Wild, Beautiful,and Free
by Sophfronia Scott
(Lake Union Publishing, 2023)
From award-winning author Sophfronia Scott comes the story of one young woman’s bold journey to reclaim her birthright and carve out her own place in a world that tells her she doesn’t belong.
About the book
Born the daughter of an enslaved woman and a Louisiana plantation owner, Jeannette Bebinn is raised alongside her white half sister-until her father suddenly dies. His vindictive wife refuses twelve-year-old Jeannette her inheritance and sells her into slavery. Now on her own, Jeannette must fight the injustices she faces because of her mixed race. She escapes enslavement and travels from Mississippi to Philadelphia to New York to Ohio, all while searching for purpose, love, and her place in a country torn asunder by the burgeoning Civil War. Everything seems to fall into place when she meets Christian Robichaud Colchester, the white proprietor of Fortitude Mansion, a safe haven for escaped slaves where Jeannette teaches. But despite their instant connection, Jeannette isn’t convinced she belongs in his circle. In a world that tells her she doesn’t fit anywhere, Jeannette must decide what’s more important: bending to the expectations of others or embracing her true self.
In our Authorlink ® conversation with Sophfronia, she tells us that her intent for the book was to create a heroine who demands to claim her emotions and her humanity. In her fictional journey of hardship, Jeanette finds a way to understand what has happened to her and how to find forgiveness and healing.
The author, who teaches a college MFA writing program, shares some secrets about writing vivid characters and shifting points of view. Writing is like a magic wand, she explains. To be effective one must learn to use the instrument with clear intention.
She hopes her work will “connect to the heart.”
Wild, Beautiful, and Free is an exceptional read for people of all colors and beliefs.
Sophfronia Scott is the award-winning author of multiple fiction and nonfiction books, including The Seeker and the Monk, This Child of Faith, and Love’s Long Line. Her essays, short stories, and articles have appeared in various publications, including Time, the New York Times, Yankee magazine, and O, the Oprah Magazine. She holds a BA in English from Harvard University and an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she is the founding director of Alma College’s MFA in creative writing. Find out more about Sophfronia and her books on her website, http: //sophfronia.com.
Encouraging take away s for authors:
?Write with a clear intent.
?Understand that rejection of your novel is part of the process.
?Find the best writers from whom to learn your craft.
?Believe in yourself as a writer.
