A CT author uses a local town as setting of his first book. Including its ‘witch.’

When people think of witch trials, the place that comes to mind first is probably Salem, Mass.

Yet the first recorded execution for witchcraft in what is now New England involved Windsor in 1647, when Alse Young was hanged. Young was from Windsor but was executed in Hartford.

That piece of history is at the center of Rande Goodwin’s first book, “The Witchfinder’s Serpent.”

The book, a teen fantasy, takes place in modern day Windsor, but the main character, Nate Watson, finds out his mysterious Aunt Celia has ties to Young.

Goodwin said he became inspired to finally write his first novel during the pandemic.

“It’s something I always wanted to do, and then COVID same along and I didn’t really have a whole lot else going on,” he said.

He also always had an interest in the history of the witch trials. Connecticut this year “absolved” those accused of witchcraft nearly 400 years ago and apologized for the  “miscarriage of justice” that resulted in 11 executions here in colonial times, including two men.

“It’s always interested me, Salem and all the things you see on TV, from a history perspective,” Goodwin said.

So when he learned the first recorded execution for witchcraft in what would become America involved a resident of Windsor, where he’s lived most of his life, he knew that would be the subject for his book.

The main storyline in “The Witchfinder’s Serpent” centers around Nate and his brother, who move from New York to live with their Aunt Celia in Windsor.

Aunt Celia lets them roam her entire mansion, with the exception of one room. Naturally, that leads to trouble.

“Of course that’s the room that they want to find out what’s in it,” Goodwin said.

It turns out the room is, as Goodwin described it, a “witch’s workshop.” The boys discover a bracelet, known as the Witchfinder’s Serpent.

Nate puts on the bracelet but has trouble removing it. He has to ask his Aunt Celia for help and they try to remove the bracelet before encountering its previous owner, a powerful spirit who will stop at nothing to get it back.

Along the way, Nate discovers his aunt has ties to Young and learns the history of the 1647 execution in Hartford.

Goodwin said the historical subplot focuses on what Young’s daughter dealt with after the execution.

Goodwin’s version of Young does have magical powers, something he knows might upset some people given the nature of her execution.

When Connecticut lawmakers this year, approved exonerating the people accused of witchcraft, it included Young.

Goodwin said nobody in the book actually knew about Young’s power, though, so she was wrongfully convicted even in his fictional telling. He also hopes the book brings more attention to her place in history.

“It was important to me to treat her with the utmost respect,” he said.

Goodwin also did some research, of sorts, for the modern-day portion of the story, incorporating real places and events in Windsor into the book. The Shad Derby is included, for example.

“I thought more people, especially people in town, would find it interesting,” he said.

The book will be available Sept. 12, but local readers can purchase a copy two days earlier. Goodwin will be at the Glastonbury Arts On The Green arts and crafts show on Sept. 10.

He’s scheduled to join a panel, sponsored by the River Bend Bookshop, with two other young adult authors at 12:50 p.m. Goodwin will also have books available for purchase and for signing.

“It’s a little surreal, to be honest,” Goodwin said about the upcoming launch of his first book. He’s already written a second, tentatively titled “The Witchfinder’s Bargain,” and has planned for a third in the series.

When he’s not writing, Goodwin works as an IT specialist for an insurance company in Hartford. He said his coworkers were excited to learn about his book — when he eventually told them.

“Being my first book, I didn’t tell anyone I was doing it until I was done,” he said. “Everybody says they want to write a book, but it’s a big undertaking.”

Goodwin lives with his wife, two daughters and four dogs.