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WHO I AM AND WHY I WROTE THE FOREST MASTER: HEARTWOOD
I have been a New York and Los Angeles civil trial and appellate lawyer for several decades which, by definition, immersed me in all manner of research as well as honed my skills in persuasive writing both to “win over” as well as educate my readers on many topics, from nuclear subs to industrial espionage. I published professionally in treatises and articles and taught law school for many years. I had a short-lived gig of creating fictional cases to be used in a lawyer/TV reality series that was supposed to air on FOX. I also wrote a ten-minute play that was accepted for production at SHORT+SWEET.
So why have I written this young adult, eco-fantasy novel - THE FOREST MASTER: HEARTWOOD? Of course, in the first instance, there is no "why" when the Muse appears to you because the mystical ingredients for her magical linguistic concoctions defy the logic of an explanation. However, the birth of this tale was foreshadowed - first, by my love for forests, from childhood summers in Audubon camp in the Connecticut White Oak woods to last summer's hike though the Giant Sequoias. And then by my love of reading The Wizard of Oz, The Hidden Life of Trees, Alice in Wonderland, The Lord of the Rings and, of course, Campbell's The Hero's Journey. Sprinkle in a variety of world myths about trees and voila! Out comes a wholly original story that gives the trees their own unique voices that speak directly to young human teen readers to inspire their imaginations, their compassion and perhaps even to become involved in the environment of their own communities.