Lois, you’ve written extensively in the  nonfiction arena.  How did you decide to make a change to fiction, and how has your background played into this new writing experience?

I studied journalism in college, which is a great degree for those interested in becoming both non-fiction and fiction writers. Some very well known fiction authors–Truman Capote for example—have been journalists.

When writing non-fiction, I learned to quickly organize my thoughts and write a good “lead.” Those two skills are paramount in newspaper writing. That experience, I feel, has helped me write good first chapters because I know how to put lots of “good stuff” up front.

Journalism did not help me, however, learn to write visual descriptions. Instead, my work tends to be very plot driven. That is something I’m working on.

I switched to writing fiction because it was always a dream of mine to write a novel. When my youngest child started school, I knew now was the time to do it or I never would.

The idea for Cycles came about as a combination of unique factors.  Would you share those briefly with us?

I had the idea for Cycles at the same time I was diagnosed with Simple Partial Seizures. These seizures don’t affect motor skills, but they can affect all of your five senses (hence their other name: sensory seizures.) My seizures created an odd mesh of symptoms, the most disconcerting of which was massive déjà vu. For those who are saying to themselves, “huh?” take a minute to read this article about the different types of seizures.

As part of my seizures, time would slow down to a crawl and everything around me faded in and out. It was like I had lived that moment a thousand times before in a different life. Needless to say, it was weird.

I went to bed one night thinking about my recent trip to the neurologist. In my sleep, I had a vivid dream about a girl who had frightening feelings of having already experienced things before but in another lifetime. It wasn’t like reincarnation—the same soul coming back to earth to live as someone or something else. Instead, it was like her life just kept repeating itself and she had moments where these “other-life” memories were intensely strong.

I woke up and knew I was going to write a book about it.

Gamma Didi simply leaped off the page for me.  She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met, yet she balances the two teenage main characters perfectly.  How ever did you come up with such a unique character?  Do you ever use bits of people you really know in your characters?

I have to be honest, Gamma Didi wrote herself. I know no one like her. I simple knew I needed to create a “mentor character” for my two teenage protagonists. When I started writing her, she literally appeared out of nowhere, and I instantly fell in love with her.

A sequel to Cycles, entitled Spaces, is due to release sometime this year.  Can you give us brief hint into what we can expect, and when we might expect it?

Spaces is outlined and about a fourth of the way finished. A one-sentence plot of the sequel is:  Renee and Sam try to find where Dr. Dawson, who is missing at the end of Cycles, has gone.

My plan is to release Spaces in Fall 2012, which means I have to work very hard.

Like Cycles, the crux of Spaces is based on real scientific facts that I twist to create fantasy. Cycles’ plot is loosely based on the Saros Cycle from astronomy and quantum physics. In Spaces, I use Space-Time theories found in physics and mathematics.

It may be no surprise that my father was an amazing physicist who taught for decades at a university. Even though science was my worst subject at school, I actually think it is fun to integrate real scientific principles into fiction. Who knows? Maybe I would have been better at science if I could have learned about it in a fiction book.

Please share with us some of your favorite books and authors.

I read a variety of books, so what I’ve done is listed books I’ve recently read from several genres. I really appreciate books that “keep it clean” so to speak. I found that the following books do just that:

Historical fiction: When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park

Recent Newberry: Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Fantasy: First book in the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson

YA Humor: Anything by Janette Rallison. Many of her books are light and simple, but I feel completely at ease when my teenage daughters read them.

Mystery/Thriller: This is a hard category. I love a good scare, but so many thrillers these days are so gory that I rarely read from this genre anymore. However, I have found that author Lois Duncan keeps her language and descriptions fairly clean. Warning: some of her topics, however, are too intense for younger readers.

Thank you so much, Lois, for taking time to talk with us!

Bargain eBooks is a regular feature where I sniff out downloads that won’t break your pocketbook. 

I always tread cautiously when my blog attracts requests for book reviews.  I see a wide range of talent and professionalism, but Cycles, by Lois D. Brown, I am pleased to say, rates among the best stories I’ve received.

Within, an accident leaves13-year-old Renee Beaumont’s life completely shaken.  Not only does she narrowly escape death, but doctors in the hospital identify abnormalities in her blood.  Abnormalities that lead to questions concerning her parentage.  Abnormalities that may be linked to an increasing number of dizzy spells and memories that cannot possibly be her own.  Abnormalities that prompt the sudden interest of individuals who do not have Renee’s best interest at heart.  Abnormalities that push Renee, along with her best friend Sam, on a wild ride of discovery that lands them smack in the center of a most peculiar blending of science and legend.

I have lots of good things to say about the story’s mechanics.  Intrigue begins right away.  The opening chapters create a host of questions that are skillfully unraveled throughout the remainder of the story.  A deadly horse epidemic, Renee’s habit of drawing spirals, Sam’s father’s death, solar eclipses – all these details come back around to tuck nicely into the story later on.  The plot is original, engaging and creative.  There is a measure of predictability, but I think the kids for whom the book is intended (12-16) will enjoy figuring out the clues artfully planted along the way.  And in all fairness, there were elements I didn’t foresee.

As to Ms. Brown’s writing, it’s very nice.  There are moments it doesn’t read as smoothly as a title with a whole publishing team behind it, but I was very pleased with the overall effect.  She creates some wonderfully descriptive word pictures, often in tandem with bright humor.  For example, “Dawson cleared his throat again.  He was either allergic to the hospital’s disinfectant spray, or he was nervous.”  The title, too, is wonderfully metaphorical and clever.

The characters, as is often the case with contemporary teen fiction, feel a bit cliche.  Rich girl with parents that ignore  her.  Geeky guy with a crush on a cheerleader.  But they are given quirks that make them feel realistic and warmth that wins a reader over.  Gamma Didi, on the other hand, is hugely original.  An old Indian woman with gentle wisdom, odd habits, tribal memories, and modern intelligence, she’s the perfect counterpoint to the teens.  Indeed, she’s the character that jumped off the page and became my favorite.

I would rate this book easily appropriate for kids 10 and older.  Romance is kept sweet and innocent, language is perfectly clean.  There is some violence at the end, but it isn’t graphic or overwhelming.  There is an element of spiritualism – souls of the departed watching out for the living and the mention of a seance – but it’s very background, and a bit of mysticism is necessary for the story’s magical elements.  Ms. Brown nicely blends legend with science.

I enjoyed Cycles a great deal, and I’m happily putting out my recommendation.  Besides, with a 2.99 price tag, you can’t afford to pass it up!

Cycles is available only in ebook format.  Find it at:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Smashwords

Look for the sequel, Spaces, sometime in 2012.

Visit Ms. Brown’s author website and her blog, Life of Lois.

Tomorrow: 5-Q Interview with Cycles author Lois D. Brown.

Hank is an Australian shepherd employed on an American ranch.  Being “Head of Ranch Security,” as he proudly informs us, “requires a keen mind, a thick skin, and a peculiar devotion to duty.  I mean, you put in sixteen-eighteen hours a day.  You’re on call day and night.  Your life is on the line every time you go out on patrol.  You’re doing jobs that nobody else wants to do because of the danger.”

The Adventures of Hank the Cowdog is a collection of the scrapes he gets into as Head of Ranch Security, all told in Hank’s own words.  He’s just a little conceited, you see, and blind to his own short-comings.  He’s a bit of an exaggerator, also, so the stories he tells are downright hilarious.  Hank always has perfectly logical explanations for his predicaments, but the readers, as humans familiar with typical dog behavior, we understand just exactly why his owner calls him “Dangit!” most of the time.

For example, when Hank is chasing Pete the cat (and for very good reason) and runs “right in front of this snorty old cow, don’t you see, and the next thing I knew, she was blowing hot air on the back of my neck and shaking her horns at me…  I ran for the nearest cover, which happened to be the boss, and you might say that he got plastered.  The old cow took aim for me and got the boss instead…  Then I did my duty as a loyal cowdog.  I rushed to his side and licked him in the face.  He turned red and screeched, “Dangit, git outa here!”

Or how about the time Hank took a nice relaxing roll in the puddle where the septic tank leaks, then strolled over to rub against the boss’s legs.  Or the time he was stalking an intruder who turned out to be a skunk.  “The air turned yellow and poisonous.  My eyes began to water and I gasped for breath.  Sally May’s south window happened to be open.  Was that my fault?  I mean, had I gone through the house that morning opening all the windows?  Of course not, but on this ranch, Rule Number One is that, when in doubt, blame Hank.”

This isn’t an example of classic literature.  I must note here that Hank’s grammar ain’t all that great.  He talks like you might expect a western cowdog to talk.  (Mr. Erickson actually was a cowboy.)  His spelling, his style and some of his expressions might be difficult for younger readers to lay ahold of.  But these details establish his character and add to the charm of the story.  I’d place this one at 9+.   Even teens and especially adults, I think, would get a real kick out of this one, the humor is so well done.   It’s definitely a must-read for dog-lovers.  If you liked Marley, try Hank!

“You make the world a little safer, a little better.  You take your satisfaction where you can get it, in knowing that you’re doing the job right.  The very people you’re protecting won’t understand.  They’ll blame you when things go wrong.  But that’s the price of greatness, isn’t it?  And if you were born a cowdog, it’s all part of a day’s work.”

There are 59 Hank adventures!  Many are out of print, but used editions are easy to find.  Download the original book on Kindle for a very affordable $4.79.  Nook and Kindle both have lots of other Hank adventures for around 5 bucks.

Actually, I’ve been writing far longer than eight years.  I made up stories for fun as a kid, and in high school I managed a 50-page novella.  Another followed in college, then a trilogy of short, Christian, middle grade fiction.  None of these were publishable, but, as I’ve come to understand, they were all excellent practice.

Fresh out of college, I took to heart some general advice I read about breaking into the publishing world; I began playing with articles and short stories in an attempt to build up a portfolio.  I wrote dozens of stories for church programs and even managed to publish fifteen or so of my articles, but I quickly decided this was not for me.  My heart belonged to novels.

Because I taught in the public schools for several years, I ultimately chose to forego the Christian market.  I wanted to create stories like the wonderful literature I taught at school – fun, clean, quality reads for mainstream students to enjoy.  With this new focused goal, my writing suddenly went from hobby to serious pursuit.  That was the moment I said with certainty, “I WILL be published.”  I stopped teaching after the birth of my second child, and about a year later, my first novel, The Color of Freedom, was born.  And that marks the true beginning of this eight-year journey.

I’ve never been very good at pushing my work to publishing houses.  I gave it a half-hearted attempt, receiving back several rejection letters.  Before they even arrived, however, I was well into my second novel, The Quill Pen.  After a year and more rejections, I rewrote The Color of Freedom, doubling its length.  I then scrapped The Quill Pen completely and started over.  More rejections, further revisions, a third child, mommy duties, church duties, a little writing time stolen here, a little there, then the big decision to homeschool.  Eventually, The Candle Star took shape, followed by its sequel, Broken Ladders.  More time constraints and rejection, rejection, rejection…frustrating, but pushing me to become better and better.

And then the event that changed everything…

Last year, I received a Kindle from my husband for Christmas.  Before this, I had heard of self-publishing.  I thought it involved a small fortune and a basement full of books leftover from a print run.  My Kindle opened up a whole world of digital publishing: ebooks and print-on-demand paperbacks.  It was overwhelming and a little frightening, but I jumped in.  I was ripe for it.  For eight years I had called myself a writer.  I was ready to call myself an author.

I took out my old copy of The Color of Freedom.  I was appalled!  In the years since my last revision, I had indeed learned a great deal about the artistry of writing!  But my story was solid, so I took a few months to clean it up, and in the spring of 2011, I became a published author.  Over the course of the year, I dug out all four of my finished manuscripts and brought them to print.  Two more will debut this year, along with a series of classroom resources booklets to help teachers get the most mileage out of my books.

In the next few months, I hope to pass along some of the knowledge I’ve picked up: how and where to publish ebooks, how and where to publish paperbacks, using various file formats, self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, editing, ISBN numbers, marketing, creating cover art, making Amazon work for you, creating a platform for your work.

I’ve barely started in this endeavor, and I’m still learning a LOT.  I probably bit off more than I should have publishing FOUR books this year.  In fact, last month was the first I managed any kind of profit worth mentioning, but I finally know where I’m going, and my numbers are continuing to improve.  I hope these posts will help others debating whether or not to take those first self-publishing steps.

Second, I’ve taken to heart some advice I’ve been given over and over: I started a newsletter!  Mostly this is just a way for me to contact readers directly with news of new releases or other things of importance, but there may be special coupons, contests or whatever.  Promise I won’t overload anyone’s inbox.

And third, I’m going to finally reach a thousand views this month!  I’ve come close so many times but never quite topped it.  Now I have ten more days to get four more views.  Thanks to everyone who tunes in!  :)

I was not crazy about this book, even though it won England’s prestigious Waterston’s Children’s Book Prize.  I felt like many of the narrated points were not solidly backed up with action or dialogue.  For example, in Chapter One we see only one instance of Tanya’s (or rather, the fairies’) odd behavior.  When Mom snaps and sends Tanya away, it feels forced and unsubstantiated, too sudden.  What else has happened to cause this reaction?  We aren’t given much.  Also, Tanya’s friend Fabian is a pretty significant character.  He’s described as a trouble-maker.  It’s mentioned often, but honestly, I don’t see it.  He seems like a pretty nice kid to me.  Also, with the exception of the final twist, I guessed every major plot event as if it had been painted for me in neon colors.

Thirteen Treasures does have one huge redeeming quality – its setting.  Tanya’s grandmother’s house is a run-down, sprawling mansion built two centuries ago.  It has secret passageways, underground tunnels, twisting servant stairways, old paintings and furnishings, loose floorboards with hidey-holes underneath, thick ivy, and a host of resident fairy-creatures.  It’s set back against the edge of Hangman’s Woods, a dangerous, thick old forest with sink holes (the Catacombs) and a mysterious past that includes multiple disappearances.  It also houses plenty more fairies and an old gypsy woman gifted with second sight.  It was this setting alone that build enough intrigue to keep me reading.

If you enjoy fairy stories, you may enjoy 13 Treasures.  Ms. Harrison isn’t a terrible writer.  Her story moves along easily, it’s creative and mysterious, and the faery lore is interesting.  I mean, it did win a major award.  It simply wasn’t for me.

Additional titles coming soon.

Nobody knows what happened to Aunt Belle, but Woodrow has some secrets he’s told no one but Gypsy.  Together, they sort through family history and build a picture of a woman who never accepted herself.  A woman who wanted to be invisible.  Understanding his mother’s hurt, Woodrow is able to come to terms with her abandonment.

Gypsy has scars of her own.  She’s always hated her stepdad, Porter, not because he’s cruel, but because he’s  not her father.  But who is she really mad at?  Digging through the past uncovers memories Gypsy would rather leave buried, yet with Woodrow’s help, she finally faces her skeletons.

Themes of beauty, individuality, and value weave in and out of the pages of this Newbery honor book and tie together in some important scenes.  When Gypsy mourns that no one sees her for who she is, Porter tells her, “You’re a fine person in your own right.  Nobody can outshine you if you can just be yourself.  Belle never learned that, and it caused her a lot of grief…She actually vanished years ago, when she was about your age.  Now she is out there trying to find  herself again.”

And in another crystal ball scene, Gypsy grieves her father’s death and cries to her mother:  “Why did he do it?  Why?”  Her mother answers, “He was in a deep depression.  He couldn’t accept his disfigurement.  Do you remember that?”  To which Belle replies, “I remember he had scars after the fire, but he was my daddy.  I loved him and always saw him as handsome and wonderful.”  Deep, powerful stuff with a myriad of lessons in it.

And in a sweet, sort of wrap-up commentary, Woodrow writes in his English assignment, “…it is my belief that Blind Benny, even with his poor sightless eyes, is the only person I know who sees with perfect clarity.  Because Benny is able to see beyond appearance.”

Belle Prater’s Boy does get a little sappy in places, but it delivers a great story and an even better message.  I give it a very high recommendation.

Kindle Version.

This is it, the LAST CHAPTER!  If you stuck with me all the way, thank you!  I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed sharing it.

The Candle Star

by Michelle Isenhoff

Chapter Twenty

Emily waited at the foot of the hotel steps, wearing her second best gown and holding a tremendous bouquet of roses.  Shannon’s sister stood beside her, and the lobby swarmed with red-haired nieces and nephews mixed in among the dark faces of Julia, Malachi and Zeke.

Isaac sat at the piano dressed in his best suit with his riot of curls neatly combed.  He played once through an old hymn, and as he moved smoothly into Fur Elise, the bride appeared at the top of the stairs.  She floated down to the beautiful melody, eyes shining, hair falling in ringlets onto a soft blue gown.  Isaac couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Shannon had been overjoyed when Emily finally pruned off the last of her pride and abolished the uneasy truce.  Then it hadn’t taken much effort for the young woman to talk Emily into staying for the wedding.

After the ceremony they would feast on Julia’s delicious cooking, and that afternoon Emily’s train would leave for home, but for now Emily stood contentedly within the circle of her patchwork family, blooming like the roses in Shannon’s garden.

~

Emily changed into her new traveling suit and laid one last petticoat on the pile overflowing the top of her trunk.  She couldn’t imagine how she was going to close the lid.  Why was it that on returning a trunk always seemed smaller?

Only a few items remained on her bed, and most of these she shoved into her handbag.  That left only a stained strip of white linen – Rachel’s bandage.

The cloth had been laundered, and now Emily rolled it into a tight ball and shoved it into a corner of her trunk.  It would serve as a reminder to look for “little things” on the plantation.  She did not want to forget the color of blood.

A knock sounded at the door and Isaac peeked in.  “Almost ready?”

She nodded.  “But it will take a miracle to latch this trunk.”

“You don’t weigh enough,” he told her.  “Allow me.”

He sat on the lid, and when it closed – groaning – she fastened the lock.

“Now let’s pray the catch doesn’t spring open and litter the compartment with ladies’ undergarments,” he joked.

She laughed, thinking such a scene could be entertaining on the long train ride.

“If you’re all set, there’s something I’d like to show you before you leave.”

Emily gave the latch one final inspection before following him into his office.  The top of the Dutch door was firmly closed.

Isaac sat at his desk and pressed a small panel.  The secret compartment popped open, and he removed the journal with the star embossed on its cover.

“Only Julia, Shannon and Malachi know the contents of this book, but as the newest conductor at this station, and as my most trusted niece –”

“I’m your only niece.”

“Not anymore,” he grinned.

“–descended from the same dubious lineage, the niece most like me in thought and temperament, I assumed you might like to know exactly where the Milford family fortune went.”

He opened the journal to a random page and held it open for her to see.  Dated March 14, 1855, it looked just like all the other entries she remembered.  She read through the list, “Joe, Solomon, six sacks of apples, three hundred pounds seed corn, three plows, twenty spades, twenty hoes, woolen cloth, fourteen buckets.”

The next entry, dated two weeks later, looked much the same.  “Anna, Thomas, Daniel, five lanterns, fifteen gallons kerosene, oxen yoke.”

Emily took the book and thumbed through several more pages.  Some entries had names and no items, others listed just materials, but still she could make no sense of the notations.

“You still don’t understand?”   He turned to the very last entry.  Dated a few weeks before, it read, “Rachel, Willis, four axes, ten hammers, one crosscut saw, twenty sacks feed.”

The light finally dawned.  Emily flipped to the beginning.  It was dated fifteen years before.  She gawked at her uncle.  “Is this why you moved to the north?”

He nodded.  “I had an uncle who was a very wise man.  He saw what I was becoming and offered to take me under his wing for a time.  My father readily agreed.  So I spent two tough years learning to work and gaining a new perspective on life.

“It was my uncle who first introduced me to the Underground Railroad.  Together we helped more than forty runaways pass right under my father’s nose.

“When my parents died I inherited the estate, and my first act as the new master was to free every slave.  Then I sold out.  Of course, much of the value of the estate was in slaves, and my father had several creditors.  So most folks, including your father, assumed I was foolish and broke.”

“But you had enough to buy this hotel,” Emily figured.

“And some left over, which I have put to use outfitting former slaves when they settle in Canada.  With the help of many individuals, both black and white, supplies are collected and transported across the river.”

“And you did this while Mr. Burrows boarded in your house?”

Isaac laughed.  “He’d be proud to know how many black families he’s financed!”

“Does my mama know what you’re doing up here?”

He smiled gently.  “Do you think she would have let you come?  No, she thinks I’m a misplaced southern gentleman with no eye for business, but she did recognize the changes wrought by my uncle’s hand.  And I think she’ll be very proud of you.”

He closed the book and replaced it in its hiding place.  “I’ll see to your trunk.”

~

Emily sat in the window seat and faced the cinnamon-colored depot.  She had exchanged a dozen final hugs, accepted a huge basket of food from Julia, and promised Malachi she would send for his books immediately.  Then Isaac slipped her a parcel wrapped in brown paper.  “Just something little to remember us by,” he winked.

The train let out a sharp whistle and lurched into motion like a beast awakened from slumber.  Emily waved to her family until the train inched around the curve and the bustling waterfront was lost to sight.

As the train picked up speed, Emily opened her gift.  Inside she found a small book of Longfellow’s poetry.  She laughed out loud and held the volume up for Zeke to see.  But the old man had already fallen asleep, his gray hair resting against the back of his seat, his mouth open slightly.

Emily smiled fondly at him and lost herself in the beauty of cadence and rhyme.

***********

 Author’s Note

Sometimes when writing historical fiction, the line between truth and imagination blurs.  I’d like to take the opportunity to identify some factual people and events mentioned in The Candle Star.

Michigan played a very important role in the Underground Railroad, the network of secret routes escaping slaves followed to Canada.  Seven lines crossed the state, most running through Detroit.  My inspiration for The Candle Star came from the true account of a Detroit man named Seymour Finney who hid runaways in his barn while hosting slave catchers in his hotel.  The railroad stock advertisement Zeke read was taken from an 1853 Detroit UGRR broadside now kept by the Detroit Public Library.

The most important historical figure to appear in my story was Frederick Douglass.  A former slave, he rose to become one of the most eloquent and influential American orators of his day.  He really did speak in the Second Baptist Church of Detroit on March 12, 1859.  There is no record of what he said that day.  The words I have written for him are actually his own, taken from several of his speeches, lumped into one address and shaped to fit this story.

George deBaptiste was another real-life character.  His steamship, the T. Whitney, frequently carried human cargo to safety.  Mr. deBaptiste hosted Frederick Douglass in his home where he met with the famous abolitionist, John Brown, before the address at Second Baptist.  The church, the first in Michigan to be started by free Blacks, was instrumental in assisting thousands of runaway slaves to freedom.  It still operates in Detroit today.

Sir George Cayley, an engineer from Scarborough, England, was the first person to discover the principles of flight.  In 1853, he built and successfully tested the first manned glider.  It probably wasn’t recreated and demonstrated five years later at an American state fair, but it could have been.  All the other inventions mentioned at the fair were also time-accurate.  Flying Tom Landless is fictional.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was one of America’s most noteworthy poets.  He was alive and very popular when this story takes place.  The quotes are taken from his poems “Autumn,” “The Building of the Ship,” and “To the River Charles” in that order.

Finally, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the book mentioned by Emily in chapter 3, was published by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852 and helped to popularize the abolitionist movement, which aided the nomination of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency, which in turn led to the Civil War in 1861.

If you’d like your own copy of The Candle Star, click on the picture on the left.  On my website, I also offer a variety of resources, including study questions, vocab, social studies extension ideas and primary source materials – all aligned with GLCE’s and Common Core standards.  (Click on the “For Teachers” page at the top of my blog.)  The materials are being collected in an 8.5 x 11, reproducible booklet, but a free ebook version will be available for preview.  I wanted them done today, but they will probably be available Monday (1/16/12). Thanks for reading!

Today I’m interviewing Will Granger, author of the

Hi Will.  Thanks so much for agreeing to answer a few questions for us.  Anabar’s Run is the story of one boy’s journey to manhood.  He makes some difficult choices and overcomes tremendous obstacles in pursuit of his dream to become a Scout.  Can you tell us what inspired such an encouraging tale, and what do you hope your readers take away with them?

I began writing Anabar’s Run with the basic idea to tell a story that everyone is capable of doing great things. Anabar is not a prince, or rich. He also does not have special powers, nor is he a hero predestined to save the world from some evil force. Instead, he is a typical young man trying to find his way in the world.

In your Goodreads bio blurb, you mention that your writing has been influenced by some extensive traveling.  Will you elaborate on that for us?

I feel fortunate to have traveled throughout much of my life. When I was in middle school, my family and I lived in Geneva, Switzerland, one of my favorite places in the world. I spent time in the Alps and found I really love mountains. I think that is why I include so many mountain scenes in Anabar’s Run. Plus, climbing and passing through mountains is challenging, and this seemed like a suitable setting for a young man like Anabar struggling to grow up. I have also traveled to Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and many countries in Europe, and I think this led me to write a story in which the protagonist must travel a great distance.

I’m particularly impressed with all the detail involved in Anabar’s training.  In your bio, I also noticed that you spent 20 years in the Air Force.  First I want to thank you for your service.  Next I want to ask if, indeed, you drew on those experience in creating Omalof’s training “course,” and just how they helped you craft your story.

I never did go through any serious survival training like some people in the military; however, my career in the Air Force did teach me the importance of preparation. I believe that is why I included so many details about Anabar’s training. I do have three sons, and we spent quite a bit of time camping and hiking over the years. I think that helped me to make the outdoor training scenes authentic.

You have already finished a second book in the Anabar Trilogy called Anabar Rises.  Can you give us a brief synopsis?  And you mentioned to me that you have some thoughts lined up on the third book, though it is still in the beginning stages.  I understand an infant story is very unpredictable, but when do you hope to have it completed?

In Anabar Rises, Anabar begins his duties as a fully qualified Scout. He is initially successful and even gains some fame, which he likes, but this brings him in conflict with Omalof, his mentor from Anabar’s Run. The problem is that Scouts are supposed to remain secretive, not attract attention. Omalof eventually banishes Anabar to the border near the neighboring country of Ricamareth. Anabar gets captured, becomes a prisoner, but eventually is freed when he saves the queen from a dangerous snake. Anabar then meets, and falls in love with, Princess Astrida. During all these events, Anabar sees signs of an approaching war between Ricamareth and Semdela, the nations linked to his past in Anabar’s Run. He struggles with the choice between his loyalty as a scout and his love for Astrida. He ultimately decides that the war is futile and risks everything to try to prevent and stop it. In the end, my real message in the Anabar books is peace. I believe Anabar’s solution to simply just stop fighting is really the only solution to conflicts like the one between Israel and the Muslim countries in the Middle East.

I have the basic idea for the third Anabar book, and I hope to get started soon and finish it by the end of July. I’m a teacher, and I have much more time to write in the summer.

Finally, will you share with us some of your favorite books and authors?

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, is my all-time favorite book, and I believe it turned me into an avid reader as a child. Today, I love all types of books and do not stick with one genre. Tom Wolfe is my favorite modern author. I think his portrayals of people are accurate and hilarious.

Thank you so much, Will!

For links to download Mr. Granger’s books, to connect him, or to visit his really cool Anabar website, head back to my book review and scroll to the bottom.