01 Oct Darlene Campos, THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, plus a GIVEAWAY!

I’m excited to welcome fellow Houstonian and new friend, Darlene Campos, to the blog today. Her newest middle-grade book, The Center of the Earth, tells the story of best friends during a terrible time. 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. Without going into this too deeply, you should know that this heartwarming story is based on true accounts of Holocaust survivors. It’s a story that resonated with me on many on different levels. 

EL: Welcome, Darlene! Please tell us a little about yourself.

DC: I earned my MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso (Picks up, Miners!). I also attended the University of Houston, where I graduated with a BA in Creative Writing and a minor in medical studies. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, where I still reside today. When I’m not writing, I love to exercise, visit museums, and spend time with my eight (!) rescue cats, as well as foster cats for local animal shelters.

EL: The Center of the Earth was based on testimony from Holocaust survivors. Can you please elaborate on that?

DC: In the process of writing The Center of the Earth, I interviewed eight Jewish refugees who found safety in Ecuador during World War II. Unfortunately, only two of the eight are still living. They escaped to Ecuador as children, so their unique perspectives shaped the story. During my research, I did come across some testimonies written by adults, but since this is a middle-grade novel, I preferred information from refugees who were children. Thankfully, the people I interviewed were generous with their thoughts and memories. Though the book is historical fiction, many parts are heavily based on real life. For example, Werner, one of the main characters, mentions eating grapes that are cut in half.  Food was very scarce in WWII Europe, so eating small bits of food to make the supply last longer was common. Additionally, there is a character named Dr. Fisch, who was a real doctor and the father of one of the refugees.

EL: That’s amazing. What sets your book apart from other Holocaust books?

DC: I think Holocaust-themed books are important, especially when they are written accurately and/or written by victims or by their descendants. In the case of The Center of the Earth, only half of the book takes place in Germany and the other half in Ecuador. Werner does experience hardships for being Jewish, as did everyone I interviewed. However, after he escapes to Ecuador, he is quite removed from the dangers of WWII Europe, which provides a different perspective on WWII history. Although Ecuador was not directly involved in the fighting during WWII, it played a significant role in saving lives, and it was an honor to create a story based on this achievement. Dahlia, the other main character, as this book is a dual point-of-view, provides a look into the Holocaust through the eyes of an Ecuadorian child. Germany had (and still has) Ecuadorian consular offices, so the children of these office workers were living in Germany as the Holocaust unfolded. Additionally, I traveled to Germany a lot when I was a kid, and I’m also Ecuadorian-American, so I already had a mental picture of both countries in my mind as I wrote.

EL: Darlene, your research is impressive. I have included pictures throughout this post. Readers, please see Darlene’s explanation of the photos.

DC: The photo titled Schwarz 40 is of Jewish refugees arriving on Ecuadorian waters, circa 1940. The photo titled La Mitad del Mundo is of Jewish refugees at the La Mitad del Mundo monument in Quito, Ecuador, circa 1945. The photo called KIC Image 9 is Werner Loebl (later known as Loval) when he had to leave Germany on the Kindertransport just weeks after his Bar Mitzvah. Werner Rubenstein, my main character, is named after him. The photo labeled Burbano features Jose Ignacio Burbano, an Ecuadorian consul stationed in Germany who saved 40 Jewish families by issuing them Ecuadorian visas. He’s in the back row, third from the right. Dahlia’s father, Manuel Aviles, is heavily based on him.

SCHWARZ 40

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EL: I feel like I know a good deal about WWII and the Holocaust, but until your book, I didn’t understand the role that Ecuador played in saving lives. Could you discuss your journey to publication with this book? 

DC: This book was the most difficult path to publishing I’ve ever had, at least so far. First, it took me about a year to find a literary agent. When I finally signed with my former agent, I had received 106 rejections. After a few revision rounds, the book was sent out to publishing houses, but every single one rejected it. At one point, a publishing house recommended I make the book a dual point of view, which I wasn’t sure about because I thought the story would only make sense from Werner’s perspective. However, I’m open to feedback, so I turned the book into a dual point of view and had a lot of fun doing this. In the end, despite reconstructing the whole book, the publishing house rejected it, but I decided to keep the story as a dual point of view because the book felt much stronger. I received more and more rejections, including one from a publishing house I had interned for in the past. It really stung to be rejected by my former boss! Finally, in early 2024, after four years of endless rejections, I signed my contract with Blue Handle Publishing. I started writing the book in 2018, and now it’s 2025, so, in total, this book took seven years to come to life. I honestly don’t know how I withstood all those years of heartache.

BURBANA 1

EL: I’m not sure how you did either, but I’m glad you did! What inspires you?

DC: People. I usually model my characters after family members or close friends. For example, the Cevallos twins in The Center of the Earth are named after a friend of mine. My picture book, Mr. Ray’s Barbershop, is also available in Spanish, and I wrote it as a tribute to my late father-in-law, who was a respected barber in Houston for over 40 years. In my second book, Summer Camp is Cancelled, the main character’s grandfather dies before the story takes place, but he is mentioned in flashbacks. This is because my grandfather died while I was writing this book, and it was my way of bringing him back to life. My stories often have a doctor figure or a medical theme as my father is a doctor and my minor was in medical studies. My mom is a teacher, and I have lots of teacher characters as well.

KIC Image 9

EL: What do you think is the best part of writing for children?         

DC: I LOVE writing for children. Children love stories, so creating stories for them to enjoy is a great privilege. I did a story time event about a year ago for Mr. Ray’s Barbershop, and I almost cried when the children cheered out loud close to the end of the book. Hearing them react in such a positive manner was priceless. The hardest part of writing for children is that sometimes, though not all the time, certain readers dismiss what I write as being only for children, and this is far, far from the truth. For example, I think pretty much anyone can relate to the classic book, Charlotte’s Web. It’s about friendship, loyalty, and kindness, which are timeless lessons. In other words, people should not be so quick to ignore children’s literature. Beauty can be found in many stories, even in ones for the youngest readers.

EL: Do you have a writing group or groups? How important do you think they are?

DC: One of the refugees I interviewed, Peter Philipps, is a retired editor and journalist, formerly of The New York Times. Nowadays, he writes fiction, and we exchange our works, especially when we’re planning to submit them for possible publication. Though we have an age difference of sixty years, we have become good writer friends and support each other through rejections and celebrate when we receive an acceptance. Additionally, when my work schedule allows it, I attend a writer’s group at a local synagogue. Most of the attendees are retired, so there’s also a big age difference between us, but I have such a blast with them. The love of writing supersedes age! It is important to make connections because writing is a lonely hobby. It’s usually done closed up in a room with no one else around. Writers need to know they have support, especially from other writers who know what the industry is like.

EL: Thank you so much for joining us, Darlene! Your work is fascinating.  Now for a …

Darlene is happy to offer a book to one lucky winner. To get in the running, please comment on this post and let me know if you’re a subscriber or if you have shared this post to get an extra chance to win.

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On a personal note, I’m currently scheduling school author visits for the 2025-2026 school year. I’d love to visit YOU or a school near you! Please check out  https://EllenLeventhal.com.   

Here’s a review! Ellen Leventhal is an amazing presenter who tailors her presentations to meet the needs of all students and age levels.  I am amazed at how she can talk about her love of writing, how to become a writer, encouraging students to do what they love and how we can all be kind into a 45 minute presentation. A school visit from Ellen Leventhal is a treat for everyone!  Suzanne Ritchey:  Carroll T Welch Elementary School Clint, TX

Until next time,

Ellen