Just in time for the nation’s 250th-birthday bash, Arlington author John Hilton is out with a Revolutionary-era work of historical fiction.
“The target audience would be anyone who likes to read novels, who is passionate about our history, anyone who enjoys a good story,” Hilton said of his new work, “The Harlot of Gloucester.”
The 234-page work was published by Tennessee-based Little Creek Books, an imprint of Jan-Carol Publishing. According to a plot synopsis from the publisher:
“At the dawn of our republic, beautiful and fiery-willed Henrietta Cromwell grows up in an atmosphere of seemingly unparalleled privilege, only to reject her world when paternal duty calls. Betrayed by her father and the man she runs away with to marry, Henrietta is forced to deal with the turbulent world of British America turning toward liberty and revolution. Will this excellent young woman survive and thrive in this world at such a tender age? Or will she be overtaken by events and become a tragic figure like so many others when this world turns upside down?”
It is Hilton’s third novel, but it “differed from my prior two in that historical fiction requires more research than anything I’ve done before,” he said in an ARLnow interview.
“The story is mine, but the writer always has a duty to accuracy within the historical backdrop,” Hilton said.
An Arlington native, Hilton is the son of Claude Hilton, who was commonwealth’s attorney in 1974-75 and in 1985 was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to a new seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He assumed senior status on the court in 2005.
Having grown up surrounded by Virginia’s history, and having been a preteen during the 1976 Bicentennial celebration, the Revolutionary War era was not a new subject for Hilton.
“I have been either an amateur or professional historian in the founding period of America all my adult life,” he said. “When I decided to start writing novels, I knew I wanted to do something with the Revolution. The 250th anniversary has provided impeccable timing.”
Hilton said he tried not to rush himself to the finish line in meeting an arbitrary deadline.
“The whole project took a little over a year, given the amount of reading I did for close to three months prior to writing,” he said. “In the beginning, I wrote some every week, but not daily until the final few months. Creative mood tends to determine much of the varied schedule for me.”
Asked about navigating the creative process, Hilton said input comes from multiple sources:
“The support I get from my publisher and her staff, including the editor, is vital, naturally. Fortunately, they love my stories so most of the editing is structural and grammatical. We also bounce ideas off each other regularly, especially prior to me choosing a story. My fiancée, Claudia, is indispensable in my process. She writes and edits for a large organization professionally and is an avid reader of novels. Every passage I write has to meet with some approval from her. Thus, my writing has to please me first, then Claudia, then the publishing staff. Once that happens, I know I have a winner.”
As for the title, Hilton said he came up with “The Harlot of Gloucester” himself.
“I was looking for something with historical and storyline mystique. When it came to me, it really popped,” he said. “As with the previous books, when I sense that I have the right title, I seldom consider alternatives.”
Also from the interview:
Discussing the most challenging aspect of novel-writing:
“Writing is always a challenge and for me, mood is especially important. Historical fiction is wonderful, but it is more tedious than many other genres and requires more research beforehand. Once I have the background and facts in mind, I can write off the top of my head. At that point it is easier to fit the story and the characters into the historical period. That’s when it really flows.”
The challenges of being a male writing a female lead character:
“When I decided to do a female protagonist, I took up the challenge and found it easier than I’d originally thought. Although my other novels have male protagonists, they also contain strong and important female characters. I am very pleased with the manner in which I met this challenge. I believe it provides evidence for my development as a writer.”
The effects of growing up in Northern Virginia on instilling a love of history:
“There was so much history — every field trip, we were at Mount Vernon or Gunston Hall. The more history I saw, the more my interest grew.”
Is the cover image based on a real person?
“The cover is a composite of several drawings and artwork from books that I have in my library.”
Hilton’s previous two novels are “Cloth and Dagger,” following the trail of a minister both rewarded and haunted by demons, and “Volition: A Gothic Tale,” the tale of an undistinguished lawyer from Virginia’s Hunt Country whose life takes a turn when he is appointed a judge.
