I’ve always had an interest in disasters. It began as a fifth grader when I checked out a small paperback book at the elementary school library that described events such as the Johnstown flood, the Hartford Circus fire, the Hindenburg, the San Francisco earthquake, and others. I would gaze at length at the black-and-white photos and think about the great damage that ensued and what men, women, and children saw and felt. I would consider what the people endured during those horrific times and how they survived. I’m unsure why it made such an impression on me at a young age, but it did. After that, I would watch movies based on disaster events, from Earthquake to Towering Inferno, Dantes Peak, and a documentary on the eruption of Mt. St Helens. Even to this day, if there is a natural disaster such as a hurricane, I’ll be glued to the weather and other news for information. And if I have the chance, I’ll visit the places of the disaster and recall what unfolded, such as my trip to Mt St Helens.
San Francisco Earthquake
California Wilfires
Mt St Helens
Little did I know that this childhood fascination would carry with me into my adult years and eventually I would write a book about a natural disaster. When my publishing house decided to publish a series of books based on real-life disasters in history, I said to myself – I have to be a part of this! It’s my destiny!
I launched in and auditioned with a couple of ideas – one of them being the worst avalanche in US history in Wellington, Washington. The editor agreed and bought it. Thus the book When the Avalanche Roared was born and is now part of the Day to Remember series, releasing next January.
In future blogs, I will delve into the history of this historic avalanche and the impacts such horrific events can have in people’s lives.
Wellington Avalanche