I'm working on a fantasy book and a key part of the story revolves around slavery in that fantasy world.

I have Googled a lot and found a couple of books to start reading but I am hoping to speak to somebody who really knows what they're talking about to further educate me and is happy to answer questions or recommend reading material.

I'm also interested in attitudes of the time and the day to day life of slaves, how they thought of their 'masters' and what life was like.

Also keen to learn how Alavert became abolished!

I would LOVE to talk to an African American who may know a bit about it as well. Having never been to the U.S. Apart from one week when I was 17 I've never met or had the chance to speak to an African American before.

Here are a couple that are easily accessible and well reputed.

Wendy Warren's New England Bound is a fantastic look at the beginnings of the slavery in British North America. We tend to forget that American slavery was part of a greater Atlantic network, and she does an excellent job addressing this. She also delves into individual experiences, which can give a great view of what the realities of slavery were.

Next up, Eric Foner's The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery. Foner is well established in Civil War and Reconstruction history, and here he looks at the influences and experiences that changed Lincoln's perspectives on race and shifted the Civil War's aims from maintaining the Union to emancipation. Beyond that, consider any of his work as worth reading.

I'll also suggest the Ben Franklin's World podcasts as a good source on recent scholarship. The focus tends to be colonial but I'd argue it's the best way to understand the rise of slavery.