It all started in 1998…
…when author Patty McGuigan started writing a novel about time travel set in Silicon Valley. In this first seed of the story, historical figures collided with modern tech companies, using their unique ways of looking at things to solve tech problems. At the time, she wrote eleven stories — about 100 pages.
Then, Patty’s career in commercial real estate took off. She filed her novel away and got back to her ‘real world’.
Fast forward to 2020 — the pandemic had changed our world, and Patty’s mind wandered to the book she had started twenty years ago. She started the treasure hunt and found it. She sought out an editor, who asked, “Who is your audience?” Good question. Patty always describes herself as a twelve-year-old at heart. She had three grandchildren around that age, so twelve-year-olds are exactly who she would write it for! The characters would be her two grandsons, Jack and Nick; her granddaughter, Poppy; and the ever-inspiring Leonardo da Vinci, aka Nardi.
Patty went on to build a diverse team all over the world to tell the story of Leonardo.
Author Patty McGuigan is the proud grandmother of four gorgeous grandchildren. She recently created Whirlwind Press, an independent authors’ collective. Her published works as an author include Leonardo and the Time Travelers, Leonardo's Magic Sketchbook, and Beyond Widow. In addition to these, Patty has created numerous books of her artwork and travel memories. She is also a successful commercial real estate agent, a past high school English teacher, and active in her Bay Area community. Her creativity has been her defining factor throughout her life, and indeed she does believe in time travel. Heaven help the world with Patty’s energy and ideas!
Author Ann Clark-Tyler grew up in Los Angeles, California, graduated from UCLA and got her master’s from UCSB. Like Nardi, Ann has many identities: she’s been a scientist, a dancer, a chef, a personal assistant, a school teacher, and always an avid reader and writer. Ann joined Patty McGuigan to co-write the second and third volumes of the stories of Leonardo and his time-traveling friends, and couldn’t be more thrilled about this new chapter of her life. Ann is the grateful mother of two amazing children and the blessed grandmother of bright and spirited twin boys.
Author Marian Lye's home is in Weymouth, England. She and her husband raised three boys, and she worked in administration for a government department for many years. Her love of history led her to write Weymouth at War, an account of World War II on the south coast of England. The book, now in its second edition, features the dramatic buildup to D-Day in June 1942, when thousands of American servicemen set sail from the twin ports of Weymouth and Portland, bound for Omaha Beach in Normandy. In this millennium, the arrivals of three lively grandkids in California have been magical milestones. Along with stories of real characters from English history and her family archives, bedtime tales drawn from Marian’s imagination were eagerly awaited by them. Now, their English grandma Marian and American grandma Patty have collaborated on Leonardo and the Time Travelers, Leonardo's Magic Sketchbook, Beyond Widow and now this volume, which they hope every kid will enjoy!