The Free State Of Jones is Ruby Sanders

Matthew McConaughey in The Free State of Jones

It was a slow day at work and I was toiling away on the ending (one that my readers won’t hate, hopefully) of the new ebook, ‘Jared Anderson,’ and to give myself some inspiration, I decided to look at some Matthew McConaughey photos.

And guess what I came across.  Yes, that’s right a picture of Matthew McConaughey dressed as a Confederate soldier for should I say, deserter, in the new film, The Free State of Jones.

Matthew’s character plays a Civil War deserter who marries a black slave girl.  I wonder where, Gary Ross, the films director and ‘writer’ got that idea.  Could it possibly have been a Best Selling ebook by the name of Ruby Sanders and it’s sequel, Jared Anderson.

Of course, neither that ebook or my name are anywhere on the credits for the films.  Just as they were never mention on the film, ‘Flight.’ aka, Flight 404 staring Denzel Washington.

My question is, what does a girl have to do to get credit for her work?  Frustrated unpaid writer.

Eliza D. Ankum
Author of
Flight 404
Ruby Sanders
STALKED! By Voices
OneThreeThirteen
Dancing With The Fat Woman

PS  I’m sure either OneThreeThirteen or Dancing With The Fat Woman are going into production somewhere in Hollywood under another writer’s name, perhaps John Gatins.

Jared Anderson – Chapter 28

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Chapter 28

MINGO KNELT IN PRAYER before setting out on the treacherous journey home.  He figured that the normal half hour walk home might take as long as two hours in snow this deep.  And then there was the wind and the cold to contend with.  The wind was blowing across the river and up over the embankment making it as cold and wet as the snow blanketing the ground.  He would have to use every skill he’d learned, living in these hills, to complete the journey without getting lost, freezing to death or at the very least ending up with a severe case of frostbite before he made it back to Ruby.

He took the bottom blanket off his straw mat and cut it into wide strips wrapping them over the thin moccasins he wore to reinforce them.  Next, he tore a piece of the blanket long enough to cover his head and ears.  And the last part of the blanket he wrapped around his bottom half.

He then took his last remaining possession in the world, a thin wearing blanket, that Powder Face, the Chief of the Southern Arapaho, had given him as a parting gift, and wrapped it close about his body.  The thin wearing blanket offered little if any protection against the snowy winds but it was all he had left.

Gone was his prized brown Stetson, which was the first thing he’d bought with the money he’d earned as a free man.  It was lost to the flames that night at Old Man Wilkes’s place.  And then there had been the loss of Cigar, his horse.  One of Powder Face’s warriors had told him that a tall white man with graying whiskers and hair had carried the horse south. He assumed the man with the graying whiskers was Danielson.  Or so he hoped.  He knew that Danielson would take excellent care of Cigar, treating him as his own.  But even Cigar would find snow this deep challenging.

Mingo used the bowl he’d kept by the mat to dig his way out of the teepee.  He’d been outside for no more than about ten minutes when he began to feel the cold sweeping into his bones.  He must move and move fast, he told himself.

Hobbling through the thick underbrush of the forested embankment, holding his crippled left arm closely to his body, he struggled forward against the wind and the freezing snow. The wearing blanket flapped in the wind behind him.

Strength of will and the love for a woman were the only things that kept him going.

This ends the free preview of the forthcoming ebook, Jared Anderson.  The ebook, Jared Anderson, will be available, exclusively, on Amazon.com/Books on Saturday, October 10, 2015

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By
Eliza D. Ankum
Author of
Flight 404
Ruby Sanders
STALKED! By Voices
OneThreeThirteen
Dancing With The Fat Woman

Jared Anderson – Chapter 27

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Chapter 27

BEHIND HER CLOSED EYES, Lorelei was wide awake.  She was afraid to open her eyes.  And rightly so.  She was afraid that if she opened her eyes, and Jared realized that she wasn’t hurt, he’d leave.

Ruby’s Jared – Chapter 24

The Cache LaPoudre River covered in snow

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Chapter 24

THE MAN IN THE TEEPEE sat up and tried to shake off the effects of the horrific nightmare.  His head was swimming and his throat was raw from screaming.

“Healing, is tiring to the body, Lolotea, the Old Arapaho woman who’d taken care of him, had once told him.  You must not fight sleep. You must sleep to heal.”  This nightmare that had invaded his sleep was anything but healing, he thought.

Next to his straw mat, he kept a small bowl of water for drinking.  Reaching out a burn scarred arm he tapped the dirt floor of the teepee in search of the bowl.  Still with closed eyes, he brought the bowl of water to his lips.  At first, he thought it was empty.  But when he opened his eyes, he realized that the water in the bowl had frozen.  How long had he slept, he wondered.  For only a little while ago, the sun was high in the sky.

He crawled over to the teepee’s opening and pulled back one of the flaps and peered out.  Everywhere and everything, as far as he could see, was covered in a deep layer of snow.

Exhausted, from his efforts to see her, he’d lain down to rest, thinking that he’d sleep for only an hour or so, but looking out at all the snow that had fallen, obviously, he’d slept longer than he’d anticipated.

Instead of high noon, darkness was settling over the forest.  The sky was an inky blue black filled with white flecks of snow that danced in undulating waves on the wind.

He thanked God that he had three days of stored dry wood inside the teepee and some dried buffalo meat.  The snow was getting deeper and the night, he knew, would be a cold one.

He was about to light a fire when the thought occurred to him, “Had Jared returned? Or was Ruby stranded alone in the cabin?”

He sat silently on the rough straw mat dealing with his internal struggle.  His heart tugged at him to go – to take care of  her as he’d promised he would.  But the other voice said, “Don’t!  She loves Jared now.  She is having his child.  Leave her alone.”   He sat like that for a time, not knowing whether to stay or to go.  Would she love him for coming to her aid or hate him for the grotesque monster he’d become?  Should he risk it?  It might mean his life.

Over the past three months, he’d regained most of his strength, full use of his legs, and partial use of his left arm.  But he still had a ways to go. Going meant putting his life at risk.  And that’s how he’d gotten injured in the first place – trying to save a woman.  And what could he do for her now in his condition?

The wound to the back of his head had left him crippled on his left side.  It had taken him weeks to stand and even longer to walk again.  And he still did not have full use of his left arm.  But the worse were the burns.  When they’d rolled him off the boy, they’d rolled him in the split brandy and fire sought him out as it consumed the expensive spirits.  His right hand, arm, and the right side of his face had all been burned.  He was less than a full useful man and to make matters worse, he wasn’t even pretty anymore.   The man bowed his head and wept momentarily at the thought of how Ruby would react to seeing him in his condition.

Last night was the first time he’d been strong enough to make the short trek there and back on his own.  He hadn’t meant to frighten her but he had to see her, had to be near her.

Seeing him now the way he was would only frighten her more.  He dropped his head back down to his chest and decided not to think anymore about Ruby. It was decided.  He would not go.

He started gathering a few sticks from his pile of dry wood to make a fire.  He drew a match from an old tin can where he kept them, struck it, and held it to the pile of dry twigs.  A gust of wind from the open teepee flap blew out the match.  “Damn it!” he yelled and pulled another match from the tin.  This time, he covered the match’s flame with his hand, but the wind came again and blew out the flame.  Lolotea would say that this was the work of Chebbeniathan, The Spider of Heaven, the Creator God of the Arapaho.  It was surly a sign, and he knew it.  It was decided.  He would go!

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By
Eliza D. Ankum
Author of

Flight 404
Ruby Sanders
STALKED! By Voices
OneThreeThirteen
Dancing With The Fat Woman

FREE SHANNON ANKUM

Jared Anderson – Chapter 20

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Chapter 20

JARED’S TEMPER WAS already boiling over by the time he reached his front door.  He entered his house, which was still somewhat in disarray from last night’s party, slammed his gear down on a chair in the front room and charged straight for his bedroom.  Unfortunately, Lorelei was having a late breakfast in the dining room that was just to the left of the front room.

Jared Anderson – Chapter 19

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Chapter 19

J – A – R – E – D! cried Winifred, startled by her son’s unexpected presence in her home.

“What are you doing here?”

“Aren’t I welcomed in your home, anymore, mother?”

Jared Anderson – Chapter 18

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Chapter 18

JARED WAS WORRIED. What the hell was he going to do about Lorelei?   He hadn’t meant to be such an ass, but Lorelei’s claim of being pregnant had scared the hell out of him.  Her being here, and pregnant, threatened to destroy everything he’d sacrificed so much to obtain. 

Jared Anderson – Chapter 17

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Chapter 17

RANDALL CRAWFORD hugged a gigantic ponderosa pine, as a protective covering, while he eavesdropped on Lorelei and Jared.

It seemed to him that things were not going well for the future Mrs. Jared Anderson owing to the fact that the groom had no intention what-so-ever of becoming her husband.  At one point the future Mrs. Anderson picked up a rock and hurled it at her groom causing the powerful stallion he rode to rear up and nearly stomp her into the ground if it had not been for the quick thinking of its rider.  His swift action had caused Randall some confusion since the young man seemed determined not to marry Miss Hansmueller.  One strike of the horse’s powerful hooves would have solved young Anderson’s problem.

But one man’s problem was another man’s solution, thought Randall as he made his way quickly back down the hill to a point where he could safely turn around and pretend that he had been searching for the young woman, who because of her unfamiliarity with the area, was most likely lost.

When he heard the swishing sound of her feet on the thick carpet of pine needles, Randall began calling out, “Miss Hansmueller!  Lorelei Hansmueller!”

“Here, cried Lorelei in response.

“Oh Miss Hansmueller.  You gave me such a fright.”

“How. sir?”

“When I saw you leave the party I thought you were just stepping outside for a bit of fresh air but then you were gone for so long, I thought perhaps you’d gone into the forest and gotten yourself lost.”

“I’m not unfamiliar with how to find my way, sir.” Answered Lorelei her cheeks flushed a bright red from her argument with Jared.

Forgive my presumptions, Miss Hansmuller but I thought you a beautiful damsel in distress and I very much hoped that I might rescue you,” teased Randall bowing ceremoniously.

“Well, sir, Thank you for your grand gesture, but I’m afraid I’m not in need of rescuing, at the moment, stated Lorelei, brushing past Crawford.

“Perhaps not,” said Crawford running behind her and grasping her arm firmly.  “But please, Miss Hansmueller, permit me to escort you back to the party.”

“If you insist.”

“I do, mademoiselle.  I do.” He said smiling maliciously.

Lorelei blushed even redder at the well chosen barb.

By
Eliza D. Ankum
Author of
Flight 404
Ruby Sanders
STALKED! By Voices
OneThreeThirteen
Dancing With The Fat Woman

Jared Anderson – Chapter 16

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Chapter 16

THERE WAS A CRACK.  A twig broke and Ruby jerked awake.  Someone was out there.  She knew it.  She could feel it in her bones.  Every fiber of her being was alert with fear.

“Where was the gun?  Panic rose in her throat almost cutting off her oxygen.  The cabin was pitch black in hopes no one wandering by might find it.

“What had Jared done with it before he left?” she thought as her shaky hands searched the bedside table.   “On the floor beside the bed,” her mind whispered.   She eased herself from the bed making as little noise as possible and grabbed the colt revolver.   Jared had left her with what he called the ‘man-stopper’.  But she was shaking so violently that she could barely hold the gun let alone aim it.  “Oh god, please, please let them go on their way and leave me alone,” she prayed.

As silently as she could she crept along the bare wood floor to the cabin door and pressed her ear against the rugged wood.  Holding her breath she listened.  There was no sound.  None at all.  Even the cricket had stopped singing.  She was so scared she could hardly breathe.  She backed away from the door and braced herself.  “What if?” she thought.  Damn! Why had Jared left her alone?

Fear washed over again until she was dripping with sweat, and her mouth felt as dry as sawdust.

Minutes ticked by like hours as she waited for the intruder.  Waited for him to push against the door.  Waited for the door to give way.  Waited for her eventual torture and hopefully a merciful death.  And so she waited, in a pool of her own sweat.

And then the sounds of night came again and the terrible fear that gripped her chest eased away.    She decided against going back to bed.  This night she’d spend, wide awake, sitting in one of the chairs that Mingo had built with the ‘man killer’ across her lap.

ttps://rubysjared.wordpress.com

By
Eliza D. Ankum
Author of
Flight 404
Ruby Sanders
STALKED! By Voices
OneThreeThirteen – Master of the Day Of Judgment
Dancing With The Fat Woman
A Tiny Kitten With A Big Mouth

Jared Anderson – Chapter 15

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Chapter 15

WARY OF BEING CAUGHT and sent to Camp Douglas in Illinois or become a Galvanized Yankee – a captured Confederate soldier forced to join the Yankees to fight Indians – Jared slipped out of his home and into the dark black of night.

He scooted back up the hill and with head down and deep in thought pondering how he might render the current situation harmless, he failed to notice the young woman matching him step for step through the pines trees.  He untied Cloud Dancer and was about to hoist himself into the saddle when from behind him he heard, “Is this the way you were brought up to treat your guests?”

Without even turning around, he answered, “You’re not a guest, Lorelei.” And in one smooth motion, swung himself into Cloud Dancer’s saddle.

“You’re damn right, I’m not.  Not from this night on.  That party in there, she said motioning her head in the direction of his house, is in celebration of our upcoming wedding.”

“I’m not about to marry you, or anyone else, Lorelei.”

“I’m pregnant, Jared.”

There was a long silence as Cloud Dancer pranced from side to side aware of his rider’s agitation.

“And whose child are you having.”

“Why you conceited bastard!”

“If I’m so conceited why do you want to marry me so badly that you’re willing to make up this lie?”

“It’s not a lie.  And it’s the only reason why I’d marry you,” Lorelei snarled between gritted teeth.

“I have no doubt that you’re pregnant, Lorelei.  But I’m equally sure it’s not mine.   And judging from the amount of people in my house, I’m also sure you were quite popular with the married officers at Fort Kearney.”

“If you weren’t on that horse right now, I’d slap your face Jared Anderson.”

“You might try it.”

Along with a passionate desire, for him, Jared also kindled an anger within Lorelei the depths of which she’d never felt before.

“You hear this Jared Anderson, yelled Lorelei, advancing on the horse and its rider, I’m not Penelope.  She let you stray off and do whatever God forsaken thing you had a mind to do because she was too ashamed of what she’d done.   But I’m not ashamed, because this is your child I’m carrying and I expect you to do the decent thing.

ttps://rubysjared.wordpress.com

By
Eliza D. Ankum
Author of
Flight 404
Ruby Sanders
STALKED! By Voices
OneThreeThirteen – Master of the Day Of Judgment
Dancing With The Fat Woman
A Tiny Kitten With A Big Mouth