Social studies teacher Chris Dowdell, who published his first book “The Beast of Powder Valley” in 2020, recently published his second book.
Dowdell shared the inspiration for his newest one, “The Haunting of Raven Gorge.”
“We went on a ghost walk tour in Davidson, N.C., and I got inspired to write a ghost story,” Dowdell said. “This one only took me about three months to write because (now) I knew the ropes.”
The process of writing his first book was a long road.
“I started writing in 2014, and my first book took me about seven years to write,” Dowdell said. “Whenever I felt like it, I would chip away at it, and I almost gave up a couple of times, but my daughter, (junior) Evie, gave me the inspiration to finish it. After that (book) was published, it was actually very well-received, (so) I’m very proud of it.”
Evie Dowdell played a critical role in publishing her dad’s newest book.
“He gave it to me and I sat down and read through it,” Evie Dowdell said. “I edited everything and just fixed all grammatical issues. I suggested some plot (ideas), and then I designed the cover of it.”
Being involved with her dad’s book was also a good experience for her.
“I want to be an editor when I grow up, so that’s something I’ve always been interested in, “ Evie Dowdell said. “It wasn’t easy, but it was fun.”
Chris Dowdell shares some advice for aspiring authors.
“If you have any interest in writing, just do it,” Dowdell said. “I never thought I would publish a book, let alone two, so don’t be afraid (to try).”
Both books are available for purchase on Amazon.
