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Three Questions with Tim Tibbitts

Three Questions with Tim Tibbitts

Meet Tim Tibbitts!

​In each installment of "Three Questions With," we get to know a different PJ Our Way author by asking three questions about their work, their process, and interests. Today we're talking to Tim Tibbitts, author of Echo Still.


How did you come up with the character Fig? Is he based on anyone you know?

Oddly enough, even though I created the character of Fig in my late thirties and early forties, Fig is probably based more on me than anyone. The novel is dedicated to the memory of my maternal grandmother, who died of cancer in our home a few weeks after I left for college. She lived with our family during the last year of her life, and I will always treasure the closeness we developed during that year. The details of Fig’s childhood are very different from those of mine, and Gigi is quite different in personality from my grandmother, but I hope the novel captures something of the essence of the warm, loving relationship between grandmother and grandson that was so important to me.

What books inspired you when you were young?

Growing up I loved mysteries. I started with the mini-mysteries in the Encyclopedia Brown series, moved on to a series called Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators, and by age 12 to adult detective stories. I also loved Harriet the Spy, the adventure stories of Willard Price, and Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry.

What are you working on now?

Over the past several years, my lifelong love of music has blossomed to the point that I would like to have a chance to be involved in the creation of new musical works. For better or worse, I do not read music or play an instrument, but being a writer has allowed me a way in: I am currently at work on the book and lyrics for a musical. (Basically that means I’m responsible for coming up with the storyline and writing all the words both for the dialogue and for the songs.) It’s marvelously fun! The main character of the musical is about the same age as Fig, so I guess I like writing about the world from that 7th grader’s point of view.

I’ve also recently finished the libretto for a short opera. (“Libretto” is what you call the dialogue and lyrics in an opera.) I’ve been working with two very different, very talented composers on these two projects, and I have to say, hearing words that I wrote sung to beautiful music has been one of the greatest thrills of my writing career.


More About the Author

Tim Tibbitts wrote his first book in third grade as a present for his great-grandma’s 80th birthday. It was called Eight Little Men and was two chapters long. When he grew up he became an English teacher. Echo Still is his first published novel, and now Tim lives his dream of spending most of his time writing.

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