Blurb:
Jack Preston, an ordinary kid on his 8th grade trip to Washington DC, finds himself mysteriously transported back in time to 1720 Massachusetts. Finding a world without cars, phones and other conveniences of modern life takes some getting used to, but he’s even more surprised to meet a young Founding Father, Ben Franklin.
Being a righteous fellow, Ben befriends the confused and tattered Jack and offers him a place to stay. When Jack overhears a seedy plan that will most certainly ruin Ben’s brother’s printing business, Jack vows to help find the culprit before it’s too late.
From the streets of Colonial Boston, to the cargo hold of a huge galleon, Jack realizes he’s on the most bizarre, but important, adventure of his life. As Jack is thrown into a whirlwind of conspiracy, he realizes that much more than a printing company is at stake. An adventure is one thing, but being stuck hundreds of years in the past is quite another.
TK: Now I have a few questions for Ethan that he agreed to answer. So, how long have you been writing?
EC:I’ve been writing in some form or another for my entire life. Mostly it was just snippets or the beginnings of stories, but I got serious about it three years ago. For Fables, from opening my first Word doc to the day I uploaded the final file, it was almost exactly one year to the day. As far as a method, that evolved over time. At first, Fables was one of a few projects I worked on whenever I had time, maybe three days a week. As I got father along, there was more research to be done and I started keeping a daily word quota, so something was happening every day.
TK: Where did you get the idea for your story?
EC: I wanted to explore the lives of the Founding Fathers before they made their marks on the world. Sometimes we forget that these were real people who had weaknesses and problems like any of us today. A time travelling protagonist was the perfect fit for moving the story through time and also introducing a fish-out-of-water element as Jack struggles to get used to an entirely different way of life. Ultimately, Fables is a fun, engaging story that will encourage readers to learn more about American history, without being a textbook in disguise.
TK: Is there a special place that you do your writing?
EC: I only write in my home office or at Starbucks. I’ve tried other places, but they are usually too chaotic to get into a good rhythm. I like a lively environment, but not one that will be distracting when I start making some real progress.
TK: Do you write with music/sound or with silence?
EC: I always write with music and I put something on that matches the mood of the scene I’m working on. For example, if I’m writing about a chase, something really loud and energetic like Foo Fighters or Guns N’ Roses helps put me in that mindset. A quiet nighttime scene calls for something a lot different, like Dave Matthews or Eric Clapton.
TK: I see you play guitar – what’s your favorite piece to play? Are you in a band?
EC: I like to play a lot of classic rock and blues, but I’m not in a band right now. If any other indie authors out there are interested in putting a band together, email me!
TK: What’s your favorite…
Food? Prime Rib
TV show? The X-Files (overall) or The Walking Dead (current)
Book? The Stand by Stephen King (this is a great book!)
Color? Green
Character in your book? Jack!
Time of day to work? Just after lunch
TK: Thanks for stopping by Ethan!
Bio:
Ethan Coffee left California for a few years to study at Purdue University, but is now back in the Golden State. His series, Fables of the Flag, chronicles Jack Preston’s journey through time as he meets famous figures in American history. The second installment, Fables of the Flag: The Surveyor’s Tale, was released in June. Check out his website, the Fables Facebook Page and follow him on Twitter.
Blog: http://www.fablesoftheflag.com/
Musings of a Writing Reader 