It All Started at the Masquerade

My next book, It All Started at the Masquerade, just went from editorial to the publishing stage. The ebook versions should be out sometime this month and the print copies soon after that. This book was full of surprises for me. It took on a character of its own - one I didn't expect.

The book is set in the eastern part of North Carolina, a little south of the Virginia line in 1795. The research revealed plenty of helpful information in certain areas, but others were difficult to find. For example, I found records from that time period that listed families and their names. However, I had a hard time figuring out if the town of Colerain would have had a dock on the Chowan River, like Murfreesboro and Winton, or if they had to row out to board the ship. One problem came from the fact that most of the early official records were burned during the Civil War,

The book begins when Melanie Carter’s older brother decides she’s to marry Lott Jenkins, a wealthy man who has the reputation of being harsh and unbearable; and she knows her life has just started on a downward spiral. However, she’s determined to trust that God wouldn't want her with such a man and try to make the best of the awful situation. At a masquerade ball in Edenton, she meets a rather mysterious man dressed as a knight, and she can’t forget him.

Lucas Hall can’t forget Melanie either, but he might as well. Once she sees the hideously scarred side of his face, she’d be repulsed like everyone else. That’s why he wears a mask whenever he goes out, which isn’t often. He wouldn’t have gone to the masquerade ball if his housekeeper hadn’t tricked him into it. Now, he’s haunted by a scene he saw between Lott Jenkins and Melanie. No woman should ever be treated with such disregard, but what can he do? If he tried to help, they’d take one look at him, and he’d be no help at all.

When I started writing the novel, I hadn't envisioned that the book would be about the wealthier citizens. As it turned out, this book reads more like an American Regency. However, it was a lot of fun to write, and I hope it will be just as enjoyable for the readers to read.

All profits will go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.

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