artistry they put into simple, everyday tools or objects blows my mind.
I
did a ridiculous amount of research on the history of the Swedish steel
industry and modeled my fictional village of Tronscar after an actual
village
(Lapphyttan, Sweden 1150- where the first large scale blasting furnaces (the
massive ‘bowl’ to liquefy ore to make iron) in the west were built…Don’t get
me started on smelting a stronger grade of steel, it’s not at all sexy and I
could go on about it all night.
Jen: Is there going to be more in The
Sons
of the North Romance series for your readers soon or are you trying
something new? What can we look forward to from you in the future?
Sandra: THE ENEMY'S DAUGHTER, book 3, is finished. At the moment,
Lady
Sovia and Hök, Magnus and Lida’s second son, have taken up permanent
residence in my brain.
Opening paragraph:
Sovia rejected the opinion held at court that she was a whore.
After all, it is an arguable term. Men forever complained that she had too
many lovers. Yet, at the moment, preoccupied kissing a particularly
handsome,
young Norrlander, she didn’t have time to concern herself with inelegant
judgments. Naturally, she disapproved of jealous suitors and couldn’t be
bothered to form a strong opinion on their strong opinions. Whore being
simply a term, a distinction used as a tool, crafted by men to suite their
ends. The title whore had no meaning for her whatsoever.
Sovia is the granddaughter of the former King of Norway, who is sexually
exploited by her father, being forced to snare men in honeytraps. Opening
scene is Sovia breaking the heart of Hök, and extorting money and weapons
from Jarl Magnus. Five years later, Hök saves her from the executioner’s
platform. He marries her to stave off war with Norway and to inherited her
land…Oh the sparks fly with these two. In his mind, she’s an unrepentant
‘whore’ who loudly argues that it is hypocritical that men can bed whomever
they wish and be seen as a Greek God, while a woman is ruined and labeled a
whore. Buried beneath her tough as nails exterior, Sovia truly does have a
heart of gold and has done all her dastardly deeds for the selfless
protection of her people and her secret son. Just as Hök begins to see her
for who she truly is, an old betrothal contract is presented to the
Norwegian
court and Hök will have to decide between keeping Sovia or forfeiting her
inherited land to Tronscar’s sworn enemy.
Sovia is probably the most tragic and yet unbreakable character I’ve ever
written and I love her, so I hope the first two books sell enough that
Berkley Romance will publish THE ENEMY'S DAUGHTER and the next two I
have planned out after.
Jen: One last question, what is on your summer reading list?
Sandra:TRYST by Alex Rosa was a super fun, new adult I just
finished. I recommend it as a great summer read.
ONLY A
PROMISE by Mary Balogh, I’m saving for the week at the lake.(major fan
of
everything she writes.)
THE
SPRING BRIDE by Anne Gracie, I have just started. Can’t get enough
Gracie’s wit.
THE DUKE
CAN GO TO THE DEVIL by Erin Knightly is conveniently coming out the
weekend my kids go to visit their grandparents…sweet!
SUDDENLY
ONE SUMMER, by Julie James sounds awesome. I’ve never read anything of
hers before and I’m really looking forward to it. I just downloaded last
night.
And, at the same time, I am always reread one of the
Outlander novels(DRAGONFLY IN AMBER currently, I just kept the
story going after the TV series ended. I’ve already read it 3 times but I
couldn’t leave Claire and Jamie hanging). They’re like a drug, I need a few
hundred pages of my Outlander fix and then I can work or read something new.
It’s an addiction to Diana Gabaldon’s books that I refuse to bring up with
my
therapist. I don’t want a cure.
Jen: Sandra, thank you so much for your joining us. I'm with you in
hoping Berkley Romance wants to publish your next book, because I can't wait
to read THE ENEMY'S DAUGHTER.
Sandra Lake was born somewhere in the wilds of Sweden. Surrounded by
shirtless, blond men, she learned to sail, swing a sword and skin a bear
when
she was only three--wait no, that was Davy Crockett...
The real Sandra was raised in rural Canada. (close enough to Sweden) She
married her childhood sweetheart (who is blond and on occasion shirtless).
They are currently living happily-ever-after along with their kids and
unruly
husky in Quebec, Canada.
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A Sons of the North Romance novel from Sandra Lake, author of The
Warlord’s Wife, who takes readers to 12th-century Scandinavia where two
hearts clash in furious passion…
The daughter of a Northern warlord, Katia is known as the Iron Princess
for her mettle in battle. Headstrong and defiant, she instigates sword duels
on a whim with little regard for her own safety. Katia would rather die on
her feet as a warrior than live as a token wife and child bearer for a
husband who keeps her castled as if she were a prisoner.
Lothair is the illegitimate son of the Duke of Saxony, who was granted the
title of baron, a castle and lands. Raised in an atmosphere of mistrust and
deceit, he rejects the concept of husbandry and wants a life of purpose and
sacrifice in the pursuit of security for the Baltic Sea.
And when fate brings the Iron Princess and reluctant baron together, Katia
and Lothair discover they are kindred spirits with fiery temperaments—and
insatiable desires—to match…
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