I contacted Jim Baugh after I read HOOKED and told him a) he's crazy, b) his book is hillarious, and c) I was going to write a review. Jim kindly offerred to guest blog here.
Hi Jim, and welcome to our blog site. How was the trip over?
Well, considering I did not have to deal with rental cars, a taxi, air planes and hotel accommodations, I would say pretty good. Just put in the old web site address and away we go. World wide travel in seconds. It is a very, “Go Green” way to travel and do an interview for sure.
Tell me a little about why you wrote “Hooked” and what initially was the inspiration for such a funny book.
It probably initially started when I was around five or six years old. I grew up on the docks of Gloucester Virginia and the characters on the boats and docks were just larger than life, always doing practical jokes, fishing, just having a ball.
Growing up I always thought those times were very special and wanted the memory to live forever.
Then, during my forties I was single again after a great marriage of 25 years. When I was thrust upon the on line computer dating world, things changed real fast. The people I would meet and the stories were just WAY to funny.
I was dating the woman in HOOKED, DC Nympho, and we were in the swimming pool laughing how funny on line dating was. We swapped war stories, then I began to get an idea. Produce a game show called, “Meet My Match Game”.
Well, the idea turned into a screenplay, then finally a book. However it took me a few years to figure out how to combine the story.
I wanted to also include in the story line my memories of growing up on the docks in Gloucester, and also the hilarious behind the scenes antics of producing a southern outdoor show.
Sounds like a great idea!! Then you started to write??
I tried, but could not. I started with a screenplay and kept wanting to direct and block shots as opposed to just writing. That slowed me to a halt.
What did you do??
I called a high school friend of mine who had been a successful playwright in NY City and ask for advice. He simply said it did not mater if it was a book or screenplay, just get it down on paper. So, since I had been a columnist for 20 years, I figured I would try the manuscript approach.
Did that work?
Yes, I wrote the book in 12 days.
That is pretty much impossible, no one writes close to 400 pages in 12 days
Well, I was actually also editing Jim Baugh Outdoors as well at the time. This is hard to explain, but once I figured out how to write the book, it was like turning on a garden hose at full power.
The manuscript just flowed at full speed. Afterwards it did take over four months to edit and polish, that was were the real work was, because for sure I had to do a lot of fictionalizing and compositing of some characters.
I was so truthful in my writing, I would have gotten in BIG trouble with certain people had I not fictionalized the book. That took some careful writing because although fictionalized, I did not want the essence and truth of the story to be changed, and it was not.
What were the hardest and the most enjoyable part of the editing process for you?
The hardest would be continuity- that can be a real bear. Especially when you’re fictionalizing, changing names and places, etc, etc.
The most fun was the humor. Once mostly edited I would read through the manuscript and look for ANY place that I could interject some humor, make the situation more humorous or more realistic and true.
The characters in HOOKED are so larger than life, simply by writing true to their character was funny enough. That was key, getting the character down so that the reader could feel like the person was sitting right in their living room. This, I believe worked very well in the book. You don’t feel removed from the characters at all, you feel like they are sitting next to you. That, is one of the things that makes HOOKED so special.
Do you have some favorite “FUNNY” lines form the book??
Oh yes, here are just a few! I LOVE these!
Chapter, “It Foams at the Mouth”. –The early years.
* From what unearthly demonic poisoned shallow grave did he drag this possessed ugly beast from I will never know. Someone must have sacrificed a goat in a gone wrong satanic ritual somewhere in the neighborhood and then this thing showed up. She made Mommy Dearest look like one of Santa’s Elves grandchildren at Mass.
* I would think at any minute she would pee on the floor, spit pea soup, do a 360 head turn, and speak in foreign languages while levitating off the bed. We are talking a SERIOUS Bitch here.
* “You are not allowed to sit in these chairs, but we are going to have your portraits done and hang them over the chairs.” I thought to myself why not just let us sit in the chairs and skip the portraits.
Chapter, “Tennessee Tim”-Behind the scenes of JBO TV
* I think Tim and I had a little different perspective of what a houseboat was and his renovation meant that he bought a pool toy at WalMart and stuck it inside the floating shack.
* Now shooting a wild pig and boarding it was not enough for this captain, no, he immediately gutted the pig and cleaned it right there on the boat. He said it was easier to do it on his boat, and he was right.
* Next morning, walking back to the front of the trailer on the sofa was the passed out Dominick’s Pizza Delivery guy. I opened the door and outside was his car still running, door open, and now 50 cold pizzas in the back seat.
* I said, “No sir, the only problem I have is that your B & B is 100 degrees and you put chocolates in your guest’s beds.
* “Damit man!!! Don’t listen to me I don’t know shit about flying an airplane, just photography! Fly the dam plane and don’t listen to a word I say!!’
* “We don’t need air conditioning up here in the mountains”. Really? Boy could have fooled me. To me 100 degrees is a 100 degrees whether you’re in the mountains or at the beach. According to my math, it is the same.
Chapter, “Dating in the Mid Life”
* She had so much baggage she should have had a retractable handle coming out of her ass and rubber wheels instead of feet.
* She did not want Nassau. She wanted the Pope and she was not even Catholic.
* Without a doubt, she could be the permanent poster child for the Jerry Spring Show.
* Could you imagine having her as your physician? I’d rather take up Scientology!
* She had turned into DC Nympho! It was like Clark Kent running into a phone booth and turning into superman. In this case blond-e had turned into raging sex goddess with a BIG attitude.
Yeah, I can see you have a pretty good sense of humor there Jim!! Was there any stumbling block in the story? No mental block at all?
Yes, the ending. In the screenplay outline I had the ending down, however for the book, different story. I was stuck. So, I left it as is, Rose and I would come back from the Keys, then simply go into the final Chapter that was a very short chapter. Sort of my wrap up about faith and how it pulled me out of many difficult times throughout my lifetime.
To be honest, the last chapter, chapter 28, I did not write. The man upstairs wrote it, I just took dictation.
Very true, this happened on night at around 3 am, I woke up from a perfect sleep. Wide awake and it just came to me, this vision of how to perfectly end the book, and I was only a third of the way through writing it at that time.
The vision was of this football game when I was in high school, and we had won a game by only inches. I sat down and starting writing this final chapter, not making any sense at all to me, again, I felt like I was taking dictation, not writing.
Once done, I read it and thought, gee, I don’t know how this is going to work at all, but will leave as is. Then I wrote the rest of the book.
Sure enough, chapter 27 flowed into chapter 28 like it was destined to be. Like I said, I owe the credit to someone else, not me. It is a very inspiration ending and has effected just about everyone that has read it. Wish I could take credit.
That is quite an incredible story, sound like you have a very important co writer?
Yes, you could say that. I only wrote that Rose and I got married during the last week of editing. I did get stuck on that one to. But with some guidance from you know who, the “Big Guy”, I was clearly directed to end it getting re married on the beach in Key Largo. This is the only thing in HOOKED that actually has not happened, but hope to one day.
Getting re married in the book was a big deal, hear is why. It enabled me to wrap up all the messages in the book, all the themes came together, and it was about the most positive reflection on a relationship one could have.
In HOOKED, there was quite a bit of trouble with woman. To or three mental cases, bizarre dating stories, etc,etc. So ending HOOKED on such a positive note helped smooth out the message. I could not of figured a better way to wrap things up. Very inspirational and funny read.
Now that HOOKED is published and out there, what do think about the publishing business so far?
Interesting. I can’t say enough good things about our publisher Solstice Publishing. Great people and they work closely with their authors. I like that a lot. Not something you’re likely to get in NY.
However I recently do have a gripe on the business end regarding our wonderful world wide distribution system.
Lord tell, what is that? (laughs)
The market is being drowned in 99 cent eBooks that is flooding the market in mostly a negative way. It is not good for published authors or publishers, and in the long run, not good for the reader either.
Explain, Please!
Here is what happens. Self published authors will put up anything on the web and sell it for 99 cents. Add to that, there are some published books that ARE good and worthwhile that are also doing the 99 cent thing. This fills up readers eBooks with an occasional good cheap book, but fills the rest with crap. Then the reader says, “Hell, I got 3000 books, mostly for free on my kindle, why would I buy and other books? I have more to read in a lifetime!”
The thing is, out of the 3000 books, there may be 10 worth even looking at.
I would like to see some sort of catorigaztion so that people would know what they are buying.
But, then again, the market may just take care of itself. Once the word gets out, you get what you pay for, then maybe that will stop the on-slaught of 99 cent books.
The other thing that I am not sure authors realize is that if you get catorigized as a 99 cent author, I think you can forget ever being published by a reputable publisher. Some may squeak by, but only a few.
What do you think is a fair price for eBooks?
Depends on the eBook. I think if you want them to sell, they need to be on the low end at least a couple of bucks, on the high end up to seven bucks. I just priced HOOKED at $4.99 and that is where it will stay for quite a while. Five bucks and under is where most of the sales are going to happen. The industry is not changing by the month, but by the day.
What are some other books that you have been reading lately?
I just finished Bill Bruford’s autobiography and loved it. Rutie’s just finished the Help and loved it. Next I am reading Joe Jacksons How I left the state of TN and am a better man for it.
Sounds good Jim! How do people get in contact with you and are you going to give us a recipe like you promised??
Absolutely!!
First up is the HOOKED web site \ blog. Everything is there, contact info, order info, our newspaper reviews, which thankfully have been excellent. Hooked is available just about everywhere on line. Amazon, etc.
http://hookedthebook.wordpress.com
My direct e mail is
Jim.Baugh@ymail.com
@5252Baugh
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1624276499
Also I am on GoodReads now, great site
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6098465-jim-baugh
NOW! Here is some recipe’s I promised. This is one from our Galley Blog, you will love it.
JB's Calamari with Sour Dough Multigrain Chibatta Bread
Ok folks, yes, this is one of my all time favorites, and will be yours to if you give this recipe a try. If you are looking for a “Date Night” dish, this is it!
First, buy some good Calamari from a Japanese market. You are looking for fresh frozen, cleaned medium sized squid. To thaw, just place them in some cold water for a few minutes, and they will soon break apart. Clean the squid by removing the head and tentacles from inside.
Cut the squid into rings and re rinse after you cut up all the rings. Place in a pan and pat dry. Sprinkle with your favorite Cajun spice lightly, then add House Autry Seafood Breader mix to the squid rings along with some cornmeal. Mix everything together and put in the fridge until you are almost ready to serve. Remember, YOU ARE ONLY GOING TO COOK THE SQUID FOR LIKE A MIN!!!! Do NOT pre cook the squid and then wait for everything else to be ready.
Sour Dough Multigrain Ciabatta Bread.
Mix:
2 cup King Arthur Bread Flour
1 Cup Sir Lancelot High Gluten Flour
1-Cup King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
1.5-Cup Sour Dough Start
1 pac instant yeast
Teaspoon of salt (add last after kneading)
1-cup warm spring water
Stir in mixer for only a few minutes, then let stand in covered bowl for 18 hours. After 18 hours, place some cellophane on a wetted granite surface so the cellophane clings to the surface.
Next, put some bench flour on the cellophane and put the dough on and work in some flour to thicken just a LITTLE. This is a wet batter.
The dough will need to rise again for two hours. Use a salt and peppershaker to make a tent with a flour towel. Let rise.
After last rise, move the dough to a cornmealed pizza stone by simply rolling it off onto the stone. This is very easy to maneuver using the cellophane.
Once on the stone, sprinkle a little flour on top, then bake at 425 for 35 minutes. Then remove from oven and cover.
Slice into thin slices and top with fresh Romano, par., and fresh Motz. Cheese as well as fresh cracked pepper and parsley. Toast at 400 for about 10 minutes.
Marinara Sauce
This is real easy, I just buy it, warm it up on the stove, and top with Parmesan Cheese.
To serve, fry in a cast iron skillet for about two minutes, drain and serve on this platter!
If you don’t have a squid platter, get one soon, your company will LOVE IT!!
Wanna know where I got my Squid serving dish????? I bought it off the wall at Carrabbas restaurant. A few years ago I was on a date at Carrabbas and noticed this totally awesome plate hanging on the wall. I called the manager \ owner over to our table and ask him if it was for sale. He said not really, the plate was $200 serving dish imported from Italy. I told the fellow it was not doing anyone any good sitting on the wall, and ask if he would take $50 Bucks for it. He said make it $100 and promise you will come back to dinner again. I looked at my date and said, “Dahlin, If you pay $50 bucks, I will kick in $50 bucks, and we will buy this darn squid plate”!! She agreed. So after we got it off the wall I told her that if we did not continue to date, I get to keep the dish. She said, “Looks like I got the better part of the deal”. Well, all I can say is about a week later, I did get to keep the squid plate, and here is a great pic of it!
Enjoy, Calamari is just fantastic.
That is about it, except for the 20 hour rise for the bread dough, it really is easy, easy dish and just wonderful. Try It!!
Ruthie LOVES Calamari and Chibatta!
