Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’ve got Sharon Ledwith here today answering some questions about herself and her new series! Take it away Sharon!
What inspired you to write a Time Travel Book?
I’ve always loved the time travel genre. I guess what got me back to thinking about it was reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I haven’t read them all yet, just the first four thick books because the series is quite an investment in time (no pun intended!). When I pondered the idea of writing for young adults, I went with what I loved. Plus, I had a dream in 1998 where I saw seven arches, and there were seven people (five kids, two adults) with crystals in their hands, walking up to these arches. It definitely had an “Indiana Jones”feel to it. So, I thought I’d challenge myself and write a novel—a series—that would appeal to my son, who at the time was the target age of my audience, so I imagined the arches I saw vividly in my dream as time portals. And the rest is history – pun intended!
Who is your favorite character and why?
Really? That’s like asking who is your favorite child! Woot! Okay, if I had to pick one, I’d have to say Treena Mui, only because she’s a lot like me humor-wise. I used to crack off like her when I was a kid, so I guess it comes naturally. I wish I had her sense of confidence back then!
Why should readers read your book?
I think The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis is a timely book. I believe kids need to read what my characters have got to say. That everyone has a purpose, a talent, a gift to be shared with the world. That we all have the power of choice, and we create our reality. And that we really do need to pay attention, and then take action in our lives to make our dreams come true.
Tell us a little bit about your writing process.
You would ask that, Lisa. I have many notebooks and pads and sticky notes at my disposal. I also have a file full of ideas. I guess I start with the characters and build the story around them. The characters, my characters, must carry the story to completion, give readers closure. It’s a must. In order to do this, I begin writing out character tracking sheets (stats on characters appearances, clothing, likes and dislikes, etc.) which have served me well throughout the writing process. Then the fun begins. Research, research, and more research. When you’re writing time travel, you’ve got to know your facts to create the fiction. I love this part of the journey too. Only when I have enough facts, and I feel my characters are fleshed out sufficiently, then I begin to start the novel. Sometimes I’m a panser (writing by the seat of my pants), sometimes a plotter (outline entire storyline)—it all depends on the tone of the book and where my imagination directs me.
What’s next for Sharon Ledwith the author?
Currently, I’m working on the prequel to the Last Timekeepers series, entitled The Legend of the Timekeepers. I also have a completed manuscript of the second book in the series entitled, The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, but there’s the fun job of revising it into Jordan Jensen’s point of view. I’ve written a master plan for the series with possible titles and premises, and I’m in the process of putting all this information together in a series guidebook, so I’ll be one busy gal!
Fun questions:
Tell us something that no one else knows about you.
Well my hubby and I used to own a graphic trade company called Box Office Graphics in the early 80s to 2004. I enjoyed every aspect from thumbnail to final product, but the technology grew so fast you had to keep up or get out. We had our fill in 2003 and sold in 2004. I was very grateful for that time in my life and learned so much about the aspects of owning a business, which is one of the hats an author has to wear.
What kind of books do you enjoy reading?
Silly question! Time travel, but also like a broad range of reads, especially self-help non-fiction, and paranormal romance, some dystopian, and young adult fantasy. Presently, I’m reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (finally!) and finishing The Tempest by Julie Cross.
Who’s your favorite author?
I would have to say Diana Gabaldon, but I like Rick Riordan just as much. Both are very different authors who write in different styles but each have to do a lot of research for their books.
What’s your favorite guilty pleasure?
Single. Malt. Scotch.
If time travel were actually possible, where would you go?
That’s an easy one. Atlantis. I believe it was a real place and not a myth. I’ve done too much research to know this. My gut tells me Atlantis existed. However, I wouldn’t want to go back there when things, let’s say got little shaky and wet, for the Atlanteans!
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.
Here’s the Blurb for The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis:
When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they’re given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn’t a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.
Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers–legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial–Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don’t, then history itself may be turned upside down.
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