T is for TED and Tombstone

My theme for A- Z is the year my book takes place: 1881. I"ll be posting about people, places, and random facts about the year as it relates - however distantly - to my book, West of Paradise.

However, before I tell you about Tombstone and how it figures into my tale, I have to share something very special. This is TED, better known as The Eighth Day, a brand new novel by my friend and mentor, Dianne K. Salerni.

This book is honestly the best MG book I've read in years. Seriously. And talk about characters to love! There's Jax, our hero and orphan who suddenly discovers an extra day along with a mysterious girl who lives in that single day. There's Riley, Jax's young and seemingly tough guardian, who covers himself in tattoos to hide who he really is. And of course, Evangeline, the mysterious girl next door, who only lives one day out of seven...


Next month (May 12 to be exact) I'll be featuring Dianne here and I'll be giving away a copy of The Eighth Day to one lucky winner.

***

 And now back to our regularly scheduled letter, T for Tombstone.

This is where my characters end up toward the end of my tale and, as it so happens, they arrive just in time for the famous gunfight, something that thrills Jack (a history buff) to no end:

...he pulled the curtains aside for a quick look and was rewarded with the sight of four men all walking together toward the Oriental while a fifth man, Sheriff Behan, Jack saw by his badge, trailed them, calling out.

     “You know I have to arrest you, don’t you?”

     One of the four (Wyatt, Jack knew) turned around and looked Sheriff Behan straight in the eye.

     “I won’t be arrested, Johnny. You deceived me; you told me they weren’t armed. I will answer for what happened but I won’t be arrested.”

     Sheriff Behan glared back at Wyatt, considering perhaps whether to try to arrest Wyatt Earp. But short of starting another fight there was little he could do and he let them go though it clearly irked him to do so. Jack watched Wyatt Earp and his brothers and Doc Holliday walk over to the Oriental Saloon, feeling his heart race at the sight of them.

***

Any historical event you'd be thrilled to witness?

ps After the gunfight, Sheriff Behan tried to arrest Wyatt Earp who refused to be arrested at that time. According to William M. Breckinridge (Helldorado), the Earps and Doc Holliday all went into the Oriental Saloon after they were released from custody. I have them all going over immediately after the gunfight - a bit of poetic license on my part.