Interview with Diane C. McPhail

Diane C McPhail, author of "The Abolitionist’s Daughter"

Diane C McPhail's Website

Diane C. McPhail is an artist, writer, and minister. In addition to holding an M.F.A., an M.A., and D. Min., she has studied at the University of Iowa distance learning and the Yale Writers’ Workshop, among others. Diane is a member of North Carolina Writers’ Network and the Historical Novel Society. She lives in Highlands, North Carolina, with her husband, and her dog, Pepper.

The historical inspiration for The Abolitionist’s Daughter is nearly as astonishing as the novel itself. In part, it is based on a legendary feud between two families – the Edwards and the Greys – in Webster County, Mississippi. Born in Jackson and raised on the Mississippi Delta, Diane McPhail grew up hearing stories about the violent clash that would become the basis for her novel. But it wasn’t until Diane McPhail was in her 40’s that she learned about the life of her great grandmother, Mary Ellen Edwards Gray Nelson, and her much more personal connection to this history. Born in 1840, she was a woman in Webster County, Mississippi who stood up for what was right in the face of devastating loss, and her legacy is woven into the protagonist of The Abolitionist’s Daughter.

Steve Murphy, Executive Producer & Host