All in the Family

Authors often write about their relatives, but not without their knowledge. Imagine my surprise when I discovered my paternal antecedents once shared a neighborhood with those of the characters in my new book, Defamed. The title refers to Nancy Randolph (1774-1837), the most scandalous member of the vast Randolph clan, one of the oldest, wealthiest and most celebrated families in Virginia. As I delved further into this unexpected connection, I learned that the Llewellyns played an important part in the incredible Randolph saga on not one but two fronts. You might even say we gave them a boost when they first began cobbling together an empire that would eventually encompass tens of thousands of acres, eleven plantations and hundreds of slaves. My story unfolds in...

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