Jeannette Merrick Matthews

she/her

Primary Genres: historical fiction, poetry, grant writing

Which is genre your favorite and why?

I am currently editing my historical fiction novel, set in1862 Berea, Kentucky during the week before the Battle of Richmond (Kentucky). It is about a young abolitionist Union soldier who witnesses a shocking event, causing him to question his own integrity and the best way to serve the cause of abolition. Themes of the book are the ramifications of decisions we make, and the morality of war, incorporating the viewpoints of several fictional characters and the historical founders of Berea College. Historical fiction is my favorite because imagining the real-life issues, events, and settings of people in a certain place and locale requires empathizing with them and underscores the similarities in human struggles across time.

What do you like about writing?

I enjoy putting myself in the place of fictional or historical characters and losing myself in the effort to convey their emotions as they confront challenges, meet (or don’t meet) what’s at stake for them. I simply like words.

In college, I had an English assignment to choose one word in a Shakespearean sonnet and to investigate its many connotations. I was astonished to realize how each meaning enhanced the point being made. I explored the word “pitch” from one sonnet and found that it can mean slope, to throw, the quality of sound, or a tarry black substance. All connotations were relevant in the context. So call me a nerd, I find that exciting.