Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Blood Moon
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1959?
WEBSITE: https://ruthhullchatlienbooks.com/
CITY:
STATE: IL
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born c. 1959; married; husband’s name Michael.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and editor.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Ruth Hall Chatlien is a writer and editor of educational materials, primarily about history. Written for middle-school students, her book Modern American Indian Leaders presents profiles of six Native American leaders who have made significant contributions in a variety of fields, from politics to religion. Chatlien has also written two well-received novels.
The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte
Chatlien’s interest in the Napoleonic Era inspired her first novel, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte. The book’s titular protagonist is Betsy Patterson Bonaparte, the American wife of Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother Jerome. The author discovered Betsy’s story through the television series Hornblower, which ran in the 1990s and early 2000s and which devoted a late episode to Betsy and Jerome. Intrigued by these little-known characters, Chatlien began researching their story. In addition to texts about Napoleon, the War of 1812, and early American history, the author studied details about period clothing and architecture. In addition, she visited Baltimore’s historic houses as well as Fort McHenry.
Betsy Bonaparte (1785-1879) was the daughter of a wealthy Baltimore merchant. She was only eighteen when she married Jerome, aged nineteen, in 1803. The marriage infuriated Napoleon, who pressured the pope to annul it. When the pope refused, Napoleon issued a state decree invalidating the marriage. By late 1804, Jerome and Betsy were en route to Europe. Betsy was pregnant, and the couple intended to arrive in France to attend Napoleon’s coronation ceremony. But Napoleon refused to allow her into the country. She gave birth to a son in 1805 in London. Despite Jerome’s promises that he would do everything in his power to win Napoleon’s approval of the marriage, he failed to convince his brother, and he never saw Betsy again. Jerome returned to the French Navy, marrying a German princess in 1807–before his divorce from Betsy had been made official. Betsy and her son returned to Baltimore, where they lived with her father. After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Betsy returned to Europe and was welcomed into high society. She spent her later years back in Baltimore, where she managed her father’s estate. In 1815 Betsy secured a divorce from Jerome through a special act of the Maryland legislature. She was unsuccessful, however, in her attempt to sue for an inheritance for her son after Jerome’s death in 1860.
Betsy had received a good education and was known for her wit and independence as well as her beauty. She had turned down several marriage proposals before meeting Jerome, whom she found more exciting than her previous suitors. Betsy enjoyed defying convention. She shocked Baltimore by wearing low-cut gowns; her wedding dress, made of almost-transparent material, was described as so insubstantial that the whole thing could fit in a gentleman’s pocket. Later, as a divorcée and single mother, Betsy continued to shun convention and refused to retire from public view.
According to a Publishers Weekly reviewer, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is a stellar example of the genre of historical fiction. The reviewer praised Chatlien’s thorough research and said that the book’s fascinating details illuminate the era’s social conventions and thinking, without shying away from the realities of slavery, greed, and injustice. The reviewer also admired the way in which the author juxtaposes “crucial moments in history alongside Betsy’s quest for recognition” without allowing the exciting developments of the time to eclipse the character’s personal story. A writer for Kirkus Reviews held the novel in similar esteem, describing it as a “fascinating account of one woman’s fight to defiantly stray from her predetermined path,” with details so vivid that the book sometimes reads more like fact than fiction.
Blood Moon
Blood Moon, a fictionalized account of the captivity of Sarah F. Wakefield (1829-1899) by the Sioux in 1862, also received glowing reviews. Born in Rhode Island, Sarah moved to Minnesota in 1854 and two years later married Dr. John Wakefield. Dr. Wakefield was soon appointed physician to a Sioux reservation in southern Minnesota. The novel’s action begins when the government falls behind in its promised annual payment to the Sioux. Fearing violence, Dr. Wakefield sends Sarah and their two young children away to safety. But she is captured en route by two Sioux warriors. Hapa wants to kill Sarah, but his brother-in-law, Chaska, argues that they should keep her alive. Though Sarah remains in grave danger throughout her captivity, Chaska and his mother Ina protect her and help her blend in with the Sioux. In these circumstances, and unsure whether she will ever be rescued, Sarah feels that she could accept life if she had to remain among the Sioux. She acknowledges Ina’s motherly guidance and kindness, and recognizes that Chaska is “one of the most honorable men I have ever known.”
Sarah’s story does not end with her rescue. She returns to white society, but she is not easily welcomed back. People wonder whether her captivity made her too sympathetic to the Sioux; some even consider her a traitor. While Sarah struggles to salvage her reputation, she faces an even more important responsibility: to testify on Chaska’s behalf in court. The government is putting Sioux warriors on trial for killings committed during what became known as the Dakota War of 1862, and Chaska will be sentenced to death unless Sarah can convince the court of his honorable and protective behavior toward her.
A Kirkus Reviews writer admired the novel for its nuance and sensitivity as well as its rich historical detail. The reviewer appreciated the author’s honesty in “nimbly cataloging the horrors each side visits upon the other,” and said that though the novel sometimes conveys a hint of didacticism, the author “resists even these minor concessions to moralistic judgment.” Sarah Johnson, writing on the website Reading the Past, also noted the novel’s sensitive treatment of complex themes.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2014, review of The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte; July 1, 2017, review of Blood Moon.
Publishers Weekly, May 26, 2014, review of The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, p. S22.
ONLINE
Amika Press Website, https://www.amikapress.com/ (May 28, 2018), Chatlien profile.
Broken Teepee, https://brokenteepee.com/ (August 31, 2017), review of Blood Moon.
Copperfield Review, https://copperfieldreview.com/ (February 23, 2014), review of The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte.
Creating Herstory, https://creatingherstory.wordpress.com/ (July 31, 2017), Ruth Hull Chatlien, “Two Woman [sic] Forging Their Own Paths;” guest post.
Enchanted by Josephine, http://enchantedbyjosephine.blogspot.com/ (March 10, 2014), interview with Chatlien.
Oh, for the HOOK of a BOOK!, https://hookofabook.wordpress.com/ (April 7, 2014), review of Ambitious Madame Bonaparte.
Reading the Past, http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/ (November 13, 2017), Sarah Johnson, review of Blood Moon.
Ruth Hull Chatlien Website, https://ruthhullchatlienbooks.com (May 28, 2018).
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Online, https://www.seattlepi.com/ (October 25, 2014), Nicole Weaver, interview with Chatlien.
Writer of History, https://awriterofhistory.com/ (June 15, 2017), Ruth Hull Chatlien, “Using a ‘Bridge’ Character to Portray Cultural Conflict.”
Monday, March 10, 2014
Interview with Ruth Hull Chatlien: THE AMBITIOUS MADAME BONAPARTE
Ambitious Madame Bonaparte banner
Ambitious Madame Bonap
Ruth Hull Chatlien
Please welcome, Ruth Hull Chatlien!
1- Please tell us a bit about your research and what prompted you to write about Betsy?
My husband and I were fans of the Horatio Hornblower television series in the late 1990s. Then in the 2000s, we discovered an additional four episodes that had been produced much later. The last of those featured Jerome and Betsy Bonaparte. I had never before heard that Napoleon’s brother married an American. When I looked up the facts on the Internet, I discovered that Betsy’s real life was far more interesting than the snippet shown (and distorted) in the television show. I researched the novel by reading several biographies as well as books about Napoleon, Dolley Madison, the War of 1812, Baltimore architecture, period clothing,and an early excursion to Niagara Falls. I also took a research trip to Baltimore to visit historic homes, Fort McHenry, and the Maryland Historical Society.
2- Could you please share one fascinating or juicy thing about Betsy that is not necessarily in the book, but that us readers would love to know?
Betsy had a Parisian porcelain bourdaloue, a portable chamber pot, that she carried with her on long carriage rides. After Betsy’s death, her grandson’s wife donated it to the Maryland Historical Society, and the curators there didn’t know what it was. Assuming it was a large sauce boat, they put it on display as part of a table setting in a period dining room—until a porcelain expert explained its real purpose.
3- What major difference between Jerome and Napoleon would you say most struck you and why?
Jerome greatly admired Napoleon and wanted to be just like him, but as the spoiled baby of the family, he never acquired the discipline or work ethic that was necessary to become a great military leader or ruler. So Jerome took the easy way out and settled for the trappings of unearned glory. In fairness to Jerome, there’s one other difference I should note. He was a kinder man than his brother.
4- Please share with us any future projects you may be working on- Can we expect more on the Bonaparte family perhaps?
I haven’t ruled out writing another book about the Bonaparte family, but I’m not going to do so right away. I want to avoid being too closely tied to any one period or country. Instead, I see my “brand” as writing about strong women caught up in times of conflict. I’m currently researching another true story, this one about an American woman who was taken captive during one of the most brutal Indian wars in U.S. history. After that, I expect to return to a topic that is connected to France.
Author Ruth Hull Chatlien
on Tour
March 3-12, 2014
with
The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte
[historical fiction]
Release Date: December 2, 2013
Publisher: Amika Press, Chicago
ISBN: 978-1937484163
484 pages
Author’s website | Goodreads
***
Available from
Amika Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes.
***
SYNOPSIS
As a clever girl in stodgy, mercantile Baltimore, Betsy Patterson dreams of a marriage that will transport her to cultured Europe. When she falls in love with and marries Jerome Bonaparte, she believes her dream has come true—until Jerome’s older brother Napoleon becomes an implacable enemy.Based on a true story, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is a historical novel that portrays this woman’s tumultuous life. Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, known to history as Betsy Bonaparte, scandalized Washington with her daring French fashions; visited Niagara Falls when it was an unsettled wilderness; survived a shipwreck and run-ins with British and French warships; dined with presidents and danced with dukes; and lived through the 1814 Battle of Baltimore. Yet through it all, Betsy never lost sight of her primary goal—to win recognition of her marriage.[provided by the author]
***
Ruth Hull ChatlienRuth Hull Chatlien has been a writer and editor of educational materials for twenty-five years. Her specialty is U.S. and world history. She is the author of Modern American Indian Leaders and has published several short stories and poems in literary magazines. The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte (2013) is her first published novel.
She lives in northeastern Illinois with her husband, Michael, and a very pampered dog named Smokey. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found gardening, knitting, drawing, painting, or watching football.
July 31, 2017 dianatierney3
Two Woman Forging Their Own Paths, Guest Post by Ruth Hull Chatlien
Back in the days when I was writing short stories, I used to say it felt as though my characters walked up to me and said, “Tell my story or I will die.”
The feeling’s not quite the same with 19th-century characters who, after all, are long dead. Rather, the compulsion is to tell their stories so they won’t be forgotten. That was the motive behind the writing of my two historical novels: The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte and Blood Moon: A Captive’s Tale.
19101576I learned about Betsy Bonaparte through the A&E television series based on the Horatio Hornblower novels, which focus on the exploits of the British navy during the Napoleonic Wars. In one episode, Hornblower and his crew encounter a young couple trying to sneak into France by rowing ashore during a destructive gale. Hornblower’s crew members take them aboard the HMS Hotspur, and after a brief period of deception, the passengers reveal that they are Napoleon’s youngest brother Jerome and his American wife.
The plot stunned me. I was an editor of history textbooks, yet I’d never heard that a Bonaparte had married an American. So, I googled Elizabeth “Betsy” Patterson Bonaparte and learned that she had indeed existed and that her story was far more dramatic than what was presented on A&E. Betsy was beautiful, but she was also well-read, skilled with numbers, and quick witted. She was ambitious—her term for herself, not mine—and she wanted a life that would allow her to exercise her talents. To achieve this, Betsy defied the republicanism of the early United States and decided to seek a noble marriage that would carry her to the courts of Europe. When she met Jerome Bonaparte, who was visiting her hometown, the two fell in love and impulsively decided to marry. Little did they know that Napoleon had other plans, namely that his brother should make a political marriage to bolster the French empire. Betsy faced the opposition of the most powerful man in the world, yet she never stopped fighting for her rights or those of her son.
Blood Moon: A Captive’s TaleI learned about Sarah Wakefield, the protagonist of my second novel, while listening to an NPR broadcast about the 150th anniversary of the Dakota War of 1862, a much-neglected chapter of U.S. history. Many of the Eastern Dakota who lived in Minnesota rose up in August 1862 and led a doomed revolt against the rapidly growing white populace. It was one of the deadliest Indian wars in our history. To this day, historians don’t know exactly how many died during the conflict. Estimates range from the 400s to the 800s.
Unlike Betsy, Sarah was a plain woman who had no lofty goals for her life. She traveled alone from her home state of Rhode Island—perhaps to escape a scandal that she forever after refused to explain—to the territory of Minnesota shortly before it became a state. There she married a doctor who, in 1861, became one of the two government-appointed physicians on the Dakota reservation. When the conflict broke out, John Wakefield sent his wife and two pre-school children to a nearby fort for safety, but they were captured on the way and held captive for the entire six-week duration of the war.
Nearly three hundred white and mixed-blood Minnesotans were held prisoner during that conflict. The reason I focused on Sarah is that her story was unique. She was very interested in Dakota culture and learned some of the language before the war. Once she was captured, her strategy for surviving was the exact opposite of the strategy used by most white captives. Sarah decided to adopt the Dakota way of life. After the war, she testified on behalf of Chaska, the man who had protected her. As far as I know, she was the only white captor to testify in favor of a Dakota warrior, and white society despised her for it. Sarah was the best choice for my story because her unusual sympathies made her a bridge character who could help me show both sides of the conflict.
Betsy Bonaparte and Sarah Wakefield were two very different women who shared one crucial trait. Both defied society’s expectations and forged their own paths in a time when that was extraordinarily difficult for women to do. Because of that, I’m glad to have recorded their “herstory” so that neither woman will be forgotten.
Ruth Hull Chatlien has been a writer and editor of educational materials for twenty-five years. Her specialty is U.S. and world history. She is the author of Modern American Indian Leaders and has published several short stories and poems in literary magazines. The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is her first published novel.
She lives in northeastern Illinois with her husband, Michael. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found gardening, knitting, drawing, painting, or watching football.
Using a “Bridge” Character to Portray Cultural Conflict by Ruth Hull Chatlien
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Jun 2017
Posted by M.K. Tod in Guest Posts, Historical Fiction, writing historical fiction, Writing Process
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author Ruth Hull Chatlien, Blood Moon by Ruth Hull Chatlien, novels about the Dakota War, novels about the Dakota War of 1862, novels set in nineteenth century American, Ruth Hull Chatlien author, the Dakota War of 1862
With recent press on the dangers of cultural appropriation, Ruth Hull Chatlien provides readers and writers with an interesting and thoughtful perspective. Ruth’s latest novel, Blood Moon – A Captive’s Tale, released this week.
Using a “Bridge” Character to Portray Cultural Conflict by Ruth Hull Chatlien
The moment I heard about Sarah Wakefield’s experiences as a captive during the deadly Dakota War of 1862, I knew I had to tell her story.
The Dakota War of 1862 took place between the Dakota people and white settlers of southern Minnesota, but it’s not widely known because it’s overshadowed by the Civil War. Minnesota is the ancestral homeland of the Dakota (also called the Sioux), but by 1858 when Minnesota achieved statehood, the United States government had convinced them to relinquish nearly all their lands in the state. All that remained was a narrow strip of land running along the Minnesota River. In return, the Dakota were supposed to receive gold payments each June. However, they benefitted very little from that money because they had to obtain supplies from white traders, who often cheated them.
Things came to a head in the summer of 1862. Minnesota had experienced two years of drought and a brutally harsh winter, which left the native inhabitants close to starvation. Settlers had been pouring into the state and hunting the region’s game until it was scarce, putting further strain on the food supplies. Despite the dire conditions, traders on the reservation refused to extend credit so the Dakota could buy food in advance of their annuity. Then the unthinkable happened. Because of the ongoing Civil War, the federal government was short on cash reserves in 1862—and the gold payment was delayed for weeks.
In mid-August, four young warriors massacred a white family, sparking an uprising. For six weeks, war tore apart the southern third of the state. Historians estimate that some 400 to 600 Minnesotans lost their lives. In addition, hundreds of people were taken captive. At the end of the six-week war, the Dakota released 107 white and 162 mixed-blood prisoners to the U.S. army.
Among them were Sarah Wakefield and her two young children. Sarah’s husband John was a government-appointed physician at one of the two agencies on the reservation. When the war broke out. John tried to send his family to a nearby fort for safety, but on their way, two warriors stopped their wagon, killed the driver, and took Sarah and her children prisoner. Fortunately, one of their captors was a Dakota acquaintance who decided to protect them.
Very early in planning this novel, I realized that no matter how carefully I researched the history and culture of the Dakota, I couldn’t write in a native voice without getting it wrong and causing offense. That’s why I wrote from Sarah’s perspective.
She was an unusual woman for her time. Before the war, she had studied the Dakota language, hired Dakota women to work in her home, attended church at missions on the reservation, and visited Dakota villages, chatting and smoking with the women there. During her captivity, she adopted Dakota customs and dress as a survival strategy, and she did her best to be as useful and cheerful as possible. Her fellow captives criticized her harshly for these actions. Then, after the war was over, Sarah testified on behalf of the man who had protected her—an act for which white society rebuffed her.
Because she was unusually sympathetic to the Dakota, I decided to use Sarah as a bridge character to explore both sides of the conflict. I adopted the most tightly focused, subjective point of view I could: first person, present tense. Everything is filtered through the lens of Sarah’s understanding without any retrospective wisdom—but because the historic Sarah Wakefield tried to understand and defend the Dakota, my fictional Sarah Wakefield does too.
To make the story as accurate as possible, I did a lot of research. I read not only Sarah’s memoir about her captivity but also several general books about the war, a collection of Dakota testimonies, and two ethnographies about the Dakota people. I even taught myself a smattering of Dakota words and phrases to try to replicate the speech of a white captive communicating in a still-unfamiliar language.
Writing this book was a tremendous learning experience, and I hope the resulting novel will be both eye-opening and enjoyable for readers.
Congratulations on your latest novel, Ruth. I wish you great success.
Ruth Hull Chatlien
by Copperfield Posted on February 22, 2014
The Ambitious Madame BonaparteRuth Hull Chatlien is the author of the historical novel The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte. Here’s her take on writing historical fiction.
Meredith Allard: When and why did you begin writing, and did you always write historical fiction?
Ruth Hull Chatlien: I started my first novel when I was ten years old—so long ago that I don’t remember why I did it beyond a love of stories. That first novel was historical fiction about forbidden romance and patriotic spies during the American Revolution. I finally finished the 120-page manuscript when I was in high school. In college, I majored in literature, and influenced by that experience, I spent the next 30 years writing literary fiction. I managed to get a few poems and short stories published. Finally, a few years ago, I decided to go back to my first love: historical fiction.
M.A.: What inspired you to write The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte?
R.H.C.: My husband and I were great fans of the Horatio Hornblower television series in the late 1990s. Then in the 2000s, we discovered an additional four episodes that we had never seen because they were produced much later. The last of those featured Jerome and Betsy Bonaparte. Despite my familiarity with world history, I didn’t know that Napoleon’s brother had married an American. When I looked up the facts on the Internet, I discovered that Betsy’s real life was far more interesting than the snippet shown (and distorted) in the television show.
M.A.: Tell us about The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte. How would you describe it to potential readers?
R.H.C.: The book combines romance, action adventure, and a tale of family dysfunction. Betsy Bonaparte was a heroine as beautiful and headstrong as Scarlett O’Hara, but unlike Scarlett, she was a real woman. She led a tumultuous life because of her belief that a woman had as much right to exercise her talents as any man.
M.A.: All authors have a different path as they seek publication. What was your journey to publication like? What can you tell us about the joys and the challenges of being an author?
R.H.C.: Originally, I sought traditional publication for the novel. I spent about six months shopping it around to agents without success. The original version of the book had two problems; it was longer than what publishers wanted to see from a first-time author, and because I had tried to keep it short, it wasn’t descriptive enough. Then in February 2013, through a mutual friend I met the man who had founded Amika Press in Chicago. He was excited about the concept of my book, so after taking some time to consider whether I was ready to give up on New York publication, I submitted the manuscript. The publisher and editor at Amika both read it, liked it, and agreed to take it on. My editor was fantastic and really helped me make it the book I dreamed it would be. To my surprise, he wanted me to make it even longer by adding the descriptive details I had left out. We went through one major revision and one copy edit, and then the novel came out in December 2013.
M.A.: For me, researching historical fiction is always the most challenging part. What is your research process? Do you travel for research? How do you incorporate the facts of the era with your fictional story?
R.H.C.: I researched the novel by reading several biographies of Betsy as well as books about Jerome, Napoleon, Dolley Madison, the War of 1812, Baltimore architecture, period clothing, and an early excursion to Niagara Falls. I also took a research trip to Baltimore to visit historic homes, Fort McHenry, a 19th century warship, and the Maryland Historical Society.
Even after gathering all those facts, I still had to deal with areas where details have been lost to the historical record. One of my favorite analogies for writing historical fiction is “hanging the swags.” I think of the known factual events as brackets extending at irregular intervals along a wall. As a novelist, I had to make up scenes and bits of dialogue to connect those known events—like draping material to connect the brackets.
M.A.: Which authors are your inspiration—in your writing life and/or your personal life?
R.H.C.: I owe a tremendous debt to Graham Greene for showing me that it’s ok to write about deeply flawed characters. I very much admire historical novelists such as Tracy Chevalier, Hilary Mantel, and Sarah Dunant for the way they have made the past come alive in their work.
M.A.: What advice do you have for those who want to write and publish historical fiction?
R.H.C.: Tell a good story, but don’t neglect the history. I recently read a historical novel set in the same period as mine and dealing with some of the same people. The plot was fast-paced, and the characterization of the heroine was well conceived, but the book was riddled with anachronisms and inaccuracies. I had a very hard time remaining in the world of the book because the mistakes kept jarring me out of the story.
Ruth Hull Chatlien has been a writer and editor of educational materials for nearly thirty years, specializing in U.S. and world history. She is the author of Modern American Indian Leaders for middle-grade readers. Her award-winning first novel, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, portrays the tumultuous life of Elizabeth “Betsy” Patterson Bonaparte. Her second novel is Blood Moon: A Captive’s Tale.
She lives in northeastern Illinois with her husband, Michael. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found gardening, knitting, drawing, painting, or studying Swedish.
Interview: Ruth Hull Chatlien, Author of 'The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte'
By Nicole Weaver, BLOGCRITICS.ORG Published 10:00 pm, Saturday, October 25, 2014
I have a lot of respect for authors who can write historical fiction. It takes a tremendous amount of research to write in that genre. Ruth Chatlien has written a compelling story that won gold in the Readers' Favorite International Award Contest. I am beyond happy she accepted my request for an interview.Ambitious_Mme_Bonaparte_cover
Can you tell me about yourself?
I'm a native of northern Illinois who has worked in educational publishing as both a writer and editor for 25 years. I've also published several short stories and poems in literary magazines. My husband is a writer too; in fact we met in a writers' critique group. We were critics of each other's work for three years before we ever starting dating. Having this vocation in common really helps us to support each other. I'm also a breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed in December 2013 - the same month that my novel was published - which made for a real emotional roller coaster at the end of last year. Fortunately, we caught it at an early stage, and I finished treatment on March 21, 2014. The beginning of spring will always symbolize new life for me in an extra way from now on. In addition to writing, I'm passionate about gardening, knitting, art, football, and my dog Smokey.
What inspired you to become a writer?
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I started my first novel when I was 10 years old - so long ago that I don't remember why I did it beyond a love of stories. That first novel was historical fiction about forbidden romance and patriotic spies during the American Revolution. I finally finished the 120-page manuscript when I was in high school. After college, I spent 30 years writing literary fiction. Finally, a few years ago, I decided to go back to my first love: historical fiction. The best way to describe why I write is that it feels as though characters come up to me and say, "If you don't tell my story, I will die."
How long did it take you to acquire the skills to become a writer?
It's a lifelong process. I majored in literature in college and took several writing courses. After I graduated, I kept writing on my own, and I joined the writers' group I mentioned earlier to get feedback on my work. I don't believe there is a point where you can ever say, "I've made it. Now I'm really a writer." As soon as you start putting words to paper, you're a writer, but then you have to work at getting better your whole life.
How many books have you written?
As an adult, I've written four novels and one young adult book of biographies. Two books have been published: the young adult book, Modern American Indian Leaders, and the most recent novel, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, which is based on the true story of the American beauty who married Napoleon's youngest brother, only to have the emperor become an implacable enemy.
Some writers go on long walks; others keep a journal, write at a café, or listen to music. What do you do for inspiration and unleashing your creativity?
Going for walks definitely helps me. We live about a block away from an old cemetery that has marvelous avenues of trees. I put the dog on a leash and go there when I have to think things out. I also play out scenes in my head as I'm weeding my garden. Having a physical activity to focus on seems to help clear out the cobwebs. And of course, I talk things over with my husband. Usually, when we have to drive somewhere more than an hour from our house, you'll find us talking about our work.
What are you working on now?
I'm writing another historical novel with the working title of Captive Summer. It's based on the true story of a white woman taken captive in one of the most brutal Indian wars in U.S. history.
Chatlien, Ruth Hull: BLOOD MOON
Kirkus Reviews. (July 1, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
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Full Text:
Chatlien, Ruth Hull BLOOD MOON Amika Press (Indie Fiction) $5.95 6, 14
In this work of historical fiction set in the Midwest during the Civil War, Sioux warriors seize a woman and her children. Sarah Wakefield lives in southern Minnesota in Sioux territory--her husband, John, is a government-appointed doctor assigned to the reservation. The regular annuity paid to the Sioux is yet again delayed, and already strained relations between them and their often cruel white counterparts become even more acrimonious. Finally, when it becomes clear an outburst of violence is imminent, John sends Sarah and her two young children away, but her escort is murdered and she is captured by two Sioux fighters. One of them, Hapa, is eager to kill her, but his brother-in-law, Chaska, protects Sarah from harm and vows to remain her faithful guardian. While in captivity, Sarah is in constant danger, but Chaska and his mother, Ina, vigilantly watch over her, help her blend in, and hide her when necessary. She even flirts with the possibility of becoming one of them: "If I knew I would never be rescued, I think I could be content among the Sioux. Ina has become like a mother to me--certainly, a better mother than the one I left in Rhode Island. And Chaska is one of the most honorable men I have ever known." When finally rescued, she has to save Chaska's life by testifying to his admirable behavior and repair her own tattered reputation as a sympathizer and traitor. Chatlien (The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, 2013) writes with nuanced sensitivity, nimbly cataloging the horrors each side visits upon the other. Even Sarah's marriage is depicted without yielding to facile simplicity--her husband can be sweet and chivalrous but also petty and cold. In a few spots, the author seems tempted by the desire to impart a didactic lesson--there is good and bad among all kinds--but resists even these minor concessions to moralistic judgment. In addition, Chatlien's mastery of the historical period--especially the life and culture of the Sioux--is notable and creates a fictional atmosphere of authenticity. A subtle dramatization of the conflict between white settlers and Native Americans in the 19th century.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Chatlien, Ruth Hull: BLOOD MOON." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A497199545/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ff95c7aa. Accessed 22 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A497199545
The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte
Publishers Weekly. 261.21 (May 26, 2014): pS22.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte
Ruth Hull Chatlien. Amika Press, $17.95 paper (484p) ISBN 978-1-937484-16-3
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
When young Betsy Patterson marries dashing but irresponsible Jerome Bonaparte--the brother of Napoleon--she dreams of an exciting new life at the French court. Instead, her brother-in-law's hostility leads to her bitter struggle to legitimize herself as a Bonaparte. Meticulously researched, engrossing in detail, and full of the customs, values, and prejudices of the era, Chatlien's novel brings to life crucial moments in history alongside Betsy's quest for recognition. The chaos of Napoleon's reign and maritime hostilities engross without overshadowing Madame Bonaparte's heartaches and small triumphs. Chatlien doesn't flinch from exposing our hunger for wealth and power, and confronts difficult themes such as slavery and domestic inequality. A solid example of its genre, this account of one woman's stubborn determination will appeal to romance aficionados and historical devotees alike.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte." Publishers Weekly, 26 May 2014, p. S22. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A369729569/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f5a1df6d. Accessed 22 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A369729569
Chatlien, Ruth Hull: The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte
Kirkus Reviews. (Mar. 15, 2014):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Chatlien, Ruth Hull THE AMBITIOUS MADAME BONAPARTE Amika Press (Indie Fiction) $17.95 12, 2 ISBN: 978-1-937484-16-3
Chatlien's debut historical fiction celebrates the drive and desires of the real-life Betsy Patterson, a Baltimore merchant's daughter who married a Bonaparte. As a child and young woman, Betsy Patterson was precocious, lovely, dismissive of America and not terribly eager to sit around and do what she was told. Of her American suitors, she laments, "Marriage to any one of them would sentence me to a life...bearing child after child until my mind is rusted from disuse." When a European lieutenant comes to Baltimore, Betsy finds love and opportunity-the lieutenant is, after all, Jerome Bonaparte, Napoleon's youngest brother. The two wed, but when Napoleon refuses to acknowledge the marriage, which may hinder the potential for political alliances, the newly minted Madame Bonaparte discovers that a court life is not so easily attainable for an American girl. Her ambition doesn't subside, however. Instead, it underlies her new mission to receive recognition of her union, which means pitting herself against the most powerful man in the world. "Napoleon dismissed me as expendable because I am American and a woman," she says. "Someday I will make him see that he was wrong on both counts." Betsy is a captivating heroine whose independence and intelligence are given their proper due in Chatlien's novel. Against the backdrop of world events, such as the battle at Waterloo and the War of 1812, Betsy fights her own, smaller battles, ignoring censure from her stern father and other compatriots who criticize her tenacity and her scandalous French fashions. Her story has suspense, a rapidly moving plot and rich details of 19th-century life, from quotidian tasks to grand parties with Dolley and James Madison at the Presidential Mansion. The novel is so vivid, in fact, that its fictional nature can seem dubious at times. Still, it undoubtedly offers compelling insights into the minds of real, deeply engrossing individuals. A fascinating account of one woman's fight to defiantly stray from her predetermined path.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Chatlien, Ruth Hull: The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2014. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A361278799/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4e91e6ab. Accessed 22 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A361278799
Monday, November 13, 2017
Blood Moon by Ruth Hull Chatlien, a tense fictional account of the Dakota War of 1862
Ruth Hull Chatlien spins a taut and believable tale in her second historical novel, Blood Moon, which dramatizes Sarah Wakefield’s six-week captivity among the Dakota people in 1862, along with her four-year-old son and infant daughter.
The wife of Dr. John Wakefield, a government physician at the Upper Sioux Agency in southern Minnesota, Sarah had previously formed friendships among the Sioux (as she calls them), relationships which stand her in good stead after hostilities break out between the white settlers and Indians. Sent away from their home by John for her safety, she and her children see their journey tragically disrupted; they are taken into the custody of Chaska, a friendly “farmer Indian,” and his not-so-friendly relative, Hapa.
Vowing to return her to her husband when it’s possible to do so, Chaska brings Sarah under his protection, and she comes to see him and his kindly mother, Ina, as adopted family members. Both are sympathetic characters, and it’s only thanks to them that Sarah survives. Still, there are many close calls, with many of Chaska’s compatriots vowing to kill all white settlers—she sees examples firsthand.
Through her narrative, Sarah deftly illustrates the political tensions that lead up to the U.S.-Dakota War: restrictions imposed upon the Dakota, combined with drought and their subsequent hunger, have driven the Indians to the breaking point. The complex situation is painted in many shades of gray, with many Dakota people wanting to avoid violence. “The longer I am with them,” she states, “the more I understand that their attitudes toward whites are neither uniform nor predictable.”
An intelligent and courageous woman, Sarah already knows how to speak Dakota to some degree, and the story shows how she learns to follow their ways and behave in a culturally acceptable manner, despite disdain from other white captives. The author provides considerable detail on the Dakota culture, including their dress, language, and kinship relations. That said, Sarah longs to return with her children to the white settlers’ world, and to her husband.
On this topic, the depiction of Sarah and John Wakefield’s mismatched marriage deserves acclaim for its realism. Sarah, a six-foot-tall farmer’s daughter, has a scandal in her past that’s not of her own making. The historical character’s own memoir alludes to this, but without going into detail; the explanation given in the novel feels plausible. John, from a blue-blooded New England family, is a talented, adventurous physician who’s prone to occasional violence and verbal put-downs. Keeping to the mindset of mid-19th century mores, Sarah is a caring mother who does her best to be a good wife, feeling that John saved her from a life that could have been worse. One specific scene toward the end, relating to their relationship, exudes power, meaning, and character.
Recommended for an in-depth look at a little-known but important event from 150 years ago that was tragic on many fronts and had lasting consequences.
Blood Moon was published by Amika Press in June; thanks to the author for providing me with an e-copy.
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Posted by Sarah Johnson at 7:00 AM
April 7, 2014 · 8:00 am
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The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, by Ruth Hull Chatlien, Showcases Betsy, American Wife of Napoleon’s Brother
The Ambitious Madame BonaparteThe Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, by Ruth Hull Chatlien, was a wonderfully enlightening read about a woman I knew little about, an American woman from Baltimore society that married Jerome Bonaparte, Napoleon’s brother. The title really does say it all, as Betsy Patterson, a young woman who always dreamed of marrying into high society of Europe’s elite, doesn’t take any stops on her way of making a name for herself and enjoying life at French court.
However, even when most of it doesn’t work out to be pretty as a picture for her, we can admire her strength, motivation, perseverance, independence, and ingenuity. Betsy Bonaparte is thrilling to me. I admire a woman who goes after what she wants at all cost and doesn’t settle for what anyone tells her she should be content with. Of course, as this is based on a true story, I really admire the research that Chatlien put into this historical woman. It’s wonderful that she brought Betsy to light for readers to know more of her story. Her life was such a struggle to be recognized, respected, and known that I think it’s fitting that her story be brought to the limelight through such a well-written book.
It must have been quite the experience to live among and with such extravagant and incorrigible personalities as the Bonaparte family possessed. Maybe some people would see Betsy Bonaparte as overbearing or aggressive or selfish even, but Chalien did a wonderful job of showcasing a well-rounded side of her and allowing her to be known for her amazing ability to “stay her course.”
That said, Chatlien did a superb job of character development with Betsy Bonaparte as well as the whole other cast of historical characters. Her 19th Century details were delicious and I enjoyed reading about the fashion and visually imagining the scenes Chatlien set so vividly for the reader.
The story is fast-moving, well-written, structured succinctly, suspenseful, and engaging. Reading about the Napoleonic era is always thrilling, but reading about an American of the time caught up in their drama is quite an original learning experience. I feel that Chalien teaches us educationally and historically while at the same time creating a story that gives it its fiction genre designation. It’s a story with impact and it flows through all the tumultuous times with a fervor and a seamless quality.
I highly recommend this book as a wonderful historical read, which like a fine art painting, will be an asset to your shelf of favorite French book collections. Such an amazing book rich with details and another to add to the list of book that speak to the amazing, almost forgotten women of the past.
The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, Synopsis~
The Ambitious Madame BonapartePublication Date: December 2, 2013
Amika Press
Paperback; 484p
ISBN: 978-1937484163
As a clever girl in stodgy, mercantile Baltimore, Betsy Patterson dreams of a marriage that will transport her to cultured Europe. When she falls in love with and marries Jerome Bonaparte, she believes her dream has come true—until Jerome’s older brother Napoleon becomes an implacable enemy.
Based on a true story, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte is a historical novel that portrays this woman’s tumultuous life. Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, known to history as Betsy Bonaparte, scandalized Washington with her daring French fashions; visited Niagara Falls when it was an unsettled wilderness; survived a shipwreck and run-ins with British and French warships; dined with presidents and danced with dukes; and lived through the 1814 Battle of Baltimore. Yet through it all, Betsy never lost sight of her primary goal—to win recognition of her marriage.
Blood Moon by Ruth Hull Chatlien – Blog Tour and Book Review with Giveaway
August 31, 2017 by Patty
This was my second book by Ruth Hull Chatlien and hopefully not my last. Blood Moon was sent to me by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours at no charge for my honest review. The book is based in reality and was a fascinating read.
Blood Moon by Ruth Hull Chatlien
About Blood Moon:
Publication Date: June 14, 2017
Amika Press
Paperback & eBook; 424 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Southern Minnesota, August 1862. Smoke fills the horizon and blood soaks the prairie as the Sioux fight to drive white settlers from their ancestral homeland. Sarah Wakefield and her young son and baby daughter are fleeing for their lives when two warriors capture them. One is Hapa, who intends to murder them. The other is Chaska, an old acquaintance who promises to protect the family. Chaska shelters them in his mother’s tepee, but with emotions running so high among both Indians and whites, the danger only intensifies. As she struggles to protect herself and those she loves, Sarah is forced to choose between doing what others expect of her and following her own deep beliefs.
About the Author:
Ruth Hull Chatlien has been a writer and editor of educational materials for nearly thirty years, specializing in U.S. and world history. She is the author of Modern American Indian Leaders for middle-grade readers. Her award-winning first novel, The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte, portrays the tumultuous life of Elizabeth “Betsy” Patterson Bonaparte. Her latest novel, Blood Moon: A Captive’s Tale, is now available for pre-order.
She lives in northeastern Illinois with her husband, Michael, and a very pampered dog named Smokey. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found gardening, knitting, drawing, painting, or watching football.
For more information please visit Ruth’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. Sign up for Ruth’s newsletter here.
My Opinion:
I tend to read more Europe based historical fiction than US based but I am trying to change that. I find tales of the Western expansion of particular interest probably because of living in Montana. It was a difficult time for both the settlers and the Native Americans and I think the stories need to be told.
This book is based on true events; Sarah Wakefield lived with her husband and two children in Minnesota. Relations with the Sioux are breaking down in the years just ahead of the Civil War as the payments to them from the government are late and the Sioux are starving because they are no longer allowed to hunt on their ancestral lands. The soldiers at the Agency won’t release the trade goods without money despite it being a government facility.
As conditions deteriorate Sarah’s husband decides to send her to a more settled area but as she is traveling she and her escort are attacked. Her escort is killed and one of the two Indians wants to kill Sarah as well but the other remembers that she and her husband (a doctor) cared for the Sioux and did try and help them. This man, Chaksa takes Sarah and her two children under his care. So starts Sarah’s odyssey as a guest/hostage of the Sioux.
Ms. Hull Chatlien mentions in her author’s note that she kept pretty close to Sarah’s narrative in writing her fictional retelling. The narrative was incredibly fascinating and I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been like for Sarah to be in this situation with an infant and small child. The only thing keeping her from death was Chaksa and his mother. Many Indians wanted her dead just because she was white.
I found myself very involved in the story, almost as much as I was there. Ms. Hull Chatlien really brought the period to life for me. Sarah was, at times, not a very likable character. Nor was her husband. At times I felt very sorry for Sarah and what she had to endure and at other times I wanted to slap her for some of the things that she did. I guess that makes her a very well rounded character. Whether that is Ms. Hull Chatlien’s doing or the real Sarah was like that I don’t know. I’m very interested in reading the original diary now to see how it compares.
I’m keeping this book in hopes of finding the time to reread it. It is certainly a thrilling story with much going on. I do find fiction based on fact far more interesting than a fully made up tale. It is a difficult story to read for any number of reasons – the hate on both sides is very hard to experience. It is not very different from today but at least today there isn’t wholesale slaughter.
Rating:
4.5