Katherine
asked
Ruta Sepetys:
Hi, I LOVED Between Shades of Gray! As an aspiring author, I was wondering if you have any advice for someone who may be interested in writing historical fiction based on their own family? (my family came from Italy to NYC in the early 1900s)
Ruta Sepetys
Hi Katherine!
Ooh, I bet your family has some amazing history coming from Italy to NYC. My first bit of advice would be to dig through family archives, relatives, and friends to find photos, journals, or any personal mementos. A single photograph could unlock a whole story for you. If possible, I would also encourage you to interview any and all elderly family members left. Their story and memories are so important! You might also go to the library and use Ancestry.com online. Through Ancestry you can research the ship that your family came over on and even print the passenger manifest. Once you know the name of the ship, you can check to see if anyone on Ancestry has posted photos or stories from their experience on the ship. You can also research census reports of each household. Hope that helps and good luck! :)
Ooh, I bet your family has some amazing history coming from Italy to NYC. My first bit of advice would be to dig through family archives, relatives, and friends to find photos, journals, or any personal mementos. A single photograph could unlock a whole story for you. If possible, I would also encourage you to interview any and all elderly family members left. Their story and memories are so important! You might also go to the library and use Ancestry.com online. Through Ancestry you can research the ship that your family came over on and even print the passenger manifest. Once you know the name of the ship, you can check to see if anyone on Ancestry has posted photos or stories from their experience on the ship. You can also research census reports of each household. Hope that helps and good luck! :)
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Marie
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I know that the displaced Lithuanians suffered horribly under the Soviets but what I found most horrifying about your novel was that the victims upon returning home were still in prison. How long was it in the Baltic Countries before people could communicate with each other about the inhumanity they had suffered. When did the truth come out, verbally, not in buried writings and art?
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