Mary Ellis | The Best Part of Being an Author

Today I’m sharing photos of the best part of being an author….research. Visiting the location where a story takes place not only provides firsthand information, but offers a tax-deductible getaway as well. Several years ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to England for background for THE LAST HEIRESS. My trip to England allowed me to reconnect with an old friend, Caroylne Way, who lives in Gosport (near Portsmouth in southern Hampshire.) My story about a pair of identical twins starts in Manchester and continues in Wilmington, NC. During the American Civil War the British textile industry ground to a halt due to the blockade of southern ports. No exports of cotton….no raw materials for the mills to make garments. My British twin, Amanda Dunn, is heir to the largest textile mill in the western shires. Carolyne’s great grandfather owned a mine which supplied coal for the garment mills during the nineteenth century. I was able to use events which took place at his coalmine in my story. As you can see from the pictures, I had plenty of time to see merry ole England too.

When the naval blockade threatens her family’s livelihood, Amanda’s father sends her to Wilmington to restore trade. Amanda’s twin sister, Abigail, settled in Wilmington after eloping with an American cotton broker. If blockade runners, such as those owned by Abigail’s husband, can outrun the US. warships they can make vast sums of money for those willing to invest. Amanda plans to conduct business for her father, reconnect with her twin, and hurry back to England. But fate has other plans for our heiress. Amanda butts heads with her brother-in-law, a slave-owner, at every turn. Then when she falls in love with a local shopkeeper, a man who refuses to fight for the Confederacy, class distinctions, political loyalties, and family obligations guarantee a turbulent romance.

Research also took me to the beautiful city of Wilmington, NC on the Cape Fear River more than half a dozen times. Lucky for me, the riverfront area and some of downtown looks like it did 150 years ago. The fully restored Fort Fisher on peninsula was the final, definitive battle of the Civil War, fought on both land and sea. Ahhh, research. For some authors, the topic draws beads of sweat to the brow. But if a writer is willing to pack a bag and book a flight, then history…and the story can come alive. I hope you enjoy these photos from England and Scotland. And I hope you’ll look for THE LAST HEIRESS from Harvest House Publishers, available now.

Blockade Runner

In Portsmouth Harbour

Carolyne and Me Rowing on Lake Windemere

London Eye, on the Thames River

Tower Bridge

Giveaway

Readers, where would you like to travel to do research? Leave a comment below to be entered to win a print copy of THE LAST HEIRESS.

About THE LAST HEIRESS

Bestselling author Mary Ellis (A Widow's Hope) presents THE LAST HEIRESS, a new romantic standalone that intertwines the lives of a British manufacturing heiress and an American merchant caught in the turbulent time of the War Between the States.

When Amanda Dunn sets sail from England for Wilmington, North Carolina, she hopes to somehow restore shipments of raw materials for her family's textile mills, which have been severely disrupted by the American Civil War. Though there is not much one individual can do, the wealthy young woman feels she must try, as her mother and hundreds of employees at Dunn Textiles are dependent on Southern cotton.

When Amanda meets Nathaniel Cooper, her desire to conduct business and quickly return to England changes. Though captivated by one another, neither is fully aware of the other's true nature.

Nathanial, who on the outside appears to be a poor but hardworking merchant, is actually a secret Yankee sympathizer who will stop at almost nothing to bring about freedom for those who live under subjugation, even when that involves questionable judgment. And Amanda's wealth is made possible by underpaid workers living in slums around the mills, not much different than American slavery.

Can these two earnest souls find the best in one another rather than focus on what could tear them apart? And though they both believe they are on God's path, how will their decisions affect those around them?

About Mary Ellis

Mary Ellis has written twelve bestselling novels set in the Amish community. Before "retiring" to write full-time, Mary taught school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. Her debut book was nominated for a 2010 Carol Award. LIVING IN HARMONY won the 2012 Lime Award for Excellence in Amish Fiction while LOVE COMES TO PARADISE won the 2013 Lime Award. She recently completed a three-book series of historical romances set during the Civil War and is currently working on a new mystery series, SECRETS OF THE SOUTH, for Harvest House Publishers. THE LAST HEIRESS is her latest release.