Spotlight & Excerpt – The Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Sarah Bates @bateswriter #historical

StoreyBook Reviews November 8, 2016November 1, 2016

Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Sarah Bates

Publisher: Booklocker.com, Inc. (February 15, 2016)
Category: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Tour Dates: Oct/Nov, 2016
ISBN: 978-1634910262
ASIN: B01D6YS52G
Available in: Print & ebook, 420 Pages

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * IndieBound * Kobo

From award winning author, Sarah Bates, Johnstown, New York, 1823: It is a time when a wife’s dowry, even children, automatically becomes her husband’s property. Slavery is an economic advantage entrenched in America but rumblings of abolition abound.

For Elizabeth Cady to confront this culture is unheard of, yet that is exactly what she does. Before she can become a leader of the women’s rights movement and prominent abolitionist, she faces challenges fraught with disappointment. Her father admires her intellect but says a woman cannot aspire to the goals of men. Her sister’s husband becomes her champion–but secretly wants more. Religious fervor threatens to consume her.

As she faces depression and despair, she records these struggles and other dark confidences in diaries. When she learns the journals might fall into the wrong hands and discredit her, she panics and rips out pages of entries that might destroy her hard-fought reputation. Relieved, she believes they are lost to history forever.

But are they? Travel with Elizabeth into American history and discover a young woman truly ahead of her time.

Praise for Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Sarah Bates

“Secrets of a suffragette. After six years of research and writing, author Sarah Bates has published a new novel detailing the early life of suffragette Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Bates crafted a historical novel weaving fictitious scenes around real events resulting in a story that reveals Elizabeth Cady the girl, who would become the famous suffragette. Throughout the novel, diary pages containing her innermost thoughts depict the fight for equality Cady faced in the 1800s.”-Village News

“a likely glimpse into what influenced her strong leanings for women’s rights, and for abolishing slavery. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learning about the woman who was instrumental in forwarding the cause for women. She was a remarkable character, much before her time. This book is an encouragement to dig deeper into the history of our country and the amazing people who led the way.”- Jackie Wolfred, Goodreads Reviewer

“Reads like a novel, embraces well-researched facts like a work of non-fiction, and takes you through the early life of a woman’s suffrage pioneer. The book is an accurate and well-researched history done by a master of the descriptive word, thought and sentence.”- Dan Feltham, Amazon Reviewer

“A must read for anyone, especially those who love historical fiction. I picked up the book out of curiosity, and the author’s research and attention to historical details did not disappoint. The reader is pulled into the life of this determined young woman, and lives her triumphs and frustrations in a time where woman fought to have a voice. Very well written, and engaging until the end!”- Buyer KLR, Amazon Reviewer

“Despite the great books written about Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Author Sarah Bates has managed to soar beyond the crowd with her refreshing and poignant portrayal of the famous suffragette. Bravo!”-Amazon Reviewer

Excerpt

The Cady family is attending a pre-inaugural ball for President-elect Martin Van Buren when a commotion at the door catches Elizabeth’s attention.

“Who are those people?” Elizabeth’s mother asked.

“The tall man, with the silk top hat in his hand is James Fennimore Cooper,” she said. “I have seen a drawing of him in the newspaper. The other two are Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Their portraits appear regularly in the newspapers too.” She felt a thrill of excitement that three of America’s popular authors were in the same room as she.

“How do you know this, Lib?”

“I read the newspapers daily. Emerson’s essay Nature expressing his philosophy of Transcendentalism has just been published. There are always drawings of these men because they are so famous. That is likely why they are here.”

The men headed for a corner. They appeared enmeshed in a heated conversation. Elizabeth left her parents to push through the crowd hoping to hear what the men were talking about.

“But my dear Hawthorne, the only idealistic explanation of Transcendentalism is its application to religion and nature. And to life,” Emerson said. He paused to emphasize his remark with a gesture.

“I agree it is a new manner of thinking, like mesmerism and phrenology or homeopathy,” Cooper said. “It is new thinking that attacks established scientific beliefs. Like Graham’s doctrine and others who think vegetarianism is the road to good health. Their followers also believe they also gain greater spirituality–.” He seemed about to raise his voice.

Elizabeth stepped forward and placed her hand on the speaker’s arm, stopping the man mid-sentence.

“Excuse me, Mr. Cooper, what you’re saying is of great interest to me. I have studied phrenology and agree with you.”

The author turned to her with a quizzical expression.

“Have we met, Miss?”

“I am Elizabeth Cady, Mr. Astor’s niece.”

“You are a follower of new thinking?”

“I am. My brother-in-law Edward Bayard assisted in my early education. He presented all types of books to study, including Mr. Gall’s. And others to read for pleasure, of course. Such as yours,” she said, directing her last remarks to Nathanial Hawthorne who joined his colleagues to listen.

“And have your read my writing as well, Miss?” asked Emerson.

“Yes I have, Sir. My father, Judge Daniel Cady, purchased a copy of Nature at its first printing. He too has always encouraged my sisters and me to read everything we can. I particularly like: The eye reads omens where it goes,  And speaks all languages the rose,” she recited.

“Is your interest in nature, Miss Cady, or affairs of the heart?” Mr. Emerson asked. “I find young ladies often quote those lines as memorable and meaningful in a romantic context.”

Elizabeth thought of Edward and she blushed.

“They are meaningful to me in a variety of ways,” she responded, reaching for composure. “Your superb writing inspires many emotions and thoughtful contemplation. I imagine both women and men reach their own conclusions.”

“Bravo, Miss Cady,” Hawthorne said. “I believe she has you there, my friend,” he added, turning to clap Emerson on his back.

“Gentlemen, I say we go meet Van Buren. Give him our regards,” Cooper said. “I am hungry and my throat is parched,” he added. “Best get the pleasantries out of the way before we share a brandy and dance with the ladies.”

He threw his arms about the shoulders of his colleagues to pull them away, but Hawthorne turned back.

“Are all your dances spoken for, Miss Cady?” he asked.

Elizabeth scanned the pages of her program.

“Do you favor a Quadrille or a Galop?” she answered with a smile, catching her bottom lip in her teeth as she waited.

“Surely a Galop suits a young lady with such an energetic mind. Add my name to that one. I shall be back to fetch you,” Hawthorne said. And with that he disappeared into the crowd.

When Hawthorne returned to claim his dance, Elizabeth’s cheeks were red from dancing the Polka with a gentleman from New York in the employ of her uncle. He had talked about the details of his job endlessly over the sound of the music, barely catching his breath and making the dance more athletic than enjoyable.

Now she gazed into Hawthorne’s wicked brown eyes as he took her hand in his warm grasp. How like Edward he appears.

“Miss Cady, I asked ‘are you well’?”

She touched her cheek. “Why of course,” she replied, shaking off the memory. “I am indeed fine and pleased to be your partner.”

Out of breath once again, Elizabeth clung to Mr. Hawthorne’s arm as he led her off the floor to a nearby chair. She pulled her fan from a pocket of her gown and waved it to cool her cheeks.

“Oh dear, I am fairly dripping.”

“No Miss Cady, you are glowing with health,” Hawthorne said then bowed. “Thank you for the dance. I regret I return to Boston in the morning. If I were not betrothed, I should like to call on you. Instead I will send you a copy of the magazine I edit. Watch the post for the American Magazine of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge. I hope you will find its contents amusing and provocative.”

When he bowed again to make his way across the room, Elizabeth could still smell the cologne he wore and watched his retreating back with mixed feelings. So few young men like Mr. Hawthorne and his fellow writers existed in her life. She missed Edward so.

About Sarah Bates

Sarah Bates worked as an advertising copywriter for ten years then as a freelance writer. Her clients included a book packager, the local chamber of commerce, a travel newsletter and a weekly newspaper where she covered business and schools.

Her short fiction has appeared in the Greenwich Village Literary Review, the San Diego North County Times (now the Union-Tribune) and the literary magazine Bravura. She is the author of Twenty-One Steps of Courage, an Army action novel published in 2012 and co-author of the 2005 short story collection, Out of Our Minds, Wild Stories by Wild Women.

She is the winner of Military Category, for Twenty-One Steps of Courage, Next Generation Indie Book Awards (2013) and 2nd Place Finalist, The Lost Diaries of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Unpublished Novel- Category, San Diego Book Awards (2015)

Bates was an English Department writing tutor at Palomar College in California for ten years. She continues to privately tutor both academic and creative writing students and is writing a new novel. Sarah Bates lives in Fallbrook, California.