Kimberly Ezzell is a professional writer. She has published a nonfiction book, and over 2,000 articles for businesses. In her previous career as a lawyer, Ms. Ezzell encountered a client who spent his childhood at the Tomboy mining camp in Telluride and those stories served as inspiration for Learning to Fly. The work is influenced as well by the author's love of theatre, particularly melodrama, once popular in stage performances throughout the West. A native of Los Angeles, Ms. Ezzell resides in Colorado.

What was your inspiration for Learning to Fly?

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I wanted a story with a moral that could be understood by kids and adults alike but something that didn't involve fantasy or too many people dying... although there is some death -- sorry.

What is the moral in the story?

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That it's okay to be yourself. That everyone is unique, and that actually is a wonderful thing.

Why historical fiction?

I'm rebelling. I love history, but even I get tired of the edited version. History is more than politics and war. It's about how others navigated the human experience -- and that's the same whether you are a 1700s tinsmith or a modern-day tech wizard. Historical fiction is a great medium for that because the time period instantly creates a strangeness that gives borders to the characters. They seem different without being different. But because they stand apart from us, we can reflect on the great qualities in ourselves. History shows us what we're made of, right here, right now.

Why Telluride?

I love Telluride as a backdrop for this story because of the people who make that place what it is today. Of course, there are throngs of tourists coming and going, but the locals there are so creative and talented, yet so down-to-earth about it. It was like that in the past, too. That diverse and vibrant culture was there on day one.

Why write a Western?

It's not really a Western so much as a melodrama. Well, I guess it's a little bit Western. I wanted to get away from those traditional, Wyatt Earp-style stories, you know, the "bang, bang, shoot 'em up" kind of thing, and show people like they actually were back then. Unlike the stereotype, people in those days also valued culture -- art, music, literature, and friendship. What is significant about the time is that people who settled in the high mountains of Colorado were self-reliant and tenacious. These were people who had to be all-in. At the same time, there was a heightened sense of equality because everyone played an important role in day-to-day survival. Those are all great qualities to emulate.