If I'm going to write a novel, I've got to have a story idea. I've been struggling to come up with an idea since I made my New Year's resolution to write a novel. Finally, I've got one.
After I recovering from 1st round of chemo, radiation, surgery, and 2nd round of chemo in 2000, I began doing genealogical research on my ancestors. Over the past ten years I've collected information on about 12,000 individuals. Most of whom are very distant cousins.
In the process, I've learned a lot about General Edmund Hogan.
He was a wonderful bigger than life character who died in 1828 in Little Rock, Arkansas Territory when he was stabbed by the walking cane sword of a political rival. Edmund was born in North Carolina and migrated to Georgia in the early 1800's to Georgia where he gained land through the land lottery. He served as a Sheriff, a Colonel in the state militia, a Senator in the Georgia legislature and a Judge. In 1814, he abandoned his properties and "ran away" to the Missouri Territory where began operating the first ferry across the Arkansas river at the 'Little Rock'. In 1820, he was reported to be the wealthiest man in the Arkansas Territory. He later became the commanding general of the Arkansas territorial militia. He had spent most of his wealth by the time of his death.
I'm reading that I should write about what I know about. Edmund Hogan seems like a good character to build a story on.
Story Idea: My protagonist is Edmund Hogan living in Georgia in 1801. He marries Frances Green. She is from a wealthy family who give her a domestic slave and a field hand slave for their wedding. He has a gambling habit that will make him flee from GA to AR in 1814.
I think Edmund would be a really good hero for a mystery series. I'm imagining an Anne Perry type historical mystery series set in Post-Revolutionary War Georgia
It looks like I'm going to be going back to Amazon for another book.
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