BookLife Talks with Michael Ross

A sponsored Q&A with the author of 'The Clouds of War'

A personal connection sparked Ross’s first book in the Across the Great Divide series, The Clouds of War. The book follows a number of people before and during the Civil War as they fight for what they believe in.

Can you talk about your personal connection to the book?

I knew the main character’s granddaughter when I was a child and was fascinated with the story of the man who helped found the town where I was born, Lubbock, Texas.

Your main character is a historical figure. To what extent did you draw from real life, and how much responsibility do you feel to reimagine or change characters that are based on real people?

I followed the known facts of Will Crump’s story, but no one knows much about his actual personality. I contacted a great grandniece of his, but she says the family knows little about him. I based his character mainly on his granddaughter’s stories and on what I could find in historical documents.

How did you ensure historical authenticity?

I did extensive research on John Hunt Morgan, the Underground Railroad, and slavery in Kentucky.

Why did you choose to write for children?

History is often taught in a dry, inaccessible manner. Making history into a story that children can understand will engage future generations.

What are you working on now?

I am working on book two in the series, tentatively titled The Search, and on a stand-alone novel about a Civil War nurse.