Gregory S. Slomba's Blog

 

Our Deliverers Character InterviewSeries continues with an interview with Captain Burt Sharky, the meanest,toughest, nastiest pirate to sail the high seas. This should be interesting. Ihope he doesn't pillage and burn the place!

Greg:  Well, thank you for taking the time to sitdown and chat with us, Captain Sharky.

Sharky:  Argh! Aint no trouble at all matey. Everyonce in a while it’s good t’ get outta the water inta drydock an’ scrape thebarnacles off m’ keel.

Greg:  I can see how that would be necessary fromtime to time. Tell us a little bit about yourself, if you don’t mind.

Sharky:  Well, I been at sea most o' m’ life.

Greg:  Oh, that’s marvelous. Did you start as acabin boy?

Sharky:  No, nothin’ like that. See, m’ old man werea pirate. When he spotted a ship he wanted to pillage, he and the rest o’ thecrew’d get belowdecks and leave me on deck by m’self. I were only about 7 or 8,and I’d set to hollerin’ and whinin’ and carryin’ on. The target ship’d alwayscome see what the fuss were about. They’d see me alone on deck, and I’d shoutthat everyone were washed overboard in a storm. They’d come over to rescue me,and m’ dad’s crew would overpower ‘em and board their ship. We took a lot offat prizes that way.

Greg:  Oh, how, umm, cute.

Sharky:  Them were the days.‘Bout the only happy times I can remember, ‘cept o’ course when I found m’ring. Things started lookin’ up after that.

Greg: Your ring?

Sharky:  Aye. I took it from a lubber one time when Iwas ashore. I’d lost m’ ship and I wanted the ring to finance a new one. I ranthe dog through, an’ took the ring, but I couldn’t bring m’ self to sell it.Instead, I kept it and stole a merchant vessel.

I recruited a new crew, found a good island hideout, andset about plunderin’ vessels. I grew to be successful an’ set up a piratin’empire. I was known throughout the world as the meanest, dirtiest, most rottenscoundrel to sail the high seas.

Greg:  So I understand. What happened with CalEndria and his group?

Sharky:  Endria and his lilly livered dogs werenothin’ but cowardly sheep. They lost their stomach for fighten’ an’ wanted tosettle down. I should of keel hauled the lot of ‘em. Instead, though, I decidedthat they could be useful in their own way.

I set up the Tariff where they had to give me half ofeverything they produced for a hunnert years. Then after the hunnert years hadgone by, I double crossed ‘em. I came sailin’ in with a new weapon and keptchargin’ the Tariff twice a year for another two hunnert, until that kid an’his bird came.

Greg:  Hold on. Just how longhave you been alive?

Sharky:  I were born over 350 years ago. It were thering, ya see.  It give me long life and’great power. No one everthought to double cross ol’ Sharky, because I beat Death hisself. Thenalong came that Eric brat an’ his bird. Arghhh, I can’t talk ‘bout it no more!Read the cursed book.

Greg:  What do you like to do in your spare time?

Sharky:  Oh, I don’t know.Terrorizin’ children an’ small animals, bullyin’, belittlin’, swearin’,carryin’ on, hangin’ swabs from the yardarm, the usual things, I s’pose.

Greg:  Have you ever come across Captain JackSparrow?

Sharky:  Arghhhhh! Don’t mention that name! The slipperyeel still owes me his ship, the Black Pearl. I won it fair an’ square in apoker game, but he give me the slip when I were tryin’ to take possession. Ifhe ever comes across me bow again, he’ll get a long, painful death, or my nameain't Captain Burt Sharky.

Greg:  How has the release of the book impactedyour life?

Sharky:  Are ya daft?! How has it affected m’ life?It’s ruined it ya lubber, that’s what it’s done! I can’t show m’self at anypirate meets. I get so mad, I could run someone through!

Greg:  Well, on that note, Ithink it’s time to wrap this up. Thank you so much for taking some time to talkwith us.

Sharky:  How do I get out of this pigsty? I’ve got toget back to m' ship. I’m thinkin’ of startin’ a ghost pirate crew. Mortalscan’t stand ghosts!

 The recent Labor Day weekend was very productive for me--perhaps the most productive two days I've had in my writing career. You see, I finished the first draft of my novella, Fire & Ice. What is noteworthy is not so much that I finished the draft, it's the fact that I wrote almost 8,000 words in two days to do it.

In the past, when I set a writing goal, it's been for 2,000 words in a week. I think the reason for this sudden flood of output has been that all the remaining plot snags figured themselves out all at once and I had some time free of interruptions. Really a perfect storm.

So what does this mean? It means that I've completed a novella of about 19,500 words and that I will soon look to get final edits and rewrites completed as well as commission cover and chapter art as well as a couple of maps. I still really love Daniel's map of the Dragon Islands, but I think this novella (hopefully series of novellas) needs a new version. I am also planning to have a map of Dragon Home done so we can finally see the layout of Ang's capital city.

The Dragon Islands have so much history. It's a place with so much storytelling potential, that I could easily lose myself in its history. I think young readers will feel the same. I stumbled upon idea of writing a series of novellas when I read fellow author Kelly Jarvis' wonderful novella, Selkie Moon. It awakened me to a new method of storytelling--more than a short story and shorter than a novel. It got me thinking that perhaps this might be a good way to entice preteens to read more. The attention span of all Americans is decreasing rapidly. I novella might just be interesting enough to get them to start reading without the time commitment necessary for a Harry Potter book. Who knows, once they get into it, they might just move on to longer books and more involved adventures. Hey, it's worth a shot.
As always, I will keep you updated on the publishing process of my latest work. I will also fill you in on my plotting for the second novella in the series, which I'm thinking will involve smuggling in the Dragon's Neck. Stay tuned.
Peace.

Hey all. It's getting to be that time of year again. The time when summer is winding down, the school year is cranking up, and a lot of us are beginning new chapters.

With Labor Day coming up this weekend, I thought I'd share some fun pictures of what I've done so far this year on the author trail. I've taken part in some great events and met some fantastic readers, and I have a host of events confirmed for the remainder of the year (check my Appearances page for details.). Here are just a few, along with a short promo video I made:

                

                  
                  
                  
                  
 

Over the past few weeks my latest work in progress has been evolving gradually as I write it, and I have been finalizing sales venues for the rest of the year. The WIP, now titled, Fire & Ice, A Dragon Islands Legend has been constantly evolving since I began work on it late last year. At first, I thought it might be a series of novels covering the history of the Dragon Islands, the world I created for the third book in the Deliverers Series, The Golden Dragon of Ang. 

Then, I decided that it would be a series of five short stories (one for each of the Dragon Islands) combined into one volume. However, it seemed that they could be longer than your average short stories, so I thought that perhaps I'd release them as a series of five novellas. Right now, I'm going with that, but I could still see it being released as one volume of longer short stories. Anyway, we'll see how it all shakes out.

Right now, the current work stands at 11,500 words over 55 pages. I was thinking that it would wind up being 20,000 words, but it seems to be wrapping up rather quickly, so it could be less. We shall see.

I have also had a couple of nice shows this month. One was the Danbury Street Festival, put on by my friends at CityCenter Danbury. Here are a couple pictures from that event

  A heroic customer An eager reader

The following week, I was privileged to take part in an author event that was part of the Milford Fair on the Half Shell. I was one of almost 40 Connecticut authors with Connecticut Book Festivals selling their books. It was a great event. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Isabella Vazquez, a college student attending her first show to promote her wonderful collection of short stories and poems. I love these events because it's a great way to connect with fellow authors and swap marketing, publishing, and other insights (as well as more than a few war stories!).

Just a few talented Connecticut Authors

As of this week, I have finalized just about all of my events for the rest of 2025--nine in all as it currently stands! I have updated my Appearances page to reflect the September dates and will add the rest over the next week. Keep checking back to catch them all!

It's been a bit since I posted chapter 2 of my WIP on the Dragon Islands. A lot has happened since then. I've been going back and forth on the form this work is going to ultimately take. First, I thought it would be a single volume of short stories dealing with the history of the Dragon Islands, the world Eric and the Deliverers visit in book 3 of the Deliverers Series. Then, I thought that perhaps they would be more than short stories--perhaps novel published individually. There could be five, one for each of the five islands. That sounded like a pretty good idea. 

So, I shifted focus to the name of the series. I started out with Tales of the Dragon Islands. As I began work on the first book, I decided that Dragon Island Legends sounded better. Okay, I had the series name all squared away. All I had to do was continue the first book and then start on the second. I was thinking of publishing one or two a year for a couple of years starting in 2026. Sounds pretty ambitious, right?

Yeah, maybe a bit too ambitious. At least the timeline. It might take longer to write, design, and produce five 200+ page novels in two and a half years. Besides, as I've been writing book one, I have come to the realization that it might only be 100 to 140 pages or so. That's not a novel, that's...a novella. Hmmm. I'd never considered writing one of those. Now I'm thinking the best way to go would be writing five novellas, each about one of the five islands. Some might be 140 to 150 pages, a couple might be 80 to 100.

Anyhow, I've come up with a title for the first story. I like Fire & Ice with a subtitle of A Dragon Islands Legend. I might need to rethink that last part--I could keep the series name of Dragon Islands Legends. We shall see. In the meantime, this introduction has rambled on a bit. If you're still reading, here's Chapter 3 of Fire & Ice.

    Madame Fru stared at the closeddoor for a long moment after the children had left, then walked around to thefront of the desk. She adjusted the light of her lantern, lowering it until theroom was in near darkness. Closing her eyes, she took several slow, deepbreaths. Clearing her mind, she sent out her thoughts in a silent call.

    In the semi-darkness, a cloudshimmered before her. She opened her eyes slowly as the form took shape. With agolden flash, the cloud assumed the form of a beautiful woman. She wore a crimson robe with a blacksash. Light shone from her golden skin.

    MadameFru bowed her head. “Oh most blessed mother, thank you for hearing my call.”

    Thegolden lady smiled a benevolent smile and said, “Daughter, what troubles thee?’

    “Twoof the orphans from the northern Jongchin coast. They are unusually difficultto keep under control. They seem to fancy themselves Denchi, and continuallyslip out at night to climb about on rooftops, looking for mischief. It has beenquite vexing.”

    Thegolden lady chuckled gently. “Ah, my dear Frushella. They are children. Gettinginto mischief is what children do best.”

    MadameFru nodded. “Truly, but these two, I fear, are headed for turbulent waters.There is great sadness in the girl, and the boy…” The mistress of the orphanagesighed. “The boy has much anger within him. He is like a cask of vinegar lefttoo long in the hot sun. I fear he will explode and set off somethingterrible.”

    Benapproached the door to Madame Fru’s office. He was intending to ask aboutjoining the Denchi one more time but heard voices as he approached. Carefullyopening the door a crack, he peeked inside. There he saw Madame Fru and astrange golden woman deep in conversation. Neither seemed to have noticed him.

    Thegolden lady frowned. “You could be right. I see two paths for him. One misstepcould send him careening to disaster. You did well to call me. We must keep aneven closer eye on him. In the morning, send him to the palace. It is time helearned the way of the Dragon.”

    “Itshall be as you say, my lady. However, I doubt he will go anywhere willinglywithout the girl. Their shared experience has made them almost like siblings.The bond between them is strong.”

    Again,the golden lady frowned. “This could be problematical. It will be harder forhim thus. One who follows the ways of the Dragon should have no such ties.Still, he is young and things change over time. Yes, Frushella, send the girlalong as well. We shall cross the bridge when we reach it. No sense in lookingtoo far ahead, eh?”

    MadameFru bowed low. “It shall be as my lady requests.”

    Nodding,the lady smiled. Then she frowned. “A time of great unrest is upon us. Therehas been a disturbance at the harbor. Two northern merchants were killed in thewaterfront. To have northern merchants visiting to trade is rare, but much morecommon since the peace agreement. They were found dead in an alley with chirreldarts in their necks. Of course they had died instantly, so there was no chanceto learn anything from them. It is most troublesome. Only one group useschirrel darts. Unless they are brought to account, the new peace we have workedso hard to build will be in jeopardy.”

    MadameFru frowned. “So, the Denchi Assassins were behind the killings. What were theydoing, and how did they come to be here in Dragon Home?”

    “At themoment, that is unclear. The Denchi do not kill unless they have been hired todo so. Who hired them and why they would target northern merchants arequestions to which we must find answers.”

    “I praythat you do, my lady,” Madame Fru said. “And I pray that these tidings will notresult in harm to the Islands.”

    “Isincerely hope not,” the lady replied, “But now I must go. Take the childrentomorrow morning.”

    Thegolden cloud reappeared and enveloped her. Then with a flash, she was gone,leaving the old woman alone in the semi-darkness of her office once more.

    Benclosed the door quietly and scurried upstairs.

 I had the pleasure of interviewingthe Gatekeeper just before the release of The Deliverers Book 3, The GoldenDragon of Ang. It really was a most enlightening experience, and I hope youwill agree.

Greg:  Thanks for taking some time to sit and chatwith us.

Gatekeeper:  Well, thank you my boy, it's wonderful to behere, but I really can't sit long–too much to do.

Greg:  Yep, I get that. Firstoff, we'd really love a little bit of information about the third book in theDeliverers Series. I’ve only had bits and pieces of information about theAssignment, and it sounds pretty mysterious. Can you clear things up a littlebit, give us the inside scoop?

Gatekeeper:  Hmmm, it is allrather mysterious, I have to admit. You see, this whole situation hit me out ofthe blue.

Greg:  Out of the blue? I can'tbuy that, you always know what's going on. But I think we're getting a littlebit ahead of ourselves. What is goingon?

Gatekeeper:  It's a littlecomplicated. I explained the little I knew at the time to Eric before theAssignment began. I told him about the nature of the sparkling mist and that heshould be on the lookout for it.
Greg:  Yes, so I gathered, butwhat I want to know is, what's it all about?

Gatekeeper:  To be honest, I'mreally not sure. Something bad is happening that could affect the entireuniverse. Someone or something is using the sparkling mist to disrupt things onother worlds.

Greg:  What do you mean bydisrupt?

Gatekeeper:  Undermine thestability of worlds. If one world goes, it could set forces in motion that willtopple every other world like dominos. I haven't shared this fear with anyoneyet, so please keep it under your hat. This is quite a serious problem.

Greg:  So how are you going to tackleit?

Gatekeeper:  The Deliverers areone of the teams I'm using to combat the situation. In the short time they'vebeen together, they've had quite a bit of success. They each bring theirindividual talents to the team and they all work very well together. I'm glad Idecided to team them up.

Greg:  I have to say it was anexcellent choice. What does the future hold for them?

GateKeeper:  Well, I reallydon't know, but it appears things are coming to a head. If they are able tocontain the situation in the Dragon Islands, then perhaps we can begin toattack the root of the problem if we can just pin it down.   

 

Greg:  I hope that you all meet with success. After all, if the universeis in trouble it's bad news for us as well.

Gatekeeper:  Well now, I suppose you're right. Ah well, don't worry. I'm sure Ericand the others will win out in the end. All they'll need iscourage, perseverance, teamwork and a bit of luck. Now, I really mustdash, there is so much that has to be done. It was really great talking withyou. We really must do this again soon.

Greg:  That would be great.Good luck with everything!

Our Deliverers chearacter interviewseries continues with the last of the Deliverers, Hallo Tosis the dwarf. Let'sget right to it.

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Greg:  Welcome, Hallo, to The DeliverersPublishing Headquarters. It’s great to have you here.

Hallo: Thank’ee, thank’ee it’s great t’ be here, too. But, from what theothers said, I thought it’d be more fancy-like, don’t ya know.

Greg: Umm, how do you mean?

Hallo:  Oh, well, er, they said this were amagnificent showpiece an’ all. But t’ tell ya the truth, an’ I really don’tknow how t’ tell ya this an’ all, but this here’s a real dump, don’t ya know.‘T ain’t so much to it. They said the corridors went on f’ever an’ that therewas fancy furniture an’ paintin’s an’ such, but I ain’t seen none o’ themthings.

Greg: Hallo,it’s a joke.

Hallo: A which?

Greg:  Ajoke. A running gag. We’ve been doing it throughout the interview series.Didn’t the others tell you?

Hallo:  Wha’? Oh, er, um, sorry‘bout that. Come t’ think on it, now that ya mention it, they did say somethin’‘bout gaggin’. It come t’ mind ‘cause I felt like gaggin’ when I come in, don’tya know. Sorry I spoilt the joke, sonny.

Greg:  Oh, don’t worry about it, Hallo. Let’sjust get on with the interview, shall we?

Hallo:  You go it, mister. Let’s get this show on theroad, don’t ya know.

Greg:  Alrighty, then. Why don’t you tell us alittle bit about yourself, Hallo?

Hallo:  Well, let’s see. You’reprob’ly wonderin’ ‘bout m’ name. Hallo Tosis ain’t such a hot name. It weregiven t’ me by m’ pappy, Jeremiah Tosis. He has a cuttin’ sense o’ humor, an’he thought it funny t’ give me such a stinky name.

I was borned in the Dwarf Kingdom. I come from a long lineof smithys. Some o’ m’ ancestors was silversmithys, some were goldsmithys. Somewere sculptors, artisans, an’ some was tunnelers, don’t ya know. M’ pappy isthe Royal Goldsmithy, the official goldsmithy t’ the king, a right importantposition.

On the other hand, I don’t have none o’ them skills. I’mthe only one o’ m’ folk without the Gift, as we call it. M’ pappy were rightfed up w’ me. In fact, he had me banished. So, I took t’ wanderin’ in themountains, not bein’ able t’ go home an’ afraid t’ be found out by the BigFolk.

Then, I met Eric, Stig ‘n’ Kate, an’ m’ life took a turnfor the better, don’t ya know.

Greg:  What’s the Dwarf Kingdom like?

Hallo:  It’s a place o’ unsurpassed beauty, don’t yaknow. It’s located under the Iron Mountains, not too far from Calendria. Thereare many villages in the Kingdom, an’ everyone lives in comfort, like. I suremissed livin’ there.

The art were stupendous. There arecarvin’s and reliefs cut inta the walls. Gold an’ jewel inlaid statues line thestreets. The villages bustle with activity in the marketplaces an’ forges. I’mproud that I’m from the Kingdom.

Greg:  What are your thoughts about the rest ofthe Deliverers?

Hallo:  I can’t say enough about ‘em. Without them,I don’t rightly know where I’d be. Eric’s been through a lot, an’ he’s a goodlad. He had a big load on his shoulders, an’ I’m glad I could help him out alittle, don’t ya know.

Now Stig, he’s a crusty ol’ birdie, but he means well. Ijust wish he’d loosen up a wee bit, don’t ya know. He’s the one what’s donethis all before, so he helped keep us all focused on the task at hand.

Kate, she’s a grand lass.  I’m glad t’ have heran’ her folk for neighbors. Her pappy, the Lord Mayor is all right, too. Katehelped keep us all together, kept us from gettin’ on each other’s nerves.

I think we all work well t’gether, don’t ya know, an’ I’mhopin’ we’ll get t’ work t’gether in the future.

Greg:  What do you like to do in your spare time?

Hallo:  Well, I have a new job now, an’ that keepsme pretty busy, don’t ya know. When I’m off duty, I still try m’ hand at metalworkin’. I still ain’t improved none. I also like t’ go down t’ Calendria t’see Kate an’ her pappy. I also chew the fat with Cordon, thevillage  blacksmithy, talkin’ shop. Me an’ the apothecary, Mrs.Bubblebeak, I mean Madame Bottleneck, have also become thick as thieves. I goover for a chat now an’ again.

Part o’ me, though, is waitin’ t’ go on another Assignment.I think one day, I’ll be called t’ go on one. I’m interested t’ meet theGatekeeper. When that happens, I’ll be ready t’ go on another great adventure.

Greg:  Why do you think that dwarves lovetreasure so much?

Hallo:  Well now, it’s so beautiful. It’s thegreatest feeling t’ take gold an’ jewels an’ make them inta somethin’ even morebreathtakin’ than what ya started with. Treasurer’s why we dig. It’s our wholepurpose—t’ find it an’ mold it.

Greg:  Speaking of treasure, what can you tell usabout the Jewel?

Hallo: Beggin’ your pardon, there ain’t much I can say ‘bout it. It’s ouroldest legend an’ our deepest secret. Suffice it t’ say that the Jewel o’Paradise is a jewel beyond price, an’ it lies on the other side o’ the IronMountains. But it’s guarded by fierce beasts. None what’s gone after the Jewelhas ever got back alive. You kin learn all ya need t’ know  ‘bout itin the book, don’t ya know.

Greg:  How has the release of this book changedyour life?

Hallo:  Well, it’s exposed a lot o’ the secrets o’the Kingdom. That’s been right strange ‘cause we’re private folk who don’t taket’ makin’ our comin’s an’ goin’s public. I almost got in trouble with the kingall over agin over the whole mess. But, since it worked out okay for everyonein the end, the king figured there weren’t no harm in it. So, now I’m a lotfamouser, an’ folk’re recognizin’ me more. Usually when they do, they got goodthings t’ say about the job I done. So it’s been right gratifyin’, don’t ya know.

Greg:  Well thank you, Hallofor taking a few minutes to speak with us. Will you have any trouble findingyour way out?

Hallo:  Are ya daft? The door’s right over there. Itain’t like this place is a palace or anythin’. Oh, er. Uh, yeah, right. I mean,I think I’ll be all right. Us dwarves have a great sense o’ direction. It’lltake a lot more than a few windin’ twistin’ passages for me t’ get lost,although I might have trouble crossin’ the moat, don’t ya know.

Hey, how’s that?

Greg:  Oh, that’s just great. Thanks a lot,Hallo.

Hallo:  How’d ya like the part about the moat? Ithought that one up all on m’own. Right good touch if I do say so m’self! 

 It's been a minute since I've posted any updates as to what's been happening in my writer's life. I've had several shows and events. More are scheduled for August. Check out my list of appearances for more. 
In June, we took a weeklong vacation to Maine. It was the first time my wife and I had a chance to visit Acadia National Park. What a wonderful experience. We spent a few days in the park and nearby Bar Harbor. The weather was delightful, which was a minor miracle considering all the rain we had this spring.   


 

All in all, it was a great chance to relax and recharge the batteries before summer and all of that season's running around.

I've added a good bit to my work in progress, now titled Dragon Island Legends. I am up to 10,600 words over 50 pages. I am still working out a few plot points, which has slowed me down somewhat. However, I am generally pleased with the way the story is going. Hopefully, I can complete the first draft by the end of the year and then concentrate on rewriting, artwork, layout and publishing in 2026. We shall see. 

I’ve also put some thought into the pricing of my books. Kindle ebooks have been reduced to 99 cents. Paperbacks on Amazon are down to $11.99. The hard cover versions are reduced two dollars to $19.99. 

With prices going up, I hope these reductions will spark you and your children’s summer reading.

Peace

 Today, we’ll be speaking wiith EricScott. Eric is, of course, the center of the Deliverers Series (although hedoesn't think so). So let's see what Eric had to say during his visit to TheDeliverers Publishing Headquarters.

 

Greg: Eric, welcome to The Deliverers PublicationsHeadquarters. We’re really happy to have you here.

Eric:  Thank you sir. It’s really great to be here.This place is sweet. Nobody told me you, like, had a mansion for aheadquarters. This place is so sick.

Greg: Um..okay. I’ll take that as a good thing. So,what was it like to go on an Assignment?

Eric:  It was, like, real strange, but alsoexciting. I was a little freaked out by Stig at first, but the Gatekeeper wassmart to send him, he got my attention. I gotta admit it was scary, but after awhile I kind of got used to it. Stig was a big help, too. I kind of felt like Ialmost grew into the Assignment as I went along.

Greg: What was Calendria really like? 

Eric:  Well, at first, I thought it was kind of thisdumpy little village. I mean, it seemed kind of backward. And the people wereall kind of wimpy. They never really tried to fight Sharky. But, you know, Iguess they had a good reason. I mean, Sharky was, like, more than 300 yearsold, a bloodthirsty and ruthless, so what kind of a chance did they have? Butafter I got to know everybody there, I think they almost became like family.

Calendria is a great place. I kind of think of it as mysecond home now. Life moves a little slower than it does in most of our world.People all know each other. It’s just different.

Greg: How were you able to come up with a plan tofight Sharky and his pirates?

Eric:  Uh, I don’t know,really. I, like, just checked out the village. When I saw the harbor, it just kindof clicked. The idea came to me. It was a pretty good plan, I think. I mean,the Lord Mayor and the Council thought so. We were just unlucky. But I don’tthink I want to talk about that right now.

Greg: What do you think of Stig the owl?

Eric: Oh, Stig’s cool. Sometimes he seemed like too much of a grownup. Hekind of wanted to boss Kate and me around a little. But I know he was justlooking out for us. Then,  there were times when he just kind of left mealone.  I think he was jletting me get used to the whole Assignment thing.

Stig is now a real good friend. He’s thekind of bird who would do anything for you. I’d do anything for him, too. I’mlooking forward to hanging with him again soon. Actually, now that I reallythink about it, he might be the best friend I ever had.

Greg: What do you like to do in your spare time?

Eric: Oh, um, well I used to like to hike, until, well, you know., until mydad was killed in the accident. Now, I like to read, camp out. I like videogames, and writing. I like swimming, too. I hope there’s a chance to swim inthe next Assignment.

I guess I’m just a regular kid. I like to spend time withmy mom. Lately, she’s been a little busy, though. I guess that’ll probably bein the next book.

Greg: When Kate was here, we asked her about the rumorthat you were more than friends?

Eric:  What did she say?

Greg: She said that you were just good friends, and thatshe looked forward to working with you in the future.

Eric:  Oh, uh, yeah. That’s right, just goodfriends. I do miss her, and Hallo, too. I can’t really explain it,but when I was in Calendria with Stig, Kate, Hallo, and everyone, I felt,for the first time since my father died, that I belonged somewhere. That Iwas—happy.

Greg: How has the release of the book changed yourlife?

Eric:  Well, I’ve been trying to keep a lowprofile. My friends here don’t really believe it, so I don’t really go, youknow, advertising it. I’m glad people are liking the book. They tell me thatit’s a great story, but I can see that they don’t really believe that ithappened.

I suppose that’s good. It keeps me from having to answer alot of questions. People think I just let you guys use my name. So, I’m kind ofa celebrity, but for the wrong reason. It can be frustrating at times.

Greg: Yes, well thank you very much for taking thetime to sit down with us. We look forward to seeing what transpires in futureAssignments. Will you need any help finding your way out?

Eric:  You’re welcome. Thisplace is almost as big as the Dwarf Kiingdom, but I should be okay. Kate gaveme some good directions. The only problem is the gallery near the north tower,but she told me where the secret door is.

Greg: Oh, rats. Well, shout if you need me.

Today, we interview the feisty Kate Endria. She is thedaughter of the Lord Mayor of Calendria, and an important part of theDeliverers team.

Let’s see what she had to say about her experience in the first book.

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Greg: Welcome to the Deliverers PublishingHeadquarters, Kate. Thanks for stopping by.

Kate:  You’re very welcome. This isso exciting! I never thought I’d get to visit this place. Stig told me allabout it, but I would never have believed how extravagant your headquarters wasif I hadn’t seen it for myself.

Greg: Well, I don’t think it’s as impressive as you’remaking it out to be. But anyway, what was your family life like growing up?

Kate:  Some might say that I still have somegrowing up to do, especially the members of our Council. I remember some happytimes when I was younger. Of course, Sharky and the pirates were always around.If they weren’t terrorizing Calendria on Tariff Day, there was always thethought that Sharky was watching.

I remember times with Papa and Mother—before she died. Wewere happy, going to the Green for picnics, pot luck suppers at the meetinghouse. But then Mother got sick, and things weren’t so good. I was seven whenshe passed.

 

But Papa has always been wonderful, and hedoes his best to make up for my not having a mother. And of courseGretchen, our maid, has always been a dear, and Madame Bottleneck, too. I’vebeen blessed to live in a village where everyone cares about one another, andI’m proud of Papa, who’s the Lord Mayor.

 

Greg: Tell us a little bit about Calendria and itshistory.

Kate:  Well, Calendria has along and rich history. It was established over 300 years ago by my ancestor,Calvin Endria. Cal Endria had been Sharky’s first mate, but he and about 40others in Sharky’s band decided it was time to settle down and retire. So, Calwent to the captain and stated his intentions, expecting that Shaky wouldeither laugh in his face or run him through.

I think that he was pretty surprised when Sharky didn’t doeither. Instead, he agreed to let Cal and his mates retire, provided that theypaid a tariff of half of everything the settlement produced twice a year for ahundred years.

So that’s how Calendria started. Calvin Endria was thefirst Lord Mayor, and the village was named in his honor. The position of LordMayor has been handed down to the eldest son in the Endria family forgeneration after generation.

 

Greg: You were the one who discovered the Deliverers.How did you come to be searching for them?

Kate:  Well, in Calendriathere’s this legend called the Deliverers about a hero and a talking eagle thatappear to defeat Sharky and his pirate band. My mother was a big believer inthe legend, and she passed that belief on to me.

I took it as my duty as daughter of the Lord Mayor tosearch for the Deliverers whenever I had some spare time. So, one day, I cameacross Eric and Stig. As soon as Stig started talking, I knew that I had foundthe Deliverers.

Greg: What do you like to do in your spare time?

Kate:  You mean besides searching for theDeliverers? Well, I try to help Papa with anything he needs. I’m also studying.I hope one day to succeed my papa as the first Lady Mayor. That keeps me prettybusy.

Greg: So, what do you think of Eric? There are rumorsfloating around that the two of you might be getting close…

Kate:  Eric and I are good friends. I’m eternallygrateful for what he and Stig did for Calendria. As for anything else, I thinkhe and I are too young to be concerned with that at this point. There’s toomuch we’re still working through personally. Of course, I look forward toworking with him, Stig and Hallo on future Assignments if the Gatekeeper needsus.

Greg : I guess that kind of answersmy last question. Would you like to take part in future Assignments?

Kate:  Oh, yes. I’m hoping to. I mean, it’s important work, helping others.It’s also dangerous work, but no one in my family has ever backed down from achallenge. I always want to make Papa, and Mother, proud.

Greg:  I think they are very proud of you, Kate. Thankyou again for taking a few minutes to sit and chat with us.

Kate:  Any time. It was really a lot of fun. Isthis a new map?

Greg: Yes, we’ve adjusted it since Stig visited. Youshould be able to find your way out of here now.

 

Kate:  Why, how sweet. Thank you so much.