In this interview with Outer Banks Publishing Group author Bob Irelan, he reveals what inspired him to write the novel, Angel’s Truth and hopes to help people realize that justice is not always applied fairly, especially when it to comes to racial minorities.
Bob, this is your first novel. What inspired you to write it?
Writing was a large part of what I did during my career — first in journalism and then in public relations/communications. But, until this book, I had always dealt with facts. Reading fiction was my release and I have always appreciated a story well told. In retirement, I found the time to attempt writing this novel. It’s liberating to shape a story, make it believable, but not be bound by actual happenings. With respect to the plot, I’ve most always rooted for the underdog. For me, the character Angel Gonzales fills that role in his fight for true and lasting justice.
Were the characters inspired by real life people?
Public Defender Marty Booker was shaped at least in part by a public defender I was exposed to years ago as a member of a jury. I was impressed by how hard he worked on behalf of his client, a minority. Angel and the others were creations of my imagination.
You started your career as a journalist and then moved into corporate public relations and communications. How did you research the information for the story? Did you have any experience in the justice system?
I have to admit I didn’t do a lot of research. I lived in Sugar Land, TX, near Richmond, where the story takes place. Those locations and nearby Rosenberg are real but my description of them — most of the buildings, the park, etc. — is made up. I decided to create a setting that would work with the story I wanted to tell. My knowledge of the justice system is limited, but it’s drawn from jury service, a lifetime of reading and viewing courtroom dramas, and having a father who was a lawyer and a U.S. Attorney.
How long did it take you to research and complete Angel’s Truth?
The better part of a year, although I sometimes took breaks of a week or two. I admire writers who discipline themselves to a daily schedule. I’m sure that’s a more efficient approach than the one I followed.
I wanted to make the point that the truth often is not obvious; that finding it takes persistence, commitment and, if you’re lucky, some help from unanticipated sources. I also wanted to remind the reader about how, too often, justice is unevenly applied — especially as it relates to racial minorities. We’re not yet where we need to be as a fully inclusive society. Despite this, I wanted to write a story where hard-fought truth prevails.
Will there be a sequel? Will you write another book?
I’m not sure, but probably. I found the challenge of creating a plot and developing the characters to give it life very stimulating. Also, in writing this first novel, I overcame some personal doubts and uncertainties. For instance, I had not really written dialog before so that took some learning. The reader will judge whether I succeeded.
Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction and why?
I don’t have a preference. l love biographies and works of history. But I also love fiction, especially mysteries and those that include some courtroom drama. I admire greatly those who write well, those who can draw a picture for the reader. I love a book that grabs my attention and leaves me wondering how the heck the author came up with this or that idea.
Who are your favorite authors and did any inspire you to write Angel’s Truth?
I like John Grisham, Mark Sullivan, David Baldocci, Dan Brown, to name a few. I also like historical novels by authors like Ken Follett, Erik Larson, and Anthony Doerr. In my mind, they are all amazing story tellers. And, yes, I drew inspiration from all of them as well as others.
As a first-time novelist, do you have any advice for potential authors starting their first book?
Yes. Just start writing. Don’t wait until you have everything figured out before you start. Don’t be deterred by not knowing at the outset how your story is going to end. Keep writing and see where your imagination takes you. Learn from the words and phrasing of writers you admire. Bounce ideas and text off people whose judgment you respect — those who will tell you if something is good or not. Take breaks when you need to but commit yourself to a finished product. You’ll be glad you did.
Is there anything you would like to add?
Take your time. Don’t rush the process. This was advice I got from an experienced, successful pro, and it proved to be very helpful. Don’t be shy about asking for help. There are a lot of smart people out there willing to hold your hand on this exciting journey.
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Angel Gonzales is charged with heinous crimes that law enforcement, the media, and most folks in Richmond, Texas, and surrounding communities are certain he committed.
The crimes and trial dwarf anything that has happened in that part of the Lone Star state in anyone’s memory.
When, against all odds, the jury renders “not guilty” verdicts, shock escalates to anger.
In the minds of many, justice has failed, and a brutal criminal is being set free. For Angel and his court-appointed public defender, Marty Booker, being judged “not guilty” isn’t enough.
Together and with help from an unanticipated source, they attempt to prove Angel’s innocence.
In the process, they butt up against prejudice, deceit, and a sheriff and district attorney who put politics, ambition, expedience, and arrogance above responsibility to do their jobs.
It’s a story of horror, hatred, belief, and persistence – a story of a Mexican-American teenager who nearly loses his life on the way to becoming a man.
Reprinted from Smart Marketing for Authors
Interview with Netherlands author Koos Verkaik, who has written and published over 60 titles. He is currently an Outer Banks Publishing Group author with his four-book children’s series, Saladin the Wonder Horse.
You are a Dutchman. Many of your books are in English. How does that work?
I have written over sixty different titles, both novels and children’s books. I think and write in Dutch, then translate my work. Anthony Policastro from Outer Banks Publishing Group, publishes my series of children’s books, Saladin the Wonder Horse. He can work with my English texts and takes good care of the necessary editing.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
For me writing is work and work can make you tired. I am used to write till late at night.
Did you ev
er consider writing under a pseudonym?
I wrote lots and lots of books under pseudonym, mainly to make money. That work has nothing to do with the 60 titles I wrote under my own name, Koos Verkaik. I wrote four novels each month for a publisher/distributor – adventures using different nicknames. My full name is Jacobus Jan Verkaik. One of my pseudonyms is Jan Jacobs. Wrote a series of children’s books under that name: Slimmetje (somewhat like Smarty). It sold over 450.000 copies in The Netherlands only!
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I had only one job in my life, working as a copywriter for a huge agency in Rotterdam. There I learned to write what people want. And my commercial books also gave what people wanted to read. My own novels come straight from the heart and I don’t wrote them for a certain audience. So, in short, I know how to attract attention and I know how to get to the point in a pleasant way.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Each novel stands on its own. I have a contract now in the USA with a publisher and a film company for 14 different titles. All stories on itself. In May this year, Righter’s Mill Press, Princeton comes with my novel HIM, After the UFO Crash and in the summer they will publish Dance of the Jester. Both books are also considered for film. And then they will publish 2 to 4 new books each year.
For children I love to write series. Alex and the Wolpertinger will be published in May this year – the first two books from a series of 30.
Outer Banks Publishing Group has published number one of the series Saladin the Wonder Horse, book two is ready for print.
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
I was only 18 when my first novel was published. And 16 when I write scripts for comics. It did not change my process of writing. I wrote fast, I still write fast. That first novel was written during a long weekend. 5000 copies sold.
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
I started writing stories at the age of seven. I was amazed by the fact that I could make all characters act the way I wanted them to do. That gave me a miraculous feeling of power.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
None. All books I ever wrote have been published.
What’s the best way to market your books?
Use all possibilities that the Internet gives you. Never be lazy, take your time to look for new ways, new chances. The world is changing. The Internet makes it possible for me to work with an agent in New Zealand and publishers in the USA. This is an amazing time. Facebook is important, when you are writing. And of course you need your own website.
Bruto, the bear, Joe and Angie from Book 2, Saladin and Silver
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I have a personal library containing about 3,000 books. I read lots and lots non-fiction about science, about the paranormal, about everything. And I am always able to find things back; I know exactly in which book I can find what I am looking for. And the Internet is very helpful when you want to do good research.
How long were you a part-time writer before you became a full-time one?
As I told, I have been a copywriter once. I was only 20 then. When I quit, I became an adventurous writer, finding my way in the labyrinth of the publishing world. Writing commercial stuff under pseudonyms, novels and children’s books under my own name. I wrote hundreds of scripts for comic artists, articles for magazines, recorded albums, etc.
How many hours a day do you write?
I am used to get up at half past six and start working at half past eight to about seven o’clock in the evening. And often I work till late and I also work on the weekends. I write children’s books and novels. More than often I write two books at the same time. All I need is one single idea – that is enough to start writing, I never know how it will end. There is a chaos in my head and I need to put an avalanche of words on the screen or I have to start all over again and concentrate on writing new things. As a boy, I was, of course, not allowed to write to late at night. The bookkeeper of my father’s business knew I had that drive to write after midnight. He gave me a special old light bulb that was used during the Second World War; lights were forbidden then, they could attract bombers. I used the bulb to write at night: a small beam shone down on my paper. Only was able to see it. It was exciting to write my stories in the dark. The old bookkeeper encouraged me to write my stories when I was still a kid.
Can you tell more about the new series Saladin the Wonder Horse?
Book 1: Saladin the Wonder Horse
Angie looks after the horses of Lord Baltimore.
It is a rough time in England, where Prince John sits temporarily on the throne of his brother Richard the Lionhearted.
The girl plunges into wild adventures when she tries to keep a colt out of the greedy hands of the prince. She meets a mysterious knight, who gives her his horse – Saladin, the black wonder horse.
With the two faithful animals, Angie manages to reach the camp of Robin Hood, bringing him an important message.
Silver, the colt she saved, learns quickly from the clever Saladin.
The exciting adventures of Angie, Silver, and Saladin come to a head as the girl resolves to outsmart Prince John.
And of course she cannot achieve that without her special horses … and some very special friends.
Book 2: Saladin and Silver
Angie roams the country that is reigned by the ambitious Prince John.
An encounter with a mysterious knight saddles her with a mysterious horse: Saladin the wonder stallion. This horse reveals himself as the teacher of Silver, her own, silver colored horse. This way Silver becomes a wonder horse as well.
Angie has gone far away from Nottingham and the castle of the prince.
Of course she rides Silver. The beautiful horse is no longer a colt, hardly seems to feel the weight of the young girl and loves to be together with her.
Again Angie meets the most odd people – a tinker, Joe and his bear Bruto and especially the spoiled Princess Wanda, daughter of Prince John, who is after her favorite horse! Angie has become an outlaw and a fugitive: she has to keep Silver out of the hands of the greedy princess!
Book 3: Silver and the Ghost Horse
Again Angie and her wonder horse Silver plunge into the most dangerous adventures. It all starts, when a sly councilor and a giant soldier decide to destroy the camp of Robin Hood. No one knows where to find that camp of Robin and his men. No one, except for Angie! Soon everyone is looking for her and things don’t look good for the girl. But she can count on the help of Silver and Saladin and of her friend Joe and his bear Bruto. And another party is interested in Angie and Silver! A strange man, who calls himself Sultan! And where do these mysterious ghost horses come from? Angie and her horse stay tough. For together they are strong, together they stand tall in a land full of enemies and problems.
Book 4: The Jester of Nottingham
Prince John reigns over England, now his brother Richard Lionheart is not there. He exploits the people and wears Richard’s crown. Everyone fears this mean prince. Except for men like Robin Hood and girls like Angie!
Angie roams the country on the back of her wonder horse Silver and comes across the most odd persons. She runs into knight Rush and his little son Arthur; she meets a merry rat catcher and returns to the camp of Robin Hood. In the meantime, Prince John organizes an election: the man who becomes the Jester of Nottingham is allowed to reign the country for one week. He does not know that King Richard has set foot on English ground again! Angie knows where she can find the king and finds him with Silver and the mighty Saladin.
And the king can use the help of Angie and her wonder horses!
The novels All-Father and Wolf Tears gave him the name of the Dutch Stephen King. Koos was invited by Bill Thompson, the editor of the first Stephen King and John Grisham books. In New York’s Empire State Building. they polished one of his best and most intellectual books: Dance of the Jester that will be published this summer by Righter’s Mill Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
Learn more about Koos on his website > https://koosverkaik.com
Buy a copy of his book
https://www.amazon.com/Saladin-Wonder-Horse-Book
Koos Verkaik Music: https://soundcloud.com/user-224641692
Koos Verkaik Books: https://readwatchandthink.wordpress.com/tag/koos-verkaik/
By Jack Milgram of Custom Writing
From The Six Main Arcs in Storytelling, as Identified by an A.I. by Adrienne LaFrance, published in The Atlantic
Based on author Kurt Vonnegut’s 35-year-old master’s thesis that every story has a narrative shape, a group of researchers from the University of Vermont and the University of Adelaide collected computer-generated story arcs for nearly 2,000 works of English language fiction and classified each into one of six core types of narratives based on what happens to the protagonist.
Narrative arc for the classic Cinderella
The researchers’ focus was on the emotional trajectory of a story, not merely its plot. They also analyzed which emotional structure writers used most, and how that contrasted with the ones readers liked best.
They used a collection of fiction from the digital library Project Gutenberg, they selected 1,737 English-language works of fiction between 10,000 and 200,000 words long.
Then, they ran their dataset through a sentiment analysis to generate an emotional arc for each work.
The most-prevalent six narratives the data revealed are:
1. Rags to Riches (rise)
2. Riches to Rags (fall)
3. Man in a Hole (fall then rise)
4. Icarus (rise then fall)
5. Cinderella (rise then fall then rise)
6. Oedipus (fall then rise then fall)
So if you have the proverbial writer’s block consider one of the six narratives to free your story.
Read the rest of the story from The Atlantic>
Kurt Vonnegut explains his thesis of the shape of the narrative.
Reprinted with permission by Fiona Mcvie from her blog, Author Interviews.
By Fiona Mcvie
Fiona: Where are you from?
Koos Verkaik
I am from The Netherlands, I was born in a small village near Rotterdam.
Rotterdam has one of the biggest harbours in the world. It is said that the inhabitants are ‘born with rolled back sleeves’ – which means that everyone likes to work hard. That’s the spirit I like. I am a writer and work every day and never had a writer’s block.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news.
Outer Banks Publishing Group, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, offered me a contract for my series of children’s books Saladin the Wonder Horse. Four books. The covers are already done. Everything looks splendid. This is what the stories are about:
England, the twelfth century:
Angie, a poor Saxon girl, looks after the horses of Lord Baltimore.
It is a rough time in England, where Prince John sits temporarily on the throne of his brother Richard the Lionheart.
The girl plunges into wild adventures when she tries to keep a colt out of the greedy hands of the prince. She meets a mysterious knight, who gives her his horse – Saladin, the black wonder horse.
With the two faithful animals, Angie manages to reach the camp of Robin Hood, bringing him an important message.
Silver, the colt she saved, learns quickly from the clever Saladin.
The exciting adventures of Angie, Silver, and Saladin come to a head as the girl resolves to outsmart Prince John.
And of course, she cannot achieve that without her special horses…and some very special friends.
Fiona: What inspired you to write the Saladin the Wonder Horse books?
I wrote dozens and dozens of scripts for comic magazines. The drawings were done by Spanish artists. The comics were published all over Europe: The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France… The main publisher asked me to write a series about horses. I came up with Saladin the Wonder Horse.
The publisher decided to print the books in Sweden. They came to The Netherlands by truck: 40.000 paperbacks!
Before Saladin the Wonder Horse, I had written another series for another publisher. The title of the series was Slimmetje, which means as much as ‘Smarty’. It was published by two different companies and more than 450.000 copies were sold in the Netherlands only!
Fiona: How did you come up with the title?
I have always been interested in history. Saladin is a name you will find when you read about the crusades. Fascinating times. I created Saladin, a big black war horse, brought to England by a wounded knight. It is a true wonder horse and little Angie had to take care of him when the knight passes away.
Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
When you write books, you learn something every day. I often write fantasy, but the stories take place in a normal world. Sometimes in the present, sometimes in the past. Then you have to deal with lots of facts, you must know what you are writing about.
I could not have written Saladin the Wonder Horse without knowing about the middle ages.
Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
Saladin the Wonder Horse would be a terrific film. The producers and the director must look for a clever girl who is able to ride a horse.
Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging?
I write children’s books and novels. More than often I write two books at the same time. Start writing at half past seven in the morning. All I need is one single idea – that is enough to start writing, I never know how it will end. There is chaos in my head and I need to put an avalanche of words on the screen of my laptop to clear up my thoughts. I feel free when a book is finished, but soon it starts all over again and I concentrate on writing new things. I have written over sixty different titles and hundreds of comic scripts, worked as a copywriter for a big agency, and wrote songs and plays. It just never stops and I am so grateful for that!
Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process?
Love to travel. Mostly by car. From The Netherlands it’s easy to drive to Germany, Austria, Switzerland. But I don’t have to travel for my books. Been to New York – I was invited by Bill Thompson, the editor of the first books by Stephen King and John Grisham. That was a great experience.
Fiona: Who designed the covers?
They were done by Maverick Book Services in the Philippines. Publisher Anthony Policastro and I instructed the artist and we received sketches and different ideas. We picked out the best designs. Isn’t that fascinating? I am in The Netherlands, my publisher in the USA, the cover artists in the Philippines and the Internet brings us together!
Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Yes! The message in all of my books is simple: “I hope you will have a good time.”
What I write is pure entertainment. Of course, I have some interesting things to say as well, but that is not the main goal. I just hope that my readers (kids and adults) will enjoy my stories.
Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?
At the age of 7. I filled a pile of notebooks. I was Europe’s youngest scenario writer for comics when I was only 16 and my first novel was published when I was 18 years old.
Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I was 16. I had three pages in a weekly for several years. It was fascinating to learn that so many kids in school bought the comics and read my stories.
“As a boy, I was, of course, not allowed to write too late at night. The bookkeeper of my father’s business knew I had that drive to write after midnight. He gave me a special old light bulb, that was used during the Second World War; lights were forbidden then, they could attract bombers. I used the bulb to write at night: a small beam shone down on my paper. Only I was able to see it. It was exciting to write my stories in the dark.”
Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favourite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?
I always mention Jack Vance when someone asks me about my favorite writers. He was such a good fantasy writer. And Edgar Allan Poe still fascinates me. He remains a mystery and some of his short stories are almost too scary to read…
Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author.
Will tell you a secret. As a boy, I was, of course, not allowed to write too late at night. The bookkeeper of my father’s business knew I had that drive to write after midnight. He gave me a special old light bulb, that was used during the Second World War; lights were forbidden then, they could attract bombers. I used the bulb to write at night: a small beam shone down on my paper. Only I was able to see it. It was exciting to write my stories in the dark. The old bookkeeper encouraged me to write my stories when I was still a kid.
Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?
Yes, I do. I have always worked at home and could make money by being an editor and a copywriter and that gave me the opportunity to build a career as a writer. With ups and downs! Now I have found a home for Saladin the Wonder Horse and other series of children’s books. Signed a contract for twelve novels with Righter’s Mill Press, USA; they are the owners of Three Corners Entertainment for film and television and all titles are under contract with this film company as well.
Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in the Saladin series?
Not as word. I always read my own work several times, because I write in Dutch and then have to translate it into English. During that process I can change the text as often as I wish. After the translation is done, I am satisfied and nothing had to be changed.
Fiona: Any advice for other writers?
One advice: Go Your Own Way. Which means read a lot, but never imitate your favorite writers; surprise the world with your own style. Every new writer has to find his way in the publishing world. It is not easy, but so what? If you want to become a writer, then write – as simple as that. When you think it is time, you should try and find an agent who is willing to help you.
Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Read the first book of the Saladin series: Saladin the Wonder Horse.
Adults, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers: buy it for your kid or grandchild. He or she will love it. Angie is a hero for girls. And the boys will especially like the brave boy, Joe, and his big brown bear Bruto! That is pure adventure!
Fiona: What book are you reading now?
What We Cannot Know: Explorations at the Edge of Knowledge, from Marcus du Sautoy. A fascinating book about what we will (probably) never know.
Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?
A Dutch journalist, Fije Wieringa, wrote about that in Penthouse:
“Once I asked the Dutch author Koos Verkaik, whose reputation in the Netherlands is similar to that of Stephen King, which book had influenced him the most in his life. Without losing a second he replied, ‘Alice in Wonderland, that is such a weird and scary book. A lot scarier than any of my own horror and ghost stories.'”
Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?
I seldom cry. Life itself makes me laugh, because it is a rather cruel joke; we have to deal with consciousness, we know that there is a beginning, there is an end… but I am a very optimistic man and I love to laugh every day.
Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why?
Gerrit Jacobsz, an ancestor from 1720. He is my oldest known ancestor. In Holland, your second name is the one of your father: Jacobsz. It means ‘son of Jacob’. My full name is Jacobus Jan; I would love to shake hands with that man from 1720. I have a lot to tell him and who knows what he can tell me…
Fiona: Do you have any hobbies?
I play guitar. You can find me playing blues here:
Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?
Play guitar in a blues band.
Fiona: What do you want written on your head stone?
He refused to leave before the last word was written…
Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events and special offers?
www.koosverkaik.com
https://www.facebook.com/Verkaik.Koos/
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Book 1: SALADIN THE WONDER HORSE
Angie looks after the horses of Lord Baltimore.
It is a rough time in England, where Prince John sits temporarily on the throne of his brother Richard the Lionhearted.
The girl plunges into wild adventures when she tries to keep a colt out of the greedy hands of the prince. She meets a mysterious knight, who gives her his horse—Saladin, the black wonder horse.
With the two faithful animals Angie manages to reach the camp of Robin Hood, bringing him an important message.
Silver, the colt she saved, learns quickly from the clever Saladin.
The exciting adventures of Angie, Silver, and Saladin come to a head as the girl resolves to outsmart Prince John.
And of course she cannot achieve that without her special horses . . . and some very special friends.
Book 2: SALADIN AND SILVER
Angie roams the country, that is reigned by the ambitious Prince John.
An encounter with a mysterious knight saddles her with an even mysterious horse: Saladin the wonder stallion. This horse reveals himself as the teacher of Silver, her own, silver colored horse. This way Silver becomes a wonder horse as well.
Angie has gone far away from Nottingham and the castle of the prince.
Of course she rides Silver. The beautiful horse is no longer a colt, hardly seems to feel the weight of the young girl and loves it to be together with her.
Again Angie meets the most odd people – a tinker, Joe and his bear Bruto and especially the spoiled Princess Wanda, daughter of Prince John, who is after her favorite horse! Angie has become an outlaw and a fugitive: she has to keep Silver out of the hands of the greedy princess!
Book 3: SILVER AND THE GHOST HORSE
Again Angie and her wonder horse Silver plunge into the most dangerous adventures. It all starts, when a sly councilor and a giant soldier decide to destroy the camp of Robin Hood. No one knows where to find that camp of Robin and his men. No one, except for… Angie! Soon everyone is looking for her and things don’t look good for the girl. But she can count on the help of Silver and Saladin and of her friend Joe and his bear Bruto. And another party is interested in Angie and Silver! A strange man, who calls himself Sultan! And where do these mysterious ghost horses come from? Angie and her horse stay tough. For together they are strong, together they stand tall in a land full of enemies and problems…
Book 4: THE JESTER OF NOTTINGHAM
Prince John reigns over England, now his brother Richard Lionheart is not there. He exploits the people and wears Richard’s crown. Everyone fears this mean prince. Except for men like Robin Hood and… girls like Angie!
Angie roams the country on the back of her wonder horse Silver and comes across the most odd persons. She runs into knight Rush and his little son Arthur, she meets a merry rat catcher en returns to the camp of Robin Hood. In the meantime Prince John organizes an election: the man who becomes the Jester of Nottingham, is allowed to reign the country for one week. He does not know that King Richard has set foot on English ground again! Angela knows where she can find the king and looks him up with Silver and the mighty Saladin…
And the king can use the help of Angie and her wonder horses!
Novelist Ron Rhody
Outer Banks Publishing Group author Ron Rhody has agreed to serialize a few chapters of his newest novel, Concerning The Matter of The King of Craw, giving readers a sneak peak into his book based the real life of John Fallis, a legendary figure, who was like a Robin Hood in Frankfort, Kentucky during the Roaring Twenties.
Each week, we will present a new chapter here or you can read it on Ron’s blog. Here is the second chapter Ron released.
Sketch by Karen Piedmont of the “Craw” section of Frankfort, KY in the early twenties.
CONCERNING THE MATTER OF THE KING OF CRAW will be released Nov. 5, 2016 at the Kentucky Book Fair, Frankfort, KY. You can pre-order a copy from our bookstore at the publisher’s pre-release price of $11.99.
By Ron Rhody
CHAPTER FOUR: RISE PEON
Monday came.
Collection day.
The day Tubby and his merry men would be expecting to collect their tribute, the day that would mark the start of my second full week of school in this town still strange to me, the day that would set the way my peers would think of me.
I knew they knew of Tubby’s shakedowns. They must have talked of it. The word must have gotten around. Not that they were likely to ostracize the timid and the weak among them. They’d just have no respect for them.
I understood that. If you don’t respect yourself, no one else will. To prove that you do, you can’t let others push you around.
While I was a boy, the only instruction I ever had in fighting came the afternoon Andy Charbonneau got beat up.
Jigger Swinson beat hell out of him. Jigger was the biggest and meanest boy in class.
We were playing marbles after school behind the swings. Jigger said Andy cheated. He grabbed Andy’s taw and wouldn’t give it back. Andy called him a liar.
“Don’t call me a liar you little bastard.” He took Andy apart.
When Andy couldn’t stand up any longer, Jigger kicked him in the side and walked away with Andy’s taw.
Jimmy D. and Winston and me helped him home. Andy’s dad, the guide, the elk hunter, was there. “What happened, boys” he said as he washed the blood from Andy’s face.
Mr. Charbonneau, Baptiste Charbonneau, was a cheerful man with an easy way and the build of a bear. His face was wind-burned and sunburned and his eyes crinkled at the sides when he smiled. No smiles now.
When we finished, Mr. Charbonneau said, “Did anybody help this Jigger Swinson beat on Andrew?”
“No, sir.”
He waited a moment or two, considering, then said, “I’m not for fighting, boys. But some things you can’t let pass.”
He looked around to each of us. “I want all you boys to pay attention to this.”
Another long pause, waiting to be sure we were listening.
“I don’t expect you to fight unless you have to. But from time to time you’ll have to. Life works that way.” He seemed saddened by that, but continued.
“If there’s going to be a fight, don’t stand around jawing. Don’t waste time pushing or shoving. Knock the sonofabitch down and stomp on him. Hit him as hard as you can! Go for the stomach. Knock his wind out. When he bends over to try to get a breath, hit him behind the head with both your hands locked together. When he falls, stomp on his hands so he won’t be able to hit again for a long time. Don’t give him any quarter. Don’t give him time to collect himself.”
Mr. Charbonneau was a respected man. He had to master the mountains. Sometimes had to master the egos of the swells who could afford his skills but who drank too much or wanted to take a calf for the meat when it was bulls only season and he wouldn’t permit it.
We listened.
“Beat him so bad he’ll never want to fight you again,” he said. “Blow through him like a Maria and then stand over him and tell him if he ever sees you coming he damn well better get out of the way.”
We were gathered in his kitchen when he told us this. Andy was sitting on a stool by the sink with the bloodstained washcloth floating in the basin and we were ringed around him. Mr. Charbonneau was standing behind Andy with his hand on Andy’s shoulder.
“Understand, boys? Understand what I’m telling you? Don’t get caught up in ideas about fair fights. There are no fair fights. You hit first! Hit with as much force as you’ve got. Drop him down and stomp on him before he knows what’s happening. Make him never dare mess with you again.”
He ran his gaze over each of us, satisfying himself that we understood.
“Now, Andrew,” he said, moving around to stand in front of Andy. “I want you to go find this boy Jigger Swinson. I want you to give him that message. And I want you to get your taw back.”
He walked to the corner by the fireplace where he kept a staff that he used when he was scouting in the mountains, a long wooden staff of fire-hardened oak that had been shaved into round and varnished slick. He hefted it, swung it, slapped it against his open palm a couple of times, walked to the window and looked out. The afternoon was fading but there was still an hour or two to sunset. He walked back across the room to stand in front of Andy.
“This boy’s bigger than you. Take this to even that up. When you find him, don’t say anything.”
Mr. Carbonneau raised the staff above his head and swung it down in a sweeping arc.
“Smash him! Hit down, like you’re chopping a log. Hold the staff in both hands. Hit hard. Aim for a spot between the shoulder blade and the neck. Then switch your hold and swing like you’re hitting a baseball and hit him across the upper arm.”
He drew back, pivoted and stepped into the swing as if he expected to drive it out of the park.
“Then swing it down and bark his shins. Then stab it into his gut. When he falls, stand over him and jam the stick into his neck where the Adam’s Apple is. Not too hard. You’ll kill him if you press too hard.”
Mr. Charbonneau stood there, legs apart with the staff’s point shoved into the floor at his feet and him leaning into it, steel in his tone.
“Tell him give me back my taw. Tell him don’t you dare come at me again.”
He handed the staff to Andy. “Go now.”
And turned to us. We were breathless at what we’d seen, shocked at what we’d heard. “You boys go with him,” he said. “See that no one interferes.”
No one did.
Andy got his taw back.
Jigger Swinson didn’t mess with any of us again.
I remembered.
Tubby and his three merry men circled me when class let out for morning recess.
“Pretty boy, pretty boy, we’re waiting for you. It’s Monday morning and tribute is due.”
They were standing by the outside water fountain. You had to pass it on the way to the playground. Tubby made his little sing-song chant loud enough to be heard by those who were passing. Most of the class knew what to expect. They didn’t stop as they passed but began to gather in little groups just far enough away to be close enough to watch.
The morning was chilly. Tubby had on knickers again and a neatly knotted tie and a button- up sweater, with hair slicked back and an arrogant smile. He stood hands on hips, looking big and threatening. The three merry men grinned at each other.
He held out his right hand, palm up, smirking. I smiled right back and drove my fist into his gut with all the force I had. Tubby’s eyes widened. He folded over, gasping, and I hit him behind the neck with my interlocked hands. He splayed out flat, almost bouncing off the concrete pavement at the base of the fountain. I let him lay gasping for a minute, then rolled him over and knelt down with my knee in his chest. I grabbed his tie and forced his gagging face up to look me in the eyes. The surprise on his face was deeper than the pain.
“Wha….” he tried say but he was fighting too hard to breathe.
I tightened my grip on his tie. “Tubby, the peons have risen,” I said.
I dropped him down then and rose to deal with the merry men. But there was no need. Lucas was standing behind me, protecting my back.
Across the schoolyard kids were running in to get closer.
Tubby was still on his back gasping for breath. The merry men seemed dazed. Lucas nodded his head toward Tubby and said to them, “Your little shakedown is over, boys. I wouldn’t try it again or pretty boy might get mad. Now pick your friend up, clean him up, and get out of here.”
Then he turned to me laughing and shaking his head said, “Where’d you learn that!”
(more to come)
If you have ever seen Dan Piraro’s critically acclaimed comic Bizarro (and you have: it is published daily in over 360 papers), you know that he doesn’t see the world like the rest of us do. His single panel gems are a unique concoction of surrealistic imagery, social commentary, and witty plays on words. Indeed, if Salvador Dali, Garry Trudeau and Oscar Wilde had an illegitimate child, that child would be Dan Piraro.
Outer Banks Publishing Group author Ron Rhody has agreed to serialize a few chapters of his newest novel giving readers a sneak peak into his book based the real life of John Fallis, a legendary figure, who was like a Robin Hood in Frankfort, Kentucky during the Roaring Twenties.
Each week, we will present a new chapter here or you can read it on Ron’s blog.
CONCERNING THE MATTER OF THE KING OF CRAW will be released Nov. 5, 2016 at the Kentucky Book Fair, Frankfort, KY or you can pre-order a copy from our bookstore for $11.99.
By Ron Rhody
I’m not sure how to characterize it. It is a work of fiction, yes — but it is based on real people and real events. A mystery? Yes, but not of the usual kind. This one has to do with a man of glaring contradictions — a mercurial man of lethal temper and tender compassion whose acts cause him to becomes an iconic figure in Bluegrass folklore.
No one who knew him, not even he himself, could explain why he did the things he did. He was either Lucifer let loose or Galahad to the rescue of the poor and the powerless. The debate on whether the sum of his actions was good or evil was intense then and remains so now. And the matter of his death is still suspect. Was it a fight over a game of dice as the newspapers reported, or a killing ordered by powerful men who had had enough of the King of Craw?
The book is about all that, and friendship, and the odd turns love can take. Considering this, I thought it might be good to give prospective readers an idea of what the story is and how it unfolds. So over the next few weeks we’ll run a few of the opening chapters here. The one that follows is the Prologue – the “overture” before the curtain rises. Comments and questions are welcomed.
I have been able to reconstruct most of the facts of his life, but I still cannot explain the man.
The sudden explosions of violence.
Like the cutting of Semonis.
The surprising acts of compassion
Like the burial of the mountain child.
What drove him?
He and Semonis were friends. At a dance. A woman. A remark by Semonis that John Fallis thought insulting? The knife was out and in Semonis’ side before anyone could move.Some spark, some circuit in his mind connected and he reacted violently and without thinking.
That happened often.
Ted Bates.Not serious. The bullet missed the bone and the leg healed. Tubba Dixon had a pool cue broken over his head and would have had the jagged stump shoved down his throat if he hadn’t been pulled out of Fallis’s reach.
There were other shooting and cuttings.
Anger? Surely.Self defense? Perhaps.
For the Semonis knifing, he was arrested, charged with cutting and wounding with intent to kill without killing, and jailed. But nothing came of it.
From his bed, Semonis petitioned the Judge to set John Fallis free. John is my good friend, he declared. It was a simple misunderstanding, as much my fault as John’s. Please let him go.
The battered and the wounded often petitioned the court to let him go.
Because of acts like the burial of the mountain child?
A stranger, a man from the mountains, had come to town to find work and feed his family. No work could be found. While the man searched, his baby son caught the river fever and died.
The man knew no one. Had no friends or family to call on. No job. No money. No way to bury his baby son, his only son. For a man like him, a man from the prideful culture he came from, the shame of it was damning, the despair of the loss of his son crippling.Then someone told him about a man who might help.
No need to belabor the story.
The stranger came to the grocery. Stood before the counter. Humble. Humiliated. Told his story. Promised somehow, someday, if only Mr. Fallis could see his way clear to lend him enough money to bury his son, he’d pay it all back, swear to God.
John Fallis listened quietly. Took the measure of the man. Didn’t lend him the money. Gave it to him. More than was needed. And stood with the man and his wife at the burial so that they didn’t have to endure it alone.
Like the spark that set off the violence, there was a spark that triggered compassion.
I doubt he was aware of either.
Whatever the case, to most of those in that section near the river where the poor lived, that section where the bad-ass bars and the honkey-tonks and the cat-houses huddled, to most of the people in that part of town where John Fallis had his grocery, and to many others all over town that were poor and powerless, he was revered. He stood up for them.
To the proper folk of the city, though, he was Lucifer unleashed. He was a lawless, thuggish, un-intimidated insult to decency and the Powers-That-Be. They wanted him gone.
John Fallis was ten when he began to carry a knife.
The older boys, the bigger boys, picked on him. He fought back. They thought it was funny. Until he got the knife.
When he became a man, no one thought it would be funny to pick on John Fallis. He brooked no insult, would not be cheated, would not be pushed around. He bent a knee to no man.
He was the King of Craw and Lucas Deane was his acolyte.
I came to know Mister Fallis through Lucas. That’s how I thought of him—as Mister Fallis.
He was strikingly handsome. He had a charm that was almost magnetic. When he chose to use it, which was not always, he won friends easily and women became willing prey. Being around him was like being swept up in a vortex of energy where something exciting, something dangerous, something unexpected could happen, would probably happen, at any second. I fell gladly into his orbit. I was only a boy then. We were in the seventh grade, Lucas Deane and I, when we met. I was transferring in from a distant school. Lucas was already there. That year was nineteen-twenty. The Great War was over. The country was opening the door to the Roaring Twenties. The Big Shoot-Out was a year in the future.
The Big Shoot-Out. The day John Fallis took on the entire city police force. You’ve heard of it. Everyone’s heard of it. Even the New York Times was appalled. But John Fallis was special to Lucas Deane long before that. Lucas and his mother would have starved but for John Fallis.
Lucas’s mother was ill and couldn’t work. They were penniless. No money for food, no money for rent. Lucas was only seven at the time. John Fallis heard of it. He found Lucas and gave him a job … things he could do, sweep up at the grocery after school, stock the shelves … and paid him enough that they could get by.
Later, Mr. Fallis kept Lucas on. He liked the boy. Lucas’s gratitude was endless, his admiration boundless. I could understand that. I came to admire John Fallis, too. But not to the point of blind devotion.
Lord, save us from our heroes.
Author Ron Rhody
Outer Banks Publishing Group author Ron Rhody tells what it takes to write a novel based on the real life of person in this interview. He talks about his newest book, Concerning The Matter Of The King of Craw, to be released at the Kentucky Book Fair on November 5 in Frankfort, KY and how he “wrote it” rather than reporting the story.
What brought you to write about John Fallis and his life and times?
I had just wrapped up When Theo Came Home (the last, maybe, in the Theo trilogy) and was searching for a subject for the next book. I had two ideas. One was for a story about what happens when the meek inherit the earth – you know, the promise in the Beatitudes, Mathew 5.5, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth” – what would happen, I wondered, if that happened?
The end of times… everyone gone … to heaven or hell … only the meek left. What would happen? Fascinating idea to play with.
The other idea was to try to build a story around John Fallis, the King of Craw. Fallis was a real character, a fascinating character, a dominating figure in Kentucky’s capital city during the Roaring Twenties, controversial at the time, legendary now.
I grew up in that town. I remember hearing stories about about him as a boy – most of them bad. He was a legitimate businessman on the one hand, but on the other a gambler, a brawler, the biggest bootlegger in the whole area with a violent temper and a reputation for mayhem.
He was also handsome and charismatic and loved by the common folk because he helped them and stood up for them against the Establishment. The powers that be didn’t like that. There is speculation even today that powerful forces in the city sent a hit man to do him in. I thought I’d try to find out about him and build a story around him. The meek could wait.
Fallis is a real person. How did you get the information you needed to craft an informed story?
The way a reporter goes about it. Search the record, talk to people. Son Bixie Fallis’ “biography” of his father at the Capital City Museum was a start and an enormous help. Bixie’s story is that of a loving son writing about a hero father, so it has to be taken with a certain restraint, but it is first hand and intimate.
No one is alive today who knew Fallis directly but, thankfully, there is Jim Wallace’s collection of interviews with people who lived in the Bottom and Craw and who did know Fallis. They’re in his This Sodom Land treatise done for the University of Kentucky. It is enormously rich. And there is Doug Boyd’s work in his book Crawfish Bottom. It has a whole section on Fallis.
Those two pieces, and the local area newspapers, were my principal sources. And there are, of course, people who didn’t know Fallis but have relatives who did and who remember the stories they were told. I managed to find and talk with several of them.
After that, it was a matter of imagining what might have happened or could have happened as I worked with the information the limited sources provided. I’ve tried to stay true to facts I could uncover and make sure the inferences I’ve drawn from them are fair.
Concerning The Matter Of The King Of Craw is my fourth novel. I think it is the best. I’ve learned a lot listening to Theo. The first three books are about him and make up the Theo trilogy. They did not start out to be trilogy. But one story led to another and then became three.
Like Concerning The Matter, they are set in Frankfort, which is Kentucky’s capital city – a jewel of a place, a river town in a Bluegrass Valley that has a character and a feel to it that works on me like magic.
All I’m trying to do is tell a story that makes the reader want to know what happens next and feel satisfied when one gets to the end. A story. A good story. That’s all. We live by stories.
The Theo books are about a young man who starts out as rookie reporter assigned to cover a bizarre murder which he leads him to a career in big time newspapering in New York City and other world capitals and ultimately back to that little town on the river trying to decide whether to run for Governor.
Along the way there are two other murders. He’s implicated in one of them. There is political intrigue and malfeasance, graft, blackmail, Melungeons, and, of course, a girl, Allie, who becomes a woman and who is in and out of his life through it all. I don’t know whether Theo runs and gets elected or not.
At present, I’m not interested in finding out, but I may want to.
The first three books I “reported.” I grew up newspapering, That’s the way you tell the story – who, what, when, where, why – and, if you can figure it out, how. I think they’re good books. They move fast and the stories are compelling.
I didn’t “report” Concerning The Matter Of The King of Craw. I wrote it. There’s a difference. The who, what, when, where, why, and how are there. But there’s more. I think I’m getting the hang of it.
When you start a novel, who are you writing for?
I’ve given that a lot thought. The straight of it is that I’m writing for myself. I’m telling myself the story. If I can hold my interest, keep the story moving, touch a cord of emotion, be intrigued by things I didn’t know, discover something of value in the motives and actions of my characters, I’m happy.
All I’m trying to do is tell a story that makes the reader want to know what happens next and feel satisfied when one gets to the end. A story. A good story. That’s all. We live by stories.
Is there another book on the horizon?
I imagine. For a long time I’ve wanted to try a memoir of a sort. Not a real memoir. A string of stories or vignettes that tell of some of the things – people, places, events – that have mattered and may hold some interest for others. I’m not sure I have the courage to do that. There is the remembering of course. Pain came along with the good times. Not sure I want to revisit all that.
And there is the matter of ego. I’ve never been accused of being overly modest, but there seems something so egotistical about presuming to do a memoir that I’m not sure I’d be comfortable with trying one.
Otherwise, there’s Theo. Might be interesting to see if he could get elected and find out what challenges he would face as Governor of the Grand & Glorious Commonwealth of Kentucky and how he’d handle them.
And, of course, there’s the meek. I’ve often thought that given the prospect of an uncertain Heaven, or the beauty and bounty of Mother Earth, I’d opt for her.
We’ll see.
______________________________
He brooked no insult, would not be cheated, would not be pushed around. He bent a knee to no man. He was the King of Craw and the powers-that-be wanted him gone.
List Price: $16.99
6″ x 9″ (15.24 x 22.86 cm)
Black & White on Cream paper
288 pages
Outer Banks Publishing Group
ISBN-13: 978-0990679042
ISBN-10: 0990679047
BISAC: Fiction / Historical / General
Now $11.99 – Pre-order here
If you vote for Trump and his MAGA GOP members you may indirectly start World War III.
If Trump and his MAGA GOP take control of our Congress, they will cut off support for Ukraine. They already cut support on the advice of Trump when the Congress was ready to approve the spending bill with support for Ukraine.
What will happen next?
said Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. “This is supposed to be the party of conservative principles, of tradition, of respect for customs and rules that make society governable.
“The idea that the law does not apply to Republicans is something that has now become part of the mainstream of the Republican party. We see it in terms of the approach to elections. We see it in terms of the treatment of immigrants. Some of the actions with regard to abortion may approach that level. The Republican party appears to consider the law and the constitution to be optional and to have lost legitimacy.”
From The Guardian
Republicans’ lawless leaders at odds with midterm law and order message | Republicans | The Guardian
If you vote Republican you are supporting:
– 19 GOP red states have pending laws suppressing voter’s ability to vote. Historically, dictators and Fascists have suppressed votes to stay in power.
– The GOP has come out in support of QAnon, The Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys
– You may lose a loved one, a relative or a friend in a train crash, a bridge collapse or a plane crash as Republicans strip funds from President Biden’s infrastructure bill.
– The Texas abortion ban if left to stand will be passed in several other GOP states. Idaho will pass an anti-abortion law based on the Texas law. 16 states have “trigger” abortion ban laws.
by the US Supreme Court.
https://cnn.it/3RaW1zm
https://nyti.ms/3IcANNo
With the recent Supreme Court banning EPA authority from polluters
https://bit.ly/3IfQ1Bf
on Gun Purchases – will never get passed.
Watch Jimmy Kimmel’s emotional plea to improve gun purchase background checks
https://cnn.it/3AnRweO
– will never go up leaving 18 states still paying $7.25 an hour.
– the last thing America needs are conservative leaders, especially some Republicans who want to keep America from progressing. The last thing America needs is backward-thinking leaders in the 21st Century.
– Republicans have turned to cheating to stay in power or to get back into power…and nothing is getting done by them for the American people.
The enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.
and everything America stands for: Truth, Justice and Liberty for all? Look what is happening in Ukraine.
*Of course, not all Republicans are like those described above. Here is a list of those who should stay in office.
House of Representatives – those who voted to impeach the former president
Senate – The Republicans who voted to convict the former president after impeachment:
YOUR VOTE COUNTS. It’s a lie to think otherwise.
Paid for by Jake Stone for American Democracy
VOTE like your freedom depended on it…because it does.
Books of the NY Times
