About The Book

Book: Maeve’s Pledge

Author: Linda Shenton Matchett

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: March 21, 2023

Pledges can’t be broken, can they?

Finally, out from under her father’s tyrannical thumb, Maeve Wycliffe can live life on her terms. So what if everyone sees her as a spinster to be pitied. She’ll funnel her energies into what matters most: helping the less fortunate and getting women the right to vote. When she’s forced to team up with the local newspaper editor to further the cause, will her pledge to remain single get cropped?

Widower Gus Deighton sees no reason to tempt fate that he can find happiness a second time around. Well past his prime, who would want him anyway? He’ll continue to run his newspaper and cover Philadelphia’s upcoming centennial celebration. But when the local women’s suffrage group agrees that the wealthy, attractive, and very single Maeve Wycliffe acts as their liaison, he finds it difficult to remain objective.

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About The Author

Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a former trustee for her local public library. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

More from Linda

When asked to contribute a story to the Suffrage Spinsters series, I immediately sat down and researched the suffrage movement. I was surprised to discover that the crusade to get women the right to vote began the 1830s. Nearly twenty years later, a women’s rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York, an event considered the actual “birthplace” of women’s suffrage.

The history of suffragism in America is fascinating because of the large percentage of women who were against getting the right to vote. As I continued to delve into the history of the movement, I unearthed many references to an incident that occurred at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton decided to write a document similar to the US “Declaration of Independence,” call it the “Declaration of the Rights of Women,” and present it at the Exposition’s July 4^th celebration.

Their request to speak was summarily dismissed, and in fact, few women were able to obtain tickets to the event.

Undeterred, Anthony came up with an alternate plan. On July 4th, in the midst of Richard Henry Lee’s speech (grandson and namesake of one of the Declaration of Independence signers), she marched down the aisle inside Independence Hall and handed a scroll tied in a festive navy-blue ribbon to the host, then turned and made her way out of the building, distributing copies to the clamoring crowd as she went. Outside, she read the document aloud as the remaining copies were distributed. Newspapers covered her presentation and printed portions of the document. Word spread, and countless newspapers outside of Philadelphia picked up the article.

I knew I had my story, and I hope in some small way Maeve’s Pledge honors those tenacious men and women who fought to gain women the right to vote.

Blessings,

Linda Shenton Matchett

Q&A With Linda Shenton Matchett

Do you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?

By nature, I’m an organized, list-making, process-oriented individual, so I can’t imagine writing a story any other way. I am very regimented in my preparation for crafting a story, and I’m amazed at “discovery” writers – those who can sit down without any idea of where they’re going and get words on a page. Occasionally, one of my characters will wander off the page which is a bit scary, but it usually works out in the end!

Do you pen down revelations and ideas as you get them, right then and there?

I have a pen and paper by the bed, and a notepad app on my phone for capturing ideas as they occur. Foolishly, when I first started out as a writer, I didn’t make notes because I was sure I’d remember each epiphany. Fortunately, it only took a couple of times for me to learn to write down my thoughts. I have a folder in my office where I’ve stowed my “pen and paper” ideas.

When did it dawn upon you that you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. There are two incidents that spurred the desire. The first was when I was seven or eight years old and my parents gave me a notepad and package of pens. I had a blast filling the pages, and I still have the stories. When I was twelve or thirteen, I read “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” and the story greatly affected me, to the point that I decided I would be a writer “when I grew up” so I could impact others the way I had been impacted.

How long does it usually take you to write a book?

My novellas take me two months to write, and my full-length novels about three months. I’m at my keyboard by 5:30 in the morning, and write for about 90 minutes. Depending on how productive I am I can get 700-1000 words on the page before I have to leave for work. On Saturdays, I’m able to write until late morning.

Where do you get your ideas for your books?

I’ve gotten ideas from the Bible, overheard conversations, readers, magazine or
newspaper articles, scenes in TV shows or movies, books that I thought should have been done differently, museum displays, and historical people and events. For example, when I was trying to decide how to plot “Maeve’s Pledge,” I reviewed a history of women’s suffrage looking for standout events. When I found an article from the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial about Susan B. Anthony presenting her “Declaration of Women’s Rights,” I knew I had my story. My female protagonist is involved in that event.

Blog Stops

By The Book, August 15 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 16

Simple Harvest Reads, August 17 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 17

Bizwings Book Blog, August 18

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 19 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 20

Artistic Nobody, August 21 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 22

Stories By Gina, August 23 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 24

Sylvan Musings, August 25 (Author Interview)

Connie’s History Classroom, August 26

The Book Club Network, August 27

Bliss, Books & Jewels, August 28 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Visa Gift Card and signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click HERE to enter.

Tags: historical romance fiction, Linda Shenton Matchett