I conceived the idea for A MOST REMARKABLE GIRL years ago, after finishing DOGWOOD HOLLOW (not the first novel I had written, but the first that felt complete). I had never attempted a historical piece or anything on the scale I envisioned, but I began conducting research and developing the story and characters. Knowing this would be a long-term project, I took breaks to write other stories, but A MOST REMARKABLE GIRL was always my dream, my ideal of the book I wanted to read that didn't exist. Looking back I see traces of it in everything I wrote in the meantime.
I wanted to know everything I possibly could about all the relevant subjects before I started writing. As a result, I kept researching, developing, and composing disconnected fragments without ever starting a proper first draft. Then I began to feel that the project had spiraled out of my control, so I set it aside. I worked on other things and wondered if I'd ever come back to it and write the damn thing. After completing FRUIT OF THE DUST, which took longer than expected, I considered what do next. I dusted off my notes for A MOST REMARKABLE GIRL and decided it was time to take the plunge. It wasn't as out of control as I'd thought. All the work I'd put into it years ago had laid a solid foundation that made the writing easier than anything else I've worked on.
Below is a photo of my note files:
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