The Art of Deception
or Pride and Extreme Prejudice
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors. This week I continue another book, that will now won’t come out via booktrope (they’re shutting down). It’s a spy story set in late Georgian England, the year before Trafalgar. We’re following Roderick, Lord Fitzpatrick for the moment. Last week found Lord Fitzpatrick in New York as consol pro tem and landed in a sticky situation. The governor of New York, George Clinton, and his cousin the mayor of the city, summon him to make an official complaint. For what it’s worth neither Hillary nor Bill are related to George and DeWitt.
The secretary led him to a front parlour where the Governor, George Clinton, and the Mayor, his cousin DeWitt Clinton waited. George, consistent with his age and looming infirmity remained seated when Roderick entered. He was still an impressive figure, white haired and almost regal. DeWitt was younger, in his forties, and like his older cousin an experienced and skilled politician and diplomat. Both had fought in the revolution, and neither were inclined to be friendly to British interests.
DeWitt started off, “Ah, Mr Fitzpatrick, glad you could make it.”
“As His Majesty’s representative in the city what else could I do; I presume this is about the Leander.”
The older man said, “Intolerable interference with the commerce of our state and city … we saw your lot off in ’83 and will do it again.”
“I have communicated your objections to Mr Merry in Washington in an express, and will escort the diplomatic communications to London on the next packet … may I add my personal observation that our navy’s actions are stupidly and unnecessarily provocative?”
“You may, but it doesn’t matter, does it?”
Please see the other talented writers in Weekend Writing Warriors.
The Clinton’s were major politicians at the time. George Clinton was a leading light in the Democratic-Republicans (Today’s Democratic party). He came out of retirement specifically to keep Colonel Burr from becoming governor of New York. Neither of them was a fan of slavery, and their opposition to it is part of why we didn’t have a ‘President Clinton’ in 1812. They were also important factors in introducing manufacturing and technology to the Northeastern United States. Their insistence on rebuilding harbour fortifications is a major reason that the British did not burn or occupy New York in the war of 1812.
That’s DeWitt Clinton on the 1880 thousand dollar bill.
Booktrope shuts it’s doors May 31. This opens a whole slew of questions, including whether to return to an earlier pen-name (R. Harrison being dead common.) It also means that come June 1, the current version of “The curious profession of dr Craven.” will be unavailable. I will get the rights back without trouble. (Although there are issues about ‘creative teams’ that still need to be settled.)
I’ve also released a sweet regency romance, Miss DeVere 
This is a fun read, and unlike “The curious profession of dr craven 
” seems to not carry a curse. However, Dr Craven is on sale this week.
Frankenkitty is available.
What happens when teenagers get to play with Dr Frankenstien’s lab notebooks, a few odd chemicals and a great big whopping coil? Mayhem, and possibly an invitation to the Transylvanian Neuroscience Summer School.
R. Harrison, Creative Enterprises 
I’m glad you clarified the lack of relationship between these Clintons and Hilary. Before I even got that far, I was wondering.
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True, his opinion really doesn’t matter in this case, though I suppose it’s nice he’s sympathetic.
Sorry to hear about Booktrope. Sounds like it’s going to leave a lot of authors in the lurch.
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Always interesting to have these little glimpses into a period of history I don’t know much about. Thanks for the snippet and the background!
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About 90% of the research into a period doesn’t make it into a book. One bit that was disquieting was when I needed (later in this chapter) the names of two French ships. The list of French ships during this time on Wiki was depressing. All were sunk or captured by the British. (other than a couple by the Americans during our unofficial war in 1798 and a couple that sank in a storm.) So the British dominance of the seas was real. There’s a history of Boulogne-sur-mer (where Napoleon’s armee d’angleterre was stationed) published in 1818 or so which gives the details of Fulton’s torpedoes (drifting mines). I used the dates from that later in this book when the heroine is stuck there after being abducted. I’ve found where the Brits were fortifying Belgium while Napoleon was on Elba. The line follows the trenches of WW1, but with the British and Belgians (United Netherlands at the time) where the Germans were in WW1. A lot of the history we’re taught is in Henry Ford’s words, ‘bunk.’
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Few people appreciate how much research goes into even the smallest amount of book text. Very interesting.
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