A Poor Girl Living in 18th Century Colonial America

Today, a young woman of twenty-one might develop the next successful app, finish college, or even start a business. 250 years ago, a woman of that age in Colonial America would marry, bear several children, and run the household. The women of each of these times share much in common. Responsibility, work ethic, dedication, and intelligence. The primary difference? The 18^th century young woman had no voice in her community, her country, and often, not even the household she managed or her own life. Men made every key decision and determined every important opinion. The thought of a woman voicing an opinion was abhorrent; men treated them like children, expecting them to be seen and not heard.

Consider, then, the plight of young Essie Lassiter. She, with her husband, the town doctor, lived a charmed life on the outskirts of London, deeply entrenched in the community. Then, without warning, smallpox riddled the town and dozens succumbed, including Essie’s husband. Essie's inability to pay off her husband's debts landed her in the London Debtor's Prison, forcing her to endure deplorable conditions. Later, she is sold into indentured servitude to a wealthy colonist in the New World of America. There, she saved her benefactor's life, leading him to ask her to help found Maryland's first hospital. This is all accomplished by sheer grit and determination to succeed in the face of extreme prejudice by men who deem women unworthy.

Essie battles more than misogynistic behavior. She must overcome a smallpox epidemic, British spies, and the horrors of war. Can she succeed? Learn more. Read The Diary of Essie Lassiter, named a finalist in the category of Historical Fiction in the National Indie Excellence Awards. The Diary of Essie Lassiter is Book 1 of the Essie Lassiter American Revolution Trilogy. Now on sale at Amazon in paper, Kindle, and Audible formats.

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