WOMEN IN THE REVOLUTION History is written by the victors…most of the time by men. So it is hardly surprising that women are given little mention in the telling of the founding of our nation. If students are taught about any women famous for this time, they may have learned about Betsy Ross, who’s given credit for sewing the first flag for the new country. Or if they had a particularly insightful history teacher, they may have learned how Abigail Adams, devoted wife of John Adams, became the advisor and confidant of this revolutionary and second president. But that’s about it. The truth is, we know very little about the role women played in the American Revolution, in part because men were recording the events. Of course, women were holding down the homestead, working the farm and raising the children, while their husbands were gone for months or even years fighting battles. But historians are confident women did more, much more. And scholars have been able to uncover details about a few. One of the most remarkable tales is of Deborah Sampson. Deborah enlisted late in the fight (1782) and did so as a man, Robert Shurtliff. She served in the Massachusetts 4th Regiment for about seventeen months. She cut her hair, bound her chest, and adopted male mannerisms so she could pass muster. She performed camp duties, guard duty, and marched with her unit, fighting in some frontier skirmishes. She was only discovered when she was wounded, a musket ball in her thigh. She received an honorable discharge and even a military pension—though that took her twenty years of petitioning. Quite a woman. Another woman in the historical records was Margaret Corbin. Margaret, or Molly as she was called, performed a role that many a wife and girlfriend did. She accompanied her husband, John Corbin, an artilleryman, from camp to camp and battle to battle. She assisted her husband, carrying supplies, caring for the wounded, and even helping to load and fire a cannon. Her story is recorded because she was beside her husband in the battle at Ft. Washington, one of the most disastrous battles for the patriots. The colonial army of about 3000 was attacked by 8000 British and Hessian troops. All colonials were killed, wounded, or captured. Margaret’s husband was killed in the action, and accounts tell of how she took her husband’s place at the cannon. In the end, she was captured and later released in a prisoner exchange. She, too, was awarded a military pension. And then there is 355. We don’t know her name, only her number. 355 was a member of the Culper Ring, George Washington’s super spy ring. Her number comes up in recovered correspondence between agents in the ring, so we know some of the secrets she helped uncover, like the British scheme to flood the colonies with counterfeit Continental currency. Without a name or background details, historians have argued about her identity, positing several theories. Although they cannot agree on her social status or how she gained access to the secrets, they remained certain that her actions contributed to winning the war. That’s why I chose to give her flesh and blood as my title character, ABIGAIL TRENCH, in my new historical thriller, launched this month (6/9/26), published and distributed by Diversion Books and Simon & Schuster. As a long-time educator, I spent much of my career working with women and have developed a true respect for the great work they do as teachers, making a difference in children’s lives, often with no one noticing. Much like my Abigail Trench of 1776. Women seldom get the credit they deserve. It was true in 1776 and is still true now, though not as much. My new novel, ABGAIL TRENCH, A NOVEL OF WASHINGTON’S SPY RING, is my homage to consequential women who change lives, sacrifice their own needs for others, and make life better, whether anyone ever notices or not. With the national celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this summer, now would be a great time to check out my story of 355. You can get all the details here. https://www.authorrandyoverbeck.com/books/abigail-trench  Abigail Trench by Randy Overbeck Historical Espionage Thriller Releases June 9, 2026 A Novel of Washington's Spy Ring A vivid, propulsive Revolutionary-era thriller with the spy-craft verve of the streaming hit TURN: Washington’s Spies and the electricity of 1776’s New York that Hamilton lovers will recognize, this story is inspired by the lone female operative in Washington’s spy ring. In occupied New York, a schoolteacher with everything to lose turns information into a weapon, threading between Redcoats and rebels as plots against Washington gather steam. After rogue Redcoats assault her and strip her family’s Long Island farm, Abigail Trench fights to survive in New York City—tutoring in a high-ranking British officer’s Water Street household by day, navigating taverns, informants, and soldiers by night. Through Abigail’s keen eyes—and a counter-narrative following a principled British major—the novel renders the moral gray zones of occupation with gritty intimacy. As rumors swirl of a strike at General Washington, Abigail’s vantage inside upper-crust parlors and rough waterfront rooms makes her an ideal courier—and a target. This historical thriller delivers high tension, textured world-building, and a captivating heroine who put it all on the line for freedom. Get your copy at one of these retailers books2read.com/Abigail-Trent  Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, bestselling author, popular podcaster and speaker in much demand. After serving children for almost four decades as teacher, college prof and school leader, he used those experiences and skills to craft captivating mysteries, thrillers and historical suspense. His novels have earned more than a dozen national awards including Thriller of the Year, Best Book Award, the Gold Award and Mystery of the Year and have garnered hundreds of five-star reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and BookBub. His newest novel, ABIGAIL TRENCH, is a historical suspense about the Revolutionary War, released June, 2026 by Diversion Books and distributed by Simon and Schuster. Dr. Overbeck is also the host of the popular podcast, Great Stories about Great Storytellers, which reveals the little known backstories of famous authors, directors and poets and ranks among the top 50% of all podcasts in the US. When he is not writing or podcasting, he is in much demand as a speaker, sharing informative and entertaining programs to more than 300 groups all over the country.
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Welcome to Around the Fire. This past week, Hubby and I celebrated our 32nd Anniversary with a nice dinner at one of our local restaurants, Shout out to The Hyde-Away Restaurant and Tap Room. I'm fond of treasures in my own backyard, and this charming establishment is one of our go-tos. Bonus for us as history buffs: this is a renovated historic landmark. The restaurant is in the Middleville section of Stillwater Township, NJ. Originally built in 1784, it was a horse-and-carriage rest stop and a town hall. We love the rustic yet elegant atmosphere, and when friends visit, we often take them here. When the weather cooperates, even when colder, we've sat out on the heated and covered patio. If you are in the area, you should check them out. www.facebook.com/hydeawayrestaurantnj Speaking of treasures in your backyard, today's guest is Maria Imbalzano, who is also a member of New Jersey Romance Writers. She is sharing the winding road she traveled to get to her latest release. “Sworn to Collide” is the fourth and last book in the Sworn Sisters Series, and writing it was a traumatic experience. Lol. The Sworn Sisters Series is about four friends from high school who are now in their early to mid-thirties. Each woman has their own book. The reason for the problems I encountered in this last book was because Denise, the heroine of the story, is married with three children. Although all the books in this series are women’s fiction, they all have strong romances. The big question here was, how do I create a romance in this book when she’s been married for over ten years and has three kids to contend with? Thankfully, I am not one to give up—although I did contemplate throwing the manuscript into the proverbial trash. I ended up writing five different versions, which took me four years. The first version I wrote was from the heroine’s and hero’s points of view, as I’ve done with the other books in the series. When that wasn’t working, I decided to do a “Then” and “Now” version, so I had to write a complete story of their “Then” days. When I threaded in those chapters between the “Now” chapters, the book was way too long. In order to cut back, I eliminated the hero’s point of view. Not working. So then I decided to omit all the “Then” chapters and filter some of the information into the “Now” chapters. Still not happy with it, I changed the entire book from third person to first person. Phew! So now you have it – the final version. Do you even remember Denise from the other three books? Hopefully, the answer is yes, and you are dying to read her story. Or you’ll decide to read the other three books in this award-winning series. They are all stand-alones, so don’t worry if you missed one.  Sworn to Collide by Maria Imbalzano Release Date June 1, 2026 Contemporary Romance About Sworn to Collide After devoting eleven years of marriage to Ben, her high school sweetheart, and stepping off the corporate ladder to raise their three children, Denise is ready to seize the reins of the career she always dreamed of. But as soon as she commits to step back into the professional world, Ben drops a bombshell that disrupts everything. Suddenly, this once rock-solid couple finds themselves in a battle over ambition, identity, and whose turn it is to shine. As personal choices draw them further and further apart, they must confront their widening rift—a threat to the love they thought was unshakeable. Can they rediscover the passion they once shared, or will their divergent paths pull them apart for good? Preorder your copy today www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GLHKF627 Series www.amazon.com/dp/B07RPCKFDM  Bio Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. She recently retired from the practice of law, but legal issues have a way of showing up in many of her novels. When not writing, she loves to travel both abroad and in the States. Maria lives in central New Jersey with her husband--not far from her two daughters. For more information about her books, please visit her website at mariaimbalzano.com for her newsletter. Follow the author https://www.facebook.com/mariaimbalzanoauthor https://x.com/ImbalzanoM84600 Mariaimbalzano_author Website Link http://www.mariaimbalzano.com  Before you leave, I'd love to tell you about New Jersey Romance Writers, of which I am the VP of Programs.
The mission of NJRW since 1986 has been to advance the professional interests of career-focused romance writers by providing support, educational information, and resources to both published and unpublished authors. Check it out at www.njromancewriters.org/join-us.htmlBonus! You don't have to live in New Jersey to reap the benefits of membership. Our programs and meetings are on Zoom. |
Your Host D.V. StoneAward winning multi-genre author and blogger. Fantasy, romance, mid-grade. Nothing better than a campfire, book, and glass of wine. Okay maybe there is.📚 Follow Me!
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June 2026
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