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Kids Being Kids
Better Be Home When the Streetlights Come On: Remembering the Summer of 1963 follows three eleven-year-old boys as they spend their summer going on adventures and making memories. There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?
The three main characters and most of the supporting cast are loosely based on my childhood friends. Brain, the Jewish kid, was the smartest among us and Chief an African American kid was simply our friend – we didn’t care about race. The important traits are just ”kids being kids” and navigating the challenges and landscape of 1963.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I wanted to give the reader a sense of what it was like growing up in Braddock 1963. Beginning with a macro view of Braddock as a steel town shaped by Andrew Carnegie, steel-making technologies, and the environmental advantages of proximity to the Monongahela River and the rich coal seams. Next, I focused in closer on the neighborhood, stores, and the culture of the times. From then on through the rest of the book I follow the major events of their summer vacation. Another theme is the challenges of aging with the older versions of the friends as they reflect on the childhood memories.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I am going to go in a completely different direction and write a non-fiction book. I had the honor and privilege to serve in Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) roles in several iconic organizations including but not limited to the Naval Nuclear Program, US House of Representatives, American Red Cross (from 9-11 to Hurricane Katrina), and AMTRAK. Over 40 years of experience, I will write about the evolution of the CISO vocation in the context of meteoric advancements in technology and the means to protect the organization against internal and external threats. As to when it will be available, TBD.
Author links: GoodReads | Facebook
Better Be Home When The Streetlights Come On
Better Be Home When the Streetlights Come On: Remembering the Summer of 1963 by Ron Baklarz provides an evocative journey into the lives of Jack and his teenage companions during the vibrant era of the 1960s. This narrative, which can best be described as a fictional biography, is rooted in the lively exploits of these young lads, all set against the backdrop of Braddock, Pennsylvania, following their academic year at St. Brendan Catholic School.
Caught in the tumultuous throes of adolescence, Jack, along with his inseparable friends Brain and Chief, grapple with their increasing curiosity. Whether it’s dodging the intimidating Buster or embarking on secret escapades their parents should remain oblivious to, their summer is nothing short of eventful. From spirited accounts of their Catholic school experiences to their eager anticipations of the Boy Scout camp, their tales encompass the universal thrills of teenage years – the intrigue surrounding girls, firearms, fireworks, and camping adventures.
Baklarz does an admirable job of immersing readers in the 1960s, interweaving the narrative with cultural and historical references pertinent to the era. Vivid episodes, such as a delightful picnic escapade with their mothers or a daring attempt at firearm smuggling, consistently engage the reader.
While the novel’s focus remains sharply on 1963, there are moments when I feel the pacing feels slightly rushed, making it a tad challenging to trace the connectivity between certain events. I think a deeper dive into the perspectives of the supporting cast would have further enriched the tapestry of this story. While the extensive detailing of historical events is informative, its relevance to the central narrative occasionally feels overstated.
Better Be Home When the Streetlights Come On promises a delightful read for those with an affinity for tales that blur the lines between fact and fiction and who relish a trip down memory lane.
Pages: 225 | ASIN : B0CG7KF43V
Inspired To Change The Direction
Gordon George Smith Author Interview
Lady Ruth Bromfield is about a young girl that is rescued from Nazi Germany and grows up to be an engineer on the Snowy Mountain Hydro-Electric Project. What motivated you to write an inspirational story about this woman’s life?
I wanted to write a story that included some of my feelings that I encountered while in the civil construction sector. However, when I read a newspaper article about the Kinder Transport, I was inspired to change the direction of the story. I researched the background to the Kinder Transport, and I became even more inspired. I am always disturbed by how we as a human race always seem to be wary of people from different backgrounds and beliefs, so I include the three themes into my book.
Ruth was sent to England on the Kinder Transport to be raised by a Church of England priest. What research did you do to get this time in history as accurate as possible?
I read widely on the general conditions in England during the war. I had some understanding of Jewish traditions and teachings and along with my Anglican background, I was able to develop the story around Ruth being a Christian- Jew or was it a Jewish –Christian?. I was able to run the Christian aspects by a retired Anglican Priest. When I was halfway through the book, I heard an interview on the radio that mentioned that sometimes Jewish women bathed naked a religious ceremony. I researched this and found several articles about Mikveh. I was able to include this in the story.
Lady Ruth Bromfield is a sensational view at overcoming religious and ethnic intolerance. Do you think this is a topic that is more prevalent today than it has been in the past?
In some quarters it appears to be more prevalent today (e.g., the western populations being distrusting toward Muslim migrants.) However, in other instances, we have come a long way. As an example when I was growing up Protestant School kids did not mix with those who went to Catholic schools. It also seems that there is nowhere the distrust of “Jews” that was prevalent when I was young. Even then although there was some mistrust, this was tempered with the feeling of disgust in how the Jews were persecuted by the Nazis.
What is the next book that you are writing and when will it be published?
My next book is in the embryo stage but. I am considering writing a story about three young Australian men who were conscripted to fight in Vietnam in the 60’s. The three of them came from different worlds (a Christian, a Jew, and a Muslim) The story would revolve around their time in Vietnam and how their lives developed after the conflict. At this stage I hope to have it published toward the end of 2017.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Saved from Nazi Holocaust, she grew in spirit to be a world leader. In 1935, Ruth was in born to an unmarried Jewish mother in Germany. Fearing the Nazi persecution, Ruth was sent to England on the “kinder transport“ to be raised by a Church of England priest. He raised in the Christian faith, and with help, he also raised her in the Jewish faith. Her faith guided her life and enabled her to build bridges between different groups, even at an early age. Follow her story as she grows up and becomes an engineer on the Snowy Mountain Hydro-Electric Project. Her story is guaranteed to raise your hopes and show how to overcome the differences we all share. A sensational view at overcoming religious and ethnic intolerance.
LITERARY TITAN 