Ann Putnam Jr., one of the leading accusers during the Salem Witch Trials (1692) knows that something is wrong. After a horrifying encounter with Tituba, her friends were cursed. Miraculously untouched by the effects of the witch, Ann acts bewitched as well, in an attempt to accuse and hang her friends’ torturers. This tragic experience of guilt, abuse, power, and love gives a first-person view into the spine-chilling months where neighbor turned on neighbor at the word of a little girl.

What are the main themes of your book? 

LIES shows the internal struggle of someone trying to do the right thing in the wrong way. The Salem Witch Trials were full of themes, from abuse and greed, to the idea of power and the (perhaps not so positive) effects of extremist religion. These ‘themes’ appeared quite naturally in writing the book.

Who or what inspired your story?

I’ve always been kind of interested and terrified of the Salem Witch Trials. There was always that little doubt in my mind that maybe it was witchcraft… Besides that, last year in my freshman history class, our textbook contained one paragraph summarizing the events. One paragraph! This was infuriating to me, especially seeing as how these trials hugely influenced our modern judicial system.

What do you like best about your primary characters?

I try to make them connectable. You can follow their logic, as flawed as you realize it is. And I think we can all relate to trying to accomplish a good thing in a not-so-efficient or even moral way.

What are their worst peculiarities?

Ann (who was one of the leading accusers of the Salem Witch Trials, also the main character of this book) really just wants to help her friends. Her friends become cursed after meddling with a witch, and Ann is not affected. So, she pretends to be cursed as well, using the public’s fear of her as a way to accuse those who she thinks wronged her friends. When her father recognizes that she has power, he uses her to accuse his political enemies, and those he owes money to. Everything snowballs from there… she wanted to help her friends, she just picked the wrong way to do so.

How does your main character evolve?

Well, I should revise my last statement. She originally just wanted to help her friends, but as she herself recognizes the power she has, she becomes power-hungry–a blood thirsty, terrifying young girl, and you never really get to know her limits.

What’s the principal message you want to send to your audience?

Small choices and lies can lead to things that are out of our control. They change us, affect those around us, and not always for the better. While we are surely not as extreme as Salem in 1692, our decisions do make a difference.

What’s the nicest thing anyone has said about your book?

I have yet to hear from actual reviewers, but copy editors have expressed how blown away they are by the way they connect to Ann’s guilt and thought process. I think one of the scariest things is being able to relate to someone who is basically not a good person. To hear that Ann’s descent from a puritan girl to a witchcraft-accusing-maniac is relatable and flows naturally is truly one of the best (although again, scariest) things to hear.

Where can we purchase it?

It comes out March 11th of this year. More information, including a book trailer, a free 2-chapter excerpt, and MORE can be found on my website. Links to purchase will be updated there upon publication.

About the Author

Born in 1998, Oliver Dahl is the oldest of five children and lives in Idaho. Before finishing middle school, The Dreamers had earned him a spot on the Top 50 Idaho Authors (2011). The title of Idaho’s Student of the Year (2012) preceded both the publication of Dahl’s second novel, The Nightmarers, and the completion of his freshman year of high school. The Nightmarers hit its first category bestseller list the summer before his sophomore year. Oliver enjoys reading, vlogging, and laughing at his own jokes. He is also an accomplished musician, blogger, and engineer. He has twice as many Oscars as Leonardo DiCaprio, and has won the Tour de France as many times as Lance Armstrong.

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