Welcome Leigh Grant, Author and Illustrator

 

Hello everyone.  It seems that I haven't changed the post in two months. Chalk it up to being busy and also the author who was supposed to be on had some technical issues that were finally fixed. I hope everyone is enjoying the warmer weather and that you haven't had to deal with any disasters as of yet. I was very excited to find out that a branch of our Stamford Library is in walking distance of my home. I haven't used a library in awhile but today I got a book for book club. Planning to read continuously, since it has a lot of pages.

My guest author for the month is Leigh Grant, who has two fiction books in a series and is also the author of many other non-fiction books and illustrator of numerous children's books as well as author and illustrator of her own book. Her bio is here:

BIO:

LEIGH GRANT has degrees in art history and fine art as well as a certificate in appraising fine and decorative art from NYU. She attended Hollins University and during college, studied and lived in Paris for a year. After graduating from Pratt Institute, she worked in London for another year. A former illustrator, with over thirty books to her credit, Grant is currently a writer and an appraiser of fine and decorative art. As a writer, she is fascinated by the Italian Renaissance and the Venetian Empire and has written two historical novels: the award-winning Mask of Dreams and its sequel,her new book, Artimon. She has two children and one grandson and lives in Norwalk, Connecticut. Website: maskofdreams.com.

Ms Grant is too humble about her writing to include these but if you go on her website you will see this very long list of books with accolades. She is the kind of author who is not always promoting herself. Yet her accomplishments are varied and significant. I have known her for years as a member of Greenwich Pen Women and she has served as a president of this group. So I was very happy when she agreed to be a guest author on this blog. I know once you learn more about her you will want to read her books. She writes Renaissance novels now. Having read both of her books I can say they are different, exciting, and educational in a way you don't realize. The research on each of them was impeccable. With this in mind here is the interview with Leigh Grant.

INTERVIEW:

Where were you born and where do you live now?

I was born in Greenwich, CT and live in Norwalk, CT today - didn't get very far.

Besides writing, what is your occupation? Do you have any hobbies?

I was a children's book illustrator until 2008 and that year, I changed professions to appraise fine and decorative art - and write.  My hobbies have to do with collecting art and reading books.

Who or what influenced you to begin writing?

I read a series of books by the Scottish writer, Dorothy Dunnett. There were six in each series and I had never read anything that so thoroughly immersed the characters in the time. Often, she dealt with three languages. You knew what the places looked like, the politics of the time, the songs, the verse. The Hilary Mantell books about Cromwell would be comparable except that Dunnett’s hero was fictitious. 

That's fascinating. I have never heard of either of these authors. But I think if you're writing historical fiction attention to detail about the period is essential to create the right background atmosphere of the period about which you are writing.

Please describe a typical day of writing for you.

I don't write on a fixed schedule but I usually work on something whether it’s one of several projects or researching and taking notes. You can’t write historical fiction on the Venetian Empire and the Balkans at the end of the 15th century without reading everything you can lay your hands on.

What made you decide to begin your career in London? Do you have any interesting stories about that time?

A friend was going to the Cordon Bleu cooking school and needed a housemate. In London, I fearlessly (or perhaps I should say fearfully) marched up to E. P Dutton and other English publishers with my portfolio and for some reason they gave me jobs. I loved London and England and couldn’t get enough of both. We had English friends and I’m afraid to say when I was there, to fit in, I developed a pseudo English accent. (When we got home, the first thing my mother said was “Get rid of it.”)

One day I had an appointment at HarperCollins and my friend, who went with me, noticed an old lady sitting in a wing chair. They were making something of a fuss about her, bringing her tea, etc. (didn’t bring me tea), and we realized she was the grand old dame of mysteries: Agatha Christie. I was overawed but my friend went right up and introduced herself and shook her hand. (I missed my chance. Phooey.)

Wow! I would say that was a brush with greatness. At least you got to see her. And I think it's hard to live in a place and not develop an accent. I lived in upstate New York and when I got back to New York City my friends and family told me I had an accent. 

 How did you start illustrating books?

When I went to apply for college, I had a talent for art and wanted to go to art school. The head of the academy where I went to school discouraged that idea as not giving me a good education. So, I made my parents promise I could go to art school afterwards. Poor souls: they did promise and kept their word.) Actually, the college was wonderful and included an entire twelve months living in Paris and traveling in Europe in the summer. I then went to Pratt Institute which was an entirely different experience – every man for himself – BUT people like Maurice Sendak came by to give talks. So, I got a BFA in two years and embarked on illustration.

I was lucky to meet Maurice Sendak at a violin concert for Midori and other musicians. I got a free copy of his last book, though it wasn't signed. But I did speak with him for a few seconds and that was awesome.

You hold a certificate in appraisal. What made you decide to do this?

I collected art and antiques. I have always liked things that are either beautiful or beautifully made and have a history. They don’t have to be American. I live in a part of Norwalk, Silvermine, that hosted an artists’ colony around 1908 and I became very interested in that.

I have read both of your books, Mask of Dreams and Artimon. How did you get the idea to write books like these?

It’s a strange story. When I was still illustrating children’s book and had written one that did pretty well, someone, I no longer remember who, sent me a Chinese tale about a thief who tried to gain the emperor’s daughter through masking and disguise. I really liked the story because it had an interesting twist but I had no wish to compete with the Chinese in a medium in which they excel. Eventually, I realized the story was a love story and children tend to attach love to their parents, animals or friends. That realization took about a year to show me I needed to change direction – so I looked for a similar philosophy being “the beauty of the soul is reflected in the beauty of the face.” I found it in the Platonists in Italy in the 15th century. So, I wrote that story and my thief became a brigand who came from the Balkans and I added some Magic Realism to deal with the mask. The ending is different but you’ll have to read the book to find out.

The second book is a sequel and deals with an on again/off again relationship and the French invasion of Italy in 1495.

Please describe the amount and kind of research you did for each of your books.

If you look around my house, even without the articles I read online or copied in the library, I  have at least a thousand books. So probably about a third of those went into writing these two books. However, I do try to stay within my time period so I often read just that part.

You worked as an illustrator for many years. What made you decide to give this up?

I suffered two disasters. At the time, I was working on these popup books on Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt and the economic downturn came along and my English publisher lost not only his business but his house. And I lost my husband, Tony, very suddenly to a brain tumor. I just didn’t want to work in illustration anymore.

That is very sad. I can see why you might want a change. Sadly, we have both lost our husbands. Though this must have been a terrible shock.

Please describe the path to publication for Mask of Dreams.

Well, it was a long path in the company of a wonderful agent without any results with publishers. All my illustrated books, including those I wrote were with recognized publishers but these two were printed by Amazon. Mask, in particular, has won some awards so it isn’t all in the dark. Artimon is relatively new.

How did being a member of a professional critique group help you to write your books?

The group gave me a sounding board and I knew if anything was repeated as criticsm, I needed to work on it. But, it also provided support.

Yes, I agree. This group, to which we both belong, has critiqued both of the sequels to my novel. We always have to sift through criticism and change what several people felt was necessary. It's a great place to find objectivity for your writing. 

Are you working on any new books for publication? If so, what are they? 

Right now, I’m researching a possible third book in the series but haven’t written much yet. I am also writing up some family stories so that those people in my family won’t be forgotten. (I see this as family only.) Lastly, I’m working on a proposal for an exhibition of art at a Connecticut Museum.

All of this sounds very exciting. I am looking forward to seeing your third book. It's funny how writing a book sometimes triggers another one. That's why I have three books in my series. You are never really finished with some stories.

Please give our readers your website and any social media you are on.

      maskofdreams.com

      Leigh Grant Author – Facebook

https://www.amazon.com/Mask-Dreams-Leigh-Grant/dp/B0BM3YZZQ8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=31F6EFY64OQH9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._YpkhhmC6NYWodDE9_eOjfJuhjnXudRkwDeD0rOHpDZjtv_WzFX-HjMYpvwxoYBhevaKxv-ACe0O8nW1LD_9MgKq0TW4WLFIA3DIhDNVaV4.Bfxn3xAyw1i7jEdOh-aAUJADaSLt__Bo7McZ50pKNys&dib_tag=se&keywords=%22Mask+of+Dreams%22&qid=1748650409&s=books&sprefix=mask+of+dreams+%2Cstripbooks%2C65&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.com/Artimon-Montenegrin-Leigh-Grant/dp/B0DBL8YYW9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30Q6T3APNYNHC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.v2UzqdqdU_8GHZxhZzMtkvy0j2T9Q4lfjwrnmU3_TQj32jObTrfsIDB1sfjuKD77.yXUrYx7BpDGDSMT0omz8uxDD0cOSgW-Y2mWE-OmelVA&dib_tag=se&keywords=%22Artimon%22&qid=1748650526&s=books&sprefix=artisan+%2Cstripbooks%2C87&sr=1-1

Leigh Grant's website lists all of her books that are too many to put here.

Do you have any in person or online events scheduled for your books? What are they?

I’m working with Nutmeg Lit on that. Just started. Thinking about audio. I need to be more like you, Barbara.

Right. I try not to promote too much. I just joined this group but their events are too far away for me. I think being a part of a group like this is excellent for local authors. I am thinking about doing an audio book but the cost is high.

Finally, my last question is always this. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you outline or do you just write?

PANTSER!!!

Leigh, it has been a pleasure having you on the blog. I wish you lots of luck with your future projects. Please come back again for your third book. And as I said, your books are a treat to read. Especially, if you like historical novels with lots of action, danger, and romance. 

"Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off."

― Titus Lucretius Carus, De Rerum Natura

In 15th century Venice, Caterina struggles against the inevitability of an arranged marriage to a man old enough to be her father. Powerless, she is consumed by dread as the process spins out of control. The betrothal fails. A letter meant to manage future suitors goes astray. Out of the violence of the Balkans comes Rade, a lawless, charismatic Slav. Having won the letter―containing a belief that the soul's beauty is reflected in the beauty of the face―in a card game, he sees it as the hand of fate.

Though scarred, Rade attempts through the artifice of a lifelike mask, to enter her world of mercantile wealth. To protect Caterina, her father negotiates a lengthy agreement. The mask, meant to be a temporary ruse, becomes, of necessity, permanent. To further complicate the situation for Caterina, a new love interest appears. From fairs to shipwrecks, bull-baiting to rescues, noble house to villa in the hills, the time arrives when Rade is hopelessly entangled in her life. Desperate, he finds he can no longer continue the deception. A choice must be made.

"Every new beginning comes from another beginning's end." 

                             - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

In late 15th century Venice, only four people are aware and accepting of the subterfuge of his undetectable mask, and Rade's true scarred face behind it. His father-in-law urges him to leave Venice and immerse himself in the French invasion of the states of Italy. Create a story. Get rid of the mask. Come back as who you really are - so the rest of the world will accept your scars. He presents Rade with an unruly cavalry horse named Artimon. A gift Rade doesn't want. Rade departs, accompanied by his manservant and friend, Alberico, along with a mule train loaded with grain to sell to the French. Things start going wrong early on. Crossing the Apennines, an accident separates Rade from Alberico and Artimon. Bereft, his young bride, Caterina, struggles to reorder her life and Rade makes the acquaintance of Maria. Thus begins a journey that culminates in the notorious Battle of Fornovo - for Rade, a struggle for survival. His marriage, strained to the breaking point, falters.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Until the next time, this interview will be here until July 5th. If you liked this interview please leave a comment here or on the Facebook post. Comments are moderated so they won't show up right away. 

My second book in the Mill Valley High series, Who Is Jennifer Taylor, is coming out as soon as we can agree on a cover. I am excited to say it will be published by Griffin Publications with Mousumi Sachdeva as the publisher.  Check on Facebook for cover reveal when it happens. In the meantime, my first book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor is getting great reviews and kids love it. 

Welcome Rohit Prasad, Author, Banker, and Caricaturist

 

Hello everyone. It's a little late for the next guest but though February was a short month it was packed with things to do.  And March has also been filled.  With three other people I participated in a poetry reading set to music. If you are a poet you should try having a pianist play while you read.  

But I am very happy to present to you my guest author for this month: Rohit Prasad. I met him through a mutual friend and immediately thought he should be on this blog. After you learn about him you will be very happy I introduced you.

Here is the interview we had:

Where were you born and where do you live now?

I was born in Bareilly, a small town in India where my maternal grandparents lived.

I now live in Manhattan.

I can see why you might move if you are in international banking. 

 

Besides writing, do you have any other occupation? Do you have any hobbies?

I have been an international banker for the last 29 years.

I love reading books, drawing caricatures and watching sports. 

Who or what influenced you to begin writing?

I am a voracious reader and a regular traveller. These experiences have heavily influenced my writing.

 

What inspired you to write your first book?

I always knew I had stories inside me. Once the idea of the book popped up in my mind, I knew I had to put it on paper. 

Please tell us a little bit about this book: The Pilgrim: Inferno Redux.

Roy Aron goes on a journey, physically and mentally, on the fateful day of 9/11. He descends the bowels of hell, following in the footsteps of Dante Alighieri, as he witnesses the nine sins. He comes upon intriguing sagas showcasing the sins’ corroding powers. The reader accompanies him through the heart of darkness, lives through the transformational incidents, and emerges in the sunshine of hope.

 

What made you decide to write your second book, Mood Swings?

After I wrote about the nine sins, my mind started thinking about the reasons why man sins. It led me to the realization that we are prisoners of our emotions. So, I felt I needed to write about emotions and the decisions that they make us take.

 

I am interested to know how you got into drawing caricatures. Have you put any in your books?

I have been drawing since I was small. I gravitated towards caricatures and cartoons on politics and sports as an avenue to comment on current affairs. I have included sketches depicting imaginary beings personifying the nine sins in The Pilgrim: Inferno Redux.

How are you planning to promote your second book? I know you have already had an online book launch. Did you have an in person one too?

I have conducted book reading sessions in New York and New Jersey.

 

Where can our readers find you? 

https://cynicseyeview.wordpress.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Moods-Swings-Rohit-Prasad/dp/9391813925 

Finally, my last question I ask of every guest. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you just write or do you outline before you write?

I always think of my storylines and make notes on my iPhone. Once I have most of the points covered, I sit down to type out my book.

And now you have provided us with some excerpts from your book. Here they are:

From short stories in Mood Swings:

From Story #9:

It was a short drive from her hotel. They reached an unassuming single-floor building whitewashed in white and light green. On entering through the iron gates, they come across a courtyard and a prayer hall to the right. They found a large empty hall with three decorated tombs in the middle of it. The walls were decorated with sepia-tinted photographs and framed Urdu poetry in exquisite calligraphy.

It was strange to see an Islamic establishment in such a broadly Buddhist nation.

Arjun commented, with an undertone of disappointment, “I am neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed. Just about whelmed. You are losing your touch, Super Star.”

Joyita admonished him with her best impersonation of Q, “Patience, 007, patience. Now pay attention. I will say this only once. Do you even know what this is and where we are?”

Arjun shrugged his shoulders.

She explained, as if to a child, “This is the tomb of Bahadur Shah Zafar.”

He was taken aback, “Like The Bahadur Shah Zafar. THE last Mughal emperor.”

She nodded, happy at having pulled out a rabbit from the hat.

Still not sure about what he had heard, he asked, “But what the heck is he doing all the way here in Yangon?”

She settled in for the backstory, “When in 1838, he ascended to the throne, while his title of Emperor was very grand, his power was actually quite limited to mostly Delhi and neighboring territories. But after the 1857 Sepoy Revolt..”

He interjected, “The First War of Independence, please.”

Chastened a little bit at herself for using the Western title instead of the preferred Indian version, she carried on, “After The First War of Independence, the British considered Bahadur Shah Zafar a potential rallying point for the freedom struggle and banished him to Rangoon in 1858. 

Do you know, in his exile, he wasn’t even allowed a pen and paper to write fearing that he would secretly use them to pass on messages to his supporters in India?”

Arjun was astounded at the new things he was learning every day on this trip.

She added, “Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, died in 1862 miles away from his home and his subjects. Do you know the irony of it? I had read somewhere that, after losing the Third Anglo-Burma War in 1885, King Thibaw Min, the last Burmese monarch, and his family were exiled to a remote corner of India where they remained till his death.”

Arjun was just standing there with his mouth open. 

“Well, this is quite a change from the pagodas!” he said aloud after closing his gaping yaw. 

Joyita explained further, “The Britishers were determined not to make them  martyrs. So they buried Bahadur Shah Zafar in an unmarked grave here to make sure his supporters would have nowhere to mourn.”

“Then how was he found?”

“Quite by chance, it seems. In 1991, during construction work in this prayer hall, the laborers came across these graves. Upon excavation, they found skeletal remains of Bahadur Shah Zafar wrapped in a silk shroud. 

Realizing the importance of the discovery, the local community supported by the Myanmar government and the Indian government restored the graves.”

Arjun was left devoid of words by the moving story.

He thought out aloud, “Such is fate. In one moment, you are the king of the world. Literally the Shah Jahan. And the next, you are dying alone miles away from your loved ones, buried in an unmarked grave, unmourned in a far away land.”

Joyita, “Makes you appreciate history. Understand from the past. Prepare for the future.”

Arjun stressed, “For me, I think it makes you appreciate the present. Make the most of today, as we don’t know what the future will bring.

Carpe Diem. Seize the day. Get out of the rat race. Stop and smell the roses. Discover something new…

…Fall in love with someone.”

He said the last sentence looking intently at her. 

He then grabbed hold of her hand and guided her gently out of the building. Once outside, he pulled her close and kissed her with passion. She also seized the day, and him, and kissed back with feeling.

They went back to her hotel and had brunch together, but did not let go of each other’s hands or break eye contact. 

From Story #3 Mood Swings:

Susan whipped around, like a whirling dervish, every morning between 6am to 8am. Today was no different. It was that small window in the day when she had to get the two men in her life out of her life, literally. 

The day started a bit earlier for her as she needed some caffeine in her to clear the cobwebs of sleep. By the time she had brewed her second cup, her husband of 22 years, Drew, attempted to get out of bed after an unsuccessful fight with the alarm clock and his duvet. This was a battle he tended to win only on the weekends. He muttered nonsensical admonitions at the preening alarm clock and lumbered to their bathroom to kickstart his engine. 

Two cups of coffee, sundry strips of bacon and a buttered piece of toast added fuel to his simmering engine. He rumbled through his breakfast, keeping one eye on the newspaper headlines while the other checked the clock on the mantle every five seconds. He had an unhealthy relationship with the clocks in the house. 

Drew was the typical middle-aged man, with half a balding head and a healthy beer belly. As a standing party joke, he would pat his few hair, caress his protruding stomach and murmur mirthfully, “Recession. And inflation. Can’t get away from them.”

Though Drew always wore his uniform of a suit, a white shirt, a striped tie and Oxfords every working day, as he did today, on weekends he loved wearing jeans and printed T-shirts with funny quotes on them, such as “Oh! The element of surprise” and “Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear T-shirts.” He got a kick when people saw them and giggled. He had half a mind last week to tell a young lady, who was intently gazing at his T-shirt, “Hey, my eyes are up here.” He wasn’t sure whether he wore those T-shirts to show that he was funny beyond his dad jokes or due to his deep seated need for validation.

He could not miss his train today as he had an important meeting in his office first thing in the morning. He kept multitasking when he heard the first signs of activity from his son’s bedroom.

Normally, their son, Colin, had to be dragged kicking and screaming from his bed. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. The morning routine consisted of Susan shouting in Colin’s direction every few minutes to check if he was awake and had not fallen asleep in the middle of brushing or putting on his pants. Colin took great joy and satisfaction in snatching the tiniest moments of sleep wherever he could squeeze it in.

Today seemed different. 

Colin, fresh eyes and bushy tailed, came bounding down the stairs two steps at a time. He was fired up and ready to go. He did not want to waste precious moments today on mundane matters such as sleep or breakfast. He had much to do today and miles to go.

Susan and Drew stared at this unrecognizable avatar of their son. 

Susan exclaimed, “Who are you and what have you done with our son?”

Susan reached out to touch Colin’s forehead to check for his temperature, pretending as if he was ill. 

Colin brushed off her hand and spoke in an irritated tone, the default state of any teenager with its parents, “Mom, really?”

She could feel his nervous energy jump off him. She put her hand on his shoulder and slowly guided him to the dining table, “At least have something to eat before we go.”

Colin was in no mood for any morning nourishment and was antsy to go.

Susan admonished him, “It is not even 7am. The school does not open for another hour. What will you do at school so early?”

Colin had a couple of witty reposts, but thought better of them. He grabbed a buttered toast and started stuffing his face.

“Slow down, slow down,” warned his father. 

He was as amazed by his son’s transformation as his wife. But he had other matters on his mind. The clock on the mantle fired the starter’s gun and he had to be off. He kissed his wife’s cheek and his son’s head and was out of the backdoor before either could shout their goodbyes to him. 

They heard the car start and rumble out of the driveway. He was up, up and away, joining the ranks of a thousand other gnomes, off to slave in the goldmines of New York.

Wow, both of these excerpts make me want to read the whole story. This is a book filled with these kinds of short stories about different emotions. 

Thank you so much, Rohit Prasad for being my guest on this blog. I have really enjoyed getting to learn more about you and your writing.

I wanted to let everyone know about this wonderful magazine: Wildfire Magazine. I have become a staff writer and have an article in it this month as well as a poem. The magazine is beautiful and filled with excellent writing. Check it out here:

Until the next time, which will be April 8, 2025, when my guest will be Leigh Grant,  author and illustrator, who has written two outstanding historical fiction novels. I hope you enjoy the month of March. It is Women's History Month, and I want to end this blog with the poem I wrote about being a woman:

Being a Woman

We as women are too close to ourselves

to see anything but the flaws and scars

But women are beautiful in every way

We are the ones who power the world

With our strength and perseverance

to continue to strive when men might falter

We go on in the face of adversity

And we make sure our children

Are given the best life they can have

Yet many women suffer from not being enough

They are always wanting to have more or do more

Women are the backbone of society

We nurture and protect our loved ones

And in times of crisis it is a woman

who shows up with the chicken soup and love

To make sure her friend or loved one is okay

We are the makers of dreams for our men

And so many of us do not get to have our own

As we pave the way each day for everyone else

We sweep our dreams to the side

Until we have the time and sometimes never fulfill them

But many now do follow their dreams

Regardless of time or ability to focus

They write their books and excel in their subject

And they lead the way in both local and national government

Women are the strength of a nation

We are the ones who worry about the little things

And we face whatever comes our way with grace most of the time

Sometimes we hide the abuse and suffering 

Since we have to continue with our lives

Some live in this silence for an entire lifetime

Never letting others know their pain

Biting their tongues to keep from letting you know

Women are mothers, daughters, grandmothers, wives, widows, mayors, governors, Congressional representatives, Senators, and now Vice-Presidents and in some countries leaders.

We are at the forefront of everything including music, TV, and movies.

Women are firefighters, teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, construction workers, architects 

Women are a strong force, and we are over one half of the population

Yet men continue to hold the lead

Like the king of England now sits in that position

Men want the world to think they run it

But look closely and you will see a woman is there behind them

When our last President gave his speech he gave it to his wife

who was beaming down upon him

the strength to say the words he had to say

Women are there for their husbands, sons and daughters

And we will continue to be there

For our goal is to make sure our loved ones

Are safe and happy in this very chaotic world.

Copyright 2025

by Barbara Ehrentreu. All rights reserved.

Welcome Fibby Bob Kinney (Fibzay)!

 I had planned to write a new blog post once a month but life got in the way. So it is the next year and we are well into it. I won't mention the political situation but we are all trying to make sense of it and live our lives with the best possible experiences we can. The list for guest authors on this blog is very full so I need to keep posting once a month.  Thank you to any readers who have come here expecting new posts. This one is going to make up for it. 

My guest author today is both a poet and a comedian. He is one of those people with whom you can spend hours talking about almost anything. I hope you enjoy meeting him. Here is the interview and please check out all of his amazing books. 

Welcome Fibby Bob Kinney or as you are now calling yourself Fibzay.

Where were you born and where do you live now?

I was born in a little town in Pennsylvania on a farm and we didn’t have any hot water. We lived just with all the vegetables and animals and chickens. We had dogs and  pigs. We didn’t have any plumbing in the house. It was a very rural background where I grew up, Practically in the dark ages and that’s then. Now I live in Florida in a nice house with my wife of 51 years. So it’s been quite a journey from the beginning to where I live right now. So that’s kind of my beginning and where I live now.

I think it's amazing that you were able to change your life so completely.

Do you have an occupation besides writing? Do you have any hobbies?

Yes, I do have a hobby. I am an avid player of video games. I’m one of the oldest players on Destiny video game, which I’ve been playing for ten years, and I’ve got many write ups. If you go to Google and look at the 81 year-old gamer write up on Reddit.

My friends, please go and read this amazing post including the story he wrote about the game here:

Who or what influenced you to stop doing stand-up and writing comedy to writing poetry?

I continued doing comedy actually until 2011.I lasted that long, but it came to a point. I didn’t go on the road anymore. I just didn’t wanna put in the late hours. I was ready to retire and just write poetry and since 2011 I’ve written twenty-five books. So I live happily here in Florida and play with my flowers in the garden. I have written 500 poems to them and I take my walk during the day and just relax play video games, watch television and write poetry and stories books and stuff. 

I'll bet you have exceptionally beautiful flowers from all that poetry.

I am fascinated by your history of being in the Village in the 60’s. Did you ever meet any famous comedians like Lenny Bruce or meet Bob Dylan? 

Yes, I did know a lot of celebrities. Let’s see when I go back to my early days I knew Milton Berle. I was at the Friars club. I met Henny Youngman, and when I met him I was wearing a checkered jacket. The first thing he said was it’s a great jacket.  Did the whole team get one? So that was my first meeting with Henny Youngman. When I was in college back in the old days, I had a rare interview with Thomas Edison’s son Theodore Edison, who lived in Edison  Edison, New Jersey. And the first thing I asked him, “So your father invented electricity.”  He said, “Yeah?” Who else did I know? JD Salinger very rare I got his autograph and I got nice stories about JD. When I was at The Comedy Store I knew Richard Pryor, and I knew Robin Williams very well.  I knew Jerry Seinfeld when he first started and Larry David and Paul Reiser. So I knew like a lot of celebrities before they were celebrities and a lot of them came out of my interviews when I was the emcee at The Comic Strip in  New York from 1976 to 1979. Gilbert Godfrey I never thought he would make it but look what happened to him and Larry David of course, became one of the most influential Producers in Hollywood so that’s just a little bit of what I did and who I knew and it does go on like I said I was a comic’s comic, so I knew a lot of of the guys even though I didn’t get to be famous just like Georgie Star, who was Lenny Bruce’s best buddy I knew him good. He was a great comic, but he never got famous because he was hit and miss. Sometimes he would be great other times, when it really counted on the additions he would not do well. Kind of like what I did. I’d be great at times, but when it came to the auditions for the big time with Johnny Carson and those I just kind of I don’t know what happened but it just didn’t work out for me anyway. So that’s just a little bit.

Wow, what a history to have met all of these people before they became famous. 

You were a host of two TV shows, one in Los Angeles and one in New York. Did anything unusual ever happen on these shows?

I did my shows in California with school children and they were local TV shows. They went well. I got very good reports on them and then in New York. I did shows with comics, and I brought them on and I  was a professor punster in a mythical college, where the comics would come on and they would talk about their jokes and it was good. It was just a lot of fun shows and nothing came out of them. No big people were on there. It was local shows. They were well received.

Please describe a typical day of writing for our readers.

The way that I write is I write from inspiration. I will get an idea and will sit down and the words will flow so I usually can write a poem probably in about somewhere between ten and twenty minutes At night I’ll get up if I get an idea and write it down then. And my short story is the same thing. I’ll take a couple days to do those, but I’ll just come from inner ideas or things that I see and get an idea about it and then I write it down and make a story out of it so it’s pretty much inspirational.

What made you decide to put out a book of poetry and then go on to write so many more including coloring books?

I had a lot of poems that I wrote and I kept publishing them. I published coloring books because I wanted to color my illustrations myself. I like to color so what I did is, I did all the illustrations from statues pictures of statues sketches of sketchers and then I put them in my two books my two coloring books so I’ve got a lot of pictures under the color and I had a real good time doing it and I’m sure the people bought the books. I got a few people who I saw who said, yeah we loved it and we love the coloring so they’re out there and both of those are coffee table they’re like 8 1/2 x 12  they’re really nice both of them.

When people read your poetry, what do you want them to find in it?

When people read my poetry, especially my fairytales it’s so nice to know that the kids are getting beautiful pictures and a very positive moral for children. So I have spoken to families they said the kids loved it and the morals are very positive and I wrote this so that they’re looking at old fairy tales with a more modern view. Thank you.

What would you say are the themes of your poems? 

I try to do a lot of poems about words about the value of words. I do a lot of poems about nature and flowers and poems about fairytales so the point is to show how important it is that we make our world as positive as we can so that’s why I don’t have any negative poems. All of my poems are positive.

That is a wonderful way to look at the world. I can't say that about my own work. It always goes with the emotion I am feeling. I do try to end with a positive note, though.

Are you working on a new book to be published? Please tell our readers about it.

I in the process of working on one of them is going to be a sci-fi book of all things. My first attempt is going to be called "The Coffee Zombies" where you know people would drink too much coffee and become zombies. It's a good thing. horror but nobody gets killed. Nobody gets you know there’s no zombie they just become addicted to coffee and then everybody drinks all the coffee in the world and you can’t find coffee anymore. It’s kind of liket he second biggest drink in the world. The first drink is water.  So I’m saying that people can’t find anymore coffee. That's the basis of that, and then I got a new fairytale book coming out as well. So those books are in the works right now.

How can we find your work? 

All of my books are on Amazon.com and then Kindle. All you have to do is put my name in the search box just put in Fibby Bob Kinney, and they will all pop up. They can also go to Google and put my name on Google and my bio and my books will pop up there. So those are the easiest way to find my work

Finally, this is the question I always ask all my guests. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you outline or do you just write?

Finally, about plot or do I outline or do I just write. Actually I do both. I mostly just write but once in a while, I will sit down if I have something important that I really know that has to be correct I will be a plotter, and then I will write it. So it depends on the moment depends on the subject about it, but I think both are equal. But I’m primarily it comes from my mind. Thank you so much and I hope that answers your questions. Thank you,

Now, my friends Fibzay has given me some of his work to display on the blog. I hope you enjoy reading his poetry and his stories.

Romancing the Pen

“The greatest romantic poet is the one that is in love with their pen: it is their pen that they place all their love, all their hope, all their dreams...in the unity of a wish - that it will give back to them; fame and fortune”...

The poet, male or female, has a spouse in their pen. It is a marriage made between human being and the extension of their thoughts.

So personal is the individual thought. It lives in the mind of the person who has brought it into being.

The mind as both mother and father gives birth to thought at the speed of light.

As I write these words my mind is delivering them directly from my brain.

The mind is an endless nursery that brings words into imagery.

As the maker of my mind I stand here  in living thought and direct all thought on the subject at hand into an endless chain of words.

They travel down my arm as an army in disciplined form and mount the vessel of my pen.

My pen as a sailing ship. The paper or visible screen of my smart device becomes a vast ocean to navigate. The pen has several disguises: a writing instrument, a stylus; even the thumbs of the writer can become the pen when it texts words upon the device held in its hand, or, all the fingers become the pen on the computer keyboard.

The point is, the mind gives birth, the hand is the gangway, the pen is the visible instrument as the ship , the paper or virtual screen is the ocean that the words must sail into reality.

The pen, in what ever form, is the writers lover. He or she must romance their pen. They seduce it so it willfully as it does their bidding.

I write these words upon the visible screen of my smart phone. The stylus I use is long and sleek with a bouncing tip. It taps the words in a paced rhythm upon the blank screen that brings them to life.

As if by magic with each tap, a letter appears in a permanent form. It shines upon the screen. The writer that uses this form to bring words to life develops a cadence. One similar to a marching band. Measured steps as if in an invisible drum beat keeps the rhythm in synchronized pace.

The words form phrases and turn into sentences. The punctuation as a drill instructor keeps the words in a manageable ordered march.

The sentences build into verse or paragraph and the marching band plays its tunes to the grandstand mind of the reader.

If the images do their job and make the reader feel the emotions that the piece intended then the writer as the high stepping band major has done their job.

I am the band leader of this marching article on the use of my pen as my baton.

I hope this little parade of words has given you enjoyment...if so, I salute you, and thank you for being part of this event that happened on the visual tablet that you are viewing it on...Fibzay 

(Fibby Bob Kinney (c) 1/23/2

Ode to my Inner Child

Although I have never seen him,

Nor talked or Joked with him,

Or, even grabbed a glimpse of him;

I am still his partner in bond.

At night, when  I am washed clean,

And lay myself down to rest,

Upon my feathered  bed;

Perchance to sleep, in wondering trance.

I long for the wishing moment,

When my lids begin to cloak.

My brain set adrift,

My thoughts to heaven's door.

Oh, the wonder of divine sleep.

Its crown, the coming dream,

Of things past and done,

With might and strength of ease.

All values soar into a heavenly realm,

When the brain is at its rest.

It is then the Angel scribe is at its best;

My guardian appears in thoughts to be.

My Angel, the counterpart of me!

He covers my soul in a  blanket of care.

I breathe upon my pillow, in rest.

My stretched body heaped upon the soft sheets.

My Angel, upon me in his protection;

Like a field of butterflies, and I,

The man , whose thoughts are true,

My dreams fill the darkness with life.

What wonder is this dream...

That every night continues its tale?

What is in my vast imagination, that

Unfolds upon the painting to be?

What great mysteries does he possess?

My Angel of thoughts, to have the power,

Over me, to make me weep in joy;

To throw my thoughts to a fever pitch.

There is nothing in this world,

With all its gold and jewels combined,

that could comfort me in time of need,

As my Angel that responds to me.

He is there at night in my bedchamber.

To guide me, without condition or effort,

But to blend with my soul and make me whole;

Without need or reprise for reward.

In a daydream, when I am lost in thought

He  is always there with me.

In the good and in the grief,

His love is real and unrestricted,

Whatever comes to pass, I know: that I am true to myself 

I will do my poetic gift to the best of my ability…Fibzay 

“I  shared this poem with You”...

(Fibby Bob Kinney  (c) 1/23/25

Fibby Bob Kinney Bio:

Although I did attend college with a Liberal Arts degree most of my knowledge is self acquired; as in my life I have followed my dreams to my destiny. I started my career as a poet in Greenwich Village,  U.S.A.

I became a stand-up comedian and went on to be the first Emcee at the World famous "Comic Strip" night club in New York City. I had a successful career as an entertainer: I was the host of my own children's show,"The Word Painter" in L.A. California. 

In NYC I was host of a  local cable show called, “ Professor Punster” it was a fun show where I interviewed comedic guests and we told stories with puns and funny innuendos.

I continued in my career as a comedy writer and entertainer. Now I am a poet and author of 25 books in print.

My first book, "Love's Little Liberties" and 24 others are available at Amazon, on Kindle, and other outlets.

My strength is in the Genre of poetry and story telling. I make many of my original fables and fairy-tales available on the poetry forums of today. As poetry is the backbone of literature and its high standards are paramount to my goals…Fibzay ( Fibby Bob Kinney; author-storyteller) 1/23/25

I love the picture with the lion!

You can find all of Fibby Bob Kinney's books on Amazon and Kindle. 
He has co-authored with Susan Joyner Stumpf as well as many other poets. This is no ordinary poet.When you speak with him, he only wants to keep telling you stories. I am honored to have had you, Fibby Bob Kinney as a guest on this blog. 

My next guest author will be here on February 28, 2025. I think it is going to take some time to learn everything about our present guest. This blog will be up for the entire time until I change it for the next guest. Do not hesitate to let your friends know about this fabulous poet, author, and comedian. Thank you for being my guest on the blog Fibzay, as you like to be called. It was a pleasure.

Until the next time, I hope all of you are staying warm, trying not to be too angry, and having some fun. Please leave a comment and don't worry if you don't see it right away. I have had to monitor the comments. 

Happy Valentine's Day and President's Day.