Maryann McFadden, author of THE CEMETERY KEEPER’S WIFE, honors Tillie Smith at Union Cemetery, Hackettstown, NJ, on the anniversary of her death.
Facebook Live from Union Cemetery
This Sunday April 8th, at around 7 pm, I will be filming live from Union Cemetery in Hackettstown at the monument to Tillie Smith. This is the anniversary of her murder on the night of April 8th, 1886. I will speak about my life long obsession and journey into discovering who Tillie Smith really was and why I was compelled to bring her to life in THE CEMETERY KEEPER’S WIFE. I hope you’ll tune in.
Like my Facebook Author’s Page and join us at 7 pm, Sunday, April 8, for our Facebook Live broadcast.
The Cemetery Keeper’s Wife
My Dear Readers,
The Cemetery Keeper’s Wife is coming May 2018!
This has been my longest and most challenging work to date, but I hope you will feel it’s been worth the wait. It’s an historical novel, one which I believe I was meant to write.
The Cemetery Keeper’s Wife tells two parallel stories going back and forth in time. When Rachel Miller moves into Union Cemetery in Hackettstown, New Jersey, with her new husband, Adam, she discovers a stunning monument to a girl named Tillie Smith, who died in 1886. The beautiful marble monument is unlike any other, and the inscription makes her pause: She died in defence (sic) of her honor; Erected by an appreciative public.
Rachel’s curiosity turns into an obsession. But she has no idea that her quest to discover the truth about Tillie’s life, and brutal death, will open the door to secrets she herself has been hiding. And that it will bring her face to face with the man responsible for them. But worst of all, she may lose Adam in the process, and the normal life she’s always yearned for.
Tillie Smith really lived, right here in my own hometown. She died in 1886, brutally murdered and raped on the campus of Centenary Collegiate Institute, a Methodist Seminary that is now Centenary University. The case and the trial were akin to the OJ Simpson trial in our modern era. It ignited a tide of outrage and sympathy across our nation for this poor working girl who “chose death over dishonor.” But sadly, Tillie Smith became little more than a footnote in the story of her death.
I discovered Tillie’s monument as a little girl. I was not sure what those words meant, but I was captivated by them, and her. And then, years later during my real estate career, I happened to sell the house of the man who was convicted for the crime and sentenced to hang. Yet there in the dining room was a picture of him looking like a sweet old man in his nineties. Over the years, the coincidences continued, fueling my desire to tell Tillie’s story, one I’ll be soon sharing with you.
Please check my Facebook Author’s Page for updates about my new book and events. Hope to see you soon!
All my best wishes!
Dear Readers & Friends,
THE BOOK LOVER, my much anticipated 3rd novel, was released on May 1, 2012. It’s was selected as an INDIE NEXT PICK, which are the American Booksellers Association’s “must reads!”
Published MAY 1, 2012
The inner sanctum of the book world is everything you would hope it could be: filled with passion, dreams, struggles, love and betrayal. It has all the makings of a riveting novel, and now it is! THE BOOK LOVER is unlike anything you’ve read before. A full summary is below.
In addition, I’m launching a new venture—I’m officially a Writing Coach. If you’re a writer navigating the tricky terrain of the publishing world, whether going it alone self-publishing, using an indie press, or even debuting with a major publisher, I can guide you through the process and help you launch your book.
Those of you who have been here before know that I am a writer who refused to give up on her dream. After 5 years of rejection, I originally self-published THE RICHEST SEASON in 2006. Within 6 months it sold so many copies and garnered such great reviews that I signed with a top literary agent who sold it at auction to Hyperion Books, as well as my second novel, SO HAPPY TOGETHER. Both are INDIE NEXT PICKS and have been translated into multiple languages.
I’m no stranger to uphill battles and persevering when you believe strongly in something. My new challenge is to make THE BOOK LOVER my bestselling novel to date.
For all of you who have spread the word about my novels, thank you! But keep talking, to friends, book clubs, and booksellers who may not have read my novels yet. After all, a writer’s most cherished dream is simply to be read.
All my best wishes!
Maryann
THE RICHEST SEASON
Sometimes you have to leave your life to find yourself again…
A lonely corporate wife who runs away from home. An elderly woman facing a devastating loss. A top executive adrift in the world after he’s fired. Set on beautiful Pawleys Island, South Carolina, here is a novel about second chances occurring at the most inopportune times in life. In three parallel journeys Joanna, Paul and Grace walk away from lives they thought they wanted, only to rediscover a part of themselves they’d all but forgotten.
‘TIS THE SEASON for THANKS!
A special thank you to all of you for making this a very special year for me.
It’s funny how life imitates art. Some of you have heard me say that I think I’ve entered my own “richest season.” I really get teary-eyed when I say that. When I talk at events and relive the journey of trying to get published, shelving the book 3 times, and now…well, living my dream, it’s absolutely amazing to me! And I have so many of you to thank for sharing and spreading the word. And for all those still wondering, we’re still waiting on a movie deal, but there are irons in the fires, so please say a prayer!
SO HAPPY TOGETHER is finished and will be coming July 7, 2009! We are playing the cover game again. I’ve seen two, which are both just beautiful, but not quite right. The early feedback on SO HAPPY TOGETHER is absolutely astounding to me. Very soon I’ll be posting a summary and the final cover, so check back.
Perhaps the most exciting of all, for me anyway, is that I’ve put my ideas together for BOOK 3! I’ll be sharing the title with you as soon as the ink is dry on the contract, but I have to say, I just LOVE THE TITLE AND THE STORY!
For those of you who are counting down to Christmas and Hannukah, a personalized book is always a special gift. You can order a signed, personalized copy of THE RICHEST SEASON, through Clinton Book Shop at 908-735-8811. Just let them know what you’d like inscribed.
The first week of December I’m going to be featured on 5 radio stations (including NPR) in Boston, Cape Cod, and the islands! Check out the EVENTS page for the details and links if you’d like to listen.
All my best,
Maryann