In Sam Time, the protagonist Samantha meets Ulysses S Grant, and he teaches her how to ride horseback. Grant loved horses and was an expert equestrian. I wanted Samantha to develop an affection for horses too.
How could I write about horses when I knew so little about them? I watched hours of YouTube videos and went on horseback rides. Also, I read A Man Walks into a Barn by Chad Oldfather. It’s a nonfiction book about a father who takes his two daughters to riding lessons. The girls obsess over horses, and I became fonder of them.
A favorite family dog was my muse. I transferred my affection I had for this pet to my fictional horse characters.
To personify the horse characters, I gave them cute, likable names.
Samantha’s first horse is Beckley, a male. She becomes attached to the horse because she learns to ride horseback without incident.
Later, Samantha is introduced to a female horse called Elise. Somewhere in my head, I remembered this name from the famous Elise the Cow created by the Borden Dairy Company. The two-syllable name would help for quick and easy reading.
Grant’s horse’s name is Yukon, another easy-to-read, two-symbol name. Yukon River flows through Alaska and Canada. Sturdy and rugged comes to mind for a horse worthy of Grant to ride.
Pet owners often freely express affection and emotion to their animals, sometimes more readily then to humans. Likewise, Samantha conveys her feelings to Grant by speaking to her horse loud enough for Grant to hear.
“I apologize, Elise. I want to be good friends. We did have a nice day together. Good day.”
On another occasion, Samantha says goodbye to Grant, knowing she won’t see him for a while. The passage reads:
“I will miss Elise.” She meant, I will miss you.
She punctuated her sentiment. “She is a fine companion.”
Did he understand her implication? His penetrating stare said yes.
Grant gives Samantha another horse to ride. He calls this horse Thunder. Samantha is intimidated by this large horse, the name of which implies a fast and perhaps an unpredictable animal.
In later chapters, Samantha meets Cincinnati. This is an actual horse Grant rode during the Civil War, Grant’s favorite. Only he would ride the horse with two exceptions—President Lincoln being one of them.
The horses play a silent role as vessels for the novel’s characters. Readers may be charmed too.
Sam Time
by Donna Balon
GENRE: Historical Fiction, Time Travel
When her fiancé is away on business, lonely Samantha Hunter despairs and absorbs herself in historical research. Her nighttime dreams being so vivid, Samantha believes she’s traveling to a past century. As she navigates the Victorian era rules of dos and even more don’ts, she charms Ulysses S. Grant while struggling to maintain her present-day romance.
Excerpt
Samantha approached a horse stable and heard a man say,
“Lieutenant Grant.” Another said, “Ulysses.” She snapped her head around.
Oh my God, Samantha thought. Grant was promoted to captain in the middle of the decade, so if he’s a lieutenant, it’s 1850-ish. And this must be northern California.
The two men approached Grant, and Samantha watched. She no longer cared about keeping her unbonneted head down. This was her dream, and she wanted at least a glimpse of Grant. He was wearing an army uniform: an above-the-knee-length navy coat, with a stand-up collar closed by a single row of brass buttons down the center front; baggy pants; square-toed boots with a one-inch heel; and a black felt slouch hat with a wide brim.
The three men spoke for a few minutes and then the other two left, leaving Grant and the horse he was tending.
Samantha hesitated and recalled what she had learned of American history. Although the United States had separated from its mother country, the former colony still followed many of Britain’s customs. Named after Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901, this period is called the Victorian era—with social rules: many dos and even more don’ts.
But Samantha wanted to have fun. So she approached Grant while thinking about all the customs she should abide by.
At age thirty and unmarried, Samantha was an old maid. Without a hat or a bonnet she could be mistaken for a prostitute, and there were plenty of those women around any town adjacent to an army fort.
About the Author
Donna Balon believes the best vacations transport her back in time. So can a good book. During a trip to Colorado’s old mining towns, Donna conceived the Sam Time story. Her recent life has been consumed with reading and researching Ulysses S Grant and Victorian customs. She sought out top talent from the publishing industry to collaborate in the book’s production. Donna resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband.
Thank you so much for hosting today.
Thank you Evelyn for posting my guest interview. I love that you added hyperlinks to the article.
Thank you for writing it.
Sounds like an interesting historical fiction with a touch of time travel. Samantha Hunter’s dreams taking her to the Victorian era and her struggle to balance her present-day romance makes for an intriguing read.
I like the cover, synopsis and excerpt, Sam Time sounds like a story that I will truly enjoy reading. Thank you for sharing your guest post, bio and the book details and for offering a giveaway, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work
This looks like a great read.
I’m delighted to read such encouraging comments. Thank you Evelyn for also posting an excerpt on FB and X.
You’re very welcome. It helps us all when we promote other writers.
This looks like a great read. Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
You’re Welcome