Local author's Montana book series was inspired by a dream
Superior author Mabel Ebner, 71, has her most recent book, “Breaking Away,” available. The new book is a departure from her Montana Series set in Northwest Montana during the mid-1800s. (Kathleen Woodford/Mineral Independent)
Mabel Ebner, 71, didn’t realize she was going to become an author late in life. But then she visited her brother near Corvallis. One day while at his cabin located in the Sapphire Mountains, she looked around at the scenery and thought, “wow, this would make a good book someday.”
It was after her visit when she had a dream about the area — a dream which inspired her novel, “Echoes From the Past.” This was the first book in a series which was published in 2007. She now has several titles in the series including, “A Brave New Tomorrow,” “Autumn’s Lengthening Shadows,” “United Again,” “In The Hands of Time,” and “Whispers From the Future.”
The book cover for “Echoes From the Past” reads, “nestled between Montana’s Bitterroot Range and the Sapphire Mountains lies a verdant lowland. Fort Owen, a small military fort established in this Bitterroot Valley, is home to a troop of cavalry soldiers and their families, where in 1849, Captain Paul Thompson is issued corrupt orders from the evil Major Carl Thornton. These orders, to exterminate an entire tribe of Indians, are destined to change Captain Thompson’s life forever. Being a man of impeccable honor, the absurdity of the orders goes against every principle the captain stands for. Faced with this terrible decision, he must decide whether he will obey his superior’s orders or risk his military career even his life if he refuses.”
It was a book which almost didn’t see itself to fruition. Ebner wanted to throw the novel in the trash but her daughter insisted that she continue to work on it. With sales starting to increase, Ebner is glad she took her daughter’s advice and went on to pursue her life as a novelist.
The most recent novel, “Breaking Away” is a departure from the Montana Series. It follows a daughter, mother and grandmother who try to break free from their lives tied to the Mafia. The book was once again inspired by a dream. She described the experience that it was as if the women’s characters in the book beaconed her from the past an insisted their story be told.
Ebner had a table at the Mineral County Library craft show in Superior earlier this month, “I sold out and needed to order more copies from my publisher,” she said. Meanwhile, she was scrambling to find a few copies around town in order to hold an upcoming book reading in Missoula at “The Garden of Readin’”.
Some local shops are carrying the books which are in print and her books can be found at the local library and online with ebooks, Amazon and some other outlets. The books only found on ebooks shes plans on getting published once she can afford the printing fees.
Ebner moved to Superior two years ago from Idaho. She has a number of relatives in town and moved with her husband, Maurice. They divorced last year after 44 years of marriage. Though the past few years have been plagued with personal and health issues, she’s still managed to keep her writing spirit alive.
“I feel better now than I’ve felt in years,” she said after the craft show.
Prior to her first novel, she also published a book of poetry, “Reflections of the Soul” as well as several short stories, plays, and songs. She also paints, knits and crochets and is active in her church choir.