The Challenge Ends with One Who Started It All

It’s fitting that the end of the A to Z blog tour features a character that started my career in writing as I feature the letter “Z” today and bring this fun month-long challenge to a close.

Lewferd E. Zerrmann is an unethical businessman, con artist, control freak and lowlife scoundrel. He is featured in my first novel, Lifetime Loser, and is the inspiration behind the story line.

Every appealing plot needs a good villain. Zerrmann more than adequately filled that role in my initial foray into writing. The master manipulator swindles an elderly widow out of her inherited property. He schemes to bring an unsuspecting young man into his web as a business partner--think of Tom Cruise in The Firm. By using references to the KKK and Hitler, he intimidates and stuns those who cross his path. Zerrmann successfully derails a government investigation and an IRS probe.

While Zerrmann's life might seem like an evildoer's dream, all is not rosy in his world. Some who are victimized have vengeance in their blood. Will Zermann get through his deeds unscathed? If not, how will he fall from his despicable heights?  Lifetime Loser is a book filled with intrigue, only part of which involves the memorable Lewferd E. Zerrmann. I hope that readers just discovering my work should enjoy my first novel, which is now in eBook format.

Who is your favorite villain that you've discovered on the pages of a book?


Thanks to all of those who have come along on the A to Z Blog Challenge and best wishes for a great May! 

James Ross 
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/ 
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/ 
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/ 
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Why Did YOU Do It?

As we approach the end of this great A to Z Blogging Challenge, I'm going to jump around a bit in my exploration of the letter "Y."  Enjoy!

Yuuto Chikuda is a Japanese businessman who is introduced to readers in Tuey’s Course. The immigrant arrived in the United States and wasted no time finding a place to work on his golf game.  He walked into the clubhouse at Prairie Winds and soon acquired the nickname YouWho from the wise guys who are the place's regulars. His presence adds to the eclectic bunch of characters who hang out seemingly every day.

I wouldn’t be doing service to the letter “Y” if I failed to mention a marketing tool that has been of great benefit to me in my writing efforts. I’ve created a video for each one of my novels and posted all of them on You Tube.  I've received some great feedback and I've enjoyed the opportunity to reach out to a potential audience in a new way. Feel free to visit my YouTube Channel link.

The final "Y" I have today is You!  If you are reading this blog post, chances are you are participating in the A to Z Challenge.  What make you decide to join in the fun?  How has the experience been for you?  I've loved the exercise.  It's been a great trip down memory lane as I review my characters and story lines.  I'd love to know your thoughts as well.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/ 
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/ 
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

What's Your X-Factor?

So, we finally have arrived at the letter that most participants in the A to Z Blog Challenge have been thinking about since early April.  How can you develop a blog post that is focused on the letter "X"?  The answer . . . with a little creative license.

First, I would like share with you a character I created whose name ENDS in X, as that will have to do.  Monique St. Roux is an on-camera television personality who is introduced in Opur’s Blade. Hailing from France, the good-looking broadcaster gained prominence and celebrity status as one of the best players on the ladies’ golf tour. After her playing career ended, she entered the media world and became the color commentator on the men’s tour. Known simply as Monique, she transferred her success in the world of golf into ventures in cosmetics and fashion as well.  How often do we see this happen in our celebrity culture?  A movie actress becomes a dress designer or a pop singer develops her own perfume.  This astute marketing plan is one that Monique understands well.

I also would like to share an "x-factor" that plays an important role in all of my books.  Without it, the story lines and the physical environment on which the Prairie Winds Golf Course is laid out just wouldn't be the same.  I'm referring to the Mississippi River.  It's been a character in countless American novels, perhaps most notably as the venue for Huck Finn's travels, and inspired many great songs.  The characters in my novels enjoy the gambling and entertainment boats that can be found trolling up and down its waters and one even earned his reputation in music by playing along its banks in New Orleans.  While the Mississippi River doesn't have a single line of dialogue in my novels, its presence is always felt.

If you are a writer, do you have an "x-factor" in your work?  Something that runs throughout the pages and influences people and their actions? 

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/ 
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/ 
 Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

The Whole of My Work

I am going to change gears today and instead of featured several characters in a blog post, I am going to use the letter "W" to feature the Whole library of my Written novels.

My first book was Lifetime Loser, which focuses on a character J Dub who must adjust his life goals when he falls just short of making the professional golf circuit. But, there are deeper and more sinister activities occurring throughout the pages of this book as well.  Criminal offenses and civil fraud occur as some small-time con men swindle an estate and steal a golf course. J Dub now has bigger problems than reflecting on one bad swing.

My second novel is Finish Line. To pay off an act of mischief, two teenage boys land a summer job on a golf course. There they come face-to-face with several middle-aged men who battle personal vices. However the biggest story here is the man who becomes these boys' mentor faces a struggle with cancer. In doing so, he teaches valuable life lessons about courage and a positive attitude.

Tuey’s Course is my third novel. A minority businessman is forced to deal with the power-hungry officials who work at City Hall and the consequences of this relationship are deadly.   I add some controversy by incorporating stereotypical dialect for several characters throughout the novel to demonstrate the differences we still perceive in one another.

Opur’s Blade, my fourth book, features a young prodigy. His golfing talent takes him from modest means to the pinnacle of golf’s grandest stage. Anyone who has been in the position of underdog will appreciate this journey.

In January of 2012 my fifth novel was released. Pabby’s Score features two autistic teens who visit Prairie Winds Golf Course on a regular basis so that they can develop some professional and relational skills. Unbeknownst to them a sinister undercurrent exists. Unethical lawyers, a corrupt court and a secret society swirl outside the confines of their foster home. An Internet dating site and online texting weave into the mix as well. Mysterious forces collide and lead to a dramatic conclusion.

James Ross 
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/ 
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/ 
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Corruption, Compassion, and Beer

 Vern Morton is a wealthy real estate developer who made a fortune in St. Louis properties. His role in Lifetime Loser is short as we quickly learn of his death in the first few pages of the story. However his estate practically becomes its own character as it is a main focus throughout the novel. Several con artists swindle Vern’s widow by misusing a forged power-of-attorney document. The heirs to the estate lose their assets and file a series of legal challenges in civil court. This event serves as only the first example of many instances of corruption and crime in a book that shines a light on social injustice.

The readers meet Tina Ventimiglia in the pages of Finish Line. She is the attractive mother of Justin, a teen who has to pay off a debt that he incurred after a petty act of vandalism. Earlier in her life she dated Curt, the co-owner of Prairie Winds golf course. After their relationship fizzled she married another guy but Curt remained close to her son. The relationship between Curt and Justin is the focal point of the novel, as Justin works toward his debt at Prairie Winds while also learning some important life lessons that will last well past the summer.  Tina is opinionated and domineering but tremendously concerned about the well-being of her son.

Finally my readers will find Philippe Vaugh-Purdy in the pages of Pabby’s Score. The beer baron owned a large brewery in St. Louis before selling the business and starting a micro-brewery. The site of the business is three fourths of the way up the bluffs that line the Mississippi river. The readers take a harrowing trip up the river road to the site of the brewery. But a surprise awaits them. What secrets is Philippe Vaugh-Purdy hiding? Pick up a copy of Pabby’s Score to find out!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/ 
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/ 
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Do You Have a Good Uncle Story?

Pops is the father of Pork Chop, a recurring character in my stories. Readers first meet him in my fifth novel, Pabby’s Score. The regulars in the clubhouse cannot bring themselves to call him Pops because he isn’t their father, so it's determined they must have another nickname for him instead. Based on an appearance that you just will have to read to understand, Pops earns the new name of Uncle Woo.

Poor Uncle Woo has a forgetful mind, struggling to remember simple things. Pork Chop eventually admits to the guys that his father suffers from Dementia. He is only in the early stages of what is diagnosed to be Alzheimer's disease, but it is clear to all that Uncle’s Woo’s story telling comes complete with a lot of mixed up facts and confusing moments. Uncle Woo will most likely remain a recurring character as he adds a lot of light-heartedness and heart to the pro shop.

So, this character got me thinking about uncles.  Most of us have that one uncle who is known for telling great stories or being ornery at the dinner table during the holidays or, maybe, seems to have a tendency to walk that line so that you wonder if there may be a call from the authorities coming some day.  Uncles can make for great characters! 

Do you have a great uncle story, or perhaps have a fictional uncle who automatically comes to mind (John Candy's Uncle Buck or Tom Hanks as Uncle Ned on Family Ties)?  Share your uncle moments!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

The Letter "T" Hosts a Variety of Personalities

 The title character in my third novel, Tuey's Course, is an impoverished black businessman who is victimized by those whose sense of power is greater than reality at City Hall. Tuey seems to take two steps back for every one step forward in his attempts at professional advancement. His frustrations with our local political system reach catastrophic levels when he gets thwarted one too many times.

Opur’s Blade offers my readers a character named Trent Tee. This clean cut, meticulous announcer is the voice of golf for most Americans who follow the game. He shares the dramatic events on the final day of The Classic as competitors play for the most sought after reward in golf – the prized fedora.

Percy Fewel "Tank" Oglethorpe III is the best player in American golf.  His towering six-foot-five frame is intimidating. His swing is perfect. His personality is charismatic. Tank has the golf came that champions admire. He provides the perfect adversary for one of my main characters in his attempts to measure up with the greats in the game.

DeWitt Tracy is a retired attorney who my readers meet in Pabby’s Score. For most of the story the character is unknown. However he dominates the last third of the book while we learn about his world of secret societies, clandestine meetings, sinister motives and back-stabbing personalities. His unique passions include falcons and savage sport hunting.

Pabby’s Score also brings us a short comedian formerly of the vaudeville stage by the name of Lemuel Trot. The first name is dropped and the character is simple known by his last name. With a weathered face, a large nose, prominent ears, and a mouth that stretches from sideburn to sideburn, the comic grabs an audience before he utters a word. Once he speaks, his repertoire of one-liners is seemingly endless. Trot will be a recurring character as my story writing continues.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Scruples and Sexuality are Topics Today

We met Harold Syms, an unscrupulous banker/real estate developer, in Tuey’s Course. He valued a dollar, used other people’s money for profit and manipulated finances for his personal benefit. His furry mane and pointed snout gave him the look of a sly fox and the consequences for his behavior at the end of the novel are dire.

A teenage girl by the name of Shae is one of the main characters in Pabby’s Score. She is the product of a broken home and is raised at Footprints of Hope foster care center.  She is a special needs child who is mildly autistic but who has a savant-like memory, especially when it comes to geography. Her sidekick is Pabby, the title character of the story, who also exhibits some of the same remarkable recollection abilities.

Dennis K. Sneed is an attorney who specializes in civil matters. He is a man tho meditates to yoga and who is non-conforming both in thought and appearance. His role in Lifetime Loser is to file a lawsuit on behalf of the heirs of a swindled estate. When the main character, J Dub, realizes that he also has been cheated financially, Sneed's involvement in the storyline deepens.

Scottie P. Lampe is a tall, good-looking fellow with long, curly blonde locks. He operated a used car lot for most of his professional life but sold the business when he turned fifty so that he could enter retirement and pursue his passion for golf. He carries a handicap that is plus two, meaning that he often shoots below par at Prairie Winds. Scottie P is also the live-in lover of the Catholic priest, Father Alphonso Blair.  So, there's an interesting twist!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

A Russian, a Redneck, and a Repulsive Guy

Roxie and Rayelene are two women who never met but have a common interest--a man. They are both featured in mt fourth novel, Opur’s Blade.

Roxie first called Russia her home. She hailed from an area not too far from the Black Sea and followed her brother to the United States after he made it as a professional hockey player. She eventually settled in Oklahoma City, and Roxie did what she needed to do to pay the bills while going to nursing school. It was in the course of making ends meet that she encountered Owen Purler, an over-the-road trucker from the St. Louis area. They began a passionate affair.  Problem was, Owen had another woman back home.

Rayelene Purler is the wife of Owen Purler. She is a stereotypical, small-town farm girl who grew up off a dirt road. Outspoken and a head turner, but also displayed an obvious naivete regarding the ways of the world through her words and actions. This stay-at-home mom gets blind-sided by her husband’s affair, which leads to a series of irrational moments. I’ll forever love the “country girl” sayings of this character. She was a definite favorite of mine.

Finally, in the pages of Tuey’s Course, we meet R. W. Reeves. He is the Director of Public Works for the local municipality. The main job of this character is to carry out the dirty deeds of the mayor. Bald but with a bad toupee to disguise it, disgusting body odor, and tooth decay make for a rather unappealing character. These physical traits are an accurate reflection of the behavior in which Reeves must engage every day.

Hard to believe we're more than 2/3 of the way through the A to Z blogging challenge!  I've been enjoying every day of thinking about my characters and visiting some great blogs out there!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Bringing the Quirky to My Characters

My writing began with a failing effort by my main character, J Dub Schroeder, at a PGA qualifying event in Texas. Also known as Q-School to professional golfers, the week pits the best golfers in the world against each other to distinguish which new rookies will play on the professional tour. If the players finish in the top twenty after six grueling days of competitive golf, then they earn their badge and take their place on the tour.

J Dub falls just short in his bid to play on the tour. He then becomes a local club pro and operates a public golf facility known as Prairie Winds on the east side of suburban St. Louis. The southern Illinois course is popular with the golfers from Missouri and is one of the busiest stops for local golf enthusiasts. Without J Dub's disappointment at Q-School, Prairie Winds would have been a very different place.

One of my favorite tasks in writing is creating diverse personalities that have quirky character traits, as I think it makes the people on my pages more memorable . . . and it's just fun! My stories are filled with dysfunctional men and women. They chain smoke, overeat, suffer from a variety of afflictions, struggle with sexuality, and have unusual ways of handling the circumstances in their lives.

A barber who hails from Beirut is in the clubhouse at Prairie Winds frequently. A Hispanic landscaper from Chihuahua, Mexico is also a regular. A Japanese businessman spends time in the clubhouse whenever he is in town and has developed strong friendships with the local guys. There are retired and ornery old-timers and a professional comedian that uses his friendly audience to relive his vaudeville days.

There are so many unique individuals with whom we have the opportunity to come into contact every day. How often do we take a chance to strike up a conversation with someone new?  Maybe you can start by meetig some of the characters in my books. And, you just may find one who reminds you of someone you know.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Colorful Men Find Themselves on My "P" Page

 One of the con artists in my first book, Lifetime Loser, is the owner of a title company named George Pierce. He is instrumental in obtaining a power-of-attorney form and subsequently forging the signature of an old lady on many real estate documents. He ultimately flees the country after collecting all of the loot on the property transactions.

A character that I have fallen in love with is a regular at Prairie Winds Golf Course named Andrew. Half of the world calls him Andy and the other half calls him Drew. However, after a sudden U-turn in an interstate median during a golf vacation the guys at the golf course nicknamed him Pork Chop to commemorate the pork chop and eggs special featured at the highway diner that had caught his attention while behind the wheel. The short, heavy set character is an eating machine and can often be counted on to share remnants of his previous meal on the front of his shirt.

The title character in Pabby’s Score, my fifth and most recent novel, is an autistic teen. The fourteen-year-old who lives at Footprints of Hope foster care center shows up at Prairie Winds for an orientation program into life away from the orphanage. His personality is magnetic and the regulars quickly adopt him as one of their own. But Pabby’s adventure is not without its ups and downs. I hope that many readers will be cheering for him as the story unfolds.

Peel It Backe was the stage name I created for Tyrone Munroe, who is also known as BowTye to the guys at Prairie Winds. He first appears in Finish Line. The diminutive black man made American history as the king of the rockabilly blues as he played the honky-tonk bars up and down the Mississippi river. After the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans, a church program relocated the legend to St. Louis where J Dub and the guys at Prairie Winds adopted him.

Oliver Pudge made his debut in Pabby’s Score and his physique fits his name. He looks like a pumpkin on two toothpick legs and is as soft as the cream in a doughnut. Pudge is an attorney who is easily swayed, inefficient, and essentially a product of a failed legal system. His role in the story is fairly minor but he is a character that I will surely use in future works.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Title Characters are Highlighted When the Letter "O" is Discussed

Opur is the main character of my fourth novel. The young boy is dropped off at the golf course for summer lessons and his very first swing broadcasts his gift to the head pro. The ball clangs off the 100-yard marker and the lad is deemed a prodigy. We follow his journey to discover himself by way of his talent throughout Opur’s Blade. The story is as much about teen strife as it is the adventure and desire planted in all of us that drives us to overcome obstacles. Opur’s path eventually takes him to The Classic--The Masters--America’s golf pinnacle. But, golf proves to be only a sideshow considering the other events that unfold.

Ostrahemial Puld is a black evangelist preacher that I created in Tuey’s Course. He relocated to the St. Louis area from the banks of the Red River in Arkansas and Oklahoma. We find the local pulpit is merely a conduit for his true desire, which is to spread the gospel via satellite TV. Praise the Lord!

The main character in this same novel is a man named Tuey O’Tweety. His professionals aspirations are continually hindered by the powers-that-be at City Hall. The harassment by these elected officials becomes too much for the impoverished minority businessman. He reacts in ways that make sense to him but are radical to the mayor and aldermen. With a growing sense of solitude, depression follows. How will Tuey O’Tweety handle the pressure?

Finally, Owen Purler is the name of both father and son in my fourth book, Opur’s Blade. Owen, Sr. is an over-the-road owner/operator of an eighteen-wheeler who is away from home for weeks at a time. Not surprisingly, Owen, Jr. finds himself in need of a better and more present father figure. The head golf pro at Prairie Winds Golf Course enters the picture and their relationship flourishes. Will Owen, Sr. abandon his son forever, feeling that his abandonment is justified by this new replacement? Read the surprising outcome.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Networking -- A Word Most Authors Know Well

Before I focus today's post on two important topics beginning with the letter "N," I wanted at least to share one character associated with the letter as well.

The father of the title character in my fourth novel, Opur's Blade, is nicknamed Nada. Owen Purler, Sr. is only a teenager when he impregnates his high school girlfriend, who is upset by his lack of motivation and chides him about his excessive beer drinking. She insists that if Owen doesn’t change his ways, then he won’t amount to anything in life. In a moment of anger leveled at her unborn baby's father, she blurts that he’ll be nothing--Nada. And the nickname stuck.

Nada becomes an over-the-road truck driver and eventually files for a divorce after he falls for a younger girl from Russia during his travels. One unfortunate result, as is so often the case with divorce, is that Owen strands his son during a critical time. Nada never disappears entirely, though, and the storyline eventually comes full circle.

Now, on to two issues are important to all authors, I believe--names and networking.

Naming characters gives me about as much pleasure as dreaming up plots. I love to create memorable men and women to occupy the pages of my novels. I want them to be so off-the-wall that any reader will forever remember their actions. One of the ways to etch that creation in the reader’s mind is to dream up a name that is so catchy and impressive that it is instantly unforgettable. If you've read any or all of my books, I would love to hear if one of my characters stuck with you in a particular way.

And, every writer who wishes to share his work must become familiar with networking. Our world has changed. It used to be that an author sought an agent who then opened doors to publishing houses. The Internet has changed that. Now anyone can get his manuscript published. That’s the easy part.
Driving sales is where the hard work truly lies. Through the use of keywords, fresh content (such as that provided by this blog challenge!) and social networking sites, authors have the opportunity to spread their work and go viral. It takes patience and organization but getting the message to readers is an important step in the sales process, and the efforts online can be quite rewarding at very little cost. 

If you are a writer, what has proven to be your most effective networking outlet?

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Memories with the Letter M

The letter “M” in the A to Z blog challenge brings back (appropriately enough) fun Memories for me. Some of my favorite characters start with the letter M and I am happy to share a few of them with you in this post.

Margaret Morton is an elderly widow who was conned out of her life savings in Lifetime Loser. Every snake needs prey to devour and she is the unsuspecting victim in the smooth swindling of her entire estate. After the death of her husband, professional crooks forged the power-of-attorney document that led to accounts being completely cleaned out. The heirs to her state were left with a mess on their hands.  With the recent scandals such as Bernie Madoff's stealing of millions of dollars, altering the retirement plans for so many people, this is a tragedy to which too many people can relate.

Marcia is the backbone for the main character who runs throughout my novels. She is J Dub’s wife and she is solid for him through the pinnacle of his career and when he needs support as his dreams crumble in an instant. Her role is most prominent in Lifetime Loser but makes her presence known in all of my books. If people try to take advantage of her husband, Marcia can be very protective. Look out!

Perhaps the favorite name that came out of my head is MiSSuS CuLe BReeZe SiSTa GiNeLLe. She is a five-foot-tall ball of energy. This rapper got the promotional gig at Hoof and Bridle Park and did not miss the opportunity to make a name for herself. Dressed in hot pants and a blue jean vest and covered in sequins, her pipes brought patrons to the track time and again. Her first appearance is in Finish Line and she returns for more entertaining in Tuey’s Course.

Tomorrow is a day off in this efforts of bloggers to tour the alphabet, but I'll be back on Monday to start on the second half of this fun challenge!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Villians of the Political and Business Variety

 The letter “L” in this current A to Z blog tour gives me the opportunity to feature a lot of the supporting characters in my novels. Only one to date has a recurring role, but each was pivotal to the storyline in which he or she appeared.

Lewferd E. Zerrmann is featured in my first novel, Lifetime Loser. He is an unscrupulous businessman who is hated by almost everyone who crosses his path. His greed, unhappiness and loneliness breed misery. Those who get in his way are crushed. It was fun to create such a pathetic villain.  On the one hand, you almost feel sorry for him because his evil behavior is obviously caused by self-loathing, but that sympathy quickly subsides with your next encounter with the man.

Lew’s girlfriend . . . yes, he manages to have one . . . is Lois. I suppose every snake in life needs support. With her tattoos and bleached blonde hair, Lois became a manipulated prize on his arm--a brainwashed beauty that is controlled to death.

Mayor Leavitt is the ringleader at City Hall in Tuey’s Course. So many small towns have people with inflated egos in charge, don't they? Mayor Leavitt assumes this role with eagerness.  He's a great example of someone who manages to take just a small amount of power and balloon into something unbearable.

LeVournique O’Tweety is the wife of Tuey O’Tweety and is also featured in Tuey’s Course. As the harassment of her husband by the mayor and others continues to escalate, LeVournique offers support in her own limited and questionably helpful way. With an infectious smile, polished nails, fake eyelashes and costume jewelry, LeVournique holds down the fort in the cashier cage of the local casino and her work schedule largely isolates her from the frustrations that face her childhood sweetheart until the water spills over the levee.

Finally Morgan Langdon surfaced as a character in Opur’s Blade. Out of nowhere she appears as the young lover of the main character in that story. The whirlwind courtship blossoms and plays an important part in the final pages of the novel. Her Southern roots, charming good looks and brains made Morgan Langdon somewhat of a favorite of mine, which perhaps accounts for the fact that I made sure she resurfaced in Pabby's Score.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Reaching Young Readers Through Characters Like Them

 Keith Pucchio is one of two teenage boys who found himself experiencing a coming-of-age experience during one summer at the golf course in my novel Finish Line. After getting into some mischief with his buddy involving vandalism and an unsympathetic elderly neighbor, he had to work to pay off a debt. This obligation led Keith to Prairie Winds Golf Course for the summer. What started as a dawn to dusk job ended up being a lesson in life as he got to hang around the guys in the clubhouse. What he learned that summer was more valuable than what any book in any school could teach and he returned to school that fall a different young man.

Also regarding the letter "K" is the emphasis that I try to place on making my books accessible and interesting to kids. The Young Adult literary market is exploding and it's exciting to be a part of an effort to get preteens and teenagers excited about reading. My novels have been analyzed by Lexile and Renaissance Learning for their Accelerated Reader program. Most of my subject matter is suitable for kids ages thirteen and up, with the reading level around a fifth-grade level to reach as large an audience as possible. Admittedly, there are some adult situations in my stories but I'm hoping this offers an opportunity for young people to grapple with mature topics while graphic detail to a minimum.

Whether it be the story of Keith Pucchio, a boy who struggles to find love and encouragement in a difficult home life and comes upon a mentor right when he needs one the most, or another of the story lines that I weave into my novels, I hope that younger readers find some characters or concepts that mean something to them.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

The Letter "J" Offers the Cornerstones of Prairie Winds

Those that are familiar with my books realize that the clubhouse at Prairie Winds Golf Course is where the regulars congregate, and the owner/operator of the facility is a main character who offers a thread through all five novels.  J. W. Schroeder, nicknamed J Dub, is the head golf professional who oversees the daily activities and keeps everyone in line. The men and women who call Prairie Winds their second home all seem to have complicated lives and J Dub seems to be in the middle of all the action.

In Lifetime Loser, J Dub's story unfolds and we learn the heartbreak he experienced in coming so close to his own professional dreams. His strength and determination to forge ahead are on full display.  Finish Line demonstrates his compassion as his brother Curt is stricken with cancer. In Tuey’s Course, J Dub tries to be helpful to a minority businessman who is harassed and ridiculed by the powers-that-be at City Hall. Opur’s Blade enables him to tutor a young prodigy and help guide him to the top of his profession. In my last novel, Pabby’s Score, J Dub is touched by two special needs teens. He helps them acclimate to broader society by allowing them complete access to the golf course from their foster home environment.

As we all know the main character in any book or movie plot needs to have a right-hand man. In this case the “man” is actually a gal named Julie. Between her bookkeeping chores and high-profile counter duty, Julie is as much of a fixture at Prairie Winds as the head golf pro. She’s a favorite of the guys, with her quick wit and ability to go head-to-head with the antics of the male golfers.  I've really enjoyed writing for this strong female character and watching her develop her confidence and find direction in her life through the pages of my books.

So, as you can tell, "J" is quite the pivotal letter in my writing.  J Dub and Julie are two of the few characters you will find in all of my work and I can't imagine Prairie Winds without them!

What is your favorite duo, either on screen or in literature?

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

IRS Needs Some Positive Stories This Time of Year

Up to this point in the A to Z Blog Challenge I have concentrated my postings on characters that I’ve created for one or more of my five published novels. With the letter “I,” I'm going to deviate from this pattern and instead of sharing specific characters I am going to write about the IRS and the Iroquois today as both groups are featured in my work.

With tax filing deadline fast approaching, this is a wonderful time to spend a few moments on the Internal Revenue Service.  This government agency, specifically the Criminal Investigative Division (CID), plays an important role in my first book, Lifetime Loser. Whether you are in the "one percent" or busy occupying with the other ninety-nine percent, we all might have had a few unkind words to say about the taxman, especially in the middle of April. However, in this instance, the agents representing the IRS work to uncover fraud and bring the crooks to justice. 

A wealthy businessman with shady practices catches the attention of the government in Lifetime Loser.  Through his schemes, his partners are damaged as well as an innocent elderly woman trying to live out her years with dignity and, in the end, the U.S. tax payers in general.  Readers who want a white-collar thriller that is full of drama and unexpected betrayals should pick up a copy of Lifetime Loser.

In my latest novel, Pabby’s Score, a secret society has found its way into the underbelly of the plot. The clandestine operation has roots in Native American culture and organization. As events unfold and facts are collected it is discovered that the Iroquois tribe is obscurely involved and the consequences may tarnish the image of a great Nation. 

Government corruption and the dangers of power are themes that run throughout my novels and our country's treatment of the Iroquois and other Native American tribes is certainly an example of abuse in leadership.  Perhaps readers will make those connections or think about tribal history when going through the pages of Pabby's Score and considering some of the actions taken by the characters in today's society.

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Just in Time for Tax Season -- A Crooked Accountant!

It's been fun reminiscing about the men and women who have come to life through the pages of my writing, and gotten me excited about the new ideas I have planned for the future.  Today I would like to return to my very first novel, Lifetime Loser, and share with you two of the characters that I created for that book. 

Walter Hancock comes across as a fidgeting, nerdy accountant. But, he is not the type of guy you want taking care of your business ledger or life savings.  He is part of a group of con artists who swindle the estate of an elderly widow. He crafted an intricate plan that involved first winning the trust of the family and therefore earning their tax business.  He then forged the signature of a grieving widow, the matriarch of her family, on a power of attorney form after the death of her husband. His ability to push the envelope on tax returns made him a popular accountant around town and allowed him an (at least marginally) above board profession while he kept his other efforts a secret. His reputation attracted many shady characters who sought relief from the IRS and he was more than happy to oblige.

Elinor Hackett is the U S Attorney who fights against people like Walter Hancock. She is a tall and intimidating woman, with impressive biceps and other features that many consider stereotypically masculine. Her aggressive approach to law enforcement makes it clear to the crooks in her district that they are not welcome. Ellie understands tax law well and is anxious to nab those who run counter to the straight and narrow.  Watch out, Walter Hancock! 

As a side note -- it's too bad that today does not feature "B" in the A to Z Blog Challenge in which I'm participating, because Bubba Watson's win at the Masters yesterday sure would have been a great topic.  What a great golf story!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Golf Takes Center Stage in All of My Writing

Making her debut in Tuey’s Course is Ginny Slater. She is a young FBI agent who catches the attention of Curt Schroeder when the government holds a charity fund raiser at Prairie Winds Golf Course. Her athletic body, brains and quiet confidence are appealing and, for a period of time, it seems that she may become a wonderful partner for Curt. But, the relationship stalls before it ever has much of a chance.  At least she provides a nice diversion for a while from the regulars at the club house!

Ginny returns for brief appearance in my next novel, Opur’s Blade. Honestly, I don’t know what the future holds for this character. If the GRS killer who floats throughout my work remains on the loose, then Ginny Slater will become more involved, as she heads the task force investigating the serial killer.  Only time and where my characters take me as I sit at my computer screen will tell.

When it comes to the letter "G," though, the most important character in all of my books is the game of golf.  While you don't have to be a fan of the sport in order to read my work, it certainly is one of my passions.  There is not much better in life than walking onto the greens just after dawn, with that crisp morning air and beauty of the landscape surrounding you.

And, the game of golf is often one over which political and business deals are brokered, making for great book material.  How many presidents do we see playing golf regularly?  I can guarantee that a golf outing is planned for nearly every corporate retreat.  A deal that is reached through a handshake on the 14th hole is one that is as solid as it gets.

Are you a fan of golf?  (If so, you may be watching the Masters this weekend instead of reading this blog.)  What are your thoughts about the sociology and the politics of the game?

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

A Few Figures Who Start with "F"

 One of the clubhouse regulars at Prairie Winds Golf Course is a portly redhead named Fred. He is normally the first one through the door with a dozen doughnuts and is an everyday golfer that head pro J Dub Schroeder spends a few minutes talking to in the morning. Fred works as a night supervisor at the auto plant, clocks out early, heads straight to the golf course to play a round, and then uses the rest of his day to sleep before starting the routine all over again.

Fred is often the catalyst for discussions about current events that unfold in my novels, as the blue-collar worker and golf pro exchange opinions over a fresh pot of coffee with the sunrise as their backdrop.  My hope is that the honest conversations these guys share start other conversations between readers.  Those who have read any of my books no that I don't have any off-limit topics, and Fred and J Dub introduce many of them with mutual respect and practical sense.

Festus came to me as I was writing Tuey’s Course. He is a round man with hunched shoulders who works as the late shift cop in town and doubles as the security guard during the meetings at City Hall. While his exposure in my writing is limited to Tuey's Course, he is part of what I consider to be one of the most gripping and emotional scenes I've created, as tension between a disenfranchised member of the community and the powers-that-be in local government come to a head.

Callum Foss is a colorful sportscaster who made his debut in Opur’s Blade. I had a lot of fun creating this character. He hails from England and one-liners flow easily out of his mouth with that distinct British dialogue as he teams with Trent Tee to describe the events that occur at The Classic, which is America’s greatest golf tournament.

Pabby’s Score is the book in which readers meet Farley Bend. This character is an alderman in town but works primarily as the night supervisor at the sewage treatment plant. He is carrying on a torrid affair with Pamela Porter who is the headmistress at Footprints of Hope foster care center.  Pamela employs Farley to do odd jobs around the orphanage in order to keep him close and for their relationship to have a place to flourish in private.

See you around the A to Z blogosphere!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Civil War and Angry Old Men are Featured Today

Elia and Easy Earl were two characters who originally made their entrances in my first novel, Lifetime Loser. They are both regulars in the clubhouse at Prairie Winds Golf Course.

Elia is a barber who hails from Beirut and who wears dark hair and a heavy beard with style. The war and violence that marked his childhood led him to flee his home country and immigrate to the United States. His home away from home is the golf course and his perspective serves as a constant reminder that life abroad is much more difficult than life in the United States.

Current events in the Middle East have placed Elia in a whole light for me.  I wonder what he would have to say about the Arab Spring that swept across the region last year and the amazing changes to political and social structures that are occurring.  Would he wish to be back in Beirut and part of the action?  

Easy Earl, on the other hand, is a product of a much more stereotypical American story. He works part-time at Prairie Winds and is a retired used car salesman. He is ornery, opinionated and in his eighties, but can still play the game of golf very well.  You probably all know someone like Easy Earl--an older guy who knows the answer to everything and who you practically can picture yelling, "You kids get off my lawn!"

Thanks again for coming along with me for this alphabetical journey through my characters and themes!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

The Fourth Letter Brings Four Characters of Note

 Welcome to the letter "D" and the opportunity I am taking to review some of the characters I've created over the past several years with my five published novels.  I'm enjoying this exercise so far and hope that you are learning more about how I approach my work.

One of the mainstays in the clubhouse at Prairie Winds Golf Course is Doc. His real name is Everett Rhymes and he hails from the area of the United States where Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado intersect. He has a veterinarian practice and, after focusing on farm animals for a good part of his career, he has shifted his attention to domestic animals. He is a very good golfer and, more importantly, a stabilizing influence on the unusual personalities around him.

Dickie Doo made his debut in Opur’s Blade. He is a good golfer in his own right but his full-time job now is as the caddy for Tank Oglethorp, the number one player in the world. During a tense round of golf Dickie Doo serves as a cocky alter-ego to the best player the game has seen.

Daddy Mack is a character I created to lead the house band at Stub’s Missing Digit. The bar is located on the banks of the Mississippi river and the water serves as the backdrop to the stage. Daddy Mack is noted for his cowboy hat and he has a bass voice that makes the women melt. He first appeared in Opur’s Blade and also steals a few scenes in Pabby’s Score.

D. Wayne Smith, who readers meet in Tuey's Course is considerably luckier than many others in his neighborhood. He owns his own business and referees college football games in his spare time. He is accused of sharing an “better than you” air with his peers, as his character is intended to provoke discussion about the controversial and unfair notion those who are successful out of poor circumstances have somehow betrayed their community.

On a serious note, the medical condition of dementia plays an important role in Pabby’s Score. An elderly relative of one of my regular characters is afflicted by this descent into confusion and forgetfulness. The disease offers pause to those who come in contact with this person and serves as a reminder that one person's illness affects so many friends and family around them.

See you tomorrow!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey

Todays Brings Us Characters to Love . . . or Love to Hate!

If I was able to look at each person who is reading this blog post and today and ask you to raise your hand if you had a friend or family member who had been diagnosed with cancer, I imagine that I would see most of you with a hand in the air.  The "C word" has affected all of us, and each person's story about the disease is compelling and unique.  Finish Line is a novel about one man’s struggle with cancer. He is stricken in the prime of his life and he struggles to combat the disease while acting as a big brother to two teens who have troubled home lives and both desperately need a strong male role model.  In this coming-of-age story, both the young men and the lead character, Curt, end their summer together having learned some important lessons about their own strength and potential.

Whether you are a star quarterback who just received national attention as you decided with which team you would end your career or a writer who sits in front of the computer on the weekends dreaming of the day your first book is published, you probably have spent time with a coach who has made a difference in your life.  This is a person who encourages you, guides you, and offers some honest criticism when needed.  Prairie Winds Golf Couse has its own coach as well. You probably can picture him -- he's the one who lives and breathes his sport, can always be found wearing a track suit or other athletic gear, and is the assumed go-to guy for all things physical.  This coach character I've developed has roles in Lifetime Loser and Tuey’s Course and loves to share his opinions with the other guys in the clubhouse on his days off.

One of my favorite, and perhaps most memorable, characters is Captain Jerry Stafford, aka Captain Jer. The retired pilot is the drunk that occupies the clubhouse and any foursome that will have him. His golf game is lousy but his quick wit and off-the-wall comments are fuel for anyone that wants to argue. He’s definitely opinionated and you really cannot guess what offensive or obscene statement might come out of his mouth next. This character was created in my second novel, Finish Line, and has had a large part in all of the succeeding stories.

I've enjoyed these first few days of using the alphabet to share some of my characters and storylines and I look forward to working through the letters over the month of April as part of this blogging challenge!

James Ross
Author of Lifetime Loser, Finish Line, Tuey's Course, Opur's Blade, and Pabby's Score
jamesross@authorjamesross.com
Website: http://www.authorjamesross.com/
Publisher Websites: http://www.xlibris.com/ and http://www.nightengalepress.com/
Blog: http://www.authorjamesross.blogspot.com/
Purchase: http://golftwitt.com/46ey