Diane Cox McPhail, author of the historical novel "The Abolitionist’s Daughter," will speak at the Webster County Public Library at 1:30 p.m. May. 1.
The public is invited to next Wednesday’s event at the library in Eupora and books will be available for purchase.
The story is based on true events — the "Greensboro Feud" — and rooted in family history from what is now Webster County. McPhail’s debut novel upends stereotypes of the Civil War South with a rare depiction of Southern abolitionism and the experiences of three astonishing women.
“The Abolitionist’s Daughter” is a vividly rendered, culturally important and unexpectedly personal debut novel. Set in Mississippi during the violent turmoil leading up to and just after the Civil War (1859-65), it illuminates a corner of Southern history that’s little-known and rarely glimpsed: the experiences and struggles of those openly opposed to slavery in a time and place when the freeing of slaves was illegal, the suggestion of it potentially fatal.
At the novel’s heart are three extraordinary women who refuse to compromise what they know to be right, as they negotiate the devastations of war, betrayal and a world depleted by the conflict of men: Emily, the daughter of an abolitionist; Ginny, a slave who was illegally educated alongside Emily; and Adeline, the mother of Emily’s husband.
Novel’s Inspiration
The historical inspiration for “The Abolitionist’s Daughter” is nearly as astonishing as the novel itself. In part, it is based on a legendary feud between two families — the Edwards and the Grays — in Webster County (but what was then Choctaw County).
Born in Jackson and raised on the Mississippi Delta, McPhail grew up hearing stories about the violent 1861 clash that would become the basis for her novel. But it wasn’t until McPhail was in her 40s that she learned about the life of her great-grandmother, Mary Ellen Edwards Gray Nelson, and her much more personal connection to this history.
Born in 1840 to Judge Edward Dewitt Edwards Sr., she was a woman in Webster County who stood up for what was right in the face of devastating loss, and her legacy is woven into the protagonist of “The Abolitionist’s Daughter.” McPhail, according to information she has posted online, is the granddaughter of Nelson’s youngest daughter, Addie Nelson Dunlap.
About the Book
On a Mississippi morning in 1859, Emily Matthews begs her father to save a slave, Nathan, about to be auctioned away from his family. Judge Matthews is an abolitionist who runs an illegal school for his slaves, hoping to eventually set them free.
One, a woman named Ginny, has become Emily’s companion and often her conscience — and understands all too well the hazards an educated slave must face. Yet even Ginny could not predict the tangled, tragic string of events set in motion as Nathan’s family arrives at the Matthews farm.
A young doctor, Charles Slate, tends to injured Nathan and begins to court Emily, finally persuading her to become his wife. But their union is disrupted by a fatal clash and a lie that will tear two families apart.
As Civil War erupts, Emily, Ginny and Emily’s stoic mother-in-law, Adeline, each face devastating losses. Emily — sheltered all her life — is especially unprepared for the hardships to come. Struggling to survive in this raw, shifting new world, Emily will discover untapped inner strength, an unlikely love and the courage to confront deep, painful truths.
In the tradition of “Cold Mountain,” “The Abolitionist’s Daughter" eschews stereotypes of the Civil War South, instead weaving an intricate and unforgettable story of survival, loyalty, hope and redemption.
Advance Praise
“The Abolitionist’s Daughter" is published by John Scognamiglio Books, an imprint of Kensington Publishing, and will be released Tuesday. These authors are among those who have given advance praise for the novel:
“A contender, a deeply felt, thoroughly researched story . . . as good as it deserves to be.”
— Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author
“Complex, vivid and emotionally engaging. This is a story of harsh realities written with a tenderness that shines through and honors the account of one woman’s struggle to overcome her society’s rules and her circumstances in the face of inconceivable devastation.”
— Carol E. Anderson, author of “You Can’t Buy Love Like That”
“Diane McPhail tells a dark tale, yet it’s laced with lyricism and compassion. This is a powerful, imaginative, captivating book —I ’d say, even urgent, considering the time we find ourselves in now.”
— Judy Goldman, author of “Together:
“A tender, sparkling debut that bears gentle witness to the abominations of slavery and oppression while heralding the grace, power and necessity of righting wrongs and choosing love.”
— Ethel Rohan, author of “The Weight of Him”
About the Author
McPhail is an artist, writer and minister. A graduate of Ole Miss, Duke Writers, University of Iowa Distance and the Yale Writers' Conference, she is a member of North Carolina Writers’ Network and the Historical Novel Society. She lives in Highlands, N.C., with her husband and dog.
For more information, visit McPhail online at www.DianeCMcPhailAuthor.com.
