Elizabeth Egerton Wilder’s award winning debut novel, "The Spruce Gum Box," began with her fascination in Maine’s Aroostook River and it’s early pioneers, and evolved over several years through research and daydreaming. While she mused, characters and story lines began to flourish and take on lives of their own. As she puts it, “I knew how the story would start and how it would end, but had no idea what would happen in between.”
Her second novel of Maine historical fiction, "Granite Hearts," builds on the families introduced in her first story. Her inspiration, the construction of Fort Knox along the Penobscot River near Bangor, Maine in the mid 1800's ending with the outcome of the American Civil War.
Throughout the writing process, the author drew upon stories and people from her childhood, research on her husband's family in northern Maine along with her varied background in a number of artistic endeavors. She has a BA in Art and Education and has worked as a teacher, designer, colorist, small business owner, photographer and watercolor artist. She is also a published poet and believes that bits and pieces of it all, combined with raising her family and her inate appreciation of nature, were all the ingredients needed to fulfill her lifelong goal of writing a book. At seventy-two years young, she achieved her goal in 2010, followed by the sequel on her 74th in 2012.
The final book in this trilogy of Maine historical fiction is in process. Beneath Mackerel Skies should launch late Fall 2013.
Native of New England, Elizabeth (Betty) now lives in Eastern PA with Cal, her husband of over 53 years, and her cat Smokey.
Please Follow Betty on Twitter @eewilder
member of: The Independent Author Network
