Loyalties clash at the outset of the American Revolution. Author Jane Hulse talks to Book Glow about her new historical novel, Outcasts of Essex.

Describe the book in one sentence.

It’s a coming-of-age novel about a New Hampshire family that sides with the British during the American Revolution and nearly pays for it with their lives.

What led you to write it?

Growing up in New Hampshire, Rev War history was everywhere. My family’s Colonial-era home was across the street from a tavern where the minutemen rallied before going off to war. As a kid, I thought all colonists supported the Revolution. Then my father took me on a hike deep in the woods to a cave where a British sympathizer hid out to escape being hounded by the rebels. I was fascinated. In fact, about 20 percent of the colonists didn’t back the war. This flip side of history stuck with me for years.

How long did it take to write?

It took a couple of years to write because I wanted it to be historically accurate. I could lose a whole day researching buttons to write a scene about my heroine’s dress, only to discover that women’s clothing had ties—not buttons. (Men’s clothing had the fancy buttons). After I finished writing a draft, I set it aside to write another Revolutionary War novel with the same protagonist: Prisoner of Wallabout Bay which came out in 2023. When I went back to Outcasts of Essex, I rewrote it to include the element of smallpox inoculation, which was controversial back then—just as vaccination raises alarms in some quarters today.

Do you prefer writing in one genre over another?

Since both my books take place during the American Revolution, I have to say historical fiction is my first love. Having been a long-time newspaper journalist, I strive for accuracy but also try to hook readers with a well-told yarn.

What book most influenced your life?

The Diary of Anne Frank. I read it as a young teen, and it set me on a reading path. I felt such empathy and admiration for Anne. The book made me realize how chilling real history can be.

Where do you write?

I write on the living room couch with my dog Sammy beside me. Or, for a change of scene, I take my computer to a coffee shop and hunker down for a few hours. Some writers need total silence, but I find that the background buzz can energize me.

Is there any one thing that especially frustrates you about the writing process?

Writing the book was hard enough, but marketing is a whole different skill that I’m just learning about. Public speaking and self-promotion don’t come easily for me. But I’m getting better at it all the time and have great admiration for people who do it well.

Any advice for novice writers?

Rewrite, and rewrite some more. No matter how exhausting it is, the story is always better after another go-around. Also, getting input from readers you trust for an honest opinion is always a good idea.

What’s next?

I’m hoping to write a third novel about my gutsy heroine Sarah Barrett. This one, based in Philadelphia, would have Sarah solving a grisly murder amid a tangle of war secrets.

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