The Historic Sites Behind Historical Romance Novel ENEMY OF THE KING

Revolutionary War romance novel, Enemy of the King, is the culmination of years of work and my passion for this fascinating time period in American history. My version of The Patriot with a light paranormal element that lends the flavor of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca. Coming to The Wild Rose Press May 8th: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/


My focus on the Southern face of the war was partly inspired by my great-great-great grandfather, Sam Houston, uncle of the famous Sam, who kept a journal of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina, 1781, that’s used by historians.
As part of my research, my mom and I took a road trip to the Carolinas. We toured historic Charleston, SC to take in the wonderful old homes, live oaks, and plantations. Enemy of the King opens in the summer of 1780 on a plantation in Low Country SC outside the city of then 'Charles Town.' I fashioned my gracious home, Pleasant Grove, after Drayton Hall, the oldest preserved plantation in America that’s open to the public. http://www.draytonhall.org/

Nearby Middleton Place is a carefully preserved 18th century plantation with spectacular gardens. We had lunch in their charming restaurant: http://www.middletonplace.org/

Onto the magnificent Congaree Swamp in the Congaree National Park: “The largest remnant of old-growth floodplain forest remaining on the continent.” The trees are immense in this unique blend of woods and wetland.
We toured on the walkway that runs above the forest floor, enjoying the scenery and birds, until we paused to take a picture of an ancient cypress. Right where we would have been standing, an enormous branch crashed down from a rotted tree towering overhead. Feeling Providence had intervened in our behalf, we decided to visit the very interesting museum/gift shop. I featured the Congaree Swamp in Enemy of the King. Frances Marion, ‘the swamp fox,’ is said to have hidden out there at some point during the war. For more about this unique wetland visit: http://www.nps.gov/cosw

As we tromped up and down the lovely wooded knob in North Carolina called King’s Mountain, I envisioned the great battle that took place on Oct. 7, 1780. The gallant, ill-fated British Major Patrick Ferguson lost his life and Loyalist army atop that mountain and is buried there beneath a stone cairn, possibly along with his mistress who also fell that day. The hardy, sometimes downright mean, Overmountain men didn’t take kindly to Ferguson’s warning that they desist from rebellion or he’d bring fire and sword upon them and hang all their leaders—all these enemies of the King!

This mega conflict altered the course of a nation and plays a prominent role in Enemy of the King. King’s Mountain is said to be haunted and I wouldn’t be surprised, though ghosts weren’t in evidence that day. Thomas Jefferson called the battle of King’s Mountain, “The turn of the tide of success.” For more on this historic site and museum visit: http://www.nps.gov/kimo/

Blurb for Enemy of the King: 1780, South Carolina: While Loyalist Meriwether Steele recovers from illness in the stately home of her beloved guardian, Jeremiah Jordan, she senses the haunting presence of his late wife. When she learns that Jeremiah is a Patriot spy and shoots Captain Vaughan, the British officer sent to arrest him, she is caught up on a wild ride into Carolina back country, pursued both by the impassioned captain and the vindictive ghost. Will she remain loyal to her king and Tory twin brother or risk a traitor’s death fighting for Jeremiah? If Captain Vaughan snatches her away, he won’t give her a choice.
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Enemy of the King is out at the Wild Rose Press May 8th.
Already out at Amazon, it will be available at online booksellers
in both digital download and print soon after its initial release.
Local booksellers can order it in.

For more on my work visit: http://www.bethtrissel.com/