Editor

Finally! ????

Now that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel on Adam Fletcher Adventure Book 7: Into the Backcountry, I can finally report the expected launch time!

I fully expect the book to be available SUMMER 2021.

It may be mid-Spring, but that will be determined by the schedule of my new copyeditor.

What will it be about?

I ended up not departing too far from what I had originally planned to do, although I did scrap some story elements that were just frustrating me too much.

That means in Book 7, Adam will be traveling into the colony™s interior to seek a man on behalf of his grandfather. As you might expect, he gets into trouble here and there along the way, but he™s determined to see it through to his destination and make it back home in one piece.

After all, now he has a young lady anxiously awaiting his return.

Stay tuned, friends!

While researching The Stolen Bride, the forthcoming installment in the Adam Fletcher Adventure Series, I’ve spent some time researching the history of the Great Dismal Swamp.

I was curious about a few things:

• When and how did it get its name?
• What was it like in the colonial era?
• Would travelers have been able to traverse the swamp, or would the inhospitable conditions make it necessary to skirt around the place?

I’ve learned quite a bit about it, but one of the most interesting things is a letter that I found in the Colonial Records of North Carolina that was written by William Byrd II, who is one of the most well-documented planters from the colonial era. He’s known for founding the City of Richmond (between 1737-1742), but a decade earlier, in 1728, he surveyed the border between North Carolina and Virginia. (His findings were reported in The History of the Dividing Line betwixt Virginia and North Carolina, Run in the Year of Our Lord 1728.)

Byrd was Virginia’s version of Edward Moseley (the Surveyor General who came after John Lawson in North Carolina, famous for the Moseley Map of 1733).

Being thus appointed, we sat out on the 27th of February 1727/8 to Corotuck Inlet, where we met the Commissioners on the part of North Carolina and having concerted the place of beginning the allowance to be made for the variation and other necessary Preliminarys we entered on the Business the 27th of March following. T’is not easy to conceive, My Lords how much difficulty and fatigue we encountered in the low marshy grounds that lay near the sea, our course being right forward, thrō thick and thin and leading often through swamps and miry places not practicable for horses for many miles together. Our way lay through the widest part of the Dismal which is a dreadful swamp of vast extent not less than 30 miles long and 15 in breadth. No humane creature ever had the Resolution to pass over this inhospitable Bogg before, and we found it so intolerable that I believe no man will ever be so hardy as to pass it again Your Lordships will incline to the same Opinion when I assure you that with the utmost diligence we cou’d use it took us up full ten days to mark and measure that small distance. However we had patience enough to overcome this and all other difficulties that stood in our way. We carried on the business with very great alacrity and success til the begining of April when the weather grew warm enough to give life and vigour to the Rattlesnakes. This obliged us to discontinue our work til the return of the cool season, which could not happen til September

Accordingly we met again on the 20th of that month at the place where we had left off and pursued the line with all the Industry we were able.

And now My Lords for variety we had quite different hardships to undergo, which were however as discouraging as those in our former Expedition. Great part of our journey lay through wild woods without path and without any Inhabitants except only Panthers, Bears, Wolves and other savage beasts. In many places we were forced to scuffle through Thickets so intolerable that it was as much as our hands cou’d do to save our Eyes in our heads. At other times our line carried us over steep hills & stony Precipices to the no small hazzard of our Necks. Nor was this all our danger but we were constrained to ford very often over unknown Rivers, where the stream was rapid, and the Bottome paved with Rocks as slippery as glass so that t’was hardly possible for horses to keep their feet. Foreseeing the difficulty of these ways for Baggage horses we carried no provisions with us but Biscuit, depending entirely on Providence for other subsistance. Our lodging was in the open air, and our Drink water: but what was worse than all the rest by the time we approached the mountains our horses were so jaded that we were obliged to walk great part of the way home on foot and that in Boots for fear of Bushes and vermine. However we bore up against all these Inconveniences not only with constancy but cheerfulness determining that nothing should discourage us from obeying his Majestys order in the fullest extent. And we endured it all with the more Patience because our endeavours were blest with very uncommon success. We had no Distemper no Disaster of any consequence befell any of the Company during the whole time, and we brought all the people back in better health than when they went out Nay for 16 weeks no man that was with us ever wanted a meals meat so bountifully did Providence supply us day by day in the barren Wilderness. Our Governor has had the honor to write to your Lordships upon this subject and to transmit the Map and the Journal of our Proceedings by which you will be the better able to judge of the service we performed and of the Fatigue we underwent. But as this has happened by his Majesty’s special direction he is unwilling to determine what pay we ought to have, but desires to be directed by your Lordships both as to the Quantum and by which of our 2 Revenues this Charge ought to be defrayed whether by that of the Quitrents or by that of the Two shillings per Hogs head?

As to the first of these Questions, how much the Commissioners ought to have for the trouble and expence of this Expedition your Lordships have a Precedent to go by which we humbly hope will guide your Opinions in this case. In the year 1710 two Commissioners Phillip Ludwell and Nathaniel Harrison Esqrs were appointed by our Governor and Council to do this very Business. These Gentlemen went to Corotuck Inlet in order to begin from thence: but not being able to agree with the Commissioners of North Carolina they returned without performing any thing. However they having been out 4 weeks and it not being their fault that nothing was done they were paid by an order from England one hundred pounds sterling each. Now if those Commissioners were allowed £100 for 4 weeks without enduring any hardship or doing any service I humbly submit it to your Lordships how much we ought to have, who were 16 weeks out, underwent all manner of fatigue and performed the Business faithfully & effectually which we had the honour to be imployed upon. The surveyors likewise hope they may be considered in the same proportion that the former surveyors were, namely 20 shillings a day which I think they deserve for the great fidelity & exactness with which they discharged their duty. And our Chaplain Mr Peter Fontain hopes he may have as much as the surveyors, having been very diligent in his Function & having christened above an hundred children among the Gentiles of North Carolina.

Then my Lords as to the second Question out of which Revenue this money ought to be paid I humbly conceive your Lordship will think it most reasonable that it be paid out of the Revenue of 2 shillings per Hogshead since that was given to defray both the constant and accidental charges of this Government. And the rather because this Fund is now in very good condition having several Thousand Pounds in Bank and in no danger of being deficient. Indeed formerly when this Revenue happened to fall in arrear (which was the case when the Payment was ordered to the Commissioners above mentioned) such services have been defrayed out of the Revenue of Quitrent. But at present the case is quite otherwise and there is a large summ in Bank of the Two shillings per Hogshead and consequently the present charge may be more naturally born by that Revenue and the rather because the Quitrents have lately been reserved for more important services.

This my Lord is a faithfull state of our case nor can I imagin that our Pretentions can be at all prejudiced by the purchase that has been since made of Carolina by the Crown Since what we did was by his Majesty’s express commands. And notwithstanding such Purchase this work will still prove very advantagious to the Publick by discovering a fine Country which will soon be taken up as far as the great mountains whereby the strong Barrier will be secured to his Majesty’s subjects. Besides our line will remain a lasting Boundary between the 2 Colonys which can never conveniently be united into one Government.

And now I ought to ask your Lordships ten Thousand Pardons for giveing so long an interruption to your attention to the Publick service. But as I could not make my case shorter without prejudicing the Justice of it I hope you will be pleased to excuse me, and to believe that I am with all the Respect in the World

My Lords Your Lordships most obedient humble servant

W. BYRD.

An Adam Fletcher Adventure novella just in time for the holidays!

This is a quick, fun read for this special time of year. It will hopefully be a welcome side trip after the intense adventure of The Stolen Bride.

I fully anticipate the next book in the series (the as-of-yet-untitled book 7!) to be action-packed, so just know that it’s coming sometime in 2019, Lord willing!

One more thing before I forget: Christmas in Beaufort has some special bonus content, including Colonial American Christmas Recipes, complete with commentary by the author (and one contemporary recipe for Layered Coconut Cake), and some Colonial American Christmas trivia. I’ve also included an excerpt in the very back of the book from the real Christmas story, just because it makes me happy. ????

Order your copy via the links below.

Amazon
B&N
iBooks
Google  Play
Kobo

To get the print version before Christmas, I recommend ordering directly from Amazon.com ($7.98 USD). Other booksellers will likely be able to order the book, but it may not come in before Christmas.

(For Adam Fletcher readers around the globe, I don’t have the links yet to order the print book from your own country’s Amazon, but it should be available any day now so check your site throughout the week.)

I get asked a lot of questions about the Adam Fletcher books, as well as myself, as an author, and history, and all sorts of things ” and some of them I get often ” so I figured I’d go through and try to put as many as I can in one place.

How many novels are you planning to write in the Adam Fletcher Adventure Series?

I’m not sure, to be honest. Once upon a time I thought it would be seven. Seven is a nice, complete-feeling number, but now that I’m working on book 6, I know that there’s no way I can wrap up the various story arcs I had in mind in just one more book.

Maybe 12? Who knows?

Are you going to be killing off anybody important?

I’ve thought about it. I’ve actually thought about saying goodbye to a couple of major characters, but as it is right now, I’m not sure. Or maybe I’m just not willing to say one way or another. I guess you’ll just have to read through the series to know for sure.

Are the things that happen in the books based on true stories? 

Hmm… not exactly. While the Adam Fletcher stories are often inspired by things that I happen to know about 18th century North Carolina, the only things in the book based on real life versus fiction is when I refer to actual historical characters, like Blackbeard, for instance.

What’s the deal with you and pirates? You seem to be really into them.  

Well, to be fair, I’m not into all pirates. I’m mostly just into the history surrounding Blackbeard and other pirates with a connection to eastern North Carolina. My fascination with it springs out of the fact that I know that so many of Blackbeard’s men were actually from North Carolina and they had real families and they left records behind so we know who they are. You never hear about that when you hear the fictional Blackbeard stories. For instance, not many people know that one of Blackbeard’s men, Edward Salter, after leaving his life of piracy behind him, raised a family and was one of the founding members of St. Thomas Church in Bath ” the oldest surviving church in North Carolina.

Also, I think Blackbeard and his men have gotten a bad rap. Evidence points to the fact that they weren’t nearly as bloodthirsty and violent as they are reputed to be and some of their most infamous actions seem to have been done for the benefit of the struggling colony of North Carolina ” their home.

I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I don’t know what to write. How do you come up with your stories? 

Well, I think anyone who wants to be a writer has some basic thoughts about a story they want to tell ” even if it’s just an idea for one or two interesting characters, or maybe a particular genre, or time in history (or the future), or setting.

In my case, the initial idea for the Adam Fletcher series came from my fascination with the apprenticeship system in colonial North Carolina. I learned about one of my own ancestors who became an apprentice at 16, but then dealt with an abusive master. (Not very unlike the story Boaz recounts to Adam in The Smuggler’s Gambit.) I saw how in spite of my ancestor’s humble origins, he still ended up doing quite well for himself. It was a story that was begging to be told, but I realized that I shouldn’t limit myself by just turning it into a biography of my ancestor, but instead, I would make it about a fictional apprentice facing challenges head-on and overcoming all sorts of circumstances to eventually find his place in the world. That’s how Adam Fletcher came to be.

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

Well, my first tip is to just write the book. Don’t spend years and years and years on it, because at that point you’ve made it into this big impossible thing that will never be as perfect as you want it to be. Just write the story, hire a good editor, and publish it.

I’m not a fan of the traditional publishing industry, but that would be because I’ve always been a bit of an independent spirit, myself. I don’t like having to seek permission from anyone to write what I want to write. That said, I can offer you no advice about getting agents or securing a contract with a traditional publisher.

On the other hand, if you want to get busy with the nuts and bolts of your story, I have a whole section on my author blog dedicated to advice on everything from how you can use index cards to plan out your story to, how not to get bogged down by editing as you write, to what kind of software I like to use and why. You can see everything here.

Do you outline your novels or do you just start writing and let things happen naturally?

I start out with index cards, then I outline, but I’m not too detailed about it. I’ve found if I try to outline everything, I end up feeling like I’ve painted myself into a corner. On the other hand, by outlining major plot points and key events, it frees me up to create transitions as I need to throughout the story. Learn more about my process here.

It bothers me that you’re a woman and yet you make the hero of your books a young man. Why would you do that? 

I love this question. My answer is likely going to be controversial, but oh well. It is what it is. Skip to the end if you want to hear about the protagonist for my next series.

I’m glad to have a chance to respond to this question. There are actually a number of reasons why I chose to write about a male protagonist in this particular adventure series.

First of all, I’ve raised my son as a single mother and I’ve homeschooled him since kindergarten. When I started writing these stories, it didn’t escape me that he might end up reading them. He would know the stories were inspired by our North Carolina history, and in fact, some of his own ancestors, so I wanted him to be able to take pride in that, and hopefully learn something from it.

Second, I’m in love with the colonial era, but I’m also in love with adventure stories ” book or film. To be perfectly honest, I don’t want to read about swashbuckling females so why would I write about them?

Frankly, I’m a sucker for a masculine hero ” especially since it seems that kind of character is getting more difficult to find in media these days ” at least well-rounded masculine heroes who aren’t just pumped up on adrenaline all the time and ready to bash in skulls while cussing up a blue streak.

I love hearing about and reading about the kind of men who are honorable, who value women’s modesty and virtue and treat them with respect. These men are determined to protect their families and loved ones, even if it means putting their own lives at risk. They not only use their minds, but they aren’t afraid to use their fists, a knife, a gun, or whatever it takes to dispatch evil men. Men were created to be protectors. Those are the kind of characters I want to read about.

Another thing, my book’s hero is going to take some physical abuse now and then, but being the kind of man he is, it never stops him from doing what he believes has to be done. I’m not a fan of watching or reading about violence against women. There’s enough of that that exists in the real world. On the other hand, I am a fan of men who have a desire to protect women. I think that’s beautiful and admirable and I want to celebrate that.

I’ll admit I don’t watch much TV and I find little that I’m interested in at the movies, but from what I have seen, so many male characters these days seem like they’ve been neutered. It’s completely unappealing to me, as a woman, and it certainly doesn’t model the kind of man that I want my son to be.

Lastly, you may be happy to know that I do have another book series featuring a female protagonist already being mapped out for when I finally do complete the Adam Fletcher Adventures. It will be a different sort of adventure series ” more focused on mystery, with a healthy dose of comedy ” and it will take place between the years of 1985 to 1997. The title character will help solve a number of mysteries like a more aggressive Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher, but she’ll be much younger and a big fan of New Wave ” and she’ll be brainy with computers. Sounds crazy, I know, but I think it will be fun.

Ok! I think that covers most of the questions that I get asked most frequently. If you have any others, feel free to comment on Facebook or send a message here.