Promise Bridge (39 page)

Eileen Clymer Schwab
is a first-time novelist. Long intrigued by this transitional period in history, she found inspiration in the courage of those who sought freedom, as well as the spirit of joined purpose developed with those who provided aid during their journey. She resides with her family in northeastern Pennsylvania.

READERS GUIDE

PROMISE
BRIDGE

EILEEN CLYMER SCHWAB

READERS GUIDE

A CONVERSATION WITH EILEEN CLYMER SCHWAB

Q. Writing a novel against a historic backdrop requires a great deal of research. What did you do to accurately portray place and character?

A. First and foremost, I wanted to touch and see as much as I could from and about the time period. I began at the library, where many wonderful and informative books can be found about slavery and the Underground Railroad; books chronicling Harriet Tubman, William Still, Reverend John Rankin, Henry “Box” Brown, and many narratives glimpsing the horrific institution of slavery and the secret activity born of courage and desire for freedom. I also traveled to many historic sites, most notably the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, of which I have been a member for years. This facility is like none other; an expansive, glorious tribute to freedom and probably the most extensive museum paying tribute to the Underground Railroad. I traveled through western Virginia to get a feel for the land. Places like the Booker T. Washington National Monument, Monticello, Harriet Tubman’s home, and the “Living the Experience” reenactment in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, brought pages I researched to life. There were many lesser-known sites in North Carolina and Tennessee that also contributed inspiration and helped me weave a textured setting.

My ability to breathe life into these characters was aided by the voices I “heard” while reading the slave narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project of 1936-1938. During Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Works Progress Administration sent writers out to find and chronicle the thoughts and memories of former slaves, many of whom were well into their eighties and nineties. The narratives are an important piece of history that can never fade away with the passing of time. Some of the dialect and phrasing found in these narratives give credible voice to my characters.

The research phase was lengthy and continued throughout the writing of the book. At times it was appalling, and at other times awe-inspiring. However, I loved researching this project. This period of time preceding the Civil War intrigues me. I wish more was written about it, but it is not a time our nation is proud of or wishes to reminisce over. For every story told of the Underground Railroad, there were hundreds more never seen or heard. Much was hidden from sight, and passed away with a generation. Not all “conductors” were white, but those who were perhaps helped sew the initial delicate threads of healing between those cooperating and sharing risk in the activity that would become known as the Underground Railroad.

Q. The symbol of the promise bridge is strong throughout the book. Where did this concept come from and what inspired the imagery?

A. The promise bridge came to me gradually, although I sensed all along my desire for a vivid image portraying the bond between Hannah and Livie. A physical gesture that transcended words and sentimentality, and underscored a firm commitment beyond the affection of friends. What I love about the creative process is you never know what will bring inspiration, but for me it usually comes from being moved emotionally. Inspiration can come from an experience in your life, from a pain endured, a song or poem, a kindness witnessed, or a painting that stirs your soul. Yes, even a sunset. The possibilities are endless and often unexpected when they arrive.

Almost twenty years ago, I heard a song performed by The Judds (Wynonna and Naomi) that still moves me to this day. “Love Can Build a Bridge” is a hopeful, heartfelt song written by John Barlow Jarvis, Naomi Judd, and Paul Overstreet, and it reminds us we all have the power to heal a divide. From the emotion stirred by this song, the imagery of connection began to take form until one night just before sleep, I imagined Hannah and Livie with hands clasped in a promise bridge. Remembering it brings tears to my eyes because it completely captured who these two women were and what they meant to each other.

Somewhere along the way, I hope one of the artists connected to “Love Can Build a Bridge” stumbles upon my book and smiles, knowing the spirit of the song continues to have a positive impact after all these years.

Q. The depth and devotion of Hannah and Livie’s friendship is inspiring. How is it critical to their journey?

A. For me, their friendship provides the path for the journey. The novel has strong elements of suspense, and even romance, but the heart of the story beats in these two women who transcend social expectations and long-held beliefs to find promise and possibility by being entwined as people rather than parted by their differences. Against great odds, Hannah and Livie bond with each other, change each other, and ultimately save one another. True friendship is empowering and should bring out the best in us. I wanted to illustrate this sentiment without being melodramatic. Through their love and support of one another, each of these women achieves a kind of freedom.

Q. The scenes in Mud Run are quite vivid. What role does the slave quarters play in Hannah’s development?

A. At the beginning of the story, the plantation slaves are one-dimensional and move in and out of scenes much like props. This is purposeful, because we are seeing them through Hannah’s eyes. Or better stated, we are
not
seeing them, because they exist much like shadows in the periphery around her. Through Livie, Hannah gains intimate access to the slave quarters. The slaves become three-dimensional in Mud Run. They are men, women, and children; families exuding emotion. I wanted these scenes to lift from the page, so that we could touch and feel them in the same way Hannah does when her societal blinders fall away and the powerful humanity of the Runians washes over her. Mud Run is a gateway to the depth behind the curtsies and obedient smiles, where the slaves think and act with less scrutiny, and therefore their identities and relationships are more their own. I don’t think Hannah’s transformation could have been achieved as powerfully at the main house or anywhere else on the plantation.

Q. Why did you choose to write
Promise Bridge
in first-person prose, keeping the story completely in Hannah’s perspective?

A. As the story took form in my mind, I assumed I would write it in the third person, shifting perspectives along the way. In fact, I had never attempted to write a novel in the first person and knew it would be challenging. But from the opening sentence—“Life at its very core changed forever the day I asked ‘please’ of a colored man”—Hannah’s voice took over, and I understood it was her account of the journey. Those exact words were the first I wrote down when starting the novel, which is unusual, because often an author goes back and wrestles with the first sentence, writing and rewriting the opening to capture the essence of the book. It is what we are trained to do. But when I sat down to begin the process, it was as if Hannah was standing there waiting for me, and I merely had to follow her. Of course, it was not quite as simple as that, but it illustrates how strong her voice was to me. And still is.

I also recognized that in a first-person point of view I could reveal an intimacy in Hannah’s growth—a depth of feeling shared with the reader—and other changes that could not be matched in the third person. Did I consider writing the story from Livie’s perspective? I pondered it, but this was Hannah’s story to tell. I have credibility in Hannah’s perspective. Would it be presumptuous of me to think I could ever completely understand the inner pain, degradation, and yearning of a slave? I think so. Those are stories to be told by others; wonderful writers who hear voices whispering to them, urging them to follow.

Q. The balance of aid shifted during the story. Was this purposeful?

A. Yes. I believe it is important to show the slaves were activists in their cause, which wasn’t easy, considering their constraints and the horrible consequences if found out. They were not sitting around waiting for some sympathetic white figure to come along and rescue them from their bondage. Slaves had intricate ways of communicating and passing information to one another. Quilts, gestures, spirituals, and countless seemingly innocent and unremarkable signs that could be passed in plain view but out of sight, so to speak. They aided each other and themselves, often running for freedom without help from anyone. Freedmen (and -women!) worked creatively and tirelessly to aid their counterparts. Near the end of novel, there came a reversal of roles for Hannah and Colt, who now needed a helping hand from those they aided earlier, demonstrating that the promise bridge flows both ways.

Q. What do you hope your readers carry away from this novel?

A. As with any author, my wish is that readers find
Promise Bridge
to be a wonderful read and a journey worth taking. That the characters resonate with them after setting the book aside. Hopefully, they will find inspiration in the spirit of the people and realize that each of us has a promise bridge within us. We need only reach out to complete it.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. The book is written in a first-person point of view through Hannah’s eyes. Do you feel this made the voice of the story stronger? How so? How would it be different if told by Livie or in third-person narrative?

2. What did the promise bridge mean to you and how did it expand as the novel progressed?

3. How did Hannah grow as a result of her friendship with Livie? What changes can be seen in Livie?

4. How are Colt and Marcus different? How are they the same?

5. Livie’s move to freedom can be seen in a physical journey. Do you think Hannah and Colt discover a kind of freedom? How so?

6. Augusta’s character takes a surprising turn near the end. What hints are woven into the story that foreshadow this change?

7. Why did Hannah feel more alive in Mud Run than she did in the main house?

8. The use of derogatory and dehumanizing terms was impossible to avoid while maintaining the integrity of the story. However, there is one divisive and notable term completely omitted. Why do you think the author has done so? Is the book more readable and discussable without this flash point?

9. Several circumstances happen during the story that change Colt in Hannah’s eyes. What instances are memorable, and how did they change her perception of him as a man?

10. Elements of friendship, suspense, and romance carry the story, with a few surprises along the way. How did the mix of these elements affect the pace of the story, and which plot twist did you least expect?

11. In the beginning, Hannah and Colt act as saviors when they help the runaways; however, in the end, the former slaves are the saviors when they free Colt from his captors. How did this reversal of aid impact the story?

12. Do you believe Hannah and Livie’s journey ends at the conclusion of the book, or did their story continue to unfold? What challenges might they have faced?