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New Stuart Fabe novella ‘write’ at home in Putnam County
As a self-described “old city feller” who’s now been living in rural Putnam County for 17 years, it’s not exaggerating to say that Stuart Fabe has a love affair with his adopted home.
From gourd art grown and produced with partner Marla Helton to breathtaking pictures of the night sky over various Putnam County landmarks, it’s safe to say that the Cincinnati native’s adopted pastoral surroundings have provided him with artistic opportunities the Queen City simply could not.
(A love affair with Putnam County native Helton also hasn’t hurt anything.)
But Fabe is also a novelist. With his latest work, the novella “The Write House,” Fabe’s writing has also come home to Putnam County.
Set in Putnam County in 1920, the supernatural mystery is just the second of Fabe’s eight books to be set in his adopted home community.
“I decided to set it in Putnam County because I love Putnam County,” Fabe told the Banner Graphic.
It’s also his first not to feature protagonist Clay Arnold — a world-class photographer who moonlights as an avenging vigilante.
The subject matter of “The Write House” is befitting its rustic surroundings in that it features no bloodshed or foul language.
“Of all the books I’ve written, this is the one that I think would resonate with a lot of people in Putnam County,” Fabe said. “It’s a good story — there’s nothing offensive about it.”
None of this is to say the story is lacking in action. There’s the danger and drama of early aircraft flight, a kidnapped infant and even a large dose of the supernatural via an old book that is able to communicate with protagonists Delano and Caroline Engel.
The “Write House” of the title was actually inspired by a real house that stands west of Greencastle to this day — home of Fabe’s friends LaWayne and Carol Engelstad nestled far back in the trees off of West Walnut Street via Carriage House Lane.
“The house is just remarkable in its appearance,” Fabe said. “It’s very much separated in the trees.”
This remains true in the book, in which the Engels (named in honor of the modern residents in the Victorian home) only discover the house while taking a ride above the trees in their newly-acquired Curtiss Jenny biplane. Meanwhile, the mansion has been all but forgotten by locals.
After they’ve purchased the home, the Engels discover some letters hidden behind molding in the house’s unique tower. This event was also inspired by a discovery by the real-life Engelstads.
“Carol told me that when they were cleaning the tower room, they found some letters from the 1880s,” Fabe recounted. “That got me excited for a mystery set here in Putnam County.”
Without revealing too much more of the story, this set Fabe’s imagination aloft on this flight of fancy. The Engels soon discover a hidden room and in it a book containing the sum of the knowledge of six generations of the Tamberg Magical Dynasty.
The ancient tome warns them “there will be turmoil” and ultimately serves as their navigator through these troubles.
“They find the book has the ability to communicate with them in an old script,” Fabe says. “And that’s why it’s called ‘The Write House.’”
The name is also a nice pun, as the fictional owners who had abandoned the house were named Wright.
Fabe takes his share of inspiration from real life, including the Bamberg Magical Dynasty of Holland, as well as a number of local names. Police officers bear the surnames of Fabe’s friends Eric Edberg, Lynn Tweedie, Wade Hazel and Chris Wurster. Meanwhile, friends Vic and Linda Hunter become Victoria and Linville Jefferson.
Even a fictitious local business — Tavia’s Grocery Store — is named for Tavia Pigg.
Additionally, the Doc Kissel of the book is a tribute to Dr. Steve Kissel.
But perhaps the biggest modern homage is in the form of the local real estate agent Rice Foxx. Fabe admits that the only local agent he knows well is Eric Wolfe, so he rearranged the letters of his first name and changed the carnivorous mammal of his last.
The fact that Foxx turns out to be one of the antagonists of the story is not a reflection of Fabe’s opinion of Wolfe, whom he recently took out to coffee to explain himself a bit.
There are also plenty of area locations to keep local readers engaged, including the Putnam County Airport, Putnam County Courthouse, Greencastle Carnegie Library, DePauw University (though under its archaic name of Asbury College), the limestone quarry that now serves as DePauw Nature Park, Prevo’s Men’s Haberdashery, Crowe’s Bridge, Dunbar Bridge, Houck Bridge, Big Walnut Creek, Putnam County Fairgrounds, Round Barn Road, Manhattan Road, Boone-Hutcheson Cemetery, the Monon Railroad, Reflection Center, Gobin Methodist Church, Albin Pond Road, Putnam County Hospital (the old one) and the towns of Reelsville, Putnamville, Limedale and Greencastle.
While there is plenty of work and research that goes into writing a book, Fabe admits that at some point, it’s simply about sitting down and letting the magic happen.
“I sit down with this blank slate, and like the Book of Tamberg, words magically appear,” he said.
Those interested in Fabe’s book may find it as either a paperback or ebook from both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
In order to better reach local readers, Fabe is hoping to have the book available at some area locations, as well as giving an author’s talk at Putnam County Public Library. More details on these happenings will be shared when they become available.
Those interested in a copy straight from the author himself may contact him at stuartfabe@gmail.com. After all, Fabe is happy to share his creations.
“I want to entertain myself, and I want to entertain other people,” he said.