Black Lives Matter
The news this week. The videos (George Floyd being murdered, Christian Cooper being accosted while birding). I just can’t stay silent. I despair over what is happening—*has always been happening*—in this country.
As someone who studies history and writes historical fiction, the past is always happening now. To be more specific: I recently read about the Colonial era Slave Codes. Have you ever read them? I certainly never did in school. They are ugly. They are hard. While I have been working on my current novel, which is set during the Revolutionary War, the blatant hypocrisy of so many of the “Patriots” has been very difficult to navigate and portray—how could they fight for Liberty and Justice and at the same time enslave people?
When I was working on I SHALL BE NEAR TO YOU, I also read the Washington DC Slave Codes—I then went on to mostly sidestep the issue of slavery in the novel (because it was ugly, because it was hard, because the book was too long and some scenes got cut, and– because real Rosetta did not write about slavery in her letters– I gave myself a pass). That is something I wish I had done better at trying to address. I am trying to do better in my current novel. When you get to read it, we will talk at book club about how I did, I hope.
Anyway. I digress.
What I found when I read the Slave Codes was shocking to me. The vast system that we put in place to maintain the system of slavery. The *detailed minutiae* of it. The brutality. But even more: The way it is still with us today. There are specific codes about what police could do to enslaved people—what they could get away with. Anything, really. Murder most certainly. The past, made present.
I am going to link to some texts below—-what I’ve read related to the slave codes, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ brilliant article making the case for reparations, and Annette Gordon-Reed’s book about the Hemmings family. These are all things I have read, mostly while doing research for my novels. They each opened my eyes to the waves of the past that are Right Now washing over this nation. I hope you’ve already read some of what I’m posting. I hope you’ll read the things you haven’t. I hope you’ll share with me the things you’ve read, the things that have helped you think about what keeps happening in this country. I hope you’ll tell me what you found eye-opening, what you found shocking, what parts of the past you see in our present. I hope if we sit with the hard stuff and look at the ugly stuff, we can do better– we can STOP it from continuing to happen, to continue being written in our history.
The Slave Code in Colonial New York by Edwin Olson
New York had more enslaved people than any other northern colony. Revolutionary War era newspapers (The Royal Gazette of New York in particular) are full of ads for human beings. Also— enslaved people were often referred to as servants (gotta hide the ugly truth)— which makes it hard now to tell whether certain people were in fact enslaved, indentured, or free.
The Statutory Law of Slavery and Race in the Thirteen Mainland Colonies of British America by William M. Wiecek
An essay comparing Colonial era Slave Codes (you can read it online free, if you create a JSTOR account. I love JSTOR).
the Washington DC Slave Codes
They were considered lenient.
The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates
If I were still teaching, I would teach this. I think it is brilliant and ought to be required reading for every American who didn’t live the experience he details.
The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed
This book taught me so much and made Sally Hemings—the choices she made—so real, so complex, so heartbreaking. If you follow my Author page on Facebook, then you know how I feel about Thomas Jefferson (tl;dr: least favorite Founding Father…), but this book helped me understand his hypocrisy in a far more nuanced way. The book is enormous. I listened to it on audio.
*If you click on the cover image, it will take you to Amazon via an affiliate link. I only did this so that I could use the image. Instead, I urge you to consider buying it from one of the BLACK OWNED BOOK STORES listed here.
Or maybe you can buy it from one of these two WOMEN-OWNED indie bookstores that have been incredibly supportive of me and I SHALL BE NEAR TO YOU:
Books on B
Face In A Book
This interview with The 1619 Project founder Nikole Hannah-Jones and The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah.
Nikole Hannah-Jones does a beautiful job discussing why it’s so important that we begin tracing the effects of slavery forward to our present.
On SALE!
Oh, lookie! The best book I’ve ever written (so far) is ON SALE across all e-book formats ($1.99, ya’ll)!
Of course you’ve read it, but maybe you know someone who hasn’t? I’d be ever so grateful if you’d share this deal with readers you think might love Rosetta & Jeremiah (& Will) and people who want to see portrayals of strong, courageous, trail-blazing women in historical fiction (or any fiction!). If you share news of the sale (on FB, Twitter, and/or Instagram) AND sign up to receive my newsletter AND shoot me an email to let me know you’ve done it by MIDNIGHT 5/7/17 (the last day of the sale), as a thank you (and to introduce you to some other fabulous heroines), I’ll enter you in a drawing to win ONE of the following historical novels (winner chooses! See cover images/links below! How will you ever decide??) featuring fierce females: The Secrets of Mary Bowser by Lois Leveen, Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart, Girl in Disguise by Greer Macallister, or Wolf By Wolf by Ryan Graudin.
A year ago (the last time I SHALL BE NEAR TO YOU was priced this low), you all helped Rosetta hit the USA Today Bestsellers list, which was a wonderful honor (and frankly, a big surprise). Hitting the bestseller list is the kind of thing that helps publishers know that readers are interested in books like I SHALL BE NEAR TO YOU, and it helps ensure that publishers will be interested in my *next* novel too.
Thanks for all you do to help support the kinds of books you love!
Eighth Newsletter: Celebrate Spring and New Beginnings
I send out a monthly-ish newsletter (more like bi-monthly-ish). This is the the eighth one, sans photos and links that accompany it when it goes straight to your inbox (apparently copying them from the original newsletter is technologically beyond me). If you’d like to see the whole thing, pictures and all, sign up here!
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Celebrate Spring!
This past week, the kid was on Spring Break from preschool. Though I missed my scheduled work-in-the-parking-lot (or lately, Starbucks) time, we enjoyed our leisurely mornings reading in bed, channeling the pre-Easter excitement with making decorations (thanks to my mom’s suggestion), and spending the gorgeous afternoons outside, mostly digging in the not-so-picturesque mud pit, but also playing with the goats and horses. All of a sudden, this kid has been excited about riding (by himself!) and I’ve been happy to oblige. The other day he asked me, “Can I have a riding lesson every day?” Don’t have to ask me twice!
We also made a visit to Table Mountain, where as a kid and teenager I’d hike and fly kites in the Spring. Since California actually got some rain this year, we wanted to see the wildflowers, for which Table Mountain is (locally, anyway) known, and also the seasonal waterfalls which run off the sides. We were hoping there’d be enough wind to fly kites, which as you can see from the kid’s picture, there kind of was, and it was thrilling! I also had another reason for wanting to go: there’s a scene in the new novel in which Josie dreams of Table Mountain and I wanted to reacquaint myself with it and its very northern California brand of beauty. The pictures below are just a taste!
New Beginnings, AKA Workhorse Mode
Speaking of Josie and the new novel, at the beginning of March, I spoke to Agent Dan about the draft I sent him (you remember: just sending it made me nauseous. It turns out waiting for Agent Dan’s verdict also made me break out in eczema–always super awesome). After talking to Agent Dan about Josie, I’m now firmly back in workhorse mode, working on a complete restructuring of the novel. It’ll be the same story, just a different shape. While it wasn’t exactly the news I wanted to hear, Agent Dan’s suggestions were what I *needed* to hear. This book is going to be better for it.
I spent several days reading Lisa Cron’s book Wired for Story, taking and re-reading copious notes, trying out new outlines, and basically cudgeling my brain as I tried to envision this new novel shape, and put the theory (which I like) into practice (which I confess to feeling crabby about). Then my friend, author Mary Volmer (hi Mary!), told me about her mantra when writing her second novel (Reliance, Illinois, which I just devoured and which hits bookstores May 10): “As long as it takes.” As long as it takes. Or as the teachers at the kid’s preschool say: Focus on the process. I’m taking that advice to heart. The point is to enjoy getting it right, not just get it done.
A Steal & A Giveaway
And now for my Easter bunny moment (because at our house, my husband is the Easter bunny), I have two announcements. The first is that my publisher, Crown, is offering the ebook version of I Shall Be Near to You for an absolute steal of a price ($1.99!) through May 1. I know most of you already have copies of the book, but if you could let anyone you think might enjoy I Shall know about the deal, I would be so grateful. I’d love to share Rosetta’s story with as many readers as possible.
You might wonder why my publisher would offer a book at such a crazy price. I’m not privy to all their reasons, but I’ve seen sales like this push other authors’ books onto the New York Times Bestseller list. That’s a huge deal– not just for the publicity it would bring, but because hitting that list makes publishers more interested in an author’s next novel (which is never a given). Even if the book doesn’t ever hit a bestseller list, each new reader who leaves a review on websites like Amazon or Barnes & Noble or Goodreads shows that there’s a readership for books like this, and encourages publishers to take chances on stories of women like Rosetta and first-time authors like me. Which is also my not-so-sneaky way of saying: If you haven’t already and feel so inclined, writing a review of I Shall (or any book you love) is a great way to show your support for the kinds of books you’d like to see more of.
But wait! I said there were TWO deals… Here’s the second one: I have two signed (and personalized, if you’d like) hard-cover copies from my personal I Shall Be Near To You stash to give away, in celebration of Spring and New Beginnings. Keep it for yourself and give away your old copy, or send it as a gift to a friend– whatever makes you happiest! To enter, just reply to this email (it’ll go straight to my inbox) saying you’d like in on the drawing. I’ll choose the two winners on Saturday, April 9.
Making Connections
By the time you get this, I’ll be on my way to the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) Conference down in Los Angeles. People tell me it’s *the* social event of the writing world, which strikes twin bolts of excitement and panic into my introverted heart (as does the fact that I’m going on an overnight trip sans kid for the first time in his life). I have two official events I’m participating in and the rest of the time, I’m looking forward to attending readings and panels put on by authors I admire, and catching up with (and for some, finally meeting in person!) friends I’ve made in my publishing journey (there’s some of the books by authors I hope to rub shoulders with, above). It should be a lot of fun. If you’ll be at AWP, let me know– I’d love to see you!
I’m also hoping to sneak in some time to put the finishing touches on that new Josie outline (yeah, I’ve lost count, but I think this is the 5th one… or is it 6th?) so that as soon as I get home I can start working on turning that outline into a shiny new draft. I’ll also be preparing for the next #HistoricalFix chat (on 4/24) and the second #BookClubFix discussion (on 5/26) of Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye. I’ve already read this one, and if you’re a fan of Jane Eyre (here’s a peek at my fave illustrated edition) and enjoy gleefully wicked vigilante serial killers, I think you’ll get a kick out of this book, which also manages quite a commentary about the plight of women and children, and the impact of imperialism. I really hope you’ll join us for the discussion, either on Twitter or Goodreads.
Here’s to new beginnings and a gorgeous Spring!
Erin
Seventh Newsletter: An Auspicious Day
I send out a monthly-ish newsletter (more like bi-monthly-ish). This is the the seventh one, sans photos that accompany it when it goes straight to your inbox (apparently copying them from the original newsletter is technologically beyond me). If you’d like to see the whole thing, pictures and all, sign up here!
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An Auspicious Day
I like to think of January 28th as an auspicious day. It’s the day the kid was born, and now, holy cow, he’s five! There we are (bottom left) a couple days after he was born, because I’m too vain to show you the pictures of us in the hospital. Exactly three years later, entirely coincidentally, I Shall Be Near To You hit bookstores. There we are (bottom right) celebrating with party horns (the kid’s idea) at our local Barnes & Noble.
Both times January 28th changed my life, most notably by bringing new people into it. One of the greatest surprises about I Shall Be Near To You making its way out into the world has been all the lovely people I’ve met or re-established connections with because of it, including many of you. All those years I dreamed of the book being at Barnes & Noble, I never dared to imagine that I might make new friends, or share intensely personal conversations, or chat on Twitter, or sit down for coffee with actual readers. It’s a marvel really, how a book can create a community, and I feel incredibly grateful every day (but especially January 28th) for the way you readers have taken Rosetta into your hearts and let me be a part of your lives.
A Little Novel News
Since January 28th feels so auspicious already, and I didn’t quite hit my goal of having a draft of my new novel ready in 2015, I made it my goal to send it to my agent on January 28th. You all are among the very very first to know that Josie is now officially in Agent Dan’s hands. I wish I could say that I feel amazing about this, but in truth I feel nauseous. It happens every time I send something to Agent Dan, because what he thinks of this manuscript is hugely important– crucial, really. I keep telling myself it’s actually a good thing I feel sick every time I think about him reading it, because it means I truly care about these characters and this story. I very much want them to have a life beyond the printed pages in a three-ring binder you see above.
An Invitation to Distraction
Now that Josie is out of my hands, my best cure for nausea is keeping busy in other ways. One thing I’m doing is buckling down on researching my next next novel (some of which is that pile of books pictured above). It’s a relief to know I have something else to work on and I’m excited about making room in my head for some new voices (does that sound too creepy?). I’m also binge-reading a bunch of novels I’ve had on my To-Be-Read pile, because most of the time I seem to only be able to find time to write OR read. I’ve been posting pictures of some of those books over on Instagram and Facebook and reviews over on Goodreads, if you’re curious. (Spoiler: I really loved Vengeance Road
I’m also gearing up for #BookClubFix, a new book club I’ve launched with two of my favorite book bloggers (wonderful friends I’ve made thanks to I Shall), Ellice and Leah. We’ve chosen our first book, The Violinist of Venice: A Story of Vivaldi
Meanwhile, I’ll be crossing my fingers a lot and wondering what 2016 has in store.
Here’s to the New Year, new books, and new ways to connect!
Erin
P.S. As always, if you’d like to reply to this email, it’ll go straight to my inbox. I’d love to hear if you plan to read The Violinist of Venice!
True Bits: Lemonade
Recently a reader asked me whether the lemonade that shows up twice in I Shall Be Near To You was historically accurate. The short answer is yes! The longer answer is a little more complicated.
The account of the soldiers being offered lemonade by citizens of Maryland as they marched toward Antietam comes straight out of Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam by Stephen W. Sears, the main source I relied on for my information about Antietam. In it, Major John M. Gould of the 10th Maine is quoted as having written in his diary, “The women and young ladies opened their doors and windows to give us bread and butter, meat, apples, peaches, and preserves!” Sears adds that, “There were washtubs of cold water and lemonade at front gates along the roadside…” That little tidbit became the inspiration for the scene in the novel. Interestingly, while working on the answer to this question, I did more research (better late than never!) and came across the Civil War diary of Private Charles C. Perkins, a bugler in the 1st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, written while he was on the Peninsula Campaign in June 1862. He recounts several purchases of lemons (at a price of two for 25 cents on one occasion and three for 17 cents on another) and sugar to make lemonade.
Now, the accuracy of the lemonade that Rosetta’s mama makes during haying is a bit more slippery. The honest answer is that I made it up. That said, according to The Land Where Lemons Grow: The story of Italy and its Citrus Fruit by Helena Atlee, by 1862 there were regular steamships transporting lemons from Italy to New York. Now, would any of those lemons actually made it out to Flat Creek? Well, with the canal nearby in Utica, it’s possible, and the nice thing about historical fiction is I can deal in possibilities. Would Rosetta’s family have spent the money to buy lemons? That seems less likely. I prefer to imagine that they might have had a lemon tree planted in a protected spot in the kitchen garden. It’s possible, right?
Who would ever have thought there was so much research behind such a simple detail like lemonade! It’s a perfect example of how, when writing historical fiction, you never know what you don’t know until you’re in the middle of a scene.
Sixth Newsletter: Digging in for Fall
I send out a monthly-ish newsletter (more like bi-monthly-ish). This is the the sixth one, sans photos that accompany it when it goes straight to your inbox (apparently copying them from the original newsletter is technologically beyond me). If you’d like to see the whole thing, pictures and all, sign up here!
Getting Busy
That’s the idea, anyway
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The Kid went back to preschool almost a month ago. There he is on the first day. You probably can’t read the sign, but I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up and he said, “I haven’t decided yet.” Then he added, “I’m going to have a LEGO stand with Paw Patrol toys and nerf guns.” And that, my friends, pretty much sums up this kid right now.
I had visions of the amazing productivity I’d have working in the parking lot during the three days I’m not working in The Kid’s classroom. For various reasons I haven’t made the lightning fast progress I thought I would. One factor is that I’ve been really trying to slow down and do the hard work on the manuscript. Sometimes I find myself rushing because I really want to be able to say “I’ve got a new draft!” but I ought to know by now that fixing the tricky stuff now means I’ll be so much closer to a draft I can’t wait to share.
An Invitation or Two
and: A Cry for Help!
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I have a couple events coming up that I’d love to invite you to take part in.
On Saturday, October 17, I’ll be reading as part of San Francisco’s LitQuake. If you’re in the city, I’d love to see you!
Then, on Tuesday, October 20 from 5:30-6:30 PM PST, I’ll be hosting another #HistoricalFix TwitterChat. It’s a great chance to add one million books (okay, maybe one hundred) to your “To-Read” list as historical fiction readers, bloggers, and authors come together to chit-chat about our favorite genre.
So now, the cry for help: My San Francisco reading will be in a bar and I’ve been told that in a bar it’s a good idea to read something funny… I’m stumped! What’s your favorite funny scene from I Shall Be Near To You?
Inspiration
Meeting a kindred spirit
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Back when I was drafting I Shall Be Near To You, my professor Rosemary Graham mentioned how much she thought I would enjoy Mary Volmer‘s work. I read Mary’s first novel Crown of Dust[” target=”_blank”>Crown of Dust and loved it. I’m convinced that if her protagonist Alex and Rosetta ever met, they’d have so much to discuss. When I finally got to meet Mary, it was one of those experiences where I felt as though I’d known her for ages, that’s how easy it was to talk to her (and I love medium and large talk so much better than small talk). In any case, I had a similar experience reading this interview with Mary. So much of what she says about why her second novel felt more difficult to write feels so very familiar. And I love this idea she mentions: “Richard Bausch says to ask yourself, ‘Have you worked today?’ And if the answer is, ‘Yes,’ then you have been productive.” What a deceptively simple question to encourage really digging in.
Plantings
(I can’t stop talking about seeds)
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Speaking of digging, there are our baby pumpkin plants, limping along. When The Kid and I pulled out the pumpkin seeds we’d saved last year to plant this year (a month too late for even Thanksgiving– I don’t know why I find it so hard to just put seeds in the ground! We’ll see if we get any pumpkins before the frost kills them), I discovered some hollyhock seeds my mom gave me last year. They’re from a historic home named Glenwood, built in 1877. I thought I’d planted them already, but turns out I hadn’t (see above re. actually planting seeds). Even though we’ve already sprinkled one million hollyhock seeds about the yard, I’m going to find a special spot for these (I swear it). I want to see how they might be different from the ones we already have. It’ll also be a nice homage to Josie, because Glenwood makes an appearance in the pages of the new novel. Isn’t it a gorgeous place? Ever since I was a kid, driving past on the way to 4-H
meetings and the tack shop, I’ve spent many a moment daydreaming over this place and its oak trees. I still want to live there.
Oh, and that reminds me. Do you want to plant some hollyhocks too? Fall (right before the first frost) is the perfect time. I still have TONS of seeds saved and I’d love to share them if you’d like them. Just reply to this email (it goes straight to my inbox) with your address and I’ll send them right over!
The days are getting shorter
(which I really don’t like)
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But here’s to my favorite parts of Fall– pumpkin pie, hot chocolate, and just recently, apple pie (which I made for research purposes, of course). If you need it, Mark Bittner’s pie crust recipe is the only one I’ve ever made that was actually worth the effort (every time!). For the record, I don’t have a food processor, and his best tip, which isn’t included in the link but is in How To Cook Everything Vegetarian: roll it out between two sheets of plastic wrap. Seriously, it’s like magic!
All my best,
Erin
Diverse Historical Reads
In case you missed it over on Paper Riot last month, here’s my guest post on Diverse Historical Reads, in honor of the first #HistoricalFix TwitterChat. You can join the fun for the next one, coming up in July– more details here.
