It’s the last day of the year, so I thought it would be nice to post a little update on my progress. (Also, I realize I have been sparse in updating this site.)
As I’ve previously shared on social media outlets, this novel-in-progress is set during the American Revolution. I don’t want to give away too much as far as plot and character go since I don’t want to jinx it–but I will say that it starts in 1775 Philadelphia, and will probably end there too…at some point close to the end of the war… The first part of the novel takes place in upstate New York, while the second half will mainly be in NJ and PA. That being said, I’m 222 pages in and am “back in PA”–for the most part.
A centerpiece of this novel (which doesn’t have a name yet, but I’m mulling over a few options) is the involvement of the Oneida in aiding the Continental Army. While I was doing preliminary research, I discovered a lot about the Oneida and was shocked that I’d never been taught in school about how they were the only tribe to help the Continental cause (and broke with the rest of the Six Nations in doing so.) In turn, my bible while writing this book so far has been Forgotten Allies: The Oneida Indians and the American Revolution by Joseph T. Glatthaar and James Kirby Martin.
Other books I have been reading for research and for inspiration (so far)
–The American Revolution: A Historical Guidebook by Frances H. Kennedy
–Pennsylvania in the war of the revolution: battalions and line, 1775-1783 (an old source kindly posted online by Penn State’s library. Thanks, librarians!)
–Revolutionary by Alex Meyers (it wasn’t until after I started writing this piece that I discovered this novel coincidentally had some similar subject matter, so it was really helpful to read someone else’s take on it)
What I plan on reading
–Manituana by Wu Ming
–Drums Along the Mohawk by Walter D. Edmonds
–Women in the American Revolution by Jeanne Munn Bracken
–Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America’s Independence by Carol Berkin
–1776 by David McCullough
–Battle of Oriskany and General Nicholas Herkimer, The Revolution in the Mohawk Valley by Paul A. Boehlert
I’m sure that as I continue on, I will acquire more for my reading list. Needless to say, I have my work cut out!
(can you make a rough guess now about what this book is about?)
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