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Book: Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad

Q1. Hello Sir, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

I grew up in Ontario, California (where I still live) when there were orange groves and grape vineyards throughout the area. My parents came from Switzerland, and I am the oldest of their 4 sons.  As a kid, I loved going to school and had a strong desire to write and draw. In college I studied fine arts and education. I was a teacher and an administrator in the public school system for over thirty years. I still like to write, create art and of course, spend time with my children and grandchildren.

Q2. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad?

My original title was Are You Ready for an Adventure? My editor at Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. suggested having the two characters in the story be a part of the title.

This same great editor helped me select the illustrator. Nana not only produced the pictures inside the book, but she also designed and drew the cover. For both inside and outside the book, my editor and I discussed the vision of what we wanted.

Q3. Are there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?

Just getting a concept and developing the characters takes a lot of time. Once the story is mapped out, there are many drafts that are produced before sending it to a publisher.

Q4. What is your favorite spot to visit in your own Country?  And what makes it so special to you?

I like to travel both in and out of the United States. I enjoy different cultures and meeting new people. If I had to pick a special place in the U.S., it would have to be Oregon because I have family and a long-time childhood friend who live there. The pace of life is so much slower than in Southern California.

Q5. What were the key challenges you faced while writing Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad?

Actually my grandson, who is named Caleb, and I talked about a book idea with a grandfather and his closeness to his grandchildren. Then, there was the discussion of ideas and story before I ever started writing the book. Many drafts, additions and deletions of ideas, and content were all a part of the creative process to get the best book possible.

Q6. Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers?

Sequels are always popular and the audience is already familiar with the characters. I have another Adventures with Granddad idea with a granddaughter this time. I am also working on a second Three Genie Brothers book.

Q7. On what platforms can readers find your books to buy?

You can get my books on Amazon and through Barnes and Noble online. Also, my publishers Atlantic Publishing Group for Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad and iUniverse for Three Genie Brothers (a middle grade fantasy fiction book).

Q8. When writing a book, how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

I believe that having well-defined characters in a fun and wonderful storyline keeps everything fresh for me. I think the same goes for the readers: they, too, want to read about people who they feel like they know and to root for them in the story.

Q9. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

As a teacher, I collected so many children’s books to read to my students. I enjoyed unique characters and the stories they were in. For example, I thoroughly enjoy Brandon Mull’s Pingo and its sequel, Pingo and the Playground Bully. I also like what are called fractured fairy tales like Bubba, the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman. Of course, all the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling.

Q10. Lastly, do you want to give any advice to someone wanting to write and publish a book?

First of all, read, read, read. The more you read, the greater vocabulary you develop. Writing is about words. The next recommendation is to write daily. This could be in a journal and may only be a few sentences, but write, write, write. Finally, check out the children’s books (or other genre you are interested in) at the local library and bookstore to see what is currently being written. Know what your audience is purchasing.

Author’s Profile

Book Is Available On Amazon

Caleb’s Adventures with Granddad

Book: PARKER STRIP

Q1. Hello Sir, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.

I’m an actor and the best way I can answer that is showing you the bio from my web page below. JEFF OSTERHAGE is best known for his starring roles in the Louis L’Amour classics THE SACKETTS and THE SHADOW RIDERS. He also starred in Edgar Allan Poe’s MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH along with TAKEN BY FORCE, THE LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN GUN and GUNBUS. He received rave reviews for his performance in the film
SOUTH OF RENO generating comments like
“A mighty moving performance”…”a strong performance”…”an impressive performance” “a first rate performance” with “a raw style” and “a winning, empathetic quality” “reminiscent of the young Brando” He also starred in 52 episodes of the Universal Studios series
THE NEW DRAGNET and guest starred in over a dozen television shows including
MURDER SHE WROTE – KNIGHT RIDER – MOONLIGHTING – MATLOCK T J HOOKER – SIMON AND SIMON – DUKES OF HAZZARD. He’s been submitted to THE ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS AND SCIENCES for an Emmy Nomination and is honored in both the OKLAHOMA CITY COWBOY HALL OF FAME and the GENE AUTRY WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM for his many western performances. He’s the author of over a dozen screenplays and just published his brand new novel PARKER STRIP available for purchase at AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, AUTHORHOUSE. He’s an accomplished sculpture, a kickass drummer
and his canvas paintings can be seen in the published collection ACTORS AS ARTISTS
featuring Robert Redford, Henry Fonda, Katherine Hepburn, Lionel Barrymore, James Cagney, Edward G Robinson, Anthony Quinn, Burt Reynolds, Gene Hackman, Peter Falk, David Bowie and Dinah Shore.

Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Parker Strip’ book?

All the details, all the homework, all the investigations. It was daunting! Very fun but very time comsuming. When I finished, I compared it to my sister Jane’s comments after giving birth to her first child. I’ll never ever do that again! Forty-three years later she has four kids. I am currently writing my next novels.

Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

Dan Brown, John Grisham, Mario Puzo

Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

Well, I must say Parker Strip was my favorite for many years in that my first trip there was with my daughter. We were invited by my buddy, who gave me the directions from Los Angeles and after a long, boring drive through the desert, we were beginning to wonder if we’d made a mistake. Suddenly, right through the mountain pass we caught a glimpse of the Colorado River…beautiful blue and gloriously scnenic, flowing endlessly through the mountains and the hot dry desert. When we arrived and got in the water, it was heaven. Warm, clean, no seaweed, fun current…jet boats, jet skis, swimmers, sunbathers, rafts, parasailors, campsites, casinos, floating cantinas…everything I talk about in the book. It could not have been more fun.

Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?

Tons and tons of homework. In this instance, though, I had written the screenplay version of it first, so I knew exactly where the plot was headed, who the characters were, all the twists and turns. All I had to do was turn that story into a novel and fill in all the details and backgrounds. But that is exaclty when it became daunting, because I wanted everything to be factual…no holes…no false narratives…I had to study boats, guns, legalities, real estate, drugs, casinos…everything to make it all legit.

Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Parker Strip’ book?

About 3 years.

Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘Parker Strip’ book to buy?

Authorhouse, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and about 33,000 locations around the world. It’s on e-books, and I’m currently recording it to make available on Audible format soon.

Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Parker Strip’?

Simply it’s the name of a place…a real place…where all this took place. The book cover was chosen to reflect the main character…Clarity Carlysle.

Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?

I’ve written many screenplays and I always, always attempt to keep the reader intrigued, on the edge, and hopefully always guessing. The minute I think something is getting boring, I make sure it doesn’t stay that way.

Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

Not really…not without giving something away.

Author’s Profile

Book Is Available On Amazon

PARKER STRIP