.jpg)
Please welcome my guest today, Kathleen L. Maher. She has kindly offered to give away a copy of this wonderful novella, plus a shamrock mug, tea and cookies. You can’t beat that! And isn’t that book cover beautiful!
Sometimes history is not very uplifting. If you’re like me, you long to escape the stresses of modern life, and that’s why you read historicals—to experience a kinder, gentler time. When past events prove as ruthless as the worst nightly news, what is an author of inspirational fiction to do?
My novella Bachelor Buttons deals with one such unsavory bit of history. As contributor to a collection of novellas and short stories set in 1863 commemorating the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, I chose to write about the New York City Draft Riots. The protests to Lincoln’s Conscription Act escalated into one of the worst racial hate crimes in American history. It casts blight, not just on American history, but on Irish immigrant history in particular. So why did I choose to write about such a disturbing event? Should writers like me avoid the horror and dismay of the past altogether?
One reason I felt passionate about writing this story is summed up by George Santayana’s famous quote. “Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat its mistakes.” Fiction provides the perfect medium to gain a better understanding of history’s lessons. Context sheds light on the background, and offers a basis for comparison to current events. The Draft Riots were a tragic and frightening week of anarchy, violence, and mob rule. Many immigrants from the Emerald Isle, escaping famine and seeking a better life in America, settled in New York City and struggled to find work. Signs reading “No Irish need apply” greeted
 |
| Irish Giveaway Gift |
them wherever they went. To make matters worse, the main competition for the unskilled labor jobs that were available came from freed slaves. Frustrated and without a political voice, many turned to vigilantism.
The draft lit the fuse of a powder keg. Tensions over job security ratcheted up a notch each time the Lincoln administration espoused abolitionist causes. The Emancipation Proclamation stirred up the deepest fears among recently immigrated Irish that a wave of freedmen would sweep Manhattan and take all the jobs for themselves. Sadly, this fear and hatred spawned deadly attacks on peaceful black citizens all over Manhattan for four days in July, 1863.
The Draft Riot was a terrible event, fraught with loss of life and property. So again, why memorialize it in story? I believe that when darkness sinks to its nadir, that is when the light of Christ and His people shine the brightest. Every story I write weaves a theme of redemption, and so it is with Bachelor Buttons. The hero—an Irish immigrant teacher—becomes an unwitting champion, rescuing those in harm’s way even at risk of personal loss and danger. He represents the call on every Christian’s life, to be light in darkness, an overcoming force standing for truth and goodness when the world turns upside down.
Sometimes history is downright ugly. But the Author and Perfector of our faith, the One penning the story of His dealings with man, triumphs over the facts of man’s sin with His Truth. Good really does triumph over evil with God’s help, and we learn from the past through both good examples and bad.
Question: What books have you read that handled dark historical events with a redemptive light?
Bachelor Buttons can be purchased HERE.
You can visit Kathleen’s Blogspot HERE.
Kathleen L. Maher’s novella Bachelor Buttons releases May 1 as part of a Civil War sesquicentennial collection by Helping Hands Press. She won the 2012 ACFW Genesis contest, and finaled in several others since 2009. Represented by Terry Burns of Hartline Literary Agency, Kathleen blogs about New YorkState history. She and her husband live in a 100-year-old farmhouse in upstate NY with their three children, two Newfoundland dogs and a tuxedo cat.
Thank you for having me on, Jill. Looking forward to chatting with your readers!
Glad you’re here, Kathy.
Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliot is certainly one coming to mind. And underground railroad stories are another uplifting account. I do think we want to paint over history with a pastel brush as so often is the way with fiction, but it’s def not the reality. Your book will def be a unique read.
Thanks for the generous offer! I can be reached via blog link thru name or DM @_eHope on twitter TY for the opp to be included
I’ve heard great things about Rosslyn’s writing. I’ll have to check out Fairer than Morning. Good point about painting over gloss coat on history. Sometimes we strive for that happily ever after, and lose the authenticity.
Thanks for coming by! Good luck on the giveaway.
I was just thinking about dark historical events and how the movie, Amazing Grace, handled the issue of slavery and the efforts of others like Wilberforce were portrayed. Loved Iosn Gruffudd in the role of Wilberforce.
I LOVED Amazing Grace and the story of William Wilberforce. I agree, Gruffudd did a stellar job portraying him. I wonder if someone will make a movie about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Both of my sisters have read Eric Metaxas’s bio on him, and have raved. Great examples of history that was heartrending but where men of God changed the outcome.
I have a deep love of history so I really enjoyed this interview. Thank you so much for sharing your research and insight into this event.
Christi Corbett
Hi, Amy
I love love love Jocelyn Green’s novels. I’ve read both Wedded to War and Widow of Gettysburg. Haven’t read Flight of Earls. Will have to look for that one! Thanks so much for coming by and being enthusiastic about Bachelor Buttons. 😀
Thanks, Christi
I appreciate you stopping by with your kind remarks. Good luck on the giveaway.
I love historical fiction…thanks for the chance to read your novel, Kathleen 🙂
karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
Karen, thank you! I’m really fond of Christian historicals, myself. 🙂 Love the redemptive endings.
Good luck, dear.
Hi Jillian and Kathleen!
I thought I knew a lot about the civil war but there’s so much I hand’t heard of…these draft riots for one. What a painful event, and one we shouldn’t ignore. I’m really looking forward to reading this!
Thank you, Deb! So appreciative that you came by. We coud study a time period for 30 years and still not know about all the nuances and details. I first heard about this on Ken Burns’ documentary, outside of family stories. I didn’t even know if the family stories were true until I heard it there. Funny how that works, but oral tradition can get skewed over time and rendition.
Just got a memo learning that the publisher has reduced the price of this novella down to 99 cents! So excited!
The civil war…brother against brother and yet they were still family. truckredford(at)gmail(dot)com
Eliza, that’s what’s so incredible about this country. We have had divisions and disagreements, but we rally to one another as soon as threats occur. At he Boston Marathon tragedy, there was no North or South, no Republican or Democrat. We were all Americans and many of us were praying to the Lord Jesus Christ, one nation under the one true God. May the Lord unite us under Him again.
It’s been a wonderful week, and I want to thank everyone for coming out to celebrate with me on my debut! A winner has been selected for the novella and the Irish goodie basket. Congratulations, Amy C! Your name came up via random.org.
Thank you Jill for having me as your guest this week. Its been wonderful interacting with your readers and meeting some new people.
Blessings!
Kathy