Trudy Snaith hopes that her new series of historical fiction for children will encourage an interest in local history.

Her first book in the Bermudian Girls series, 'A Hat for A Promise', hits shelves this week. It is about a young girl, Sarah Catherine, living in St. George's in 1650.

The series is patterned after the popular American Girls series. Each book will be set in a different time period in Bermuda and focus on a different fictional girl's life.

"When you go to places like Williamsburg, Virginia you see people dressed in period costume," Mrs Snaith said. "And you see many children and adults who are enthusiastic about history.

"I would like to see that here in Bermuda. St. George's would seem an ideal place for that.

"This and future Bermudian Girl books will encourage readers to easily visualise St. George's history as well as other parishes in Bermuda, through the adventures of the characters."

Mrs Snaith said the series of books was inspired by her annual Sarah Catherine tea for girls. She's held the event for the past two years, with it presided over by a young girl dressed as Sarah Catherine in period costume.

"This is my first book," she said. "I had always thought about doing some writing, but I never had time.

"One day, Jennifer Hind who runs the Newspapers in Education programme at The Royal Gazette, came to the tea. She looked at my brochure.

"She asked me to do some stories for the newspaper. Then I had to stop and do it [write]. That was what got me interested in writing a book."

Sarah Catherine stories by Mrs Snaith now appear every Tuesday in the Lifestyle section of The Royal Gazette.

She does a lot of historical research before writing anything, because she likes her stories to be as realistic as possible.

"I don't want to do anything that is totally outlandish," she said. "Sometimes I will take a bit of liberty, but I make sure that what I write is always feasible."

In this book, Sarah Catherine befriends a little boy who claims to be a stowaway from England.

"I think that is feasible," said Mrs Snaith. "At that time you had a lot of children looking for adventure and running away and things like that.

"I chose the year 1650, because a lot of people came to Bermuda as indentured servants or from the different islands, and a lot of those people were black.

"If the story had happened any later it would have been less possible as the situation changed for blacks in Bermuda. Some were being sent to other islands in the Caribbean."

Her character Sarah Catherine was inspired by one of her ancestors, Sarah Catherine Dowling.

"That is where I got her name," said Mrs Snaith. "I haven't been able to find out much about her. She was born in the 1800s."

Mrs Snaith received a grant from the Cultural Legacy Fund to publish the book.

The series includes a website that will go live at the end of this month. It will allow the websurfer to interact and continue to "experience history through the eyes of children".

"So you see, it is much more than just the book," said Mrs Snaith. "It's a vision I have for generating a love of history in general and Bermuda history in particular, for all ages.

"I am always amazed when adults tell me they look forward to and are enjoying the Sarah Catherine stories in The Royal Gazette.

"They say they learn lots of things about history they never knew. I also have the support of the education department of The Bermuda National Trust.

"I believe a love of country comes from feeling you are part of it. Interacting with history is an exciting first step."

Currently, People's Pharmacy, Robertson's Drugstore and The Irish Linen Shop are carrying the book.

There will be a book signing at The Irish Linen Shop on November 20 from 1pm until 2.30pm.

Copies of the Sarah Catherine stories appearing in The Royal Gazette are also available. For more information, contact Jennifer Hind on 295-5881 or jhind@royalgazette.bm.