As a public historian, part of me was sad to see them go because they provide opportunities for people like me to do historical interpretation. Second, I started writing the book around the time the first Confederate monuments were being taken down. The historical timeline of the Civil War ends in 1865, but its impact lasts far longer, as seen through my characters. Specifically, I wanted readers to understand that the effects of the war extend well beyond 1865. First, I wanted to write a story that helps people connect with history on an emotional level. The idea for Waking the Shadows came from two places. Everything that’s come after the completion of the first draft – the editing, publishing, selling a few copies – is just icing on the cake.
Really, my only goal when I started the project was to finish the book. I’ve started several, none of which went further than the first few chapters, aside from the book I wrote in 5th grade about a character named Detective Dominike (yes, that’s how I spelled “Dominic”). My hope is that Waking the Shadows points people towards the theme of the book – that knowing a sad or tragic history is better than knowing nothing at all. The idea for that title harkens back to a Halloween program I wrote while employed at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier. My wife Holly and I came up with the title, Waking the Shadows while on a walk. When I started writing the book, I didn’t think the target audience was young adults, but it was clear by the time I finished the final draft that I had written a coming-of-age story that worked for young adult and adult audiences.Ĭreating titles has always been my kryptonite, so it should come as no surprise that my original working title, “Finding Samantha,” was super lame. Samantha has all but resigned herself to the fact that she will never know what happened to her family, when a new schoolteacher, Miss Juliet Howe enters her life and pushes Samantha to discover the truth of her past. Samantha lives with her uncle, whose traumatic experiences of the war have left him unwilling to share any details about the life and death of Samantha’s father, whom she barely remembers. Waking the Shadows is the story of Samantha Cooper, a 15-year-old girl orphaned after the Civil War. Tell us about Waking the Shadows? Where does the title come from?