Author Override is the place where authors take the reins and take you on a journey into their world. Some may allow you into their private writing dens. Others may take you along with them on research trips or interviews. Whatever the case may be, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride because here you’ll get an in-depth look into an author’s musings.
~ Cari Silverwood ~
Researching my 1910 Historical and Loving It
I’ve never been one for writing the same sort of story as everyone else. First and foremost, a historical romance had to be set somewhere that excited me. 1910 hit the spot so well. A friend had suggested setting a book in the Belle Epoque period and that led me to Egypt and Egypt led me down many alleyways of time and history, both pretty ones and dark and sexy ones!
So much was changing in the world at that time.
Paris was a hotbed of sexual revolution. The Golden Age of Spanking originated in France. Yes there was such a thing. Spanking books were all the rage.
In women’s fashions, we went from drab, body concealing Victorian dresses to light, free-flowing dresses that revealed the shape of the body. Paul Poiret was a great fashion designer. The Thousand and Second Night was a grand soiree he held to show off his creations. Not only did the women wear his dresses but, oh my goodness, they didn’t wear corsets underneath.
The bra was invented around this same time as the corset lost favor. Yes, the corset we wear nowadays is often seen as sexually alluring but back then it was, to a degree, a torture device. Although my BDSM romances feature some types of sadomasochism, the corset doesn’t quite qualify.
A little quote from my book, Rough Surrender, showing Faith’s Poiret dress. They have arrived at Baron Empain’s palace:
Though the style of her gown was foreign to him, she wore it beautifully. A many layered sheath-like dress with a high waist wrapped in red, each layer of it was a different bright color — burgundy, red gauze, red and gold velvet, with black at the very bottom near her ankles. The one thing missing was a necklace and he mused on the effect of a heavy gold collar locked around her white skin.
Most of the guests seemed to have arrived already and he and Faith were alone in their walk up the several flights of wide stone steps and past the four stone-carved Hindu lions that guarded this grand entryway.
“This is so unusual and impressive,” Faith said huskily.
He bent his head toward her. “It is. The Baron based it on the Angkor Wat temple in the Protectorate of Cambodia. There are all manner of erotic statues out in the gardens.” One more flight of steps and they’d reach the front doors.
Places in my story, like the baron’s palace and the Heliopolis Palace Hotel, existed then and still exist today. Cairo was thriving with construction around 1910, and the entire suburb of Heliopolis was being built in the desert.
Here’s a link to a map with the streets laid out. And if you’re curious enough you can find the odd-shaped Heliopolis Palace Hotel below the polo fields on the top left. The Baron’s palace is marked as the Hindou Palace but you have to read upside down to see that one.
People sometimes think sex was not kinky back then and yet look at some of the art and you’ll see the opposite. Franz von Bayros is my favorite sexy artist. Some of his art would be too risqué to feature in a book.
But for those of you fascinated by women in history, you may love that I based my heroine, Faith Evard, on Baroness Raymonde de Laroche, the first woman to gain a pilot’s license. The baroness attended that first great meeting of aviators that happened in Heliopolis in February, 1910.
http://earlyaviators.com/edelaro1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymonde_de_Laroche
That first African aviators’ meeting, The Grand Semaine de L’Aviation, also features in Rough Surrender. In fact so much was happening in or around 1910 that it’s a wonder the world didn’t burst at its seams.
I hope I’ve intrigued you at least a little with my tastes of history.
But if you read romance perhaps you’d rather read the beginning of a sex scene?
From Rough Surrender
This is Faith and Leonhardt on the rooftop of his house.
“Tonight, however, how does making love out under the stars sound to you, sweetheart?”
Oops. Yet another shock. “Here? On the rooftop?” Just saying that made it come to life in her head. She swept her gaze around in a half circle. There were half a dozen buildings taller than this one. “People would see. No.”
“If I put out the sconce torches, there is only a little moonlight. No one could see.”
“Um.” Her heart rate picked up. Making love under the stars.
The graze of his fingers at her nape, the way he played with her hair, made her shiver all the way to her toes–except now he withdrew a hair pin, and she knew where that led.
“Stop, Leonhardt, uh, Mr. Meisner, please.” He didn’t stop, though. Instead he placed more pins on the burgundy tablecloth, one by one. Oh, the man was insufferable. She didn’t want this, did she? Out under the stars?
Again he moved her hair this way and that, softly, laying it across her shoulders.
Her stupid, treacherous tongue came out and ran across her lip–so now it was wet, just like she was down below. Her heart thumped a rapid tattoo inside her. She rubbed her cheek against his hand and turned so her face was half-smothered in his coat, in his scent, then sighed again. “Yes. I guess, maybe. Oh my God. I can’t believe I said that.”
“I’m going to get up and put out the lights and when I return, I want you to take off your clothes. Clear?” He put a finger under her chin and made her look at him.
On this flame-lit rooftop, his eyes showed dark. “Yes.”
“Good.” Then he did as he said and walked in that long slow way of his from one torch to the other, quenching them so the light dulled by degrees. Lesser shadows and darkness soon ruled upon the rooftop. Oily perfumed smoke wafted across to her, eddying and thinning, before a breeze ushered it away.
Her mouth dried. She squeezed her eyes closed a moment before rising to her feet as he came for her.
The buildings, distant though they were, seemed to loom closer as, with trembling hands, she undressed for him. First went the soft shoes. She toed those off. They clopped onto the floor and she shuffled them aside with her foot. Leonhardt watched her every movement. Her nipples poked into the soft silk of her top. Whispers of lust flurried about her body. When the last piece of clothing slid smoothly from her body, she drew herself up straight and waited, arms at her sides, fingers folding up tight then easing down.
Her senses heightened and she knew the caress of the wind on her skin, the slow sweep of Leonhardt’s gaze–reminding her, that first in all things, she was a woman.
One master, one woman who craves surrender, and a sky that will challenge them both.
At a time when airplanes are as new-fangled and sensational as the telephone, Faith dares to fly.
The one territory she has not explored is her own sexuality. In Leonhardt she discovers the man who can teach her how a woman surrenders her body and her mind. However, Leonhardt has a shadowed past and his own learning to do. He doesn’t have the right to keep Faith from flying, even if he thinks airplanes are flimsy death-traps made of canvas, timber and their inventor’s prayers.
Faith has her limits, Leonhardt has his flaws, and sometimes the nicest people get murdered by unscrupulous bastards. Even if Leonhardt can save the woman he loves, the battle for Faith’s heart will be the hardest one of all.
WARNING: BDSM, anal sex, orgasms galore, and a Dom who likes to claim his property with pen, ink and bondage.
Some Links
The website I created for the book is here http://roughsurrender.weebly.com/
About the Author
Cari Silverwood writes the way the world should be – dangerous and sexy with bullets piercing the darkness and lovers wrenched close by ropes. When you need escape, when you need that rough lover to bring you to your knees, here you will find stories to singe your fingers. The taste of adventure, the tang of BDSM, the burn of fantasy run wild. Brace yourselves, if you dare to read.
And…in this real world, she has a lovely family in Australia, with the prerequisite teenager who dwells in the dark bedroom catacombs…a husband who raises eyebrows when he catches glimpses of what she writes, and a furry menagerie of other animals barking, meowing, and swimming about the place.
One commenter will get an ebook copy of ROUGH SURRENDER.
36 comments
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Elizabeth P
February 18, 2013 at 10:58 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
regency
bnbhb@Hotmail.com
Emily Bowes
February 18, 2013 at 12:17 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I like regency but I enjoy reading all different time periods. Thanks for the giveaway.
LorettaLynn
February 18, 2013 at 12:29 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love love the late 1800′s and early 1900′s
Midevil is one of my favs too:) i love the whole HighLand warrior thing:)
Great post, thank you for sharing:)
erinf1
February 18, 2013 at 2:09 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks for the fun post and congrats to Cari on the new release!
Lisa w
February 18, 2013 at 2:22 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
American historicals, I love the civil war era. England, Ireland, Etc I prefer a much earlier setting
modularmates(at)comcast(dot)net
laura
February 18, 2013 at 2:29 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I havent found a time period I like more than the others. I pretty much like all the time periods if its a good book. I cant wait to read this book.
lauratroxelatyaoodotcom
Meghan Stith
February 18, 2013 at 2:53 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Definitely “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon! So good!
mestith at gmail dot com
June M.
February 18, 2013 at 4:06 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I guess my favorite time would be the Regency period, probably because I have read more books from that time period.
manning_J2004 at yahoo dot com
Sandy Lion
February 18, 2013 at 4:41 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Regency. Thanks again, sdylion(at)gmail(dot)com
Kelsey Summer
February 18, 2013 at 4:54 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I like Victorian times best, but I love all historical romance.
kesummer69(at)gmail(dot)com
Kimberly B
February 18, 2013 at 5:02 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I like the regency period the best.
Raeline Peterson
February 18, 2013 at 5:17 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love historical s set in Scotland, and my all time favorite i love cowboys past present it dont matter .
Kelly Powell
February 18, 2013 at 6:59 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
American historical. Thank you for the giveaway. Good luck to everyone
Cat V
February 18, 2013 at 7:03 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I’m not entering the contest because I have read this book. I LOVED it! I fell in love with Faith and Leonhardt. And of course, Cari Silverwood is a fantastic author
Kathleen O
February 18, 2013 at 7:54 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love Scottish and Irish historical novels…
Krissy H
February 18, 2013 at 7:59 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I have to say the Scottish historicals are my favorite. Thanks for the giveaway.
kandj7299 at verizon dot net
Lori Meehan
February 18, 2013 at 8:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love Scottish historical’s . I love a man in a kilt.
Linda
February 18, 2013 at 9:05 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Regency tho I will read any time period as long as it’s well written
lisagk
February 18, 2013 at 11:41 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
probably the Regency time period. Thanks for the post. lisagk(at)yahoo
Megblod
February 19, 2013 at 12:24 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love the time of the highlanders.
antane
February 19, 2013 at 1:06 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
regency is what I know best, but i really will read almost any well written historical romance
Mary Preston
February 19, 2013 at 4:02 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I do like Tudor England.
Linda
February 19, 2013 at 5:24 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love regency, or Highlanders, oh or cowboys and the Wild West =)
I read almost anything, as long as there´s smut, fluff and a HEA.
Thanks for the giveaway & Happy Tuesday!
//Linda
fr_larsson at hotmail dot com
Ashley
February 19, 2013 at 6:52 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love the late 1800s. Thanks!
Becki Wyer
February 19, 2013 at 11:49 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love ancient (around 1100 to 1200) in Scotland or Ireland.
rmwyer at shaw dot ca
Amber H.
February 19, 2013 at 3:06 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Probably Regency
Rana Adams
February 19, 2013 at 3:50 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thank you so much for shaing Cari and it is nice to meet you. I have read a lot of Regency, so I guess I am pretty much drawn to that era. However, I love reading anything romanctic. Happy writing to you.
Jasmyn
February 19, 2013 at 4:26 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
My favorites are regency and civil war.
Carol L
February 19, 2013 at 5:03 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Medieval Scotland with all those gorgeous Highlanders but I also love the regency era and the 40′s.
Great excerpt. I’d like to read this. Carrie is a new Author for me but not anymore.
Carol L.
Carolyn Walker Rhodes
February 19, 2013 at 8:13 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Congrats Cari! I don’t have a particular favorite time period, used to read alot of historical but have lately switched to contemporary. I will probably go back and forth since I like both era’s.
Cari Silverwood
February 20, 2013 at 4:53 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thank you for all stopping by. I hope my little post about my research made some of you wonder about stories in that pre-war time. I’m sure glad planes aren’t made from canvas and timber anymore though!
Cari Silverwood
February 20, 2013 at 4:58 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Oh and I’m planning to write the sequel ro Rough Surrender in a month and a half. I don’t have a title yet but I’m still wanting to feature a car rally across some rugged countryside.
Christy Perry
February 20, 2013 at 11:45 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I love all historical periods, Scottish Highlanders or Westerns settings are wonderful. Thank you for sharing and giving us the chance to win
Timitra
February 21, 2013 at 12:42 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I don’t have a fav historical time period since I enjoy reading them all!
bn100
February 22, 2013 at 2:55 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
don’t have a fav
Vanessa
February 22, 2013 at 4:29 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
At the moment Georgian….