November 14, 2012
Sisters Lynda Wilkerson McCroskery and Terry Wilkerson Heintz are thrilled to introduce their first of at least a trilogy of books about Guam, an American territory in the Mariana Islands chain. This book came to be even though McCroskery lives in Tipton and Heintz lives in Arizona. The use of computers and especially Google Drive allowed them to write their long distance story of living on Guam in the 1960's when their dad, Bill Wilkerson, served in the U.S. Air Force at Andersen Air Force Base. Whenever possible McCroskery would fly to Arizona and spend three weeks with her sister as they planned a detailed outline for their story which actually reflected their own "ordinary" life as an Air Force family on Guam. Once yearly Heintz also traveled. During her vacation, she came east to work with her sister. The sisters decided which chapter each would write and then when they get together, they complete the transitions from one chapter to another.
Not only was this book, Mystery of the Cave, written from a long distance, but it also reflected how very, very far away from the Midwest this island was. When the Bill and Joan Wilkerson family flew from California, it was a 36 hour flight with layovers for fuel in Hawaii and Wake Island.
McCroskery and Heintz weave their story using legends from Guam along with their personal experiences. Legend said children were never to go into the jungle because there were wild boars and because there still might be Japanese soldiers who hid in the jungles and the many island caves following World War II. (Guam was invaded one day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7). Actually, the final Japanese soldier came out of the jungle in 1972.
In the story, two sisters ten-year-old JoEllyn Wilks and eight-year-old Susan dare to enter the dark, mysterious jungle. They are accompanied by their friends, Mike and Ryan. Bats, voracious mosquito swarms and flying cockroaches terrorize them, but that is just the beginning of history and mystery.
The sister authors delight in writing historical fiction filled with mystery. Their series of novels are aimed at eight to 13 year-olds. Their second novel, The Darkened Light, is due out next year. It is based on George Tweed, a U.S. Navy radioman who ran into the jungle to escape the invading Japanese and ended up moving from place and hiding in the jungle with the help of the Chamorros (natives of Guam) for (many) months during WWII ... The third novel, as yet, is untitled.
McCroskery will be personalizing (autographed copies) of Mystery of the Cave during a book signing from noon until 4 p.m. Friday at Memory Lane Antiques in the Side Street Mall. She calls the book "a perfect gift for children ages 8-13." Price of the book is $10.70 (checks or cash only). More information may be found at whambooks.blogspot.com.
Mystery of the Cave can be ordered directly from us at: whammysteries@gmail.com or through www.createspace.com/4008187
Great article - thanks Lou Ann!!
ReplyDeleteGLMcC