Virginia Rafferty

Virginia Rafferty is a bestselling author of historical fiction focusing on immigration from Eastern Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Informed by genealogy research, family traditions, and a trip to Slovakia and Hungary she has written two novels, Family Secrets…Hidden in the Shadows of Time (2015) followed by The Road to Lattimer (Sunbury Press, 2019). Virginia is a retired middle school science teacher with a Master of Education degree from Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene, New Hampshire. She is a member of the South Carolina Writers Association, Aiken Writers Bloc, Northern Appalachia Review, and volunteers at the McGrath Computer Learning Center.

www.virginiaraffertybooks.com

An interview with Virginia Rafferty author of The Road to Lattimer.

Why did you write The Road to Lattimer?

A WW1 draft registration record found on ancestry gave me clues about the lives of my immigrant ancestors who lived near Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Other records revealed that two generations of my family worked for the A. Pardee Coal company in Lattimer, Pennsylvania. In my effort to understand their experiences in America I learned of the horrific conditions in coal patch towns, exploitation of immigrant labor, child labor, and ultimately the strike of 1897 that led to the Lattimer Massacre. It was a story I needed to tell.

Do you use a professional editor? If not, what do you do to ensure a quality book?

I did use a professional copy editor at one phase of the editing process. I also had the assistance of friends and family each offering different perspectives and areas of expertise. The final draft of my novel was edited by Chris Fenwick of Sunbury Press.

Do your characters come to you fully formed with names and backgrounds?

For me the characters evolve as the story progresses. Overtime they seem to take on a life of their own.

Do you write with a theme or message in mind?

Yes. History has largely ignored the massacre at Lattimer that took place on September 10, 1897. I wanted to tell the story.

What is the best writing/marketing advice you've been given?

Join a writers' group, whether it's local or national. Go to a few conferences. Learn the craft.

Do you read your reviews?

Yes, I read all of them and greatly appreciate hearing from my readers. Writers rely on reviews to help other readers make future purchasing decisions. More than that, hearing that my novels have touched a reader, taught them something they didn’t know before, or simply provided a welcome interlude brings immense satisfaction.

The Lattimer Massacre was a historic event. Can you recommend further reading on this topic.?

Michael Novak’s novel, The Guns of Lattimer, gives a vivid account of the events leading to the massacre.

Are you on social media?

Yes. For information on my novels visit www.virginiaraffertybooks. You can follow me on http://facebook.com/virginiaraffertybooks, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/virginiaraffertyauthor, https://pinterest.com/virginiaraffertybooks