Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don't forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book.
Author’s name:
Sharon Ledwith
Title of book and/or
series:
Lost and Found, Book One; Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls
Brief summary of the
story:
Fairy Falls
was bores-ville from the get-go. Then the animals started talking...
The Fairy
Falls Animal Shelter is in trouble. Money trouble. It’s up to an old calico
cat named Whiskey—a shelter
cat who has mastered the skill of observation—to find a new human pack leader so that their home will
be saved. With the help of Nobel, the leader of the shelter dogs, the animals
set out to use the ancient skill of telepathy to contact any human who bothers
to listen to them. Unfortunately for fifteen-year-old Meagan Walsh, she hears
them, loud and clear.
Forced to
live with her Aunt Izzy in the safe and quiet town of Fairy Falls, Meagan is
caught stealing and is sentenced to do community hours at the animal shelter
where her aunt works. Realizing Meagan can hear her, Whiskey realizes that Meagan
just might have the pack leader qualities necessary to save the animals.
Avoiding Whiskey and the rest of shelter animals becomes impossible for Meagan,
so she finally gives in and promises to help them. Meagan, along with her
newfound friends, Reid Robertson and Natalie Knight, discover that someone in
Fairy Falls is not only out to destroy the shelter, but the animals as well.
Can Meagan convince her aunt and co-workers that the animals are in danger? If
she fails, then all the animals’ voices will be silenced forever.
Brief description of
the world or location you created for this story:
I took all of my childhood and
adult experiences from vacationing and living in cottage country to breathe
life into Fairy Falls, and the surrounding area. When you think of a small,
northern tourist town, what emotional cord does it strike? Vacationing with the
family when you were young? Visiting your grandparents at their cottage?
Camping in the backwoods with your friends? Whatever vision you conjure, I’m sure
you have plenty of happy memories of that special place. That’s the basis of
creating the town of Fairy Falls. I wanted to give my teen psychic mystery book
series a nostalgic feeling coupled with a sense of adventure and…wait for
it…the supernatural. Welcome to Fairy Falls. Expected the unexpected.
If we were to visit Fairy
Falls as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
When we used to live in cottage country, we’d visit the
local bakery in the tiny town five minutes south of us. The smell of fresh
baking does something to a body. Sometimes it takes you back to when life was
simpler. The downtown core of Fairy Falls hosts such a bakery, and is situated
so you can sit at one of the ample tables beside the Vista River and enjoy your
sweet treat, while watching the boats slowly putt by. Or better yet, book a
boat tour to go on a three-hour cruise that takes you through a lock system,
and into Blueberry Lake. Other draws to this tourist haven include The Court
Jester, the local bar and grill, serving up down-home food courtesy of the area
famers and growers. Oh, and make sure you don’t forget to stop by the Fairy
Falls Farmers’ Market on Saturdays to score a deal from one of the crafters,
produce, or food stands. Tell them Sharon sent you…
What dangers should
we avoid in Fairy Falls?
The usual suspects. Bears and blackflies. Oh, and the odd
swarm of mosquitoes.
Is there a distinct
or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Fairy Falls?
Yes, you must go to the Court Jester and try the Jester
Burger! It’s topped with a slice of Canadian back bacon and pepper jack cheese,
and piled high with onions, garlic, and mushrooms, all fresh from the Fairy
Falls Farmers’ Market. Add a pint of locally brewed Blackfly beer, and this
meal will bring tears of joy to your eyes! Sit on the patio and enjoy the view
of the Vista River where it may transport you to back to those good old days,
and happy childhood memories.
What types of
vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Fairy Falls?
Same as anywhere on Earth: trains, planes, automobiles, and
boats. And like any small northern town, Fairy Falls has a train station that
runs along its outskirts, a bus depot in the middle of town, and a bustling
marina on the bend of the Vista River, just past the Court Jester. Fairy Falls also
boasts access to a small airport fifteen minutes south, just off the busy
highway. Those who love to explore trails hop on their all-terrain vehicles and
take in the sights too. So there’s plenty of ways to get to, or get out of
Fairy Falls, but trust me once you’ve arrived here, and experienced the beauty
of nature and serene setting this town has to offer, you’ll never want to
leave.
What role, if any,
does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Fairy Falls? If there is magic, please give some examples
of what it involves or how it’s used.
Well, it’s not so much magic, but more on the paranormal
side. Fairy Falls has always been a magical place, but for some reason it seems
to be a haven for those with psychic abilities. In Lost and Found, the animals at the Fairy Falls Animal Shelter need
a champion to save their shelter, and find one in rebellious Meagan Walsh, who’s
a bona fide telepathic animal communicator. There are others with different
psychic powers who have been (or will be) drawn to Fairy Falls, not to hide,
but feel that they have been forced here by circumstances beyond their control.
Or could it be a matter of serendipity that has brought them to the small,
tourist town?
Is there any advanced
or unusual technology in Fairy Falls? If
you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
Honestly, it’s hard enough just to get high speed internet in
Fairy Falls. However, cell phones are getting better reception as more towers
are being built, and seeing satellite dishes on almost every cottage roof has
unfortunately (or fortunately) become the norm. But in my opinion, as far as
advanced technology goes, sometimes it’s nice to unplug while you’re visiting
Fairy Falls, and let nature stir your soul.
Tell us about any
sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Fairy
Falls.
Lacrosse is very popular in Fairy Falls. Even the local high
school has a winning team that’s hard to beat. Summer swells in population with
the tourists and cottagers, so fishing, boating, water skiing, and tubing are favorite
sports and past times. In the long winter months, hockey is the staple along
with curling, as well as snowmobiling across the network of frozen lakes and
trails. And believe me, you’d better have a sport or hobby to keep you busy during
a Fairy Falls winter, because sometimes the ice doesn’t come off the lakes
until May. Brrrr!
What holidays or
special events are celebrated regularly in Fairy Falls?
That’s an easy one! There are three long weekends during the
summer months, and Fairy Falls relies on these holidays to boost their economy
enough to keep the town running all year round. The first long weekend is in
May where firework celebrations dominate the skies. The second is at the
beginning of July which includes more fireworks, street parties, and starts the
beginning of farmers’ market season. The third is usually on the first weekend
of September, when Fairy Falls hosts their famous fall fair which includes a
concert, carnival rides, and a smash-up derby.
What is the political
or government structure in Fairy Falls?
Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
Fairy Falls is like any small town with a mayor, deputy
mayor, and a selection of town counsellors. At the moment, Mike MacGregor is at
the helm as this town’s mayor. Unfortunately, Mayor MacGregor is in mourning
with the loss of his wife, Joy, who sat on as one of the counsellors for Fairy
Falls. She was viciously attacked and murdered, and her killer is still at
large. These characters are featured in the next installment of Mysterious Tales
from Fairy Falls, Blackflies and
Blueberries.
Has anything in your
actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
Absolutely! Fairy Falls and its surrounding area is a
cumulative result of all the small, northern tourist towns I’ve visited as a
child (and adult) that has left an emotional impression on me. Every sight,
sound, smell, taste, and feeling of what I’ve experienced has trickled out of
me and into the fictitious town that is Fairy Falls.
What, if any,
“hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
In Lost and Found,
it’s more about speaking up for the animals, and the need for constant
fundraising and continued support for the upkeep of an animal shelter. I also
touch on bullying in the work place as well as dealing with bullies. There are
some unique ways which my characters try to right wrongs and stand up for
themselves and the animals, and I must say, I’m pretty proud of this book and
its messages. It truly is a story about being a champion of the underdog.
Author Autobiography:
Sharon Ledwith is the author
of the middle-grade/young adult time travel adventure series, THE LAST
TIMEKEEPERS, and the teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY
FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading,
exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a
serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her
hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Where, and in what
formats, can we purchase your books?
All my books are available in paperback and ebook formats.
Below is a list of my buy links for each book series:
Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic
Mystery Series:
Lost and Found, Book One Buy Links:
And for those readers who love to escape
to the past and have a blast…
The Last Timekeepers Time
Travel Adventure Series:
The Last Timekeepers and the Dark
Secret, Book #2 Buy Links:
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch
of Atlantis, Book #1 Buy Links:
Legend of the
Timekeepers, prequel Buy Links:
Where can readers
connect with you online?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Fairy Falls. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you!
Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series.
Please join us again next Monday for a trip to another world in next week's edition of Realm Explorers!
-Annie Douglass Lima
