Author Howard Seaborne visits Ekalaka

Ever dreamt of flying? Or played the game of picking a superpower? Invisibility or flight? What if one could have both?

That's the unexpected discovery of the main character in the "Divisible Man" novels. A pilot awakes after a midair collision and crash to discover he can vanish and when he does, he is immune to gravity.

Last Tuesday evening Howard Seaborne, the author of the "Divisible Man" novels, visited the Ekalaka Public Library and gave a talk about the books, about publishing and about how even a fantastic concept like vanishing and flying has rules grounded in reality.

Seaborne spoke for over an hour to a crowd that warmed up to his ideas and cooled off in the comfortable air conditioned Ekalaka Public Library. His humorous descriptions of how bad guys in television and movies can't hit anything they shoot at, and how cars in movies mysteriously explode served as a counterpoint to the rules that govern action in his books.

In one book he points out how his hero can't possibly escape pursuing villains because the tires on his rented car aren't rated for speeds over 115 miles per hour (true). He also explained that the books have strong aviation elements, a subject he knows well.

Seaborne is a former commercial air charter pilot and flight instructor who flew to Ekalaka in a twin-engine airplane. He spent the week visiting his sister, Sue Schneider and her husband Rich, who own J&J Guide Service.

"Everything that happens with an airplane in my books can actually happen," he explained. "You might not want to try it, but it can be done."

Seaborne has published seven "Divisible Man" novels and donated a complete set to the Ekalaka Public Library. The books are also available on Amazon and through Apple iBooks. All seven of the novels have garnered excellent reviews by the internationally-known Kirkus Reviews, with one of the books earning a Kirkus Starred Review, an award reserved for "books of exceptional merit."

"They're fun, they're page-turners, and they're full of characters that my readers like to hang around with," Seaborne said. "The comment I hear most often when I announce a new book is, 'Good! I can be with all my friends again!'"

Although the series currently contains seven novels, each book is a stand-alone story. Some elements carry over, and it's best to read them in order as the characters grow, but they are not a serial storyline.

"The seventh novel is actually written so that someone can pick it up and jump into the series," Seaborne reports. "Then if you want to go back to the beginning you can."

Seaborne sees no end in sight for the characters and the stories he has in mind. He credits the books with being as much fun to write as they are to read. His readers agree. Those who were lucky enough to catch his talk at the library last Tuesday are looking forward to the eighth novel, due out this fall, and to another night at the library with author Howard Seaborne.

Learn more about the author and the "Divisible Man" books at http://www.HowardSeaborne.com.