Local author prepares for release of second book

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

Getting published isn't easy for anyone, but for Bigfork author Angie Townsend, the books are the easy part.

After her young son was diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer called retinal blastoma, Townsend traveled around the country looking for the best possible treatment until she finally ended up at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, a leader in pediatric cancer treatment.

Retinal blastoma is a malignant tumor of the retina that occurs in young children and is difficult to treat and dangerous, as it can easily spread to the brain and nerves. Townsend's son was 8 when he was diagnosed.

Once back from L.A., Townsend set to work on her first book, with the idea that through writing she could find a way to give back to the hospital that saved her son.

Her first book, "Fears of a Fisherman," was published in 2003 (under the name Angela Sipe), less than a year after she made it back to the Flathead.

"I wanted to do something for Retinal Blastoma International and to support research programs," she said.

Fifty percent of her proceeds are donated to the hospital, "as much as I can afford to give and still be able to write," she said.

Townsend said she joined writers groups both here and in L.A., but was shocked to find that the attitude toward a new author such as herself was largely negative.

"People asked me, 'What makes you think you can get published?' I said, 'What makes you think I can't?'"

Townsend said she navigated the new world of publishing with the help of an agent and in the end was able to find a publisher in Canada that gave her plenty of editorial control for things like the book's cover and the editing process.

"I just needed to get my foot in the door," she said.

"Fears" tells the story of a Nova Scotia teen who takes up a job in an abandoned, haunted lighthouse. The ghosts are from a long-forgotten crime from the War of 1812, a time in America's history that Townsend said "so little is ever told about."

Her second book, "Frozen Fury," (published under the pen name AJ Townsend) like the first, is what she said fall into the category of "young adult horror."

Though Townsend said the title's official release is this week, it almost didn't happen at all. Six months ago, Townsend's laptop - with the only copy of her manuscript for "Frozen Fury" - was in her car that was stolen from her house in Kalispell. Police recovered the vehicle later that day in Hungry Horse, with the computer miraculously still in the back seat.

The new book is a thriller that takes place in Alaska, following the story of a woman who is abducted and held for ransom in the wilderness.

Townsend is also nearly finished with a revised manuscript for a re-release of her first book that should be coming out soon.

Her first book is available on Amazon.com, and she said her new one should be soon. For those interested in pre-ordering, e-mail Townsend at fearsofafisherman@hotmail.com.