My novel set in colonial Delaware and Maryland involves learning on several levels: discovering my own Delaware roots through research, becoming more focused and consistent about writing, and slowly acquiring the skills of writing fiction, which I’ve never really tried before. I’m grateful for the insights of my weekly writing group. It really helps to see those written scenes through other eyes.
The title, Double Run, refers to one of the early names of a branch of the Murderkill River in Kent County, Delaware, where some of my earliest ancestors lived. For people familiar with Delaware, it’s in the middle of the state, near Frederica and Barratt’s Chapel, and the area is still primarily rural and quiet today.
There are two founding families in Double Run, the Dutch Lopens who emigrated from Amsterdam in 1677, and the Perdenes, who started out as indentured servants on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in 1655. The two families marry, and the rest is . . . historical fiction.
