In The Flow of Time – March 23, 2025 Marie Laveaux was a dancer. That’s for real, but I’ve made that a core element of the character’s personality. I’m working on this chapter, then I think I’ll take a significant break until Part 2 is fully plotted and the muse… Continue reading
In The Flow of Time – March 17, 2025 “In the Flow of Time” refers to the history as it appears in fiction—in this case antebellum New Orleans. It also applies to me writing this story. 🙂 My own time flows. I’m a plotter, not a pantser (as in writing… Continue reading
In The Flow of Time – March 11, 2025 About the practical mechanics of writing. I have a map of 1837 New Orleans covered with annotations about who lived where when, locations of significant scenes, etc. etc. For me it’s invaluable, and irreplaceable. There are dozens of notes, over the… Continue reading
In The Flow of Time – March 6, 2025 In a scene, an older Black woman gives a white American man shit. And in the process, he is shamed into being polite. And my fellow-writer feedback, “In 1820, no white man would ever be polite to a Black woman.” True!… Continue reading
In The Flow of Time – February 19, 2025 I’m crafting the scene for the next chapter. A young sociopathic entrepreneur is meeting with the Governor-elect. The entrepreneur will become the central antagonist. (Aside: he is fiction, but modeled after and inspired by a historical figure from the period.) I’m… Continue reading
In The Flow of Time – February 17, 2025 The question: what did Benjamin Latrobe’s bell tower look like? Built in 1819-1820 on the church in New Orleans. The scene I’m working on is in July 1820. It’s a christening in the church. I have pics of the church before… Continue reading
In The Flow of Time – February 14 2025 One of my fellow writers made a passing comment on the most recent chapter up for review, in which there is an offhand reference to the plague of mosquitoes. “Didn’t they have fine curtains?” To the residents of antebellum New Orleans,… Continue reading
In The Flow of Time – February 8, 2025 I’m about to go climb into my imaginary world of 1818. Imaginary? This chapter is about a woman who escapes slavery by going to Mexico with her children. FACTSBenedicte dit Robinette was a slave, along with her son. Her mother bought… Continue reading
In The Flow of Time – February 7, 2025 Major Savary made it into the story. He. Is. Awesome. Oh, and an immigrant to boot. The first Black man to achieve the rank of Major in the US Military. FACTSI’ve researched. The chaos of battle being what it is, no… Continue reading
In The Flow of Time – February 1, 2025 I just finished a chapter. Along the way, a possibility arose. Hmmm, this could be fun. I’ve dug into all kinds of rabbit holes. I learn things, I take notes. Along the way I see FACT, and I think to myself,… Continue reading
