Hello there, wonderful reader! My name is Suzette and I’m the author of MY NAME IS ONA JUDGE, a dual timeline novel based on the life of a vibrant young enslaved woman who dared to escape the most powerful man in the United States: George Washington, the nation’s first president! This dual timeline tells the story of Ona, her early life and eventual escape juxtaposed with our contemporary character, Tessa Scott – an interior decorator in an abusive relationship that proves its own form of bondage. It is a heart wrenching, heartwarming tale of two women who manage to find joy, love, and freedom. I invite you to indulge in My Name is Ona Judge. You may laugh, cry, or feel righteous indignation. But you’ll never forget Ona’s story, or her name.
M is for Martha – as in Washington as in the first First Lady of the United States for whom Ona was a lady’s maid
Y is for Young – Ona was only 10 years young when she became a maid to the first First lady
N is for New Hampshire – the state to which Ona eventually escaped
A is for Andrew Judge – the English indentured servant who fathered Ona, but did not provide for her freedom
M is for Mount Vernon – the Washingtons’ plantation on which they enslaved over 300 people
E is for Enslaved – Ona was considered “property,” a dower slave held in trust for Martha Washington’s grandchildren
I is for Interviews – Ona was interviewed in her 80s by two different journalists, providing a rare look into slavery via the lens of a former bondswoman
S is for Seamstress – Ona’s mother, Betty, was a masterful seamstress from whom Ona learned her impeccable skills
O is for Opportunity – after learning she was to given to a tempermental person, Martha Washington’s granddaughter Eliza, Ona grasped the opportunity to escape while the Washingtons were seated at dinner
N is for Nancy – Ona escaped slavery and the Washingtons aboard a ship called The Nancy
A is for Apple – as in the Big Apple aka New York City where the nation’s first presidential residence was located. The Washingtons and their staff, including Ona, lived there briefly before the presidential household relocated to Philadelphia, PA
J is for Jack – Ona met and married a sailor, Jack Staines. They had three children together.
U is for Unseen – Ona is important to American History, yet she (for the most part) remains a hidden figure unrecognized and unseen
D is for Dual Timeline – this novel is a dual timeline featuring Ona’s story, as well as that of Tessa Scott, the contemporary fictional figure who discovers Ona’s diary
G is for Gradual Abolition Law – a law that the Washingtons repeatedly violated in order to prevent their enslaved bondsmen and women from being set free
E is for Escape – Ona Judge was 21 years young when she dared to escape bondage in the house of the president. She managed to remain free despite the Washingtons attempts to recapture her several times
New Hampshire, 1796. “My name is Ona Judge, and I escaped from the household of the President of the United States. I was the favored maid of George and Martha Washington, but they deemed me a slave and thought me property, and I hear ten dollars is offered as reward for my capture. Now I must write the truth that I have lived, and tell my story…”
Chincoteague, Virginia, present day. Rain soaks Tessa Scott as she runs from her car to the old, vine-covered property she has been called to survey. She’s too busy to accept a new job, but doing this favor for the grandmother of her childhood sweetheart delays a painful decision she must make about a future with her controlling boyfriend.
But when Tessa finds a tattered journal carefully hidden inside the house’s ancient fireplace, the tragic story of how Ona was ripped from her mother’s arms to live and work in the palatial Mount Vernon, and the heart-shattering betrayal that led her to risk her life and run, has Tessa spellbound. Could discovering this forgotten scandal at the heart of her nation’s history force her to confront her own story? As she races to reach the final page, will anything prepare her for the desperate moment when Ona’s captors find her again? Will it inspire Tessa to take ownership of her own life and set herself free?
A completely heartbreaking tale of love, loss and redemption, based on an astonishing true story from the founding of America. Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Marie Benedict and America’s First Daughter.
Women’s Fiction Historical [Bookouture, On Sale: September 6, 2022, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781803140773 / ]
Suzette D. Harrison, a native Californian and the middle of three daughters, grew up in a home where reading was required, not requested. Her literary “career” began in junior high school with the publishing of her poetry. While Mrs. Harrison pays homage to Alex Haley, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker, Langston Hughes, and Toni Morrison as legends who inspired her creativity, it was Dr. Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings that unleashed her writing. The award-winning author of Taffy is a wife and mother who holds a culinary degree in Pastry & Baking. Mrs. Harrison is currently cooking up her next novel…in between batches of cupcakes.
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