In October 2017, I first started the MASQUE OF HONOR project (in the world of publishing, I’ve learned that the writing of a book is called ‘a project’). In those first months, I focused my efforts on research spending countless hours at the Library of Virginia in Richmond, at Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg, on […]
Category Archives: Behind the Masque
Dear Diary – The Catalyst
From my journal October 23, 2017: “What an incredible weekend! It’s been a whirlwind at the Film Festival…I simply LOVE Anthony (McCarten). He’s an author and the screen writer and I was assigned to him for the screenings…We talked about his love of history and his upcoming project about the Pope. I told him about Selma […]
Staying True to the Spirit of the Story
The key to keeping “history” in “historical fiction” is staying true to the SPIRIT of the story. I’ve stuck like glue to this principle. And when I say SPIRIT, I truly mean SPIRITS. I walk among them every day. They guide me. They inspire me and they keep me true to the story – their […]
Behind the Masque
Menasha, Wisconsin, December 31st, 1899 Written by: Sally McCarty Pleasants Col. John Mason McCarty, son of Col. Daniel McCarty, was born on the 14th day of March, 1795, at Cedar Grove, the family seat of his father, in Fairfax County, Virginia. Cedar Grove is situated on the Potomac River about fourteen miles below Alexandria. John […]
