Where would you go if your convictions or your family’s roots endangered your life in your homeland?
What would you do if the people you counted on to give you refuge turned out to be as intolerant as the rulers of your native land?
A decade or two ago, these questions might have been relegated to distant history, but today they are top of mind for a shocking number of people in our world.
Find Me in the Stars, Jules Larimore’s second novel about 17th-century French Huguenots and their struggles, now takes on a new relevance in the 21st century:
• What would I have done facing the Huguenots’ predicament?
• How was their situation similar to one that people I care about, or even I, confront?
This is an adventure- and suspense-filled story of 17th-century Huguenots (French Protestants) driven into hiding or away from their remote homeland, the Cévennes region [once called Languedoc, now (since 2016) Occitànie] by religious persecution.
Their struggle to survive includes: • disagreements within their communities about the correct course of action • betrayal by supposed friends and supporters • above all, the enmity of France’s egomaniacal king, Louis XIV, who used his nation’s wealth, wars, tariffs and religious persecution to make himself the ultimate authoritarian, declaring “L’état c’est moi.” (I am the state).
Characters:
• Jehan BonDurant—protagonist, he was torn away from his Huguenot parents as age 7 and converted by Dominicans. Trained as an apothecary, he inherited his parents’ properties and the responsibility to administer them wisely.
• Amelia Auvrey—Jehan’s muse; a free-spirited holy woman and healer
Both Jehan and Amelia wrestle with the conflict between their idealistic and their very human selves. The author also places both in situations of great danger, making those scenes difficult to put down.
• Commandeur Timoleon—head of Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller Commandery, friend and ally to Amelia
• Menina Elise—wise woman, healer, midwife, and Amelia’s grandmother and mentor
• Abbé du Chaila—French Catholic Abbé of Chaila, merciless persecutor of Huguenots
• Pasteur Guillaume Barjon—Jehan’s maternal uncle, a strict Calvinist pastor and leader of a group of refugees in Aarau and Germany
• Charles Sieur de Sailly—French nobleman refugee in service of William III of England and Lord Galway as an agent to organize and recruit Huguenots for resettlement schemes
Strengths:
The author skillfully weaves fictional and real-life characters and events into an exciting story, setting it within a vivid background (topography, customs, architecture, clothing, food) that immerses readers in that time and place.
Weakness:
Although this novel can be read as a standalone, readers will more fully understand the backgrounds and relationship of Jehan and Amelia if they have read The Muse of Freedom, the first novel in The Cévenoles Sagas series.
Content review:
This novel includes references to violence by French dragonnades against Huguenots, threats of sexual violence against a woman, and an unmarried couple’s sexual encounter.
My recommendation:
Find Me in the Stars will appeal to readers who enjoy a suspenseful story grounded in history, with characters they can root for, as they reveal both their foibles and their strengths.
Reader, can you share a brief mention of a heroic character in your family’s past?
Keep reading for an interview with Jules Larimore, author of Find Me in the Stars!
Interview with author Jules Larimore:
What drew you to focus Find Me in the Stars on this particular moment and characters?
The period I write about in this novel chose me, actually. I’ve always had a love for the Middle Ages and Renaissance, yet felt a calling for over twenty years to write a story inspired by Jean Pierre Bondurant dit Cougoussac—my 8th great grandfather—a French Huguenot ancestor from a minor noble family. Jehan’s motivation to give up the estate he inherited and flee the country always intrigued me, and I knew there were many sides during this divisive period that needed to find a voice.
Once I dove into the research, I became utterly fascinated with this overlooked period in the late 17th century that led up to the Camisard War. I blended it with Cévenole magic lore into a coming-of-age story and family saga of courage, tenacity, and the power of love, hoping to transport the reader to this thrilling and obscure slice of French history.
How did you discover details of that time and place?
I began research for this series twenty-plus years ago shortly after I learned about my connection to Jean Pierre Bondurant. The first thing I did was to take a trip to Genolhac (Genouillac), France. It is important to me to embody the setting and culture first, to experience a place through its flora and fauna, geology and architecture, and to hear the voices of the people who lived during the era I am writing about, even before I do much other research.
I have returned to the Cévennes a few times in recent years and I was invited to visit, (even spending the night on my last visit) the old Bondurant maison de ville (townhouse) in Genolhac, whose owner shared a few secrets about the house and what transpired there. I have also spent much time in the Museé du Desert to learn about the tools, furnishings, clothing, weapons, and religious artifacts that were in use in the late 17th/ early 18th centuries. In addition, French Departmental archives became a primary method for research. One of my best sources has been Les lien de chercheurs Cévenols.
Did you discover surprises while researching this novel?
I did! Not to give away any spoilers, one was a secret element at Jean Pierre’s townhouse in Genolhac that aided his family in conducting clandestine Huguenot prayer meetings which were outlawed by Louis XIV. Hopefully readers will discover that when they read the first book in the Huguenot Trilogy, The Muse of Freedom.
Another surprise occurred after I connected with a distant French cousin who shared documents showing that Jean Pierre’s father had been imprisoned for a month in the Tour de Roi in Uzès.
How much did you have to deviate from history to create a satisfying story?
The timeline, locations, and the majority of characters are true to history. Although several characters are the creation of my imagination to bring a diverse, multi-layered experience to the story. But even the historical characters had to be used fictitiously, acknowledging that no one can ever entirely know the true story of bygone eras. So, I filled in gaps using extensive research on the history of the era and took my characters on journeys that seemed befitting based on my personal analysis and inspiration.
Since novels with a bit of romance seem to attract more readers I had intended to develop a fictional love interest for the character Jehan, but I didn’t know until I opened up to it that it would be a free-spirited, mystic holy woman. My research led me to discover that healers who practiced ancient healing techniques were common to the Cévennes Mountains.
What were the most challenging aspects of writing this novel?
Since most of the primary source documents and many of the scholarly papers I used for research are in other languages—French, German, Dutch—they had to be translated. If it were not for the translation programs now available, I’m not certain I could have completed enough research to have developed this novel properly.
And then there was also the editing process—one of the most challenging aspects of writing.
What did you enjoy about writing this novel?
The research is always my first love—traveling to the locales and studying the history. But I love the moments when I sit down with my laptop on my patio and let the characters speak to me. After the research, I can immerse myself in their world and channel their thoughts and feelings. That’s when it feels like magic.
What do you hope readers will take away after reading Find Me in the Stars?
The themes in Find Me in the Stars are very relevant to events happening in the world today—bigotry, authoritarianism, persecution—so the timing for it has been meaningful. Writing this novel gave me the opportunity to convey the positive qualities of courage, tenacity, and transcendent vision while the entire Huguenots trilogy contains overarching themes of love, compassion, and tolerance. I hope that after reading this novel, readers will have a new awareness for the Huguenot refugees and hold a place in their hearts for all people, past and present, who have struggled to escape persecution, oppression, violence, war, or poverty.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
I will be presenting this September at the Historical Novel Society conference in Devon, UK alongside two French historical authors, Keira Morgan and Michèle Callard. We are part of an authors’ collaborative who share history articles on France’s Splendid Centuries Facebook page. Our presentation is on “The Allure of French Historical Dramas on Screen and in Novels”.
As part of our presentation, we will be sharing the results of a survey running through March 25 asking “What do YOU like about France & Historical Fiction? We’d be happy to have your readers participate. It is short, only about 5 minutes, and it is anonymous. Anyone wanting the results can simply provide their contact info in the survey and we will send it to them after we compile the data. Here is the link for anyone who is interested.
Behind the marble statues, were Martha and George Washington truly the heroic figures revered in legends?
In honor of Mother’s Day (in the U.S.), we focus on Washington’s Lady, a novel about Martha Custis Washington, a woman who perhaps should be known as “Mother of our Country” (for the support she gave her husband, George Washington, commonly called “Father of our Country”).
“It is said that without George Washington, there would be no United States, but without Martha, there would be no George.” This quotation resembles the cliché, “behind every successful man is a woman,” but author Nancy Moser shows it’s true in the case of George and Martha. Moser offers examples of key moments when Martha’s support and wisdom enable George to carry on his life’s work of winning independence from England and building a new nation.
Washington’s Lady brings to life this famous couple and their era. This novel clearly shows the great sacrifices both Martha and George made in the struggle for independence from England, including separation for months at a time, and the emotional and financial costs to their family.
The author paints a vivid word portrait of Martha, beginning with her days as a young widow and mother, followed by the unfolding of her life with George and the years after his death.
Characters:
My take on Martha:
Initially, Martha didn’t evoke much sympathy from me, because of her wealth and expensive tastes.
Martha’s coddling of herson, Jacky, contrasts with her strict treatmentof her daughter, Patsy. This emerges as her major flaw in this story. Jacky’s portrayal as a spoiled child made me hope he would mature and change. The consequences of his upbringing become clear as time passes.
As the story progresses, Martha matures through her struggles, dealing with difficult family members, deaths of many loved ones, and her restricted position as a woman of her time.
Ultimately, Martha’s character shines, especially as George’s partner and helpmate, sacrificing 16 years of life together at Mount Vernon with her beloved husband for the cause of independence and the new nation.
George’s character is more realistic and human than in legends, but he still comes across as an amazingly high-mindedfigure whose sense of duty and honor evokes admiration.
Strengths:
This novel tells an engaging story, humanizing both Martha and George, and provides insights into the couple’s personalities, spirituality, family members, and the course of the American Revolution.
Weakness:
In this era, the lack of complete written records about some characters and events can leave mysteries in the minds of readers (not the author’s fault, though).
Content review:
Washington’s Lady contains descriptions of wartime injuries, and it doesn’t shy away from revealing characters’ flaws and misdeeds, but bedroom doors remain closed.
Recommendation:
I recommend the well-crafted Washington’s Lady to readers who, like me, enjoy a vicarious journey through individuals’ lives and historic events, seen through the eyes of participants.
Keep reading for a brief interview with Nancy Moser, the author of Washington’s Lady!
Reader, can you recommend a great historical novel about a mother?
Happy Mother’s Day to you if you’re a mother! May we all reflect on the contributions our mothers or mother-figures have made to our lives!
Washington’s Lady, by Nancy Moser
AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH NANCY MOSER:
What drew you to Martha Custis Washington as the protagonist for a novel?
My husband and I took a trip to Williamsburg and Mt. Vernon. Walking around in that atmosphere, seeing the workers in costume . . . it really made me want to write about that time period. I’ve always been patriotic and I’ve always been impressed with the risks the first colonists were faced with. The choices. Freedom is the bedrock of our country, so finding out about the men and women who created that freedom was enticing.
I chose Martha instead of George because I was writing a Women of History series (shameless plug here: I started out with Mozart’s Sister about Nannerl Mozart, then went on to write Just Jane about Jane Austen, and How Do I Love Thee about Elizabeth Barrett Browning.) I was looking for honorable women to write about. Martha fits that bill. People know about George, but little about her. Plus, she’s always depicted as this petite, rather frumpy in-the-shadows woman. That’s not the kind of woman George would be attracted to. So I set the record straight.
You mentioned that Martha burned her correspondence with George. Without these letters, what research sources enabled you to create such a complete portrait of their relationship and life together?
I found a dozen history books about the Washingtons, the war, and the colonists. The people in those books shared the common attributes of courage and purpose. My own relatives fought in that war. When I write I always put myself in the shoes of the characters. I feel what they feel. Knowing the history and feeling all the emotions they must have felt . . . it helped me bring Martha to life.
Here are a few of the books I mentioned in the Fact or Fiction at the back of the book: The General and Mrs. Washington by Bruce Chadwick, Martha Washington: First Lady of Liberty by Helen Bryan, Martha Washington by Patricia Brady, and The Unexpected George Washington: His Private Life by Harlow Giles Unger.
What was your biggest surprise in researching this story?
How much George and Martha had to be apart. All those winters. All those years where she was left alone at Mt. Vernon. That, added to all the personal losses she endured . . . she had to buck it up and play the very difficult hand she’d been dealt. She didn’t have a choice. She couldn’t call a therapist, read a self-help book, arrange for grocery delivery, or even call George. She had to depend on herself and her God. It made me wonder if I would be so strong.
When you write about real people from the past, how much do you need to alter their life details to make their stories work as novels?
That depends. Many times there are conflicting historical details. As I mentioned in the Fact or Fiction section, during such times I had to make a choice of which version to believe. And of course, there’s the huge issue of what they said because much of what I write is dialogue. That’s where I had to make it up. Yet since I knew the history I could write logical conversations that would lead the story in that direction. How I’d love to talk to Martha and George today. They would be in awe of what their country has become, but they’d also be appalled. We need to regain our courage to fight for what is right and good. We have the potential. Every day I pray that our country taps into its strong, indomitable roots.
What were the most challenging aspects of writing this novel?
The research! I’m more of a seat-of-the-pants writer. I take a basic idea, cast the story, then let the characters take over. I’m usually surprised by the ending! But with these women of history I felt a huge responsibility to portray their lives as correctly as I could manage. I wanted to honor them while I showed the world their strengths and weaknesses, their triumphs and mistakes, their doubts and faith, and their sheer gumption to do the best they could. I was their voice.
I have a plaque in my office that says, “Well behaved women rarely make history.” Unfortunately, that’s true. It was hard to find honorable women to write about because the ones who are listed in history books (that would have name recognition to readers) are the ones who bucked the system in ways that were often scandalous. My ladies were women of good character and strong faith. I was honored to write about them.
What did you enjoy about writing this novel?
I grew to really like Martha. I got her. Sometimes for fun I think about having Martha in the car with me as I do errands. All the things I’d show her as I wore jeans and comfy shoes, as I put on my sunglasses. No corsets or petticoats in sight! She’d marvel at the paved roads and traffic lights; the cars with air conditioning, cup holders, massaging seats, and music (or movies!); the grocery stores with hundreds of thousands of things to choose from. Then we’d go home and put the food away in the fridge and freezer, and I’d make her some lasagna or enchiladas, defrosting the meat in the microwave. Then we’d watch this miraculous thing called a television while I emailed a friend on the other side of the world. I’d send them a selfie of Martha and me . . . Wouldn’t that be fun?
What would you like readers to take away from reading Washington’s Lady?
The sacrifice of the colonists who fought for us. They had no idea if their ideas would work, if they would be victorious or hanged as a traitor, but they fought anyway. We’re all comfy in our lives right now. We can get involved or choose to let someone else do it. Each of us needs to dig deep and find our own courage to sacrifice and risk and strive to make things better.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
The common thread in all my forty-some novels is that God has given each of us a unique purpose. The trick is to find out what it is. Seek God, discover your purpose, and the rest will fall into place.
Thank you, Nancy Moser, for sharing your writing process for Washington’s Lady!
Bethia,a sympathetic young girl with old-fashioned beliefs?
or
Will,her obnoxious brother who sacrifices everything (including the well-being of his family and town) for his new faith?
Fortunately, you don’t have to make that choice when you read In The Castilians, the first novel in VEH Masters’ series, The Seton Chronicles. Both characters play major roles in this novel based on the dramatic siege of St. Andrews Castle, Scotland, in 1546.
The author tells a suspenseful story, keeping readers engaged as they observe how members of the same family and their neighbors respond very differently to the Protestant Reformation. Family divisions result, and even the siege of the town’s castle.
Masters vividly describes the dilemmas of the main characters, and I couldn’t put this novel down as I worried about their fates.
Both become trapped:
Bethia can’t escape the restricted, vulnerable life of women of her era
Will suffers through the siege of the castle because of his strong convictions
I appreciated the balanced treatment of Protestant and Catholic characters—neither were vilified because of their religious beliefs— and I was fascinated to learn that John Knox, the Scottish reformer, actually played a role in this story. In addition, the period details brought the story to life, but didn’t overwhelm me.
Initially, I struggled to glean the meaning of a few Scottish words from their context, but the glossary (near the end of the ebook), solved the problem.
(Content rating: no nudity, some fight scene violence, one scene of attempted sexual violence)
My recommendation:
I highly recommendThe Castilians to readers who enjoy strong characters, mild romance, and an exciting story that immerses you in a key era of Scotland’s history. (By the way, this novel is on sale on Amazon Kindle this week!)
Readers, have you enjoyed other novels about Scottish history? Please share them!
I’m pleased to feature the author of The Castilians, VEH Masters, who answers questions about this novel and her writing process.
Keep reading for the inside story!
My own writing news:
I’m revising the draft of my latest historical novel, (working title is Lucia’s Odyssey; it’s the sequel to Lucia’s Renaissance). I hope to publish it later this year.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH VEH MASTERS:
What drew you to focus your novel on this moment and event in the history of St. Andrews?
I grew up on a farm just outside St Andrews, Scotland, and went to school in the town. It’s a very dramatic place – you can’t miss the ruins of the cathedral – but the castle is tucked away in a corner so I wasn’t really aware of it. Our history teacher, Miss Grubb, took us a visit when I was twelve.
I was fascinated to learn about the siege of 1546 especially when we crept down the siege tunnel dug then and peered into the bottle dungeon where the murdered cardinal’s body is said to have been kept, pickled in salt. And when I heard that the men who took the castle by force and held it for over 14 months against all comers called themselves the Castilians I remember feeling this shiver of excitement and thinking, that’s a perfect title for a book.
How did you discover details of that time and place?
Lots and lots and lots of research. It helped that I could visit the town regularly and use the university library. I was sure someone must have written a book on the history of the siege as it’s quite an important moment in Scottish history of the 1500s – but I guess we have so many important moments historians are spoilt for choice. So I had to piece together what happened. I kept delving back into source books to understand why they did what they did; there were so many different layers to the story and I really wanted to get it right.
Did you discover surprises while researching this novel?
Plenty of surprises…
I hadn’t understood how down the middle of events King Henry VIII of England was, as he tried to bludgeon Scotland into accepting a marriage between the infant Mary Queen of Scots and his son Prince Edward. The men holding the castle were supporting Henry – many of them receiving pensions from him. He called them his assured Scots (the phrase makes my blood boil!).
And the Earl of Arran who led the government troops trying to get the Castilians out was nicknamed Whiffle-Whaffle…because he could never make up his mind.
And then there are lovely wee details such as Cardinal Beaton travelling with his four-poster bed (and much other baggage) wherever he went.
How much did you have to deviate from history to create a satisfying story?
I followed the historical events faithfully. Of course, I had to imagine what it would’ve been like for my characters, Bethia living in the town while the siege was going on, and her brother Will in the castle for 14 months and how stinking the castle would be and short of food. I had great fun with some scenes such as when the Castilians are excommunicated by the Pope – it was referred to as the Great Cursing.
What were the most challenging aspects of writing this novel?
Making sure I didn’t make some error with the events. St Andrews is a university town and I kept imagining some academic picking it up and tossing it away in disgust. I was fortunate that Dr Bess Rhodes, whose period this is, read the book and joined my online launch.
What did you enjoy about writing this novel?
I had to be very self disciplined to get it written. The best moment was when I held the finished print book in my hand. I love it when readers write to me about the book – and some even made suggestions which I incorporated into the next in sequel. And that first 5 star review, from a generous American reviewer, prepared to look at an unknown writer’s work, was magical.
What do you hope readers will take away after reading The Castilians?
I hope most of all that people will find it a cracking good read, be immersed in the story and cheering for Bethia and Will.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
I set out to write one book but when I finished it more than one person asked me what’s happens next to Bethia and Will…so thesequel The Conversos is out now, and third in series will be released later this year. All thanks to Miss Grubb and her history lesson!
PS I love a good blether with my readers so please do get in touch.
PPs There are Book Group Questions for The Castilians and The Conversos available to download from my website https://vehmasters.com/
Thank you, VEH Masters, for sharing your writing journey with us!
As a reader and a writer, stories of courage and heroism inspire me. I love to spotlight them here, too, each time in a unique time and place. This time, the focus is on Italy’s Resistance in World War II .
Today, I briefly review Courage, My Love, a recent novel set in Italy in the World War II era.
Keep reading for my interview with the author, Kristin Beck.
Imagine living in a time when your every action could have fatal consequences (as for members of in Italy’s Resistance in World War II).
Courage, My Love takes readers on a suspenseful journey, immersing them in the lives of two female partisans in Rome:
Francesca–her leg is crippled by polio, but she won’t let it deter her work for Italy’s liberation
Lucia–the daughter of German immigrants, but she shares and acts on her husband’s ideals in opposing the Fascists and Nazis.
At great risk, both women struggle to free Italy from the control of the Nazis. I worried the Nazis would catch, torture, and execute the protagonists, and I had trouble putting down this novel.
The author seamlessly weaves history, local geography, and period details into a compelling story of courage and sacrifice in the midst of the misery and deprivation of life in an occupied city (and nation).
I especially enjoyed observing the transformation of normal people. They had to choose a side—obey their Nazi occupiers or resist them and risk death—even as familiar landmarks become sites of violence and clear warnings against opposing the Nazis.
Although I knew some basic details of this historical setting, Courage, My Love brought this period to life vividly. I recommend this book to readers who aren’t put off by descriptions of torture and violence within the context of an engaging and heroic story.
Suspense, heroism, a great historic setting—a riveting combination in Courage, My Love!
If you’re a history-lover who’d like to learn more about Rome and organized resistance to Nazis in World War II, here are a few non-fiction books:
The Vatican Pimpernel, by Brian Fleming, about Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, an Irish Vatican official who, at great risk to himself, played a major role in creating and operating the Rome Escape Organization. This group saved over 6,500 people (escaped prisoners of war as well as civilians, including Jews, who were hiding from the Nazis and Fascists) in and around Rome during World War II.
Q: What drew you to focus your novel especially on female partisans in late World War II Rome?
Kristin Beck: As a history nerd, I find myself falling down various rabbit holes all the time, and I tend to do a lot of research about subjects just to satisfy my own curiosity. One day, I stumbled upon an article about female partisans in Italy, and it led me to search for more information. Because I lived in Italy when I was younger, I was especially interested in this bit of history, and I quickly knew that it would lead to a book.
Q: How did you research details of that time and place?
KB: Lots of reading! I was lucky in the sense that I’ve lived in Italy and know Rome well, so it felt natural to develop that setting in my work. For historical details, I relied on a huge stack of books, memoirs, diaries, and historical documents.
Q: Did you discover surprises while researching this novel?
KB: Absolutely! In some ways, surprises happen constantly during research, because there are always fascinating stories and characters tucked into history. One that appears in the book, that was a true story from WWII Rome, is what happened at the Fatebenefratelli hospital. They really did create a fictitious disease, called “Syndrome K,” to scare the Germans away. I loved reading about that.
Q: How much did you have to deviate from history to create a satisfying story?
KB: Not much, actually. This story uses fictional characters, which allowed me to create a satisfying plot and story. However, I tried very hard to place those fictional characters within an accurate depiction of 1943/44 Rome. As a result, many of the tiniest details are correct – I even researched the weather on particular days!
Q: What were the most challenging aspects of writing this novel?
KB: With any historical novel, it can be a challenge to align the plot and character arcs with the historical record. As mentioned, accuracy was very important to me regarding this book, so it was a bit of a juggling act at times to develop two point-of-view characters, the plot, and maintain historical accuracy. I do enjoy the challenge, however!
Q: What did you enjoy about writing this novel?
KB: As mentioned in the previous question, I really enjoy almost every aspect of writing, even the challenging parts. Sometimes a book feels like a big puzzle, and I love seeing it come slowly together, piece by piece.
Q: What do you hope readers will take away after reading Courage, My Love?
KB: Like the characters in my novel, we currently find ourselves living through dark and uncertain times. I hope that readers will be inspired by the courage and resilience of Francesca and Lucia, who represent so many real people who lived and prevailed despite unthinkable circumstances. If my novel can give people some hope, I will be very happy.
Thank you, Kristin, for sharing your research and writing process with us!
November is the month of Thanksgiving in the U.S., when Americans remember Native Americans with gratitude for their assistance to new immigrants, which helped them survive difficult times in a new land in the early 1600s.
Over the next few centuries, the roles of these two groups were reversed— immigrants’ lives stabilized or even prospered while Native Americans struggled to survive, often in new places not of their own choosing. Each group presented a challenge to the other, but courageous individuals in each group helped the other in time of need (as shown in the novel discussed below).
From this background comes a new historical novel, The Healing of Natalie Curtis. I’m privileged to feature a short interview with the author, Jane Kirkpatrick, who weaves the historical details of this late 19th-century woman’s life with fictional elements into a fascinating true-to-life novel.
Natalie, the protagonist, an actual historical character, grows up on the East Coast devoting her life to musical performance, with little knowledge of life (particularly for Native Americans)in the American West. Her sudden loss of confidence and her future as a professional musician leave her devastated for years. Then she discovers with her own eyes the realities of life for Native Americans (around the time of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency).
The two themes of this novel—Natalie’s healing and her crusade for improvement of conditions for the first (Native) Americans—animate a story of courageous adventure that’s also a tapestry rich in period details. I strongly recommend The Healing of Natalie Curtisto readers who enjoy not just entertainment, but inspiration and heroism. (I would rate this novel as mild, in terms of heat, violence, and profanity.)
Readers, may we find much to be grateful for in this season, and someone to help in their time of need!
Author interview with Jane Kirkpatrick:
Q: Natalie Curtis isn’t well-known to most Americans. How did you find out about her, and what inspired you to write The Healing of Natalie Curtis?
Jane Kirkpatrick: I had the privilege of hearing Lesley Polling-Kemps speak about her book Ladies of the Canyon at a Women Writing the West conference in New Mexico ten years ago. Natalie was one of those ladies and I was intrigued so sought more information about her. We shared a life having spent years living within a Native culture and that interested me.
Q: As you read and learned more about Natalie, what particularly captivated you about her?
JK: There is always an “unanswered question” for me that drives me in a story. This one was “How did this white woman manage to record Indian songs, get President Roosevelt to hear her concerns and challenge a terrible law.”
Q: Your novels frequently feature main characters from outside the cultural mainstream. What kinds of sources do you consult to gain understanding about their lives and perspectives?
JK: I scour ancestry records, try to meet descendants I can interview to hear family stories. I look at other things they might have written (or made speeches about), visit libraries which might hold obscure materials, speak with historical society people, read books about the time periods and read books my characters might have read. I look at maps of the time, have spent time in the basements of courthouses evaluating property records, read essays about a landscape that’s relevant. I research “work” a character might have done. If I can find articles written by hunters and fishermen living at that historical time, I feel like I’ve found gold because those folks are very detail oriented. In a story about a Florida woman (Mystic Sweet Communion) I found a book titled “My 50 Years of Hunting the Everglades.” Oh my, such great information for someone who never lived in Florida! I also look at You Tube videos of a place, visit if I can, check out the history of little towns my character might have visited. I’m weaving threads of landscapes, relationships, spiritual and work.
Q: What was your biggest surprise in researching this story?
JK: It may sound obscure, but I loved hearing that her brother George wanted to write a book—and that he did, under a pen name. I was able to buy a copy. It’s lovely. Titled “The Wooing of a Recluse.” Otherwise, it was discovering that the Indian Rights movement was so active during that time. And of course the horror of the Code of Indian Offenses and reading actual Indian Agent reports.
Q: When you’re writing about real people from the past, how much do you need to alter their life details to make their stories work as novels?
JK: A biography tells us what a person did and when they did it. A novel looks at why they might have done what they did and how they might have felt. I stay close to the facts of what and when and take literary license for the why and feelings a character might have expressed. The motivation and the feelings still have to be presented in ways that the reader will believe that “yes, it could have happened that way.” So it’s a challenge but I don’t alter the facts very much. I also have to decide what facts to leave out so a reader won’t fall asleep.
Q: What were the most challenging aspects of writing this novel?
JK: The travel/place issues. Natalie and George traveled to so many reservations and to New York and to the ranch in Arizona George had worked on and to Pasadena to Indian Activist folk and then to Washington D.C. and by train to the World Fair in St. Louis, etc. It made my head spin! So I had to try to identify what was critical about which place she visited and how that experience moved the story forward without readers feeling like they were part of the Travel Channel!
Q: As a native of the western U.S., I’m fascinated that many of your novels are set in places I’ve lived or traveled through. How did you find this focus in your writing?
JK: I always love Oregon Trail stories and was drawn to the West after my sister moved to Oregon in 1960. My parents drove from Wisconsin to Oregon every Christmas to visit her. That’s how I spent Christmas vacation for four years! Eventually I came west during the summer and knew I wanted to come back, which I did in 1974. I’m a product of all the Oregon Trail stories and pioneering challenges I read about (and later experienced with my husband). I took strength from reading about historical women in particular and didn’t want their stories to be forgotten. Hence (I love that word!) my life in historical women’s stories.
Q: What would you like readers to take away after reading The Healing of Natalie Curtis?
JK: That they might pay attention to the power of following your heart and the importance of listening to the stories of others and our own stories.
Thank you, Jane, for sharing about your story and writing process!
At this time of the year, the name of Christopher Columbus inevitably comes up.
Many disputes have arisen about his legacy for America, but what about his impact on Spain?
Spain struck it rich, thanks to silver from the New World, and Columbus became a hero—doesn’t that sound like the recipe for that nation’s promising future?
If you travel to Spain, you’ll likely see many ornate buildings decorated with silver from the New World—signs of Spain’s vast wealth in the 16th century.
But Spain’s wealth and prestige didn’t last long. Why not?
Wars and revolts:
1568 revolt began in Netherlands
1570s Morisco (Moors) rebellion in Spain’s Andalusia province
Decades-long wars with France and Spain
Silver imports led to inflation and a price revolution
Bankruptcy (multiple times)
Eventual decline in silver imported from America
Bubonic plague in 1599 killed 500,00 people (1/10th of Spain’s population)
Aristocrats disdained trade as work for converted Jews or Muslims; the only honorable pursuits were leisure or a career in the church or as an educator
Exports of Merino wool couldn’t compete with cloth from England or the Netherlands
A new time-split historical novel, The Lines Between Us, is set in 17th-century Spain, after the glory days, andin the contemporary U.S. Its plot and characters intrigued me and increased my knowledge of Spain’s history. (Note to readers: the Spanish honor code is a central plot theme, including a family’s response to an act of sexual violence.)
I had the pleasure of asking the author, Rebecca d’Harlingue, about her novel and how she wrote it. Enjoy the interview that follows!
Readers, what interesting facts can you share about Spain’s history?
Author Interview with Rebecca d’Harlingue:
What led you to seventeenth-century Spain as the main setting for The Lines Between Us?
I had studied the literature of the period in some of my graduate school classes in Spanish literature. In the “honor plays” of the era, if there was a sexual transgression involving a woman in a man’s family, even if it was against her will, one option to “cleansing the stain” was to kill the woman. I wanted to explore what alternatives a young woman in this situation might have.
Was there a triggering event that prompted you to begin writing?
There wasn’t really a triggering event. I just wanted to see if I could successfully write a novel.
Where did you discover the details of life in this time?
I used books and articles, and also the Internet. One book that was particularly helpful was Daily Life in Spain in the Golden Age. I also read books on the politics of the period, the Inquisition, and many others. The plays of the period also played a large part in the book.
Were there points in your writing when you couldn’t find information you thought was critical to the story’s progress? If so, what did you do?
One of my characters writes in his diary his thoughts about the New World. It was difficult to find information about what new books about that topic might have been available during the middle of the seventeenth century. I was able to find more information from books printed earlier, and so I used those, noting in the diary when the books were printed.
Did you discover any surprises while researching this novel?
One thing I found out was that women, even from the upper classes, would often sit on the floor on cushions, or on a very low bench. It can’t have been easy to do in those clothes!
What were the most challenging aspects of writing this novel?
The most challenging thing was to weave together the narration from two different time periods, along with diaries and letters. I wanted to make sure that the reader could follow along, and not feel disoriented when going from one period to another.
What did you enjoy about writing this novel?
I enjoyed imagining what life would have been like for my characters, especially what strategies women used to function within the constraints of their time period.
What do you hope readers will take away after reading The Lines Between Us?
I hope that people will see the resilience of women over time, and that they will find inspiration in that.
Thank you, Rebecca, for your insights into this story and your writing process!
