Author Spotlight - Food on the Oregon Trail

Now that we've dined on Thanksgiving dinner and started the hunt for Christmas gifts by hitting all the after Thanksgiving sales, I thought we might take a look at where those on the Oregon Trail might do their shopping.

Of course many of them hoped to over the mountains and into Oregon before the snows came, so they wouldn't be out looking for Christmas gifts, but they did have to stop at some of the towns and Forts along the way to replenish supplies.

As you know, those traveling on the trail loaded their wagons with many of their supplies for the trip. Early guidebooks advocated teach emigrant carry 200 pounds of flour, 150 pounds of bacon, 10 pounds of coffee, 20 pounds of sugar, and 10 pounds of salt. Basic kitchenware was a cooking kettle, fry pan, coffee pot, tin plates, cups, knives, and forks.

A daily menu might consist of the following: for breakfast, coffee, bacon, dry or pilot bread; for dinner, coffee, cold beans, bacon or buffalo meat; for supper, tea, boiled rice, and dried beef or codfish'. Because of the inability to carry fresh fruits and vegetables, scurvy became a big problem on the trail.

Dairy was usually gathered from the family cow or goat that traveled with the wagon.

Early on those who traveled the trail didn't have as many places to stop. They relied on the good graces of the Indians, and mountain men who passed. They caught fresh meat to add to their stores of grains and dried vegetables.

By the time Matthew and Rebekah joined the wagon train in 1863, they still had to make sure they loaded their wagons with many of the staples they might need and they might trade with Indians, trappers and mountain men along the way. But a few towns and Forts had sprung up along the trail where they could stop and replenish their stores if necessary.

Sometimes, due to high pricing, it was better not to stop at some of the stores and continue on to the next town or Fort. At the forts, like Kearney and Laramie, they not only found a place to rest with some protection, they were able to trade with several traders and tribes that came to the fort to sell their wares as well.

If the travelers had the chance to restock, they certainly tried because it could be weeks for before they reached another place with the necessities they might need.

It was most important how they stored their food and how they used it. They lived by the adage 'waste not, want not'.

We on the other hand, load up our refrigerators and freezers, we stock our pantries with dried good and canned goods, and when we run out of something, we get in our car, and drive a couple mile in any direction and run into a grocery store.

Thinking of your all the foodstuffs in your house. If you had to take a trip across country without a cooler, without the stores to stop at, and could only take 2500 pounds on your wagon, what would carry?
******

Tina Pinson resides in Mesa, Arizona with her husband of thirty plus years, Danny. They are blessed to have three sons, and six grandchildren with another on the way.
Tina started her writing in elementary school. Her love of writing has caused her to seek creative outlets be it writing poetry, songs, or stories. Her WWII story Trail of the Sandpiper won third place in the Genesis in 2003. In the Manor of the Ghost and Touched By Mercy and When Shadows Fall Book 1 in the Shadows Series are available through Desert Breeze Publishers.

To Catch a Shadow the next installment of the Shadow Series about the civil war and the Oregon Trail, will be available, June 2013. To Carry her Cross will be available January 2013 and Then There was Grace a Sept 9/11 type story will be available Sept. 2013 and Christmas in Shades of Gray an offbeat Dickens type tale releases December 2013.

Blurb:
Matthew has braved the war and near death with one thought in mind… Rebekah. He won her hand in marriage, and now he has a few short months to make her see how much he loves her. How much he needs her. Given the wall she's put up between them, he prays he'll have enough time.

After fleeing the war, Rebekah is determined to go west to Oregon, only to be turned down when she tries to join the train. Matthew's proposal of marriage, in name only to help her west, becomes the miracle she needs. Loving him as she does, she dreads the idea of letting him go once they reach Oregon, but how can she ask him to stay with her, to love her? How could he love her once he's found out her secret? She must guard her heart and his.

My website -- http://www.tinapinson.com/
Twitter:@Tina_Pinson
Facebook-- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754617103

Purchase my books at:

Desert Breeze Bookstore.
When Shadows Fall
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
Shadowed Dreams

Amazon:
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams

Barnes & Noble
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams

Christian Books Distributors
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall



Tina E. Pinson--
Touched By Mercy, In the Manor of the Ghost, When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams Twitter @Tina_Pinson My Website, My Blog
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD... " Jer. 29:11

Author Spotlight - Character Interview with "Caroline" from Shadowed Dreams

"Today I thought we'd talk to Miss Caroline St. James."

"Hello, is anyone out there? You who?" Shuffling of feet. The turning of a page "Oh I see you now. I had to come out of my book before I could though." Muttering, "If only someone would take me out--"

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing. So are we starting this interview? How many people will see me?"

"Yes we're starting and no, no one will really see you. You're a figment of--"

"You mean I got all dressed up for nothing?"

"Well, no… ah." Clearing of the throat. "Miss St, James--"

"Please call me Caroline."

"Alright, Caroline. How has your trip been going so far? Well, I hope."

"Well? Hmm. I wonder some days what possessed me to say yes to this venture."

"That bad?"

"It's certainly no Sunday picnic. There are bugs and dust, and snakes, and Indians, and bugs. The mosquitoes are ferocious. And there are these little prairie dogs that bark. Although, when they wave they're kind of cute. But did I mention bugs?"

"Yes, I believe you did."

"Mercy, they're everywhere; in my bed, in my food, in my hair, in my clothes, even in my knickers. And there is no place for privacy on this trail. Which makes traveling horrendous. Especially when you're pregnant."

"That must be awful. I couldn't even imagine, having to travel across country in a rickety wagon without air conditioning, let alone have to do with out a bathroom.

"Yes, well, that gives you a bit an idea of what I'm having to deal with. But the worst thing… thing…"

"What is it, it must be awful?"

"It's horrible, dreadfully horrible. Matthew, hired a man, Clay Colter, to help run one of the teams, and, well, I think I like him."

"Even though he dumped you in the mud?"
"Yes, even then. He's actually kind of nice and easy on the eyes. But I can't tell him."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm still married to Anthony?"

Hope you enjoyed this little look at Caroline and her journey. The cast and crew of Shadowed Dreams are the same as for When Shadows Fall. The first in the Shadow Series. You are welcome to take a look at them @
Characters for Shadowed Dreams.

******

Tina Pinson resides in Mesa, Arizona with her husband of thirty plus years, Danny. They are blessed to have three sons, and six grandchildren with another on the way.
Tina started her writing in elementary school. Her love of writing has caused her to seek creative outlets be it writing poetry, songs, or stories. Her WWII story Trail of the Sandpiper won third place in the Genesis in 2003. In the Manor of the Ghost and Touched By Mercy and When Shadows Fall Book 1 in the Shadows Series are available through Desert Breeze Publishers.

To Catch a Shadow the next installment of the Shadow Series about the civil war and the Oregon Trail, will be available, June 2013. To Carry her Cross will be available January 2013 and Then There was Grace a Sept 9/11 type story will be available Sept. 2013 and Christmas in Shades of Gray an offbeat Dickens type tale releases December 2013.

Blurb:
Matthew has braved the war and near death with one thought in mind… Rebekah. He won her hand in marriage, and now he has a few short months to make her see how much he loves her. How much he needs her. Given the wall she's put up between them, he prays he'll have enough time.

After fleeing the war, Rebekah is determined to go west to Oregon, only to be turned down when she tries to join the train. Matthew's proposal of marriage, in name only to help her west, becomes the miracle she needs. Loving him as she does, she dreads the idea of letting him go once they reach Oregon, but how can she ask him to stay with her, to love her? How could he love her once he's found out her secret? She must guard her heart and his.

My website -- http://www.tinapinson.com/
Twitter:@Tina_Pinson
Facebook-- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754617103

Purchase my books at:

Desert Breeze Bookstore.
When Shadows Fall
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
Shadowed Dreams

Amazon:
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams

Barnes & Noble
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams

Christian Books Distributors
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall



Tina E. Pinson--
Touched By Mercy, In the Manor of the Ghost, When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams Twitter @Tina_Pinson My Website, My Blog
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD... " Jer. 29:11

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Tina Pinson

STEPH: I don't know much about "Shadowed Dreams." What's it about?

TINA: Shadowed Dreams is the second in my Shadow Series. It is the continuing story of Matthew and Rebekah Cavanaugh. Book 1 When Shadows Fall, followed them through the battle and loss of the war, and on to Missouri where Rebekah planned to take the train west to Oregon. In book 2, Matthew has convinced Rebekah to marry him, under a contract of convenience, so he can help her west, with the understanding that they can call it quits once they reach Oregon. But Matthew doesn’t want to let Rebekah go ever, he hopes she'll become his wife in more than name. He hopes to win her heart. And he has six months on the trail to do so.

The Shadow Series is written much like Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Dreamhouse Kings, and Divergent, now that its dystopian or fantasy but the story continues to follow the main Characters and an ensemble cast through out.

STEPH:How long did it take you to write?

TINA: It took me a little over six months to write the whole 900 page story that Shadowed Dreams is part of. Because the story was so long, I couldn't get it accepted, so I split it into smaller sections.

STEPH: How much research did you have to do?

TINA: Shadowed Dreams and the whole series, took a bit of research for the Civil War and the Oregon Trail, more for the trail because the story spends a lot more of it's time there. Had to look up routes and forts and Indians. Did a bit of research on the wagons and what they carried. One wonders if you ever do enough though.

STEPH: How does the cover represent the story within?

TINA: The cover and title are integral to this part of the story and the dreams of the past that are haunting Rebekah. Those dreams keep her opening herself up to Matthew and love. Because, like I said earlier, she feels unworthy of him. The tree is a continuation from When Shadows Fall, it's barren still and the woman is looking out into the distant of her dreams.

STEPH: Rebekah is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weaknesses?

TINA: Rebekah is the Heroine, her strengths lie in the fact that she is willing to forgive and love. And she is pretty strong. She's also honest and kind. And has a gentle way about her. But like I said prior, she is afraid to open up and share her secret and let Matthew help her carry it. So while she's ready to forgive and help others, she's doesn't offer the same grace to herself.

STEPH: What does Matthew find appealing about her?

TINA: Matthew has loved her since she was young. Because of all the qualities mentioned above. Rebekah came from a harder background, so he's always wanted to care for her and protect her. He finds the woman inside, beautiful. Oh and she's pretty on the outside too.

STEPH: What's the theme of the novel?

TINA: The theme of the series would probably be facing the Shadows of life, whether good or bad. In this one, Rebekah has to face the shadow of her past. Of loss and sorrow. And Matthew tries to help her while he faces the trail and his own fears that he won't get through to his wife, and might lose her on the trail since it's so hard.

STEPH: As a writer, where do you draw inspiration from?

TINA: I draw inspiration from life and a lot of things: stories I might hear, dreams I have, things I see. My biggest inspiration comes from God. I believe he gave me this desire to write and my imagination.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one.

TINA: I have a Kindle. An older edition, about three years old now.

STEPH: Do you have any holiday traditions you'd like to share? Do you put up a real tree or an artifical one? When do you put the tree up?

TINA: We like to gather round the tree, turn of the house lights and light candles and turn on the tree lights and read the bible story. Usually we have hot chocolate and maybe a birthday cake for Jesus. We used to go caroling, but haven't been in years. We also go to the candlelight service at church.

I have a fake tree. Started using one after we purchased two trees in the same year and they both lost their needles. We used get a permit and cut down our own, but it can be kind of tough finding a well-shaped tree. We would tromp around for hours in the snow. See tree that looked like a likely prospect, with full boughs and somewhat tall in height. only to get to it and find it was three trees. So hello fake tree.

******

Tina Pinson resides in Mesa, Arizona with her husband of thirty plus years, Danny. They are blessed to have three sons, and six grandchildren with another on the way.
Tina started her writing in elementary school. Her love of writing has caused her to seek creative outlets be it writing poetry, songs, or stories. Her WWII story Trail of the Sandpiper won third place in the Genesis in 2003. In the Manor of the Ghost and Touched By Mercy and When Shadows Fall Book 1 in the Shadows Series are available through Desert Breeze Publishers.

To Catch a Shadow the next installment of the Shadow Series about the civil war and the Oregon Trail, will be available, June 2013. To Carry her Cross will be available January 2013 and Then There was Grace a Sept 9/11 type story will be available Sept. 2013 and Christmas in Shades of Gray an offbeat Dickens type tale releases December 2013.

Blurb:
Matthew has braved the war and near death with one thought in mind… Rebekah. He won her hand in marriage, and now he has a few short months to make her see how much he loves her. How much he needs her. Given the wall she's put up between them, he prays he'll have enough time.

After fleeing the war, Rebekah is determined to go west to Oregon, only to be turned down when she tries to join the train. Matthew's proposal of marriage, in name only to help her west, becomes the miracle she needs. Loving him as she does, she dreads the idea of letting him go once they reach Oregon, but how can she ask him to stay with her, to love her? How could he love her once he's found out her secret? She must guard her heart and his.

My website -- http://www.tinapinson.com/
Twitter:@Tina_Pinson
Facebook-- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754617103

Purchase my books at:

Desert Breeze Bookstore.
When Shadows Fall
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
Shadowed Dreams

Amazon:
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams

Barnes & Noble
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams

Christian Books Distributors
Touched By Mercy
In the Manor of the Ghost
When Shadows Fall



Tina E. Pinson--
Touched By Mercy, In the Manor of the Ghost, When Shadows Fall
Shadowed Dreams Twitter @Tina_Pinson My Website, My Blog
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD... " Jer. 29:11

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from: Safe & Sound

We hope you've enjoyed Christina's week in the spotlight. Leave a comment today, Saturday, Sunday along with your email address and we'll pick one winner to receive a PDF copy of Safe and Sound and a mini stocking with a military theme. Enjoy the excerpt!

Moderator Steph

********

EXCERPT:

Safe and Sound by Christina Freeburn

Katrina fled down the small hallway leading to the back door. She slammed her hand onto the bar and the door shot open. Run. Don't look back. The pace of the words matched her heartbeat and she sprinted down the sidewalk.

Footfalls sounded behind her.

She pushed past people. Knocked into a young mother.

"What's your problem, lady?"

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Katrina ran. She couldn't waste her breaths on words. She had a few precious moments, one last time to outrun the past coming back to claim her. She scanned the area for a place to hide or seek help.

Across the street was an alley leading to the fire station. Safety. Katrina surged forward. A horn blared. Brakes squealed. She pivoted away from the car and leapt onto the sidewalk.

A twinge in her ankle sent her reeling forward. She grasped onto a parking meter and regained her balance. Ignoring the pain in her foot, she pounded down the sidewalk and made it to the opening of the alley.

Darkness surrounded her. She fought the instinct to stop instead of plunging into the damp, musty pathway. She was too close to change plans now. This was her one way to freedom and hope. A hand bit into her shoulder. She screamed and twisted. Her injured foot slid on something slick. The man tightened his grasp. He lifted her and pushed her against the building.

"You made this so easy." He pressed into her back, his body holding her against the brick.

Katrina stomped on his foot and jabbed her elbow into his stomach. He sucked in a breath but the pressure against her didn't decrease. A hand inched down her stomach and rested at the waistband of her jeans.

"How should I make this look? An assault? Robbery gone bad." He twisted her arm behind her back. "Let's just go with dumping you in the middle of nowhere. Don't have to worry about anyone looking for you. You're already dead."

Author Spotlight - Christina Freeburn talks about writing a Holiday Setting

I love the holiday season: the decorating, the baking (not so keen on the 'regular' cooking), the wrapping, and even the shopping. And the reading. From Thanksgiving until January 8, I only read holiday themed or set stories. Since I adore these types of books, it seemed like a natural fit for me to write one. I like combining my 'loves' into my stories, but I was always afraid to use this time frame for a book.

Could I do the season justice? Would the season work as part of the story or would it feel forced...like I was writing a holiday setting story just for the sake of writing a holiday setting not that it mattered to the plot? Would I start and find out I couldn't pull it off?

For me, it was important that the story blended with the time frame. This time of year is filled with so wonder, love, forgiveness and renewal, it was important I did it justice. When I started Safe and Sound, I realized the emotions of the season fit with the emotions and changes the hero and heroine would explore and experience.

As I wrote, I found the setting really helped bring the story to life and I had made the right choice and was glad I put fear aside and gave it a try.

Author Spotlight - Character Interview with Hannah from Safe & Sound

Author: How did you come to this point in your life?

Hannah: I had no other option. I've made some very bad choices in my life so I understand why people don't trust or believe in me. There was no reason for a community to believe over a long-time member. Plus, the situation I found myself in started when I went against my husband's advice. When the worst happened, I did the only thing I could to protect Connor and myself...run.

Author: What lead you to make the changes you did in your life?

Hannah: The truth is kind of painful...basically I got caught. I don't know if I'd have faced the past if the man I wanted to outrun hadn't found me.

Author: What is your favorite quote or Bible verse.

Hannah: Psalm 10:17: "You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry." For so long, I've struggled through life by myself that it gave me hope to know God listened to me and wanted to encourage me. Especially after all the wrong I had done.

Author: What are you plans for the future?

Hannah: I think for now, I'm going to focus on the present. I've lived so long in the past, dreaded the future, I gave no attention to the present. I think for now the best thing is to brace what is before me and no longer focus on what was or what could be.

Author Spotlight - Christina Freeburn talks about Family Dynamics

Family. It's where we learn about relationships and start to feel what our role is in life. For some people it's a good place, a soft place to land, the place we return when we feel lost and adrift. For others family is a place of hurt and where they feel the worst about themselves. In the New Beginnings Series, especially in Safe and Sound, I show two different families and how they handle the rough times that happen in life.

As with all relationships, sometimes people can disappoint us and the way it's handle can make the situation worse or better. Because of the way her family dealt with problems and the way they viewed her, Hannah believes running...saving others from her...is the best choice. Connor knows he can rely on his family to help him, but in doing so has to deal with a consequence he hadn't intended...his cousin's distrust of Hannah.

The Stratford family is a loving, supportive, and overly protective at times bunch. Sometimes those qualities are a positive and a source of strength, other times as cousins Alex and Connor find it's the beginning of a major conflict and division. Acting in someone else's best interest doesn't always go the way a person plans, nor perceived as a good thing. I had wanted to explore this type of situation in a book and fit in well with this book.

Author Spotlight - Q&A with Christina Freeburn

STEPH: I don't know much about "Safe and Sound." What's it about?

CHRISTINA: Book three of the New Beginning Series focuses on Connor Stratford who is still grieving the death of his wife. Hannah had gotten lost in a blizzard and the mountain claimed her. A woman's body was discovered after an explosion and Connor learned Hannah's death wasn't the accident everyone thought. One of the men responsible for Hannah's death is hunting down another woman. Connor decides to do everything in his power to save the young woman from the same fate as his wife. When the woman comes to Connor's home for shelter, he discovers the murderer's new target might actually be his wife.

STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

CHRISTINA: About six months.

STEPH: How much research did you have to do?

CHRISTINA: Most of the research I did for this book was about tracking and rescue dogs. I had done some for Led Astray as Connor made an appearance in that book but the research I did was minimal. Since Connor is a point of view character in Safe and Sound, I needed to do a little more in depth research as Connor trains the dogs. The surface research I did wasn't enough to get a feel for what Connor, or the dogs, could or would do in certain situations.

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story within?

CHRISTINA: For me, the cover reflects the story because it features the cabin where Connor has secluded himself for the last four years and where Hannah goes to reclaim her life.

STEPH: Hannah is the heroine. What are her strengths? Weakness?

CHRISTINA: Hannah's strengths are her kind heart, seeing 'the big picture' and her willingness to do anything for others. Her willingness to do anything for others is also one of her weakness because at times she makes poor choices for herself if she feels it will benefit others. Hannah also brushes off the good qualities in herself too often.

STEPH: What does Connor find appealing about her?

CHRISTINA: He loves Hannah's willingness to freely give love and friendship even if it doesn't come back to her.

STEPH: What is the theme of the novel?

CHRISTINA: Trust and forgiving yourself. For some people, forgiving others is easy but forgiving 'ourself' is hard and almost impossible at times.

STEPH: As a writer, where do you draw inspiration from?

CHRISTINA: It can come from anywhere. Most of the times it's from a simple what if question that pops into my mind when I hear something on the news or out and about. For this story, the 'what if' popped into my head when I was editing Led Astray.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which one?

CHRISTIN: 'regular' Kindle and a Kindle Fire though I mainly read on the 'regular' Kindle.

STEPH: Fun question: Do you have any thanksgiving traditions you'd like to share with us?

CHRISTINA: We're pretty much a go with the flow family when it comes to Thanksgiving, so don't really have any traditions...unless you count the bringing down the boxes of Christmas decorations from the attic the day after Thanksgiving.

Author Spotlight - Excerpt from "A Gentleman and a Rogue"

Thank you so much for supporting me during my week in the spotlight. Leave a comment today, Saturday, Sunday, along with your email and I'll pick a winner on Monday to receive a PDF copy of Book 1 of The Windsor Diaries, "Victorian Scoundrel."

Enjoy the Excerpt!
Moderator Steph

********

Alice nodded and Edmund brought up the rear. They skulked down the hall, made a right, and Keira placed her hand on the study's knob, twisting it. "Locked."

Alice withdrew a long, thin hair pick, slid it into the lock and the door clicked. "Impressive," said Edmund.

Alice flashed him a slight smile.

Keira walked in. "Oh, dear, we need a light."

Alice dug into her reticule and removed a small slender cylinder. She pressed a button and a beam of light shot out.

"Amazing! How did you do that?" asked Keira.

"It runs on a battery that generates electricity." Alice walked over to the desk and examined the locks. She fussed in her reticule some more, pulled out some picks and went to work.

Edmund stood next to Keira and placed his hand in the small of her back. "She's brilliant, don't you think?"

"A girl after your own heart, I see."

"Alice may have popped my dirigible, but I respect her all that much more for doing it." "You are incorrigible."

"Come, let's talk." He guided her away from the desk and next to the window. The drapes were pulled back, allowing the dim, natural light from the stars and moon to filter into the room. Keira's heart pounded in her chest. Determined to stay strong in Edmund's tempting presence, she crossed her arms.

"Did you tell me everything back in my study?" she whispered.

He looked her over seductively, talking softly. "I told you I would the next time I saw you, and I have."

"Oh."

He placed his hand on her shoulder, trailing his finger up the soft skin of her neck, cupping her cheek. His eyes never left hers. "I want to see you again. Soon."

"It isn't wise."

"I know. I don't care." His voice grew low and husky.

Keira hesitated. Her body thrummed with warmth from his touch.
Uncomfortable heat pooled in her core. She tried to fight, to set her resolve and step away from him, but she couldn't. His gaze riveted on her face and moved over her body slowly. "I didn't forget you. I
couldn't. You're never far from my thoughts."

Logic. She needed logic. "You're from the future. I'm your past."

He shrugged. "I don't see it that way."

Her knees weakened. "How do you see it?"

"I see a woman who enjoys being around me, who looks into my eyes with honesty and sincerity. She's clever and knows her own mind. She accepts me for what I am -- mischief and all."

She swallowed. Edmund made her toes curl. His thumb gently stroked her jaw, stoking the growing desire for him in her heart.

"This is impossible. You and me and time traveling..."

"No, it's not. Look at Alice and Grayson. It works for them."

She placed a hand over his heart, unable to resist. "I have to find a man in my own time."

"You have. You've found me." He put his hand over hers and squeezed her fingers gently.

"Ed--"

Q FOR YOU: What do you think happens next? Does she kiss him or push him away? Don't forget to leave your email!

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Author Spotlight - Jules Verne Wore Leather and Goggles

Jules Verne was steampunk when steampunk was contemporary. He wrote his stories during the Victorian Age and along with HG Wells is considered one of the Founding Fathers of steampunk literature. (umm...he looks a little like Alan Rickman as "Lord Ridgecroft," doesn't he?)

(side note: The Windsor Diaries pays homage to both Verne and Wells – Can anyone tell me where their statues are placed in the series?)

Jules Verne was born in France in 1828. His most famous literary works include:
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1870)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)
Around the World in 80 Days (1873)

What makes Verne stand out is that he was writing about space, air, and underwater travels in a practical way before methods had been developed to do so. (He's also considered one of the Founding Fathers of the Science Fiction genre, too)

As a young boy, Jules' family had a summer home in Brains, France on the banks of the Loire River and it was here that he cultivated a love of adventure. This love of adventure would play into his writing.

Jules studied to be a lawyer, but he had no heart for it and dropped his studies to work on his writing. He even met with writing contemporaries Victor Hugo and Aexandre Dumas.

Jules got married in 1857 and had a son, Michel. Michel proved himself a pistol. The boy had 2 kids with an underage mistress, married and actress and buried himself in debt.

In 1862, Jules traveled through Sweden. "A Hot Air Balloon Trip Through Africa" was published in Sweden in 1863, making it his first full length book!

Shortly afterwards Jules met Pierre-Jules Hetzel, a very well known and important French publisher. Hetzel helped improve Jules' writing. Until Jules met Hetzel, he was repeatedly rejected.

What a Good Editor does for you:

Prior to working with Hetzel, Jules' writing was "too" scientific, too pessimistic, and not too enthusiastic about technology and human progress. Jules was a pessimist.

Hetzel insisted Jules' work always had an optimistic feel to it and Jules was so grateful to be published he willingly agreed to Hetzel's changes.

Interestingly, Hetzel rejected one of Jules' novels called "Paris in the 20th Century."

Jules wrote "Paris in the 20th Century" in 1863. It's the story of a young man who lives in a glass skyscraper with high-speed trains, gas powered cars, calculators, and has a high-speed communications network. Our hero, however, can't find happiness and comes to a tragic end. Hetzel suggested Jules wait at least 20 years before publishing it. Jules locked the story away in a safe. But can you imagine! This is why Jules is one of the fathers of science fiction and steampunk! Heck, he was writing about the Internet over 130 years before it came into existence! And one of the "core" elements of steampunk is the addition of "futuristic" gadgets in the story.

What Happened to "Paris in the 20th Century?"

The novel, rejected in 1863 was locked in a safe. Hetzel died in 1887 and Jules never did have a chance to revisit the story. He passed away in 1905.

Michel, Jules' son, published some of his father's stories after his death – "Invasion of the Sea" and "Lighthouse at the End of the World," but Michel being the pistol he was made extensive changes to the stories. The original Jules Verne novels were discovered and published in the late 20th Century.

In 1989, Jules' great-grandson found the safe Jules had stashed "Paris in the 20th Century." The novel finally found print in 1994. Jules Verne had come full circle.

DID YOU KNOW?

Verne is one of the top FIVE translated authors in the world?

Question for readers: What's your favorite Jules Verne story? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Reference for this blog post: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne

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