Q&A With David A Bowles 

I love it when publicists, agents and other authors connect me to different people to do these Q&As. Mickey Mikkelson, who is a publicist for New York Times Bestselling author Tosca Lee, connected me to author David A Bowles who is the author of the 5 book series Westward Sagas. 

Q: David, would you tell the readers of the blog and I a little bit about your Westward Sagas series?

A: The Westward Sagas is an award-winning series of novels. Each of the five books tell the story of an epic event in American History.  The first book Spring House begins a decade before the American Revolution. The latest book Sheriff of Starr County ends shortly after the Compromise of 1850. The next book will lead up to the civil war.

Q: Is it fair to say that you get inspiration for your characters and the places within your novels from real people you know and places you’ve been? I like when authors can use bits from real people and places to write a story. 

A: You are correct. My main characters are members of my great grandmother Elnora Van Cleves’ family. Elnora was the first child born in Austin, Texas after it was founded in 1839. My inspiration for the series comes from Elnora’s family Bible, her records, and letters. These documents helped me create the real life persona of my characters in the Westward Sagas. My dogs and I have traveled the trails that my ancestors took west from Chester County Pennsylvania to Tennessee, Alabama, and Texas. We camped in an RV on trails they camped on. We slept under the same sky and hiked the same trails they traveled. We took the Santa Fe Trail from Independence to Santa Fe twice. If I describe a scene in my story, know that I have been there.!

Q: What is your advice to anyone wanting to write a great series? 

A: Writing accurate historical fiction such as mine, takes a lifetime of research and travel. I think creating pure fiction would be much easier to write. An author can create their own characters without the intrusion of historical facts. I created characters that were not family. I found pleasure in creating fictional characters to carry the story along. From my experience I would advise anyone to write pure fiction instead of a family odyssey such as mine. Remember when you begin a series, your readers expect the author to produce the next work in a timely manner.

Q: Does Hollywood have the rights to your series? Hollywood is long overdue for creativity. 

A: I have the rights to the series. I additionally have a USPO registered trademark for “Westward Saga’s”. As the story is of my great grandmother Elnora’s family, I have a responsibility to her for the accuracy of the family story. 

Should someone wish to make a movie, mini-series, I would insist on an accurate portrayal of the characters and events. 

Q: Are you writing book 6 in Westward Sagas, a standalone novel, or the start of a new series?

A: Book 6 will be a continuation of the Westward Sagas. I have written all my novels as standalone books with no need to read in a certain order. There is enough back-story that a reader will understand the characters in each book. The series is about one family, six generations deep in the New World. Surviving the Battle of Guilford Courthouse fought on their farm. Their home was destroyed by the British. The books are written in chronicle order. Readers seem to enjoy reading the series in order.