Classic Interview: Tarzan

Our latest interview is with everybody's favorite swinger, Tarzan the Ape Man. Due to his aversion to "civilization," we had to journey to darkest Africa to get some face time with the Lord of the Jungle.

 Greg:  Hello, thanks for inviting us, Tarzan. Nice jungle you've got here.

Tarzan:  Thank you. Sorry, we didn't have time to clean up much. We didn't expect you so soon. The vines need trimming and we haven't emptied Cheetah's litter box in a week. I'm so embarrassed. 

Greg:  No worries. We came by jet, much better than those long ocean voyages. Anyway, tell us a little bit about your childhood. 

Tarzan: Not much to tell. Can't remember very much. I was only a baby when my parents and I were marooned here. Mother died soon after. My father was killed by Kerchak, leader of the Mangani ape tribe. The tribe adopted me, or rather Kala, my ape mother did. 

Greg:  Fascinating. How did you, a human, manage to survive among the apes? 

Tarzan:  They took care of me. Kala raised me. I learned much, ape ways and ape speech. I learned to climb, swing from vines like an ape. I grew strong, fought many in the jungle. I learned to speak with apes, monkeys, elephants, lions, tigers, cheetahs, many animals in the jungle. 

Greg:  You're remarkably well spoken for someone raised by apes. 

Tarzan:  I learn man speech from humans who come to the jungle, and I've been to big man cities, to civilization. Many strange things I saw there, and many languages I learned. I did not like it. Smelly, dirty places. Crowded, polluted. All animals slaves there, and many people, too. 

I wanted to leave, but Jane wanted me to stay. It was her home. I wanted her to be happy, but I was not happy, and that made Jane unhappy. In civilization, no one is happy. Tarzan left, and Jane agreed to go, too. 

Greg:  How did you meet Jane?

Tarzan:  A group of humans was marooned on same spot as I was. What are the odds? Jane and her father were in that group. I met Jane, showed her the jungle. She liked the jungle, liked me, too, but her father wanted to go back, so she went.

I decided to leave, too, to find her. I loved Jane, did not want to let her go. I traveled up through Africa, into India. Met Mowgli--nice boy. There is a book about him and his life in the jungle--I forget the name. He got me on an English ship. Sailed to England. Good thing Jane did not go back to America, but went to England. Swim to America is long, they say.

I found Jane--looked her up in the phone book. Ha, ha, that's a joke. I made friends with the crew. They said to go to the Explorers Society, they probably went there. Guess what? They did! Lots of coincidences in my life!

After I found Jane, she and I lived in London, got married. I tried to live civilized to make Jane happy, but it didn't work out. Finally, Jane said that she wanted to go back to Africa, to my home. That made me happy, which made Jane happy. Everybody was happy.

Greg:  So, you didn't like civilization. Can't say that I blame you. How did Jane adjust to living in the wild?

Tarzan:  Jane did well. She's strong. She likes living in the trees and swinging on vines. I built a tree house for her. She keeps it clean, makes it a good home. I bring her things to cook, wildebeests, gazelle, and Jane's favorite--warthog.

Jane also likes to ride elephants, swim, climb, everything that I like to do. She's good fun. Our son likes to do these things, too.

Greg:  Is it true that you call him Boy?

Tarzan:  Ha, ha, that's funny. You're telling me a joke, right?

Greg:  Uh, no, in the films I've seen, you call your son Boy.

Tarzan:  That's not true! It's the silliest thing I've heard. My son is not named Boy, his name is Jack. He makes me proud. He's a good boy.

Greg:  Sorry, I guess you can't believe everything you hear. Well, thank you for taking the time to sit and talk with us a bit. Give my best to Jane and Boy, er, Jack.

Tarzan:  Sure thing. Come again soon. Next time, take a boat, and I'll be sure to kill you a water buffalo. We'll have a big party. Maybe Jack will come instead of staying out all night swinging with his ape buddies. Kids these days, everyone is getting so civilized.

A Writer's Week #152: Moving Right Along

Things have been chugging along since I last checked in. April got off to a great start with an appearance at the Deer Hill Thrift Shoppe in Danbury, CT. It's a wonderful store that is part of the First Congregational Church of Danbury. Periodically, they invite local artisans and authors to sell their products with no fee. 

I had a slot April 11, and it was a great time. I got to meet some great folks, talk a little bit about the craft of writing, and I even sold a few books to boot. All in all, a great experience.

I also had the tremendous honor of being interviewed by Jed Doherty for the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast. I'd been interviewed by Jed a couple of times previously on his Reading With Your Kids podcast, but this was a feature length interview of about 24 minutes. It was really a fantastic experience, and we covered a lot of ground. Jed asks a lot of fantastic questions. We talked about Fire & Ice and what it was all about. We also delved into my writing process, and why I write for a primarily middle grade audience. I have posted a link to the podcast on the message bar to the right if you'd like to take a listen.

Meanwhile, I have been inching forward slowly on my WIP. The second book in the Dragon Island Legends series is starting to take shape. I know where I want to go, but I'm still a little hazy on how I get there. That is bound to slow me down--unless I have a sudden epiphany.

In any event, I am up to a little over 6,200 words and am starting chapter 14. I am right at the point where circumstances will dictate that Shadra will have to do something. What she decides to do could very well make or break this little story. Am I worried? Sure, a bit, but I've learned that more often than not, the characters point me in ways I didn't anticipate.

When that happens, I'll be sure to let you know.

Peace

Classic Interview: Peter Pan

This week Classic Interviews returns with an interview with the boy who never grew up, Peter Pan.

Greg: Welcome, Peter. I know you have a busy schedule, so we'll get right to it. Can you tell me a little bit about your childhood? 

Peter: Ha, ha! Silly grown up man! That's a good one! My childhood is my whole life, and I hope it will never end. 

Greg: Of course, how silly of me. Can you tell me how you first came to Neverland? 

Peter: I was lost. My parents lost me. Tinkerbell found me. I would have died. She took me away to Neverland. Soon, we both flew out together, looking for lost boys like me. They became my men. We have a great time fighting pirates, teasing mermaids, and having councils of war with the Indians. 

Greg: Don't you miss having a mother? 

Peter: Nah! Mothers are nothing but trouble! 'Sides, we had a mother once. Her name was Wendy. She darned stockings and told us stories. We had some grand adventures, I can tell you. That was about the only time we had a mother. She wasn't so bad, but she had to grow up. 

I wanted her to stay and be our mother always, but she had to take her brothers, John and Michael, home. They missed their real mother. 

Greg: Do you ever miss Wendy? 

Peter: Sometimes I do. I used to visit her every summer. But every year she'd get a little older, until she wasn't any fun to play with anymore. That's the part that makes me sad. When the kids grow up. That's when they stop being interesting. Like you, you write about kids and stuff, but you're just a boring old daddy man. 

But Wendy, she was never boring. Even after she grew up, she could still be a little fun. Funny thing is, when she got real old, like 30-35, she was no fun at all. But then she got positively ancient, like 70, and she was a lot of fun again. She liked to play all sorts of games again. I could never figure that out. 

Greg: Why don't we talk about some of your adventures. What was it like to face Captain Hook and his pirate crew? 

Peter: Captain Hook, why'd you want to talk about him? He thought he was so smart. Always laying traps for us, he was. But we were always too smart for him. 

I remember one time, he tried to set a trap for us. He tried to get us into a cave to rescue the Indian princess, Tigerlilly. I swooped in and rescued her, and he couldn't stop me. I got him to chase Wendy, and she led him into the lagoon. The crocodile was there, waiting for ol' Hook. Ha, ha! That crocodile chased him clear back to his ship! Hook didn't set another trap for us for more than a month!

Hook's funny, but he can be dangerous if you don't watch out. The rest of his men are harmless, but great fun. That Mr. Smee is the funniest of them all. He's always upsetting the good Captain. It makes our job a whole lot easier!

Greg: What plans do you have for the future?

Peter: The future? I don't worry about the future. Whatever happens, happens. There'll always be pirates to fight and Lost Boys to find. Tinkerbell is always around, too. She's a lot of fun, but sometimes she can be a little nasty. When that happens, I just banish her until she shapes up. That usually fixes things.

Sometimes I think that if people could just have fun, and banish people until they stop being mean, that everyone in the world would be a lot better off. Take you for example. If you didn't worry so much about selling your books, and just had the fun of writing them, you'd be a lot cheerier and I bet your kids would have more fun, too.

Greg: I daresay, you're probably right, Peter. Well, thank you very much for talking to us. I feel younger just talking to you.

Peter: All you need is a little pixie dust, and you'd be back to having fun before you know it. Just say the word, and I'll send Tink over to your place with some. Leave the window open, and we'll have an adventure!

A Writer's Week #151: The Book is Done!?

 Well, it may be hard to believe. I can barely believe it myself, but I've finished the first draft of book two in the Dragon Island Legends series! In a never before burst of writing inspiration I went from 5,800 words to almost 100,000 in one weekend!

Oh, and what wonderful stuff it is. Shadra, my main character, discovers that she is a witch and didn't know it when she meets an old warlock named Ben who is wandering the steppes of Jongchin. Together they head to the seat of magical learning, Alderworts School of Magic and Mischief.

There Shadra studies all sort of magical art with a variety of professors. Some are great and she befriends Parry Hotter and Rusty Han. Some though, give her a hard time. There's Darth Malfoy and some of his pals.

Anyway, they have to defeat the Unnamed Emperor who is holed up in this big magical balloon he calls the Gassy Star.

I tell you, I have never felt so inspired in my life. You all will love this, trust me. It's going to be huge, and I'm going to have a lot of merchandising to go with it.

Stay tuned. I swear it's true. If anyone doubts me, they're a fool.

Peace

Classic Interview: Anne of Green Gables

 This week, I'm particularly pleased to introduce a very special guest, Miss. Anne Shirley of Anne of Green Gables fame. So, let's get right to the interview.

Greg:  Welcome, Anne. I'm so glad you could come down from Prince Edward Island to join us.

Anne:  Thank you for having me, I'm sure. It is most exhilarating to be here.

Greg:  Yes, I'm sure. I gather that you had a very difficult early life. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Anne:  No more difficult than the next person, I shouldn't think. I was born in Bolingbroke, Nova Scotia, but my parents died of typhoid fever when I was only three months old, leaving me all alone in the world. My parents, Walter and Bertha Shirley were both schoolteachers, a source of great pride for me. I would like to follow in their footsteps and have endeavored to do so.

I was taken in by our housekeeper, Mrs. Thomas. But when Mr. Thomas died, Mrs. Thomas sent me to the Hammonds, where I looked after their three sets of twins. I have ever been cursed by twins, you know. But when Mr. Hammond died--my, an awful lot of people that I know seemed to have died, come to think of it--Mrs. Hammond packed all the twins off to relatives and packed me off to an orphanage on Prince Edward Island.

I spent some bit of time at the orphanage, but was taken in by siblings, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. Unfortunately, and nearly tragically, there was a slight misunderstanding that nearly sent me back to the orphanage.

Greg:  Oh my, what was the problem?

Anne:  Well, Matthew and Marilla were under the impression that the orphanage was sending them a boy. You can imagine Matthew's surprise when he saw a freckle faced red haired girl waiting anxiously for him at the train station.

Matthew picked me up and brought me to their farm, Green Gables. I liked Matthew from the very start, and I believe he liked me. He was so kind and gentle spoken. A prince among men.

Marilla Cuthbert was made of sterner stuff. She frightened me. She was all about manners and religion and being proper, and she wanted no part of a girl on the farm. But oh, how I wanted to stay. Green Gables was just so perfect. I needed a knight in shining armor riding a white horse to come charging over the hill and save the day. And do you know what? My shining knight came.

Greg:  Really? Who was your shining knight?

---

Anne:  Why Matthew Cuthbert, of course. He talked Marilla into it, you see. Oh, I said he was kind and gentle, didn't I? A true knight.

Greg:  Of course. I gather Matthew convinced Marilla to allow you to stay. Were you able to make any friends in, what town was it?

Anne:  Avonlea, the most wonderful town that any child ever grew up in. It was hard making friends at first. It takes a while to find out if someone is a kindred spirit or not. It didn't take long to discover that Diana Berry was just such a kindred spirit, however. We became bosom friends almost immediately.

It took longer with others. That Gilbert Blythe for one. The first day of school he teased me and called me Carrots because of my red hair. Diana said he only did it because he liked me, but I swore that I would have nothing to do with Gilbert Blythe until my dying day. In that, I was somewhat mistaken, but that was revealed only a great deal later.

Greg:  Can you tell us a little bit about Marilla's friend, Rachel Lynde?

Anne:  Oh, Mrs. Lynde was a kindred spirit, although neither she nor I realized it for quite some time. When I first came to Avonlea, there was a misunderstanding between her and I that drove a wedge between us. She had a nose for gossip but was never a malicious gossip like some.

Greg:  You mentioned earlier that you wanted to become a teacher, like your parents. Was there anyone that helped you on the path to your chosen profession?

Anne:  My teacher, Miss. Stacy, yet another kindred spirit, showed me that I had the ability to teach. When she first came to Avonlea, many of the townsfolk did not take to her straightaway. They thought her too lenient. Spare the rod and spoil the child was their motto.

Miss. Stacy thought it better to encourage her students. That is what she did with me. She was my mentor and gave me the encouragement that I needed to reach for the stars. The star was Queens College. I owe her a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid.

Greg:  And we owe you a debt of gratitude as well, Anne, for taking the time to share some of your life with us.

Anne:  Will this be in the newspaper? Because I want to make sure you remember to spell my name with an e, Anne. The e makes it much more distinguished, don't you think?

Greg: Yes, I suppose it does. I don't know if this will be in the paper, but it will be on the Internet, which is just as good these days.

Anne:  Internet? I'm not familiar with the term. Is that a newspaper chain? I've heard of those. Hearst is very prominent. I've not heard of the Internet family. Are they American?

Greg:  Mmm, from all over, I believe.

Anne:  Isn't that wonderful! I'll look forward to reading about myself. I don't care what Marilla says about vanity, I do enjoy reading about myself!

A Writer's Week #150: By Jove, I Think I've Got It!

 This past week was an important one in my as yet unnamed second Dragon Island Legends book. I had some time off and was planning to get some writing done. It turns out that I managed to write about 1,200 words. The book's length is now about 5,500 words. I wish I could have written more.

However, it turns out the writing was secondary. For months, all of 2026 in fact, I've been struggling with a major plot point/motivation. Shadra, the main character, had to accomplish something. I knew what the outcome should be, but I did not know how she was going to get it done without going against everything that I thought the character should be and represent. 

I puzzled and puzzled over it. It was such a big issue that I considered delaying starting the book. However, I had decided that I should start and see if the characters untied the knot on their own. As I was writing, though, I realized that it wasn't going to happen that way. It seems the characters were as much in the dark as I. 

So, I decided to lock myself in a room, sit down, and hash it out no matter how long it took. It actually did not take as long as I thought. Within a day, I'd come up with a decent idea and scribbled everything down. Now I've got a semi-complete outline, although I'm sure there will be a few more items to work out as I go.

The good thing is most of the heavy lifting is now done (I hope). The only thing remaining is to actually write the rest. I'll update you on how that goes in my next Writer's Week.

Peace

Classic Interview: Sherlock Holmes

                                                               Sherlock Holmes

This week we speak with one of the greatest sleuths in all of literature. He has mystified readers with his amazing deductions for over one and a quarter century. Of course, I'm speaking of the inimitable Sherlock Holmes. Let's see what he's got to say.  

Greg:  Good evening. It is a singular honor to be speaking with this week’s guest. He has solved some of the most baffling cases in history, always through outstanding feats of intellect and deduction. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Welcome Mr. Holmes.

Holmes:  Thank you.

Greg:  Tell me a little about your early life.

Holmes:  I don’t like to talk much about myself. It could give my enemies valuable information with which to do me injury. However, since I am retired and most of my enemies are jailed or dead, I shall indulge you just this once, although I shan’t go into too many specifics.

I was born in England in 1861. My ancestors were country squires, but the thought of lounging around on an estate all day never held much appeal for me. So, after sitting two years at Cambridge, I left school in 1880 to fight in the Second Anglo-Afghan war, where I was wounded.

Upon my return from the war, I decided to apply my immense powers of reason and my ability to disguise myself to use as a consulting detective. I had always had a talent in this line. In fact, it was while at university that I had first used my powers of deduction to solve a number of trifling cases that had been puzzling the local constabulary.

Greg:  How did you meet Dr. Watson?

Holmes:  As I said, I had been working as a consulting detective in London, but times were hard. Financial difficulties required that I advertise for a boarder. Dr. Watson turned up on my doorstep the day after I posted the ad in the Times. Wonderful bit of serendipity, that.

He and I lived and worked together for a number of years, quite successfully, until he decided to get married. After his wife’s untimely death, Watson returned, and I was happy to receive him. He has chronicled all of my most formidable cases.

Greg:  You’ve got a reputation as quite a clever fellow. It’s said that you can deduce anything about someone just by looking at them.

Holmes:  Quite.

Greg:  What can you deduce by looking at me?

Holmes:  That you love muffins, and that you have been through quite a lot to obtain one.

Greg:  How do you mean?

Holmes:  I mean that you set out for the bakery in your automobile but ran out of petrol on the way. You found that your cellular phone was dead, so you hiked to the nearest telephone, and rang the automobile club. You were picked up and transported back to your car, where you refilled the tank. You then purchased a muffin and a medium cup of coffee for yourself and the driver as a thank you.

Greg:  That’s remarkable Holmes! It’s almost like you were there with me through the whole ordeal. How did you deduce it?

Holmes:  Elementary. First, the crumbs on your shirt, and your slightly portly physique pointed to an overindulgence in sweets. Next, the mud and drops of petrol on your shoes were indications that you recently journeyed on foot and had filled your petrol tank. Behind you, I see that your cellular telephone is being recharged, which lead me to believe that you were unable to use it to telephone for help.

Greg:  Incredible, Holmes. But how were you able to sort out the bit about the automobile club and that I had bought the driver a treat?

Holmes:  Quite simple, really. On the table at your elbow lie your automobile club card and a receipt from a bakery. The receipt shows that you purchased two muffins and two medium coffees.

Now, while it is entirely possible that you purchased two muffins for yourself, I do not think that even you would have purchased two coffees for yourself alone.

So, you see it was really quite an obvious deduction. All one has to do is observe the clues.

Greg:  You’ve solved a great number of cases over the years. Which has been the most satisfying?

Holmes:  My cases have involved many lofty, even royal, personages throughout the years. While these have carried a certain amount of satisfaction, I find that I am most satisfied when dealing in cases involving the common man, for it is there that we see both the worst and the best that humanity has to offer.

Greg:  Well thank you so much for spending some time with us. It was most enlightening.

Holmes:  Yes, I am sure it was.

A Writer's Week #149: Taking a Big Steppe Forward

 This week I wrote a relatively small amount of words--only about 700--but I came a long way. Shadra is currently travelling the steppes of Jongchin on foot, tracking an unknown foe. The book, still unnamed, has reached almost 4,100 words. As it stands now she has just met up with two comrades from her clan. What will happen? We shall see.

Also this week, I received a five star review from Readers' Favorite for the first book in the Dragon Island Legends series, Fire & Ice. 

Thanks very much to Susan Sewell for the following review:

In the enchanting children’s fantasy, Fire & Ice (Dragon Island Legends) by Gregory S. Slomba, the Silver Dragon of the North attacks the villages in the islands and abducts the children to work in its mines and fields. Fifteen-year-old Benchu and Mai-Lin were saved by the Golden Dragon when they were younger and now live in an orphanage. To avenge their parents’ deaths, they want to become Denchi Assassins. Then they will have the skills to take revenge on the Northmen and the Silver Dragon. When Benchu learns that he and Mai-Lin are being moved to the Dragon Palace, they run away to join the Denchi. A shabby old man finds them in an alley and takes them to Master, who promises to train them and introduce them to the Denchi. Instead, they are forced to pick purses. How can they escape Master? Will Benchu ever get revenge for the deaths of his parents?

Fire & Ice by Gregory S. Slomba is a captivating children's story with a meaningful plot and a well-developed storyline. The story is beautifully executed with the right amount of conflict, tension, and resolution. I enjoyed meeting all the characters, even the villainous ones; each is well-rounded and authentic. Relatable and engaging, Benchu's and Mai-Lin’s characters meet their challenges with realistic youthful rebellion and audacity. The setting and the dragons create a lovely story resembling a Chinese legend imbued with lessons grounded in moral strength and personal growth. Young and young-at-heart readers will enjoy this poignant and charming story.

So, honestly, this unnamed book 2 has been a little bit of a struggle as far as figuring out what path it's going to take to get to the ending I'm envisioning. But it's nice to receive a review like this. It encourages me that if I keep plugging away at the current book, it will all come out all right. I'll keep you updated on all its twists and turns in my next Writer's Week.

Peace

Interview With Robin Hood

 Robin Hood

 

This week's interview is with that famous outlaw, Robin Hood. It's hard to get Robin away from his merry men, and even harder to pry him away from Maid Marian, but we managed it. We'll see if we can shed some light on this legendary figure.

 

Greg:  Welcome, Robin, it's great to have you in from the cold for a minute.

Robin:  Thank you, good sir. It is an honor to speak with such an august personage as yourself. 

Greg:  You flatter me, sir. I was wondering if you could tell us a little bit about your youth.

Robin:  It was so long ago that I can scarce remember it. I was born in the early 12h century...hold. No, it may have been later, perhaps the 13h century. Ah well, 'tis no matter, all water under the bridge. In any event, I was born and grew up strong and true in England's green and pleasant hills. It was there I learned the archer's art, and sword craft. 

I practiced uncounted hours, until as an archer I was without peer throughout the length and breadth of England. As a swordsman, I was scarcely far behind. In fact, I daresay that among all the swordsmen of the realm, there were only two or three that could best me.

Greg:  How did you become an outlaw? 

Robin:  Ah, now there we come to the crux of the matter, one that shaped my destiny, if you will. There are scores of theories circulating throughout the shire, nay, throughout the country, but I shall shed the light of truth on the matter.

I was a stout yeoman, not noble born, but I considered myself as good as any man alive. When good King Richard left England for the Crusades, his brother Prince John robbed the poor in taxes to pay for his gluttonous ways...hold again. Perhaps it was good King Edward that I served. Ah well, as before it is of little moment. The point is that I robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. Yes, that is what history shall remember.

Greg;  Right, right, why should details get in the way? It was all a long, long time ago. Which begs the next question. Are you a historical figure, or a fictional character?

Robin: Well asked, my good fellow! What is history? What is fiction? Answer those two questions, my lad, and you'll find that the answer to the question of my origin lies somewhere in between. I am neither wholly real, nor wholly fictitious.

While I have come to symbolize all that is good and noble in human nature, I as a person of mere flesh and blood could not hope to live up to the expectations that history has placed upon me. Therefore, is it not unreasonable to assume that a certain amount of fictional embellishment may have occurred over the course of centuries?

However, at the core, I am the man of which the legends sing. Many of the deeds which are credited to me, I actually did perform.

Greg:  Tell me about your merry men. Who was your favorite?

Robin:  Another excellent question, my lord. My merry men are a joy to me. A stouter band of ruffians and yeomen I could never hope to find! Over the course of the centuries, history and legend have given them their personalities, making them, too, larger than life. Who could forget heroes with names like Will Scarlet, Little John, Much the Miller's Son, and of course Friar Tuck.

The good friar is the one I'd want most with me in the heat of battle. No hardier warrior have I known. And none so quick to celebrate a victory with a joint of mutton and a jug of ale. There is also the added benefit that, when stuck in a tight spot, he could administer Last Rites and send you clean of conscience to your Maker if need be.

Greg:  I think people would like to know what happened to you after you were pardoned?

Robin:  Ah well, I do believe the phrase is "lived happily ever after". The good king, Richard...or Edward depending on which version of my life you prefer, granted me lands and the hand of the lovely Maid Marian. I, brash boy that I am, took all of the fair damsel and lived to a ripe old age.

Although I left the world's stage at that point, legend was not through with me. My deeds grew and grew until even I could scarce recognize my little life from the thing of sheer magnificence that it now is. It truly is an amazing thing.

Greg: Yes, well thank you so much for taking some time out from your legendary schedule.

Robin: It was a time which I shall always hold dear. You are without equal as an inquisitor, and I doff my cap to you, sir! Ta, ta for now!

A Writer's Week #148: Forward Progress

Well last week was pretty eventful. One icy winter morning I slipped crossing the street and banged my head, receiving my first ever concussion. I've got to say it was pretty scary. I'm pretty much back to my old self now, so that's good. I've never been quite in my right mind anyway.

Anyhow, I spent about four days not moving around very much. The good thing was it gave me some time to do a little writing on the second book in the Dragon Island Legends series. I wrote about 2,200 words, so the word total is now at 3,400. I still have not come up with a title for it though.

Shadra, the 16 year old girl from the western Jongchin steppes, is rounding into form. I'm getting a good feel for who she is, although I think she will evolve as the story progesses. She has just experienced a tragedy, but now has a purpose.

I'm not quite sure what her journey will look like, but I do know where I want her to wind up. Will she arrive there when all is said and done? Maybe. She is headstrong and independent, so she might have other ideas. I'll wait and see. Sometimes characters take over and do something unexpected, and usually it's magic. I'm looking forward to seeing how things develop.

I'll let you know how things go.

Peace

Interview With Long John Silver

                                               Long John Silver

This week's interview is with one of my all-time favorite villains, Long John Silver from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Long John is an interesting study for a bad guy, because throughout Treasure Island we see more of the nice Long John than we do of the evil Long John. Oh sure, he shows flashes of brutality, but most of that is only hinted at. For me, this makes him much more interesting.

Okay, enough with the character analysis. On with the interview!

Greg:   Welcome, Long John. Thanks for coming ashore.

Long John Silver:  Aye, you’re welcome, matey. I don’t often come ashore; ground’s too firm beneath m’ foot. Not enough give. ‘Sides it reminds me too much of m’ time on that cursed island lookin’ for Flint’s treasure.

Greg:  Were you always a seafaring man?

LJS:  Aye, almost since I can remember. I run away from home as a lad and stowed away aboard His Majesty’s frigate Unrepentant. It were there I came into His Majesty’s service. I served under a number o’ fine naval gentlemen, squire.

I started off as cabin boy, then midshipman, an’ finally seaman. It were a good enough existence, I suppose, but it wore on me to have to take orders from them as claimed to be m’ betters but weren’t.

Greg:  How did you lose your leg?

LJS:  I lost it in service to Baron Hawke, one o’ the toughest sailors to ever trim a sail. None better at it, ‘ceptin’ maybe Captain Flint, but it’d be a close call there.

We were fightin’ pirates, strangely enough. Cannonball took it clean off. Guess I should of gone below decks and steered clear in m’ berth, but that aint ol’ Long John’s way. General quarters was soundin’ anyhow, so I was stuck an’ had to meet m’ fate, so to speak.

After I lost m’ leg, I weren’t fit for the service of His Majesty, so I had to shove off. We were in the Indies. I couldn’t even work my passage home. Well, says I to m’self, what other sea work can a mostly able-bodied sailor get in these here waters?

That’s when fate smiled on me, squire. I met up with an ol’ shipmate I used to know what had jumped ship and turned pirate some time back. He got me to sign on with Cap’n Flint.

Greg:  What was your role on Captain Flint’s ship?

LJS: Now Flint were hard, but I were never scared of him. Ol’ Long John had put in too many years and seen too many things on the high seas that would make a lesser-hearted man’s blood run cold. I weren’t afraid of his rantin’ an’ he knew it.

Before any time at all had passed, he had made me quartermaster, second in command only to him. So, I knew all about Flint’s treasure and the map. Flint gave the map to Billy Bones, his mate, an’ died of the effects o’ rum. Bad business, that. Rum also done for Billy. I never touched it, an’ I’m still here, so that should speak for somethin’.

Greg:  Describe your relationship with Jim Hawkins.

LJS:  I aint sure what he thinks o’ me, but young Master ‘Arkins is foursquare, he is. Reminds me more’n a bit o’ m’self he does. There’s no truer lad, nor braver. ‘Course ol’ Long John didn’t get away with all the treasure, but it all worked out for the best in the end, I’d have to say. It’s good enough I got away with m’ skin and some gold to boot, enough to retire by in the colonies.

Greg:  What do you like most about the sea?

LJS:  The freedom of it. Give me a sturdy craft an’ a star to sail her by, an’ I wouldn’t have to ask for much more, squire. I’d be right capped with that. ‘Course, a nice pile o’ gold would warm the cockles of m’ heart, too, heh, heh!

Greg:  How do you want literary history to remember you? 

LJS:  I don’t rightly reckon that it would. But if anyone did happen t’ trouble to think o’ ol’ Long John, I’d want ‘em to say “Long John were a stout sailor an’ true shipmate. He’d twist a dagger in your gut if ya crossed him, but he were as good as gold to those as stood by him.”

Aye, that’s how I’d like to be remembered. It’s how anyone’d want it—wouldn’t you, squire?

A Writer’s Week #147: New Year, New Stuff

  So 2025 has come to an end, and suddenly, I'm looking around and we're already into February of 2026! Where does the time go? For me, from an author standpoint, January and February are primarily time to take a breath and take stock of both the previous year and the new one--what's just happened and what I want to happen.

This past year has been great. I met a lot of great readers and writers and expanded the reach of my books. Thank you all so much for your support and enthusiasm. It means the world to me. 

I was also able to complete a new novella based in the Dragon Islands. Once again, Emily Hurst Pritchett came up with a great cover and maps.

Even though January went by quickly, it was a momentous month. I released Fire & Ice on New Year’s Day. It really turned out great and could be the best thing I’ve written yet.

I have also begun writing the next book in the Dragon Island Legends series. I don’t have a title for it yet, but it will shed some light on the origins of a very famous guild. Right now I’ve written only about 800 words, but it’s underway. I hope to have it published by the end of this year, but don’t quote me on that.

In the meantime, I still need to set up my show schedule. My first show of the year will be this Saturday at the Westbrook Outlets in Westbrook, CT. The show runs from 11:00-3:00 and features a bunch of Connecticut Book Festivals authors. Always great hanging with that crew and selling a few books. The show will be the first where I’ll be selling Fire & Ice, so stop by and get a copy. 

I suppose that’s it for now. Keep warm and I’ll update you on how the writing’s progressing soon.

Peace

A Chat With Tom Sawyer

 Tom Sawyer 

It's a new year, so it's the perfect time to introduce a new series of interviews with famous characters in classic children's literature and fairy tales. The interviews with the characters from my book proved to be so popular, that I thought, hey, why not interview characters from other children's books?

Today, we're kicking the series off with one of my favorite characters, Tom Sawyer. Let me know how you like it.

 

Greg:  Welcome Tom, it’s great to have you here!

Tom: Thanks, Mr. Greg, sir. It were nice of ya t’ have me.

Greg:  Tell us a little bit about yourself, Tom.

Tom: Shucks, taint much t’ tell, really. I started m’ life very young, but I growed up. Now, I live free an’ easy, ‘cept when I got t’ go t’ that ol’ school. Aunt Pol’s always tryin’ t’ git me t’ go, but I outfox her more often than not. Got a nice place up in the piney woods. It’s a whole fort where I fight off injuns an’ hide treasure an’ such.

Sometimes I got t’ go t’ church, too. Go t’ Sunday school an’ larn Bible passages ‘n’ things. I won me a Bible oncet. Yep, I sure did. I got enough o’ them there tickets the Rev’rand give out for learnin’ Bible verses. I traded a whole pile of treasure with the boys in school t’ get them tickets. It was worth it, too. Preacher called me up, an’ I got me that Bible in front o’ the whole class, includin’ Becky Thatcher. I was slicker ‘n’ a greased pig, I can tell you.

I’m also good at fightin’. I just about licked every boy in school, an’ some o’ the girls, too. “Course that comes from m’ piratin’. Ya got t’ be able to lick anyone that crosses your path, iffin you’re a pirate. I recall the time me ‘n’ Joe Harper ‘n’ol’  Huck Finn run away t’ be pirates. Boy did we have a time!

Greg:  Where do you live, when you’re not terrorizing the seven seas, I mean?

Tom:  I live in the town of St. Petersburg, Missouri with m’ Aunt Polly, m' half brother Sid. I live next door t’ Becky Thatcher. We’re engaged, but don’t tell no one. It’s supposed t’ be secret. Keep it mum. Wouldn’t do no good if Becky was t’ get wind I told ya.

Greg:  In all of your adventures, what’s the worst thing you ever saw?

Tom:  I don’t rightly know. I seen a lot o’ worst things. I saw Injun Joe all laid out an’ starved t’ death after bein’ trapped in McDougal’s Cave. Me ‘n’ Becky was trapped in the cave with Injun Joe.

I s’pose the worst thing I ever saw had t’ be Doc Robi’son getting’ kilt by Injun Joe. See, the way it happened was me ‘n’ Huck was in the graveyard with a dead cat tryin’ t’ catch some devils. All of a sudden, along come Doc Robi’son, Ol’ Muff Potter, an’ Injun Joe. Me ‘n’ Huck hid an’ watched as Muff ‘n’ Joe started to dig up a grave.

Well, when they got the body up, they all starts agruin’ over how much the doc was gonna pay ‘em. Before ya know it, the doc had whacked ol’ Muff Potter over the head with a gravestone, which was just a painted board. Then Injun Joe took up Muff’s knife an’ jammed it inta Doc Robi’son’s chest.  It chilled m’ blood an’ curled m’ toes. Me ‘n’ Huck lit out o’ there like the Devil himself was chasin’ us.

From that night on, I had t’ sleep with one eye open, on account of I was s’ skeered.

Greg:  What’s given you the most pleasure?

Tom:  I’d have ta say coming back in the middle of m’ funeral. Ev’rybody was so surprised. Me ‘n’ Joe ‘n’ ol’ Huck got so much attention. We was top citizens, I reckon. I was in m’ glory. Ev’ryone was fussin’ an’ carryin’ on. I aint never seen such a big t’ do.

I s’pose I should also say getting’ engaged t’ Becky Thatcher an’ findin’ all that gold were high points, too. But nothin’ can compare with the attention the town give me when I come back from the dead!

Greg:  Are you afraid of spirits?

Tom:   Shoot, spirits aint nothin’ iffin ya know how t’ handle ‘em. First, ya take a stinkbug an’ make him a leash out of a shoelace. Put the stinkbug on the ground, holdin’ the leash. Then, ya draw a circle around the bug in the dirt. Next, ya gets a pin an’ pricks your finger. Then, ya squeezes two drops of blood out of yore finger onta the stinkbug. Then ya says an incantation, an’ that’ll keep the spirits away the whole night. Simple as that, but I shore wouldn’t want t’ tangle with ‘em without the right gear.

Greg:  After all your adventures, are you ready to become civilized?

Tom: Oh law, I aint never gonna get civilized. Aunt Polly’s done tried, but she aint been able t’ do it. Aint no one gonna do it, not as long as I draw breath!

I tell ya the one I feel sorry for. It’s ol’ Huck Finn. The widder Douglas done took him in t’ live with her. I anyone’s gonna civilize a body, it’d be the widder Douglas. Ol’ Huck don’t stand a chance with that one, I kin tell ya.

She won’t let him go piratin’ or nothin’. Me, I done give Aunt Polly the slip agin, an’ if Sid don’t blab on me, I’ll be off down the Missisip’ on a raft an’ no one’ll be the wiser. Come t’ think on it, I still owe Sid a lickin’ for squealin’ on me the last time!

Mr. Greg, I sure have enjoyed settin’ here an’ talkin’ with ya a spell, but I got t’ get movin’. There’s ships t’ plunder an’ wayfarers t’ rob, an’ the night’s getting’ on!

Greg:  Sure thing, Tom. Thanks for taking some time to chat with us. Good luck with your adventure!