Today I want to introduce you to Delores Topliff, whose first historical novel, Books Afloat, released Tuesday. She is also the author of several chilren's books.
Delores, born in Washington State, has spent time in Canada and now divides her time between Minnesota and North Mississippi. I'll let you guess when she's in Minnesota and when she's in Mississippi.
Patricia: If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?
Delores: I’m a workaholic who desires to never stop learning and loves adventures.
Patricia: What do you do when you’re not writing? Any interesting hobbies?
Delores: International travel and mission trips are high on my list. I also create jewelry including using porcupine quills.
Patricia: I'm not sure I want to ask, but how do you get your porcupine quills?
Delores: Well, sometimes I gather them from road kill or sometimes by gently swatting living slow-moving animals with a soft sweatshirt. Mature loose quills come out freely.
Patricia: Love it! Tell us four things about yourself that might surprise your readers.
Delores: 1. I love teaching, mostly university classes. I started in 6th grade because I finished classwork early and teachers sent me to grades 1 and 2 to fill in afternoons when they had to go to the doctor, dentist, etc. Those good times defined a major part of my life.
2. As a kid, I loved rollicking poems like Hiawatha and the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. In the third grade when the teacher left our classroom to go to the office or get art supplies, I started making up and spouting rhymed stories my classmates loved. That encouraged me. Two of my four published children’s books are rhymed adventures traceable to then.
3. I don’t like being afraid of anything so I accept most dares to overcome fear. It usually turns out well, but I have many stories to tell including a number where I barely escape by the skin of my teeth.
4. On a 3 ½ month mission trip to the jungles of Colombia, South America in 1980 where I trained teachers and taught and tested great kids, I ate piranas instead of the piranas eating me.
Patricia: Wow! That trip to Colombia was amazing. What is the most important thing you’d like readers to take away from your books?
Delores: Embrace your dreams and never give up. Then, work hard and pray until you reach an outcome that receives God’s seal of approval.
That's a good take-away. Tell us a little about Books Afloat.
Based upon a historical event—a network of undercover volunteers plot to prevent Japanese saboteurs from invading the Columbia River during World War II.
Oklahoma Dust Bowl survivor Anne Mettles creates a floating library to provide books and materials for Columbia River residents. But wartime budgets slash funding, and Washington’s governor can only find money if Anne will conduct secret military surveillance along the river to monitor and report any enemy activity. Anne wants to operate Books Afloat alone but must accept help to pilot the boat.
Mechanic Ted Vincent insists on being onboard and discovers that unusual boat damages are not accidents, but sabotage. A young man who will do anything to win Anne’s affections and an ambitious reporter writing public interest stories also ride along, complicating matters.
Anne and her team hazard their lives to save the nation they love and discover newfound courage, giving her and Ted a chance at love—if they can survive.