Through her research at the National Archives in Pittsfield, she found more details about Addie, who lived to the age of 94. Where others had failed, Winthrop discovered information about the girl, whose name, she found out, was really Addie Card. After her novel was finished, she spent a great deal of time researching the life of the young mill worker who had been identified as Addie Laird. While the character is fictional, Winthrop was intrigued by the real-life story of the 'sad little mill girl' in the photograph whom Grace was based on. Winthrop, who lives part time in Williamstown, said the novel, set in 1910 in North Pownal, Vt., was 'very much a local setting.' In the novel, main character Grace Forcier deals with the struggles of mill life. 'It is a beautiful face, but a world-weary face.' 'It was her face that drew me,' said Winthrop. She later learned that the same image had been used on a postage stamp. She first saw the photograph of the little girl at a show of Hine's work at the Bennington (Vt.) Museum. She was commissioned to write a book in 1999 and had the idea of mixing a real character with a fictional setting.

'I see this as a book for 9- to 90-year-olds,' Winthrop said, adding, 'I don't like the way publishers gentrify books.' The author, who has spoken about her novel in towns across Vermont and Massachusetts, discussed her creative process and her journey to find the girl behind the photo. WILLIAMSTOWN - It's been two years since Elizabeth Winthrop's 'Counting on Grace' was published but local interest doesn't seem to have waned for the novel inspired by the famous Lewis Hine picture of a 12-year-old mill girl in Vermont.Īuthor of more than 50 books for adults and children, Winthrop was greeted by a sizable crowd at the House of Local History last week and organizers had to rearrange chairs to fit everyone into their small meeting room. 02:08PM / Monday, SeptemPrint Story | Email Story

Counting on Grace by Elizabeth Winthrop