Interview with Kirsten Sheley - Author of Partners in Time #4: Family Matters.
Interviewed by Paul Dale Roberts, President of Jazma Online!

Question: Tell us something about yourself, schools you attended, your work,
your family life.

I grew up in Beaverton, Oregon, which is a suburb of Portland. I was the oldest in my family -- my brother was born almost two years after me. I was a spitfire when I was a kid and into a lot of mischief. My wild imagination was to blame for some of this. If I did poorly in school, it was due to daydreaming or reading books under the desk. If I was in trouble for something else, it was for persuading my “partner in crime,” my best childhood friend, into doing something that gave our parents grey hair. I was the kid that parents hated their children to befriend because of this, and I know for a fact many people (including my parents) were surprised by what came of me when I grew up.

I read a lot as a kid, and when I was nine I started to write stories for fun. This earned me the scorn of my peers, who thought I was “weird” for reading and writing during free time and recess. I was teased a lot and only had a couple friends at that time.

In high school, I opted to attend the Arts & Communications High School, which was a magnet arts h.s. for kids with interests in creative and written arts. I loved it there, and for the first time in my life felt accepted by my peers. I also whizzed through every possible creative writing class at least once. I was a member of the publications staff and national honor society, so I was probably a bit of a geek. Many of my h.s. friends are still in touch to this day.

After h.s., I attended the University of Oregon in Eugene for the Journalism program. I earned a B.S. in magazine journalism, and after a “year off,” I went into the Masters of Arts in Teaching program at Pacific University (in Forest Grove, Ore.) to become a high school English teacher. After graduation in May 2003, I got a job in California and uprooted my life 600 miles. Currently, I’m wrapping up my fifth year as a high school English teacher.

In spite of the distance, I do have a close immediate family. My parents have been married (to each other!) for more than 35 years. They still live in Oregon. My brother is a captain in the Air Force and married a fellow captain last summer. The two of them are currently stationed in the U.K., so I am lucky if I see him once a year now.

Question: How did you become a sci fi writer?

I fell into it. I knew by the time I was about eighteen that I was going to write in the young adult genre. I love teenagers and teenage characters, that whole phase of life, and noticed all my stories involved teenaged characters. (Even the ones I wrote when I was nine!)

I always loved reading and writing stories with a kind of “what if?” premise, where the extraordinary would happen to an average person. I chafed (and still do) at being labeled a SF writer, though. I suppose because I have time travel in my series, it’s an apt classification, but I always felt my stories were “multi-genre,” blending aspects of different genres together. My dad is a big SF fan and always tried to get me into that, so I think he’s quite pleased that my books are considered to be part of that genre. A friend of mine called me a “closet” SF fan, which I think is probably fairly accurate. Many of my favorite books would fall into that SF genre.

I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of time travel, though, and around age fifteen came up with the idea for the PIT series. I actually started the first novel as a high school freshman...and completed it as a college senior!

Question: What books have you published in the past?

So far, just the four books in the Partners in Time (PIT) series. I’ve had “stand alone” novel ideas, but I haven’t attempted to write those yet. I have to feel passion and a compulsion to tell a story. I essentially write a story for me. Someday, I’m sure, I’ll probably do an post-apocalyptic novel I’ve had kicking around in the back of my head, or maybe do what I’ve jokingly referred to as the Great High School Coming of Age book. But for now, I’m completely immersed in the PIT series.

Question: What new book do you have coming out on the market?

Partners in Time $4: Family Matters. It is the fourth book tracking the adventures of Sam Foster and Meg Clayton, and their tangles in time traveling.

Question: Brief us about the story.

The synopsis sums it pretty well: When Sam Foster finds out that his mother is going to get remarried, his first reaction is shock. His next reaction is to take his time machine and go back in time to prevent his parents from ever divorcing in the first place.

With his friend Meg Clayton by his side once again, he sets off to rearrange his family history...but it soon becomes apparent that repairing a fractured relationship is extremely complicated. Each time a change is made, it results in a present that is nothing like Sam ever dreamed...or desired.

Will he and Meg be able to fix his family? If they can’t, will Sam ever be able to return home again?

Question: Who are some of the main characters?

Sam Foster and Meg Clayton are the two big ones. Sam is a 15-year-old from the present (well, 2005) who creates a time machine. He’s really into history, a bit of a control freak, and bright in the book-smart sense. Meg is also 15, but she’s from 1850, so obviously she’s not your typical contemporary teenage girl. She’s more mature, more insightful with people, yet also quite stubborn and outspoken.

When I created these characters originally, at the age of 15 myself, I saw Sam as the “perfect guy” for me and Meg as who I wanted to be. Both of the characters have elements of me in them, but none are wholly lifted from myself or any real person in my life. Sam’s intelligence has been sort of challenging at times, since I am not super smart in the areas of science. Fortunately, I have very bright friends who have helped me out from time to time. And Meg is much less “wussy” than I would be with many, many things.

Question: How can we purchase this book?

Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble’s websites will both have them in the upcoming weeks. You can order them from the local bookstore if they’re not carried, or from the publisher (www.iUniverse.com) at: http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0-595-51850-8[/URL] .

Question: How can people contact you?

Generally my e-mail is pretty good: “kristensheley@aol.com”. I do try to write back when I have someone e-mail me about the books. I did actually get my first real written fan letter this past year, which a reader mailed to the publisher and they forwarded to me. That was really neat!

Question: What is your website address?

The one for the series is: http://www.kristensheley.com/pitseries[/URL]

Question: What do you have planned in the future?

About ten more books in this series will pretty much tell everything I want to tell about these characters and their adventures. In the immediate future is finishing the outline for the fifth book and starting that book sometime this summer.

Question: How did you become a paranormal investigator for H.P.I. (Haunted and
Paranormal International) www.hpiparanormal.net?[/URL]

I have always been fascinated by the unexplained from as long as I can remember. Ghost stories, especially, intrigued me. As a kid, I would often check out all the non-fiction books about ghosts, enough that my mom got nervous I might get into the occult.

I became a fan of the Sci-Fi series “Ghosthunters” and, thinking about how I didn’t know many people down here (in Sacramento), I thought I’d see if they had any local clubs in that vein. This was probably October 2004 or 2005. So I did some digging and stumbled across the organization on MeetUp. At the time, the group was run by a different person, Mike. I think Shannon, John, and I were the only three to show up at the first meeting, and definitely showed up consistently. It really took off after Mike stepped down and Shannon took over.

Question: If you had 6 dinner guests at your table, 3 fictional, 3 real, who
would they be and why?

For real people, I think I’d have to pick: Michael J. Fox, Bob Gale (the writer/producer of the BTTF films), and author Christopher Pike. I have admired Michael J. Fox for a very long time, and I feel like if I met him, I could die happy. I would love to pick the brains of Bob Gale and Christopher Pike about their writing. Bob Gale created my favorite fictional world, and Christopher Pike has been a favorite author of mine since I was 10, and definitely influenced my own writing. Both of them seem to write a lot of multi-genre stuff, too.

For fictional, Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and Sam Beckett (from “Quantum Leap”). I think it’s probably fairly obvious with Marty McFly and Doc Brown -- they are, hands down, my favorite characters ever. Sam Beckett would be fun to meet because he’s also a time traveler, and he seems like a cool guy.

Rereading these answers, I think one can conclude I’m really a geek!

Question: What are your hobbies and recreational activities?

Beyond writing and ghost chasing, I’m a huge history buff. I also like reading, exercising, shopping, road trips, and spending time with my friends and family.

Question: What books do you read?

I used to read books based on the plot synopsis I’d see on the back. Then I got into horror novels as a teenager and read books based on who was the author. Christopher Pike is still a favorite of mine. I then moved into Stephen King and Dean Koontz territory. But now I’m back to reading based more on a plot or premise than anything else. And I go through phases. For a while, I read all the time travel books I could get my hands on. Another time, it was post-apocalyptic fiction. Right now I’m reading a lot of non-fiction books about pirates to prepare for my next book.

Question: What cartoons/TV shows do you watch?

“Family Guy” and “American Dad” are favorites. I also like “Ghost hunters,” “ER” and “Reaper” right now. And I’m slowly rewatching all the episodes of “Quantum Leap” on DVD!

Question: Last question - any words of wisdom for the readers?

I always loved the quote attributed to Doc Brown in the BTTF films: “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.” I find that to be true. If you want something, do it. Stop talking about “someday” and put your money where your mouth is! Try your best to achieve because, let’s face it, life is short. No one seems to regret action; they regret inaction.