Witches, history, fantasy make a book?
By Wilford Kale
April 17, 2024
Lifelong Virginia resident Tempie W. Wade, now living in Williamsburg, writes historical fantasy novels in her spare time.
Her newest effort, “Where Witches Lie” (Tempie W. Wade, 340 pgs., $15.99), features English archaeologist Dr. Cassie Summers, who has a unique talent.
It is not uncovering dramatic and historical artifacts, but rather in the ability to have visions from the past from the artifacts she holds in her hands.
I must be honest. I have never read this type of book before and don’t imagine I’ll read many more.
Nevertheless, it’s an interesting story, a genuine supernatural fantasy that Wade handles with marvelous aplomb.
Although she has been writing for only six years, Wade has written nine novels, seven of them in the “Timely Revolution” series. Her first book, “A Timely Revolution,” won the 2019 best historical fantasy award of the American Book Fest American Fiction Awards. The series is a time-travel adventure that takes the reader back to the American Revolution. It interposes historical figures such as George Washington with other characters, including Maggie Bishop who travels back from 2018.
Now that she works for Preservation Virginia on Jamestown Island, Wade doesn’t have the time she used to devote to her science-fiction/historical fantasy writings. However, she already has finished another volume, “The Purveyor,” which should be published in the near future.
The Timely Revolution
Article Written By Brandy Centolanza
The Next Door Neighbor Magazine
Five years ago, while Tempie W. Wade was suffering from some health issues, she turned to writing to occupy her time. Within six months, she penned a half a dozen historical fantasy books. “Before that, I had never considered writing anything, but once I started, I ended up writing 93,000 words in 30 days,” she says. “It turned out to be extremely therapeutic for me.”
The books are part of The Timely Revolution book series. Her debut book, A Timely Revolution, was named best historical fantasy in 2019 in the American Book Fest American Fiction Awards. The series, which currently has seven titles, is described as a time-travel fantasy adventure that takes readers on a magical journey back to the Revolutionary War. It features characters who are both real, such as George Washington, and imaginary, such as the character of Maggie Bishop, who time travels from 2018 to 1765, as well as old Celtic Gods who meddle in the war.
“Williamsburg is full of history and is the perfect backdrop for time travel,” Tempie says. “I let a friend of mine read the first book. She loved it and encouraged me to do something with it. I looked into my options and decided to give the self-publishing route a go. I made my fair share of mistakes, but I also learned a great deal along the way.”
Tempie’s books are available on Amazon, and she also promotes her works at science fiction and literary conventions, where she’s developed a fan following as well as relationships with other authors. She is planning on three more books as part of the book series. In addition to the series, she has written a stand-alone tale called “A Spy Among Them” that features some of the same characters from the series. At least five other books are in the works.
This fall, a new fantasy piece called Where Witches Lie will be published. Tempie’s latest book, set in the United Kingdom, focuses on Dr. Cassie Summers, an archeologist with a gift of seeing visions through the artifacts she holds, who stumbles upon a case involving the burial of thirteen witches.
“I love writing fantasy because it is such a wonderful escape,” she says. “I believe that is also why people like reading fantasy. In this day and time, everyone seems to be looking for a way to take their minds off things happening in a world that can sometimes be a little overwhelming.”
Tempie grew up in a rural town in central Virginia, where she first developed a love of the world of words, thanks to her mother. “As a kid, the bookmobile was my saving grace,” she says. “Twice a month, my mother drove me over to a neighbor’s house to meet it so I could load up on a new set of adventures, including the latest Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries. Those books were my refuge, and I spent every free moment lost in their pages. Little did I know that one day I would have books of my own sitting on those very shelves.”
Tempie, a mother of two, spent many years as a stay-at-home mother and moved to Williamsburg with her family in 2008. Currently, she works for Preservation Virginia at Historic Jamestowne, greeting visitors at the front counter. “We are the first people our guests see when they come to Historic Jamestowne,” she says. “I absolutely love my job. I have found the perfect home for myself. The 1907 Memorial Church on the island is one of my favorite places in the area. The amount of history there is nothing short of astounding. Archaeologists are actively excavating and something new comes out of the ground every day. I am fortunate to bear witness to this work. I adore history, especially the Historic Triangle area, and many of the ideas for my books come from that love. I can’t think of a better place to look for motivation than in my own backyard. After living here for 15 years, I still learn new things about it all the time.”
Most of her time off is spent traveling to various historic museums, ruins, and sites throughout Virginia. She likes to visit such places for story ideas.
“I like going to out-of-the-way museums,” she says. “The Exchange Hotel Civil War Museum in Gordonsville actually inspired the introductory piece for one of my upcoming novels. I love places like Monticello and Mt. Vernon. George Washington and his Culper Spy Ring are a big part of my main book series, but the smaller museums with the lesser-known stories are always the ones that steal my heart. I hope to find more of those in the future.”
Tempie also enjoys attending sci-fi conventions, both as a guest and as a vendor to promote her works. She’s been to MarsCon as well as RavenCon, an event in Richmond for fans of Edgar Allan Poe; Fairfax ComiCon; and Scares That Care, a sci-fi convention that benefits charities and is held locally at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Williamsburg. The next Scares That Care event is scheduled for April 2024 and will feature science-fiction and fantasy authors and other artists.
“I love going to sci-fi conventions. People of all ages find a place there, from little ones to people in their 70s and 80s, who are all dressed up and having a great time,” Tempie says. “It’s a lot of fun.” In addition to writing, Tempie also does prop work as a hobby, and her pieces have also been a part of the local sci-fi conventions. She has an Etsy store, where she creates and sells vampire hunting kits for cosplayers. She’s made hundreds of kits and often has a waiting list. The kits come with stakes, holy water, garlic, crucifixes, journal pages, and maps. “My daughter got me started on it,” she says. “I have always been a big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Halloween happens to be my favorite holiday. We tend to go all out. Making the kits is just another creative avenue for me. Some people buy them for their homes, some like to collect them as memorabilia. Some use them for cosplay. One of my kits was even featured on the show, “Preacher.” It is pretty amazing to actually see something you spent so much time creating end up on TV.”
Tempie stays busy between writing and prop work and finds influence in her everyday life as well. Her cat, Darcy, was the inspiration for a horse character in her book series. Before taking a job at Historic Jamestowne, she was writing between six and eight hours a day. She continues to write daily whenever she finds the time. “I often take notes at home and at work,” she says. “My purse is stuffed full of notes and ideas. I’ve made friends all over the world on social media who are writers. We have a good, supportive community, a place where you can find someone who will be there to lend a hand, run ideas by, or give you a boost when you are having a down day.”
Eventually, Tempie Wade would like to offer her expertise to local high school students who may be interested in writing but are unsure where to start. “I’d love to create a program to help young writers who need a little guidance in the right direction,” she says. “Writing is therapeutic, and being able to encourage the next generation to focus on something positive will always be time well spent.” -NDN
