One slave master's daughter . . . One intriguing violinist . . . One chance of a lifetime . . . In July of 1852, almost two years since the Compromise of 1850, Mildred "Millie" Crabtree is the friendly daughter of the mean-spirited, plantation owner Master Wade Crabtree. Having opposing views on slavery and seeing it as a sin against God, she dreams of leaving the horrors of the South and becoming a children's literature author in the North. During her eighteenth birthday, she encounters Noah Shepherd, a vibrant, redhead violinist who plays classical music during the celebration with two other musicians. Her Mama, Missus Charlotte, dies suddenly at the party. Now she's forced against her will to fulfill her mother's role as missus in Crabtree mansion and sever ties with her closest friend Pearl, a mulatto house slave. Conditions worsen when she learns her Papa is in debt, plans to sell some of his slaves, and has exchanged her into an arranged marriage to the young, arrogant Chauncey McMillian, the wealthiest plantation owner in town. But after discovering Noah and his musical comrades are secretly abolitionists, things look up and Millie and her slave friends embark on a risky, adventurous chance of a lifetime: A journey to the Promised Land. From The Prairies Book Review "A gripping and emotional tale of courage, betrayal, and the quest for freedom..." Bull's narrative captures the suffocating atmosphere of the time, highlighting rigid societal norms and the violence enslaved people endured. Millie's bond with Pearl and their struggle for freedom drive the story. Weaving in historical elements like the Fugitive Slave Act and the Underground Railroad, Bull ties Millie's journey to the larger fight for justice. The supporting characters, including the steadfast Pearl, the charismatic Noah, the malevolent Jack are fully fleshed-out. While the novel delves deeply into its characters' emotional lives, it also excels in depicting the physical and psychological toll of slavery. A sobering and inspiring tale that urges readers to reflect on the complexities of history and the bravery of those who defied the status quo. -- (December 2024) AUTHOR'S NOTE:   Historical fiction is no joke or easy task. A lot goes into crafting a fictional world based on a particular time period in history in order to make it realistic to readers, and I hope by the grace of GOD I did a good job with it after doing pretty thorough research based on the suggestions given me by my editor of this Christian and historical fiction novel, Diana Sharples. I thoroughly enjoyed writing about my characters and the storyline in this book, as it's one of the darkest but most important times of American history. So, how did it all begin? You might be surprised to know, but my story The Pact of Freedom started as a murder mystery play I was attempting to write, then titled The Killing of Wade Crabtree . From there, it became a short story titled The Pact. This short story was about a slave master's wife named Harriet who murdered her abusive husband and helped free their slaves from her husband's plantation. As you can see, the concept of the story went through a stage of metamorphosis, as I changed up some things, made the lead character the slave master's daughter, and took the route of a coming-of-age type of historical fiction tale. I thought to myself. What if a slave master's daughter was friends with one of the slaves and opposed slavery? What if she were against the traditions of the South and desired life outside of slavery? And what if like Angelina Grimke she saw slavery as a sin? I also found interest in the Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Law, as I thought it'd be interesting if a slave master's daughter traveled north and assisted in freeing her father's slaves during this threatening time. I also thought it would be a good idea to write about the conditions slaves endured and their adventures to the North, inspired after watching a couple of classic slavery movies, documentary videos, and short films. From there, I started to stretch the short story into a novella, and finally after some major edits, it became a whole full-length novel. Because of the main theme of freedom and the slaves escaping from their captivity, I then changed the title to The Pact of Freedom. With a title as such, I wanted the title to be symbolic to the story. So, what is the pact? Specifically, the pact is represented by Millie and Pearl's close friendship, their sisterly blood pact, and Millie's promise to help Pearl get her freedom, but it's also about three other situations. Firstly, the pact of the Fugitive Slave Law within the Compromise of 1850, a federal law which gave white slave owners or their hired bounty hunters the right to recapture runaway slaves back into slavery. Secondly, the pact is represented by the collective mission of abolitionists to free African slaves against the law and persistently petition for