Books

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Okay, Pat had me at she’s a lifelong teacher. We are two peas in a pod. Teachers are exposed to so many books we have to pick up some pointers along the way.

Read another young adult author’s view on what type of stories she writes and why. Today my guest is Pat Gilkerson, author of The Horse Rescuer Series. I love her main character’s name, Piper Jones. 

How Do I Decide What to Write About?

Sometimes people ask me how I decide what to write about. The short answer is that I write about things I’m interested in or passionate about. The long answers are much more detailed.

Why do I write children’s books?

As a lifelong teacher, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the books that are out there for kids. On one hand, there are some that are so good, it’s intimidating. Who would dare compete with them for readership? On the other hand, some are so bad and so obviously created to sell a cartoon character that I always thought, “I could do better than this any day!” When my urge to write got strong enough, children’s books were the natural outlet for my creativity.

Why did I write horse stories?

I’ve always loved animals, but growing up in Kentucky solidified my love of horses at an early age. I read every horse book I could find in my small town library. My father completely frustrated me by not seeing the need for me to have a horse of my own. I selected my college (first two years) by the fact that I could take riding lessons there. I think my father always believed I married my husband Jim because he was a veterinarian and would get me a horse. Well, he did. I got my first horse after I had both of my children and have had horses ever since. Currently I care for three horses, although I don’t ride anymore. My daughter lives nearby and comes out to ride whenever her job and family allow. When I began writing my first children’s book, it was a YA story about a girl who desperately wanted a horse. Every child wants a pony, just like every child wants a puppy. And, like puppies, the reality of taking care of a horse or pony is much more involved than any kid dreams. I thought it would be good to give children an idea of exactly what is involved in taking on the responsibility of a horse. In my Horse Rescuers series, Piper Jones rescues a pony, which then needs feeding, watering, exercising, veterinary care, shelter and acres of land. She and her best friend, Addie, have to tend the pony daily. It helps that her father is a veterinarian, so he is frequently on hand to diagnose health problems that crop up. As of this writing, the Horse Rescuers have saved three horses, with three more books to go in the series. We have The Penny Pony, Nickel-Bred, and Turn on a Dime. Following will be titles involving a quarter, half-dollar and dollar.

Why am I currently writing a YA fantasy book?

A huge influence on me was a book I read in 5th grade called The Unicorn with Silver Shoes. It captured my imagination long before unicorns were a common theme for little girls. The book was set in Ireland, had pookas, leprechauns, and many other kinds of faerie creatures, and I always remembered it. In fact, I found it online about five years ago and was thrilled to be able to purchase a copy.  That book began a lifelong fascination with fairy lore. As an adult, I became interested in Irish music, history and how it related to my family. So when I began a story about a boy who meets a green man and is taken into the Land of Faerie, it was natural that I would include a lot of Irish references, Irish music and Irish mythical creatures. Writers know that interesting coincidences sometimes happen as you work on a book. I finished writing the fantasy while on a trip to Ireland with my husband. Waiting in the Dublin airport for our plane, I noticed a restaurant named the Oak Cafe . A sign explained that in Celtic lore, oak trees were doors to the Other World, in the same way that airports are portals to other worlds. A light went on, and I changed my story to reflect oaks being doorways to Faerie. The Great Forest of Shee will be released in the spring of 2015.

What will I write about next?

When I’m done writing the three more Horse Rescuers adventures, I have some ideas. Having taught preschool for many years and loving Irish pubs–why not a main character who teaches preschool and works in a pub at night? I have the character ready to go, but need a plot line. A mystery/romance mash-up? Possibly. I like both genres. Then again, I love scuba diving and the island of Cozumel, so something could happen with that. I’m also really intrigued lately by magical realism, so who knows? There are lots of possibilities out there and it’s exciting to think about where I could go next!

HorseRescuers

 

You can find Pat here –

Fire and Ice YA books

 

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Summer Writing Series continues! I am excited at the response I’ve had from my author friends and can’t wait to share them with you. There are so many eclectic ideas and writers. I want to introduce you to another YA author from Fire and Ice—Erin Elliot.

Erin is a girl after my own heart. She had me at…the idea for her book started in her head. I can identify with that and how a story unfolds in the mind. There are many ways to write a story and that is just one of them. Read on to find out about how another young adult author, Erin Elliot, writes her novels.

My Writing Process

Until the last year, I didn’t have an answer for this. Sure, I had always wanted to be a writer and until I actually started the process, I thought it was something that was easily accomplished, but I found out just how wrong I was. It all starts with an idea. For me, I work out that idea in my head. I decide what I want to name my main characters, what I want the title to be, and how ultimately, I would like the book to end. Then the fun part, or the most nerve-wracking part for me, begins. Some people have trouble motivating their self to write on a daily basis until their story is done. Me, I have trouble making myself take breaks, especially when my characters are screaming at me, begging me to write their stories down. This is the part that weighs the most heavily on my mind and I literally feel like my brain is trying to implode. You know that feeling when you’re taking a test, that’s what it feels like for me only ten times worse. It’s both a horrible and wonderful feeling, which consumes my life until I get the story all down.

Then comes the various stages of editing. For me, this part isn’t quite as tedious, but it is time consuming. In my case, I revise my story, have my oldest son look at it and give me his opinion, and then I revise it again. I also have beta readers look at it and give me input on what needs to be changed and what is working really well. Basically, I’m cleaning it up to show off to the huge world of publishing. Getting into the publishing companies or literary agencies is a whole other story and one that takes a great deal of time. My best advice to this point is believe in yourself, believe in your story, and don’t give up.

Once, my book has been contracted, I begin working on the next story idea until my book is ready to go through the final editing process. I learned through my first round of edits, that this can be very personal and sometimes very painful. It’s not easy to let someone else read your work and at the same time, tear it apart in order to make it the very best that it can be. It’s a necessary evil and it helps to keep an open mind as well as a good working relationship with your editor and proofer. They mean well and they want your story to sell, too.

When I first stepped foot into the world of writing I, like so many people, thought it would be a simple process, without hardly any work involved. Since becoming engrossed in this world, I have learned quite the opposite holds true. Writing books is a difficult and extraordinarily personal event. You put your heart and soul into a book for the world to read. It is time consuming as well as thought consuming. Is it something that I love? Yes, writing books has become a passion and I encourage everyone who has the courage to write, to do so. The rewards far outweigh the amount of work that goes into it.

Erin has just released the first book of her series. Find her here:

Fire and Ice Young Adult Books

MirasView

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Since I began to write, I made many author friends. I didn’t expect that to happen. Writers are a solitary bunch, but when it comes to supporting each other that’s a different matter. I also have a support system through my publishing family. So when I asked for some posts about writing, I got a great response.

For the next few months, I am going to run a Summer Writing Series. I asked for tips, writing process, getting published or anything about writing that could be passed along to my readers from my author friends.

Since I write for Fire And Ice, the young adult imprint of Melange books, I am going to introduce you to some its authors first.

Paul Ferrante has written a young adult series of T.J. Jackson mysteries. The latest being Roberto’s Return. Read on to find out how he got his book into Cooperstown Hall of Fame bookstore.

How T.J. Jackson made the Hall of Fame

               I decided to use Cooperstown, New York and the National Baseball Hall Of Fame as the setting for the third installment of the T.J. Jackson Mysteries series, simply because I am very familiar with the town and its environs from visiting it at least once a year to do research for the historical baseball articles I write forSports Collectors Digest. This time I would be featuring the ghost of a person who actually did exist (Roberto Clemente) instead of a fictional ghost. Clemente is a compelling subject, given the greatness of his baseball career and his role as a trailblazing Latino ballplayer in the 1960s. Of course, his mysterious death in a plane crash on December 31, 1972 while on a humanitarian mission of mercy to earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua also played a role.

When the book was nearly finished, I took a trip up to Cooperstown in the fall of 2013 to do some final fact checking on Clemente in the A. Bartlett Giamatti Research Center at the Hall. I figured that as long as I was there I would try to meet with the head of purchasing for the Hall of Fame’s gift shop and bookstore, Mr. Drew Taylor. At that time I shared with him promotional items from the first two T.J. Jackson books, as well as critical reviews such as the one done by Sue Gesing. Mr. Taylor was intrigued, and when I pitched the plot of Roberto’s Return to him, he agreed to review the PDF to determine whether it was suitable for sale in the Hall’s bookstore. Meanwhile, I contacted the mayor of Cooperstown, Jeff Katz, to obtain permission to use the likeness of Doubleday Field, which is a municipal building, for the cover of the book. Luckily, Mayor Katz is a baseball aficionado, and readily agreed.

Well, at the beginning of April 2014 I received word that Roberto’s Return was accepted for sale in the bookstore, a great honor for a baseball writer like myself. It was then my publicity team, namely my wife and agent, Maria Simoes, decided we should maximize this opportunity. First, we contacted Mr. Taylor and told him I would personally deliver the first shipment of books to the Hall on Friday, May 2. Then Maria contacted Mayor Katz to tell him that I would be bringing an autographed copy of the book to him as a thank you for his assistance on the cover. She inquired as to whether the local media would want to cover the event. The mayor gave us the name of a reporter for the Cooperstown Crier, whom we alerted as to my visit. He agreed to meet me and Mayor Katz at the Hall Friday morning for a photo op (which resulted in a fine article in the Crier). From there, Mayor Katz escorted me across the street to the Cooperstown public library where I donated another copy of the book and had my photo taken with the head librarian.

But we weren’t done yet. Maria had also contacted the president of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, Pat Szarpa, whom we met in the hopes that I would be making another visit to town during this summer’s 75th Anniversary of the opening of the Hall of Fame. Finally we had a meeting with Stephanie Hazzard, who arranges author appearances as part of the Hall of Fame’s Summer Author Series. I was happy to tell her about the historical aspect of all the T.J. Jackson books and that Roberto’s Return would give young adult readers a wonderful history lesson on the Hall of Fame, Cooperstown and its local legends, and of course, the great Roberto Clemente. Two weeks later I received word from the Hall of Fame that I had been chosen to speak in the Bullpen Theater at the Hall of Fame on August 7 to discuss Roberto’s Return. This is  the ultimate thrill  for me, but it also illustrates that in the competitive literary market, especially when one is writing for a small publisher, any and all possible marketing opportunities should be seized. Many phone calls and emails were made in this process, but the results have been more than worth the effort.

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Find Paul here:

 Fire and Ice Books

 

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Today I am doing something a little different. I’ve been sent four questions to answer on my blog.

I want to thank author Brenda Ashworth Barry for the questions.

1.) What am I working on?

I just finished releasing my young adult trilogy—Waiting for Dusk, Call of the Canyon and Stealing Time. Many readers love the characters from 1927.  It suddenly made perfect sense to write a historical romance novel involving Anna and Lucinda, Kate’s friends from the past. They start their journey in boarding school and the reader will find out how they made their way out west and what caused their falling out. Look for it Winter 2015. Besides that, I am working on a contemporary novel with a touch of fantasy. My character goes to a Medieval Faire and has flashbacks to another life.

2.) How does my work differ from others in its genre?

I like to write in a contemporary setting and then weave in a little fantasy. I hope the reader can visualize it happening to them. My Waiting for Dusk series is about time travel. A book makes the travel happen. There’s no time machine involved. I’ve read other novels where the main character drove through a storm in a car and ended up in medieval times.  In another, the character has no control when it happens and just vanishes. I haven’t found a novel where a book is the culprit.

3.) Why do I write what I do?

I was an elementary school teacher for 30 years. I gravitate toward children and young adult books.  I’ve always enjoyed the characters of Beverly Cleary’s Ramona the Pest and the lessons in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I never really planned on writing or becoming an author. I wrote short stories when I was in school. Then I was busy being a wife, mother and teacher.
Visiting National Parks became a recent passion. My husband and I had just returned from the Grand Canyon. A PBS series about National Parks was going to air and we decided to watch. My mind drifted to another place. I began thinking about the recent park visit, the history I just watched and how fun it might be to have a young girl move between the past and present. I had no intention of writing a novel. So it literally happened overnight.

4.) How does my writing process work?

It develops in my mind. I think the whole story through and where I want to take it. I also keep a folder on my computer for research I’ve done. When I begin the actual process of writing the story, the characters might have other ideas. I like the fact that sometimes you change your mind right in the middle of writing. That’s the fun part of writing a novel.

You can find more about me here: Amazon Author Page

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I’d like to introduce you to my publisher today. She’s a busy woman running a publishing company who also has written several books. Plus she recently retired from a full-time job! With that said, I have to say Nancy is always there for her authors. Emails are answered within hours. She hangs in there with you until any problem is solved. She gives good advice or steers you in the right direction.

When I submitted my first book to Melange, Nancy was in the middle of creating the young adult imprint- Fire & Ice. Luckily, she liked my series and Waiting for Dusk was published in November, 2012.

The company is growing and she’s added another imprint, Satin Romance, where you’ll find her book. She has released her romance novel, Bait Shop Blues. Nancy has taken time off from her busy schedule to answer a few questions…as an author and a publisher.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Did you always want to be a writer? 

**I’ve been married to the same man (do you believe?) since 1975. We have four grown children and seven young grandchildren. We are a very busy family. Luckily, I was able to retire late 2013 so now can devote all of my time to Melange Books, which I started up in Jan. 2011. I’ve been writing, seriously, since 1983. Published for the first time in 2003, my Scottish Historical romance, The MacAulay Bride. I have written 6 full length novels, some under the pseudonym, Nancy Pirri, and erotica under Natasha Perry. I’ve also written several short stories published at various publishing houses.
As for wanting to be a writer? No, truth be told. While raising our four children, I had become an avid romance reader and decided after awhile that I would try my hand at a romance, though I always enjoyed writing in school. So, essentially, I was a late bloomer!

2. Bait Shop Blues takes place in northern Minnesota. Familiar territory?

Absolutely. The specific area is Crane Lake, a spit away from the Canadian border.

3. What inspired you to write the book?

**My family has vacationed up north, very near the Canadian border every year since 1982 and there is a ‘bait shop’ similar to Paradise to Gateway, as depicted in the book, and the cover art design.

4. How long did it take to write the book?

**6 months.

5. Cassandra has been described as a Marilyn Monroe look alike. She wants men to see her for more than her physical looks. Tell us what she’d want people to know about her.

**She’d want people to know she is a competent, savy businesswoman. She has made some major strides in her life, starting her own company and making it a success. She’d like people to know that she’s an independent woman, but vulnerable, lonely and needs people, but is afraid of forming a relationship with a man. She’s been stood up twice at the altar so who can blame her?

6. Leif challenges Cassandra to a boundary-waters canoe trip. Are you an outdoors woman who would gladly go on this kind of trip? Or did you do a lot of research?

**My outdoorsmanship leans toward gardening and hanging my wet laundry on clotheslines. I do enjoy sitting on the beach, reading, of course. But I also grew up fishing, first with my dad, and then with my husband who is an avid fisherman. And, living in Minnesota, it seems to ‘go with the territory-fishing’. I have done my share of fishing, canoeing and hiking.

7. Bait Shop Blues was once with another publisher. You regained the rights to the book. How did you decide now was the right time to rerelease it?

**I worked the past year, in bits and pieces, re-editing it. And because my first responsibility to Melange and my great authors, it was a slow procedure. I have the rights back for all of my books and hope to publish one a year over time.

8. You have a lot on your plate being a publisher and an author. How do you juggle it all?

**I worked a full-time job during the past 3 years while developing and managing Melange. I didn’t get much sleep but then I’ve never required a lot of it—or so I thought—until I retired December 2013. So now, with all of my days and nights being available to grow and work at Melange, I’ve also managed to catch up on sleep. I realize now I’ve been sleep-deprived since having my first child in 1981! As for being an author, I haven’t written anything new in 3 years but hope to do a bit this year.

9. Wearing your publisher’s hat, what advice would you give aspiring authors?

**An author must have discipline, drive and passion for writing in order to finish a story or novel. The most successful authors I know do not have college degrees in English or Creative Writing—some don’t have a college degree at all, but over the years have been avid readers. Some of them, from their joy of reading, decide over time that maybe they have a story to tell. The author that succeeds is one who will keep at it until they can type ‘The End’. The most talented wordmaster will not be successful if he/she is not disciplined.

10. As an author, would the advice still be the same?

**Yes.

11. What’s your favorite genre to read? Write in?

**I’ve recently learned to appreciate reading fantasy and some science fiction, but mostly I love women’s fiction and romance. I will always love writing romance and erotica and while I can appreciate reading other genres I just don’t have the desire to write anything else.

12. What else are you working on? Is there a sequel in the works for Leif and Cassandra?

**Nope. No sequels. I hope to re-publish my first novel, The MacAulay Bride before 2015.

Thanks for the interview, Nancy!

***Don’t miss out on this great giveaway!***

Prizes:

2-$15 Amazon Gift Cards

2-Ebook Copies of Bait Shop Blues

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/01288e12/

Bait Shop Blues by Nancy Pirri

Finding love shouldn’t be so hard…

What does a successful businesswoman born and bred in Chicago want with half-ownership of a quaint bait shop in northern Minnesota, willed to her by her grandfather? And how will the reclusive half-owner of the shop convince the woman to sell out her half to him? For Cassandra Thompson, a Marilyn Monroe look-alike who’s recently been dumped by her second fiancé in two years, it could mean a well-needed change in life. For Leif Halverson, a handsome man of Ojibwa extraction, and co-owner of the shop, it could mean disaster—like falling in love. Leif is far from happy about this city woman invading his territory so he challenges her to a wilderness survival contest where the winner takes all.

Buy Links:

Smashwords:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/432153

Melange Books: Satin Romance: http://www.satinromance.com/authors/nancypirri/bsb.html

 About the Author

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Nancy Schumacher is the owner-publisher of Melange Books, LLC, writing under the pseudonyms, Nancy Pirri and Natasha Perry. Nancy started writing eighteen years ago while raising four children. She is a member of Romance Writers of America. She is also one of the founders of the Minnesota RWA chapter, Northern Lights Writers (NLW).

Nancy’s debut historical romance, THE MACAULAY BRIDE, set in late 19th century Scotland, was published in 2003. The debut book received several contest wins and received a TOP PICK award from Romantic Times Book Club publication in Oct. 2004. BAIT SHOP BLUES is her second full-length novel. She has written five full-length novels, and many stories included in anthologies with Melange Books, LLC.

 

Get in Touch With Nancy:

http://www.nancypirri.com

https://www.facebook.com/NancyPirriAuthor

https://twitter.com/MelangeBooks

http://www.melange-books.com/authors/nancypirri/nancypirri.html

 

 

 

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I love Fleetwood Mac and their song, Go Your Own Way, is a great anthem. I’ve had a lot of people ask me how I keep my characters and stories organized. When I tell them, “In my head”, I get a strange look.

Some authors make outlines for their stories; others have charts and intricate computer programs. Others have it all in their head. I told this person they had to do what works for them. We’re all different in the learning department.

Everyone learns differently. When I taught I made sure to use as many ways as possible to educate my students. They’re called Learning Styles. Not everyone is auditory–as in the talking, listening student. Some are visual, having to see it to believe it. Others are kinesthetic and need a hands-on approach. Then there are the tactual learners who need to feel things. Many people are a combination of styles.

I had a flannel board and colored chalk, magnets of numbers and shapes in my classroom besides the computers. I guess those things would be considered outdated now with fancy whiteboards and updated computers. I had one student tell me recently he learned subtraction because of my flannel board. He learned in his own way.

What works for you, may not work for someone else. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re doing something wrong or need an outline or notebooks filled with information to do what you want. Learn your own way. Write your own way. Go your own way. Do what works for you.

 

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I admit I’m sensitive. I get my feelings hurt very easily. So why put myself through the torture of rejection?

The fear of rejection was the hardest thing to overcome after I wrote my first book. When you write, you’re alone in your own little world, happily writing your story. The next step was the scary part—getting it out there. From what I read, you needed an agent to get published and be successful.

Agents are very good at rejection. They have all different ways of saying your book is not for them. They also suggest that someone else may like it even if it’s not right for them. My first rejection letter came in the mail. I read it over and over, letting it sink in. It took a few days to get over but I realized if I was going to get published, I had to take the rejection.

I needed to develop my own personal plan to get over this fear. I had to become my own life coach. I knew I needed pep talks and I was the only one who could do it. I began a list in my head of what had to be done.

The first thing I had to do was not care so much. This wasn’t personal. It’s a business. Don’t take it to heart.

I became my own cheerleader. I assured myself it was okay and I’d live to see another day.

I had to accept the rejection. Most came by e-mail and I saved them all. When one came along, I added it to a folder marked “Queries”.  Read them and move on.

There’s a great song out now from the Disney movie, Frozen. Its title, Let it Go, says it all. Don’t dwell on the rejection.

Imagine my surprise when I finally got an offer to publish my book! I had to read it over carefully because I was so used to skimming the contents for the rejection. If I had given into my fear, I wouldn’t be here now, telling you about my third book in my series, Stealing Time.

I recently read a story about a young girl who went to her mother and asked, “Why bother trying anymore?” The mother went to the kitchen and filled three pots with water. She placed an apple in one, an egg in another and finally tea into the last, bringing them to a boil. The girl didn’t understand why her mom did that. Her mother said it taught something about facing challenging times. The daughter shook her head, confused. The mother explained. The apple went into the water hard and came out soft and spongy. The egg was hard and firm. However, the tea transformed the water into something good, healing and beneficial.

The mother then asked the daughter what she would do when she was faced with the trials of life. Would she be similar to the apple and fall apart? Or grow hard like the egg? Or perhaps, like the tea, turn your trials into triumph, something of value.

The story can be applied to all our obstacles in life. Which would you choose? I’ve always been a tea lover myself.

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A few years back I was invited to join a group website. I’ll leave out the name because it’s not important. I created an account, a very basic one, and ignored it. The only reason I did it in the first place was people I knew asked me to be in the group. I felt guilty, like I needed to help them out, so I joined.

Every once in awhile, I’d get a request and accept the invite. This past week, I got another one. I decided to investigate the site a little further and looked at my old profile. I had no idea what I wrote so I thought it would be a good idea to update. Since I write, I thought joining a few writers’ groups wouldn’t be a bad thing either.

Well, little did I know, I would start getting emails from every group within the hour. I know I can elect to not have them sent, but I was curious. I might learn something new, discover fresh ideas and make some connections.

So far, this is what I learned. Someone sold a book and didn’t get paid. They wanted to know what piracy was. What? Trust me. That’s exactly what it said.

Not to get into details, but people politely posted questions to help this person out. They asked: How did this person know they sold a book? Answer: Someone told them they bought a book.

Do they have a contract? Do they get paid quarterly? Never answered.

Did they independently publish? Many helpful facts were given about how self-published authors get paid. Again, the poster never answered.

I sat back and took a deep breath. I asked myself what did you get yourself into? I thought professionals and aspiring authors would be sharing information. Hopefully better topics will be come up in the future.

Then I reread the post. Was it about the excitement of selling a book or did this person just want to get paid? They weren’t overjoyed they sold their book? That someone wanted to read it?

If you write to get a payday, then you might be in the wrong profession. Maybe the top 1% can call it their passion and their career.

So if you write, write because you love it. Not that someone will buy your book and you’re waiting to get paid.

I don’t want someone to just buy my book. It would make my day if they read it.

 

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stbookcoverDon’t we all wish we could steal time? Have a few extra hours or go back and do something over? Or travel far beyond your own timeline to places unknown? I chose this title for the next book in my series because I loved the thought that time travel is like stealing time.

If you could steal time, what would you do? Go back in your own life and do something different? Or maybe pick a period from long ago that you wish you could visit? How about traveling to the future? So many directions to go.

After time traveling, you return to your present life. It’s the same day as when you left. No time lost. That’s how I came up with the thought that the extra time you got when you traveled was like stealing time.

One of my main characters longed to go back in time just once more. Here’s what she said when she arrived.

“Oh, I have all the memories, from now and the present.” Anna stopped twirling and hugged Kate tightly. “I don’t want to waste a minute. I feel like a thief in the night, robbing someone else’s life. I need to get started.”

Stealing Time. Wouldn’t it be great?

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In 1895 H.G. Wells wrote of it in The Time Machine and it still piques our interest more than one hundred years later. The Time Traveler’s Wife is a recent addition to the genre and even became a movie.

Waiting for Dusk slowly grew and changed into a time travel novel in my mind. My original idea included a dream world and reality. As I continued on, I thought, “Why not make this real?”

The first thing I discovered was that time travel needs rules. You definitely need them and have to stick by them. There can be amendments and add-ons but the mainframe has to be set in stone–how the character gets there and how they return.

I don’t want to give away too many spoilers but since my second book is named, Call of the Canyon, I can tell you that Katie goes back to the Grand Canyon in 1927.

Since Waiting for Dusk is a young adult romance novel, time travel becomes an important part of the story. It’s the only way she can get to see the boy she loves.

In the beginning, she doesn’t know she’s time traveling and it becomes one of the major plot points of the book. Katie slowly begins to realize she’s not dreaming and that this world she visits could be real.

Call of the Canyon continues the story of Katie and Drew.  It explores more in depth the affects of time travel on people’s lives. Their biggest worry is not to change history; just be observers. Somehow that doesn’t quite work out. It’s difficult to go somewhere and not interfere, participate or make suggestions. As soon as that happens, history changes.

Questions also arise about age and returning to the same time period over and over again. Will there be multiples of one person? Do people remember you if they met you before? Do you stay the same age? Since my characters return to only one period in time, these questions needed to be addressed.

With the resurgence of the “Doctor Who” BBC television show, time travel is becoming popular again. In my third and final book of the series, Stealing Time, there’s a shout out to the show. Fans, I hope, will chuckle at the subtle reference.

Many people wish they could travel through time. Some would choose the past and others the distant future. Although we realize this could never happen, we can’t help wonder if there’s a slight possibility. And that’s why we read. To escape. To explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before. To go back in time. To see the future. To time travel.

 

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