Author, Writer, Storyteller
Judie Mitchell
About The Author
The Forgotten Puritans is the name of a series of novels I am writing about Colonial New England.
I live in Melbourne, Australia, in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges.
I am now retired from 40+ years of teaching English, History and Literature to high school students.
I fell naturally (!) into writing historical fiction.
Why about American history?
I was utterly fascinated by the Pulitzer winning book A Midwife’s Tale, by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, in which she explores the diary of Martha Ballard, a midwife in the late eighteenth century in Maine, New England. The author’s detailed and riveting interpretations of Martha’s diary, a document long disregarded by male historians who thought Martha’s entries trivial and banal, is a triumph of social history.
Book
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is the first title in the series “The Forgotten Puritans.”
It is 1769 and Verity and Hannah are Puritan daughters of New England. Their involvement in a serious crime has rendered them ‘sinners in the hands of an angry God.’ The village of Buxton is scandalised and family reputations are threatened. Meanwhile the angry God of the Puritans is slowly being threatened by adherents more forgiving religions, causing fractures in the close knit community. Hannah and Verity are torn between what they were raised to believe and the possibility of forgiveness for their sins.
Book
All Men Would Be Tyrants If They Could
Should you lie to family and friends to protect a loved one? Could you break a bond of trust to help someone vulnerable?
Abby Goodwin is a midwife in Connecticut in the years leading up to and including the American War for Independence. She is married to an older, violent and abusive man, and, being a devout Puritan, endures the abuse. Her younger sister Connie is desperate to help her, but Abby is in denial. Will Connie find the courage to help Abby fight the laws and customs of their community before it is too late?
All Men Would Be Tyrants If They Could is the second novel from the authorof Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Fans of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and Nathaniel Hawthorn’s The Scarlet Letter, will enjoy this richly imagined portrait of one woman’s battle for justice within the limiting confines of her Puritan, patriarchal community.
Reviews
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Wow what a book! The historical accuracy of this story is amazing! I love the development of the characters and the depth of the story. You really feel like you’re in 18th century New England. I look forward to reading more.
Kelly Freeman
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Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God is a riveting historical fiction novel with subtle but thought-provoking commentary on society. This is a fantastic novel for readers who enjoy compelling family drama in a historical setting.
Literary Titan
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This is a book that every woman should read. It should be a recommended read for high school students.
Misty Tigger 846
Down the Rabbit Hole is going to be an ongoing blog discussing the research I have been engaged in for my novels. I was thinking that if you read historical fiction, you may be interested in where I get my information and ideas from. Luckily for me there is a rich body of sources, both primary and secondary. I hope you enjoy!