Book
What in your background brings you to write historical fiction?
I’ve always enjoyed stories set in the past, and it’s so true how one wrong detail can throw off a reader and pull her out of the story. Sometimes I see it in dialogue, where the author will use a word or phrase that we understand now, yet wouldn’t have been used in the novel’s time period.
Well-written historical fiction has always drawn me in and taken me back in time. In turn, I love bringing a long-ago world alive to readers and making sure I do enough research to get it right and immerse them in the way things looked, sounded, and felt.
What brought Betty Floyd to be the focus of your second novel?
The idea for the novel began when I saw a list of important women in American history. One name stood out, or rather, a number—355. I wanted to know more, so I studied all I could find about George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring and 355, the elusive female spy, whose name remains unknown to this day. One book listed several possible candidates for 355, why each might have fit the bill, and also why not. One was Betty Floyd, and although there are few concrete facts about her, what we do know led me to consider the possibility of her involvement with the Culper Ring and write her story. The most intriguing, edge-of-your-seat historical fiction I’ve read in a long while. Wirgau’s authentic for the period writing, impeccable research, and great attention to historical detail brought daily life during the Revolutionary War and the Culper Spy Ring vividly to life. Through To Outwit Them All I walked the British occupied streets of New York City through a Patriot spy’s eyes, ever aware that one wrong move could be her last. Once begun, I could not put this book down. Brilliant. –Cathy Gohlke, Christy Hall of Fame author of This Promised Land
Obviously, according to your readers, you got the atmosphere right for the setting of New York during this time period. What was your research process?
In addition to books about the Revolution and the Culper Ring, I poured over maps of old New York and peppered historians with questions. I watched videos of 18 th century dances, studied colonial customs and manners, cooking techniques, and the purpose of ladies’ many clothing items. But the best research, and the most fun, was taking two Revolutionary War-centered tours in lower Manhattan, where I walked the same streets as the Culper Ring and visited some of the same locations they did. The tours were supplemented with excerpts from original newspaper articles and broadsides, giving a sense of what people were thinking and what they cared about.
How does being part of various writers organizations help with your writing?
I’ve been active in several organizations since I started writing, and I probably would not have stuck with it without them. I’ve learned so much through classes and writers conferences, and the friends and connections I’ve made through the years have been priceless.
You have a new book out but people always want to know what’s next. So, what’s
your next project look like?
My heart is drawn to unsung women in history. I’m doing more research into American Revolutionary women, but I haven’t fleshed out a definite idea yet.
What is your writing process like? Are you an outliner or do you start writing and see what happens with an idea of where you want to go?
First, I like to be inspired by a real woman from the past and see if there’s enough about her to build a story. I do a rough story arc, but for both of my novels, it took me a while to know where to start. I made loose outlines, jotting down a few phrases to keep me on track, and often stopped to consult my research before continuing. I’m not sure it was the most efficient process, but I wanted to keep the facts straight and it worked for me. I did several thorough edits as I layered in dialogue, descriptions, etc. In the future, I’d like to improve on my outlining.
What helped you make that final decision to become a published author?
I had been writing short stories and articles but hadn’t thought about writing a book until I stumbled on an amazing untold story of a twelve-year-old Titanic survivor. I knew it would make a good novel and I wanted to share it with others. It’s been very successful, and I wanted to write more and better novels. I think I’m like many historical fiction authors who have a strong desire to get a story out to the world that might otherwise be misunderstood or never known.
If you were on a deserted island and could have only books by one author, who would it be?
Books by Cathy Gohlke. Her novels are set in different time periods and locations, but they’re all about family, friendship, love, forgiveness, faith, and perseverance in the midst of great struggle. I could read them again and again.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Outwit-Them-All-Peggy-Wirgau-ebook/dp/B0FB1JT685
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205853206-the-amazon-author-formula
A Michigan native, Peggy Wirgau now lives in Arvada, Colorado. She loves bringing history to life for readers, writing about real unsung women who faced extraordinary challenges and became heroes. Her debut novel, The Stars in April, is based on the true story of a twelve-year-old Titanic survivor.
Her second novel is set to release in October 2025. To Outwit Them All is based on the true story of the only female member of George Washington’s Culper Ring. Now available for pre-order!
Peggy has also written for Appleseeds, Insight, Learning Through History, and contributed to Why? Titanic Moments by Yvonne Lehman. Her blog features in-depth Titanic stories, and her followers include descendants of the ship’s real-life victims and survivors. See Blog for more details.
A graduate of Michigan State University and George Mason University, Peggy is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Historical Novel Society, and Colorado Authors League. She loves to travel and explore historical sites. She and her husband have two adult children and three grandchildren.
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