Eileen’s two historical novels involved extensive research, and Eileen will discuss how she learned what she needed to know. Shadow of the Rock focused on a story often mentioned in Florida history books about the grandmother of David Levy Yulee, Florida’s first senator. She was captured by pirates and sold to the vizier of Morocco, finally escaping to Gibraltar. Intrigued by the story and wanting to learn more, Eileen spent countless hours visiting libraries and town museums, poring over bibliographies, driving the back roads of Florida and exploring ancient cemeteries in St. Thomas and Gibraltar. She walked the planks of the frigate, USS Constellation, and toured the kasbahs of Morocco. Writing the sequel, In Rembrandt’s Shadow, also required extensive research and for this she focused on everyday details of life in the 16tth through the 20th centuries. For instance, could her 16th century character use a match? What did they wear when and where? Would the steps in front of a house lead to a sidewalk or the road? Don’t miss this exciting presentation.
McIntire writes historical novels and the 90s Club series of cozy mysteries featuring 90-year-old Nancy Dickenson and her friends at Whisperwood Retirement Village. Eileen is currently president of the Maryland Writers’ Association. She is also an active member of Sisters in Crime and the Independent Book Publishers Association. A world traveler, Eileen has ridden a camel in the Moroccan Sahara, fished for piranhas in the Amazon, sailed in a felucca on the Nile, and lived on a motorsailer for three years exploring the east coast from Annapolis to Key West. She lives in Columbia, MD, with her husband, Dr. Roger McIntire, author of parenting books, and their little dog Jose.