Hotly-anticipated standalone in
award-winning
historical fiction series takes readers to
Western Frontier
A thrilling adventure for fans of the show
“1883”
In 1872, six hundred miles between Bismarck
and Bozeman were to be surveyed for the
Northern Pacific Railroad. But Sitting Bull is
gathering strength to resist this incursion
into the tribes’ hunting grounds. Citizens and
politicians question the need for the rail line
and doubt that it can ever be guaranteed
safe from Indian raids. But financier Jay
Cooke is willing to risk his financial empire to
build it.
When Cooke summons Jubilee Walker to his
mansion and presents a proposition for
completing the survey, Jubil finds it impossible
to resist.
But the stakes are high, both financially and
personally. How much will Jubil risk to turn his
adventure travel tours into a major business?
Can he do it without losing the respect of the
people he loves? And will he even survive the
attempt to complete the survey?
Book 3 in the Jubilee Walker series is based
on actual events of the 1872 and 1873 railroad
surveys, and the ensuing financial turmoil as
investors lose faith in Cooke’s vision.
“The Northern Pacific Railroad”
Tim Piper | January 15, 2025 |
Sunshine Parade Publishing
| Historical Fiction | Coming of Age
Hardcover | B0DKB9PZR4 | $19.99 |
Paperback
| 9798988418672 | $13.99
Ebook | B0CYVH4D7X| $4.99
The Powell Expeditions (Book 1)
Ebook
B0CH1L9DG6 $4.99 | Paperback
B0CHVPBGNZ $13.99
Hardcover: B0CJ41X635 $19.99
The Powell Expeditions (Book 1
Ebook: B0CH1L9DG6 $4.99 |
Paperback: B0CHVPBGNZ $13.99
Hardcover: B0CJ41X635 $19.99
After his mother’s death, seventeen-year-old
Jubilee Walker asks to join a scientific expedition
led by Major John Wesley Powell, a family
friend. Powell initially refuses, but Jubil’s
persistence and resourcefulness eventually
win him a place on Powell’s crew. However,
Jubil’s plans for a life of adventure are
complicated by his deepening feelings for his
best friend, Nelly Boswell, who is reluctant to
spend her life with a man who insists on
such a dangerous lifestyle. How will Jubil
navigate the hardships and lawlessness
of the American West?
And will he be forced to choose between a
life of adventure and the girl he loves?
Jubil’s story draws on the real-life
adventures of naturalist,college professor,
and one-armed Civil War veteran Major
John Wesley Powell during his Colorado
River Exploring Expeditions. Powell became
'the first explorer to summit Longs
Peakinthe Colorado Rockies and navigate
the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon,
fixing his place in history as one of America’s
great explorers.
Ebook
B0CYVH4D7X $4.99 | Paperback
B0CZSBYPTG $13.99
Hardcover: B0D1JWYZY4 $19.99
Mountain men through the decades have told
tales of the exotic geography surrounding the
source of the Yellowstone River, and Jubilee
Walker, to the dismay of his fiancée,
Nelly Boswell, can't resist the opportunity
to see it for
himself. When Jubil joins an expedition to
explore the region, he and his companions
brave an unforgiving wilderness to find that
the truth is even stranger than the legends.
But a year later, when Jubil returns with
a surve crew, he finds ruthless men exploiting
t for profit. Will Jubil's commitment to
preventing the despoilment
of Yellowstone's geographical wonders get him
killed?
Based on events of the 1870 Washburn Expedition
and the 1871 surveys by Dr. Ferdinand Hayden
and Captain.
John Barlow, the second installment of the Jubilee
Walker series chronicles events leading up to the
passage of the bill that designated Yellowstone as
America's first national park.
TIM PIPER is retired from a long career in
Information Technology and has been a lifelong
hobbyist musician. In his earlier days he
was an avid hiker and backcountry
camper, but his adventures these days are less
strenuous and more comfortable. He began
his education at Illinois State University as an
English major, but life circumstances put him
on a more pragmatic path, and he graduated
with a BS in Business Admin,
a degree he finds appropriately named. He
lives in Bloomington, Illinois.
Learn more at www.timpiper-author.com
or follow him on Facebook.
2024 BookFest First Place Award for
Young Adult Historical
Fiction for
“The Powell Expeditions”
2024 Goethe Book Awards Long List for
Late Historical
Fiction for "The Powell Expeditions"
2024 Independent Press Award “Distinguished
Favorite”
in Western Fiction for “The Powell Expeditions”
2024 BookFest Second Place Award for
“Young
Adult Historical Fiction” for “The Yellowstone
Campaign”
Praise for “The Jubilee Walker” series
“I thoroughly enjoyed the novel “Yellowstone Campaign”.
I had not read part one of the series, but now I will go back
and read it. The character of Jubilee Walker was very
compelling and real. It was interesting to think about how
the first non-indigenous people felt when they encountered
the wonders of Yellowstone. I have visited Yellowstone
National Park and enjoyed being at many of the vistas that
were described in this novel.. I thought this novel was a
wonderful blend of interesting characters and events woven around historical fact.”
– Amazon review for “The Yellowstone Campaign”
“I enjoyed the first book in the Jubilee Walker series
about the Powell Expeditions, and I enjoyed this one equally.
I grew
up being exposed to the West and it's National Parks,
and this book
provides an eye-opening look at the early days
of the establishment of Yellowstone as a protected piece
of land.
It has all the drama of that landscape, as seen through the
eyes of young explorer Jubil who is torn between his
yearning for adventure and his love for his fiancée. Based on
the story being based on real people and events, it's a good
entry point for history buffs and National Park lovers alike.”
– Goodreads review for “The Yellowstone Campaign”
“Brace yourselves for a thrilling ride through the Wild West
in 1867 with Jubilee Walker. From wagon trains to
climbing mountains and riding the rapids of the Colorado
River, this book is an adventure-packed gem!”
– Reviews Thick and Thin for “The Powell Expeditions”
"An engrossing and historically accurate fictionalization
of the hardships and joys of the West in the 1860s ...
I loved Jubil's all-too-human longings for
adventure and companionship, and his practical nature
that made him a valuable member of the expedition."
– 5 stars from Page Appropriate for
“The Powell Expeditions”
"From the beginning, you pull the reader in with simple prose,
but you also show a glimpse of how life promises to change for Jubil."
—YA Outside the Lines for “The Powell Expeditions”
An Interview with Tim Piper about
“The Jubilee Walker” series:
How did you incorporate the true-life adventures
of Major Powell into your fictional story?
The story adheres closely to the historical record of Powell’s
1867, 1868, and 1869 exploring expeditions and the people
who participated in them. The events of those expeditions
serve as the context for the formative years of my
protagonist, Jubilee Walker, as he makes his way into
adulthood in post–Civil War America.
Describe the trip to the Rockies that inspired your novel.
During one of my early trips to Rocky Mountain National
Park, I hiked the Longs Peak Trail. After the hike, I
purchased a book on the history of the mountain and
learned the first person to summit it was Major John
?Wesley Powell. Researching Powell, I was surprised to
learn he had close connections to my hometown,
Bloomington, Illinois. Much of Powell’s life struck me as
something out of an adventure novel, but I did not find any
fiction that had dramatized it. I carried the idea with
me for years until finally deciding to make an effort to
write the novel I wanted to read.
Why do you feel that Major Powell deserves more recognition?
Over Powell’s lifetime, his adventures, scientific expeditions,
and geographic surveys of America’s developing western
frontier led him to conclusions about land and water use
that were far ahead of his time. Though he was very
influential in scientific and academic circles,
his recommendations were never fully adopted by
politicians. The impact of failing to address his concerns
was made evident by the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and
can still be felt today in terms of water use policy in
the western states. He was one of the first
to espouse conservation policy that still struggles to
protect our natural resources against America’s
drive to exploit them.
Where do you find your writing purpose and inspiration
from?
Though I have always had an artistic nature and enjoyed
music and writing as hobbies, I chose the more expedient
path of making a living in the business world rather than
the risky world of the arts. After I retired, my wife was
taken ill and passed away, and I was lost for what to
do with myself. I tried following my hobby of music but
could no longer find joy in it. But writing provided me
with a means to block out my internal dialogue and pass
the days doing something constructive. These days,
I follow my curiosity to research topics that appeal
to me, and then weave those into fictional stories that
I would like to read myself.
What kinds of research did you do for the story?
Major John Wesley Powell taught at Illinois Wesleyan
University in my hometown of Bloomington, Illinois. I
contacted the archive librarian at IWU’s Ames Library,
and was allowed access to their John Wesley Powell
Special Collection. These materials, along with other
resources suggested by the librarian led me to a
wealth of information about Powell. Other books
and online newspaper articles provided insights into
life during post–Civil War America.
What are some key takeaways you hope people will have
from your book?
The protagonist, Jubilee Walker, is a young man who
knows more about what he doesn’t want to do with his
life than what he does want. He makes most of his
decisions by following his passions and doing what his
heart tells him is right. His good-natured personality,
enthusiasm, reliability, and calm demeanor in the face
of difficult circumstances win him the support and
friendship of most people he meets. Jubil’s philosophy
of following his passion and heart is a worthwhile
message for anyone.
Could the books in the series be read as standalones
or does the reader benefit from reading the book
in order?
Yes, the books can be read as standalone though the
reader's experience is enhanced by reading them in
sequence. Each episode is more meaningful as you
watch the protagonist, Jubilee Walker, grow
with each life experience.
How have you grown as a writer since beginning the
series?
Though it might seem each book in the series would
get easier to write, I've found the opposite to be true.
The lives of the characters get more complex
and their motivations change, making plotting more
difficult. The risk of repeating yourself in some way
grows, and your internal critic gets more demanding
as your ability to see your own weaknesses as a writer
grows.
What has surprised you most about this series and the
process of writing and promoting it?
By far the most surprising aspect of the process has
been the positive acceptance of my work. I will
be forever grateful that the books have been
received with far more approval than I ever imagined.
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