Classic Interview: Dorothy Gale

 Dorothy Gale 

I'm pleased to announce that a special guest is visiting us this time at The Deliverers Publishing Headquarters a/k/a White Owl Manuscripts. She just blew in all the way from Kansas, Miss Dorothy Gale!

 Greg:  Welcome, Dorothy. Thanks for taking some time with us.

 Dorothy:  Thank you very much for having me, I'm sure. You sure do have a lot of trees around here.

 Greg:  Don't you have very many in Kansas?

 Dorothy:  Oh no. It's all flat and kind of dusty and gray in Kansas, at least the part where I'm from. There aren't hardly any trees at all. And the twisters, my Aunt Em is always afraid of being caught in one. She always runs lickety split to the storm cellar whenever there's the faintest hint of a breeze, much less a twister. "Better safe than sorry, I always say," she always says.

 Greg:  Yes, a wise woman, no doubt. If I remember correctly, it was being caught in a twister that started you on your adventure.

Dorothy:  Why, yes, yes it was. It's almost like you could read my mind, just like that Professor Marvel. Oh, he was a wise and wonderful man--he could see into the future. He didn't tell me that I'd be caught in a storm and taken to Munchkin Land. But then, I don't suppose that anyone in their right mind would have predicted that.

Greg:  No, I don't suppose they would. How did you get to Munchkin Land?

Dorothy:  By twister. Toto, that's my dog, and I were trying to get into the storm cellar, but Aunt Em and Uncle Henry had locked themselves in, so I took Toto into the house. That twister lifted us clear up and out of Kansas and into Munchkin Land. I guess that I was the first person to travel by twister who lived to tell the tale.

Greg:  What was Munchkin Land like?

Dorothy:  Oh it was beautiful. The Munchkins were very pleased to see me, mainly because my house had landed on the Wicked Witch of the East. The munchkins were happy, but the witch's sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, was pretty upset. I was very sorry. All I wanted to do was to get home, but she didn't listen to me. She just wanted her old ruby slippers, which her sister had, but which wound up on my feet somehow. 

The Munchkins said that maybe the Wizard of Oz, a great and powerful wizard, might be able to send me home, so they had me follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City. I would have preferred to take a train instead of walking, but they didn't seem to have any such things, so I decided, when in Rome!

Greg:  So you were on your way. Did you make any friends on your way to Oz? 

Dorothy:  Oh my stars, yes. I made three friends, There was the Tin Man, who had rusted in the rain, and had to be oiled constantly to keep him from seizing up all the time. He didn't have a heart, but he was very caring and loving.

Then, there was the Cowardly Lion. He pretended to be fierce, but he was really just a big cuddly teddy bear. He didn't have any courage, but he always tried to protect me.

My best friend, besides Toto, was the first friend I made in Oz, the Scarecrow. He didn't have much of a brain, but he wound up being a great leader. I find that many people who don't have very many brains wind up being leaders, don't you?

Greg:  I have noticed that many times. So, you all went to the Emerald City, walking, of course. Was it a pleasant journey?

Dorothy:  Some of it was wonderful, walking in the sunshine with my friends. But some of it was terrible and frightening. You see, the Wicked Witch of the West was still very upset. She tried to stop us from getting to Emerald City to see the Wizard. She still wanted my ruby slippers, you see.

She was always popping up at the worst possible moments. Jiminy crickets, it was frightening. She tried to frighten my friends and me, but we wanted to see the Wizard so badly that nothing was going to stop us. We were very determined.

Greg:  Did you make it to the Emerald City?

Dorothy:  Yes, we made it, and we met the Wizard. He was a humbug, unfortunately. He sent us to bring back the witch's broomstick, which we did. But, he couldn't help us. I think, though, that maybe he did help us after all, because he helped us discover what was really important to us. When we were through, everyone had received what it was that they really needed. 

I learned that maybe what I had at home was more important than any journey to far away and exciting places, and that there really is no place like home. In fact, I think that I should be getting back there. Connecticut is beautiful, but I miss my aunt and uncle and the farm. 

Greg:  Well, I'm glad you could take a few minutes to chat with us. It's a pretty blustery day, maybe you could travel back home by twister.

 

Dorothy:  Thank you very much, but no. If it's all the same to you, I think I'll walk.

A Writer's Week #157: Where to Start?

 Hi there. I know it's been a while since my last update, but that's because there has been a lot going on. I've had a full slate of shows that have filled my weekends. I will be averaging three per month from August until the end of the year. I hope I can see you at one or two. I'd love to catch up.

In addition to the shows, I have finished the first draft of Serpent's Den, the second book in the Dragon Island Legends series. It turned out rather well, and I think it will be good after a few tweaks. Not being one to waste any time, I've already started to sketch out the concept for the third book. I even had a title jump into my head right at the start--Pirate Queen. Titles are funny things. It took me the better part of a year for Serpent's Den to come into my head. The book was about 75% written when it did. With this new idea, the title came to me almost immediately. Go figure. 

Anyway, Serpent's Den looks like it will be 95-100 pages long, just like Fire & Ice. I'm not sure why what I'm writing is shorter, but it's been working for me, so I won't complain. While I don't have a timeline yet, I've sent the first draft to artist Emily Hurst Pritchett to read. Hopefully it will spark some artistic fire.

Finally, I have decided that my republishing project will be rolled out in early January. Emily has retitled the books, and soon I will be investing in my own ISBNs. There is a lot of work involved in retitling and revamping the covers and interiors for paperback, hardcover, and e-book versions of all four books in the Deliverers series. Here are the updated front covers:

I really like the idea of emphasizing the title of each book. I think it gives shoppers more chance of at least one of the titles resonating with them. Combined with the great artwork, it should be a winning combination. The main purpose in unpublishing and republishing is that I will be able to publish wherever I wish, rather than only through Amazon. More outlet possibilities means more exposure and better possibilities. The plan initially is to republish with Amazon and also publish on IngramSpark. this will allow me to get into bookstores and libraries. While stores may not stock it, they will be able to order it upon request.

Again, that won't happen until next year, but when it does, I'll let you know. In the meantime, I'll keep you updated on my editing and the shows as we head into the holiday season.

Peace.

Classic Interview: Rip Van Winkle

 Rip Van Winkle

 

The days are drawing shorter. Even though it's only late August, it's almost dark when i walk the dog at 5:30h am. In fact this morning I almost collapsed back into bed for another 40 winks.

This gave me the idea for the subject of this week's interview. Who better than the world's deepest sleeper, Rip Van Winkle? So, let's see if we can rouse ourselves enough to chat with ol' Rip.

Greg:  Welcome, Rip Van Winkle. Thanks for taking some time to chat with us today. I know time is precious to you.

Rip:  That's right, sonny. I wasted 20 years up in the hills, don't ya know.

Greg:  Can you tell us a little bit about that? How did you come to be lost in the hills for 20 years?

Rip:  First off, I didn't come to be lost. I came to hunt. Second, I weren't lost, I was bewitched.

Greg:  Oh, yes. My mistake. How did you fall asleep for 20 years?

Rip:  Well, it were like this. I like t' take things easy like, but m' wife is always after me t' be doin' things. Plow the fields, chop the wood, wash up for supper. She gives me so much t' do that I don't know whether I'm comin' or goin' most o' the time.

Now, I think you'll agree that I were totally in the right t' go off every now and again t' ramble in the woods, or t' go off and get myself some shut eye. This time, I decided that I needed t' get away an' do some huntin'. So, I took my ol' dog, Wolf.

Greg:  Oh, so you sat down and fell asleep for a long, long time? 

Rip:  No I did not, dadgum it! I fell in with some strange characters, don't ya know. I was walkin' up the mountain, an' there was a powerful loud thunder boomin' over m' head. Wolf an' I caught up with a strange feller. He was dressed all in old fashioned clothes and he was totin' a keg. I walked with him up the mountain.

Well, what do I see at the top, but a group of fellers playin' nine-pins. Every time the ball hit the pins, it made a sound like thunder, don't ya know. These fellers had long beards, an' was wearin' ol' fashioned clothes, just like the man with the keg. I hung around for a bit, watchin' their game, but after a spell, I got t' be powerful thirsty. I looked around, an' saw the keg.

The other fellers had been drinkin' from it, an' they saw me eyein' it. They give me a mug, an' I went over an' filled it, then drank it down in one go. It were powerful cold, an' refreshin'. Well, I drank down a few mugfuls, an' soon I was feelin' powerful tired. I laid m'self down under a tree, an' before I knew it, I fell fast asleep.

Greg:  Yeah, but you didn't really fall asleep for 20 years--did you?

Rip:  I did, sure as you're standin' there. When I woke up, m' gun was rotted away, an' Wolf weren't nowhere t' be found. I had a long beard, an' m' joints was all creaky. I tottered down the mountain, an' I almost didn't recognize m' village. Everything was different, don't ya know.

Greg:  That must have been a little bit disconcerting.

Rip:  Ya got that right. I let out a cheer for ol' King George III, an' folks got right upset. See, I didn't know there'd been a revolution or something. Some other George was in charge--Washington his name was. Everything was different.

Greg:  How awful.

Rip:  I were a bit taken aback, I can tell ya, but it weren't without it's benefits. My children were about, an' m' daughter took me in. I didn't have t' do a lick o' work, just sit on the porch an' watch the world go by. Sure was a change from m' earlier days. Much more peaceful.

Greg:  What about your wife?

Rip:  Dead an' gone, God rest her.

Greg:  That must have been a blow.

Rip:  Well, I'll tell ya. I was sad she'd died, don't misunderstand, but I felt like I had a new lease on life, don't ya know. That ol' battleaxe never gave me a minute's peace. Like I said before, she were always givin' me things t' do. Paint the house, fix the roof, dig a well.

An' jawin' all the time. 'Get up an' milk the cows, muck out the barn, feed the chickens. Don't just lie there, get up, there's work t' be done! Listen t' me when I'm talkin' t' ya!'

Well, it all worked out. She got almost 20 years o' not havin' t' nag at me all the time, an' I got me a nice rest an' some peace an' quiet in m' old age. Ya can't ask for fairer than that.

Greg:  No, I suppose you can't. It certainly sounds like your dreams came true. Well, thank you for taking some time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. I wish you all the best.

Rip:  Thank you, young man. I don't know about you, but I'm powerful tired all of a sudden. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll go home an' take a little nap. Time's gettin' on, an' if I hurry, I can get that nap in an' be done in time for supper, don't ya know. It don't pay for a man o' my age t' miss out on his sleep.