Recently I did this character interview for editor Ralene Burke’s blog Where the Light Pierces the Darkness....
Ralene asked the questions, and Joe, from my book JOE
THE DREAMER: THE CASTLE AND THE CATAPULT answers. If you’d like to see the
questions, too, you can see the
interview on Ralene’s blog.
Heeeere’s Joe!
1. My name is Joe Baker. I’m age 14, going on 15, tall for
my age, but if things continue as they have the last few weeks I’ll pass for an
old man any day now.
I’m the son of Darin and Rose Baker, and they disappeared.
My little sis, Penny, and I waited and waited that night, but they didn’t come
home. Pop, a computer software designer, and Mom, a buyer and fashion
consultant at Vanby’s, a prestigious teen clothing store, left work to visit a
friend at the hospital and no one has seen them since.
2. My life is full of challenges. First, I need to find out
how to believe in miracles so God will bring my parents home. In the meantime,
I should learn how to live with Uncle Faulkner and Aunt Anna. But Faulkner, a
powerful newspaper editor, is so full of himself I don’t know who will explode
first—him or me, and Anna is tied to that little glass of alcohol and one
little match could set her ablaze.
3. I thought my biggest fear was that my parents would be
found dead. But now Pop has been accused of stealing priceless computer
software to help control epilepsy I think he designed at home in his spare time.
Then every time I read the Bible I dream I’m some great biblical hero and wake
up shouting and screaming out, making Faulkner and his psychiatrist friend
think I’m mentally ill, need medication and hospitalized.
4. I always wanted to be like Pop and someday marry someone
with beauty and character like my mom, but they aren’t here now. So, I let
Gertrude, a wonderful old crippled lady, love on me and pray for me, but I also
re-connected with my old neighborhood and joined a gang. Not just any gang,
dude. The East Side Gallant Guardians. Christian teens who solve and prevent
crime without guns or blades, using things like a pet skunk, sand, rope, noise,
marbles. Centipede—he’s the leader--and his group of homies aren’t afraid of
anybody or anything because they believe God is with them. Patrick—that’s
Faulkner’s son—says we’re going to get ourselves killed, but so far amazing things
are happening and we have found evidence that prisoners are being held at Sir
Henry’s Castle in the mountains. I think that might be where Mom and Pop are,
and we are taking a catapult and invading the castle.
5. Would you believe we’re even allowing Pete’s twin sister
to go with us? I’ve known Petra for a long time and hadn’t noticed how pretty
and talented she is until just a few weeks ago. I’m not spreading it around
that I like her, you see, so don’t you go texting everyone you know. I hope
when everything comes down she’ll hang tough with her karate moves and cut the
timber out from under some of those guards. Almost would make me grab her and
plant a kiss on her gorgeous face!
If you want to know how all of this turns out,
check out this link and the review where a teen said the book is “A tale of intrigue and faith; captures the
reader from the opening page” JOE THE DREAMER: THE CASTLE AND THE CATAPULT http://buff.ly/XeqTvH
A more recent review said "This book is good for any age."
Ralene Burke
Speculative Fiction Novelist
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