It's been really busy getting out the word about my new book, Summer Suffragists, checking out possible book awards, and arranging for a hardcover version, which should be out November 3. That's Election Day, very appropriate for a book about women getting the right to vote.
Meanwhile, a descendant of Judith and Sylvanus Smith got me interested (maybe sidetracked is a better word) in Sylvanus's ships. And then in his shipyard. So I have been pumping up the pages on my website. Under the Suffragists tab, check out the ship Centennial, https://www.lylenyberg.com/the-ship-centennial, and the ship Paul Revere, https://www.lylenyberg.com/the-ship-paul-revere. I have to admit those clipper ships were beautiful.
The shipyard turned into a whole history project. Sylvanus did not just stay in one location, and neither did the most famous clipper ship builder, Donald McKay. They were all clustered around the northern end of East Boston, more or less at the foot of White Street. But it took a while to sort out the different locations, and check out maps from the early 1850s to the 1870s. See the results here, https://www.lylenyberg.com/shipyards-of-east-boston. At this rate, I may have enough material for another book!
