Diary of a Novel

This is only one of the many revelations in Eugenia Price''s intimate account of the many months she spent sorting through voluminous historical research and writing Margaret''s Story, the third novel in her Florida trilogy. Published as a companion to the novel, this journal offers a fascinating view of the author at work as the novel developed week by week.

Here, for the sharing, is her excitement as her story''s characters emerge-living, breathing "people" who become for the duration more real to her than those who are part of her day-to-day existence. Here, too, is her joy on "good" writing days, her anxiety in times of creative uncertainty, her frustrations at unavoidable interruptions-and her courage in resisting discouragement and discomfort (through most of this period she was plagued with vertigo caused by labyrinthitis). From time to time she isolated herself in a St. Augustine motel to work undisturbed, but when at home on St. Simons Island she managed to continue with the novel and be at the same time a caring friend to everyone who needed her.

In Diary of a Novel the reader will encounter many of the friends met in St. Simons Memoir and make, with the author, some new friends as well. Most of all, this behind-the-scenes narrative will give a new dimension to the experience of reading the novel Margaret''s Story.

Eugenia Price, author of many books of religious inspiration, came to fiction midway in her career. Altogether her works have reached more than thirteen million readers.