Author Interview for Chronicle of the Mound Builders

I often get asked by my readers what inspired me to write my adventure novel, Chronicle of the Mound Builders. So here's an "interview" with some of my most frequently asked questions:

Q. What gave you the idea to write a book about the mystery of the Mississippians' disappearance?
A. The original idea came from a newspaper article about an archaeological dig in my hometown of Chesterfield. Evidence of the long-lost civilization of the Mound Builders was found there, which piqued my curiosity.

Q. How much of the story is true?
A. I've tried to provide accurate information about the culture and lifestyles of both the Aztecs and the Mound Builders through careful research. The Chesterfield Valley dig site, known as the Dampier Dig, is real, but many of the artifacts described in the book are invented. Although numerous ancient Native American settlements have been unearthed in Chesterfield, the Chesterfield Indian Affairs department is fictional.

Q. How did you learn about archaeology?
A. Dr. Meredith Hawkins of Archaeological Research Center of St. Louis graciously showed me around the Dampier Dig site and provided basic instruction on archaeology.

Q. What genre is Chronicle?
A. It's hard to categorize. I'd say it's mostly adventure, but there are elements of mystery and romance, as well as historical fiction.

Q. How did you develop the premise?
A. My husband Doug, to whom I dedicated the book, brainstormed ideas and plotlines with me. My daughter Vicki also had great suggestions. Our combined creativity resulted in the basic outline. We had a great time doing it, too!

Q. Does this book target women readers specifically?
A. Absolutely not. I hope it will appeal to anyone who enjoys a good story with a few surprises.

Q. What was the writing process like?
A. Writing is a part-time hobby for me, so I tried to fit it in on weekends and evenings. It took about 6 months to develop a workable outline, and another 2 years to complete the writing.

Q. Who was your editor?
A. Vicki Lesage edited Chronicle of the Mound Builders. It has been a real pleasure to work with her. She also edited my first book, Living the Thin Life, written under the pen name Elle Meyer.

Q. Where is Chronicle available?
A. You can order it online through Amazon. It is also available as an ebook for Kindle through Amazon or through the Kindle app on the iPad.

Q. What 4 words would you use to describe your book?
A. Exciting, mystery, adventure, fun!

Q. What are some of your favorite books?
A. I love all the Dan Brown books, especially the Da Vinci Code, the Hunger Games trilogy, Aztec by Gary Jennings, Game of Thrones, Fall of Giants, and many more. I love to read.

Q. Will Angela Hunter, your main character, go on any more archaeological adventures?
A. Time willing! I have 2 more books in the works in the Hunter Archaeology series, which will also be adventure novels.

Dig Deeper

Unearth the fascinating world of Chronicle of the Mound Builders, from ancient Aztec society to the Cahokia Mound Builders to modern-day archaeology.

Chronicle of the Mound Builders: On Location

Cahokia Mounds
Zempoala
Gateway Arch
Faust Park
Chesterfield City Hall
Chesterfield
Chesterfield Valley Dampier Dig
Artifacts from Dampier Dig
Tavern Rock Cave and more Tavern Rock Cave
Delmar Loop

Aztec and Mississippian Culture

Aztec Pictographs and more Aztec Pictographs
Aztec Drums
Mississippian Indians and more Mississippian Indians
Tlachtli
Chunkey

What's Inside?

Curious about Chronicle of the Mound Builders? Here are a few excerpts...

From Chapter 13
...Troy returned to his spot and knelt on the damp earth, unconcerned about the mud caking on his knees. He whistled tunelessly to himself as he filled the bucket again and again.

He dug his spade into the ground. This time it hit something solid.

What's this? he thought, his heart beating a little faster. Carefully digging around the area, he uncovered the jagged edge of a hard object.

"Hey, guys!" he called excitedly. "I think I hit the jackpot!"

Carl and Nancy rushed over to see what Troy had uncovered. They watched as he patiently removed the soil around the object, gradually revealing it.

From Chapter 2
...Chipahua waited until the hall emptied, then made his way to the city center where all the temples stood. He entered the Temple of Quetzalcóatl. Ichtaca's words troubled him. It was not the first time they had exchanged angry words. I know the gods require human blood. It is necessary to bring balance to the world. I just do not believe they need the blood of people forced to die before their time.

Inside the temple, Chipahua stood before the statue of Quetzalcóatl, the feathered serpent god. He reached in the folds of his tilma for a small ball of twisted grass. From it protruded several spines from a maguey plant. He withdrew one and raised it high to the statue. "O great Quetzalcóatl, wise creator of all life, please accept my humble sacrifice," he prayed. He quickly stabbed the sharp spine into his elbow, which began to bleed copiously. He pierced his knee and again drew blood. It is my privilege and responsibility as a noble to give blood to appease the gods. This will satisfy them more than sacrificing a desperate man.

From Chapter 53
...Franklin stood in the center of the small cavern and turned in a circle, as if trying to catch a scent. He headed for the back of the room to a pile of rubble. The rest of the group followed.

"What's this?" asked Troy.

"It looks like maybe there was another opening here, but it's filled up with rocks and pebbles," suggested Angela. Franklin began grabbing handfuls of pebbles and tossing them aside. The others joined in, pulling away the larger rocks to reveal a slit in the wall.

Nancy groaned. "Not another room!"

They continued to clear the opening until it was just big enough to squeeze through. Franklin went in first.
As each of the archaeologists broke through the opening, they focused on an object on the floor.

Nancy's eyes opened wide. "Is that what I think it is?"

Interested in Chronicle of the Mound Builders? Pick up your copy today!

Reviews for Chronicle of the Mound Builders

It's always nice to hear what people think of my work. Here are some reviews for Chronicle of the Mound Builders:

Kudos for an Entertaining Book
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing is tight and the story is well constructed. The story consists of two story lines -- the first being the story of an Aztec father and son who are forced to flee their home, and the second being the story of a modern day archeology team that discovers a well-preserved jar containing a codex depicting the ancient story. The codex is sought by others, hoping it will lead to a talisman with supernatural power. Both stories draw the reader in and make you eager to find out what happens."

Awesome and Fresh Read
"I loved this book. It is a new concept on history facts and was a wonderful read. Kept my interest for the whole book. I live in St Louis and loved that it was incorporated into the book. Also learned some new facts about St Louis history. I would recommend this to people who love history with a new twist. Very well written and you can tell research was done."

I LOVE IT!!!!!
"I just finished the Chronicle and really loved the story. Fascinating! I liked the back and forth in time with each chapter. It was definitely my kind of story line. When does the movie come out?"

Read more reviews at Amazon.com (average 4.5 stars) and goodreads.com (average 4 stars).

Reviews for Living the Thin Life

I put a lot of time into writing Living the Thin Life, with the hopes that it would help my readers lose weight and then maintain that healthy weight for life. So I love hearing their reviews of my book and their success stories!

Entertaining and Informative
"This little book is designed for REAL people. Easy to read, entertaining, informative - a departure from the "one-size-fits-all" mentality of most diet books, it offers practical solutions that can be adapted to any lifestyle. I especially enjoyed the chapter on eating personality - it really helped me figure out the best diet plan for me. If you're frustrated with complicated diets, punishing exercise routines, and lack of motivation, this book's for you!"

Handy Reference Plus Recipes
"What I really loved about this book is that the author is not a professional nutritionist or fitness instructor. Elle Meyer is a woman who has figured out how to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle and is sharing her tips and tricks in this book. There are also a lot of recipes at the end of the book, that I can't wait to try out. This book is a easy read with loads of great information and I feel like this will be a handy reference for the rest of my life."

I Am Lion - Hear Me Roar!
"I am always trying to eat less, exercise more - something. So I loved the tips that this book and website have. The recipes and downloadable forms are great to help keep you on track - if nothing else to make you think about what you are eating. And I loved finding out my eating personality.....apparently I am a lion...roaaar! Which means I need a high protein low carb diet plan. Interesting! Which one are you?"

Check out more reviews on Amazon!

Author Interview for Living the Thin Life

Want to learn a bit more about Living the Thin Life? Check out this interview, conducted by my daughter, Vicki Lesage:

 

Have any more questions about Living the Thin Life? Ask in the comments!

Say What?

Got your tongue in a twist from trying to pronounce the Aztec and Mississipian characters' names in Chronicle of the Mound Builders? You're not alone! While these names are typical of the time period, they can be hard for modern speakers to pronounce. Listen to the audio samples to get an idea of what the Chronicle world sounded like.

Aztec Characters

Chipahua			Tototl
Nenetl			Ituha
Ichtaca			Milintica
Xipilli			Itztli

Native American Characters

Kaga			Gawonii
Midanga			Mina
Habatu			Nonnunge

Gods

Quetzalcóatl			Huitzilopochtli
Mictecacihuatl			Kwan'wala

Places

Zempoala			Tizaapan
Mexìcâ			Acólhua
Migaduha			Hiwaziki