Author Interview with Teel James Glenn

The curtain opens and a male voice announces "And now, please welcome to the Blogging Studio, our one and only...Carol Ann Erhardt!"

****Applause, applause****

Carol Ann enters, bows, and smile at the audience.

"Good morning! Thank you for coming today. Behind me on the screen you can see a bookcover from the multi-talented author I'm going to interview today. He is not only an author, but also an actor, artist, swordsman, stuntman, and fight choreographer! It's going to be a fun day in the studio.


So please put your hands together and welcome my guest, Teel James Glenn!"

**applause, applause**

Teel enters wearing black pants, well...take a peek! Sorry, his face will have to remain a mystery...well after all that's what his novel, KNIGHT ERRANT, is all about.




CAROL ANN: How do you prefer that I address you?Teel, Teel James, T.J.?

TEEL: I answer to anything but late for dinner(Iknow--ugh!) but seriously folks, I have been using the long version of my name(it is not even my full name--I am a very name heavy Celt) because there are a number of TJ Glenns out there in acting and writing and I have never met another Teel. In person I'm always TJ to my friends...

CAROL ANN: Great, then you won't mind me addressing you as TJ today, I hope. I was browsing your home page which is titled The Urban Swashbuckler. Will you share the story behind this?

TJ: I did a series of vidoes about sword fighting and someone called me that and it stuck as a sort of professional nickname..I have to title something USB some day I suppose to protect copyright(lol)

CAROL ANN: As I've told the audience already, you have a varied background of being an actor,artist, author, poet, swordsman, stuntman and fight choreographer. Which is your favorite and why?

TJ: **chuckle** Whatever I'm doing at that moment--sorry it sounds trite but it is true. I love all aspects of storytelling and to me all of those activities come under that umbrella--though as I get older it is a hell of a lot less stressful to recite a poem than leap over a railing with a sword in hand and snatch a maiden from the hero....

CAROL ANN: Oh, but what a romantic picture that paints! **Carol Ann fans herself** I'm interested in hearing more about your book "Them's Fightin' Words" which as I understand it is a book for writers on how to write fight scenes. Will you share more about this book?

TJ: I have some short posts on my website but basically, I took all I knew about all that I did and synthesized it. Even when my work was being rejected, for years, the rejection note always said something like "loved the fight" or "great action scene" in it. Eventually my publisher at ePress-online and my editor Joan said "write a book about it" and--well magically a year and a half later (and much sweating, cursing and cajoling from Joan) the book was done.

CAROL ANN: Sounds like something everyone needs to add to their writing craft books. I understand that you've been involved in many Renaissance Faires. From my experience in visiting these, the actors must be authentic in both costume and voice. Does this come natural to you? Do you ever find yourself carrying this personage into your personal life?

TJ: There is so little difference between my ren persona and my real life and wardrobe that I wonder if they are coming to make me away soon. I am shy in real life so I have often 'put on' my ren persona as armor in dealing with people or when I am teaching...

CAROL ANN: **looks over the ren costume TJ is wearing** So, I can assume that's why you've chosen to come in full costume today.

TJ: **grins**

CAROL ANN: Where do you like to hang out when you are looking for some R&R?

TJ: I watch a lot of old tv shows(westerns and detective mostly) and have a large collection of swashbuckler. I won't say I have all sound era swashbuckler films--but I am damn close and trying all the time!

CAROL ANN: Describe your interpretation of the word romance.

TJ: Love. Poetry. A smile that makes the day bright. From the right person.

CAROL ANN: What do you like to read? Do you have any favorite authors?

TJ: Like most writers I don't read enough--I have the Sophie's choice of read today or write some more. I like biographies of authors and lots of martial arts and history books. But for fiction-Lester Dent. Robert E. Howard, Dashiell Hammet, Robert Parker, E.R. Burroughs are all old favorites that I 'run' to for comfort reading.

CAROL ANN: If you inherited an uninhabited island in the Caribbean, what would you do with it--sell it or live on it? Why?

TJ: Wow--what a great variation on the old question. Probably sell it so I could buy a place in Scotland. Paradise is so boring, I much prefer the heather and the mist....

CAROL ANN: What is your favorite comfort food?

TJ: Breyer's Vanilla Fudge Twirl ice cream. So much so that when my detective hero Eric Knight does the usual detective monologue about the booze he drinks I substituted a monologue on Breyer's....

CAROL ANN: Oh, how unique! Tell us a little about your mystery novel, KNIGHT ERRANT.

TJ: I'd love to.

Knight Errant :Death and life at the Faire
Author Teel James Glenn
Published by ePress-Online
Edited by Joan McNulty-Pulver
Genre:Mystery/thriller
Isbn#: 097722454144
Pages$5.oo e book
$14.99 trade paperback

Medieval murder, renaissance mystery and chivalrous romance in the twenty first century! A very personal story of Love, friendship, betrayal and death. And most of it really happened to me (more or less). The very first mystery novel set at a modern day renaissance faire. The story follows Eric Knight, professional fight choreographer and jouster as he tries to solve the cold blooded murder of his best friend while trying to create and perform a season of make believe medieval mayhem. For the first time in print the behind the scenes of the renaissance faire world is revealed, the humor, the camaraderie, the jealousy and the lustful, adventurous lives of the 'rennies' are laid bare.

CAROL ANN: Wow! Sounds like a great book. I will have to check it out. Please share your website links where readers can learn more about you and your books.

TJ: My primitive website is at www.theurbanswashbuckler.com. I update it regularly but confess I have little comptuer skills. My books are on fictionwise.com and at virtualtales.com.
Also, you can find all my works at ePress-Online.com.

CAROL ANN: And finally, a question I ask all authors. Do you believe the pen is mightier than the sword? Why?

TJ: The pen. Not in the short term, violence is always theshort term winner, but ideas and even stories survive all the conquerers and killers and are the thread that holds mankind's head above the bloodbath.


CAROL ANN: TJ, thank you for joining me in the studio today. It has been a real blast sitting here talking to you. I wish you well in your endeavors, and I encourage all my readers to check out your websites.

TJ: I want to thank you again for the opportunity to promote my stuff--I'm sure you know it is the hardest part of this business--I think it is harder to write promos than novels and harder still to find a place to get the word out without brick and morter budgets.


CAROL ANN: You're very welcome, TJ. Now, how about we head over to the store and buy some Breyer's Vanilla Fudge Twirl?