PRESENT, STILL MISSING by K.G. Mach

I love historial novels, especially Middle Grade ones, and when I heard about the premise for PRESENT, STILL MISSING by K.G. Mach, I was excited to feature it (she was also kind enough to read The Etiquette of Voles during her summer trip to the beach!). Here’s some more info about PRESENT, STILL MISSING set to release tomorrow, September 16, 2025:

After three long years of war, twelve-year-old Irene can’t wait for life to return to normal when her father finally comes home. But the playful daddy who once played tic-tac-toe in church and encouraged her to wear pants if she “blanged-well wanted to” seems lost in the shadows of his wartime experiences. As his nightmares, outbursts, and deep sadness grow worse instead of better, Irene realizes she may be losing her father all over again – this time to the echoes of war that refuse to fade.

In this poignant post-WWII story, one determined girl must find the courage and strength to help her father heal from the invisible wounds of war before it’s too late. Present, Still Missing explores the lasting impact of war on families and reminds us that sometimes the bravest battles are fought on the home front.

According to your website bio, your “first words were recorded on the basement wall of her parents’ home— in permanent marker.” Do you remember what these words were?

Those first words and marks weren’t a story by themselves, but put together they sure do tell one! They were bits of what I was learning in school. Addition. Subtraction. Spelling. Short sentences like: Cat ran up tree.

As an adult who is both an author and educator, I look back at that wall and see who I was as a first grader. I was enamored with the power of the pen— or permanent marker. (Some of that ended up on a bedroom dresser too!)
At that age, we mirror what we love and I loved school and all its possibility. My world opened up. I was going to school like my older sisters. I was learning to read! I could write! I could express myself in a whole new way. I remember being so excited; I wanted to repeat it over and over. Everywhere. A piece of paper was not big enough to hold me.

I hope every child uncorks that power and magic, just maybe not in permanent marker!

Haha, let’s hope so! Kirkus Reviews referred to PRESENT, STILL MISSING as, “An engaging and moving novel about the emotional toll warfare takes on both soldiers and their families.” How did you know this was a story you needed to write?

I actually didn’t know until part way through when the main character, Irene, told me.

At first I thought I was writing about a girl who wanted to play baseball in a time when many didn’t. WWII was the perfect setting because women were playing professional baseball. What a great time for a young girl to find a role model!
Except, I kept thinking about how the war would impact Irene and her community.
And then I asked the big question, the one that changed the course of the story.

What was it like after the war? In that instant Irene and the other characters jumped off the page. I had found the key. That’s where the story really started.

We have this myth in the U.S. that our men and women who served at that time, The Greatest Generation, came back from the war and moved seamlessly in the 1950s. As I wrote Irene’s story, she kept telling me that yes, her father came home, but he wasn’t really there. He was present physically, but still missing out on everything emotionally. He, like everyone who experiences the trauma of war, was fighting the internal battle with PTSD. And that battle impacts the whole family, especially the children.

That’s when I knew what the story really was about. And I finally had my title.

I’m sure a lot of readers will see themselves in Irene’s and her family’s experiences.
I love your website layout. How did you choose your website host and design?

Wow! Thank you. I started by looking at other author’s websites and I noted what I liked about each one. I also took an online class through SCBWI hosted by author Lisa Stringfellow (also an author/ educator!). She gave some excellent pointers about steps you need to take and recommended some platforms that were easier to navigate. I had some experience with WordPress years ago, so for me that was the logical choice. They have a variety of themes that can be used and I found one that reflects my writing interests and personality. I am so glad it makes a good impression!

I like WordPress a lot too! What are some of your current projects?

I love writing fantasy and historical fiction and have a special interest in folklore too. I had a short story published earlier this summer called The Shoemaker of Siberia which is a fairytale retelling. (That one is free to read on my website!) In between novels I am always dabbling with these short story forms.

Currently I am querying Ekimmu, a middle-grade gothic fantasy about a boy who unearths an ancient curse that changes his beloved uncle into a soul-stealing monster and himself into a squirrel. It’s a little like The Night Gardner meets The Picture of Dorian Gray.

In the meantime, I am drafting a historic fantasy set in the forest of Poland in WWII. The research is intense with this one and I am, again, learning new things about the writing process.

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