Monday Interview Series: Jack, But Not the Beanstalk

Today, I'm talking to someone who's really getting up in the world. He's a small-time farmer who wound up making the deal of the century, although his dreams nearly came crashing down. i'm talking of course about Jack of Jack & the Beanstalk fame. Let's see what this social climber has to say.

Greg:  Welcome, Jack. Nice of you to drop in. How is everything?

Jack:  Oh fair t' middlin', fair t' middlin', squire. Nice t' see ya.

Greg:  I understand you've had some exciting times recently. I was hoping you could tell us a little bit about what's been going on.

Jack:  Goin' on? What're you on about? There ain't been nothin' goin' on, squire.

Greg:  Oh, really? I'm terribly sorry, but I was led to believe that you had some exciting times that led you a sudden rise in your fortunes recently. I just wanted to congratulate you and see if you could elaborate a little for the benefit of our readers.

Jack:  Oh aye? Well if that's all ya want t' know, I think I can oblige. Although, I'm not sure that you're goin' t' believe it.

Greg:  My, that sounds intriguing. What wouldn't we believe?

Jack:  Well, I'll tell you. You see, me and me mum used t' live in this rundown old farmhouse on land what was pretty much played out, if you take my meanin'. The only thing on the place that was the least bit productive was our old cow.

She were a bonny old thing. I'm talking' 'bout the cow, mind. Mum were a little scary. Any road, one day the old bag o' bones--that's the cow, not mum--stopped givin' milk. Well, mum up an' tells me t' take her down t' the market--the cow, not her--an' sell her so's we can have a little bit o' cash t' tide us over.

Greg:  Well, I suppose that's reasonable. Get rid of an asset that's goin' south and cash in on it while you can. She's not a banker by any chance is she?

Jack:  Nay, though I daresay we'd a been better off if she were. So, what could I do but take ol' bossy--that's the cow--into market to sell her. Only thing is, I didn't make it into town. See, what happened was, some ol' bloke I met on the road made an offer before I even got there. He offered me--are you ready for this--he offered me a handful o' beans.

Greg:  Beans? That doesn't sound like a fair trade.

Jack:  Ah, but this is where things get interestin'. He says they ain't just any beans, they's magic beans. Well, what could I do? I mean, how many times does a lad get offered magic beans in a trade, I ask ya? Well, I ain't no fool. I took 'em before he had a chance t' change his mind. Handed the cow right over quick as ya please, and was off home.

A Writer's Week #39: Moving Right Along

Well hello there everyone. I hope you're all well as we find ourselves squarely in the fall season. For many of us, temperatures and leaves are falling, and some are even seeing (shudder) snow! For me, even though the seasons are changing, one thing seems to remain constant--I'm still writing The Deliverers 2: Order of the Crystal Lion.

Chazum Warrior Sketch

I was hoping the first draft would be finished by now, but the ending is unfolding a little differently that what I had originally envisioned, with a couple little unexpected plot twists and turns. I believe this is good, but won't be sure until I go back and read it all after I've finished the first draft. The immediate result is that it's taken me a little longer to finish than I thought. The good thing is that I'm not stuck, and everything is moving right along.

That really seems to be this week's writing theme. Everything in Deliverers Land is moving forward, which is good. I managed to write 2,600 words this week. This brings the total word count up to 52,800 words, 57 chapters and 232 pages. So, the book is going to be drawing to a close within a couple of weeks. I know I keep saying that, but eventually it will happen, right?

Anyway, Daniel Vogel, the young artist who did the map and cover for The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel recently sent me a conceptual sketch of a Chazum warrior from the new book. It looks pretty good. These guys are great. They're people who have had lion genes spliced into their DNA--against their will. This makes them well suited to be fighters. The rest of their society, called the Vynistri, looks down on them as less than human. Of course they're not, and that forms part of the problem that Eric and company are sent to address.

On another front, the audio book version of The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel is also moving right along. This week, voice actor Jimm Singer uploaded the first finished 18 minutes of the audio book on to ACX. It really sounds fantastic. This is the first step on the road to completing the audio book.

The next milestone is the entire book. The due date for that is mid-November. In between now and then, Jimm and I will be communicating back and forth as he sends me rough chapters to get my feedback. I'm really excited to hear his interpretation of the characters. I've heard all four of The Deliverers from his audition, and you're really going to love them. In the coming month I'll be bringing you a couple snippets to listen to. Toward the end of this month I'll be doing a first for this blog--a podcast interview with Jimm Singer.

Now in honor of the fact that I'm moving forward with these projects, here's a fun song from the original Muppet Movie entitled (no surprise) Moving Right Along.

What's Marissa Reading? You Have to Stop This

Marissa's back for the first time since I was away on vacation in August (seems so long ago). If you remember, she gave her thoughts on four of the books in the Secret Series by Pseudonymous Bosch. Today, she's back to talk about the fifth book in the series, You Have to Stop This. Let's see what she had to say.

Here's what Marissa says the book is about.

"While on a field trip to the Natural History museum Cass, Max-Ernest, and Yoji decide to sneak off to go look at a special mummy. But when they get surprised by a security guard, Cass accidentally breaks off the priceless mummy's finger! To pay for the damage, they have to work sorting through artifacts at the museum, but in their off time they make a major discovery. 

"Cass, Max-Ernest, and Yoji believe the mummy is actually the alchemist who discovered the Secret. In their quest to see if this is true they get shipped half way across the country to Las Vegas in wooden crates where they soon discover that Lord Pharoh, an evil alchemist who also strives to learn the Secret, is there plotting his revenge. While Cass is trying to learn the Secret, as the Secret Keeper, some crazy things happen which I am not going to reveal."

What did Marissa like best about the book?

"I liked the part when Cass discovered the Secret but was disappointed. And also when she figured out the true meaning of the Secret."

Was there anything that Marissa did not like?

"I didn't like how Cass always blamed Max-Ernest for every little thing that went wrong, it was annoying."

So, how did Marissa rate You Have to Stop This, by Pseudonymous Bosch?

She gave it five out of five baby giraffes.

Did You Know? Louisa May Alcott

After my fascinating conversation with Jo March yesterday, I thought it would be fun to go in search of some fun facts related to the author of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott. Here's what I was able to find out.

Did You Know...

• Little Women was published in two volumes? The first, Little Women, was published in 1868, and the second, Little Wives, was published in 1869.
• The book was one of the first novels to portray women as independent and strong-minded? It's views were decades ahead of its time.
•  Little Women was popular with women of many different social backgrounds because there was something in there that everyone could relate to?
• The book opened up a new market of young women and girl readers?
• Growing up in New England, Louisa May Alcott and her family were transcendentalists? They rubbed elbows with folks like Emerson, Hawthorne, and Thoreau.
• When she first started writing, she used the pen name of A.M. Barnard?
• During the Civil War, she spent six weeks as a nurse in a field hospital in Washington?
• The character of Jo is based on Louisa May Alcott?
• While serving in the field hospital during the war, she contracted typhoid fever?
• She died in 1888 at the age of 55, just two days after her father?

Interesting stuff, that. Now, here's the trailer from the 1994 film version of Little Women. I have to admit that I love this movie--there's so much great stuff going on, and it's very well done!

Monday Interview Series: Jo March

Today I have a special treat for you. I've been able to get in touch with one of the darlings of children's literature, and she's graciously agreed to spend some time with us. So, without further ado let's take a minute to chat with Little Women's Jo March.

Greg:  Hello Jo. Thanks for agreeing to talk with us.

Jo:  It's my pleasure. I enjoy sitting of an evening and talking with friends and family.

Greg:  Yes, it's something that's not done often enough these days. Why don't you tell us a little bit about your friends and family. How are they doing these days?

Jo:  Oh fine, fine. I must say that the family is growing by leaps and bounds, and everyone is fit and well, thankfully. Marmee and Papa are well and quite contented now that Papa is home and the war is over. 

Greg:  It's good to hear they are well. What news do you have of your sisters? 

Jo:  Oh they are fine. Meg and John are doing well, and the twins, Daisy and Demi, are flourishing. John's work as a tutor keeps him quite busy. At times I fear that Meg is left overlong with the twins on her own. They can be very demanding, and at times things get tedious for her. She bears it well, though. After all, it is what is expected of her.

Greg:  Still, it sounds like she could use a break every now and again. Does anyone ever give her a hand?

Jo:  We all help out from time to time, but I am afraid she is left on her own to cope more often than not.

Greg: And what of your youngest sister, Amy?

Jo:  She is married now, did you not know? You'll never guess who to! Well, our Aunt March took her abroad to paint and attend to her. And who do you suppose she met over there? Why  none other than our own dear, sweet Laurie! He was in Europe studying abroad. It was a happy coincidence that they should meet so far from home.

A few years had passed and they had much changed in each other's eyes. Well, shortly after, after Beth died, Amy came home with Laurie at her side and they were married! Everyone was mush surprised, but we were happy that Amy had married someone of such fine character. Thee fact that he was so well to do was not unappreciated, either.

Greg:  Oh how lovely. That brings me to Beth. I know that it must be hard for you to speak of her, but I was hoping you could share some of your fondest memories of her.

Jo:  It is not hard for me to think of her. In fact, I think of her every day, and always my heart is lightened when I think of her. She was with us for only a relatively short time, but she is at the root of all my fondest memories of home and growing up. In fact at times, the two--home and Beth--are indistinguishable in my memory.

I think my fondest memories are of her playing the piano and acting in our little plays up beneath the eaves in the attic. She loved her cats and her dolls. Sometimes I almost envy Beth, for she will remain young for all time, while we will age and eventually fade away.

Greg:  Hmmm, interesting observation. And how is your life faring, if I may ask?

Jo:  My book is selling above and beyond my expectations. So much so, in fact, that I must admit that my publishers have requested another manuscript, which I am endeavoring to finish as soon as may be.

Of course, I am hard pressed for writing time what with taking care of my nephews Franz and Emil, and our two sons, Rob and Teddy. My husband, Friedrich, is a wonderful teacher. It was he who encouraged me to address serious matters in my writing. I never thought I could ever feel toward someone what I feel for him.

Greg:  That's great. I'm glad that everything is going so well. Thanks for stopping by and giving us an update.

Jo:  Life keeps moving along. Old memories mix with new, weaving a tapestry that we can wrap around us like a warm quilt to see us through  cold, lean times. I have really enjoyed talking with you as well, sir. Good day to you.