A Mother’s White Lie

Description

During the Great Depression, Rose Franklin leaves her family’s home in Rustburg, Virginia, and moves to Lynchburg, Virginia, where she resides with her Aunt Rachael. Her aunt runs a bootlegger’s establishment from her home, catering to those seeking refuge from the hardship of the era. Rose secures a job as a domestic. She and her employer’s son, Charlie, become involved in a taboo relationship which results in Rose getting pregnant. Fearing Charlie no longer wants to be with her, she turns to her parents. Her father severs his relationship with her. Her mother is pregnant with her eleventh child and cannot be the support Rose needs. Rose has twins. The dual heritage of her children is evident in their appearance. Her son, Robert, resembles his father, a white man, and her daughter, Sarah, mirrors her, a Black woman. Rose, who is determined to do whatever she has to do to assure her children have the best life, makes a decision that determines the trajectory of her children’s lives.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jennifer Lipford Petticolas, a retired educator, is a native of Lynchburg, Virginia. She graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lynchburg. She completed her undergraduate work at Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. She earned a Master of English Education and a Master of Educational Leadership from Lynchburg College (University of Lynchburg). Jennifer enjoys writing and directing plays. A Mother’s White Lie is her debut novel.