Amor Towles spoke on Sunday at the Performing Arts Center as part of Martha’s Vineyard Author Series. At the talk he described the history behind his novel The Lincoln Highway — and his approach to history when writing.

When he was 10 author Amor Towles put a note in a bottle that read something like “if this makes it to China . . . please write back.”

Edward Dillon doesn’t exist. Longtime readers of the Vineyard Gazette may recall reading about Mr. Dillon’s antics in the West Chop column during the summer of 1977. The column, written by then 12-year-old Amor Towles, reported the comings and goings within the close-knit community. Yet unbeknownst to most readers, the man by the name of Edward Dillon, mentioned in columns throughout the summer, was fictional.

Last Monday, the changing of the months occurred. Along with the month’s changing name, the Chop’s people changed names also. The Herdeg family house on Bug Hill, for instance, changed names with the Sam Bodman family from Wellesley.

There were quite a few other changes. Mr. and Mrs. P. McEvoy Cromwell from Ruxton, Md., are staying in the Jackson house. Also from Ruxton and staying in the Froelicher house are Mr. and Mrs. Cub Harvey,

Staying in the Busselle house, from Perrysburg, Ohio, are Mr. and Mrs. Peter M. Coy.