Image from Library of Congress

Have you ever heard of a dime novel? We have them to thank for paperback fiction today! By the mid 1800s, there likely wasn’t anyone who hadn’t read—or owned quite a few—dime novels. Spanning across what we now call genres, these stories had something for any reader: Sports, mystery, romance, adventures…and they were also portable, paperback, and not so large and heavy they couldn’t be put into a pocket. 

The books were bound with cheap paper, only about 100 pages, and had (usually) a colorful cover to entice a reader to choose it. 

Do you know who the largest collector of these books is? It’s the Library of Congress! They have over 40,000, including some very special ones, like this Louisa May Alcott one, one of only two copies known to exist! 

Unlike today, where there’s no stigma when it comes to reading fiction, back then there was. The reader of these books, especially for those who were middle class or middle aged, didn’t typically admit that they read these books. Dime novels were meant to be entertainment, and not considered to have any literary value in them. 

The romance titles often featured a working class woman finding romance with a wealthy man, two individuals fighting against all odds to make a relationship work, and a happily ever after. Sounds like what we are still writing and reading nowadays, when it comes to romance, doesn’t it? 

Of course, there were other beloved books as well, and in Alyssa’s Desperate Plan, reading actually plays a pretty important role in the story because one of the characters has a secret, when it comes to reading. Dime novels weren’t the only stigma when it came to enjoying a book. I don’t want to spoil anything for you, but I would love to share the first chapter! 

 

Chapter 1

 

Deepwater, Missouri 1870s

 

“Yer too small on the top. I want a bigger woman.”

         Alyssa Moore felt her jaw drop. She blinked a few times trying to collect herself, then frowned. Had she misheard? Surely, she had.

She’d traveled for nearly a week to get to the town of Deepwater after accepting a match from the mail-order bride agency. They had a success rate of ninety-four percent, she’d been assured. A match and true love was promised to her just around the corner, with one Mr. Gerald Weatherbee.

         Truthfully, she didn’t care about the true love part, she just wanted security and stability. Which was apparently being yanked out from under her feet.

         “What…did you say?” Alyssa’s voice was hushed. She wasn’t sure if she was shocked or angry or both.

         “Yer…” the man waved his hands around, mimicking a crude shape of a woman’s curves, “too small. I like my women big, like me.”

         “And what am I to do, then?” Alyssa asked. Humiliation burned through her. “We signed a contract.”

         “Ain’t signed a marriage certificate,” the man chuckled. “I’m within my right to reject you.” He checked his pocketwatch and shook his head. “I’ve got another girl coming. Good luck.” He snorted then. “You need it, as itty bitty as you are. Maybe you can find a husband who doesn’t have good eyesight.”

         “Why, I never!” Alyssa gasped as the man hefted his bulk from the chair and left the room, a rather rank smell coming from him.

         Perhaps she should be grateful. After all, marrying a pig farmer wasn’t exactly what she wanted for herself, but choices were slim, the agency apologized. Had she not been so desperate, she’d have waited longer for someone better.

         Now what was she to do? She wasn’t married, had no money beyond a few dollars the agency had given her, and was stuck in this small town.

         Alyssa closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them, straightened her shoulders, and snatched up her carpetbag. “I’ll just contact the agency,” she said, sounding more positive than she felt. “They’ll set things right. Maybe this time, I’ll find someone better. Who knows, this might turn out to be a fortunate situation.”

         The idea filled her with fortitude, and she strode out of the small shed that served as the stage station, and headed to the town beyond.

       Then she stopped.

       Who could help her get a message to the mail-order bride agency? How did they send letters in this town?

         Biting her lip, she looked around. Thankfully, though the area was filled with tall pines and oaks, there was enough of a clearing where the town was so everything was out in the open. Deepwater wasn’t large. She could likely find where to go.

Alyssa studied the area. Nearby appeared to be a café. A general store was close to it, as was a dressmaker and a shoemaker. There were other small buildings and she wasn’t sure what they were, but they had signs out and large shop windows.

         Taking a deep breath, Alyssa slowly walked down the street. She was so busy looking into each of the windows, hoping to spot a post office inside, she bumped into someone.

         “Oh! I’m sorry,” Alyssa said.

         “Not a problem,” a man replied.

        He started to walk away when Alyssa called to him. “I need to send a letter. Do you know where I can do that?”

       “Sure, we’ve got a post office,” the man said, and pointed to a row of buildings.

       Alyssa bit her lip. “I…I’m sorry. Which one?”

       “The one with the blue door,” the man said.

       Nodding, Alyssa said, “Thank you,” and continued. When she reached the building, there was a paper on the door. She squinted at it, then tried the handle. The door was locked. Frowning, she looked around.

       “He’ll be back soon, love,” a woman called as she headed to the café. “Peter usually takes his lunch about now.” She pointed to the sign. “He’ll be back in about a half hour.”

       “Thank you,” Alyssa said. She sighed in frustration. “Fine. I guess a half hour won’t make much difference.”

       At the other end of the street, she could see a small patch of trees, and what appeared to be a stream. It looked like a nice place to rest. It was certainly better than hovering outside of the post office and drawing attention to herself. She was feeling self-conscious after being rejected.

       As Alyssa walked toward the stream, in the distance she saw the man who’d just insulted her and put her into this unexpected position.

      Anger bubbled up, fueling her steps with a speed she was surprised she could do in her long skirts. The stream drew closer in her anxiousness to hide, and she wondered if the water would be cool enough to calm her heated face, and clean enough to drink.

      She was so focused on the water, Alyssa didn’t notice anything else but the large, flat rock where she set her bag down. She knelt, leaning toward the water, and dipped her fingertips into the stream. It was just as she’d hoped. Cool and clear. It would likely taste that way too. She moved closer and was about to reach her cupped hands into the water when there was a shout, and she felt herself grabbed from behind.

      Alyssa screamed, twisted away, and pitched forward. Just before she fell into the water, a pair of arms wrapped around her middle and pulled her back, dragging her onto the bank.

      “Let me go!” she shrieked as she tried to regain her footing. “What are you doing?”

       Alyssa struggled and then broke away as the arms loosened, and the bewildered expression of a man stared at her. He blinked and his mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out.

       It was all too much. First, she’d been rejected. Now, some crazy man was trying to throw her into the stream! What was with this town? The sooner she got out of here the better. Alyssa’s face grew hot with anger, and she crossed her arms over her chest. Her too small chest, evidently, and scowled.

      “Well? I’m waiting for an answer,” she snapped. “Why were you trying to push me into the stream? Is everyone in this town going to be horrible to me?” 

 

If you’d like to keep reading, and find out what happens to Alyssa, who the man gaping at her is, and just how important reading is to this story, you can find it by clicking right here on this underlined sentence, to head to Amazon. 

 

And since we are talking about books, what’s one you are reading right now?