(I mean, he’s not totally off base, is he?) I include that tidbit in The Forbidden Lock, and even use one of his poems called A Riddle as the epigraph of this book, as well as in the story. He wanted to be a poet, and actually wrote some pretty darn good poetry, but his father convinced him it wasn’t a practical profession. For instance, most people know Alfred Nobel as the famous chemist who invented dynamite who then left most of his fortune to found the Nobel prizes, but a lot of people don’t know that his first love was literature. I also love to learn the unusual, lesser-known details of their lives. I want to know about people and places from long ago, how they lived, what they wanted and felt, how they’re different for me, how they’re the same.

Yes! For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by the past, especially when it’s presented as a great story. Have you always been interested in history?

Our hero Matt finds himself increasingly alone, wondering if he’ll be able to hold on to his family, his friends, or even himself. Time periods are crashing into each other, dinosaurs have taken over Central Park, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art is overtaken by the very historical figures it features. The world literally starts to fall apart. Captain Vincent plans to make his perfect world, and it doesn’t include the Hudsons. Captain Vincent has gained the power to change events in time, and with the help of famous chemist Alfred Nobel, he can even erase a person’s entire existence. The Hudsons are in a race for time itself. The third and final book of the Time Castaways trilogy! Without giving away too much about Books 1 and 2, The Forbidden Lock continues the saga of the Hudson family and their feud with Captain Vincent and his crew of time pirates. I love my house plants, fuzzy socks, and afternoon tea with friends.Īll right - onto the new book, THE FORBIDDEN LOCK, the third book in your Time Castaways series! Can you tell us what this installment of the series is all about?

My writing style usually includes quirky characters, fast-paced plots, fantastic world building, and lots of magic.

I have a series of humorous fairytale retellings called the Fairly True Tales series and then the Time Castaways series, which is a family time travel adventure. Hi there, Liesl! Thank you so much for stopping by the MG Book Village to talk about your new book and reveal its cover. But before we get to that, since this is your first time at the Village, would you care to tell our readers a bit about yourself and your work?

Liesl shurtliff books