Barely fourteen, Ceci Prejean is a tomboy running wild in the hot Louisiana summer. After breaking the nose of a
local boy, her father decides to enlist the aid of Hecubah, a beautiful Creole woman, with a secret past, who takes
Ceci in hand and turns her into a lady.
Now, eighteen-year-old Ceci meets and falls passionately in love with a handsome young northerner, Trent Sinclaire.
Trent is a cadet at the West Point military academy. He acts as if he knows Ceci. They begin a torrid affair, even as
the southern states begin to secede from the Union.
Only weeks before their wedding, the Confederate army attacks Fort Sumter and the civil war begins. Trent is called
to active service in the north, leaving Ceci heartbroken in the south.
Swearing vengeance on the union, after the untimely death of her family at the fall of New Orleans, Ceci meets with
infamous spy master, Henry Doucet. He initiates her into the shadowy world of espionage.
After her failure to avert the catastrophe at Gettysburg, Ceci infiltrates the White House. There, she comes face to
face with Abraham Lincoln, a man she’s sworn to kill. Forming a reckless alliance with the actor, John Wilkes Booth,
she is drawn deeper into the plot to assassinate the President of the United States. A Confederate spy in love with
a Union officer, her next decision will determine whether she lives or dies...
“Although a great deal has been written about the American Civil War, hardly anything has been written about female
spies,” observes R. L. Bartram. “Whippoorwill brings a fresh new perspective on this fascinating period.”
About the author
With Historical Romance as his preferred genre, Robert has continued to write for several years. Many of his short stories have appeared in various national periodicals and magazines.
His debut novel “Dance the Moon Down”, a story of love against adversity during the First World War, gained him considerable critical praise, being voted book of the month by “Wall to Wall books”
His second novel “Whippoorwill” tells of a passionate affair between a young southern woman and a northern man at the beginning of the American Civil War.
He is single and lives and works in Hertfordshire.
Extract
Trent was lucky. The Confederate musket ball that was intended to kill him merely grazed his brow. He lurched violently back in his saddle. His horse reared wildly, throwing him, unconscious to the ground, directly into the path of his own cavalry advancing only yards behind him.
At the far end of the field, Sergeant Nathanial Pike and his men, engaged in the hasty formation of a skirmish line, watched helplessly as the scene unfolded. As Trent hit the ground, a Confederate soldier appeared out of the shadows. Small and slight, little more than a boy, he lunged forwards, grabbed the officer by the lapels of his coat and dragged him out of the path of the galloping horses. Throwing himself across the man’s prone body, he shielded him from the pounding hooves. The cavalry thundered past oblivious, in the half-light, to the fate of their captain.
As the danger passed, the rebel rose to his knees and appeared to search the unconscious man.
“God damn thieving rebs,” Pike snatched his pistol from its holster, his thumb wrenching back the hammer. Before he could take aim, the rebel stopped searching. He leaned forwards and, cradling the officer’s face in his hands, bent down and kissed him, full on the lips, long and hard. Pike’s pistol, arm and jaw dropped simultaneously.
Something, some noise, some movement, made the rebel look up and glance furtively around. He jumped to his feet and, with a final backwards glance at the fallen man, melted into the shadows, like a wraith.
It was some moments before Pike’s jaw snapped shut, his teeth meeting with an audible click. He rounded on his men. “Did you see what I just saw?” he demanded.
His question was answered with shrugs and scowls. Not one man there could swear he hadn’t dreamed it. Then suddenly, they heard it, far off, plaintive and eerie, the cry of a whippoorwill.
Interview with Robert Bartram
Welcome, Robert - Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Robert Bartram. I’m single and live in a comfortable old house in Hertfordshire that looks out onto a large wooded garden. Writing is my first love, but I also enjoy going to the theatre, collecting antiques, well bric-a-brac really, I’m not interested in its value, only the history. Also eating out with friends and, of course, reading.
How did you get started on your writing journey?
I was bitten by the writing bug at age 17. I started by writing short stories, experimenting with various styles and genres, including fantasy and science fiction. Eventually I sent some of my short S/F stories to agent Marie Griffiths, unaware that she’d already retired and, in any case, only handled romance for women’s magazines. Nevertheless, she must have seen a spark of merit in my work because she suggested I try my hand at some romance shorts. After several attempts, she finally managed to place some of my stories with main stream magazines. I can’t describe how I felt when I saw my first story in print. I still get a buzz out of it today.
Eventually, I graduated to novels. Staying with the romance genre, I incorporated my love of history and became a writer of historical romance. My debut novel “Dance the Moon Down” a story of love against adversity set against the background of World War One, achieved a good deal of critical acclaim. It gained 35 five-star reviews and was nominated as book of the month on “Wall to Wall” books.
Let's talk about your novel! What is it about?
My second novel “Whippoorwill” is also an historical romance set against the American Civil War.
Barely fourteen, Ceci Prejean is a tomboy running wild in the hot Louisiana summer. After breaking the nose of a local boy, her father decides to enlist the aid of Hecubah, a beautiful creole woman, with a secret past, who takes her in hand and turns her into a lady.
Now eighteen, Ceci meets and falls in love with handsome young northerner, Trent Sinclaire. Trent is a cadet at the West Point military academy. They begin a torrid affair, even as the southern states begin to secede from the Union.
Only weeks before their wedding, the civil war begins. Trent is called to active service in the north, leaving Ceci heartbroken in the south.
Swearing vengeance on the Union, after the death of her family at the fall of New Orleans, Ceci meets with infamous spy master, Henry Doucet. He initiates her into the shadowy world of espionage.
Infiltrating the White House, Ceci comes face to face with Abraham Lincoln, a man she’s sworn to kill. Forming a reckless alliance with the actor John Wilkes Booth, she’s drawn deeper into the plot to assassinate the President of the United States. A Confederate spy in love with a Union officer, her next decision will determine whether she lives or dies.
Even though it’s set against a war time background “Whippoorwill” is primarily a romance. The war is there only to add authenticity, plus cause and effect. Plus, of course, conflict.
How is the title significant?
That becomes clear once you read the book, but to say more would give too much away.
( Well, it's certainly intriguing, Robert!)
Where did inspiration for this come from?
I always knew I wanted to write a novel set against the American Civil war. The main problem was how to make it different from all the others. At first, I was going to make my heroine a soldier. Believe it or not, almost a thousand women, from both sides, disguised themselves as men and fought along side the regular troops. However, I very soon discovered that was hardly a new idea. Then I came across some old articles about women spies. For example, Rose O’Neal Greenhow, C.S.A, who having acquired an important piece of information, took a horse and rode twenty miles through enemy lines to deliver it herself. The more I read about these courageous women the more impressed I was. That’s when I decided to make my heroine a spy. It was their courage and fortitude that inspired to write this book.
Who do you think would like your story and what kind of readership are you aiming for?
Hopefully everyone. Having said that, my target audience is mainly women, who like a strong female protagonist and an absorbing romance, set in an historical background. Anyone from sixteen to sixty, although I’ve had one ninety-two-year-old reader who loved it.
What is your writing process like?
I always write in longhand first. I find it’s easier that way. I can write as fast as I think, without having to worry about which keys I’m pressing. Nothing goes into the computer until the last hand-written draught is finished and corrected. I prefer to write at night, it’s quieter then and I can hear myself think. Usually from 11 pm to 3 am. When I’m engaged on a book, I write every day, seven days a week, pausing only for a gulp of black tea from the pint mug on my desk. During an average night, I usually get through seven or eight.
What are the best and worst parts about writing?
The best part about writing is when the plot comes together and starts to work for you. You begin to build your world and people it with your characters. There’s nothing else quite like it. When I wrote my first novel “Dance the Moon Down” I felt I had to write within certain literary constraints. In hindsight, it’s a decision I regret. When I wrote “Whippoorwill” I wrote exactly what I wanted, and it made all the difference. When I wrote the last word of the last line, it was like saying goodbye to an old friend. If I hadn’t exercised an author’s restraint, the novel might have ended up ten thousand pages long. Hopefully, less is more. Which brings me neatly to the last part of the question. What’s the worst part about writing? When it stops.
What plans do you have for the future of your writing?
Certainly, another novel. An historical romance, as it’s my preferred genre, but I haven’t decided what it will be yet.
Thank you so much for taking part.
