A local writer will soon discuss the independent publishing process at an upcoming book talk.
On May 1, Chanute Public Library will host Michelle Compton, known under the pen name, Aurora Schlosswold.
“My pen name is inspired by the Northern Lights, and then I used the German words for castle and forest,” Compton said.
Compton said she is inspired by history, with her books often requiring research into historical events and ways of life.
Compton released “Waltzing Among the Willows” during the fall of 2023. She will be discussing the process of publishing this book during her upcoming book talk.
“I thought it might interest people to hear about the process itself. I intend to drop a few tips for anyone interested in writing, but most of all I want to share a few intriguing stories about places I’ve been as a result of doing research for the novel,” Compton said. “I’ve actually traveled to Dodge City, Little Jerusalem, Fort Hays, Medicine Lodge, and other places throughout Kansas with Old West history.”
According to Compton, the Old West encompasses the western regions of the United States during the 19th century. This era often draws cowboys, lawlessness, and rugged frontiers to mind.
The title of “Waltzing Among the Willows” alludes to that alone.
“The book got its name because ‘among the willows’ is Western slang for ‘on the run from the law,’” Compton said. “By literary definitions, it’s a historical drama set in the 19th century rather than an actual Western. However, it does have a lot of elements of a Western in it. There are cattle drives, stagecoach runs, and of course, a lot of lawman versus outlaw scenes. However, I tried to be more historically accurate than most Hollywood Westerns.
Compton said the process of writing the book was fun.
“I loosely based characters on people from my church. I’m in here too,” Compton said. “The characters are based on us in personality; hobbies, quirks, et cetera. Not actions.”
Compton is currently working on another novel, “Cursed Beneath the Cottonwood,” set in the era of the American Revolution.
“I intended to write another 19th-century piece, but I wanted to write just a few paragraphs about Revolutionary times as a backstory. A few paragraphs gradually turned into over a third of the novel.”
Despite its different setting in history, the two books are companion novels, Compton said.
“The Old West portion of the Cottonwood story involves two of the same towns, and thus a few of the same characters.”
Through her research, Compton has developed a strong understanding of American history.
“That’s why I feel like I’ve met historical figures like Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Patrick Henry,” Compton said. “People like Nathan Hale and George Washington feel like old friends; I had to do so much research for the sake of portraying their personalities as accurately as possible in the story that I honestly feel like I’ve gotten to know them. I have to remind myself that these gentlemen passed away long before I was born, so I’ve never actually met them.”
Compton’s book talk will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, at the Chanute
