A forum poster at some other erotic fiction site requested a story about a white slave master who takes advantage of his black slaves. While the subject matter is quite salacious and of questionable taste (okay, poor taste), I've decided to write the story as my next series.
I have actually been thinking about doing this for several weeks (perhaps months). Reading this request has been the impetus I need to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard as it were) and bring the story to fruition.
However, I'm not much of a history buff, especially American history. I read the autobiography of Frederick Douglass, but other than that, I'm not well versed in the life on the plantation of the 19th century American South. So, to get up to snuff, I've started reading the work of Frederic Law Olmsted.
Olmsted is well known in my area as a landscape architect as he designed many prominent parks. However, I never knew he was a journalist earlier in his life (which is embarrassing because I, too, was a journalist at one time). Olmsted worked for the New York (Daily) Times and he toured the American South from Maryland to Texas chronicling the life of slaves and slave owners. Although against slavery, his work is considered accurate and object by both abolitionists and slavers of the day.
I'm about 120-some pages through it now. He gives many accounts about how slavery works, the daily life and schedule of a slave, details of plantation life and the economy of slavery. I feel pretty good about applying these details to my story.
Hey, I need a title for my story. I'm using White Master, Black Slave as a working title, but I really don't want that to be the final title. Please send any suggestions my way.