YCQM: April 29, 2018

>> Announcer: FROM WCAX, THIS IS

"YOU CAN QUOTE ME.">> Darren: GOOD MORNING,

EVERYONE.

I'M DARREN PERRON.

RIGHT NOW ON "YOU CAN QUOTE ME,"

BOOKS OVER BREAKFAST.

WE'LL TALK TO THREE VERMONT

AUTHORS ON THE PROGRAM TODAY.

D.J. BARRY TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW

CHILDREN'S BOOK, "HIYO THE LONG

DRAGON" AND HIS EASY ONLINE

PUBLISHING EXPERIENCE.

RAY PERKINS DISCUSSES HIS BOOK

SERIES AND HIS LATEST

INSTALLMENT, "THE MYSTERY OF THE

HAUNTED OPERA HOUSE" AND WITH

HIM, HIS ILLUSTRATOR AND

DAUGHTER-IN-LAW STEPHANIE

COOLIDGE PERKINS.

PLUS, THEA LEWIS IS HERE TO TALK

ABOUT HER NEW BOOK, "WICKED

VERMONT," AND THAT'S WHERE WE

BEGIN THIS MORNING.

MOST OF US CAN APPRECIATE JUST

HOW BEAUTIFUL VERMONT IS WITH

ITS ROLLING HILLS, MOUNTAINS,

FARMS, AND COVERED BRIDGES, BUT

THERE'S A DARK SIDE TO THE GREEN

MOUNTAINS TOO, AND THEA LEWIS

HIGHLIGHTS THE MORE SINISTER

SIDE OF THE STATE IN HER NEW

BOOK, "WICKED VERMONT."

AND THEA LEWIS JOINS ME NOW.

GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

>> Lewis: GOOD MORNING, DARREN.

>> Darren: I THINK A LOT OF

FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE SURPRISED

AT SOME OF THE THINGS THEY READ

IN THIS BOOK, INCLUDING THAT

THERE WAS A SERIAL KILLER HERE

IN VERMONT.

>> Lewis: ABSOLUTELY.

H.H. HOLMES.

I LIKE TO SAY THAT HE WAS UVM'S

DEADLIEST STUDENT.

HE WAS AT THE MEDICAL SCHOOL FOR

ABOUT A YEAR.

THAT'S IN 1878, AND THIS WAS A

GUY WHO CAME FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE,

WANTED TO MAKE HIS WAY IN THE

MEDICAL FIELD AND HE ENDED UP

LEAVING THE CITY OF BURLINGTON.

HE SAID THE MEDICAL SCHOOL WAS

TOO SMALL TO SUIT HIS NEEDS, BUT

I THINK IT WAS REALLY THAT THE

CITY OF BURLINGTON WAS TOO

CLOSELY KNIT A COMMUNITY TO HIDE

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE WAS

UP TO.

>> Darren: AND WHAT WAS HE UP

TO?

GIVE US A HISTORY.

>> Lewis: WHEN HE WENT ON TO THE

CITY OF CHICAGO, HE WAS KNOWN

FOR DOING SOMETHING -- FEDERAL

AGENTS WERE ACTUALLY PURSUING

HIM TOWARD THE END OF HIS CAREER

FOR DOING SOMETHING CALLED THE

DEAD MAN SHUFFLE AND THAT'S WHEN

YOU TAKE OUT AN INSURANCE POLICY

ON A FICTITIOUS INDIVIDUAL AND

SOMETIME LATER, PROVIDE A BODY,

SOME POOR PERSON THAT CAME TO

TOWN AND MADE ACQUAINTANCE WITH

H.H. HOLMES AND HE WOULD INVITE

THEM TO STAY IN HIS HOTEL.

IT WAS LUCKY THAT THE ROOMS WERE

SO INEXPENSIVE, BUT EVENTUALLY

THEIR LUCK RAN OUT.

>> Darren: OBVIOUSLY THIS BECAME

SOMEWHAT OF A HOT TOPIC WHEN

BARACK OBAMA WAS RUNNING FOR

PRESIDENT, THE BIRTHER MOVEMENT,

A LOT OF CONSPIRACY THEORISTS

SAID HE WASN'T ACTUALLY BORN IN

THE U.S., BUT THERE WAS A

SIMILAR CASE HERE IN VERMONT.

>> Lewis: THAT'S RIGHT.

PRESIDENT CHESTER ARTHUR, WHO

WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BORN IN

FRANKLIN COUNTY, VERMONT, BUT

HIS MOTHER HAD TIES TO QUEBEC.

HER PARENTS ACTUALLY LIVED THERE

AROUND THE TIME OF HIS BIRTH AND

SOME CONSPIRACY THEORISTS STILL

THINK TODAY THAT CHESTER ARTHUR

WAS BORN OVER THE BORDER.

HE'S A FASCINATING CHARACTER NO

MATTER WHERE HE WAS BORN, AS

OUTLINED IN THE BOOK.

HE WAS KIND OF A DANDY.

HE CHANGED HIS CLOTHES SEVERAL

TIMES A DAY.

HE WAS REALLY -- HE GUTTED THE

WHITE HOUSE AND HAD TIFFANY MAKE

NEW DESIGNS FOR THE ROOMS.

THIS WAS A FASCINATING

CHARACTER.

>> Darren: AND A FANCY

PRESIDENT.

>> Lewis: VERY FANCY, YES.

>> Darren: TELL US ABOUT THE

VERMONT BOY WHO RAN AWAY TO JOIN

THE CIRCUS.

>> Lewis: THIS IS ONE OF MY

FAVORITE STORIES.

ETHAN STONE, HE'S 10 YEARS OLD

AND THE CIRCUS COMES TO THE CITY

OF BURLINGTON.

WITH ALL THE MASS MEDIA WE HAVE

TODAY, WE CAN'T IMAGINE THE STIR

A CIRCUS, WHICH SOME PEOPLE

CONSIDERED SCANDALOUS, WOULD

MAKE IN A CITY LIKE BURLINGTON.

HE BEFRIENDED A VENTRILOQUIST

AND HE TOOK OFF.

HIS FATHER, A PROMINENT LAWYER,

WAS NOT TOO HAPPY OF THIS AND

THERE WAS A LAWSUIT THAT WAS A

RESULT OF HIS RUNNING AWAY.

AMAZINGLY, THIS GUY WAS STILL

RIDING BARE BACK INTO HIS 70s.

I TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE BOOK.

>> Darren: AND HE BECAME QUITE

FAMOUS.

>> Lewis: HE BECAME SO FAMOUS.

HE WAS KNOWN NATIONALLY AND

INTERNATIONALLY AND HE WAS PART

OF AN AMATEUR CIRCUIT THAT WAS

SUPPOSED TO BENEFIT THE RED

CROSS AND AT THE AGE OF 70 YEARS

OLD, HE RODE BAREBACK BACKWARD

ON A HORSE AND HE STOLE ANNIE

OAKLEY'S THUNDER.

>> Darren: I CAN IMAGINE SO.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MONTPELIER

MURDERESS.

>> Lewis: THIS IS A TALE OF A

YOUNG WOMAN WHO -- A VERY SAD

TALE.

SHE WAS PART OF A LOVE TRIANGLE

AND SHE WAS PROMISED THINGS BY

HER SUITOR AND HE DIDN'T

DELIVER.

EVERYTHING ABOUT THEIR

RELATIONSHIP WAS KIND OF

UNDERCOVER, UNDER THE RADAR, AND

FINALLY, MILDRED COULDN'T TAKE

IT ANY LONGER AND THAT'S HEN SHE

GOT A GUN.

>> Darren: WELL, YOU'RE NO

STRANGER TO THE DARKER SIDE OF

VERMONT.

OF COURSE, YOU HOST AND OWN THE

GHOST WALK IN BURLINGTON.

YOU'VE ALSO BEEN SCARING UP

HISTORY SINCE 2002.

YOU'VE WRITTEN AT BOOK CALLED

HIE HAUNTED BURLINGTON."

I'VE GOT TO ASK, HAVE YOU ALWAYS

BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS KIND OF

STUFF?

>> Lewis: I HAVE TO TELL YOU

THAT I'VE GOT A FAMILY THAT'S

DECENTLY SPOOKY, RELATIVES,

AUNTS, NIECES, MY DAUGHTER IN

FACT ARE ALL PEOPLE WHO KIND OF

SENSE THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE

DON'T AND I NEVER REALLY FELT A

PART OF THAT UNTIL STARTING

QUONE CITY GHOST WALK OPENED

EVERYTHING UP FOR ME AND I

STARTED HAVING THESE STRANGE,

INTUITIVE, PARANORMAL ENCOUNTERS

AND I LOVE IT.

IT'S A NATURAL PART OF LIFE FOR

ME NOW.

>> Darren: IT'S NOT SCARY?

>> Lewis: IT'S NOT REALLY SCARY

TO ME.

SOMETIMES DUMBFOUNDING WHEN I'M

ON A QUEEN CITY GHOST WALK TOUR

IN DOWNTOWN BURLINGTON, I'M

USUALLY SO DISTRACTED TELLING MY

STORIES, I'M NOT PAYING

ATTENTION TO THE PHYSICAL SPACE

AROUND ME, BUT PEOPLE ON THE

TOUR HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE

PHENOMENON THAT'S OCCURRED WHEN

WE'RE STANDING IN ONE LOCATION

OR ANOTHER AND I FIND IT

RIVETING AND ALSO QUITE BIZARRE.

>> Darren: YEAH.

I WANT YOU TO READ A LITTLE BIT

IF YOU WOULD FROM "WICKED

VERMONT.">> Lewis: I WILL.

GLASSES ON.

THIS IS CALLED BORN OVER THE

BORDER.

WHEN YOU THINK OF A BIRTHER

MOVEMENT, YOU PROBABLY PICTURE

UNITED STATES PRESIDENT WHO WAS

LAMPOONED FOR HIS OVERSIZED

EARS.

IT MAY SURPRISE YOU TO LEARN

THAT THE FIRST FAMOUS BIRTHER

CONTROVERSY SWIRLED NOT AROUND

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, BUT

RATHER A DIFFERENT COMMANDER IN

CHIEF, A GUY WHOSE MASSIVE

SIDEBURNS WOULD BE AT HOME IN

ANY BARBERSHOP QUARTET.

CAN YOU NAME THE PRESIDENT?

HE ROU TEE TAKES A TOP SPOT ON

LISTS THAT INCLUDE THE FACIAL

HAIR OF HARRISON, VAN BUREN, AND

LINCOLN AND THE ANSWER IS

CHESTER ARTHUR.

>> Darren: I LOVE IT.

I JUST WANT ONE MORE QUESTION.

HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHO YOU'RE

GOING TO WRITE ABOUT?

THERE'S SO MANY FASCINATING

PEOPLE IN VERMONT.

>> Lewis: IT'S SO HARD.

I FALL REGULARLY DOWN THE RABBIT

HOLD OF OLD BURLINGTON

NEWSPAPERS AND ARTICLES AND

THERE'S SO MANY FASCINATING

CHARACTERS IN OUR HISTORY.

PEOPLE THAT I NEVER HEAR ABOUT

IN CLASS, PEOPLE LIKE TIMOTHY

FOLLETTE, THE STRANGER SIDE OF

ETHAN ALLEN AND I GO INTO THAT.

IT'S BASICALLY WHAT CALLS TO ME,

WHO I FIND MOST FASCINATING AND

IT'S BASED ON MY OWN LIFE

EXPERIENCE.

>> Darren: THEA LEWIS, THANK YOU

SO MUCH.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

>> Lewis: THANK YOU.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> Darren: YOUR LATEST NEWS AND

WEATHER AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR.

SCOTT FLEISHMAN IS IN THE

NEWSROOM WITH WHAT'S COMING UP

ON THE WEEKEND.

>> Scott: GOOD MORNING.

COMING UP AT THE TOP OF THE

HOUR, YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT

GENEALOGY FOR GEARS.

WEBSITES LIKE ANCESTRY.COM ARE

HELPING PEOPLE FIND THEIR FAMILY

LINEAGE.

THIS MORNING, WE'RE SPEAKING TO

A LOCAL GENEALOGIST HOW TO BEST

TRACK YOUR ANCESTORS.

ALSO, THE BLACK LIVES MATTER

FLAG WILL BE RAISED AT BOTH THE

BRATTLEBORO HIGH AND MIDDLE

SCHOOLS THIS WEEK.

THIS IS AN IDEA BROUGHT TO THE

SCHOOL BOARD BY THE STUDENTS.

WE'LL HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL'S

PRINCIPAL WHO SAYS HE'S WILLING

TO TAKE THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH

THE RAISING OF THE FLAG.

AND A DOWNTOWN BURLINGTON CHURCH

HAS BEEN DEMOTED FROM A

CATHEDRAL TO A PARISH.

WE FIND OUT WHY THIS COULD BE

THE FIRST STEP TO A POSSIBLE

MERGER WITH A NEIGHBORING CHURCH

AND WE HAVE MORE WET WARES ON

THE WAY FOR SUNDAY.

GARY WILL BE BY TO TELL US WHEN

WE DRY OUT.

THE WEEKEND STARTS AT 8:00 A.M.

>> Darren: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COMING UP NEXT A LINE ON THE

FLOOR MARKS THE U.S.-CANADIAN

BORDER AND THE BUILDING IS

PARTLY IN VERMONT, BUT DID YOU

KNOW THE HASKELL OPERA HOUSE AND

LIBRARY MAY ALSO HOLD SOME

FRIGHTENING SECRETS?

>> Darren: TEEN DETECTIVES AND

THEIR FRIENDS VENTURE INTO THE

REALM OF GHOSTS AND STRANGE

HAPPENINGS AT THE WORLD FAMOUS

HASKELL OPERA HOUSE AND LIBRARY.

IN RAY PERKINS' NEW BOOK, "THE

MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED OPERA

HOUSE."

AND RAY PERKINS, ALONG WITH HIS

ILLUSTRATOR STEPHANIE COOLIDGE

PERKINS JOIN ME NOW.

GOOD MORNING TO BOTH OF YOU.

>> Perkins: GOOD MORNING,

DARREN.

>> Darren: RAY, THIS IS YOUR

THIRD BOOK AS PART OF A SERIES.

WHAT IS THE RUNNING LINE BETWEEN

ALL THREE?

HOW ARE YOU FORWARDING WHAT

YOU'VE ALREADY WRITTEN ABOUT?

>> Perkins: THE TEEN DETECTIVES

ARE B.T. AND JIMMY, AND THEY

BEGIN BY SOLVING A LOCAL MYSTERY

AND THEY CONTINUE TO SOLVE

MYSTERIES IN THE NORTHEAST

KINGDOM.

>> Darren: AND, THIS AGAIN, HANS

AT THE HASKELL OPERA HOUSE?

>> Perkins: CORRECT.

>> Darren: FULL DISCLOSURE,

YOU'RE MY FORMER TEACHER.

WAY, WAY BACK WHEN AT BARTON

GRADE SCHOOL.

>> Perkins: YES.

>> Darren: WAS THERE AN

INSPIRATION FOR YOU?

HAVING WORKED FOR SO MANY YEARS

WITH KIDS, TO THEN INCORPORATE

KIDS INTO THIS BOOK?

>> Perkins: WELL, SEVERAL -- I

DON'T KNOW, SEVERAL

INSPIRATIONS, I GUESS YOU'D SAY.

ONE WAS A PROFESSOR AT COLLEGE,

GRAHAM NEWELL, WHO TAUGHT A LOT

ABOUT VERMONT HISTORY, SO THAT

GOT ME INTRIGUED, AND THEN AS I

TAUGHT VERMONT HISTORY IN SIXTH

GRADE, I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT

THE POSSIBILITIES AND I WROTE A

SHORT STORY FOR A GROUP OF

STUDENTS AS THEY WERE WRITING

THEIR STORIES AND OVER THE

YEARS, JUST CONTINUED THAT

STORY.

>> Darren: SO YOU TALK ABOUT THE

HASKELL OPERA HOUSE IN THIS

BOOK.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY PRETTY FAMOUS

BUILDING.

AS I MENTIONED, THE BORDERLINE,

LITERAL LINE RUNS RIGHT DOWN THE

MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING.

SO VERY UNIQUE.

IT'S ON BOTH SIDES OF THE U.S.

AND CANADIAN BORDER.

A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE TALKED ABOUT

THE RUMORS OF IT BEING HAUNTED,

SO THIS BOOK YOU'VE WRITTEN, NOT

COMPLETELY FICTION.

>> Perkins: NOT AT ALL.

I READ AN ARTICLE IN THE NEWPORT

DAILY A FEW YEARS AGO AND FOUND

OUT THAT THE PARANORMAL

INVESTIGATORS OF NEW ENGLAND

WERE GOING TO BE AT THE HASKELL

ONE EVENING, AND I SAID TO MY

SON, GRAB YOUR CAMERA, WE'RE

GOING OUT.

AND I GOT UP THERE, I MET THE

PEOPLE.

THEY WERE WONDERFUL, BETTY,

KAREN, MIKE, AND TOOK A LOT OF

NOTES AND WAS THE INSPIRATION

FOR THIS BOOK.

AS I WAS WRITING MY PREVIOUS

BOOK.

>> Darren: ALL RIGHT, SO DID

THEY FIND ANYTHING THAT WAS OUT

OF THE NORM?

>> Perkins: NOT A WHOLE LOT

HAPPENED THAT EVENING, BUT

THERE'S SO MANY ANECDOTAL

STORIES FROM ACTORS AND

ACTRESSES WHO WORKED THERE ABOUT

SUMMERTIME COOL BREEZES AND

DOORS FLYING OPEN AND STRANGE

NOISES.

I THOUGHT, OH, THERE'S A STORY

HERE.

>> Darren: SO WHAT IN THE BOOK

SPECIFICALLY DO YOU GET AT AND

WHAT COULD YOU SAY, UM, THIS

COULD BE KIND OF TRUE?

>> Perkins: WELL, MY BOOKS, THE

REPORTER FOR THE CHRONICLE IN

BARTON INTERVIEWED ME A FEW

YEARS BACK AND SAID, YOU WRITE

HISTORY MYSTERIES, DON'T YOU?

I SAID, YES, I DO, BECAUSE BEING

A HISTORIAN, I LIKE TO PUT IN A

GOOD AMOUNT OF HISTORY AND THEN

I ADD CHARACTERS AND A LITTLE

BIT OF FICTION AND SOME HISTORY.

>> Darren: ALL RIGHT.

THIS BOOK IS A FAMILY AFFAIR AS

WELL.

STEPHANIE, YOU'RE RAY'S

DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.

PUT YOU ON THE SPOT HERE.

HOW IS IT TO WORK WITH YOUR

FATHER-IN-LAW?

>> Stephanie: IT'S ACTUALLY

REALLY GREAT.

I'D SAY IN TERMS OF IN-LAWS, I

HIT THE JACKPOT, SO I'M PRETTY

FORTUNATE.

>> Darren: DID HE TELL YOU TO

SAY THAT?

>> Stephanie: HE DID NOT.

>> Darren: WHAT WAS YOUR

BACKGROUND IN ART AND WHY WAS

THIS PROJECT INTERESTING TO YOU?

>> Stephanie: I WENT TO

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF

TECHNOLOGY AND I STUDIED

ILLUSTRATION AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

THERE.

THIS FIT RIGHT IN.

IT'S BEEN A FUN PROJECT.

I'VE HELPED HIM WITH THREE BOOKS

SO FAR AND I APPRECIATE HIS

PATIENCE WITH ME.

IT DOES TAKE ME A LITTLE WHILE,

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST

BRINGING HIS IDEAS AND HIS

STORY, HIS CHARACTERS ALIVE.

I HOPE I DO THAT JUSTICE AND,

YOU KNOW, MAKE IT REALLY

DYNAMIC, BRINGING THE TONES OF

HISTORY AND THE MYSTERY AND, YOU

KNOW, JUST HELP TO BRING IT

ALIVE FOR HIM.

>> Darren: SO RAY, THREE BOOKS

THUS FAR.

ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT OR IN THE

PROCESS OF WORKING ON ANOTHER?

>> Perkins: YES, I HAVE ONE THAT

I PRETTY MUCH HAVE COMPLETED.

IT'S "THE MYSTERY OF THE

MOUNTAINTOP TREASURE," AND IT

TAKES PLACE AGAIN IN THE

NORTHEAST KINGDOM, IN THE

MOUNTAINS, ALONG AN AREA ALONG

THE BORDER, AGAIN, IN TROY WHERE

THE SPACE RESEARCH CENTER WAS.

>> Darren: GOTCHA.

RAY, LET'S HEAR A LITTLE BIT

FROM YOUR BOOK, PLEASE.

>> Perkins: SURE.

THE KIDS WERE AT THE OPERA HOUSE

AND A COUPLE OF THE GIRLS WHO

WERE FRIENDS WITH B.T. AND JIMMY

GO OFF ON THEIR OWN TO EXPLORE.

A LOOK OF WONDER ON THE TWO

GIRLS' FACES SAID IT ALL.

AS THEY STRUGGLED TO TAKE IN

SOMETHING TOTALLY NEW AND

MESMERIZING.

IT WASN'T THE WRITING THAT

HALTED THEM IN THEIR TRACKS,

HOWEVER.

SANDY SPOTTED IT FIRST.

WHILE STANDING IN THE DOORWAY AT

AN ACUTE ANGLE TO THE SIGNATURE

WALL, SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD MAKE

OUT THE OUTLINE OF A FIGURE.

AM I JUST IMAGINING THINGS, SHE

MUMBLED, HER VOICE BARELY A

SWISS WHISPER.

THE FIGURE WAS VAGUE AND NEARLY

TRANSLUCENT, BUT WITHOUT A

DOUBT, SOMETHING WITH A HUMAN

SHAPE GLOWED FAINTLY AND IT

APPEARED TO BE SHAPED LIKE A

FEMALE.

THE APPARITION WAS WEARING A

LACEY OFF-WHITE DRESS THAT ON

CLOSER INSPECTION LOOKED MUCH

LIKE A WEDDING GOWN.

PATTY SAW IT TOO.

THEN JUST AS QUICKLY AS IT HAD

SHOWN ITSELF, THE SPECTER

DISAPPEARED, ALMOST AS IF IT HAD

MELTED BACK INTO THE WALL.

>> Darren: OOH, GOOD STUFF.

THANK YOU BOTH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME

THIS MORNING.

>> Perkins: THANK YOU.

>> Darren: WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO

BOOK NUMBER FOUR.

THANKS, RAY.

>>> COMING UP NEXT, THIS ONE'S

FOR THE LITTLE KIDS.

WELL, THE BOOK IS, BUT HOW IT

GOT PUBLISHED IS FOR ASPIRING

ADULT AUTHORS.

WE'LL EXPLAIN WHEN WE COME BACK.

>> Darren: OKAY, LET'S FACE IT,

POOP IS FUNNY TO KIDS, AND "HIYO

THE LONG DRAGON" IS, WELL, A

DRAGON AND IT TURNS OUT THE BOOK

IS ALSO ABOUT POOP.

TO EXPLAIN AND TO TELL US ABOUT

EASY PUBLISHING AS WELL, I'M

JOINED NOW BY THE BOOK'S AUTHOR,

D.J. BARRY.

GOOD MORNING.

>> Barry: GOOD MORNING, DARREN.

>> Darren: CLEARLY YOU HAVE A

DAUGHTER.

>> Barry: YES, I DO.

YES, I DO, AND WITH THAT, WE

HAVE A STACK OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS

FROM ALL KINDS OF AUTHORS LIKE

DR. SEUSS AND BERNSTEIN BEARS

AND REALLY INSPIRED ME TO WANT

TO GET INTO THAT STACK AND HOW

DO I GET INTO THAT PILE SO THAT

SHE PICKS MY BOOK.

>> Darren: IT'S GOOD COMPANY TO

BE IN.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOOK.

>> Barry: SO "HIYO THE LONG

DRAGON" IS A LONG DRAGON AND AT

THE END, HE HAS A BIG SURPRISE

FOR EVERYONE.

AND HONESTLY, IT WAS -- IT JUST

SPONTANEOUSLY HAPPENED AND WE'VE

BEEN INTO DRAGON WILL A LOT

LATELY.

SHE LOVES "ROOM ON THE BROOM,"

SO I'M ALWAYS ASKED TO BE A

DRAGON WHEN I COME HOME AND,

YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO DO A BOOK

ABOUT A DRAGON.

>> Darren: YOU'RE AN ARTIST, YOU

ILLUSTRATED THE BOOK AS WELL,

BUT I UNDERSTAND THIS WASN'T

REALLY ORIGINALLY GOING IN THIS

DIRECTION.

TELL US ABOUT THE SORT OF

STRUGGLE THAT SOMETIMES AUTHORS

CAN FACE.

>> Barry: YEAH, SO FOR A FEW

WEEKS I WAS WORKING ON THIS

TITLE AND IT WAS ABOUT A WORLD

COW, THIS COW WHOSE SPOTS ARE

THE MAP OF THE WORLD, AND I HAD

A LOT OF ART FOR IT AND I

JUST -- NOTHING WAS REALLY

MESHING AND I WAS TRYING TO COME

UP WITH THE WORDS AND IT WAS

SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT SOCIAL

EQUALITY.

AND I REALLY HIT A WALL, THAT

CLASSIC WRITER'S BLOCK THAT CAN

BE SO FRUSTRATING, SO THAT'S, I

THINK, WHEN I, OUT OF PURE

FRUSTRATION, JUST WANTED TO DO A

DRAGON THAT JUST POOPS.

>> Darren: THIS ALL HAPPENED

REALLY FAST FOR YOU, FROM

PUBLISHING TO ACTUALLY SELLING.

YOU DID THIS YOURSELF THROUGH

AMAZON.

EXPLAIN TO FOLKS HOW THAT WORKS.

>> Barry: YEAH, SO I HAD THE

IDEA FOR THE DRAGON LAST WEEK,

AND I -- AFTER MAKING THE ART, I

WAS RESEARCHING DIFFERENT WAYS

TO SELF-PUBLISH, SOME OF WHICH

YOU NEEDED MONEY UP FRONT OR BUY

A BOX OF BOOKS, HAND THEM OUT

YOURSELF.

THEN I CAME ACROSS AMAZON

SERVICE CALLED KDP SELECT, WHICH

STANDS FOR KINDLE DIRECT

PUBLISHING, AND IT STARTED OFF

AS AN E-BOOK PLATFORM, BUT NOW

NIPS A BETA PHASE -- IT'S IN A

BETA PHASE OF PRINTING ON

DEMAND.

I REALIZED THERE'S NO MONEY UP

FRONT, YOU CAN UPLOAD YOUR

MANUSCRIPT AND YOU CAN CLICK BUY

AND IT'S AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE

WORLDWIDE ALMOST WITHIN 24

HOURS.

IT WAS REMARKABLE.

>> Darren: SO THIS IN COMPARISON

TO GETTING A BOOK PUBLISHED

OTHERWISE, HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> Barry: SO THE CLASSIC WAY, I

WOULD SAY, WOULD BE SUBMITTING

YOUR MANUSCRIPT AND FIRST OF ALL

HAVING IT PRINTED YOURSELF, BUT

THEN SPAMMING ALL THESE NEW YORK

CITY PUBLISHING COMPANIES AND

TRYING TO GET YOUR FOOT IN THE

DOOR THERE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD WAIT A

YEAR JUST TO BE REJECTED, AND

WITHIN FIVE DAYS, MY BOOK WAS

PUBLISHED ON AMAZON AND I WAS

ABLE TO CLICK AND HAVE MY OWN

COPY, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT I WAS

AFTER.

>> Darren: THAT'S AWESOME.

THEY TAKE A BIG CHUNK OF THE

PROFIT, THOUGH?

>> Barry: THEY DO.

THE WAY DIRECT PUBLISHING WORKS

WITH THEM, YOU GET 60% OF THE

SALE MINUS PRINTING COSTS, AND

AMAZON TAKES 40% BEFORE THE

PRINTING COSTS.

SO THEY GIVE YOU HOW MUCH IT

WILL COST FOR THEM TO PRINT AND

THEN IT'S UP TO YOU, YOU

ACTUALLY SET YOUR OWN PRICE, BUT

WITH CHILDREN'S BOOKS, I MEAN, I

DON'T WANT TO SPEND MORE THAN

$10 ON A CHILDREN'S BOOK AND I

DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY ELSE TO FOR

ME.

>> Darren: WE TALKED A LITTLE

BIT ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER AND I

UNDERSTAND SHE PLAYED KIND OF A

BIG ROLE IN HIYO, SO ACTUALLY --

>> Barry: SHE DID.

>> Darren: AND SHE'S IN THE

STUDIO.

SHE'S SO CUTE.

SO THIS IS YOUR HELPER ON THIS.

>> Barry: THIS IS.

>> Darren: TELL US HOW SHE GAVE

YOU A HAND.

>> Barry: IT WAS ORIGINALLY

CALLED THE LONG DRAGON AND WE

WERE SITTING ON THE POTTY AND I

ASKED HER, WHAT SHOULD WE NAME

THIS DRAGON?

SHE'S IN A PHASE OF NAMING

EVERYTHING, AND SHE SAID HIYO.

>> Darren: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF

HIYO?

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> Barry: SHE ASKED ME TO READ

IT TO HER, SO THAT'S A GOOD

SIGN.

SHE ALSO HELPED WITH SOME OF THE

ARTWORK AND IT WAS PRETTY FUN.

SHE SAT ON MY LAP WHILE WE

PLAYED ON THE COMPUTER.

>> Darren: I THINK SHE'S A TV

STAR DOWN THE ROAD BY THE LOOKS

OF THINGS.

>> Barry: I THINK SO.

>> Darren: WELL, D.J., LET'S, IF

YOU DON'T MIND READ -- BYE,

EVELYN, THANK YOU!

DO YOU MIND READING A LITTLE BIT

OF THE BOOK?

>> Barry: NOT AT ALL.

I COULD PROBABLY READ THE WHOLE

THING.

ALL RIGHT.

HIYO IS A DRAGON, A VERY LONG,

LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG DRAGON

WITH A BIG, BIG, BIG -- I DON'T

REALLY WANT TO SPOIL THE END,

BUT IT'S THE SURPRISE.

>> Darren: LEAVE THAT FOR THE

SURPRISE.

SO DO YOU THINK YOU'LL EVER GET

TO THE OTHER BOOK ABOUT SOCIAL

EQUALITY?

>> Barry: YES, I THINK SO.

YEAH, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT

SUBJECT WITH ME AND I WOULD LOVE

TO TACKLE THAT ON, AND I LEARNED

A LOT GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS

TO, YOU KNOW -- I KNOW HOW TO

STRUCTURE THE ART BETTER AND HOW

TO REALLY -- I THINK DOING THE

WORDS FIRST WOULD BE IMPORTANT

AND THAT WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM

WITH THAT PROJECT.

I HAD ALL THIS ART AND IT MADE

NO SENSE.

>> Darren: WHY IMPORTANT TO YOU,

IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ASKING?

>> Barry: I GUESS ON A PERSONAL

LEVEL, I WAS BULLIED THROUGHOUT

MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD AND, YOU

KNOW, GROWING UP AND DEALING

WITH THAT AND SEEING EVERYTHING

NOWADAYS HASN'T GOTTEN MUCH

BETTER, IT'S GOTTEN WORSE WITH

THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA,

AND I THINK THOSE THAT ARE

GETTING BULLIED OUT THERE

DEFINITELY NEED SOME PEOPLE

HELPING THAT FIGHT, AND, YOU

KNOW, IF I CAN MAKE A BOOK THAT

REALLY REMINDED EVERYBODY WE'RE

ALL SPOTS ON THE SAME COW, YOU

KNOW, COLOR, RACE, IT DOESN'T

THROW IT ALL OUT THE WINDOW,

WE'RE HERE TOGETHER IN THIS

LIFE, I WOULD LOVE FOR THAT TO

BE A POWERFUL MESSAGE TO HELP,

YOU KNOW, MAYBE CHILDREN READING

IT TO UNDERSTAND MORE AND

ACCEPTING, YOU KNOW, BE

ACCEPTING MORE AND TRY TO

INSTILL THAT WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG

BECAUSE THEY'RE SPONGES.

>> Darren: I THINK THAT'S A GOOD

MESSAGE TO END THE SHOW ON.

D.J. BARRY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> Barry: THANK YOU, DARREN.

>> Darren: AND THANK YOU FOR

WATCHING.

THE NEWS CONTINUES NEXT RIGHT

HERE ON CHANNEL 3 NEWS.

THE WEEKEND TEAM IS STANDING BY.

TAKE CARE, EVERYBODY.

WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.

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