A lot of people have told me that the characters in The Dance of the White Deer “come alive” and “are well developed.” This, of course, makes me a happy writer. I am a very visual person, and when I am creating characters it helps me to picture them in my mind, sometimes as celebrities,…
Sequel?
A few people have asked me when I am going to release the sequel to The Dance of the White Deer. I completed the sequel several years ago, and there are some revisions I want to make, but I am hoping to release it sometime this year. In 2023 I also plan to release some…
Barn in Gustavus
This barn is located in Gustavus, Ohio, just a short distance from the small country cemetery where Frances Maria Buell is buried and also a short distance from the area where Maria lived with her stepfather, mother, and siblings, and also the spot where she was stabbed to death. I have taken many sunset photos…
Riverius Bidwell
Riverius Bidwell (1790-1871) was a well-known, well-respected early citizen of Gustavus, Ohio. He was Ira Gardner’s landlord and a key witness to the 1832-murder of 16-year-old Frances Maria Buel. Born in Connecticut, Riverius came to Gustavus in 1812 along with his family. He was described as a big, strong man, clad in simple but clean…
Why the Name Limery?
Besides asking about the cover art, a few people have also asked how I ended up with the name of Limery as the book’s leading character. Here’s my answer: One of my favorite research resources for this novel was a series of books titled Memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Western Reserve, published in…
Loosely Inspired by the 1832 Murder of Frances Maria Buell
The Dance of the White Deer was loosely inspired by the 1832 murder of Frances Maria Buell, a 16-year-old “brunette beauty” from Gustavus, Ohio. Those who are familiar with her story know that Maria (pronounced Mariah) was murdered by her stepfather, Ira West Gardner, after resisting his sexual advances. What isn’t as well-known is that…
About the Cover
Several people have asked me about the cover of the book. Who is the girl on the cover? The answer is “I don’t know.” Many years ago when I started to write the novel, I found an unidentified tintype on eBay of a young, dark-haired woman who, in my mind’s eye, resembled the character of…
Inspired by True Events
The Dance of the White Deer is a work of fiction, but it was inspired by true events. Below is a photo of the grave of Frances Maria Buel (middle name pronounced Mariah, and she went by her middle name, not her first). Maria lived in nearby Gustavus, Ohio (Trumbull County). She was murdered in…