"Beautifully Written" The Stonemason by Paul Burnham

Just finished reading The Stonemason by Paul Burnham.

It is a beautifully written story of early American life in New Mexico but most of all Paul Burnham tells a touching story of gratitude and the debts we owe and are owed. I highly recommend this book for book clubs and readers interested in historical fiction.?https://amzn.to/3BAwxEk

I caught up with the author, Paul Burnham and this is what he had to say about his book and writing process.

Kimberly Burnham: What kernel of information started you thinking about this story?

Paul Burnham: I’ve read Willa Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop a couple times. I wanted to develop another story in the same location (New Mexico), but I also wanted to emphasize the topics of redemption and forgiveness. The Stonemason gave me an opportunity to do this. I also wanted to experiment with voice and point of view. The Stonemason is told in the first-person point of view (of a young boy who grows into a young man during the story), and I feel the voice is more serious and reverent than Death Comes for the Archbishop. Willa Cather is one of my favorite authors, and I feel that I have mimicked her voice to some degree but have also shaped my own voice in writing this story.

KB: How do you feel you are like the stonemason or his son?

Paul Burnham: When I set out to write The Stonemason, I didn’t have a model in mind. But as I began to create the narrative, I found myself developing Jonathan’s father as what I see as the archetypal father. As the story grew, however, I discovered that other archetypes appeared as well. The book consists of a lot of action and dialogue between Jonathan and other men—his father, two priests, a young Apache man and others. But I found that the people who had the greatest influence in Jonathan’s formative years were his deceased mother, a woman who carries a large financial debt, and Se?ora Alvarado. Se?ora Alvarado actually surprised me toward the end of the book. She seems like a less-important character, but she ultimately guides Jonathan on his journey of redemption. To me, she is the archetypal mother.

KB: What is your favorite time and place to write?

Paul Burnham: I work full-time as an engineer, so I have to find or make time to write—often in small increments. I started writing The Stonemason during lunch at work. The library was just around the corner. I could write for a solid 45 minutes each day. Over a couple years, I rode the commuter train for two hours each day. That time really let me finish the book. I still ride the commuter train—and I’m currently working in another writing project.

KB: Where did you do the historical research for the story?

Paul Burnham: Once I had an outline of the story, I used multiple resources to verify the historical details. These resources included historical maps, accounts of Civil War activities in the West, fishing traditions in Chesapeake Bay, the railroad system if the mid-1800s, and various other books and encyclopedias. I discovered many interesting pieces of history while writing this book. Did you know that the city of Wheeling, West Virginia, was in Virginia before it became part of West Virginia? The story goes through Wheeling, Virginia. I also studied many Native American petroglyphs and pictographs to develop the encounter between Jonathan and the young Apache man. I read many articles to determine how to handle the multiple monetary systems of the mid-1800s. I feel that I’ve been true to the many currencies used throughout the story—gold sovereigns, guineas, American silver dollars, Spanish dollars and the eight-escudo piece that appears on the front cover.

KB: Thank you.?