Ask the Author: Jayne M. Booth
Answered Questions (4)
Jayne M. Booth
My problem isn't writer's block. My problem is having too many ideas bouncing around in my head at one time. I have just started writing ideas down as I am working on my current project. I know those random ideas will come in handy at some point, maybe not in this book, but sometime.
Jayne M. Booth
Right now I am working on Book 4 in the Rocked in the Cradle of Coal series of historical fiction books which offers a glimpse into the real-life experiences of children growing up in the anthracite coal mining era of the early 1900s.
In this story a fatherless brother (Wasyl, age 12) and sister (Tillie, age 14) are sent to live and be educated in a Catholic orphanage with the hope that it would improve their chances for a brighter future. At that time, it was not necessary to be an orphan to be sent to one of these institutions. The goal of these orphanages was to help children of Polish, Ukrainian, and other Slavic immigrants leave their Old Country ways behind and successfully assimilate into American society.
Book 4 in the series (presently untitled) reveals not only the children's experiences (good and bad), but also love of family, love of God, loyalty, bravery, and responsibility for one's actiions. As a child, I loved stories and conversations that were told through a child's eyes, and this is the experience of early 20th Century life in the American coal regions that I am trying to present to readers of all ages.
In this story a fatherless brother (Wasyl, age 12) and sister (Tillie, age 14) are sent to live and be educated in a Catholic orphanage with the hope that it would improve their chances for a brighter future. At that time, it was not necessary to be an orphan to be sent to one of these institutions. The goal of these orphanages was to help children of Polish, Ukrainian, and other Slavic immigrants leave their Old Country ways behind and successfully assimilate into American society.
Book 4 in the series (presently untitled) reveals not only the children's experiences (good and bad), but also love of family, love of God, loyalty, bravery, and responsibility for one's actiions. As a child, I loved stories and conversations that were told through a child's eyes, and this is the experience of early 20th Century life in the American coal regions that I am trying to present to readers of all ages.
Jayne M. Booth
"Tell Me About My Father: Wasyl's Story" is a true story I have heard since childhood. I merely fleshed out the details and tried to tell it from a child's perspective. I grew up in coal country, so I was surrounded by similar tales my whole life. Life was hard and childhood was short, but many silent heroes survived. I want the next generation to learn from the past. We must never forget what it took to build this country.
Jayne M. Booth
The inspiration for the series I am working on now was my grandmother. She was an illiterate eastern European peasant who immigrated to the US in the early 1900s. Widowed at the age of 30 with five children to support, the fact that they all survived is a testament to her courage and refusal to give up. I was inspired to write these stories to create a generational impact. Children today need to learn about the heroism of the common people who built this country and lived our history.
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