Special Feature: Author Interview with
Bonnie Ramthun

by Lesley L. Smith

Bonnie Ramthun is a Colorado mom, wife, and novelist. Her middle grade Torin Sinclair mystery series includes The White Gates, Roscoe, and Haunted Waters. The White Gates, published by Random House, was a Junior Library Guild Premiere selection and a finalist for the Missouri Truman Award. Her new middle-grade fantasy series features Ray Sebastian and his Colorado town of Centerville, the most dangerous place on earth. Bonnie is an associate editor of Electric Spec Magazine, a former chapter president of Mystery Writers of America, a member of the Pikes Peak Writers, and a former war gamer for the Department of Defense.

What inspired you to write The Centerville Chronicles?

Years ago, I'd just received word that my second middle-grade mystery in the Torin Sinclair series had been rejected by Random House. They never give an explanation why. I was crushed. I got in my car and drove around aimlessly, trying to think of what I could write next. I thought about how I lived in the most boring small town in America, and just like that, inspiration struck. What if this boring small town was actually the most dangerous place on Earth? And from that, Centerville was born.

More specifically, what is your middle-grade novel series The Centerville Chronicles about?

The Centerville Chronicles follows the adventures of Ray Sebastian, his new friend Clancy Jones, and Clancy's eccentric grandfather Doc as they try to save the world. Centerville is the one place where magic doesn't exist, so for thousands of years, people have stored their most dangerous artifacts in the caverns underneath the town. There's a prophecy that the upcoming summer solstice will unleash a magical catastrophe upon the world, starting in Centerville, unless Ray and his friends can stop it.

Tell us a little more about the first book in the series, The Turtle of Ultimate Power.

On the first day of seventh grade, twelve-year-old Ray Sebastian discovers his home town, Centerville, is the most dangerous place on Earth. Buried in caves underneath the town is a treasure-trove of ancient and powerful artifacts that were kept secret--until now.

Ray and Clancy Jones, the fearless new girl at school, uncover a magical stone turtle that gives them amazing power over others. Together with Clancy's eccentric grandfather, the three join forces to prevent the turtle from falling into the hands of a deadly sorcerer who wants the ultimate power for himself.

The combination of magic and seemingly-ordinary 7th grade, is really fun. Tell us more about your world.

When you write a magical series, the rules are incredibly important. The stone turtle in the first book gives Ray power over others, but it can't make him fly. Clancy, ever the rational girl, asks him to try to fly when they realize the turtle is magic. My critique group helped me build a set of rules for magic in this world and they were vital as I wrote the series.

There are some wonderful surprise cultural references in this series. What can you disclose about them?

I put the objects and places that I love the most in this series, and tried to be as respectful as possible when referencing beloved icons like Excalibur. There are many items that you might recognize. I was mesmerized by the Hope diamond at the Smithsonian during a visit there, and so I put the real, deadly magic diamond inside Centerville. (The one in the Smithsonian is a fake, of course.) I hope that readers will enjoy my references to known objects and stories.

Tell us about your protagonist, Ray. Why is he the hero of these story? Why do you think readers identify with him so strongly?

Ray is a kind, honest boy who answers the call to adventure in the Turtle of Ultimate Power. He doesn't think he's much of a hero, but he's going to try his best. Ray has a family, so he has to figure out how to keep his dad, mom, and annoying little sister in the dark during his adventures.

The audiobook versions of the Chronicles are fabulous: very dramatic and appealing; what can you reveal about them?

When I put the series up for audition on the Audible Creative Exchange, I received over thirty auditions. I was dazzled by the voice actors who wanted to read this series. I narrowed the choices down to three, and asked my family to listen to the finalists. The voice actor that won was G.M. Hakim, whose voice, pacing, and sense of humor are perfect for the series.

What do you want readers to get from these stories?

If I've done my job, my readers, of all ages, should be entertained, excited, and inspired.

Do you think our society/culture is more open to magical or fantastical elements now? Why or why not?

I think readers always enjoy a well written fantasy series. When life is good, fantasy is an entertaining break. When life is difficult, fantasy is an escape.

You achieved success as the author of the Eileen Reed Mystery series. Why write for middle-grade readers? Do they present any unique challenges?

I was inspired to write my first middle-grade book when my young son told me he didn't want to read about kids and magic, he wanted to read about a kid who was just ordinary. I wrote my snowboarding mystery, The White Gates, which is an adventure with no magic or fantasy elements. That series was a lot of fun to write. However, a few years later I found myself thinking about a series that had fantasy elements to it. My son has long since moved on to adult fiction, so I thought I'd give this new genre a try. And what an adventure this has been!

As a writer, who or what are your inspirations?

I love the work of J.K. Rowling, both her Harry Potter series and the Cormoran Strike mysteries. The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan is filled with adventure and a sense of humor too. I have loved C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia my entire life. I put a wardrobe in my Centerville series in one scene as an homage, because I've never passed a wardrobe without opening it and feeling all the way to the back. I haven't found Narnia yet, but I'm not going to miss a chance. You never know...

Do you have a writing support system? If so, who or what? Why is this important?

I'm in the Inklings critique group, which has been the greatest influence of my writing career. Critique groups may not be for all writers, but I have benefited from this one in many ways. I also have teachers in my family, and they are my beta readers. Nothing slips by the eagle eyes of English teachers.

Readers probably know you are an editor at Electric Spec. What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of short stories like those in Electric Spec?

I love reading short stories as an editor of Electric Spec. Finding a gem of a story and passing it up to the senior editors gives me a thrill. Having to turn down a story hurts my heart, because I'm a writer too, and I know the author poured their heart into their story. But like the rejection letter proposes, I hope the writer that I've had to turn down comes back with a new story that grabs me and doesn't let go.

You have a traditionally-published middle-grade novel, The White Gates, while The Centerville Chronicles is your first Indie-published series. What has this publishing journey been like?

I actually sold the Centerville Series to Grosset and Dunlap, a division of Random House, for a nice sum almost a decade ago. Then Random and Penguin publishing houses merged, my editor was canned, and my series was cancelled. That hurt, as you might imagine. But it turned out to be a great blessing. I decided to complete the series and release it independently, and I joined the Inklings critique group. The result has been the best writing of my life. My critique group picked out every flaw, rigorously demanded the best writing of me, and encouraged me every step of the way. My novel, The White Gates, went through the editing process at the biggest publishing house in the world, Random House, and I wish I'd had my Inklings group instead. They're better!

Is there anything else you like readers to know?

I'm grateful to every reader who picks up my books and gives them a try. Being a writer is a strange, wonderful adventure and the best reward is knowing that I've entertained someone with a story. Thank you.

Thank you, Bonnie. This has been super interesting!