The confines of time are breached in James L. Tracy’s debut book, “The Time Opener: 1692.” Within its pages, two 17th-century frontiersmen, Aaron and Cyrus, happen upon a strange device while traveling to Salem, Massachusetts. They accidentally release its power. In a different time plane, Dr. Troy Duncan and his modern-day team of adventurers have misplaced their invention, the Time Opener. When they attempt to track it down, the scientists are thrust into the world of 1692 and accused of practicing witchcraft. How the characters and time periods intersect fill this historical science-fiction novel.
A book signing is set for Saturday at Coffee House on 5th, 111 Fifth St. N. in downtown Columbus, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Writing is not what Tracy initially set out to do. The graduate student in nuclear physics remembers being no fan of English or writing back in high school.
“But then I decided, let’s see what happens if I treat this like it’s one of my favorite classes.” The eventual result is this time travel adventure for adults and teens, a fictional romp that uncovers parallels in communities that existed centuries apart.
Tracy, a Columbus resident pursuing his doctorate at Mississippi State University, researched the Salem Trials, the magistrates and major participants for the book.
“The 1692 characters are all very true to what we know about the people involved,” he said.
The husband and father of four girls, ages 2 to 12, found the plot interlacing at points with his field of study — physics.
“I took a few moments and let the scientists get carried away before I reined them back in,” he remarked.
Tracy’s advice to anyone aspiring to pen a book, short story or poem is, “Write it down. Get it on paper. You can always go back and fix it, or be satisfied with it as is.” He also recommends joining a writing group. He participates in one that meets regularly at the Columbus Arts Council’s Rosenzweig Arts Center.
“You can bounce ideas off each other, test read parts of your story and hear other people’s approach to things,” he said.
Tracy took second place in the Dothan (Alabama) Magazine’s writing contest in 2012 and has also authored a Halloween story for MSU fans called “The Red Fog of 1935.” Read it for free at redfogof1935.weebly.com.
Tracy is also a cartoonist and will draw sketches at no charge during Saturday’s signing.
“The Time Opener: 1692” will be available for $16.92 at the event, or find it at amazon or Tate Publishing’s site, tatepublishing.com.
Tracy will hold another book signing at the Book Mart & Cafe in Starkville Oct. 15. Read more about the novel at thetimeopener.com and follow it on Facebook.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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