Q&A with Tim Piper

 

 

 

Tim Piper is the author of the new novel The Northern Pacific Railroad, the third in his Jubilee Walker series. He retired from an IT career, and he lives in Bloomington, Illinois.

 

Q: What inspired the plot of your new Jubilee Walker novel?

 

A: As I was doing research for The Yellowstone Campaign, book two in my series, I learned of financier Jay Cooke’s interest in Yellowstone. Cooke helped sponsor the 1870 Washburn Expedition and gets a mention in my book.

 

He intended to use Yellowstone as a means to build public support for his plan to build a second transcontinental railroad, The Northern Pacific. He believed that tourists would flock to see the area—Wonderland, as he promoted it—and his railroad would take them to its doorstep.

 

The story of how Cooke’s plans played out deserved its own book, and book three in my series, The Northern Pacific Railroad, was born.

 

Q: How did you research the book, and what did you learn that especially surprised you?

 

A: I read several books about Cooke, his plans, and his financial empire. Also, journals, reports, and other historical accounts of the railroad surveys through Sioux hunting grounds. Newspaper archives provided insight into how these events were portrayed to the public.

 

Writing the book, I was not so much surprised as reminded of how major events are impacted by a change in public perception and opinion, despite the facts of the matter. This remains true today.

Q: How has your character Jubil evolved in this latest novel?

 

A: Jubil is much more confident of his place in the major events that life is leading him into. He has earned the friendship and respect of powerful people by proving he can be counted on. His business is on solid ground, he is engaged to be married, and he is ready for his next challenge.

 

When it arrives, in the form of a partnership offer from Jay Cooke, Jubil faces the risk of his confidence becoming overconfidence.

 

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?

 

A: Most of all, I hope they enjoy the experience of living vicariously through an exciting period in history, and learning something about it in the process.

 

I mentioned public perception and opinion previously. If there is a broader take to be had from the book, it might be in regard to the power of that, and its ability to shift regardless of facts. The consequences of that have been monumental throughout history, and we would do well to learn from that today.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: The fourth book in the series, The Montana Gold Mine, is underway and hopefully nearing the end of the editing and revision process. No date has been set for publication, but I expect it to be released late this year or early next year.

 

This will be the final episode for this era in the Jubilee Walker series. I may bring the characters back someday, in some future historical period, but nothing is currently planned.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: After I wrap up Jubil’s adventures, I’m planning a novel set in the 1960s. This one will be fun. Stay tuned.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Tim Piper.