Launching History

Edith here, still north of Boston. Not launching history, exactly. But Delivering the Truth, my first historical mystery, comes out on April 8 and we have a fun launch planned! I’m giving away my last ARC of the book to one commenter today, too.

Note: Sarah H, you are the winner of Leslie Karst’s book! Please write to Edith at edithmaxwellauthor at gmail dot com, or send a facebook message. Congratulations.

In case you haven’t heard, the book features a Quaker midwife solving crimes in an 1888 Massachusetts mill town – the one I live in. I was trying to think of a good way to tie all that together when a local author pal, Elizabeth Atkinson, asked if I wanted to do a joint launch party at Jabberwocky Bookshop, the independent bookstore in the next town. Her two children and my two all went through the Pentucket Regional schools, and she wanted to pay back by having the launch benefit the Pentucket Arts Foundation.

Elizabeth writes award-winning middle grade fiction, and I love her books, including her new one, The Island of Beyond. Saying “yes” was easy. A Pentucket High student is going to interview us during the launch and then write up the story for the school paper, which both my sons also wrote for. We’ll have a raffle and other activities. It’ll be fun. Join us at 7 PM on April 8 if you can.

Picture used with permission from Edward Gerrish Mair.

But – that didn’t address the historical side of my book. When I walk the streets of my town, I’m always imagining my characters doing the same. When I sit in silence in the Friends Meetinghouse on Sunday morning, I picture midwife Rose Carroll at my side, and John Greenleaf Whittier across the room. When I walk up Carriage hill, I imagine the clatter of carriages on paving stones.

I decided to engage the services of a publicist to help me with this launch. And Skye Wentworth came up with a very cool idea. I’m going to conduct a short walking tour of Amesbury on Sunday afternoon, April 10, with comments about various places that occur in the book, and what happens at each. We start in front of Market Square Bakehouse at 1:30 PM. We’ll visit the Meetinghouse and the John Greenleaf Whittier Home Museum, too, and have a few short readings.

A local historical seamstress is making a Quaker dress for me. I hope it works out, since I no longer have the waist of a corseted woman (well, okay, I never did…) If it does, I’ll wear that on the walking tour. I made a Quaker bonnet that turned out okay, too!

Finally, we’re going to finish the day with a book party from 3-5 at Crave Restaurant, a fabulous local place housed in the historic train depot building. It’s owned by the son of an awesome local real estate agent, Cathy Toomey, who had the winning charity bid to name a character in the series. Look for Catherine Toomey in Delivering – and she has an even bigger part in book two, Called to Justice! At the

Cathy Toomey

party we’re going to have snacks and you can buy a glass of your favorite beverage and talk history – oh, and get a book signed by the author, too.

I hope you’ll join us. But if you can’t, you’ll be able to find the map and virtual walking tour on my web site by April 10. And don’t forget, an advance copy of the book to one lucky commenter today!

Readers: What’s your favorite historical place to walk around in? Who from the past do you imagine walking around with you?

Filed under: Edith's posts Tagged: amesbury, Delivering the Truth, elizabeth atkinson, historical fiction, Jabberywocky Books, launch party, Midnight Ink, Skye Wentworth, The Island of Beyond