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

Today's Characters are Brought to You By the Letter "B"!

The letter "B" takes center stage as the A to Z Blog Challenge begins its second day. When it comes to sharing characters from my novels who can claim this letter as an initial, I have no shortage of options.  Here are just a few.

Every fairway needs a dog as its faithful mascot and Prairie Winds Golf Course on the east side of St. Louis has one named Bogey. The bull terrier with a long snout and black marking over one eye is a friend to every regular who plays the course as well as to those who choose to spend their time drinking and gossiping in the clubhouse. In Lifetime Loser, the head pro, J Dub Schroeder, and Bogey are the best of friends and the canine plays an essential role in the story.  Bogey is there as for constant comfort and support through J Dub's ascent in his profession and then through a emotional downward spiral that causes him to question everything.

Tuey’s Course features the (hopefully!) memorable character Big Bertha. This satire mocks hypocrites and stereotypes as its plot weaves between the moral criminals at City Hall and those who occupy our communities and streets. Big Bertha is the local meter maid who shows up to harass Tuey for a truck that is parked in an unsanctioned spot. With a large frame and a dose of sympathy, she faithfully follows the orders that are given by her superiors in the police department.

BowTye, aka Tyrone Munroe, was created to fill an important role in Finish Line. The short black man, who religiously wears a long-sleeved white dress shirt and burgundy beret, is a transplant from New Orleans. He migrated up the Mississippi following the Hurricane Katrina disaster and landed in the St. Louis area through a church program. Earlier in his life, BowTye played the honky-tonk bars up and down the banks of the mighty river until he reached prominence as the king of the rockabilly blues under the stage name of Peel It Backe. He’s a regular in the clubhouse, a jack-of-all-trades and a fixture in many of my novels.

Until tomorrow, and the letter "C," have a great day!

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

Let's Start at the Very Beginning . . .

Welcome to the kick-off post for the A to Z Blog Challenge in which I am participating throughout the month of April!  For the next thirty days, I will be featuring many of the characters I have created over the past several years, as well as some of the controversial social issues that are featured in my novels. To start things off we’ll take a look at Aieshia, Alley Cat, and Tanner Atkins.

Aieshia is a character I created for Pabby’s Score. She is a strong woman with an imposing presence, being tall and rather large, but who shows a softer side through her chosen profession. She found her calling in life as a special needs instructor at Footprints of Hope foster home. Her principal assignment is to watch over Pabby, who is an autistic teen and a main character in the story.  The relationship between Pabby and Aieshia is a cornerstone for the storyline that unfolds.

Alley Cat is the nickname for a jockey who had a small part in Finish Line. Originally from Mexico, the diminutive man's real name is Alvarez Catamaran. He is the number one jockey at Hoof and Bridle Park. He has quite a reputation for tipping the bottle and womanizing around town.  The stereotypes embodied by Alley Cat are meant to create some controversy and hopefully start discussions about the work I've created.

Finally, an unethical attorney (can you imagine??) by the name of Tanner Atkins was created for Pabby’s Score. His is the principal partner in the ABC law firm, which is known in the community for unscrupulous dealings. His connections with an unjust judge set into motion a number of questionable decisions.

As I've already mentioned, one of the topics that I feature in my newest release, Pabby’s Score, is autism.  The entire autism spectrum is receiving much more attention than it did a generation ago, and a recent report by the CDC now states that 1 in 88 children have some form of this diagnosis. Pabby and Shae are two teens who live at a foster home for kids with special needs but enjoy the opportunity for a more integration into society by spending a summer at the Prairie Winds Golf Course. Virtually everyone who comes into contact with the pair is affected by their infectious personalities.

You can expect that some of my posts in April will offer these quick snapshots of people and issues, to give you a glimpse into my writing.  Other times, I will present a more in-depth take on one specific character or topic.  I'm excited to have you along with me for this journey!

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