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--> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO
PRAIRIE PUBLIC.
COMING UP A LITTLE BIT LATER,
WE'LL PROFILE CERAMIC ARTIST
BRAD BACHMEIER, BUT FIRST, WE
HAVE A GUEST WITH US, TERESA
JONES.
TERESA, THANKS FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
YOU ARE AN AUTHOR OF A NEW BOOK
OUT, “MY VLADISLAS DRACULA”
--> YES.
--> I SAID I'D GET CLOSE TO IT.
FIRST OFF, TELL FOLKS A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR
BACKGROUND.
--> OKAY.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN IOWA.
I WENT TO SCHOOL IN OKOBOGIE AND
GRADUATED FROM -- WE HAD A
CHOICE TO HAVE OUR DIPLOMAS
EITHER SAY OKOBOGIE OR AROUND
OLDS PARK -- ARNOLDS PARK
BECAUSE THEY WERE COMBINING.
I MET MY HUSBAND MT. MILITARY.
I DECIDED TO -- IN THE MILITARY.
I DECIDED TO COME BACK AND
STAYED IN LAKE PARK, IOWA NOW
FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS, AND SO
BEING THERE, I HAVE TWO
CHILDREN.
MY SON, NICHOLAS, AND MY
DAUGHTER, CYNTHIA, AND THEY BOTH
GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.
--> NOW, HOW DID YOU COME TO BE
AN AUTHOR?
--> WELL, MY HUSBAND WENT OVER TO
IRAQ, AND WHEN HE WAS OVER
THERE, I USED TO WRITE FOUR,
FIVE PAGE LETTERS TO HIM BECAUSE
I WANTED HIM TO KNOW EVERYTHING
THAT WAS GOING ON IN OUR LIVES
AT THIS TIME.
HE COULDN'T READ THEM OBVIOUSLY.
HE SAID HE WOULD PRINT THEM OUT
AND READ THEM LATER, BUT, OF
COURSE, THEY KEPT COMING.
AND SO HE HAS STACKS AND STACKS,
AND WHEN HE CAME HOME, I WAS
KIND OF VOID.
I WAS LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, I
LOVED THAT WRITING AND TELLING
HIM STORIES OF WHAT HAPPENED,
AND SO WE HAD GONE ON A VACATION
WHEN HE CAME BACK TO HAWAII, AND
AT THAT POINT IN TIME WHILE I
WAS FINALLY ABLE TO RELAX, I
STARTED DREAMING AND JUST MY
MIND WAS FILLING WITH ALL OF
THESE -- YOU KNOW, JUST ALL OF
THESE BOOKS, STORIES.
SO I ENDED UP WITH ABOUT 14 OF
THEM TO BEGIN WITH.
AND THEN WHEN I TRIED TO TAKE
ONE AT A TIME, AND I STARTED
WITH, OF COURSE, AN ESCAPE OF
SECRET LIFE, BECAUSE WE WERE IN
HAWAII AT THE TIME.
AND SO THAT'S HOW I HAD STARTED
MY WRITING, OF COURSE.
--> LET'S START WITH THIS ONE,
BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GET TO
THE OTHERS, BUT TELL US ABOUT
THIS BOOK HERE, OBVIOUSLY AN
INTERESTING SUBJECT TO WORK
WITH.
--> YES, YES, IT'S AN INTERESTING
SUBJECT, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE
DO NOT DISTINGUISH THE VAMPIRE
DRACULA FROM THE SPRINS OF --
PRINCE OF ROMANIA, SO WHAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE END UP DOING IS THEY
COMBINE THE TWO, WHICH THEY
SHOULDN'T, BECAUSE THEY'RE TWO
SEPARATE.
OBVIOUSLY PROGRAM -- BRAM
STOKER, IF YOU GO TO THE MUSEUM,
YOU CAN FIND SOME NOTES ON HIS
BOOK.
HE WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO CALL
HIS BOOK COUNT WAMPIRE.
HE WAS GOING TO CALL IT THAT AND
IF HE WOULD HAVE DONE THAT, IT
WOULD HAVE CHANGED EVERYTHING
FROM 100 AND SOME YEARS AGO.
WELL, I THINK IT WAS IN 1890,
BUT YET IT WAS 100 AND SOME
YEARS AGO, AND IT WOULD HAVE
CHANGED OUR WHOLE VIEW ON HAVING
SOME KID WITH FANGS COME TO OUR
DOOR AND SAYING, OH, IT'S
DRACULA.
SO I HAD TO WRITE THIS BOOK IN
ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, DISPEL
EVERYTHING HE HAD DONE, BECAUSE
THE ROMANIAN PEOPLE REALLY
BELIEVED THAT THIS MAN WAS A
HERO.
HE FOUGHT THE TURKS.
THE TURKSEN B SLAVED HIS PEOPLE.
-- ENSLAVED HIS PEOPLE.
HE FREED THEM.
WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE END UP
SAYING HE WAS A CRUEL TYRANT, HE
DID A LOT OF BAD THINGS AND HE
IMPALED ALL THESE PEOPLE, YOU
CAN'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT
YOU HEAR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE A
LOT OF THOSE THINGS WERE MADE UP
PRETTY MUCH TO BRING OUT THE
WHOLE VAMPIRE ASPECT OF HIM, OF
GRAM STOKER'S BOOK.
--> SO YOU SAY THIS IS A NOVEL.
--> UH-HUH.
--> BUT YOU'RE TRYING TO DEBUNK
SOME OF THE MYTHS, YOU SAY.
HOW MUCH IS FACT AND HOW MUCH IS
FICTION?
--> WELL, I TRIED TO GET AS
MUCH -- YOU TAKE FICTION TO MAKE
IT AN INTERESTING STORY, BUT
WHAT BRAM STOKER DID, WHAT HE
TRIED TO ACCOMPLISH WAS HE TRIED
TO BRING DRACULA UP TO HIS TIME
OF THE 1890'S.
WELL, I WANTED TO DO THE SAME
THING BY BRINGING VLADISLAUS
DRACULA UP TO THE 21st
21st CENTURY.
TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO TAKE
SOME LIBERTIES WITH HISTORY.
WHAT I TRIED TO DO WITH AMELIA
IS I WANTED HER TO TALK ABOUT
HIS HISTORY TO MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE KNEW THAT THIS MAN DID
GOOD THINGS.
HE MAY HAVE TRIED TO TURN AROUND
HIS COUNTRY, BECAUSE HIS COUNTRY
WAS COMPLETELY WITHOUT LAWS,
WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, A SYSTEM OF
GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE THERE WERE
THE VOYEURS WHO ALWAYS TRIED TO
TAKE OVER, AND OF COURSE, WHEN
YOU HAVE KINGS WHO ARE KILLING
EACH OTHER, YOU HAVE THESE
PEOPLE IN THE BACKGROUND CALLED
THE VOIERS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S
WHAT THEY CALLED THEM OVER IN
ROMANIA, WHO WERE THE
TREASURERS, WHO WERE THE PEOPLE
WHO KEPT THE MONEY, AND SO WHAT
HAPPENS WITH THESE PEOPLE IS
THAT THEY TAKE LITTLE BY LITTLE
SO THAT THE KINGS DON'T KNOW.
AND SO WHEN YOU GET THESE KINGS
THAT ARE PASSING, THEY DON'T
KNOW WHO THE NEXT KING HAD OR
HADN'T BECAUSE THE VOYEURS COULD
DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED.
HE WAS THE FIRST TO GET RID OF
HIS GOVERNMENT.
HE GOT RID OF ALL OF THEM AND
STARTED ANEW.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY WE
NEED TO DO THAT NOW, BUT HE DID
IT.
IT WAS HARSH.
THERE WAS A SPANISH INQUISITION
GOING ON AT THE TIME.
AND YOU TELL ME HE WAS WORSE
THAN THAT?
NO.
HE DID NOT KILL BECAUSE OF -- I
WANTED TO SAY RELIGIOUS REASONS,
BUT BECAUSE OF THE TURKS WERE
TRYING TO TAKE OVER HIS LAND.
THEY WERE TAKING OVER HIS LAND,
AND THEY WERE TAKING HIS
CHILDREN.
YOU KNOW, THE CHILDREN OF THE
COUNTRY HE RULED OVER.
AND SO ALL HE DID WAS TRY TO
SAY, I WANT TO BE INDEPENDENT.
THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH IT.
AND TO BE INDEPENDENT, I'M NOT
GOING TO GIVE YOU YOUR TRIBUTES.
I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU TAKE MY
CHILDREN, AND I'M GOING TO TRY
TO RULE MY LAND WITH COURAGE,
CONVICTION AND I WANT TO HAVE
RESPECT, AND TO DO THAT, HE HAD
TO DO A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, BAD
THINGS, BUT WE CONSIDER THEM
BAD, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME,
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE
WHO STEALS SOMETHING AND THEN
YOU IMPALE THEM, IT REALLY
WASN'T CONSIDERED THAT BAD.
THAT WAS JUST WHAT WAS
HAPPENING.
--> SO WAS HE MISUNDERSTOOD OR
SORT OF MISPORTRAYED IN BOOKS
AND MOVIES?
--> OH, DEFINITELY, YEAH.
--> BRAM STOKER'S WORK IS GREAT.
HE WAS A MAN THAT JUST HAD A
VISION, AND HE CAME UP WITH IT,
AND IN THE 1890'S, YOU KNOW.
AND SO IT WAS A FANTASTIC BOOK,
BUT BECAUSE HE DID THAT, YOU
KNOW, THEN HE DISSPELLS
EVERYTHING THAT DRACULA STOOD
FOR.
IF YOU DON'T TRY TO SEPARATE THE
TWO, YOU KNOW.
IF YOU BELIEVE THAT VLAD DRACULA
WAS A VAMPIRE, THEN YOU HAVEN'T
READ ANY DOCUMENTATION ON THE
MAN.
--> SPEAKING OF THAT, CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE RESEARCH
YOU DID FOR THE BOOK.
YOU EVEN TRAVELED ABROAD OH,
YEAH.
I STARTED WRITING IT FIRST, BUT
I HAD TO GO TO ROMANIA TO FIND
OUT A LOT OF THINGS ON THE
INTERNET, YOU CANNOT FIND THE
THE DOCUMENTS IN THE MUSEUMS,
YOU CAN'T FIND THOSE ON THE
INTERNET.
AND SO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS
YOU HAVE TO GO OVER THERE AND
YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR YOURSELF,
WHAT'S REALLY TRUE AND WHAT'S
FALSE.
SOMETIMES ON THE INTERNET YOU
SEE THIS, OH, HE WENT FROM THERE
TO THERE WITHIN A MATTER OF A
DAY.
I'M LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE.
WE DROVE THAT, AND IT ALMOST
TOOK US A DAY.
HOW COULD HE HAVE DONE THAT.
SO WHEN YOU HEAR THAT, YOU DON'T
THINK ANYTHING OF IT, BECAUSE
YOU DON'T KNOW THE MAP.
YOU DON'T KNOW THE TERRAIN.
BUT I MEAN THE MOUNTAINS, CAR --
THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL,
AND THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE.
YOU HAVE TO REALLY GO OVER THERE
AND SEE THE TERRAIN AND WHAT HE
ACTUALLY HAD TO LIVE IN, AND A
LOT OF IT HASN'T REALLY CHANGED.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S LIKE STEPPING BACK IN TIME.
I HAD TO GO OVER THERE AND SEE.
LIKE I SAID, THE MUSEUMS ARE
WHERE YOU WANT TO GO TO FIND HIS
DOCUMENTS AND WHEN HE WROTE
THOSE DOCUMENTS.
AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THESE
THINGS, LIKE, YOUR BROTHER IN
ARMS, AND FOR OUR GOD WE NEED TO
DO THIS, AND WE MUST NOT BACK
DOWN, AND HE ASKED FOR HELP AND
FOR PEOPLE TO BACK HIM UP.
SO THIS COMING FROM A MONSTER?
I JUST -- I HAD TO GO OVER TO
ROMANIA TO FIND OUT FOR MYSELF,
AND I DID FIND THE ANSWERS THAT
I NEEDED, BUT I WANT TO GO BACK.
--> DID YOU ACTUALLY VISIT OAF
OAF I DON'T WANT TO GET IN
TROUBLE HERE, CASTLE DRACULA?
--> SEE, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK
CASTLE DRACULA IS BRAN CASTLE.
IT'S RIGHT OUTSIDE WHERE HE
SUPPOSEDLY IMPALED 30,000
PEOPLE.
IF YOU GO OVER TO ROMANIA AND
YOU GO OVER TO THE CITY, WILL
YOU FIND THAT THEY STATE THAT HE
ONLY IMPALED 40 PEOPLE.
I'M LIKE, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
AND THEN A FRIEND OF MINE SAID,
WELL, HOW COULD HE IMPALE
30,000?
THERE WAS ONLY PROBABLY 9 TO
10,000 POPULATION AT THE TIME.
THAT WAS WHY, ONE OF THE
REASONS, I HAD TO WRITE THIS.
THE THINGS THAT THEY HAD HYPED
UP TO TRY TO IMPRISON HIM WAS
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED
TO DISPEL I WANTED TO SHOW
PEOPLE YOU CANNOT BELIEVE ALL
THESE BAD THINGS, YOU KNOW.
AND SO CASTLE DRACULA, BACK TO
YOUR QUESTION, IS ACTUALLY A
LITTLE BIT -- I'M GOING DOWN THE
MAP HERE, BUT IT'S IN THE
VALLEY, AND IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
I MEAN, WE HAD TO HIKE 1500
STEPS UP THERE, BUT THAT IS HIS
CASTLE.
THAT'S THE ONE HE HAD THE SLAVE
LABOR ON EASTERN DINNER WHERE HE
SUPPOSEDLY CAPTURED AND IMPALED
500 OF THEM.
WELL, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE
CASTLE, YOU COULD PROBABLY GET
MAYBE A MAXIMUM OF 120 PEOPLE IN
THERE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU
HEAR ON THE INTERNET, YOU DON'T
EVEN WANT TO BELIEVE THOSE.
BUT CASTLE DRACULA, HE DIDN'T
PROBABLY EVEN STEP FOOT IN BRAN
CASTLE, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE
USUALLY CALLING CASTLE DRAK
LAVMENT YOU'VE GOT TO GET --
DRACULA.
YOU'VE GOT TO GET THE TOURIST
TRAPS OUT OF THE WAY.
--> WERE YOU ALWAYS FASCINATED BY
DRACULA GROWING UP?
--> WELL, IT FIRST STARTED OUT
THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE A
KID AND YOU'RE WATCHING THOSE
VAMPIRE MOVIES AND YOU'RE
WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAKES
YOU WANT TO WATCH THOSE VAMPIRE
MOVIES SO MUCH.
AND I FOUND THAT IT WAS THE FACT
THAT THERE WAS A CONNECTION.
YOU KNOW, IN EVERY VAMPIRE MOVIE
THAT YOU SEE, YOU SEE DRACULA AS
THE MAIN CHARACTER HUNTING DOWN
THE WOMAN THAT HE KNEW IN HIS
PAST.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I
STARTED MY BOOK ALSO.
BUT THE FACT IS THAT, YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU SEE THESE CONNECTIONS,
YOU KNOW, THAT THEY HAVE SUCH A
STRONG CONNECTION, AND WHETHER
IT'S A BLOOD CONNECTION OR A
PHYSICAL CONNECTION, THEY JUST
CANNOT BE WITHOUT EACH OTHER,
YOU KNOW.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY
THERE'S SO MUCH ROMANCE OUT
THERE WITH THIS TWILIGHT,
BECAUSE THERE'S ALL OF THIS OUT
THERE THAT, OH, THEY HAVE TO BE
TOGETHER.
IT'S THE ROMANCE ASPECT OF IT
THAT REALLY KINDED OF GOT ME
INTO THE WHOLE DRACULA --
VAMPIRE THINGS.
THEN I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, WHY DO
THEY CALL IT CRACK LA?
WHEN -- DRA -- DRACULA?
WHEN I STARTED PUNCHING THAT IN,
THAT'S WHAT GAVE ME MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS BOOK.
I OF I -- I HAD TO KNOW MORE AND
HOW HE GOT TO BE A VAMPIRE AND
WHAT WAS THE TRANSITION.
--> YOU MENTION STOKER'S NOVEL.
WHAT'S YOUR OPINION OF THAT?
--> WELL, I SAID, I THINK HE'S A
BRILLIANT MAN.
HE OBVIOUSLY WAS A MAN OF HIS
TIMES TO COME UP WITH SUCH A
DEAL AS THAT, YOU KNOW.
BUT AS FAR AS THE NOVEL, I'VE
NEVER READ HIS NOVEL.
BUT I'VE SEEN A LOT OF THE
MOVIES, AND SO I HAVEN'T REALLY
SAT DOWN AND READ HIS NOVEL.
LIKE I SAID, OVER IN THE MUSEUM
IN PHILADELPHIA, YOU CAN FIND A
LOT OF NOTES FOR HIM, AND SOME
PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET ARE
FIGHTING ABOUT, SOME PEOPLE ON
THIS SIDE THAT SAY, NO, HE NEVER
EVEN INTENDED TO USE DRACULA AS
THE NAME.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE 15th
15th CENTURY ROMANIAN PRINCE,
AND THEN YOU HAVE THESE OTHER
PEOPLE ON THIS SIDE WHO SAY, OH,
YES, IT IS, BECAUSE ALL OF THESE
THINGS FIT IN LINE.
WELL, THE WAY THEY FIT IN LINE
IS BECAUSE YOU WANT THEM TO FIT
IN LINE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT
DOES.
AND SO THIS SIDE, THEN THEY SAY,
THE ONLY WAY HE KNEW ABOUT IT
WAS FROM WILLIAM WILKINSON'S
BOOK WHEN THERE ARE ONLY TWO
SENTENCES THAT SAYS DRACULA'S
NAME.
THAT'S IT.
IF BRAM STOKER IN HIS NOTES ARE
COMPLETELY FACTUAL, THEN IF THE
ONLY WAY YOU KNEW ABOUT DRACULA
WAS FROM THAT BOOK, THOSE TWO
SENTENCES, THE REST OF IT IS
OBVIOUSLY HIS IMAGINATION THAT
JUST SO HAPPENED FIT IN.
BUT I WAS TOLD HE HAS NEVER,
BRAM STOKER, NEVER WENT TO
ROMANIA, DIDN'T EVEN STEP FOOT
ON IT.
AND I WAS TOLD THAT HE KNEW
ABOUT THE LAYOUT OF THE LAND,
YOU KNOW, THE PATHS AND
EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, FROM HIS
BROTHER WHO HAD TRAVELED IN THE
MILITARY.
SO YOU GET THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
YOUR FAMILY TELLS YOU STORIES,
AND THEN YOUR IMAGINATION GOING.
HE COULD HAVE HAD ONE LIKE THAT.
--> LET'S TAKE A BREAK FROM THIS
BOOK FOR A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT
A COUPLE OF YOUR OTHER BOOKS.
--> OKAY.
--> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT PRELUDE TO
A CHRISTMAS CAROL?
--> YES.
PRELUDE TO A CHRISTMAS CAROL, I
WROTE OVER 2009 AND 2010
ACTUALLY -- OR 2008, 2009, AND I
FINISHED IT JUST IN JANUARY OF
2009 AND HAD IT PUBLISHED IN
FEBRUARY.
SO THAT IS SET 20 YEARS PRIOR TO
EBENEEZER'S NIGHT OF REDEMPTION.
I GO BACK THE 20 YEARS TO FIND
OUT HOW DID EBENEEZER GET THE
WAY HE DID, WHY, WHO WAS ALL
INVOLVED IN HIS LIFE.
FAN OBVIOUSLY HAD A HUSBAND, AND
SO I STARTED WITH THE
BROTHER-IN-LAW OF EBENEEZER
SCROOGE, AND IT IS NOW -- CAN I
TALK ABOUT THAT NOW?
GO AHEAD.
--> I WROTE THE SCRIPT FOR IT,
AND THE SCRIPT WAS PICKED UP BY
LATHE COMMUNITY THEATER, AND
THEY ARE GOING TO BE PERFORMING
IT DECEMBER 3rd, 4th, 5th,
10th AND 11th THIS YEAR,
THIS DECEMBER, WHICH IS SO
PHENOMENALLY FAST, PE PEARSON
LAKES ARTS CENTER IN IOWA.
I GET MY HANDS IN IT.
WE'RE CASTING ON MONDAY, THE
20th, AND MONDAY THE 27th OF
THIS MONTH.
SO WE NEED 24 CHARACTERS, AND
IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG CAST, AND
IT'S GOING TO BE PHENOMENAL.
I JUST CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THAT
GETS OUT.
--> YOU NEED TO BE MORE EXCITED
ABOUT IT.
ANOTHER BOOK HERE, ESCAPE: A
SECRET LIFE.
YOU MENTIONED BEING IN HAWAII.
--> YES.
THAT WAS MY FIRST BOOK.
WHEN I WAS LAYING ON THE BEACH
IN HAWAII, OF COURSE, A THIRD OF
THE BOOK IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, OH, THIS
COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED, AND I
WAS LIKE YEAH, OKAY.
MY MOM AND I HAD SAT DOWN -- SHE
THINKS IT'S LIKE TWO-THIRDS
TRUE, AND I SAID, NO, I'LL GIVE
IT A THIRD TRUE.
IT HAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF HAWAIIAN
THEMES, ISLANDS, KIND OF MYSTERY
TO IT OF WHAT HAPPENS, WHY THEY
END UP ONE PLACE AT ONE TIME AND
WHY THE NEXT, AND SO THAT ONE
WAS MY FIRST ONE, WHICH I WROTE
IN THE FIRST PERSON, WHICH I HAD
TO BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, I WANTED
TO BE RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW,
TELLING THE STORY.
--> AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT
YOU'RE WORKING ON A SEQUEL TO
YOUR DRACULA BOOK.
--> YES, I AM.
I HAVE ABOUT 62 PAGES.
--> 62 PAGES, EXEND DEPENDING ON
HOW BIG YOUR PAGES ARE.
--> IT'S GOING TO BE JUST AS BIG,
BECAUSE THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH
NOTES, OUTLINES, HISTORIES.
THE WAY HE COMES BACK TO LIFE IN
THIS ONE IS NOT LIKE WHAT PEOPLE
THINK HE COMES BACK TO LIFE AS.
HE'S DIFFERENT.
YOU'VE READ IT, RIGHT?
--> I'VE READ PART OF IT.
I'VE GOT IT NOW.
TELL US ABOUT A CHILDREN'S BOOK
YOU'RE WORKING ON.
--> THE EARLY SQUIRRELS.
--> EARLY SQUIRRELS.
--> WE HAD ALL OF THESE SQUIRRELS
THAT WERE RUNNING AROUND OUR
YARD, AND I HAD BEEN WORKING ON
IT SINCE DAY ONE.
REMEMBER WHEN I TOLD YOU ABOUT
THE 14 BOOKS.
THAT'S ONE OF MY SCREEN THAT'S
ABOVE THE 14 THAT I'VE BEEN
WORKING ON.
AND OUR NEIGHBORS -- OUR
NEIGHBORS MOVED OUT, AND OTHER
PEOPLE MOVED IN.
THEY HAD CATS, AND THEN ALL MY
SQUIRRELS DISAPPEARED, AND SO
I'M KIND OF LIKE STUCK RIGHT NOW
NOT WRITING IT.
I'VE GOT TO WAIT UNTIL THE
SQUIRRELS COME BACK.
IT'S ABOUT TWO TWIN SQUIRRELS,
AND I'M SORRY TO SAY, BUT I
DON'T HAVE THEM ANYMORE, BECAUSE
SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THEM.
I'VE GOT TO GET MY IMAGINATION
BACK, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THERE
ANYMORE.
--> WRITER'S BLOCK.
--> IT'S RIGHT OUTSIDE MY WINDOW.
THAT'S WHERE I WRITE.
--> THERE'S A MOVIE THERE
SOMEWHERE.
--> WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE FOR YOUNG
WRITERS OUT THERE?
--> I'M GOING TO TELL YOUNG
WRITERS THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT?
WHEN SOMEBODY TELLS YOU THAT YOU
CAN'T DO SOMETHING, BECAUSE A
LOT OF PEOPLE TOLD ME, WHY ARE
YOU WRITING A SCRIPT FOR
PRELUDE, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO
BE ABLE TO SEE IT.
I WAS LIKE, OH, MY GOSH.
I WROTE THE SCRIPT IN 16 DAYS,
TWITTERING ABOUT IT, AND THEN
ALL OF A SUDDEN I SAID, DON'T
TELL ME I CAN'T BECAUSE THEN I'M
GOING TO TRY HARDER TO CAN.
SO I ALWAYS TELL EVERYBODY THAT
YOU GET YOUR IMAGINATION GOING.
YOU CAN WRITE WHATEVER YOU WANT,
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES -- YOU
KNOW, EVERYBODY, THEY WANT TO
VOICE THEIR OPINION, EVERYBODY
WANTS TO VOICE THEIR OPINION,
ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE.
THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IS YOU GO
WRITE.
YOU WRITE IT ALL OUT, WHATEVER
YOU WANT.
I DON'T CARE IF ALIENS COME TO
THIS PLANET AND WANT TO TAKE YOU
AWAY AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A
BETTER WORLD.
GUESS WHAT?
THAT'S WHAT AVATAR WAS.
AND SO YOUR IMAGINATION IS ONE
WHEN YOU WRITE AND YOU CAN STEP
INTO THIS WORLD AS MUCH AS YOU
WANT, AS LONG AS YOU COME BACK
OUT.
--> WHAT MAKES A GOOD WRITER?
--> I THINK IMAGINATION.
THE BEST IS IMAGINATION, AND
IT'S THE LIMIT.
YOU WANT TO DO A URD MER --
*** MYSTERY?
OH, MY GOSH.
LOOK AT ALL THE MOVIES OUT
THERE.
SOME OF THEM ARE KIND OF CRAPPY
RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT.
THAT VAMPIRE SUCKS MOVIE, YOU
KNOW, LOOK AT THAT.
YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.
--> LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
YOUR WRITING, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT
A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECT
MATTERS IN YOUR BOOKS.
WAS THAT YOUR AIM WHEN YOU
STARTED OUT?
--> NO, NO.
LIKE I SAID, I HAVE THE 14 ICONS
ON MY SCREEN OF EACH DIFFERENT
BOOK THAT I WANTED TO START
WRITING ON, AND I JUST KIND OF
PICKED ONE.
WHEN IT TOOK OFF, I STAYED WITH
IT, AND I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE TO FINISH, YOU KNOW.
I HAVE TO FINISH THIS.
I CAN'T MOVE ON UNTIL THIS IS
DONE.
I DON'T CARE IF I NEED TO DO THE
DISHES FIRST AND THEN GO ON TO
THE FLOOR.
DON'T TELL ME I NEED TO CLEAN
THE FLOOR FIRST.
I HAVE TO STAY ON THE DISHES.
THAT'S EXACTLY THE WAY I DID
WITH THE BOOKS.
IVE HAD TO FINISH WRITING THIS
ONE ONCE I STARTED IT.
SO WITH EARLY SQUIRRELS, THE
ONLY REASON I LOST IT IS BECAUSE
THE TWO SQUIRRELS KIND OF GOT
SWISHED ON THE ROAD.
--> SO HOW HAS THIS BOOK, THAT IS
".MY VLADISLAUS DRACULA,". HOW HAS
IT STARTED OUT?
--> I HAVE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE
SAY, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
THEY GO TO THIS BOOK FOR THEIR
HISTORICAL FACTS, AND I SAID
THIS IS AS BEST AS I COULD
EVERYTHING THAT I COULD COME UP
WITH, DEBUNKING THE WHOLE
MICHAEL BOHEME, THE POEM.
IT'S ACTUALLY WRITTEN IN GERMAN.
I BELIEVE IT'S IN GERMAN, NOW
THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.
IT BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY
TRANSLATE IT, THEY CAN TRANSLATE
IT INTO WHAT TWHE WANT JUST TO
TRY TO MATCH WITH A VAMPIRE OR
GO WHATEVER SUBJECT THEY WANT
TO.
THAT'S WHY I HAD TO GET THE POEM
IN THERE, ALSO, MAKING FACTS
ABOUT THAT.
--> WELL, I GUESS FINALLY, IF
PEOPLE WANT MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT YOU OR YOUR BOOKS, DO YOU
HAVE A PLACE THEY CAN GO?
--> OH, I HAVE A MY SPACE PAGE,
FACEBOOK PAGE, TWITTER.
MY HANDLE ON TWITTER IS TERESA'S
ESCAPE, AND I ALSO HAVE AN
AUTHOR PAGE ON FILED BY.
IF YOU GOOGLE TERESA L. DOT
JONES, WELL, THE LAST I KNEW.
--> I'M SORRY WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
BUT THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
--> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
HAVING ME COME HERE.
FARGO IS REALLY NICE.
--> STAY TUNED FOR MORE.
--> MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
MOORHEAD ARTS PROFESSOR BRAD
BACHMEIER IS A CERAMIC ARTIST
WHO MAKES BEAUTIFUL AND DIVERSE
PIECES OF ARTS.
HE USES A POTTERS WHEEL AND THE
RACCOON METHOD OF FIRING POTS.
HERE IS A PROFILE OF BRAD'S
WORK.
--> THE CLAY I'M USING HERE IS
ACTUALLY A COMMERCIALLY PREPARED
CLAY THAT COMES FROM MINNESOTA.
I BUY IT FROM MINNEAPOLIS.
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO FIRST IS
I'M GOING TO WEDGE IT, AND SO I
OPENED A BUSINESS ABOUT A
POTTER'S WHEEL AND BUILT A
COUPLE KILNS AND STARTED DOING
JUST SOME LOCAL CRAFT FAIRS AND
THINGS.
AND FROM THERE, LITERALLY, I
NEVER WOULD HAVE SAW IT COMING,
BUT FOR THE LAST 17 YEARS, I'VE
NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ENOUGH
WORK AND KEEP UP WITH DEMAND
FROM GALLERIES AND PLACES,
OUTLETS THAT I'VE BEEN SELLING.
AND THAT WILL PREPARE IT, THAT
IT'S READY TO BE THROWN INTO A
VESSEL ON THE WHEEL.
--> THE PROCESS THAT I USE IN
FIRING IS WHAT PROBABLY SETS
MYWORK PART FROM MANY OTHER
POTTERS.
IT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE RARE,
AND THAT IS ONE STYLE THAT I'M
WELL KNOWN FOR USING IS THE
ANCIENT FORM OF RA KOO WHERE
YOU'RE FIRING THE POTS,
2,000 DEGREES, YOU'RE OPENING UP
THE KILL IN, PLG THEM OUT AND
PUTTING THEM IN A REDUCTION
CHAMBER.
THE OTHER METHOD I USE IS PIT
FIRING, A PRIMITIVE METHOD USED
FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME BY
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE GLOBE, AND
THAT IS SIMPLY DIGING A HOLE IN
THE GROUND AND PUTTING YOUR POTS
IN THERE AND THROWING WHATEVER
MATERIALS YOU'VE GOT, WHETHER
IT'S COW DUNG OR WHATEVER
MATERIALS YOU'VE GOT AVAILABLE
AT HAND TO BURN, AND THOSE POTS
MAYBE GET UP TO NOT TO QUITE
2,000 DEGREES, BUT HOT ENOUGH TO
FIRE THOSE THINGS AND MAKE THEM
PERMANENT.
I'M GOING TO BEGIN BY OPENING A
HOLE IN THE CENTER, AND SO I'M
TAKING MY THUMBS AND PRESSING A
HOLE IN.
SO WHEN I ASK THIS CLAY TO
STRETCH, IT'S GOING TO STRETCH A
LONG WAYS AND HOLD ITSELF OUT
ALL THE WAY OUT HERE.
IT TAKES A CERTAIN DEGREE OF, I
SUPPOSE, CONTROL AND IT IS A
LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT METHOD
OF THROWING PLATES AND PLATTERS,
BUT AGAIN, IT RESULTS IN A NICE
ELEGANT FOOT, A NICE LIGHT
PROFILE.
HOLDING THE NEEDLE TOOL STILL,
I'M GOING TO CUT OFF A LITTLE
BIT OF THAT RIM JUST TO ENSURE
THAT IT'S NICE AND SYMMETRICAL
ALL THE WAY AROUND.
YOU KNOW, I CAN TAKE THIS,
SUPPORTING IT FROM UNDERNEATH A
LITTLE BIT AND PRESS DOWN, AND
IN ONE PASS AROUND THE OUTSIDE
CREATE A NICE EVEN LAYER OF
MARKS.
THIS PIECE IS PULLED OUT OF THE
KILN AT ABOUT 1200 DEGREES AND
YOU ACTUALLY LAY STRANDS OF
HORSEHAIR ON IT.
THEY SIZ I WILL AND BURN INTO
THE -- SIZZLE AND BURN INTO THE
SURFACE AND LEAVE NICE FINE
BLACK MARKS.
I ALSO LAY SOME BAILING TWINE
ACROSS THERE AND THAT CREATES
LARGER AREAS OF SMOKE PATTERNS.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE AMAZED WHEN
YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING INTO EART
OR YOU SELL POTTERY AND THEY
ASSUME WHO IN THE MIDWEST WOULD
BUY IT SO THAT PEOPLE AROUND
HERE WOULDN'T APPRECIATE IT, AND
IT'S QUITE OF OPPOSITE.
AGAIN, OVER 17 YEARS, I'VE JUST
NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ENOUGH.
IT'S NOT BEEN THE PROBLEM OF
SELLING IT, AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE
IT'S MORE TREMENDOUS WORK THAN
ANYONE ELSE'S.
I THINK PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE THE
PEOPLE AROUND HERE IN
RECOGNIZING AND COLLECTING
PIECES.
--> WELL, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE ON
PRAIRIE PUBLIC FOR THIS WEEK, --
PRAIRIE PULSE FOR THIS WEEK.
AND AS ALWAYS, THANK FOR JOINING US