Loving v Virginia

And the third and final Give Away, goes to [drum roll] NikolaBooks. Congratulations, Nikola. Nikola, please email me at note to phpowell@talesforallages.com and let me know if you simply want it signed, or signed to you or . . . what.

The second give away went to Nancy (still waiting for you to respond, Nancy :-). The first to Deb Aronson. Thank you so much, everyone, for entering. If you did not win a copy of the book, I do hope you will still pre-order Loving vs. Virginia, which releases on January 31, 2017.

That can be done at the following Links: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/loving-vs-virginia.html

or at http://www.janeaddamsbooks.com/

Or anywhere you buy books.

Or come to the Book Launch Party in Champaign, IL at the Esquire Lounge (106 N. Walnut Champaign) Thursday, February 16, 2017 from 5:00 – 8:00 pm. Jane Addams Books will be selling the books; Robin Kearton and Tom Faux will play string music (because Mildred’s family played what they called “hill billy” music as a string band). The Esquire will be serving (along with their complete menu) Brunswick stew which is a traditional Virginia dish. Come, have a beer, listen to a brief reading, listen to the music, get a book (not required) and have a good time.

Or come Friday, March 3 to the Urbana Free Library celebration, 6 – 8 pm, where Loving vs. Virginia and I will be part of the new Urbana Imbibes events.

HornBook (January/February 2017) wrote a lovely review and added my answer to their question: Why did you choose to write the Lovings’ story as a “documentary novel”?

Patricia: I had begun Loving vs. Virginia as nonfiction. But my editor, Melissa Manlove, and I

this was once Byrd’s corner store where the Jeters and Lovings shopped for groceries

felt that the story would be more poignant to young readers to show scenes of Mildred dancing and Richard looking on at a neighborhood party rather than just saying: Indians, blacks and whites worked together, partied together—lived well together in an integrated neighborhood—in a segregated state. I could show the two falling in love and running through the woods at night. I could show Sheriff Garnet stopping Richard’s car and saying about Mildred, “Who you got in there?” rather than saying the racist sheriff stopped black people driving along the Sparta Road to intimidate them. Mildred and Richard are both deceased but I spoke to Mildred’s brothers and Richard’s friends and used their stories about the couple, but in a documentary novel, I could create dialog that can draw the reader into the emotional heart of the story. By studying Hope Ryden’s film footage of the Loving family in the 1960s, I got to know the two, and speak in their voices.

Thanks for supporting Loving vs. Virginia. And Have a Happy New Year.

Loving vs. Virginia, a documentary novel told in verse by Patricia Hruby Powell and illustrated by Shadra Strickland has a release date of January 31, 2017.

But I have some early copies in hand (not ARCs, but the real book, in color ;-). I’m offering 3 giveaways before the book comes out—one for October, one for November, one for December. To be eligible, please subscribe to my blog, and leave a comment saying you’d like a book—you’ll be eligible for all 3 drawings.

(Up until now, my blog has been a young adult book review column (previously middle grade books)—the reviews that run in the Champaign Urbana News Gazette once every three weeks).

Now for a bit about Loving vs. Virginia.

So . . . I’m frequently asked why I chose to write about the Loving v Virginia case. Actually, it chose me.

Before my book, Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker (Chronicle 2014) came out, my publisher asked if I’d be interested in writing about the Loving v Virginia case. I did a bit of research and on the U.S. Supreme Court case that ruled in favor of interracial marriage. My parents had brought us up to care about people and fight injustice. This was a perfect fit.

My editor, Melissa Manlove, said she would try to get me a contract if I’d write three chapters and an outline of the nonfiction book for teens.

The Loving's neighborhood - first trip — The Loving’s neighborhood – first trip

So I set off to Virginia to start researching (more about the research in another post). I submitted those nonfiction chapters and shortly after Melissa called to chat.

Melissa: Would you be willing to write this story as a documentary novel?

Me: Sure. What’s a documentary novel?

(In my early writing career I had frequently and politely refused to change my approach to a book when an editor asked for a rewrite. As a dancer/choreographer I’d been chief cook and bottle washer and was accustomed to doing exactly what I wanted. It took me awhile to learn how brilliant a brilliant editor is; and there’s no editor more brilliant than Melissa.)

So, What is a documentary novel? It’s creative nonfiction. It is factual, but there’s a hitch. Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood was a documentary novel. He interviewed the killer, but the victims weren’t around to talk. He created the scenes to create his thriller. Where Loving vs. Virginia is concerned, it is factual but I write in the voices of (African American/Indian) Mildred Jeter Loving alternating with “chapters” from the voice of (white) Richard Loving.

Whew, what a gift—to write this story as a documentary novel. Now I could write scenes. Rather than say, the two grew up in an integrated neighborhood where the black, white, and Indian neighbors supported each other and partied together, I could show teenaged Mildred dancing at one of their intergenerational interracial parties with her brother Otha, with Richard looking on. Then Richard offers to drive the family home. In other words, I could show Richard and Mildred falling in love.

Shadra Strickland illustration of the married Loving couple.

Because this is a book for young adults (twelve and up) we decided it should be a love and courtship story, first. (More about researching that in another post).

So, yep, I did more research, more interviews, and I submitted the first several chapters of my creative nonfiction and an outline. Chronicle contracted the book. What a lovely situation to be writing a book that you know will be published!

Feel free to comment or ask questions. I’ll try to answer as best I can. An upcoming post will discuss the research of the book. Your question might prompt a new post. Thanks, and good luck. Hope you win a book.

–Patricia

Third and Final Loving vs. Virginia Give Away

Why I wrote Loving vs. Virginia – Book Give Away