To my beautiful friend, Cathy Castillo.
You have been a source of great encouragement to me, and I miss you more than I can say. You are truly beautiful on the inside and out.
For all the smiles, laughter, hugs, Bible studies, shoebox packing, joy-filled moments, bell practices, and everything in between—thank you. For being my friend. For praying. For loving on me.
Dear Reader,
Superstitions ran high in the 1600s. The era would usher in more levelheaded thought based on facts, but it took a good deal of time to get to that point. Even those who were believers in Christ struggled with the prevalent culture of superstition. This is a compelling dynamic in Esther’s story. And it really made me think … How would I handle a situation in which people’s fears and superstitions ruled their decisions and actions?
The history behind America’s forts is fascinating. In fact, it interested me so much that I even bought a used library copy of a massive tome titled Encyclopedia of Historic Forts. I know, I know. I’m a history geek. But it was so interesting, and since there’s not a lot of documented writings about this period, it was an invaluable resource for this story.
The Castle was the first fortification on Castle Island, dating all the way back to 1634 (but it even had a battery there as early as 1632). That’s only twelve to fourteen years after the Mayflower! By 1692 it had been replaced by multiple structures and renamed Castle William. Then in 1797 it gained the prestigious name of Fort Independence. It is the oldest military installation in the United States.
Castle Island is actually no longer an island and is attached to the mainland via land reclamation for the port and a narrow strip of land. It is open to visitors.
If you have read my novel The Mayflower Bride, you know the true story of John Howland and his infamous trip overboard. It truly was a miracle that the man survived, and he now has more descendants in the United States than any other Mayflower passenger. By more than double. So I chose to have our heroine here in Embers of Hope be his descendant. For more fascinating information about John Howland and his descendants, I recommend you read The Mayflower Bride, also from Barbour Publishing.
While I based this story on the true history and timeline of the fort, all of the characters and events are fictitious. Join me as we head to Castle Island and the early stages of our nation in Embers of Hope.
Enjoy the journey,
Kimberley