The idea for
a haunted roadside inn in my Fury Falls Inn series developed over several
months of pondering. If you’re a fan of my books, one fact I hope you’ve
discovered is that for my historicals—actually, for all of my writing—I strive
to make sure the story’s details are authentic and at least plausible if not
exactly found in the history books. With that in mind, I had to know whether an
inn could have existed where I wanted in northeast Alabama in 1821, the time
period of the series.
The first
consideration I’ve already discussed: whether enough
people were traveling into the area who would need accommodations or lodgings
for a brief period of time. I had to know where the roads were in Madison County
before I could choose the right location. Then I was curious about what types
of hostelries existed in the Huntsville area. Which leads me to today’s topic:
the Bell Tavern.
While I haven’t
been able to find out much about the original tavern as far as its appearance,
I do know it was owned by Walter Otey who arrived in Huntsville in the early
1800s. His wife, Mary Walton Otey, must have helped in the Bell Tavern when she
wasn’t busy raising their nine children. Most likely even the children helped
out with the daily chores associated with keeping the place clean, preparing and
serving meals, keeping fires burning for warmth, etc.
Mention is
made regarding the many people who traveled to Huntsville who would stay at the
Bell Tavern. Since it was located on the northwest corner of the courthouse square,
I imagine during the formative years of the state that delegates and lawyers
among others must have enjoyed the hospitality offered at the tavern. Although
the deliberations were held in the Constitution Hall, those who
had traveled into town might have stayed at the Tavern.
Walter Otey
died in 1823, which left the tavern to his wife to manage. I imagine, though
the record I’ve uncovered doesn’t provide details, she would likely have been
glad to find a buyer for the business. There is reference to the property having “endured many
changes in ownership” before Alexander Johnson took possession of it in 1855. Mr.
Johnson suffered from some very bad luck because a “major fire” reduced the
Tavern to having only “a few rooms for guests” for some period of time before
being torn down and replaced with a “modern hotel” on the site. Thus The
Huntsville Hotel was built, which will be the topic of next week’s article.
So, look for
potential visits by my characters in the series to the Bell Tavern since it was
still in existence at the time of my stories. I’m still in the planning stages
of some of those and don’t know yet whether they’ll stop in for a pint or not.
Or perhaps copy some of the hospitality for use at the Fury Falls Inn. Anything
is possible at this point…
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which
I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and
upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and
writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Innkeeper’s
daughter Cassie Fairhope longs for only one thing: to escape her mother’s
tyranny. But in northern Alabama in 1821 marriage is her only escape. Even so,
she has a plan: Seduce the young man acting as innkeeper while her father is
away and marry him. He’s handsome and available. Even though he has no feelings
for her, it is still a better option than enduring her mother.
But Flint
Hamilton has his own plans and they don’t include marriage, even to the pretty
temptress. Securing his reputation in the hostelry business and earning his
father’s respect are far more important. He did not count on having to deal
with horse thieves and rogues in addition to his guests.
When tragedy
strikes, Cassie and Flint must do whatever it takes to rid the inn of its newly
arrived specter—who has no intention of leaving…
Today I’d like to introduce you to a plunge-write-in (get it?) type of author. Claudia Shelton writes romantic suspense among other genres for a very specific reason she’ll tell you shortly. First, her official bio and then we’ll get to the interview itself.
Award-winning
author Claudia Shelton could write her name before the first day of school, but
now she writes romantic suspense, thrillers and contemporary romance. In
addition, she presents workshops for readers and authors. Her debut novel, Risk of a Lifetime, released to 5-star
reviews, reached Amazon’s Best Sellers Romance Series
Top 100 and was named one of eBooks Galore top reads for 2014. She is
also a two-time nominated Daphne Du Maurier (Unpublished) finalist for
excellence in mystery. Claudia is the author of the Shades of Leverage
action-adventure romantic suspense series.
On
a personal note, Claudia considers herself a traveler, music lover and water
person. A cool drink while listening to the splash of waves is always nice—so
is a mug of hot chocolate in the falling snow. Her main priority is spending
time with family, friends and her two sweet, conniving rescue dogs.
Betty: How many books have you written and published?
I have completed six manuscripts and have
published three of them with Entangled Publishing.
Betty: What genre(s) do you write in and why?
Claudia: I
write romantic suspense because I love a fast-paced action adventure with lots
of plot twists, yet also want the happily ever after of a romance. Gradually, I’ve
learned there can be a happily ever after, or happy for now, within a suspense
or thriller; so with that in mind, I’m planning a series that is even more
suspense/thriller based. But, don’t worry I’ll always have a romantic suspense
work in progress or ready for release.
Betty: What themes or motifs did you use in your recent release
and why were they important to your story?
Claudia: I’ve always thought of myself as a
water person, and Dangerous Lies is
definitely set around water.
To ex-Navy SEAL Mitch Granger,
responsibility isn’t just a word. It’s his Code of Honor. But when assigned to
protect Coercion Ten’s latest target, she challenges his authority, defies his
rules, and wreaks havoc on his personal willpower. Fighting for her isn’t a
problem. Giving his life for her isn’t a problem. Forgetting their
world-stopping kiss? Definite problem. And if he can’t concentrate solely on
keeping her safe, it may cost them both their lives.
Journalist Liz Walkert’s missing
father sent her a cryptic message that she was in danger. What he didn’t tell
her was why. Unbeknownst to Liz, her family has been in Witness Protection all
her life. Mitch may be her bodyguard, but his protection comes close to being
control, the one thing she has none of in his presence. After a kidnap attempt
and a narrow escape from attacking CT forces, they both realize they’re going
to need to focus on the mission and fight their attraction if they have any
hope of surviving.
Each book in the Shades of Leverage
series is STANDALONE:
* Slater’s Revenge
* Dangerous Lies
Betty: Do you have a specific place that you write? Revise?
Claudia: I’m
lucky enough to have an office which I’ve decorated in a beach theme.
Betty: Do you have any writing rituals while you write? Did you
have a special drink, or music, or time of day that you gravitated toward?
Claudia: No rituals, however music sometimes helps me in planning out my book. I’m not a plotter till half way through the manuscript, but I do write scenes in my head and certain songs can help that process. But every manuscript has a different song that helps (sometimes two).
Betty: What helped you move from unpublished to published? A
mentor or organization or something else?
Claudia: Never give up!
Betty: What do you think is your greatest strength in your
writing?
Claudia: My alpha heroes, plot twists, and
exciting action-packed endings.
Betty: What comes first when you’re brainstorming a new story:
setting, situation, characters?
Claudia: At
least one character! Sometimes the other character arrives close behind, but
occasionally I have to search for the other one. After the first character,
there’s usually the location, then the premise of the story—no plotting, just
the premise.
Betty: Do you have a structured time to write or is more
fluid/flexible? Do you have to write between family obligations or do you set
aside a block of time?
Claudia: I’m involved in my writing daily, with
a few days off here and there. But when I’m on deadline I calculate the amount
of words left in the story, divide by days left before deadline and make sure I
get the allotted amount of words in weekly.
Betty: What is one recent struggle you’ve experienced in your
writing?
Claudia: Time crunch. Writing, marketing, social
media and everything else that publishing entails, doesn’t just happen in one
neat ten-minute slot.
Betty: Do you participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing
Month)? Why or why not?
Claudia: No…that’s not how I write.
Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?
Claudia: Depends on my mood. I usually have more
than one book being read at a time.
Betty: What are your keeper books? How often might you reread
them?
Claudia: I have certain books I keep, but I
seldom go back and reread them.
Betty: When you’re writing, do you read in the same genre as your
work in progress or something else?
Claudia: Most times not the same genre. However,
if it is the same genre, I make sure it is in no way close to the story I’m
writing.
Betty: Do you have a “day job” or do you write full time?
Claudia: Full-time writer.
Betty: What do you wish readers knew about the publishing
industry?
Claudia: I write my stories because the
characters speak to me. I write my stories because they need to be told. And, I
write my stories for you—the reader. In turn, I need you to leave a review or
tell the world how much you enjoyed the book, the characters, the setting, my
writing. Otherwise, the publishers can’t know how the readers feel about my
book and my stories may never see the light of day.
Betty: What advice do you have for new writers?
Claudia: Write! Attend workshops and
conferences. Write! Find yourself a critique group or start one yourself.
Write! Read books on writing a book, and also ones on writing your specific
genre. Write, write, write— And never give up!
Betty: Any hints of what you’re next writing project might be?
Claudia: My publisher has me writing the third
book in the Shades of Leverage series, which will be set in the northwest.
Think mountains and river rapids, horses and a secluded cabin, and lots of
action-packed romantic suspense!
And later this year, I will self-pub a couple
of books—one of which will be a Christmas book.
Betty: What kind of writing would you like to experiment with? Or
what’s a different genre you’ve considered writing but haven’t yet?
Claudia: Instead of Romantic Suspense, I’m
planning a future series that centers on the Suspense/Thriller genre. And I’m
always playing with the idea of a cozy mystery.
Thanks so
much for stopping by, Claudia!
I think her
stories and her writing process are both equally fascinating. If you enjoy
romantic suspense, I hope you’ll give Claudia’s books a try.
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which
I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and
upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and
writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Researching historic
events and people can be quite revealing at times. One person who created
tension and discord based on his actions was Andrew Jackson. I’ve written a bit
about him before
but would like to elaborate a little more about his ties to Huntsville.
Image courtesy Library of Congress
The first
mention I found in my sources of the early history of Alabama refers to when he
was General Jackson. According to the Early
History of Huntsville Alabama 1804 to 1870 by Edward Chambers Betts (1909;
revised 1916) and History of Alabama and
Incidentally of Georgia, Mississippifrom
the earliest period by Albert James Pickett of Montgomery (1851), one of Jackson’s
first visits to the city was in 1813 on his way south from Nashville, TN,
toward Horse Shoe Bend.
The reason
for his involvement was because of some “distressing” news… A massacre at Fort
Mims. You can read more about the Fort Mims massacre here.
“The arrival
of an express, at Nashville, with letters from Mr. George S. Gaines to General
Jackson and the governor, conveying the distressing intelligence of the
massacre at Fort Mims, and imploring their assistance, created great
excitement, and the Tennesseans volunteered their services to avenge the
outrage.” [Pickett, p293]
“On October
13, 1813, General Andrew Jackson, and his command, after marching from Fayetteville
to Huntsville in five hours, halted at what is now the intersection of East
Holmes and North Lincoln streets, for rest over night, having learned on
arriving here that the report of the ‘rapid approach of the Indians was exaggerated.’
General Jackson and his command the next day continued their march through the
country of hostile Indian tribes to Horse Shoe Bend, where that sanguinary
battle was fought with the Creek Indians. Nor was their departure unattended,
for the county had contributed liberally of its men; four companies from
Huntsville, one the “Mounted Rangers,” under the command of Capt. Eli Hammond
and a fifth company from Hazel Green, with Captain Jack Mosley as its
commander, had joined General Jackson’s forces here.” [Betts, p30]
“General Jackson, at the head of a large force, passed through Huntsville, crossed the Tennessee at Ditto’s Landing, and joined Colonel Coffee, who had been despatched in advance, and who had encamped opposite the upper end of an island on the south side of the river, three miles above the landing. Remaining here a short time, the army advanced higher up, to Thompson’s Creek, to meet supplies, which had been ordered down from East Tennessee. In the meantime, Colonel Coffee marched, with six hundred horse, to Black Warrior’s town, upon the river of that name, a hundred miles distant, which he destroyed by fire, having found it abandoned. Collecting about three hundred bushels of corn, he rejoined the main army at Thompson’s Creek, without having seen an Indian. Establishing a defensive depot at this place, called Fort Deposite, Jackson, with great difficulty, cut his way over the mountains to Wills’ Creek, where, being out of bread, he encamped several days, to allow his foraging parties to collect provisions. The contractors had entirely failed to meet their engagements, and his army had, for some days, been in a perishing condition.” [Pickett, p293]
The army
marched on south to fight the Creeks in southern Alabama. Andrew Jackson had
become quite popular during the War of 1812 and his role in and around New
Orleans. By the time the first Alabama legislature met in Huntsville in the
fall of 1819, he’d distinguished himself, but not everyone applauded his
actions. But he did have his fans in Huntsville.
“And it is
not inappropriate to record here that the Huntsville Masonic Lodge was the
first chartered in the State; having operated continuously under a dispensation
from the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, granted it in 1811. A legend of the times
proclaims that General Andrew Jackson, while on his frequent visits to
Huntsville, often attended the meetings of the lodge, held in its present
temple, situated on Lincoln street at the corner of Williams street.” [Betts,
p40]
“During the
session of the legislature, General Jackson visited Huntsville, with his
horses, and was enthusiastically engaged in the sports of the turf, then an
amusement indulged in by the highest classes.” [Pickett, p436]
There was even
at some point a “celebrated contest between the horses of Andrew Jackson, of
Tennessee, and James Jackson, of North Alabama, at Huntsville.” [Pickett, p427]
James Jackson (1782-1840) was born in Ireland, came
to America in 1799, and is “well-known as one of the founders of Florence [AL]
and surrounding Lauderdale County.” By the way, James is also claimed to be, at
the Encyclopedia of Alabama link above, “the first breeder and importer of race
horses in the United States.” That claim can’t be true since one of my American
Revolution sources cited—and I have confirmed in person at the South Carolina Historical
Society—the South Carolina Weekly Gazette
issues of October 31 and November 21, 1783 where two “thorough bred” stallions
and two blood mares arrived on a ship from England in Charleston Harbor. Since
James didn’t arrive in America until 1799, he couldn’t have been the first
importer let alone breeder of race horses.
While General
and later President Andrew Jackson may be a controversial figure in American
history, one thing can be said about his visit among others. Huntsville can
boast about the many high-ranking and important people who have stayed within the
city limits throughout its history.
I have
learned a lot about the history of Alabama while researching for and writing my
next release, The Haunting of Fury Falls
Inn, along with the ongoing research for the remaining five books in the
Fury Falls Inn series.
Thanks for
reading both my blog and my books! I appreciate your time and interest.
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which
I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and
upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and
writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Innkeeper’s
daughter Cassie Fairhope longs for only one thing: to escape her mother’s
tyranny. But in northern Alabama in 1821 marriage is her only escape. Even so,
she has a plan: Seduce the young man acting as innkeeper while her father is
away and marry him. He’s handsome and available. Even though he has no feelings
for her, it is still a better option than enduring her mother.
But Flint
Hamilton has his own plans and they don’t include marriage, even to the pretty
temptress. Securing his reputation in the hostelry business and earning his
father’s respect are far more important. He did not count on having to deal
with horse thieves and rogues in addition to his guests.
When tragedy
strikes, Cassie and Flint must do whatever it takes to rid the inn of its newly
arrived specter—who has no intention of leaving…
Today I’m
happy to welcome a fellow historical author, Kathleen Buckley. I think you might
find something of interest in her books, but I’ll let her tell you all about
what she writes, her process for doing so, and maybe a hint at her next book.
First, here is her official bio.
After a varied career which included being a
paralegal and a security officer, Kathleen Buckley began to write historical
romances. She is now the author of three Georgian romances: An Unsuitable Duchess, Most Secret, and Captain Easterday’s Bargain, with a fourth, A Masked Earl, currently in the editing process. They are perhaps
best described as “powder & patch & peril”: romance with adventure (and
occasional humor) rather than drawing room romance. Among her hobbies is the
recreation of 18th-century baked goods because they are reliably
good, whereas boiled tongue and udder with root vegetables fails to appeal. She
sometimes finds it odd that she writes novels set in 1740s England although she
lives in 21st-century New Mexico. Connect with her on her blog at https://writing-on-el-camino-real.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/anunsuitableduchess/.
Betty: How many books have you written and published?
Kathleen: I’ve written three which have been
published in the last two years, and a fourth which is currently in production.
I self-published another.
Betty: What genre(s) do you write in and why?
Kathleen: My three recent novels are Georgian
period historical romances set in the 1740s. I love Georgette Heyer’s novels,
and wanted to see if I could write one similar. I set them in the 1740s because
I became fascinated with that decade as a result of a paper I wrote in college about
the publication of Samuel Richardson’s novel, Pamela.
I’ve also
written three crime fiction short stories, two of them published in anthologies
edited by the late Robert Bloch (before he was “…the late…”), one in an online
magazine. Why crime fiction? I’ve always enjoyed mysteries, and I took a couple
of classes in murder/criminal investigation.
A few years I
self-published a coming of age novel about a dumpster-diving adolescent loner.
The story just came to me and I wasn’t writing anything else, so…
Betty: What themes or motifs did you use in your recent release
and why were they important to your story?
Kathleen: Captain
Easterday’s Bargain is the story of a woman’s struggle to succeed in a
male-dominated business (the shipping trade in the 18th century Pool
of London). More than two centuries later, women still face challenges in their
work. The “bad boy” is a minor motif. It’s
a common theme in romantic fiction, and I thought it was time to re-evaluate
it.
London’s cutthroat shipping trade is no place for a lady,
although Olivia Cantarell has secretly acted as her father’s assistant for
years. Now she has inherited his company, she has no mind to give up control
over it—and herself—by marrying, however flattering it is to be sought after
for the first time in her life. In spite of threats and intimidation, she will
fight to keep her business.
Careful, responsible, and twice jilted, Captain
Marcus Easterday has no heart to attempt marriage a third time. But he cannot
stand by and see a woman cheated of her livelihood by Ambrose Hawkins, rumored
to be a former pirate, a man whose name is known and feared in ports from the
West Indies to China.
Courted by the ruthless Hawkins while relying on
the scrupulous Easterday’s help, Olivia must conceal the identity of one of her
clerks and protect her company and employees. Who can she trust?
Betty: Do you have a specific place that you write? Revise?
Kathleen: I have a home office/sewing/hobby
room—where else to stash the computer, printer, sewing machines, reference
books, all their related bits, and the shelves and multiple file cabinets to
store them? I’m a desktop writer, not a laptop writer, and can’t imagine being
able to concentrate on writing if I were sitting in a coffee house or under a
tree.
Betty: Do you have any writing rituals while you write? Did you
have a special drink, or music, or time of day that you gravitated toward?
Kathleen: For my invariable early morning
writing session, I drink coffee. Nothing fancy: the inexpensive kind from
Costco or the supermarket, made in a Mr. Coffee. Half-and-half, no sugar—though
I do like a strong coffee, not “light” or “medium”.
Betty: What helped you move from unpublished to published? A
mentor or organization or something else?
Kathleen: My dumpster-diving adolescent loner non-romance
for which I had high hopes was either rejected or ignored by about thirty
agents, and I’d given up on it. Because I can’t not write, I wrote a historical
romance for my own amusement, attempting to mimic Georgette Heyer’s style. When
I finished, I thought I’d see what publishers were accepting historical romance
novels. A Google search revealed there
were romance publishers who didn’t require submission through an agent. I
narrowed the list to two, and queried one based on Internet research about
them. The Wild Rose Press has been a great choice. It took only 43 days from
initial query to contract, and they’ve now published three of my romances, with
a fourth currently in production.
Betty: What do you think is your greatest strength in your
writing?
Kathleen: I sit at my computer and do it. A
bumper sticker I once saw says it all: “80% of success is showing up”.
Betty: What comes first when you’re brainstorming a new story:
setting, situation, characters?
Kathleen: Oh, the germ of the situation,
definitely. My second book, Most Secret, started with the thought, “What if
someone imported French army surplus muskets for the Jacobite rebels in 1745?” That
took care of both the situation and the setting, and the characters I needed
fell into place.
Betty: Do you have a structured time to write or is more
fluid/flexible? Do you have to write between family obligations or do you set
aside a block of time?
Kathleen: I get up early, sometimes as early as
four a.m., and start by making a pot of coffee and feeding the cats. Then I
write while drinking the coffee, for anything between an hour and a half and
four hours. I rarely deviate from this, although once in a while I put in some
additional time later in the day if I’m really percolating with ideas.
Betty: What is one recent struggle you’ve experienced in your
writing?
Kathleen: My current project bubbled along
nicely until about the 63,000 word mark. Then, as almost always happens, I wondered
where the last 25,000 to 30,000 words were going to come from. And as always
happens, after re-reading some parts and thinking for a while, I have a good
idea where I need to go and what I need to deal with.
Betty: Do you participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing
Month)? Why or why not?
Kathleen: I don’t, and for exactly the same
reason I don’t “make a quilt in a weekend!” as quilting magazines are always
encouraging one to do. It doesn’t sound like fun. With both novels and
patchwork quilts, I enjoy the process as much as the end result. I make quilts
from scraps, putting the different colors and prints together in a way I think
is pleasing, and stitch by hand. This
technique does not work well with the two or three color, rotary-cut method of
speedy quilt construction. And I write the same way, letting the characters and
story grow organically from the situation.
Betty: What are you reading right now?
Kathleen: As I write this, I’m re-reading Mary
Jo Putney’s Lost Lords series. Next in line is Donna Andrews’s cyber-sleuth
mystery, You’ve Got Murder, followed
by the third and fourth books in the series, Access Denied and Delete All
Suspects. I came upon the second book, Click
Here for Murder, and immediately went looking for the others.
Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?
Kathleen: I can’t decide between historical
romance and historical mysteries.
Betty: What are your keeper books? How often might you reread
them?
Kathleen: Oh, dear. The mysteries of Louise
Penny, Charles Todd, Anne Perry, Thomas Perry, Dick Francis/Felix Francis, Tony
Hillerman, and Dorothy Sayers. The historical novels of Diana Norman/Ariana
Franklin. The late Sarah Caudwell’s funny English legal novels. Science
fiction/fantasy: the Harry Potter books, Lois McMaster Bujold, Mercedes Lackey,
and Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series. Georgian and Regency novels: Jane Austen, Georgette
Heyer, Eileen Dreyer, Lucinda Brant, Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley, Mary Jo Putney,
Grace Burrowes, Jane Aiken Hodge, and Sheri Cobb South. And those are just the
major ones.
How often I
reread them depends on whether I need something soothing, want polished prose
and keen wit, an intricate plot, or a fun read. I might read the same book or
series twice in a year, or once in five years. Over time, my list has changed,
with some books dropped and others added. Good thing I have a lot of
bookshelves.
Betty: When you’re writing, do you read in the same genre as your
work in progress or something else?
Kathleen: I read historical romance pretty
steadily, whether I’m writing or not, but I also read mysteries, historical
fiction, fantasy/science fiction, and occasionally mainstream novels.
Betty: Do you have a “day job” or do you write full time?
Kathleen: I’m retired, with a little flexible
part-time job doing legal billing and Quickbooks for a former employer/friend,
and write up to several hours per day.
Betty: What do you wish readers knew about the publishing
industry?
Kathleen: People, whether readers or aspiring
writers, often think writing a book is an easy way to make money and earn fame.
I don’t think they ever think about the publishing industry as separate from
the business (or hobby) of writing. Shoot, I don’t know what I think about the
publishing industry, beyond the fact that the big brick-and-mortar publishers
only accept submissions through agents. And with self-publishing and e-books,
it’s a totally different game than it was twenty years ago.
Betty: What advice do you have for new writers?
Kathleen: The first thing is, sit down and
write. No class or book will really teach you to write. In fact, I don’t
believe they’ll do you any good until you’ve spent some time writing on your
own. Then what they teach will start to make sense. Keep writing. Realize that
a justified criticism of your story is not a personal attack on you, and that
as an aspiring writer, many criticisms will be justified. You can’t improve
unless someone points out the problems. And grammar and spelling count, as do
errors of fact.
Please, if
you self-publish, proofread at least twice, separated by at least a couple of
weeks, and then have someone else whose spelling and grammar are above average
proofread it as well.
Betty: Any hints of what your next writing project might be?
Kathleen: The one I’m currently writing
includes an arranged marriage and Ambrose Hawkins, a secondary character in Captain Easterday’s Bargain, being
charged with murder.
Betty: What kind of writing would you like to experiment with? Or
what’s a different genre you’ve considered writing but haven’t yet?
Kathleen: I’d like to try writing a non-romance
historical mystery. But I’ll have to wait for the right idea to come
along.
Thanks for
swinging by, Kathleen, and sharing your advice and insights! Best of luck with
your next release, too.
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which
I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and
upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and
writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Don’t you
love serendipity? A couple of months ago, my hubby pointed out an article in
the Huntsville Times about the June 1 celebration at the Alabama
Constitution Hall Historic Park in honor of its grand reopening after a renovation. What
made it so fortuitous was the relevance to the book I was writing at the time.
I hadn’t heard anything about it until he showed me the article and I looked up
more details online.
Included in
the day of festivities was the reenactment of the surprise visit President
James Monroe paid to Huntsville, a reenactment based on details found in the Alabama Republican article reporting on the festivities
surrounding his visit. The present day evening event featured a reception,
reenactment of the arrival, and tavern style dinner. Since I was in the throes
of writing The Haunting of Fury Falls Inn (available for preorder now
before it releases October 1, 2019), set in northern Alabama in 1821, this 1819
reenactment and meal would hopefully provide useful insights and experiences. So
despite the significant (to me) expense of $100/plate, my hubby and I decided
to attend.
The timing of
the celebration was to coincide with the date that President Monroe actually
arrived in town. On June 1, 1819, he and two companions, “Mr. Governeur his
private secretary and Lieut. Monroe of the Army,” arrived and registered at the
Huntsville Inn. Shocked town leaders quickly “appointed a committee” to greet
the president and to arrange for an appropriate dinner in his honor for the
following day. I can only imagine how a-flutter the town leaders and their
wives must have been! To suddenly be faced with entertaining the president.
From all accounts, they did the town proud. I’d like to share my observations
of the reenactment and dinner with you all.
First off,
when hubby and I arrived to enter the grounds for the outdoor reception, the
man greeting us was obviously someone of importance. I didn’t know him, of course,
since this is not the sort of crowd I usually hobnob with. I noted with a touch
of humor how everyone seemed to know him, and he seemed to greet everyone by
name. (I even jokingly told hubby we were “the riffraff” since we didn’t know
anyone there.) When we finally stood in front of him and he quickly adjusted
his welcome. But not before I noted the hesitation as to how to address us,
unknowns as we were. (And still are, for that matter!) He recovered quickly and
we went inside to mingle. Or rather to wander about, drinks in hand, observing
the other well-dressed and/or costumed people. We chatted with a few folks and
essentially waited for what I anticipated would be the highlight of the
reception: the moment when President Monroe arrived.
The time came
and the crowd was summoned to stand by the side entrance driveway. Excitement
rippled across the faces of the people, gathering and craning to see the
procession. I expected an entourage of some sort. Imagined the President of the
United States would have a contingent with him. Possibly security riders,
secretaries, scouts. I imagined twenty to thirty men. Horses, bedecked coaches,
maybe wagons of supplies? Boy, was I wrong!
In my weak
defense, I had not taken any time whatsoever to delve into the history of the
moment. Not even a quick internet search. I’d been busy with researching for
and writing my book, which occurs after 1819, and not focused on the earlier
history to the details of that day. But what I surprise his surprise visit
caused for me!
President
Monroe only had two outriders with him. A party of three. That was the extent
of his entourage. The three men rode about the countryside assessing the “state
of society, and of improvement in agriculture, manufactures & c and also to
enquire into the conditions of the Indian tribes.” I guess you don’t need a
whole lot of folks to do so.
The arrival of President James Monroe in Huntsville.
The three reenactors
were in approximations of the period attire and horse tack, but of course I’m
not the authority so don’t know for certain. Hubby asked one of the riders who
said his tack was similar but not authentic. This was somewhat disappointing to
me for a moment until I realized most of the folks in attendance wouldn’t
necessarily care one way or the other. (I was harkening back to the obvious
amount of time and attention the military men and women reenactors, both active
duty and civilian, for the U.S.
Cavalry Association’s
annual competition put in to recreate the most authentic uniforms and
harness/tack for their mounts spanning 100+ years of service. But of course,
they’re striving to preserve the Cavalry history on an on-going basis, not for
a single event, and competing for
most accurate turnout, so it’s worth their attention to the details.)
Soon after
the arrival of the president, we mosied across the street for dinner inside a
large banquet hall in the Early Works Children’s Museum. The tables were
elegantly dressed and ready for the large crowd. They even recreated the
mismatched dishes and glass ware like the original diners had to use. I did
find it humorous that the rest of the “riffraff”—about ten people who didn’t
buy entire tables of ten places but only in couples—were all gathered at one
long table separated by a “passage” from the rest of the tables.
Dinner guests at the banquet in honor of President Monroe.
The menu
included some new temptations. Starting with the salad: watercress is not something
I’ve eaten very often since moving to this area. Though Alabama is known for
its watercress. Each course featured something unique to the area, or at least
unique in my experience of offerings from northern Alabama. I was most surprised
by the dessert, as I thought the menu listed three options. In fact, all the
ingredients comprised one tasty cake!
Interesting menu!
Delicious dinner!
Yum!
Open wine bottles on the table enabled everyone to choose to their taste, and then to have something in hand for the series of 24 toasts following the meal. That was yet another interesting note: the toasts came after the meal. In my experience in the 20th and 21st centuries, the toast(s) always come before. If you read the Alabama Republican article, it mentions that “after the cloth was removed” the toasts were made, indicating that the dinner dishes had all been cleared away. All the toasts are listed in the referenced article if you’re curious.
Individuals in the audience had been selected to read a toast and then everyone else would “hear, hear!” I’m not certain if they wouldn’t have said “huzzah” back in 1819 or not. I know in the 1770s the cheer was “huzzah.” After the War of 1812, though? I guess it could easily be perceived that the people desired to separate themselves from anything that smacked of British tendencies.
24 Toasts…
Toast to Leroy Pope.
Toast to Pres. Monroe.
All in all,
we had an enjoyable evening out with a room full of a couple of hundred
strangers. Experiencing the food, the music, the attire as well as the language
of the speeches and toasts gave me a pretty good feel for what living in those
times must have been like. Especially after having tramped all over the
reconstructed historic buildings earlier in the day. A kind of immersive
experience, I might say.
I’ve noted
before, I really enjoy going to historic sites, trying to put myself into the
shoes and mindset of people from earlier periods in American history. Heck, in
history itself. I also enjoyed seeing the castles in Scotland and the Parthenon
in Greece. Trying to understand the cultures and intent of other peoples is
something I do. I hope my understanding of past times and events reflects in my
characters and the stories I tell, too.
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which
I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and
upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and
writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Innkeeper’s
daughter Cassie Fairhope longs for only one thing: to escape her mother’s
tyranny. But in northern Alabama in 1821 marriage is her only escape. Even so,
she has a plan: Seduce the young man acting as innkeeper while her father is
away and marry him. He’s handsome and available. Even though he has no feelings
for her, it is still a better option than enduring her mother.
But Flint
Hamilton has his own plans and they don’t include marriage, even to the pretty
temptress. Securing his reputation in the hostelry business and earning his
father’s respect are far more important. He did not count on having to deal
with horse thieves and rogues in addition to his guests.
When tragedy
strikes, Cassie and Flint must do whatever it takes to rid the inn of its newly
arrived specter—who has no intention of leaving…
Before I get
to my topic for today, I’m thrilled to share that The Haunting of Fury Falls Inn
is now available for preorder with a release date of October 1! Check out the
book description at the end of my post for more info and links to reserve your
copy! Now on to the business at hand…
In researching
for my historical stories, I am always happy to have the chance to visit
historical sites. I grew up in Maryland, so school field trips often took us to
Annapolis, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and other local historically
significant places. As an adult historical fiction author, I soak up the
atmosphere in such places, seeking out the details to make my stories and the
characters in them come to life for the reader. A recent visit to the Alabama
Constitution Hall Historic Park gave me the opportunity to see and experience the actual
Constitution Hall for myself. (Here is a good article on the structures comprising
Constitution Village, if you’re interested in learning more about the historic
nature of the site. It’s worth a visit, in my opinion.) I came away impressed
with much of its history and construction but also found myself comparing the
same to Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Let’s start
with Independence Hall, only because it’s the older of the two buildings and
thus has a longer history.
The brick steeple of Independence Hall with its bell at the top. Quite an elegant and imposing structure in the City of Brotherly Love.
Originally known as the Pennsylvania State House, construction was begun in 1732 and completed in 1753 (21 years is a long time to build one building, don’t you think? I know other buildings have taken longer, but it’s still quite an endeavor.) and proved to be a beautiful building that became “a symbol of the nation to come.” Keep in mind, of course, that it was begun under British rule and thus was not to represent American ideals entirely—though the colonists had already begun to act differently than those living in the Mother Country—at its beginning. Although it has apparently “undergone many restorations” the current appearance is that of 1776 after a restoration by the National Park Service in 1950. So this building has been around for 287 years, or nearly three centuries, as of this writing.
When I
visited it in 2014 with a fellow author and dear friend, and then again with my
husband in 2017, I literally felt the presence of the esteemed men who have
conducted business within the walls of this majestic building. Partly because
of the staging of miscellany left on the desks and tables, but also from my own
sensitivity to the atmosphere of places which I can’t entirely explain. I had
goosebumps as the park ranger talked about the signing of the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Without those historic
events, I wouldn’t be here writing about American history…or at least not the
same history. How would our lives be different if we, or rather our brave
Founding Fathers who risked their lives and livelihoods, hadn’t declared our
right to self-rule? An unanswerable question, perhaps.
Inside Independence Hall where the Declaration was signed. Note the opulence and craftsmanship of the woodwork and decorations.
I thought
about the many common and elite men and women who entered the doors of this
building to conduct whatever legal business they had to transact. Buying or
selling land, probate a will, adopt a child, complain about a negligent or
thieving neighbor, start a new venture which may have needed government
sanction? Whatever it might have been, how imposing the façade must have looked
to them. Perhaps even daunting as they approached and entered. When the State
House first opened its doors, of course, the Pennsylvania Colony was under
English law so the expectations of the citizens had a different basis than
after the Declaration and the formation of a new nation. I’m not a lawyer nor
have I studied the evolution of laws from those days to immediately after the
American Revolution ended. All I do know about the years between independence
and nationhood is that it was rather chaotic as different groups had different
opinions of what laws were enforceable and what new laws were needed.
In contrast
to this esteemed and now revered building, my visit to the Alabama Constitution
Hall was a much different experience. Not better or worse, mind you! I was in a
different place and time, on what was the frontier or edge of the “wilderness”
in 1819 when the state constitution was debated and ultimately signed within
the walls of what is now known as the Constitution Hall in downtown Huntsville.
The situation was also entirely different.
Constitution Hall, or the cabinet maker’s shop, in downtown Huntsville, Alabama. The upstairs is known for being the first theater in town, too.
Consider that
Huntsville didn’t even exist as an idea until 1805 when John Hunt built a cabin
at the Big Spring in what is now downtown. At that time, the land was part of
the vast Mississippi Territory. Twelve years later, in 1817, Congress created
the Alabama Territory, established courts and a sheriff, and began land sales
which attracted white settlers from Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas to its
fertile soil to raise the highly lucrative cash crop of cotton. Then only 2
years later the leaders of the town felt the population growth warranted
petitioning the U.S. Congress to make the Alabama Territory a state. So only 14
years had transpired from the beginning of a town as a cabin by a spring to a
thriving, bustling city witnessing the proclamation of statehood.
Huntsville
was chosen as the place to draft, debate, and sign the new constitution because
it was the largest town in the territory. In 1819 there were many kinds of
businesses, including beer brewing, 5+ cotton gins, boot/shoe manufacturing,
leather tanning, hat manufacturing, copper still makers, candle manufacturers, and
water pump manufacturers. The 44 delegates traveled from across the territory
to attend. But where would they meet?
The largest
building in town at that time was the cabinet maker’s building so it was chosen
as their assembly room. This building was not specially designed or built for the
purpose. But adapted to suit. Yet the men gathered within its walls in the hot
summer months, windows closed to keep prying ears from hearing the sometimes
heated debates. I stood in the large room where they met, imagining them waving
a piece of paper as a fan or with their coats hung over chairs due to the heat.
But intent on hammering out a workable and acceptable framework for the new
state government.
Sometime
after the signing of the constitution, the cabinet maker’s building was either
(sadly) burned or demolished to build something new. It was only as the state’s
150th anniversary approached that interest was sparked in 1968 to
begin the hunt for the location of the original Constitution Convention. The
ultimate result of that effort is the present Constitution Hall Park. The
current building is a wonderful reconstruction of the building as it stood in
1819, including the cabinet maker’s workshop inside.
Both of these
buildings represent the beginnings of a new government, one of a nation and one
of a state. Looking back to where we began, and how far we’ve come, gives us guidance
as to how much further we may have to go to achieve the ever evolving vision of
our government. Without knowing where we came from, though, it’s difficult
indeed to measure progress toward our future.
Have you
visited either site? Do you try to put yourself in the place of the men who
came together to work out a compromise acceptable to all? Can you imagine the
daunting challenge they faced with so many disparate views and goals?
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which
I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and
upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and
writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Innkeeper’s
daughter Cassie Fairhope longs for only one thing: to escape her mother’s
tyranny. But in northern Alabama in 1821 marriage is her only escape. Even so,
she has a plan: Seduce the young man acting as innkeeper while her father is
away and marry him. He’s handsome and available. Even though he has no feelings
for her, it is still a better option than enduring her mother.
But Flint
Hamilton has his own plans and they don’t include marriage, even to the pretty
temptress. Securing his reputation in the hostelry business and earning his
father’s respect are far more important. He did not count on having to deal
with horse thieves and rogues in addition to his guests.
When tragedy
strikes, Cassie and Flint must do whatever it takes to rid the inn of its newly
arrived specter—who has no intention of leaving…
My guest
today is a debut author with quite an interesting story to tell! Please help me
welcome Ramcy Diek, author of romantic novels with an eye to branching out to
young adult and memoir. Here’s her official bio and then we’ll begin the
interview…
Thirty years
ago, Ramcy Diek fell in love with the United States while traveling around in
an Oldsmobile station-wagon with her husband. They are both born and raised in
the Netherlands. Together, they visited all the amazing northern states and
landed in California.
Eventually,
they found their way to the Pacific Northwest, built up a business, and raised their
two boys into amazing young adults with their own careers. During this time, she
also made a slow transition from reader to writer of contemporary, enjoyable,
laid back, and romantic stories.
Betty: How many books have you written and published?
Ramcy: I wrote seven manuscripts so far, but only published one.
Betty: What genre(s) do you write in and why?
Ramcy: I enjoy reading stories that grip me, and are different;
therefore I want to write stories like that too. Although so far, I mainly
wrote romantic novels, I’m starting to lean to Young Adult stories and writing
my memoir. At 57, I’m still trying to find my voice.
Betty: What themes or motifs did you use in your recent release
and why were they important to your story?
Ramcy: My debut novel, Storm
at Keizer Manor, is a time travel romance. It is very well received and
readers ask for more. Of all the books I wrote (unpublished) this is the only
one about time travel. I hope I won’t disappoint with my second book.
Storm at Keizer Manor received awards in three national book
contests and it will be translated in Italian this coming summer. I’m so
excited. If anything, this is the encouragement that will keep me writing.
While college
graduate Forrest tries to find a job, quick witted Annet works at the Keizer
Manor, the museum where the oils from 19th-century master painter
Alexander Keizer are exhibited.
After a
fight, the couple strolls through the dunes to talk. When dark clouds roll in,
the beautiful sunny weather turns into a thunderstorm so violent that they get
separated.
The next
morning, Forrest finds himself alone. So does Annet.
Regaining
consciousness in a monastery, Annet is convinced the nuns are playing a prank
on her. It can’t be the 1800s! She’s a pregnant Twenty-first Century woman and
doesn’t belong there. But how will she get back to her own time?
Betty: Do you have a specific place that you write? Revise?
Ramcy: I only write at home, behind my desktop. It’s the only
place that works for me.
Betty: What helped you move from unpublished to published? A
mentor or organization or something else?
Ramcy: I poured so much love in Storm at Keizer Manor that I decided to hire a professional editor.
While editing, my editor Shelly fell in love with it and encouraged me to
publish it through Acorn Publishing LLC. Without Shelly, Storm at Keizer Manor would probably still just be a manuscript on
my computer.
Betty: What do you think is your greatest strength in your
writing?
Ramcy: I wish I could answer this. J As many other authors, I’m very insecure about my writing.
Betty: What comes first when you’re brainstorming a new story:
setting, situation, characters?
Ramcy: The situation, for sure.
Betty: Do you have a structured time to write or is it more
fluid/flexible? Do you have to write between family obligations or do you set
aside a block of time?
Ramcy: I can write days on end, and then don’t write at all for
weeks. My life is not very structured.
Betty: What is one recent struggle you’ve experienced in your
writing?
Ramcy: Time. It goes too fast.
Betty: Do you participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing
Month)? Why or why not?
Ramcy: No, I didn’t. I don’t like the pressure.
Betty: What are you reading right now?
Ramcy: I’m reading a Path
of Progress: One Man’s Fight for Women’s Rights by Flora Beach Burlingame.
Flora is in her eighties.
Betty: What is your favorite genre to read?
Ramcy: Suspense and crime novels.
Betty: What are your keeper books? How often might you reread
them?
Ramcy: I don’t like to keep books, but of course there are some
that I loved so much, that I will always carry them with me. Sidney Sheldon was
the first author I really enjoyed, and I have a box full of his books.
Betty: When you’re writing, do you read in the same genre as your
work in progress or something else?
Ramcy: There are some genres I just won’t read, but other than
that, I pick up anything.
Betty: Do you have a “day job” or do you write full time?
Ramcy: For me, writing is a hobby, and it always will be. I write
when I feel like it.
Betty: What do you wish readers knew about the publishing
industry?
Ramcy: It’s very easy to self-publish, and although this brings
forth amazing works from authors who would never be published otherwise, it
also means there are a lot of self-published books out there not worth your
time.
Betty: What advice do you have for new writers?
Ramcy: Making it big is only for very few of us. Just write for
yourself, because you love it. And then, who knows…..
Betty: Any hints of what you’re next writing project might be?
Ramcy: I’m working on my second novel, Eagle in Flight, that I hope to publish next year, and on the
translation of Storm at Keizer Manor
in Dutch, my native language.
Betty: What kind of writing would you like to experiment with? Or
what’s a different genre you’ve considered writing but haven’t yet?
Ramcy: Thirty years ago, my husband and I experienced five disastrous
years. I just found all the letters I mailed to my parents during that time and
would love to use them to write a memoir. I can’t wait to start.
It sounds
like you’re off to a great start, Ramcy! Not everyone completes a book or then
follows through to publish it. Wishing you all the best as you move forward!
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which
I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and
upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and
writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
I’m a life
learner. I can’t imagine going through a single day without learning something
new. In fact, that was advice my dad used to give me. He’d jokingly say that
once I learned something new at school each day, my day was complete and I
could come home. Which, of course, he didn’t really mean. Little did he realize,
that I soak up new information like a dry sponge!
As a
professional author, it’s important to me to continue to hone my skills, my
writing technique, and to explore new subject matter. One way to do a bit of
all of this is to attend writers’ conferences, like the Historical Novel
Society conference last week in Maryland (my home state). Through a combination
of workshops, panel discussions, and networking, I gleaned a lot of information
during the several days of the conference.
Exposure to
the wealth of knowledge and experience represented by the attendees and the
keynote speakers alone proved an education. Jeff Shaara gave a wonderful talk
about how he came to write Gods
and Generals,
for example. I came home with a long, long list of historical fiction titles I
want/need to read! My hubby has requested I use my library card more often as a
result… <grin>
Here’s my top
five lessons:
Lesson #5: Book club fiction needs lots of
themes and issues to discuss. In order for a great discussion over pizza and
wine, for example, you need a story that has personal transformation at its
heart, or personal growth to confront an obstacle. Think about what makes for
thought provoking entertainment. This tells me I may want to dig a bit deeper
into some universal themes to highlight more in my stories. I believe they
exist in the story, but maybe not with enough clarity.
Panel discussion about the State of the State of Historical Fiction on opening day of the conference.
Lesson #4: Discoverability remains one of the
most important and yet difficult aspects to selling books. Publishers are
focusing their marketing efforts on social media presence. So I guess my
efforts on that front may eventually pay off. I probably need to look more
closely at devising a strategy of some kind, but at least I have a social media
presence.
Lesson #3: I studied the supernatural stories of
Edgar Allen Poe and Henry James years ago, but I attended a session about
Neo-gothic Novels since I’m currently working on a supernatural historical
series, Fury Falls Inn. What are neo-gothic novels, you may be asking. (I know
I did!) Well, neo-gothic novels focus on the power of the heroine
instead of her being a victim or passive in the story. James and Poe often
included females who were the “other” or the seemingly “uncanny” element in the
story. Neo-gothics also feature subtle fears, are less overtly political,
include either a reliable or non-reliable narrator, and have an explained or
unexplained paranormal element. I came away thinking my series falls within
these parameters nicely!
Interesting and authentic portrayal of George Washington. Wish I’d gotten a picture with him!
Lesson #2: Author Mary Sharratt wrote an
intriguing book, Ecstasy,
which I’ve ordered to enjoy and to study some ways of approaching how to
include music in a historical fiction novel. I’m working on a WWII novel set in
Baltimore that includes music in several ways so I felt her talk might prove
helpful. She shared several concepts about music and fiction I jotted down to
remember as I revise my story. Music is relevant to all historical fiction,
providing a sense of time and culture. Sound and music are powerful for the
senses. Music evokes a mood. She said that “the relationship between music and
words is alchemical,” which is a fascinating comment. (I’m a huge fan of alchemist
stories, by the way.) She gave examples of how lyrical poetry and prose can use
musical allusion and terminology to create the mood and sense of a time and
place. She also talked about how music imagery can be used visually and even
somewhat orally in the text, like a “crescendo” of action and dialogue that
peaks into the “silence of the end of a chapter.” My interpretation of her
statement is that both visually and orally, the action and dialogue of the
story ends/silences at the chapter break with white “noise” or space signifying
silence of sound. The reverse, I’m thinking, is also true where the action of
the chapter becomes darker and more sinister until the chapter break provides a
kind of “silent death” to the story action. Or am I getting a bit carried away
in my analogies?
And the #1 most important lesson:
I struggle
with including enough conflict in my stories, since I tend to avoid conflict in
my real life. So I attended a session on sustaining conflict presented by Alma
Katsu, author of the NPR Best Horror Novel The
Hunger, which was
really helpful. In particular the concept of weaving conflict into every page
of the story to provide not only tension but also a page-turning read. Most
important to me was the definition of four kinds of conflict. This is a brand
new concept for me, by the way. So let me dive a bit deeper here for clarity.
Here are the four kinds of conflict and how they are applied to writing. As you
read, you may find yourself spotting them in the stories your enjoy, too.
Central
conflict is the major conflict of the story that
must be resolved. This is all about the character’s growth and makes for a
better story. It’s very important to not harp on this one conflict too often,
though, or the reader gets bored. Cue rolling eyes…
Underlying/chronic
conflict is an external conflict that is thrust
upon the main character(s). One example is a chronic illness that interferes
with the character’s progress of the central conflict resolution. The
underlying conflict may or may not be resolved in the story.
Internal
character conflict
is the flaw or mindset that complicates how the character interacts with other
characters and events. This is a driving force for the action and reaction
within the story. Focus is on internal issues only the character knows, whether
consciously or subconsciously.
Transient
conflict is a temporary, brief hurdle that is
not related to something the character has caused. For example, a snow storm or
elevator out of service.
The idea of
layering these four types of conflict so that there is something on every page
to challenge the main character(s), provide hurdles they must face and
overcome, is eye-opening for me. I really hope to use this going forward in my
writing.
At the end of
the conference was the Historical Fiction Readers Festival in the Atrium of the
Gaylord Resort Hotel in National Harbor, MD. A crowd of fans of historical
fiction flowed through the many tables of authors eager and ready to meet with
fans. I even found a new mascot, Henry, named in honor of that fiery American
Revolution orator Patrick Henry, to keep me company during the signing. I think
he’ll be a happy companion as I travel around to different book events.
Other lessons
learned came from networking, with lots of discussions about book reviews and
their subjectivity despite their use to determine whether a reader might enjoy
a book. Research methods when searching for information outside of the United
States or if you don’t know exactly where to start (hint: footnoted sources). I’m
sure there were many other far subtler lessons I absorbed without taking notes!
All in all,
it was an educational, interesting, and worthwhile trip to the Historical Novel
Society conference. I look forward to the next one in the USA in 2021!
P.S. If you
haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which
I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and
upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and
writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Innkeeper’s
daughter Cassie Fairhope longs for only one thing: to escape her mother’s
tyranny. But in northern Alabama in 1821 marriage is her only escape. Even so,
she has a plan: Seduce the young man acting as innkeeper while her father is
away and marry him. He’s handsome and available. Even though he has no feelings
for her, it is still a better option than enduring her mother.
But Flint
Hamilton has his own plans and they don’t include marriage, even to the pretty
temptress. Securing his reputation in the hostelry business and earning his
father’s respect are far more important. He did not count on having to deal
with horse thieves and rogues in addition to his guests.
When tragedy
strikes, Cassie and Flint must do whatever it takes to rid the inn of its newly
arrived specter—who has no intention of leaving…
Betty Bolte's Musings 