My latest time travel novel was published in June 2021. And what is it about, you might wonder. Think 1844, Macau, and the South China Sea filled with pirates that hold bitter long-standing grudges. Here is the back-of-the-book description.

“A vengeful Chinese cult murders an innocent American with jincan, a deadly Ming Dynasty poison. CIA agent Jake Chou and San Francisco writer Zoe Madison must find the antidote before the Triad strikes again.

Zoe and Jake travel to modern-day Hong Kong in search of the remedy, only to stumble through a portal that leads them back in time to Macau 1844, a lawless opium-fueled world.

They seek the infamous pirate, Madame Ching, who once owned a painting that may hold the elusive antidote. But does she still have the scroll, or has she bartered it away?

As the search for an antidote leads Zoe and Jake through battles on land and sea, they are drawn nearer to each other. But will the feelings of love and passion survive a return to the present?

Action-packed and suspense-driven, Jincan Antidote is the latest time-travel novel by international best-selling author, Pamela B. Eglinski.”

In my fifth novel, Broken Portal in Rocky Mountain Park, my characters often look to the mountains for inspiration. But I create the characters and they reflect me.

While hiking in the Park last November I stumbled over some exposed roots, forcing me to catch myself and look down. What I saw took me by surprise: dry ribbons of golden grass entangled with brilliant blue berries. The sweet smell of juniper filled the air. I stopped to take a picture and admire the beauty that lay just beyond my feet. I wondered, had Jackson Pollack seen this? Was his art inspired by nature?

Every vista in the mountains is breath-taking, from the tops of the mountains to the trails that encircle them. I gazed around me, at my immediate surroundings. Just to my left, I discovered a partially frozen lake with rolling white mists skimming the surface. Winter was settling in and the park would soon hibernate. Like the lake, I froze in awe of the beauty all around me.

If you haven’t traveled to Rocky Mountain National Park, take time to do so. Any season will surprise you with its glory. Winter is harsh, quiet, white, solitary, and cold. Summer buzzes with activity–insects, birds, plants, beavers, wolves, bear, and elk. Visit in September when the aspen rain gold on the forest below. And most of all, go the the Park in the springtime when new growth pops through the brown tired grass, newly hatched birds stretch their necks toward mothers’ beaks, and the rustle of fresh green leaves fills your heart and soul.

When you hike in the mountains, or in any of the national parks, do you feel inspired or calmed by the beauty?

Clio is the Greek muse of history. She is often seen with a set of tablets. Here, she is pictured reading from a parchment scroll.

I write historical fiction–with a twist. I often alter history, not merely by introducing fictional characters into the past to interact with real people, but also by changing history.

Because I studied and taught history and art history, it was natural that Clio should be my muse. (I do hope she forgives me for not always telling the truth.) Fact or fiction, she inspire me throughout the writing of my Catalina & Bonhomme novels, and even more so in my time travel series.

Research enables the planning and preparation for each novel I write. There are times when I could just go on researching and never stop to write–but what fun would that be? I love research, but I love to spin a good tale. Altered history is an ideal genre for me.

I’ve often heard authors declare, “My book just wrote itself.” I contend, as my mother used to say, that this is pure hogwash. Without the writer’s imagination, inspiration gathered from history, and the author’s ability to tell a good story, there is no novel. Believe me, the author is in control. History is simply a guide–and a wondrous guide it is.

As you read my novels and novellas, I hope you’ll come to realize why I owe so much to Clio. She will forever be my inspiratiion and my muse. She is there for you too, you only need to seek her out.

Note: A much longer version of Clio is my Muse was initially posted on Theresa Hupp’s website. You may find the long version on  https://www.theresahuppauthor.com/blog/2012/08/08/clio-is-my-muse-by-pamela-boles-eglinski/

Altrusa is an international non-profit organization, which supports literacy worldwide. The Lawrence, Kansas chapter invited me to speak at its annual fundraiser, Authors and Appetizers in February 2018. Members typically select an independent author as the speaker, and I was thrilled to be asked. 

The silent auction that accompanies the author’s presentation generates funds for student scholarships, books for newborns (that parents read to infants), and literacy programs in our public schools. It is a noble mission and one that authors should embrace.

When asked to participate, I also chose to support the organization by contributing to the auction. I filled a large basket with my books and offered “An Evening with the Author”–a French salon style reading and discussion. The top bidder for the salon was a housemother for one of the sororities on the University of Kansas campus. The date is yet to be set, but I know I will enjoy myself, and I’m hoping the housemothers will too!

I encourage all authors, who are close to the written word, to find ways to engage in their communities, especially those organizations that focus on reading and literacy.  And for those who are readers but not writers, I challenge you to interact with elementary schools, high schools, and your community at large to spread the word about “the written word.”

What ways have you found to interact with your community, or put another way what organizations would you like to engage in with regard to reading, writing, and literacy?