Down
Salem Way
Salem Way
Prequel
to Loving Husband Trilogy
to Loving Husband Trilogy
Meredith
Allard
Allard
Genre:
historical/paranormal/sweet romance
historical/paranormal/sweet romance
Publisher: Copperfield Press
Date of Publication: 6/25/2019
ISBN: paperback 978-0578500645
ASIN: B07QPBFYRP
Number of pages: 336
Word Count: 93,000
Cover Artist: LFD Designs
Book Description:
How would you deal with the
madness of the Salem witch hunts?
madness of the Salem witch hunts?
In 1690, James Wentworth arrives
in Salem in the Massachusetts Bay Colony with his father, John, hoping to
continue the success of John’s mercantile business. While in Salem, James falls
in love with Elizabeth Jones, a farmer’s daughter. Though they are virtually
strangers when they marry, the love between James and Elizabeth grows quickly
into a passion that will transcend time.
in Salem in the Massachusetts Bay Colony with his father, John, hoping to
continue the success of John’s mercantile business. While in Salem, James falls
in love with Elizabeth Jones, a farmer’s daughter. Though they are virtually
strangers when they marry, the love between James and Elizabeth grows quickly
into a passion that will transcend time.
But something evil lurks down
Salem way. Soon many in Salem, town and village, are accused of practicing
witchcraft and sending their shapes to harm others. Despite the madness
surrounding them, James and Elizabeth are determined to continue the peaceful,
loving life they have created together. Will their love for one another carry
them through the most difficult challenge of all?
Salem way. Soon many in Salem, town and village, are accused of practicing
witchcraft and sending their shapes to harm others. Despite the madness
surrounding them, James and Elizabeth are determined to continue the peaceful,
loving life they have created together. Will their love for one another carry
them through the most difficult challenge of all?
Down Salem Way is the
long-awaited prequel to the bestselling paranormal historical Loving Husband
Trilogy.
long-awaited prequel to the bestselling paranormal historical Loving Husband
Trilogy.
Excerpt:
“Would you like
a lesson?” I asked.
a lesson?” I asked.
“Aye,”
Lizzie said. “Thank you.”
Lizzie said. “Thank you.”
Lizzie has
progressed well in her reading. And quickly too. I believe our nightly lessons
help bond us more quickly than we might have otherwise since our readings
prompt long discussions where we learn much about each other. After we read the
rest of the passage together, I did the impossible: I cajoled my wife into
reading aloud on her own.
progressed well in her reading. And quickly too. I believe our nightly lessons
help bond us more quickly than we might have otherwise since our readings
prompt long discussions where we learn much about each other. After we read the
rest of the passage together, I did the impossible: I cajoled my wife into
reading aloud on her own.
“No one has such
a lovely voice as you,” I said.
a lovely voice as you,” I said.
Lizzie laughed.
“You think your sweet tongue will persuade me to read alone? When you are such
a learned man?” She turned away, her cheeks flushed.
“You think your sweet tongue will persuade me to read alone? When you are such
a learned man?” She turned away, her cheeks flushed.
“But you know
how I love listening to you speak. Tis like hearing a serenata by Alessandro
Stradella.”
how I love listening to you speak. Tis like hearing a serenata by Alessandro
Stradella.”
“Who?”
I reached for
our favorite volume of poetry. “Tis time, Lizzie. Read to me.”
our favorite volume of poetry. “Tis time, Lizzie. Read to me.”
Lizzie turned
the book in her hands, over and over. Finally, she nodded. She tentatively
opened the book. “What would you like to hear?”
the book in her hands, over and over. Finally, she nodded. She tentatively
opened the book. “What would you like to hear?”
“You know.”
Lizzie’s smile
rivals the brightest sunshine. She opened to the page, exhaled, and read,
haltingly, with pauses, some from a struggle to sound out or recall the words,
some from embarrassment that she read alone. After the first two lines, her
voice grew in confidence.
rivals the brightest sunshine. She opened to the page, exhaled, and read,
haltingly, with pauses, some from a struggle to sound out or recall the words,
some from embarrassment that she read alone. After the first two lines, her
voice grew in confidence.
If ever two were
one, then surely we.
one, then surely we.
If ever man were
loved by wife, then thee.
loved by wife, then thee.
If ever wife was
happy in a man,
happy in a man,
Compare with me,
ye women, if you can.
ye women, if you can.
I prize thy love
more than whole mines of gold,
more than whole mines of gold,
Or all the
riches that the East doth hold.
riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such
that rivers cannot quench,
that rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but
love from thee give recompense.
love from thee give recompense.
Thy love is such
I can no way repay;
I can no way repay;
The heavens
reward thee manifold, I pray.
reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we
live, in love let’s so persever,
live, in love let’s so persever,
That when we
live no more, we may live ever.
live no more, we may live ever.
Lizzie closed
the book. “Tis true, you know.”
the book. “Tis true, you know.”
“What is?” I
asked.
asked.
“This poem, To
My Dear and Loving Husband. Tis as though everything I feel for you has been
written here, by this woman, a magistrate’s wife I’ll never meet. You are…”
Lizzie blushed, hot along her jaw. I touched her cheek and lifted her head so I
could see into her eyes. “If ever man were loved by wife, then thee. That is
how…”
My Dear and Loving Husband. Tis as though everything I feel for you has been
written here, by this woman, a magistrate’s wife I’ll never meet. You are…”
Lizzie blushed, hot along her jaw. I touched her cheek and lifted her head so I
could see into her eyes. “If ever man were loved by wife, then thee. That is
how…”
“Tis all right,
Lizzie. You can tell me anything.”
Lizzie. You can tell me anything.”
“That is how I
feel about you. You are my dear and loving husband, James Wentworth.”
feel about you. You are my dear and loving husband, James Wentworth.”
I knelt before
Lizzie, pressing her hand to my lips.
Lizzie, pressing her hand to my lips.
“I knew the
moment I saw you over the supper table that you were the one for me. I cannot
imagine waking up every morning for the rest of my life without looking into
your beautiful eyes. I cannot imagine walking through this world without
knowing that you were here waiting for me. I cannot imagine having the strength
to breathe without you. You are my dear and loving wife, Elizabeth Wentworth.
And I love you. I shall never leave you. Ever.”
I swept my wife into my arms andmoment I saw you over the supper table that you were the one for me. I cannot
imagine waking up every morning for the rest of my life without looking into
your beautiful eyes. I cannot imagine walking through this world without
knowing that you were here waiting for me. I cannot imagine having the strength
to breathe without you. You are my dear and loving wife, Elizabeth Wentworth.
And I love you. I shall never leave you. Ever.”
carried her away.
the Author:
Meredith Allard is the author of
the bestselling paranormal historical love story The Loving Husband Trilogy and
the sweet Victorian romance When It Rained at Hembry Castle, named a best
historical novel of 2016 by IndieReader. Meredith's latest release is Down
Salem Way, the long-awaited prequel to The Loving Husband Trilogy set around
the Salem witch hunts. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.
the bestselling paranormal historical love story The Loving Husband Trilogy and
the sweet Victorian romance When It Rained at Hembry Castle, named a best
historical novel of 2016 by IndieReader. Meredith's latest release is Down
Salem Way, the long-awaited prequel to The Loving Husband Trilogy set around
the Salem witch hunts. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4866638.Meredith_Allard
Interview with Meredith Allard
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
I start writing believing that I have control over the story. I start with an outline and an idea of the characters. Usually, the first thing I know about a story is how it ends. So there are things I know from the beginning. The fun usually starts when my outlines are left behind because the characters begin to say and do things I didn’t expect. Some of the best parts of my stories were written intuitively and in the moment, with the characters in the lead. The ending usually stays the same, but how we get there is always an adventure.
Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.
People continue to be fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials. There’s something about the fact that we’ll never know exactly what happened in Salem in 1692 with all the witch accusations and the executions that makes us still wonder about it today. Writing about the Salem witch hunts has been my way of trying to make sense of them. After all, we still deal with many of the same issues today—false accusations, fake news, everyone jumping on the bandwagon whether or not they’re acting on accurate information. Also, Down Salem Way is the prequel to the bestselling paranormal/historical Loving Husband Trilogy. Fans kept asking for a new James and Sarah Wentworth book, so here it is. So far the feedback has been amazing and I’m so glad!
Have you written any other books that are not published?
I have a few books that were previously published but are now being republished as new editions. Victory Garden, a historical novel about World War I, and Woman of Stones, a Biblical historical novel, are both being republished in 2020.
Pen or type writer or computer?
Definitely computer. I used to be a pen and paper kind of writer, but somewhere along the line I realized that typing works better for me because I have a better chance of keeping up with the crazy thoughts in my head when I type.
Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I hope readers who have loved the Loving Husband Trilogy would like to read the prequel, Down Salem Way. It’s different than the original trilogy because Down Salem Way is written as James’ diary, but it still has everything fans expect from the Loving Husband Trilogy. And the love between James and Elizabeth is front and center, making this a love story as much as a historical novel about the Salem Witch Trials. You can visit me online at www.meredithallard.com to learn more about Down Salem Way, the Loving Husband Trilogy, or any of my other books.
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