“Finley House is beautiful, but where in Texas did you find it?”
That was the question a friend who lives in the Lone Star State asked when she saw the cover for After the Shadows. It’s a valid question, because the house on the cover is not one you’d expect to see in the Texas Hill Country. The houses there are beautiful but less elaborate.
The frugal German settlers would have considered Finley House’s dual staircases leading to the front door extravagant and unnecessary. And the columns and elaborate verandahs I describe in the book are definitely not typical of the Hill Country.
So, why did I make a building that’s decidedly out of place a central character in my new trilogy? The answer is simple: I wanted the house to be an anomaly as well as a building with a history of its own. Human characters have a backstory, and so does Finley House.
The Backstory
Determined to fulfill his dream of living in the Texas Hill Country with his sweetheart, Alabama native Clive Finley heads to Sweetwater Crossing in 1859 to build them a house. But it’s not just any house. Since his future father-in-law has decreed that he will not approve their marriage unless Clive can give her a home that equals the mansion where she’s been raised, Clive begins construction on a plantation-style house that’s even more elaborate than his father-in-law’s.
Sadly, Clive leaves Texas in early 1861 to fight in the War of Northern Aggression with his fellow Alabamians and is presumably killed in that horrible war, leaving the house in the care of his closest friend, Pastor Joseph Vaughn.
Joseph’s three daughters, you may have guessed, are the heroines of the three Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing books. As for what happened to Clive, that’s the underlying secret of Sweetwater Crossing and one that’s not resolved until the third book.
The Inspiration for the House
Where did I get the design for the house? I could have invented one, but
since I wanted Finley House to resemble a real house, I turned to a
sixteen-volume set of books called The Architectural Treasures of Early America, which had been a gift from a friend.
As I leafed through the books, I found a number of houses that were almost right, but Volume XIV had the proverbial eureka moment when I saw the perfect house. It’s known as The Wedge Plantation and is located in South Santee, South Carolina.
Copyright laws won’t let me share the drawing that captivated me, but here’s a link to pictures of the house online. Sadly, when The Wedge was restored, the second story verandah, which was one of the architectural elements I particularly liked, was eliminated. Still, I hope you agree with me that it’s a house worthy of becoming a character in a book … or three.
And the Answer Is
It’s time to answer the underlying question of Karen’s blog: is the house on the cover fact or fiction? Finley House is not a real house, but it was inspired by one. Does that make it a blending of fact and fiction? I think so.
© 2023 Amanda Cabot
Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the handsome new schoolteacher, Craig Ferguson, and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless.
When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.
A brighter future awaits—if she can escape the shadows of the past
Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father’s death—and to aid Craig, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. As they work to uncover the truth, they just may find the key to unlock a future neither could have imagined.
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than forty books and a variety of novellas. Her books have been honored with starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal and have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best.
Social Media Links
Buying Links
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/After-Shadows-Secrets-Sweetwater-Crossing-ebook/dp/B0B6Q2N6WK
Baker Book House https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/465111
Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/after-the-shadows-amanda-cabot/1141496562?ean=9780800740641
Christian Book Distributors https://www.christianbook.com/after-the-shadows-1/amanda-cabot/9780800740641/pd/074064
I enjoyed reading about the inspiration and the background of the Wedge Plantation. Maintenance and upkeep of many of those grand homes became too expensive, and the homes were eventually torn down. I can picture a book signing on that grand porch. Contact the University of South Carolina. Who knows? Maybe the university would work with the current resident to host a big book signing!
Gretchen,
What a fabulous idea!
Karen
I’m excited to read the story even more now. Cheers
Definitely a must read!
Karen and Amanda, a great reveal about the fictional house in the book! It’s fitting that it should be a house out of place in the Texas Hill Country. I’ve only just started the book, but I can’t wait to read more.
It’s an excellent book!