Ellen Kingman Fisher is a longtime Colorado resident specializing in historical novels. She has a PhD in history from the University of Colorado Boulder, and is a former chair of the Colorado Historical Society. Fisher is the author of “Hill’s Gold,” “The Price of a Contract” and “The Ring of a Bell.”
SunLit: Tell us this book’s backstory – what’s it about and what inspired you to write it?
Ellen Kingman Fisher: The protagonist of my first book, “Hill’s Gold,” was Nathaniel Hill, who came to Colorado from Brown University in the 1860s to assess Colorado’s mining. He eventually became one of Colorado’s first U.S. Senators. He appears in each of my first three books, but only once as the main character.
UNDERWRITTEN BY
Each week, The Colorado Sun and Colorado Humanities & Center For The Book feature an excerpt from a Colorado book and an interview with the author. Explore the SunLit archives at coloradosun.com/sunlit.
The protagonist of my second book, “The Price of a Contract,” is Kate Sinclair (Hill’s wife’s best friend), an intrepid woman who takes one of the first transcontinental trains across the country. The protagonist in my third book, “The Ring of a Bell,” is a teenage boy raised by a single mother; he knew little about his father.
SunLit: Place the excerpt you selected in context. How does it fit into the book as a whole, and why did you select it?
Fisher: My protagonist, Herb, grows up with many challenges and unknowns. As he attempts to shape his future, his past reveals itself in bits and pieces. The excerpt shows how the past influences his life — something true for everyone, though every situation is unique.
SunLit: What influences and/or experiences informed the project before you sat down to write?
Fisher: I like to teach history through fiction — stories are the best way to learn and remember history. I’m also interested in technology and entrepreneurs. My stories are always about people, but technology plays a role. I also like secrets.
SunLit: What did the process of writing this book add to your knowledge and understanding of your craft and/or the subject matter?
“The Ring of a Bell”
>> Read an excerpt
Where to find it:
- Prospector: Search the combined catalogs of 23 Colorado libraries
- Libby: E-books and audio books
- NewPages Guide: List of Colorado independent bookstores
- Bookshop.org: Searchable database of bookstores nationwide
SunLit present new excerpts from some of the best Colorado authors that not only spin engaging narratives but also illuminate who we are as a community. Read more.
Fisher: I wanted to challenge myself to write from the perspectives of a man, a woman, and a teenager. Each required different nuances of the craft of writing. I also had to delve deeply into the time period and various technologies.
SunLit: What were the biggest challenges you faced in writing this book?
Fisher: Making a story from historical chronology. Non-fiction would have been easier.
SunLit: What do you want readers to take from this book?
Fisher: The effect of keeping secrets on ourselves and others . . . and also the amazing ways technology changes our lives.
SunLit: Does the term “Don’t fail” ring true, or is it bad advice? In what ways does the book disprove that statement?
Fisher: “The Ring of a Bell” has many stories: a teenage boy in the 1870s, a single mother in a time when women had little power, and inventors like Alexander Graham Bell. Success did not come for any of them without previous, sometimes painful failures. It’s a lesson for life.
SunLit: Tell us about your next project.
Fisher: Edwin James, who came to Colorado as a young doctor, botanist, and geologist with the 1820 Stephen Long expedition. He discovered the columbine and was the first recorded man to climb Pikes Peak — and that’s just the beginning of his story.
A few more quick items
Currently on your nightstand for recreational reading: “Skylark,” Paula McLain’s new historical novel that will be released soon. So far, my favorite book ever.
First book you remember really making an impression on you as a kid: “The Scarlet Letter.” It took me a decade or more to understand it.
Best writing advice you’ve ever received: As you sit down to write, read something beautifully written — it’s like doing calisthenics before a sports activity.
Favorite fictional literary character: Anna Karenina
Literary guilty pleasure (title or genre): None — I have a big stack of meaningful books on my nightstand, I’m eager (desperate?) to have the time to read.
Digital, print, or audio – favorite medium to consume literature: I switch between print and electronic, but I also like audiobooks when I do my daily 10,000 steps.
One book you’ve read multiple times: “Angle of Repose.”
Other than writing utensils, one thing you must have within reach when you write: A small notebook to jot down ideas, things not to forget, or historical data (I’m a historical novelist, after all.)
Best antidote for writer’s block: Start writing anything — it may be discarded, but it’s something on the page and may start new ideas.
Most valuable beta reader: My grandson, Hadley Fisher, although studying engineering, he read “The Ring of a Bell” when he was the same age as my protagonist, and gave me valuable insights into teenage boys.