Monday Interview Series: Johnny Tremain

Since today is Memorial Day, I thought it would be appropriate to interview a character who played a small role in our country's fight for independence, Johnny Tremain. I've always been fascinated by historical fiction, and Johnny Tremain was one of the books that I loved.

So, let's take a little trip back to Boston, circa 1773, to speak with a young man who learned what it meant to be a patriot.

Greg:  Hi Johnny, thanks for taking some time out to have a word with us.

Johnny:  It is my pleasure, sir.

Greg:  What was it like living during the time of our nation's birth?

Johnny:  It has been very confusing. There have been many changes. I had been engaged as an apprentice to a master silversmith, Mr. Lapham, but I was injured through the negligence of another apprentice.

Mr. Lapham said it all came to working on the Sabbath, but we had to finish Mr. Hancock's order on time. Instead, my hand was injured and I had to set out in search of new employment.

Still, I enjoyed going down to Boston harbor and watching the ships sailing in and out. There are so many ships in Boston harbor, the masts look like a forest upon the water. There seemed to be a larger number of British regulars than usual about the city.

At that time, I had no idea of what that meant. You see,  I was blind to the larger events that were happening in the city and throughout the colonies.

Greg:  When did you first become aware of those events?

Johnny:  It was after I had been imprisoned. I had been charged with stealing a silver cup from Mr. Lyte. The cup belonged to my mother. She gave it to me before she died and told me that I was a Lyte.

Anyway, Mr. Lyte claimed that I stole the cup and had me arrested. It was a near thing, but the court exonerated me, thanks mostly to Josiah Quincy who came to my aid and acted as my attorney. After that, I was hired as a delivery boy for the Boston Observer. There I met Rab Silsbee, and we became friends.

He introduced me to the Sons of Liberty. That's when I became aware of what was transpiring in Boston and elsewhere. Eventually, I determined to help in whatever way I could, crippled though I was.

Greg:  I understand that you have met many of the major figures in the Whig party in Boston.

Johnny:  Oh yes. Let's see, there's Mr. Otis for one. He is the founder of the movement, but he's been unwell. Then there's John Adams, who gets most of the publicity. He's got some sort of rivalry with Mr. Otis or something. 

Then there's Paul Revere. He's the greatest silversmith in all of Boston, perhaps all the colonies. My old master, Mr. Lapham was in awe of him. Dr. Warren was a great patriot. He was a great help to me. Unfortunately, we lost him on Breeds Hill.

Greg:  You've also participated in a number of historical events, if I'm not mistaken.

Johnny:  I have. I took part in the Boston Tea Party. I helped spread the word that the regulars were coming. I also managed make it up to Lexington and Concord for the birth of our nation.

Greg:  What was that like?

Johnny:  I'm not ashamed to admit that it was terrifying. We were arrayed on Lexington Green, determined to stand our ground. The Lobsterbacks marched onto the Green in long columns. Their captain ordered us to disperse, but we would not.

Then came the shot, I don't know from where. The regulars opened fire, and there was death all around me. War is never pretty, despite what you read in books. After that, we ran. Better to run and fight another day.

We got a large measure of revenge later that day as we hounded the Lobsterbacks all the way back to Boston. There were many fewer that returned to their garrison in Boston than had set out that morning, I can tell you. 

Greg:  Well thank you for taking the time to talk with us, Johnny. Thanks to you and the Sons of Liberty, we have a country where honesty and freedom are important.

Johnny:  I enjoyed speaking with you. I hope we never forget the sacrifices made by those who fought and died to make our country free.

Monday Interview Series: Mr. Toad

This time around, we find ourselves in the sumptuous, but slightly damp splendor of Toad Hall. That's right, Mr. Toad, famous playboy and toad about town, has agreed to sit and talk with us for a bit.

Greg:  Thank you for inviting us. I hear that your schedule is very busy, so I won't keep you long. What kinds of things do you do?

Mr. Toad:  Oh, well, where to start? The life of an aristocrat is not all peaches and cream, certainly. I have a busy social schedule. The whole of the district looks to me to provide leadership. It's not an easy burden, but one I take on willingly as a mark of my birth.

Greg:  And I'm sure the entire county is grateful for that. Still, I've heard rumors of a number of  disturbing incidents. For example, there was something about a motor car...

Mr. Toad:  Ah yes. A regrettable incident, that. I'll admit that things got a trifle out of hand. You see, I've always had a fascination for anything new--and expensive. I had been on an outing with two associates--Rat and Mole. We were riding cross country in a horse drawn caravan.

Suddenly, we were run off the road by a superb vehicle. It was one of those newfangled motor cars. Rat and Mole were quite put out, but I was spellbound. I had never seen such a combination of speed and power. It was then that I determined to pilot one of them as soon as could be. Riding in a caravan seemed rather dull after that.

Greg:  So you went out and bought one?

Mr. Toad:  Er, umm, well I'm afraid I am rather impetuous when a craze strikes. Yes, I purchased the first one. I had rather a lot of nasty accidents--totally beyond my control you understand--that wound up costing me quite a bit in repairs and fines. 

Greg:  Oh dear. I hope no one was hurt.

Mr. Toad:  No one besides myself. I wound up in hospital several times. However, that did not stop me. I was still keen to have a go, you see. I loved the freedom of the open road--the scenery whizzing by, the cool wind on my face, the glory of being out in the open, free to travel like the wind.

My associates, and a large part of the district did not see things in quite the same light for some reason. Rat and Mole enlisted the aid to that infernal Badger to arrange what I suppose would be called an intervention these days. They locked me up in Toad Hall and would not let me out.

But the call of the road was too strong. I tricked them and escaped. I must admit that a kind of madness descended upon me at that point. I stole a motor car and careered around the district until I was apprehended by the police.

Greg:  What happened then?

Mr. Toad:  The magistrate sentenced me to 20 years in prison. I simply could not believe it. I mean, did you ever? I'm too rich to be thrown in jail like some common criminal.

Greg:  What did you do?

Mr. Toad:  Well, I escaped, naturally. What else could I do? I certainly could not stay locked up. I have quite a delicate constitution after all. After escaping, I decided to take a tour of the countryside.

Ironically, I met up with the owners of the motor car that I borrowed. They gave me a lift--I was in disguise you see. I felt the driving urge welling up, and asked them if I could have a go. They graciously let me take thee wheel, and the frenzy was upon me once more.

Of course after we had crashed into the river, they saw through my disguise, and I was forced to hop it.

Greg:  What an amazing tale. I sure hope you learned something from all of this.

Mr. Toad:  Oh, indeed I have. If you are going to steal a motor car, get out of town quickly, don't hang about. And never, under any circumstances, steal the same car twice.

Tuesday Interview Series: Ichabod Crane

Hello. First off, I need to apologize for not posting yesterday. A busy weekend and a meeting last night combined to sink me. Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be a repeat next Monday. With that being said, I'm pleased to announce that I've got a very special guest for us to talk to.

We've managed to track down an elusive literary figure. I am in an undisclosed location with an erstwhile schoolteacher who almost lost his head over a girl, Mr. Ichabod Crane.

Greg:  Thank you for joining us, Mr. Crane. It's very exciting to have you here.

Ichabod:  Er, um, thank you. It's very flattering of you to say. I have to admit that I am a trifle nervous to have you here. You weren't followed, were you?

Greg:  No, definitely not. I followed your instructions to the letter, even the part about not passing the pumpkin patch in the light of a full moon.

Ichabod:  Hmmm...you'll forgive me if I remain skeptical. I've spent many years ensuring that my whereabouts remain secret. I only agreed to this interview because I thought it was time for my side of my story to be told, and because you said you were a famous, well respected author who could publicize is.

Greg:  Um, yeah, well I hope to be one day. Anyway, if I were a famous, well respected author, I couldn't have come here without being followed.  But that's not important. I think the world wants to know what happened to you that night when the Headless Horseman.

Ichabod:  Yes, as well you might. It was a dark moonlit night, and my thoughts were full of the lovely Katrina Van Tassel and the prospect of being wed to her. I was not particularly worried as I passed through the hollow on my way back to the schoolhouse. 

However, the night was dark and the moon had moved behind the clouds when I heard the sound of galloping hooves behind me. At first, I was not unduly alarmed, as I assumed it was someone else making their way home from Squire Van Tassel's party. 

As I rode along, I began to ruminate on the grisly story that the dastardly Brom Bones had recounted at the party concerning the legend of the Headless Horseman.

Greg:  Brom Bones? Oh yeah, he was your rival for the lovely Katrina, right?

Ichabod:  Precisely, although it is highly unlikely that he would have succeeded had I been allowed to remain in the running. Unfortunately, that was not to be. 

So, as I was saying, the thought began to creep into my head that perhaps the galloping horse behind me was being ridden by the selfsame Headless Horseman. I thought it prudent at that point to urge my horse forward so as to forestall a meeting with whomever might be following after me.

Unfortunately, my pursuer was none other than the Headless Horseman. At least he did not seem to have a head and he was brandishing a sword. I picked up the pace so as to attempt to out run him, but I was unsuccessful.

Greg:  Okay, so he caught you, but he obviously didn't kill you.  What happened?

Ichabod:  Well. you won't believe this, but he said he was from the future. He offered me a position as an operative for a secret intergalactic agency. I am now known as Agent I of the Men In Black agency. 

As a MIB agent, I discovered that Brom Bones was really an intergalactic smuggler and Katrina was his seven foot hair-covered copilot. They were rehabilitated and would later star in a popular science fiction movie series.

Greg;  Really? I find that incredible, and also a little intriguing. That can't be true, though. You're pulling my leg, right?

Ichabod:  Ha, ha, that's right. I did have you going there for a little bit, though didn't I? I really don't have much of a story to tell. Now, why don't you just take a look at this ballpoint pen that I'm holding up here...

Monday Interview Series: Merlin's Rebuttal

Well, things have certainly been exciting here at The Deliverers Publishing Headquarters. First of all, I am offering the Kindle version of The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel for free for the next three days (5/8, 9 & 10), and they've been going like hotcakes. At one point today, I was giving away a book a minute! Heady stuff. Now I know how J.K. Rowling must feel (numb). Would that folks were paying for them! Oh well, hopefully this will generate some word of mouth and some reviews!

The other thing that's been occupying my time has been the controversy generated by yesterday's interview with King Arthur. In case you missed it, he had some rather unpleasant things to say about his onetime friend and mentor, Merlin. I have to admit that I was shocked.

So, I suppose it wasn't a surprise when I received a phone call from the venerable wizard. He was upset that Arthur painted him in such an unflattering light, and that I had acted in his words, "like a most hard hearted and shameful accomplice." Well, what could I say? I offered him equal time to tell his side of the story, if he was willing.

He jumped at the chance. So, straight from Merlin's Cave, here is Merlin's rebuttal.

Greg:  Well, Merlin, it certainly is nice to meet you, although I wish the circumstances might be a little more cheery.

Merlin:  Thank you for the opportunity my boy. It really is good of you to allow me some time to defend myself.

Greg:  Not at all. We don't usually do two interviews in one week, but I thought the situation warranted it. Now, why don't you tell us where Arthur went astray in his recollection of events.

Merlin:  Gladly. Unfortunately, most everything he said was sheer fabrication. I was the guiding force behind the throne. I've known Arthur since he was a mere boy. I was his teacher, and schooled him in the ways of the natural world, government, morals and ethics. I suppose I did not do a very good job on that last item.

But to address your question, Arthur might think he accomplished what he did on his own, but it was I who laid the groundwork. As for my magic not amounting to much, I'll have you know that I have performed many extraordinary feats. I am a master shape changer, and used that power to great effect in Arthur's education.

Greg:  Yes, but what about the time traveler from Connecticut who blotted out the sun?

Merlin:  Argh! It was that Twain person. He had it in for me from the very start. Always painted me as a villain, a fool. What he did was not magic, mere looking back to the past. Hindsight is always 20/20. I look into the future. My specialty is seeing what shall be.

Greg:  Then why didn't you see what was coming?

Merlin:  Er, um, I was looking too far ahead. You see i was about to meet my fate. The lovely Lady of the Lake was my future. Unfortunately, I was too enamored of her to pay attention to the road ahead.

Greg:  Well, we can talk more about that a little later. I'm interested in whose idea the Knights of the Round Table really was. Arthur claimed it to be his, and that you wanted the table to be octagonal. Is that true?

Merlin:  That was just an early sketch. No, of course I hit upon the round, all knights are equal concept soon after. I will admit that Arthur selected the majority of the knights who would make up the order, but the chivalric concept was entirely mine. Of course, I had nothing in mind at the time but the unification of Britain and the betterment of the world.

Arthur was really the one after the glory. The lad does have a vain streak a mile wide, despite his many good qualities.

Greg:  Ah, so you admit that Arthur is not all bad?

Merlin:  Admit? I do not have to do anything of the kind. Of course he has many good qualities. That's why I chose him for the task. That's why he was able to pull the sword out of the stone. It was because he was destined to unite and rule all of England. I just resent the fact that now that he's reached the pinnacle of success, he's trying to minimize my considerable contribution to the whole affair.

Greg:  Speaking of affairs, what's the story with you and the Lady of the Lake?

Merlin:  It's a painful part of my life that I don't like to talk about, but since you've been kind enough to give me equal time, I'll give you the lowdown. She was such a temptress. First, she tosses Arthur that magic sword, then she starts making with the small talk. Then next thing you know, she's enchanted me and locked me in this cave. It took me ages to get out.

Greg:  I guess this is where we get out. I think our time is up, but I really did enjoy our visit together.

Merlin:  I did, also. Thank you again for giving me some time to give my side of the story. Now that I'm free, I think I'll go have a talk with the Lady of the Lake. She's bound to have gotten over our spat by now.

Monday Interview Series: King Arthur

Today, we're taking a journey through the mists of Avalon to talk to a giant of myth, literature, and history--none other than King Arthur himself. We met with Arthur in his court at Camelot. Will he let us sit at the Round Table? We shall see...

Greg:  So, this is the wondrous Camelot, is it?

Arthur:  Yes, magnificent, is it not? It is the wonder of all Britain. Travelers come from far and wide just to gaze upon its beauty.

Greg:  Well, I can certainly see why. This hall is huge. There are magnificent tapestries hanging on the wall, a roaring fire, a table laid for a feast, and of course, the legendary Round Table.

Arthur:  Ah, yes, humility prevents me from boasting, but I must admit that it is all rather splendid. Of course, all this has been hard-won. It did not just fall into my lap. Britain was a mess. The cursed Saxons had the run of the place.

Greg:  Oh yes, that's right. You and Merlin united the whole country and rose up against the Saxons. Your success ushered in a Golden Age. That's how it went, right?

Arthur:  Well, yes, if you believe everything you read. To be brutally frank, Merlin did not have much to do with it. He wasn't as big a deal as he's made out to be. His magic was not really that spectacular. We once had a visitor from the far off land of Conn Ect Icut who could blot out the sun. Merlin could not perform such wondrous works.

No, it was due to myself and Excalibur, my magic sword, to which most of the praise and honor is due. After all, it was I who won the heart of Guinevere, the comeliest maid throughout the whole of Britain. Merlin could not get so much as a date.

Greg:  I see. There are some who say your origins are rooted in history, while others say you're completely legendary. What do you have to say about that?

Arthur:  Why sir, do I not stand before you in the flesh? Could a legend do that? Could a legend unite the whole of Britain, establishing an age of chivalry? I think not. No, I am very real.

Greg:  Well you are standing here. That reminds me. Merlin set up the whole idea of the Knights of the Round Table, right? What was it like to witness such a historical moment?

Arthur:  Witness? Witness! I was the architect of that most glorious institution. Merlin, bah! He wanted the table to be an octagon! It was I who said it should be round so that all men seated at it would be equal. 

Chivalry was my idea, as well. What could be a more noble pursuit than rescuing fair maidens and questing in a glorious cause. It pulled my knights together and made them the pride of the world. Merlin was always trying to claim credit for the entire thing. He was all show, no substance.

Greg:  That's an interesting take. I'd never heard that version of the story before. Is there anything else that we should know?

Arthur:  Yes, now that you mention it. The whole Lancelot thing is overblown. He didn't even start getting mentioned until the 12th Century. Talk about coming late to the party and taking the cake. And all that going off in search of the Holy Grail, well. It's enough to make me scream. If I wasn't such a level headed, magnanimous monarch, I'd have to take steps. 

Greg:  I think it's time we were taking steps--right back to the 21st century. Thank you so much for your time and the interesting information. It certainly puts the Arthurian Legend in a whole new light.

Arthur:  It was my pleasure. I'll have to be going, Morgan Le Fey and her son Mordred are stopping by to speak with me. I wonder what they want. Between you and me, they give me the creeps.