For a little over a year, Michael Edgecomb of Northwood has been making stops across the state with his book, To Fly on a Cloud: New Hampshire.
The children’s story is about the adventure of fourth-graders Jacob (named after Edgecomb’s son) and Max, a character created by Edgecomb, and a magical cloud. When the boys see threatening storm clouds rolling in, they are caught by surprise when Bandit the magical cloud picks them up and carries them away. The three take off on an adventure to explore and learn about New Hampshire.
Having always been creative, Edgecomb imagined his own world starting when he was a little boy. Today, he brings others into his fantasies by writing stories for a young audience. He is a lifelong resident of New England, and has spent the last 21 years living with his wife and four children in New Hampshire.
As a child growing up in Maine, Edgecomb said there was a gully in his backyard. There was a stream, sand and clay pit, and lots of trees, he recalled.
“All of my friends would just go there and use our imaginations,” he said.
As an adult, Edgecomb found the inspiration to write when he saw a cloud in front of an otherwise clear blue sky. To take a break from a bad day at work about 20 years ago, he said he had gone outside and seen the cloud, wishing he could float away with it.
During the years before he published his book, he kept the idea at the back of his mind until finally deciding to sit down and start writing. His tip for beginners and aspiring authors, “The most important thing I could say is just, get it down on paper.”
Edgecomb plans to publish more books. This book is not only a fun adventure story, but also educational for young readers. Edgecomb said he wants to turn To Fly On a Cloud into a series about all 50 states.
Edgecomb said he would like to start with New England and teach young audiences about the states they live in. From there, he plans to write books for a child in every state.
To Fly on a Cloud: New Hampshire is available from most major book retailers. For anyone wanting a signed copy of his book, contact Michael Edgecomb at toflyonacloud@gmail.com. You can also visit toflyonacloud.com.