Rick Glaze
Author Interview - Rick Glaze
Author of Ralph & Murray
In the quaint backdrop of a small southern town, circa 1959, an extraordinary tale unfolds through the charming narration of an unlikely storyteller - Ralph, a spirited four-legged companion with a knack for punchy humor.
Amidst a world where most dogs merely wag their tails and feline neighbors purr quietly, Ralph and his witty counterpart, Murray, emerge as remarkable exceptions, gifted with extraordinary abilities.
As they traverse the idyllic landscapes of their hometown, encountering ghosts, hobos, and even the iconic twist dance craze spearheaded by Chubby Checker himself, Ralph and Murray's adventures take on a whimsical, yet deeply resonant quality.
Through their escapades, readers are treated to a delightful journey brimming with empathy, kindness, and compassion, serving as a poignant reminder of the power of standing up for others.
From unraveling the mysteries of why pencils have erasers to discovering who might have alligators for lunch, Ralph and Murray weave a tapestry of nostalgia from a bygone era with heartwarming humor and infectious charm.
Readers of all ages are invited to immerse themselves in a world where the bonds of friendship and the beauty of diversity reign supreme, leaving behind a trail of laughter, wisdom, and unforgettable memories.
Author Interview - Rick Glaze
Author I draw inspiration from:
Dave Barry, "Swamp Story," "Lessons from Lucy." An older author I like is Jack London, :"Call of the Wild." "White Fang."
Author Interview - Rick Glaze | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
My favorite place to read a book is in my big swivel chair, on my screened in porch at the lake. How could it get better than that. In the summer two overhead fans help keep it cool, and in Fall and early Spring the propane heater does the trick.
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
The moment I had an idea I wanted to write stories I was sixteen and driving a side road in my little town. Glancing over at the back porch of a wood framed house as I drove by, a picture of a family and their entire story popped into my mind. I still remember saying to my self, "That would be fun. Maybe later."
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Of course, I'm old school in the fact that I favor print over ebook, but my head is not in the sand, so I read a good bit of digital copy. For long and frequent trips to Lake Tahoe, I started checking tape cassettes out of the library. I listened to the entire catalogue of Sherlock Holmes among many others. But the audio book experience that most impressed me was a ten-hour trip from California to the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland Oregon with my daughter, Amanda. We listened to the first half of Jack London's "White Fang" on the drive up and the second half on the return trip. Here's the kicker, when we arrived home the story was not over, so we drove around town for twenty minutes until it finished. Now I'm writing books about dogs and Amanda's second YA novel, "The Lies of Alma Blackwell" is roaring out the gate.
The last book I read:
Right now I'm reading "Sahara" by Clive Cussler. This story is action from the start which is a good lesson in keeping the reader engaged and on edge. There are several far-flung subplots that I know will come together at some point. I'm watching to see how he does that in this long 535 page book.
Author Interview - Rick Glaze | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
During a stretch when I was writing songs full time in Nashville, I first got to a writing appointment with my usual ring-binder and several sharp pencils with erasers. The young people there pulled out their iPads and we dove in. At the end of a session, I had the finished song somewhere on that page along with notes and arrows all over. The others had the song lyrics finished and formatted. You guessed it, my iPad accompanied me from then on out.
When I started writing fiction in classes at Stanford University, I was completely over pen and paper and zeroed in using MS Word until I found Scrivener. In the book I'm writing now, the editor suggested I reduce thirty-pages of subplot to a few paragraphs. I can change the order of segments and chapters fairly easily as well as cut and paste all I need.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I never wanted to be a sky-diver or bungee jumper, so we can eliminate those. I kayaked rivers for five or six years and got my first novel, "The Purple River" from that. I fell into sailing on San Francisco Bay and skippered through many stout winds in the Virgin Islands, and others in the Caribbean, leading to my second novel, "Spanish Pieces of Eight." During those times, I was fortunate to have a thriving financial services business. That business moved on to capable hands, leaving me to write stories of new people and exciting new adventures. As a matter of fact, tomorrow I'll be trekking around in the biggest limestone cave system in the world...looking for a good hiding place for a box of Spanish treasure. Keep your eyes open for my new story, "Eight Pieces of Eight."
Place I’d most like to travel:
I like the islands and there just may be a few I haven't set foot on yet!
My signature drink:
I'm a sucker for cold beer.
Favorite artist:
I like songs that tell a story. As a teenagers I liked folk music and learned to play and sing it. I think Country Music took the story-telling-torch from folk music and many of the best songs in the genre do the job of telling the stories of contemporary people.
Find more from the author:
FB & Instagram: Rick Glaze Books.
X (twitter): @RicksbooksRick.
LinkedIn: Rick Glaze Author.
About Rick Glaze:
Author Interview - Rick Glaze
I stepped up to embrace my heritage as a Southerner and a Southern Writer with the publication of Ralph & Murray, a tale of growing up in a small southern town in the late 1950s and narrated by my precocious dog, Ralph, and his feline friend, Murray. When I'm not whitewater rafting down the Grand Canyon or sailing around the Caribbean Islands, I live in Nashville, Tennessee where I paint portraits in my home studio and write and perform country music. I've released two albums, songs from which have been played and featured on Country Music Television (CMT), BBC Radio, as well as radio airplay. I attended the Stanford University Creative Writing Program and hold an MFA in studio Art from the Maryland Institute College of Art. My previous published work includes The Purple River, a novel set during a whitewater rafting trip, Spanish Pieces of Eight, a mystery set in the sailing world, and the humor and satire of Ralph & Murray, as well as a short story collection, and a weekly column in Silicon Valley.
