Today is all about Nancy Pennick’s new novel, Stealing Time. She has partnered with Back Cover Promotions for her blog tour, and today she is at Land of 1000 Wonders to chat.
Can you tell readers a little about yourself?
I never thought I’d be a writer, much less a published author. I was a teacher, wife and mother with a busy life. After I retired from teaching I thought I’d do all those things you want to do when you work, but there are only so many closets to clean! I needed more in my everyday life. I always loved writing and suddenly had more time for it.
Where do you like to write?
We have a room off the kitchen that’s a computer office. That’s where I do most of my work.
Which do you prefer: longhand or laptop?
Laptop.
Could you tell us a little about your main character?
Kate starts off as a sixteen year old girl in Waiting for Dusk. She is an only child, a bit immature and bored with her summer. She’s given a book which takes her on an amazing adventure. To her, it was just a dream until one day she realizes, it’s not. When the book goes missing she’ll do anything to get it back. She does a lot of growing up in that book. Call of the Canyon continues the journey. Kate is now seventeen and learns more about her family and her father’s past. Stealing Time comes full circle. It ties the three books together. I hope everyone will approve of the ending. Kate is now eighteen and graduates from high school. She learns to become an independent woman in this book. All three books can be read as a stand alone but to get the overall feel, I recommend starting with Waiting for Dusk.
Do any of the characters in your novel represent anyone you know personally? Or just a generalization?
I based some of the characters on people I knew from the past and present. None of the characters represent one person in my real life.
How did you come up with and develop the idea behind your novel?
It literally happened overnight. I’d just returned from a vacation at the Grand Canyon. I was watching a PBS series on National Parks that contained a lot of history. I thought it would be fun to have a girl move between the past and present. The story was stuck in my head the next day and I began to write.
What do you want readers to take away from your novel?
Family is important in life. People close to you are to be treasured. If you have one or two good friends and the love of your family it’s a wonderful thing. Believe in yourself. When you do, magical things can happen.
What inspired you to become a writer?
I always have been a reader and enjoyed books. I wrote short stories when I was in school, kept a journal. So the writer was always hidden in there somewhere.
Do you have any other books in the works?
Yes, I do. I am working on a prequel. People have fallen in love with the characters from the past—1927—in the series. I explore more of their lives. It won’t be a time travel novel, strictly historical romance.
What are your future goals as a writer?
To keep writing! I have ideas for other series and I’d love to write Middle Grade or Pre-Teen books.
What are a few of your favorite books?
Being an elementary school teacher for years and loving that genre, I was immersed in those books for years. I enjoyed introducing the children to Beverly Cleary books, especially Ramona the Pest. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is another favorite, I love the message it sends. It’s hard to say if I have a favorite book. I’ve read the Divergent series and liked that. I liked the first Twilight book a lot. I recently read the Winemaker by Charmaine Pauls and loved that. I also love the Luxe series. Stargirl was an interesting read.
Who are a few of your favorite authors?
Anna Godbersen, she wrote the Luxe Series, J. K. Rowling, Dr. Seuss, Beverly Cleary, Veronica Roth
What is the craziest thing that’s ever happened to you?
When I was young, I was pinned between a horse’s back end and a fence. That might be more like a traumatic moment!
About the Author
After a great career in teaching, Nancy found a second calling as a writer. Ohio is her home but she loves to travel the U.S. Her debut young adult novel, Waiting for Dusk, was a surprise to her as much as it was to her family. Watching a PBS series on National Parks, her mind wandered to another place and that is where the characters of Katie and Andrew were born. Call of the Canyon and Stealing Time continue their story. The Swedish influences found in the books came from her mother, whose parents emigrated from Sweden.
Nancy currently resides in Mentor, Ohio with her husband and their college-age son.
Find the author: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
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