Baby Brother
A story is only as good as its conflict. This fact can make Grandma’s cheerful version of history difficult to write well. Fortunately, she has a surviving brother who has been gracious enough to share his memories and even gave me a copy of his memoir. Even though he lived in the same house and shared the same community, the characters in his accounts are chockfull of malice and envy. Injustices go uncorrected and life for a child was harsh.
Finally! Here were the depression stories of the history books! By incorporating his perspective into Grandma’s narratives, I can remain faithful to the firsthand accounts, but avoid flat characters and boring stories.