A summer at the camp at Brooks River comes with constant contradiction. The more beautiful and interesting something is, the more likely it is to be dangerous. Nothing embodies that more than Brooks Falls. The Falls is an historical fiction adventure set in Alaska in 1953 for ages 10 and up by Janet R. Macreery.

What started your interest in books?

I had an early love of books because I was blessed with a fabulous elementary school librarian, Mrs. Freeman, and parents who loved to read. In college, children’s literature was a big part of the curriculum as I studied to be a teacher. When I encountered health challenges, I stayed connected to the world I loved through books.

How did you start writing?

In addition to reading, I became curious about writing. I started attending conferences, taking classes, and learning how to hone my craft. I worked in several genres, but it wasn’t until historical fiction that I found my niche as a storyteller.

What drew you to historical fiction?

I look at historical fiction as license to both honor and change history. Either you alter the outcome of an historic moment and see how differently events would have unfolded or you find places where historians can’t agree or prove what happened. You get to fill in the holes in history and see what transpires. Making connections between the past and the present without causing anachronisms is fun for me and seems to connect with readers.

Where do you get your ideas?

For The Falls, while at Brooks Camp, I couldn’t stop asking questions. How was this created? Whose idea was this particular building? How can those huge and scary bears look so cute and fluffy? I wanted to continue exploring.

The spark for my first book and its sequel, A Little Wicked and A Little Noble, happened on a visit to the Glencoe Visitors’ Centre in Scotland. Their exhibit about the massacre that occurred there in 1692 captivated my attention. The question of what happened to the survivors stayed with me. Months later, I learned that the Salem Witch Trials started in the same year in Massachusetts. The idea of joining these two events, which happened an ocean apart but at the same time, through one person intrigued me.

Do all your ideas come from travel?

Yes, so far, anyway. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Some ideas stay with me and become part of the adventures I write. The most fun is when I take an idea from one location and combine it with something I learn somewhere else.

I was lucky enough to visit Brooks Camp at Katmai National Park and Preserve a couple of years ago. The National Park Service does an amazing job showcasing the history of the site. After returning home, I couldn’t stop thinking about all of our experiences and the information I’d learned.

The setting almost seems like a character in your story. Was that intended?

I need to stand where the characters will stand. Walk where their footsteps would be. Experiencing the same physical location even decades or centuries later is essential when writing historical fiction. Many of the ecological and geological details remain the same over time. People often take great pride in where they live and have stories that are not written down anywhere. Not everything is on the internet. All these details find their way into the manuscript increasing the authenticity and enriching the world of the story.

What do you think is the ultimate goal of storytelling?

I strive to show the wide range of emotional responses in a story in a genuine way. As a kid, I always loved a story where regardless of the amount of trauma, stress, and even tragedy throughout, it ended with a sense of hope. I try to write the kind of book I’d have wanted to read then and now.

What is your favorite aspect of your latest book, The Falls?

The part of The Falls that has the most meaning for me is the concept that bullies are not always someone from your peer group. Bullies come in every size, shape, and age which makes dealing with them a complicated endeavor.

I so thoroughly enjoyed my time at Brooks Camp, how could I not want to share it? I love that The Falls allowed me to give a glimpse of this gorgeous area and all the plants and animals who inhabit it. Maybe The Falls will even inspire someone else to make a trip there.

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“It wasn't her choice to go. But from the moment the bush plane splashed down on the Alaskan lake, there was no turning back for 11-year-old Monty. Her widowed father's job brought them to the edge of wilderness. Her journey that summer of 1953 would take her through rugged terrain, dangerous wildlife and unlikely friendships to the wonder and mystery beyond the Falls.”

Janet R. Macreery is the author of the multi-award-winning historical fiction adventures A Little Wicked and A Little Noble as well as her new release The Falls. She explores the United States and Europe for inspiration and research as well as her quest to find the ultimate hot chocolate.
 

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