JOHN NORTON

John Norton is a Maine native. "Maine has long winters," Norton said in a recent interview. "Those long winters breed storytellers. The stories often stray from the truth, but most good tales do."

As a scientist and executive, Norton was not able to exercise his storytelling. "There is little room for these tales on balance sheets and progress reports," he quipped.

Norton spent a decade on the antique show circuit, "Here I had unlimited opportunities to yarn and tell tall tales," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "And I took full advantage."

John has two granddaughters who live in Colorado. He lives on the East Coast. Eva, at 8 years old, was enjoying chapter books. "Perhaps I can write down one of my tales," Norton thought, "And use this as a way to stay connected to the girls." And so it happened. "The Adventures of Eva and Buckskin Charlie" started as one book and ended as six. The books are set in the early 1870's in the front range of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

In Book 1, "Eva's Secret Name," Eva unexpectedly encounters a tall, tan, Soto Indian boy and has to decide to stay or run. She stayed and the adventures began. Without spoiling everything, the series ends at the 1874 World's Fair in Paris, France. Join us, it is a trip!