My head always has a new drama unfolding inside. Right now it's two books, that is, two novels. My imagination is running back and forth between the American Revolution and 14th Century Spain.

Mary Stump and the Battle of Princeton is based on the play I wrote, Ghosts of Princeton Battlefield,  that was presented on Princeton Battlefield July 5, 2008.

Writing a novel allows me to take things even further in the storyline in that there's more history covered and the interior life of the characters are explored. It is a first person narrative told from the perspective of a 12 year old girl, Mary Stump. The story takes place between Spring 1776 through January 1777. 

I chose to write from a girl's perspective because it's time to highlight women in battle narratives. The battle only takes a chapter, and its aftermath another chapter, so there's much more to it than the Big Event. But I am a little tired of girls and women being ignored, as if they had nothing to do during the American Revolution. Believe me, they were impacted. They sacrificed as well. We know that at least three women went to war, passing themselves off as men or in the case of Molly Pritcher, pitching in at a crucial time. But aside from the actual battles, women had to deal with the the attendant civil war in New Jersey, their husband's long absences or camp life if they chose to accompany their men folk.

So many families faced economic ruin during and after the Revolution, including the venerated Richard Stockton, who died in financial dire straights two years before the official end of the war. So in weaving this piece of fiction into the historical events of that time, I have broadened the story to include the thoughts and feelings of "the folk," those members of the era who have no space for them in the history books. But they do have a place in my heart. And now I invite you to open yours to these characters as well.

The first draft is complete, but there is no publication date as yet.

Samples

To read a portion of the first chapter of Mary Stump, click here.

Seven Women, Three Kings is a fiction account of a series of events that took place in Spain and Portugal between 1325 and 1369. These events are so bizarre that I could not help but be attracted to them. And to the people that carried off this series of political marriages gone awry, love affairs that lasted forever, and I do mean forever, a bastard elevated to the throne, murders, wars and the plague. And that's the short version.

The novel is in progress, but I have made great headway. Stay tuned!

To contact me for further information, call 562.234.1003. or e-mail, Lauraspeaks@mac.com