Rift of Time
Paulette P. Murphy
Type: Beta project
Genre: Historical fiction, literary
Word count: 145,000
Warnings: Graphic violence
Across a chasm of misunderstandings two empires clash. England sends 100 men to Virginia in 1606 to establish a global empire while civilizing the Natives; Tsenacomoco’s paramount chief covets their weapons, intending to subjugate the Englishmen as a tribute tribe. John Smith and Wahunsenecawh, each facing internal dissensions, square off in a conflict that will determine the fate of Jamestown. Please note: this book is over 120,000 words, so you’ll have three weeks to complete it, and the bonus will be £15.
This is an origin story. It is the story of first steps toward the settlement, and unsettlement, of America. A story of how 100 Englishmen almost didn’t establish their first permanent settlement in North America in 1607; of how 14,000 Powhatan people, whose ancestors lived in Tidewater Virginia since the last Ice Age, had the opportunity to exterminate those hundred men, and didn’t. It is the story of empires, and everything encoded in that word, encompassing day to day rituals and traditions, fundamental views of humanity and nature, and the desires and ambitions of individuals. John Smith and Wahunsenecawh are achievers accustomed to success, each confident they can subjugate the other. Both face challenges within their domains. Jamestown is beset by illness and ambition; Tsenacomoco is riven by discord and disharmony. At stake in their conflict is the global reach of England’s empire and the integrity of The Powhatan empire.
I am not a historian by training, but a former research scientist. This project began in 2016 as an attempt to understand America today, to examine the first steps toward becoming modern Americans, starting with the hypothesis that outcome is strongly shaped by origins. My research to understand the stores of both English and Powhatan people has been thrilling. I’ve taken to heart Toni Morrison’s words, “If there’s a book you want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” This is the book of American origins I wanted to read.
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