Historical
John Huffam is sure the tall man's beard is false. He's sure of little else in November 1849, the year he is fourteen, the year his father is sentenced to London's Whitecross Street Prison.
The more I came to know of the world, the more I knew I knew it not.
The I Witness books are accessible, action-packed, first-person historical narratives illustrated with primary source material -- period illustrations, photographs, and maps -- to make the history concrete and vivid.
It's 1924 and Ida Bidson goes to a one-room schoolhouse in the mountains of Colorado. When her teacher must leave, her fellow students choose her to become their teacher. But it must all be done in secret.
One day, while driving to my home -- which was then in New Jersey -- I noticed a sign by the side of the road. The sign told about a tiny little battle -- the sign said "skirmish" -- that had taken place right at that spot during our Revolutionary War. Nothing important happened, just a little bit of war.
While I was working on my longest novel, BEYOND THE WESTERN SEA, I was also working on my shortest, FINDING PROVIDENCE. It is meant for very young chapter-book readers, but it's about something very important in the history of the United States. Having lived in Rhode Island I learned a lot about Roger Williams, one of the founders of the state.
Sometimes books change a great deal in the course of writing. When I first wrote this book I wanted it to be very serious, even tragic tale. I gave it to a good friend to read. She said, "I hate to tell you, but some of your book made me laugh." I was surprised, but went back and read the book again. She was right. It wasn't tragic at all.
When I was a boy. growing up in the 1940's, I listened every week day to the radio adventures which were written for kids. How I loved them!
It was a number of years ago when I visited Naples, Italy, and wandered about the twisting, narrow streets of the old city, then climbed to the high hills which over looked the bay. I recall thinking what a great place for a story. MIDNIGHT MAGIC is the result. A ghost story with a ghost, that may not be a ghost. A magician who does not believe in magic.
As is often the case with my writing, this story takes place near where I was currently living. It is based on the fact that prior to the American Revolution, if you committed a crime in England--even if you were child--you might well be sent to America and made to work for years as an indentured servant (almost like a slave) as a punishment. It was very cruel but it happened a lot.
