The Magistrate’s Folly in Colonial Williamsburg

by Suzie Johnson

Welcome to Colonial Williamsburg, a place of dreams and ideals, hard work and rewards. It’s a different pace of life here, a trip back in time to the birth of a country. It’s a place where you can look around and see what it was like when history was in the making.

This wonderfully wistful place is the setting for Lisa Karon Richardson’s newest novel, The Magistrate’s Folly. Luckily for her readers, Lisa has very naturally incorporated the essence of the small colonial village into her novel after her characters travel here from England – one of them under less-than-ideal circumstances.

Dressed in period clothing and working as diligently as they did in the days of the colonists, the people of Williamsburg are committed to gracing visitors with the sense of awe and nostalgia that is the very essence of the small colonial village. 

You’ll find colonists everywhere you look, some driving horse-drawn carriages, and some dressed as milliners, firemen, gardeners, patriots, bakers and tailors.

You can visit the church where Thomas Jefferson and George Washington worshiped, and walk through the historic graveyard.

Listen to a speech by Patrick Henry and tromp the same ground these founding fathers did as they gave all they had to establish the freedoms we all enjoy. Take a little respite from the sun under the shade of the very tree where the colonists may have gathered for picnics after church.

Further down the lane you can even have a seat with Mr. Jefferson himself.

Enjoy a slab of ham on fresh baked bread with stone ground mustard. And be sure to watch and listen because the fife and drum band should be making their appearance soon.

But behave yourself lest you end up in the stocks.

Hopefully this little foray into the past will tempt you into seeing Williamsburg from Lisa’s viewpoint in her most enjoyable novel, The Magistrate’s Folly. You won’t be disappointed.  

After her father’s death, Merry Lattimore survives by finding work as governess. Her dull, but tolerable existence is shattered when she is accused of a theft she didn’t commit. Narrowly avoiding hanging, Merry travels to the American colonies as convict labor. Physically, she has been spared harm, but her faith has been mortally wounded. When her sole friend, a slave woman, is accused of murder, Merry is torn between her resolve to return to England and prove her innocence, and her determination to battle injustice.

Magistrate Graham Sinclair thought he’d seen everything in his courtroom, but nothing could have prepared him to see Merry, the girl who jilted him for an Earl’s son, manacled and accused of a crime. He can’t deny the weight of the evidence and reluctantly binds her over for trial. Her transportation to the colonies seems to end the matter until new evidence comes to light that proves her innocence. Graham eagerly secures her pardon, and tracks Merry to Virginia. Drawn into the fight to save a slave woman, he finds himself also hopelessly drawn to the one woman he’s convinced could never return his affection.

When attempts are made to silence Merry and the case seems to be crashing down around them, Merry must trust Graham with her life. But she’s not sure she can trust God with her future.

Double the Celebration! Congratulations to Lisa Karon Richardson and C. J. Chase!

 

Have you ever attended a party in a carriage?

Welcome to our plush Party Carriage!

Well, don your best traveling costume and hop on in, because we're on the move today, from colonial Virginia to Regency England...evading danger, solving mysteries, and maybe encountering a bit of romance. (Oh, of course there's romance! Who do you take us for, anyway?)

But wait...there's more!

Ah yes, we're all here! Let's be off then, madam.

Get ready for two times the excitement as we celebrate a double-Release Party...

Congratulations Lisa Karon Richardson and C.J. Chase!

Both Inkies' historical romances release tomorrow, Feb. 5, but we just couldn't wait to get the party going.

The carriage is in capable hands

In the spirit of all good parties, contemporary and historical, there will be delightful nibbles and noshes served while we travel along these unpaved, rutted byways. What pretty scenery we pass through! With all of this green, we could very well be in either Virginia or England, where the novels are set (convenient, don't you think?).

Oh my, the carriage is pulling to a stop. Is the ride over already? Nonsense! We're pausing to accommodate the arrival of our waitstaff.

Why, there's Graham Sinclair, hero of Lisa's book, The Magistrate's Folly. I see he's keeping the tea tray perfectly balanced as we resume our ride down the road.

Thank you, Graham. I'll have Bohea, please. Milk, no sugar.

And here is our pastry server, looking very serious as he prepares to offer us a selection of sweets.

I'll have a one of those berry-topped biscuits, please. And the cream puff. And the chocolate.

This is far more enjoyable than eating fast food in the car!

Another biscuit, ladies? They are calorie free.

Something curious has happened. We're no longer alone on this country road. Say...There are magistrates in both of these books. Are we in some sort of legal trouble? Why else would we have picked up a military escort? (British, of course.)

Huzzah! What's all the hullaballoo?

Ah, I hear music. That explains everything. Look who's marching alongside our carriage for our entertainment.

What a divine road trip! More tea! I'm so glad we aren't in danger like the heroines of Lisa and C.J.'s books.

Speaking of our poor heroines, what sort of trouble are they into, anyway?

The Magistrate's Folly by Lisa Karon Richardson

After her father’s death, Merry Lattimore survives by finding work as governess. Her dull, but tolerable existence is shattered when she is accused of a theft she didn’t commit. Narrowly avoiding hanging, Merry travels to the American colonies as convict labor. Physically, she has been spared harm, but her faith has been mortally wounded. When her sole friend, a slave woman, is accused of murder, Merry is torn between her resolve to return to England and prove her innocence, and her determination to battle injustice.

Magistrate Graham Sinclair thought he’d seen everything in his courtroom, but nothing could have prepared him to see Merry, the girl who jilted him for an Earl’s son, manacled and accused of a crime. He can’t deny the weight of the evidence and reluctantly binds her over for trial. Her transportation to the colonies seems to end the matter until new evidence comes to light that proves her innocence. Graham eagerly secures her pardon, and tracks Merry to Virginia. Drawn into the fight to save a slave woman, he finds himself also hopelessly drawn to the one woman he’s convinced could never return his affection.

When attempts are made to silence Merry and the case seems to be crashing down around them, Merry must trust Graham with her life. But she’s not sure she can trust God with her future.

The Reluctant Earl by C. J. Chase

 Alone in a gentleman's bedchamber, rummaging through his clothing—governess Leah Vance risks social ruin. Only by selling political information can she pay for her sister's care. And the letter she found in Julian DeChambelle's coat could be valuable—if the ex-sea captain himself had not just walked in.

As a navy officer, Julian knew his purpose. As a new earl, he's plagued by trivialities and marriage-obsessed females. Miss Vance's independence is intriguing—and useful. In return for relaying false information, he will pay her handsomely. But trusting her, even caring for her? That would be pure folly. Yet when he sees the danger that surrounds her, it may be too late to stop himself….

Oh my, our two heroines do have a bit of a bumpy road ahead, don't they? 

The carriage will make a circuit around the park all day. Feel free to read, enjoy more biscuits, and view the lovely scenery.

Should you choose to descend from the carriage, be sure to allow one of the waitstaff to assist you. Then come back all week to learn more about our Double Releases! And be sure to leave a comment, including your email address, to be included in a drawing for a giveaway of Lisa's book.

Would you rather purchase? Lisa and C. J.'s books are available on Amazon and wherever inspirational fiction is sold.

Congratulations, Lisa and C. J.!

 

Interior of the Antrobus travelling chariot at the National Trust Carriage Museum at Arlington Court ©National Trust Images/Mark Bolton
tea goodies: http://webadit.co.uk/cakelady/?page=afternoon
tea cup: www.susannedietze.com
 Soldiers: www.visitwilliamsburg.org

Job 11:16

Photo by C.J. Chase

Paint Chips

by Dina Sleiman

Susie Finkbeiner

Yesterday I hosted my wonderful friend and WhiteFire author, Susie Finkbeiner. Susie and her novel Paint Chips are both very special to me. I first met Susie by commenting on Novel Matters. I loved her spirit and her intelligence. So, feeling confident that she'd make a wonderful WhiteFire author, I started a friendship (yes, authors, when editors seek you out to "court" you, that's a pretty good sign.) When I heard Susie had finished her first novel, I immediatley let her know I would be interested in seeing it. And to my complete delight, she said she would love to send it to me. The book ended up being my first official acquisition for WhiteFire, not to mention the first book I edited.

Don't worry ladies, you don't have to hate her. Yes, she made some of the typical newbie mistakes, but the energy, the life in that novel, blew me away. She had just the young, edgy, yet wonderfully spiritual vibe we look for at WhiteFire. (See adorable nose stud in her picture, not to mention those piercing eyes.) Her book kept me awake late into the night. I read it straight through, which is a rare thing for me to do, and yet another sign that it would be perfect for WhiteFire. And, Susie turned out to be a great author to work with. She was a quick learner and ate up everything we taught her. The resulting manuscript, in my opinion, is thought-provoking, life changing, and award worthy.

Since it seems odd to do a "review" under the circumstances, let me tell you some of the stand out features that drew me to this book. 1) The characters are so vibrant and alive that they jumped off the page and into my heart. 2) Her writing voice has an understated sort of elegance and artistry reimiscent of Lisa Samson. 3) The subject of the book, which involved healing from abuse and human trafficking, was so relevant and today. 4) The book brimmed with hope and youthful energy. 5) Susie looked at difficult spiritual questions without offering easy answers or platitudes. 

Here is the official blurb for Paint Chips. (written by yours truly and tweaked by the word wizard, Roseanna White)'

What lies beneath the layers of hurt?

Though haunted by her troubled past, Dot has found a safe haven. She has a fierce protector and a colorful collection of friends...but sometimes she wonders if her life will ever be normal again. Though college and romance await her, embracing them requires a new kind of strength--one she isn't sure she has.

Emerging from years of confusion, Cora struggles to latch hold of the sanity she needs to return to the real world. She yearns to find a place of peace...but first she must deal with the ghosts of her past.

Can this mother and daughter overcome abuse, betrayal, abandonment, and the horrors of sexual trafficking, and make it back into each others arms?

Facing the past is never easy. But as they chip away the layers, they might just find something beautiful beneath the mess.

The subject might sound a little depressing, but it's one of those books that will break your heart and put it back together, while making you laugh along the way. Needless to say, I highly recommend this book! Order it for your ereader today for only $3.99.
Kindle
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