Help! I’m Lost in the Past: How to Find Resources for Historical Fiction by Author Darlene P. Campos and The Center of the Earth Giveaway

 Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Darlene Campos here to share a guest post to celebrate the release of her MG historical, The Center of the Earth. It sounds like a fascinating time in history that I know nothing about, and I’m excited to read it. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

When Dahlia, the courageous daughter of an Ecuadorian embassy official, sees how Germany is changing as Adolf Hitler's reign takes hold, she knows she must act.

Her best friend, Werner, and his family have been ostracized and endangered, and she can't stand to see them suffer. With a new identity, Werner hesitantly finds a new beginning as part of the Aviles family back in Ecuador.

He and Dahlia must balance the typical growing pains of youth with the distance in culture and geography for Werner.

Based on true accounts from Holocaust survivors, THE CENTER OF THE EARTH gives a heartwarming yet heartwrenching firsthand look at what it means to be a family.

 

Now here’s Darlene! 

Help! I’m Lost in the Past: How to Find Resources for Historical Fiction

Darlene P. Campos 

            History can be a complicated subject, especially when trying to write a story. It’s common to feel overwhelmed by too much or too little information. Furthermore, the internet isn’t always the most reliable source of historical facts, making the journey to find the truth even more challenging. The good news is that there are ways to pinpoint accurate resources. 

            In 2018, I started writing my latest book, The Center of the Earth, a middle-grade historical. It is based on the accounts of Jewish refugees who found refuge in Ecuador during the Holocaust. As an Ecuadorian-American, I was so excited to write this story in honor of my ancestral country, and I wrote the first draft in 28 days. However, I hit a roadblock because I couldn’t find resources to answer my burning questions. For example, most of the refugees were from Germany, and I wondered how long the voyage from Germany to Ecuador was and what it was like. Textbooks and other historical non-fiction provide information like when a war started and ended, but they do not always discuss how people felt. 

            In my case, I figured some of the refugees could still be alive. First, I reached out to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Holocaust Museum Houston. I emailed their archivists and they provided me with digitalized resources, like newspaper articles and photos. One of USHMM’s former volunteers happened to be a refugee who escaped to Ecuador as a seven-year-old boy, and an archivist put us in touch. 

            Additionally, I found a Facebook group called Jews of Ecuador, managed by the children and grandchildren of the refugees. I made a post about my need for resources. Within an hour, I received responses from the group members telling me their parents/grandparents would be happy to talk to me. In total, I interviewed eight refugees for their firsthand accounts. They all told me the trip to Ecuador took three weeks. They described experiencing seasickness, the emotions of leaving their homes for a country they had never even heard of, and how difficult it was to adjust to a new language and culture. I stayed in touch with all eight during my publishing journey. Only two are alive at the time of this writing. I cherish the relationships I have with the ones still living and fondly remember the ones who are no longer here. 

            When seeking truth in history, I strongly recommend going to a primary source. If possible, interview people who witnessed the time period. Ask them how they felt about the situations surrounding them. Ask them how the events transformed their lives. Ask them if their world ever returned to “normal” and, if not, ask them how they moved forward. 

Of course, sometimes history is too far away, and interviewing someone from a specific period is not always possible. In a situation like this, archivists are superheroes. Archivists are the guardians of primary sources. People throughout history often wrote about their experiences, and thankfully, lots of these accounts have been preserved. Some archives may require an in-person trip to view primary sources, as they can be quite fragile. However, plenty of primary resources are digitalized and can be viewed from home. Archives are usually located in museums, but can also be found in universities and libraries. 

In addition to archives, libraries are always an excellent place for historical information. Libraries can assist with finding books, of course, but many libraries offer free access to databases and genealogy websites. My local library, the Harris County Public Library system, has subscriptions to places such as HeritageQuest, which contains primary sources dating to the 1700s, and FamilySearch, a website for genealogical records. Some states also offer an extended library card, allowing for even greater research opportunities. Texas provides the TexShare program, giving patrons access to over 500 libraries in the state. California offers universal borrowing, meaning a California resident with a registered card can access materials across any library in the state. 

Finally, museums contain a vast number of historical sources. Most major museums have an archive along with a library. In some cases, museums contain oral histories, in which a staff member or volunteer interviewed a person affected by a historical event. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, for example, has thousands of oral histories with survivors. Most of the files are available via their website. The Oral History Center at Berkeley Library at the University of California is home to numerous oral histories, ranging from the history of the California Fire Department to the history of Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream. The Chicago History Museum also contains oral histories covering topics such as the Civil Rights Movement and Polish immigration to Illinois. 

The mission to find factual resources can be tedious, but it is important to remember the value of accuracy and that many places and people are willing to assist with research. I am forever grateful to the refugees I interviewed and to all the archivists, historians, scholars, and librarians who guided me through the process. The wonderful guardians of the past are the reason why writing a historical story is possible. 

Bio: Darlene P. Campos earned her MFA in creative writing from the University of Texas at El Paso. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, exercising, and going to museums. She is Ecuadorian-American and lives in Houston, TX with her husband and their eight rescue cats. Her latest book, The Center of the Earth, a middle-grade historical novel released by Blue Handle Publishing, is based on the true accounts of Holocaust survivors who found refuge in Ecuador during World War II.  

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Darlene! You can find Darlene at:

Website: www.darlenepcampos.com 

Buy Links for The Center of the Earth

Bookshop: https://tinyurl.com/bduf9avr

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yc65spjm

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/yz77y9tc

You can also order from your local bookstore! 

Giveaway Details

Darlene is generously offering a paperback of The Center of the Earth of a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by November 22nd. If I do not have your email (I can no longer get it from your Google Profile), you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address. 

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or Bluesky or follow Darlene on her social media sites, mention this in the comments, and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S. 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog. 

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops 

Wednesday, November 12th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Mara Cobb and a query critique giveaway 

Sunday, November 16th, I’m participating in the In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop 

Monday, November 17th, I have a guest post by Mike Steel and a giveaway of his MG Not Lucille 

Wednesday, November 19th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Carter Hasegawa and a query critique giveaway 

Monday, November 24th, I have a guest post by R.M. Romero and a giveaway of her MG The Tear Collector 

I hope to see you on Monday!