Diane C McPhail |

A captivating reimagining of the intrepid woman who – 8 months pregnant and with a toddler in tow – braved violent earthquakes and treacherous waters on the first steamboat voyage to conquer the Mississippi River and redefine America.

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About Follow the Stars Home

A captivating reimagining of the intrepid woman who – 8 months pregnant and with a toddler in tow – braved violent earthquakes and treacherous waters on the first steamboat voyage to conquer the Mississippi River and redefine America.

The acclaimed author of The Seamstress of New Orleans brings to life Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt’s defiant journey of 1811 in this lush, evocative biographical novel for fans of Paula McLain, Gill Paul, Allison Pataki, and stories about extraordinary yet little-known female adventurers…

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Also by Diane C. McPhail

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About The Author

Diane C. McPhail is an artist, therapist, minister, and acclaimed author of Follow the Stars Home, The Abolitionist’s Daughter, and The Seamstress of New Orleans, which was a finalist for the Mississippi Institute of Arts & Letters Award. A graduate of Ole Miss, Duke Writers, University of Iowa Distance, and the Yale Writers’ Conference, she is a member of NC Writers Network and the Historical Novel Society.

Praise for Diane’s Books

Follow The Stars Home Reviews

“Love It

Follow the Stars Home by D C McPhail, published by Kensington Books, is a historical romance stand-alone novel.

Set in 1811, traveling to New Orleans, Lydia is the mother of a toddler and soon to be a new mother again. Confronted with trouble while traveling on a journey to find herself, a new life for herself and her loved ones, she just has to be strong, and she is a strong heroine who knows what she wants and how to get it in a complex, action-packed, mixed-with-tender scenes book.

An inspiring read, 4,5 stars.”

The Seamstress of New Orleans Reviews

“From the captivating first line, The Seamstress of New Orleans transports the reader to the mystery and sultry magic of New Orleans. With McPhail’s acclaimed and atmospheric prose, The Seamstress of New Orleans is a tale of well-guarded secrets, societal bonds that must be broken, and women’s powerful resilience. A powerful and fascinating story.”

— Patti Callahan

New York Times bestselling author of Surviving Savannah

“The intrigue surrounding these two young widows will draw you in then you’ll be rooted into the story by the historical detail of New Orleans at the turn of the century and the first female Mardi Gras Krewe. But what you will take away from the novel is the sheer power of female friendship. An exhilarating historical romp of found family and abiding friendship.”

— Michelle Cavalier

Cavalier House Books (Denham Springs, LA)

“In a time and place when women were relegated to the home, these New Orleans ladies set about crafting their own future. Threads of missing husbands, menacing gamblers, and society on the cusp of changing women’s rights weave together to form a riveting tale. The history of the first all-female Krewe was so captivating it sent me to do some googling for extra information. It was also an education about women’s rights and the Napoleonic Code. Fascinating. McPhail has stitched an impressive work of historical fiction that will fuel plenty of book club discussions.”

— Pamela Klinger-Horn

Valley Bookseller (Stillwater, MN)

“A riveting story of two women whose lives are woven together by chance at a time before women could vote, before the streets are paved, before women had the freedom to take jobs beyond the kind carried out by “domestics.” But fate has more in store for these two and when they get together, well, anything can happen. What a story!”

— Linda Bond

Auntie’s Bookstore (Spokane, WA)

“A stunning novel that immersed me in the sultry, dangerous and beautiful world of New Orleans in 1900…richly rewarding, with the twists and turns through the genteel world of upper-class New Orleans and the harsh dangers of Storyville constantly surprising and keeping my heart racing, and each page turned faster than the last. Brilliant.”

— Kim Taylor Blakemore

bestselling author of After Alice Fell

“Reading this novel is like dining on a creole dish: rich, mysterious, and oh so satisfying.”

— Fran Ziegler

Titcomb’s Bookshop (East Sandwich, MA

The Abolitionist’s Daughter Reviews

“What an impressive book this is! Diane McPhail works a spell on the reader, transporting us to Mississippi in the 19th century, introducing us to a family torn apart by the time and place in which they live. She tells a dark tale, yet it’s laced with lyricism and compassion. This is a powerful, imaginative, captivating book—I’d say, even urgent, considering the time we find ourselves in now.”

— Judy Goldman

author of Together: Memoir of a Marriage and a Medical Mishap

“A tender, sparkling debut that bears gentle witness to the abominations of slavery and oppression while heralding the grace, power and necessity of righting wrongs and choosing love. McPhail is full of talent and heart.”

— Ethel Rohan

author of The Weight of Him

“Complex, vivid, and emotionally engaging. This is a story of harsh realities written with a tenderness that shines through and honors the account of one woman’s struggle to overcome her society’s rules and her circumstances in the face of inconceivable devastation. I couldn’t put it down.”

— Carol E. Anderson

author of You Can’t Buy Love Like That

“Diane McPhail excavates a nearly forgotten corner of American history and brings it to full, beating life. This is a fascinating and heartfelt look at the kinds of stories that don’t always make it into the history books.”

— Louis. Bayard

Author of Courting Mr. Lincoln

“ A contender, a deeply felt, thoroughly researched story . . . as good as it deserves to be.”

— Jacquelyn Mitchard

New York Times bestselling author