Actually, I don't think it's possible to turn an oceanic tide. It's not a little boat. It's not even a giant ocean liner or tanker. Our earth's ocean tides are mighty gravitation-powered forces. They come around more or less twice a day, with two high tides and two lows. The moon influences them. The weather influences them. We dinky humans have no effect, unless on a grand climate-change scale.
Don't trust me on this, though. I write novels, not science articles. But I'm pretty sure it's true. So why would I name a book if turning a tide isn't even possible?
The story opens at a meeting of the Amesbury Woman Suffrage Association a few days before election day in November 1888. We now know this was more than thirty years before women got the vote by the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the US constitution in 1920. But that didn't mean women weren't already protesting and lobbying for the right to express their opinions at the ballot box.
Gradually, inexorably, women were turning the tide of opinion toward allowing half the adult population to vote. In the same way as with the movement to legally enfranchise African-American men, Quakers were in the forefront of the women's rights movement. Midwife Rose Carroll joins forces with other Amesbury suffragists in this book, and her mother - a well-known activist for the cause - comes to town to stand in solidarity across from the polls on election day, as does Elizabeth Cady Stanton herself.
Readers: Do you vote? If not, why not? What do you think of when you exercise your right, not even a century old, to mark that ballot or pull that lever, whether in a local election or to name the next leader of the country?
Agatha- and Macavity-nominated author Edith Maxwell writes the Quaker
Midwife Mysteries, the Local Foods Mysteries, and award-winning short crime
fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the popular Country Store Mysteries and the
new Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries.
She is president of Sisters in Crime New
England and lives north of Boston with her beau, two elderly cats, and an
impressive array of garden statuary. She blogs at WickedCozyAuthors.com,
KillerCharacters.com, and midnightwriters.blogspot.com. Read about all her
personalities and her work at edithmaxwell.com
14 comments:
I vote every election! I used to be part of the election process... I was a sheriff, clerk, judge & was the Inspector for years. But with eight children it made it harder for me to actually work the voting booth. Those that don't vote really have no right complaining about any situation because they did not exercise they're right to vote.
Cheers~
Kelly Braun
Gaelicark(at)yahoo(dot)com
I also vote every election. I am a scientist and trust the laws of Physics. There are some things that can be changed and things that cannot. Our Democratic Republic allows for change, for which I am grateful. I traveled to Cuba in December, just because Americans now could travel there easier than before. The difference between communism and our free society is staggeringly obvious standing in the center of Havana. Yes, there are elections where only those in the select ruling government vote. The Castro regime will end in April when they 'elect' a new leader.
I remember the time before Castro came to power. There are now generations of Cubans who have only known communism under Castro. Fidel Castro was uber-communist (more communist than Khrushchev). Raol, not so much. Who knows what the next leader will be. At least, as an American, I have a vote to pick who I would like to be the leader of the US.
I vote in every election as it is important to have my voice heard even if it's at the ballot box.
Becky Prazak
rjprazak6@gmail.com
I vote every election. We brought our kids up to vote also. It needs to be taught in school how important voting is to our rights. Look at what has happened in this last election chaos from not enough people doing their civic duty.
I do vote regularly if I choose to have a voice in an election. Sometimes I ask my husband about his opinions on people or props, or I may not vote if I don't feel well enough versed in a proper. One thing has helped me is being on the list to have voting materials sent you me. This novel sounds interesting; I enjoy historical fiction. jeaniedannheim (at) ymail (dot) com
I vote regularly. I have worked at the elections headquarters in my county. I think it is part of our responsibility as a citizen of the country to vote. If I don't vote, then I feel like I cannot criticize what happens in the country, state, community. Voting makes a difference! I love this series! It is very thought provoking, as well as entertaining. Thanks for a chance to win! ljbonkoski@yahoo.com
I'm turning 83 this month and signed up to vote on my 21st birthday. My grandmother lead protests and my mom was always an active voter. I vote for everything and enjoy going to the polls to see people voting too. I look at how close a race can be and I know my vote counts.
Ruth Nixon ruthenixon(at)sbcglobal(dot) net
Yes, I do vote. But, I didn't start voting until I was 44 when I moved to the country. I don't really like voting because the politicans are all liars. Have not been happy with anyone in office. Anyway, hopefully someday, someone will do what they say they intended to do. I'll continue voting until the end of my days.
Yes, I do vote. I feel it is a way to have our opinions heard. We are lucky in this country that woman can vote and run for office, some countries aren't so lucky. If someone doesn't vote because they feel as if their vote doesn't matter, shouldn't complain about the outcome.
diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
I remember getting my voter's registration card my senior year of high school at school. I voted every election. I felt it was my right and my honor. I have to admit I do not vote these days. Health issues are a problem. kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net
I vote as much as possible, considering I can no longer drive, due to MS. For the last presidential election, I used an absentee ballot and that was very easy. legallyblonde1961@yahoo.com
I vote. However, if I'm not well informed about an issue or candidate I sometimes skip it on the ballot. The older I get, the more I care about "my voice" being heard. Thank you for the chance to win. Dmskrug3 at hotmail(.)com
ljbonkoski is our winner! Thanks, all, for your interest, and I'm sorry I don't have an ARC for everyone. LJ, please check your email.
Missed the contest but delighted to look forward to another Rose Carroll book! Of course, I vote - I’ve travelled and had experience enough in other, less fortunate countries to know how precious that vote is.
Post a Comment