historical fiction
“ EVERYONE HAS HEARD OF HESTERPRYNNE . SHE ’ S OUR AMERICAN EVEAND OUR ORIGINAL BADASS SINGLE MOTHER . I WANTED TO WRITE A STORY THAT SHINED ALIGHT ON OUR COUNTRY ’ S STRENGTHS AND FLAWS . I WANTED TO WRITE AN AMERICAN STORY , AND I DID .” LAURIE LICO ALBANESE
To provide a basis for the lovers ’ attraction , Albanese made them both creatives — Nat with his writing and Isobel with her embroidery . Giving Isobel synesthesia , a perceptual phenomenon which enhances her ability to see colors , helped make her work with the needle , something all women of the era could do , extraordinary . It also made Isobel different . “ Another theme of Hester is how we deal with things we don ’ t understand ,” she says . “ In those times , you had to hide things you couldn ’ t explain .”
For Albanese , living in Montclair , which she calls a “ beautiful , supportive writing community ” helps her over the long and sometimes lonely process of writing .“ I can ’ t imagine a better place to be a writer ,” she says . “ There is always someone I can call to bounce something off .”
One of those support pillars is Alice Elliott Dark , whom Albanese calls “ one of the best American writers working today .” It was Dark who led her to develop a Black character more deeply and create a story line around Salem ’ s Black population . “ Laurie works hard on her writing , and is a strong contributor to the atmosphere of dedication to doing good work that makes Montclair a great place to live as a writer ,” says Dark , whose novel Fellowship Point is a critical darling ( and was featured in the May 2022 issue of Montclair Magazine ). “ Hester is a phenomenal novel .”
But it ’ s her husband , whom she met 37 years ago on the Putnam publishing softball team , who is “ my first reader always ,” says Albanese . Their children Melissa and John , who graduated from Montclair High School in 2008 and 2012 ,
PRODUCTIVE WALK Laurie Lico Albanese brainstormed along this Brookdale Park path with her husband , Frank , to arrive at her new book subject .
also read early drafts .
Now , Hester is out in the world and striking a chord with readers across the country . Even before its publication date , the novel was singled out for notice by Indie Next , the American Books Association , and Library Reads , and was named one of the New York Post ’ s best fall books . Publisher ’ s Weekly says ,“ Even those unfamiliar with the classic will be hooked by this account of a capable woman standing up to the sexist and racial prejudices of her time .”
“ Everyone has heard of Hester Prynne ,” says Albanese . “ She ’ s our American Eve and our original badass single mother . I wanted to write a story that shined a light on our country ’ s strengths and flaws . I wanted to write an American story , and Idid .” ■
COURTESY OF LAURIE ALBANESE
8 FALL 2022 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE