Back to the saga of my life as a writer. The move from Albuquerque to Denton, TX, in 1990 was wrenching, but that dislocation brought me in contact with new people and new ideas. Back in Chapter VII I talked about the idea for WHERE THE BROKEN HEART STILL BEATS: The Story of Cynthia Ann Parker, set in Texas in the 19th century.
But then I stumbled upon a new bit of Texas history: the African-American community of Quakertown that had thrived within the town of Denton at the beginning of the 20th century--thrived until the white people of Denton decided that the small enclave in the heart of the town would make a wonderful park and contrived to get rid of the black folks who had their homes, businesses, churches and school there. I researched the actual history of Quakertown, as well as the town of Denton, the state of Texas, and the place of black people in the US. And then I invented the characters to tell the story: Rose Lee Jefferson, her family, her friends, her community. The result was WHITE LILACS, published in 1993, and the sequel, JUBILEE JOURNEY, which picks up the story of the Jeffersons 75 years later, published in 1997.
When I'm asked, "What's your favorite among the books you've written?" the answer has long been WHITE LILACS, because it was such a challenge.
But then I stumbled upon a new bit of Texas history: the African-American community of Quakertown that had thrived within the town of Denton at the beginning of the 20th century--thrived until the white people of Denton decided that the small enclave in the heart of the town would make a wonderful park and contrived to get rid of the black folks who had their homes, businesses, churches and school there. I researched the actual history of Quakertown, as well as the town of Denton, the state of Texas, and the place of black people in the US. And then I invented the characters to tell the story: Rose Lee Jefferson, her family, her friends, her community. The result was WHITE LILACS, published in 1993, and the sequel, JUBILEE JOURNEY, which picks up the story of the Jeffersons 75 years later, published in 1997.
When I'm asked, "What's your favorite among the books you've written?" the answer has long been WHITE LILACS, because it was such a challenge.