ME: Mercy, thank you for talking to me today. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you came to be at Ironwood Plantation?

MERCY: I’ve always been at Ironwood. I was born here, and my parents won’t ever let me leave. I know they are trying to protect me from the world, but it’s making my home start to feel like a prison. I have my own plans. I want to become a journalist.

ME: What has being at Ironwood Plantation meant to you?

MERCY:  Isolation. My people have a great community here, and we are mostly self-sufficient. But by keeping to ourselves, we are missing out on all that happens outside of our village and we lack any power to make positive changes outside of Ironwood. The only connection I’ve had with the rest of the world is through a lot –and I do mean a lot! – of reading. I’ve read every book and periodical I could get my hands on.

ME: If you were free to do anything you wanted to with your life, what would you do?

MERCY:  I want to be a journalist.

ME: We know that you secretly submitted an article to the Boston Globe under a man’s name. What kind of subjects would inspire you to submit an article to the Boston Globe? What are you passionate about?

MERCY:  My article to the Boston Globe is titled The Balance of Views. I wrote about the growing women’s suffrage movement, taking what I’ve read about the women’s rallies and the things I’ve learned from my friend Faith, and balanced them out with my father’s views on Biblical gender roles. I truly believe that women can have such rights as voting and owning property while at the same time remain loving mothers and wives. It’s a very controversial topic right now. But I’m passionate about equality, both for different races and for women, and plan to write many more articles on the topic.

ME: I don’t want to give away too much of your story, but you do leave Ironwood during the course of the novel. What were some of the struggles you faced once you’d left Ironwood?

MERCY:  There was just so much I didn’t know about the world! There are rules for everything. What a lady is to wear while traveling, how to purchase a train ticket, which train car to ride on, how long train travel takes… I could go on, but I think you understand my point. Not knowing these things certainly landed me in a heap of trouble!

ME: How do you think you’ve grown as a person as a result of your experiences?

MERCY:  I’ve learned quite a few things, and I believe the woman I am now is not the girl who left home. These experiences opened my eyes to my own internal struggles, the plans God has for my life, and love.

ME: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today, Mercy!

Thank you for having me! It’s been lovely.