by Stephanie Dray | Jun 14, 2021 | Beatrice Chanler, My Works, The Women of Chateau Lafayette
On June 19, 1946 Beatrice Chanler passed away. She was traveling by train with French diplomat Alexis Leger, also known as Nobel prize winning poet Saint-John Perse. The two had spent summers together at her home in Islesboro, Maine since his exile from France after...
by Stephanie Dray | Jun 10, 2021 | American Revolution, For Readers, Fun Stuff, If the Hat Fits, The Women of Chateau Lafayette
In 1824, Lafayette made his Farewell Tour, visiting all twenty-four of the then United States. In anticipation of Independence Day I’d like to see him in all 50 states, and you can help!...
by Stephanie Dray | May 17, 2021 | Frances Perkins, Works in Progress
I love writing about unsung historical women, and my next subject will be Frances Perkins, the Founding Mother of 20th century America. FDR’s right hand woman, the first female cabinet secretary, and the woman whose lonely fight to save Jewish refugees from the...
by Stephanie Dray | Apr 24, 2021 | Adrienne Lafayette, America's First Daughter, Bloopers, The Women of Chateau Lafayette
Here’s one for the blooper file. As I understand it, the chocolate we know it today was not invented until 1847. Until then, chocolate was known and enjoyed as a drink. So why, then, do edible chocolates appear at the end of the 18th century in both...
by Stephanie Dray | Mar 30, 2021 | Adrienne Lafayette, Food, Fun Stuff, The Women of Chateau Lafayette
My fabulously talented friend Max Miller and I were talking about his popular food show, “Tasting History” when I suggested that he do an episode featuring some food from Lafayette’s day. I provided him with a wedding menu that was posted to the wall...
by Stephanie Dray | Mar 23, 2021 | Excerpts, For Readers, Marthe, My Works, The Women of Chateau Lafayette
Of the three women you’ll meet in The Women of Chateau Lafayette, Marthe Simone is the only fictional composite character. She was inspired by many actual women living at the chateau before and during World War II. How and why I decided to fictionalize Marthe...
