| Nick Ruth didn't set out to be an author when he sat | | | | for them to explore. |
| down to write The Dark Dreamweaver; he was just | | | | Tyler: Without giving away the end of the story, I |
| looking for a way to connect with his son. The two | | | | understand the characters triumph using their wits and |
| share a love of reading, and Nick decided to surprise | | | | wisdom, and that the book has very little fighting. Did |
| his son with a personalized story. What started out as | | | | you intentionally steer away from a more traditional |
| a short story grew into a 224-page book that has | | | | wizards and warriors, epic battle type story, and why? |
| won awards and attracted fans around the country. | | | | Nick: The structure of my story was greatly influenced |
| Nick is a lifelong resident of Baltimore, Maryland. He | | | | by my son, who isn't a big fan of violence, and so "The |
| has degrees in biology and computer networking, and | | | | Dark Dreamweaver" is a fairly bloodless fantasy. |
| he works as a computer network administrator. He | | | | While my whole family loves Harry Potter, I think J.K. |
| and his family share their home with three cats and | | | | Rowling went a little too far in Goblet of Fire during |
| various other creatures, some of whom appear in The | | | | Voldemorts rebirth, and because my book is geared |
| Remin Chronicles in various guises. In his spare time, | | | | toward a slightly younger audience I made a point to |
| Nick enjoys reading, playing guitar, and writing music. | | | | keep the intensity dialed down. |
| Nick is currently working on book three of The Remin | | | | My vision of Remin didn't really fit the mold of the |
| Chronicles. | | | | whole Dungeons and Dragons environment so I think |
| Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Nick. To begin, | | | | I've created a unique little world while still maintaining a |
| would you tell us a little bit about the plot behind "The | | | | comfortable magical quality. I actually see the |
| Dark Dreamweaver?" | | | | "traditional" fantasy world as a myth. Look at OZ, |
| Nick: Boy meets wizard; Boy helps wizard; Evil | | | | Xanth, Narnia, Droon and Harry Potter. Not your typical |
| defeated yet again. I happen to love the tiny | | | | D&D like Lord of the Rings or Eragon. I think a lot |
| summaries in the TV guide that attempt to tell the plot | | | | of children's fantasy softens the sword and sorcery |
| of epic movies in 10 words or less so that's my little | | | | angle which can be a little jarring for young minds. |
| contribution. The story revolves around an imaginative | | | | Tyler: Our eleven year old reviewer at Reader Views, |
| young boy named David, who befriends a cursed | | | | Aja King, loved "The Dark Dreamweaver" so much |
| wizard and goes on a magical journey to break the | | | | she has read it three times and now her father is |
| curse and defeat the power-hungry wizard Thane. | | | | reading it. Is this typical of the response you have |
| The journey takes place in the world of Remin, which | | | | received so far from the book? What have readers |
| is where our dreams are given their appearance of | | | | told you they like best about "The Dark |
| reality through the magic of dreamweaving. We meet | | | | Dreamweaver?" |
| talking sea serpents, a man that resembles a jellyfish, a | | | | Nick: Aja and I have struck up an online dialog and her |
| man with replaceable heads. Magic and fun characters. | | | | reaction to my book is close to what I have heard |
| This book has it all. | | | | from other children and parents. Because it's skewed |
| Tyler: Nick, how does David's journey begin? I | | | | a little younger than Harry Potter, it's a great |
| understand he goes to Remin, the land of dreams, so | | | | introduction to fantasy books. The children I have met |
| is he dreaming during the book or is it reality he is | | | | have all read the book multiple times and they like the |
| experiencing? I am reminded of "The Wizard of Oz" | | | | fantastic characters as well as the idea that their |
| where Dorothy's adventure is supposed to have really | | | | dreams travel to another world before returning to |
| happened in the book, but in the film, it was all a dream. | | | | them while they are sleeping. They love the fact that |
| Nick: Funny you should mention "The Wizard of Oz." A | | | | David doesn't just see the magic around him but |
| frequent question during bookstore appearances is: | | | | actually participates. I originally wrote this story for an |
| What kind of story can be found in "The Dark | | | | audience of one (my son) but the fact that it has |
| Dreamweaver"? Most people instinctively want a | | | | found a much larger audience is very gratifying. |
| familiar reference point when discussing a new book, | | | | Tyler: Nick, how old is your son now, and is he still |
| and my answer is that "The Wizard of Oz" book (not | | | | giving you ideas for books? |
| the movie) is a good comparison. I don't think I'm giving | | | | Nick: David is now almost 12 years old. Many of the |
| anything away by saying that Remin is a real place. | | | | best ideas in my stories come from his experiences |
| David encounters a wizard who is cursed so that he | | | | and imagination. I expand on them or alter them for |
| lives the life of a butterfly in endless repetition. David | | | | story purposes but my son is definitely an integral part |
| meets the wizard in the form of a caterpillar and the | | | | of all of the best things in Remin. I wrote the first book |
| journey begins. | | | | when he was 6 and now he's co-writing a Remin |
| Tyler: How did the idea of the world of Remin come | | | | book with me, as well as working on his own book |
| to you? | | | | series. He's my biggest fan. |
| Nick: I love this question. Here's a bit of well-known | | | | Tyler: That's wonderful, Nick. Not many children have |
| trivia. When L. Frank Baum was working on "The | | | | parents who encourage them to be writers. I |
| Wonderful Wizard of Oz", he was searching for a | | | | understand the second book is already published. Can |
| name for his magical land and happened to glance at | | | | you tell us a little bit about the second book? |
| his filing cabinet where the drawers were labeled A-N | | | | Nick: I never planned on a series. In fact I never |
| and O-Z. I think he chose the right drawer as I'm not | | | | considered myself a writer. I work in the computer |
| sure "The Wonderful Wizard of AN" would have | | | | industry and this started as a story to entertain my |
| captured the public's fancy. I'm a huge fan of those | | | | son. The first book was a fluke. A story that begged |
| "Behind the Music" shows and I love finding out about | | | | to get onto the paper and flowed almost without |
| the influences behind the books that I read. The story | | | | thought. It was like the land of Remin planted the |
| behind the story is sometimes a lot of fun, and "The | | | | dream into my head while I slept and all I had to do |
| Dark Dreamweaver" is no exception. I have a pretty | | | | was write it down when I woke up. When I presented |
| detailed description on my website so I'll just hit the | | | | the story to my son I was emphatic that there were |
| highlights here. | | | | no other stories, but he was so thrilled with the |
| I'm a big believer in reading to your children, and so | | | | adventure that it wasn't too long before I started |
| every night I would read to my son David. He loved | | | | wondering if there wasn't another story to be told. |
| the Magic School Bus stories, and I'm sorry to say that | | | | David wanted his cousins to travel to Remin, and that |
| I became bored reading the same stories over and | | | | became the starting point for what became the |
| over again. Kids love repetition, but me, not so much. | | | | second book, "The Breezes of Inspire" which actually |
| We invented a Magical David character and I started | | | | takes place in an entirely new world that is connected |
| to make up scenes where my son would appear in | | | | to Remin. Giant talking plants, a forgetful sea serpent |
| the stories to help out Miss Frizzle and her kids. He | | | | and angry four-armed environmentalists are along for |
| loved this so much that I decided to invent a short | | | | the ride and although it was a much harder story to |
| story where he was the main character. I envisioned a | | | | write, I'm very satisfied with the results. With butterflies |
| ten pager but it took me two hundred pages to tell the | | | | in the first book, the second book touches on the idea |
| story that became "The Dark Dreamweaver." | | | | of symbiosis where two different life forms join to their |
| Many of the elements in the story are taken from | | | | mutual benefit. When I finished this book, I again told my |
| David's experiences. We spent one summer finding | | | | son that this was the last book. |
| Monarch butterfly eggs and raising the caterpillars, and | | | | Tyler: Do you know how many books will be in the |
| one day while pondering what kind of story I could | | | | series? Is it a planned number of volumes as with the |
| write, the idea that one of the caterpillars talked | | | | Harry Potter books or will you keep writing them as |
| sparked my imagination and soon there were | | | | long as readers want them? |
| numerous questions to be answered. Who was this | | | | Nick: I guess I should never say never. The third book |
| caterpillar and where was he from? Each answer led | | | | is halfway through the first draft so I guess if the first |
| to another question and slowly but surely the story | | | | two books continue to sell and win awards there will |
| blossomed. Several of David's Lego creations made | | | | be another Remin adventure. There are not a planned |
| their way into the story, and the glass wand filled with | | | | number of books but each new story that I write gives |
| colored glitter that we picked up at a festival ignited | | | | me hints about other possible storylines. Each story is |
| the magic in the tale. | | | | a stand-alone adventure so it can go as far as my |
| The name Remin comes from the concept of | | | | imagination takes me. I have glimmers in my mind that |
| rapid-eye movement, or REM, which is the sleep state | | | | could produce as many as six books in the series and |
| that involves dreams. Take that, Mr. Baum. | | | | I'm sure if I head down that path even more ideas will |
| Tyler: I love it, putting one over on L. Frank Baum, | | | | present themselves. |
| although I'm a huge fan of his as well. What do you | | | | Tyler: It's ironic that you mention six books. You know, |
| think makes Remin stand out from other fantasy | | | | L. Frank Baum tried to make his sixth Oz book the last |
| worlds in other books? | | | | one, but the children insisted on more, so after a couple |
| Nick: Wow, tough question. Our world and Remin are | | | | years, he returned to them and ended up writing |
| linked. What happens in Remin doesn't stay in Remin. I | | | | fourteen before he died. And even then, the publishers |
| think that's a little unique. Destroy Oz and everything is | | | | had to hire other writers to continue the series. Have |
| still the same in our world. Destroy Remin and nobody | | | | you considered writing other types of books like Baum |
| is going to sleep well anymore. | | | | wanted to, or will you stick to children's fantasy for |
| Tyler: I understand the subplots offer some lessons on | | | | now? |
| environmental science, and key roles for children, | | | | Nick: I have a little note on my computer where I have |
| among other lessons. Do you feel children's books | | | | several other ideas scribbled down, but I think I'm |
| have a responsibility toward the reader beyond | | | | locked into children's fantasy for the foreseeable |
| entertainment? | | | | future. Maybe when I retire I'll tackle some of my other |
| Nick: Yes and No. Reading is the important point here. I | | | | ideas. David's interests drive a lot of my activities, so |
| have an eight-point plan on my web-site called | | | | as long as he has an interest in Remin, I'll continue to |
| BLASTOFF to help parents help their kids to become | | | | explore that world. |
| lifetime readers. I think that I have the responsibility to | | | | Tyler: Fantasy is probably the most popular genre for |
| present an entertaining story that any parent would be | | | | children's books. Yet there are those adults who are |
| happy to read to their kids and if I can make learning | | | | opposed to fantasy. Why do you think fantasy (or |
| fun in the context of the story, then that's a bonus. | | | | fairy tale) stories remain so important for children? |
| Children will have plenty of time to learn about the | | | | What benefit does it provide them? |
| darker sides of life so my books are designed not to | | | | Nick: This is the type of question that could result in a |
| keep your kids up at night. I think every good children's | | | | book-length answer. Kids are highly imaginative and I |
| story offers lessons and no matter how deeply you | | | | think as we turn into adults we forget how big a part |
| bury those idea in your story, kids figure it out. | | | | imagination played in our own lives. Working on the |
| I didn't write a story to teach a lesson. I just wanted to | | | | book took me back to my childhood, where we built |
| write a good story. The butterfly lessons in my book | | | | forts in my backyard and dreamed about flying. I think |
| come naturally from the story, so it was an easy | | | | kids use fantasy to protect themselves from the |
| decision to expand that a little bit and add some facts | | | | dangers of the real world and to keep themselves |
| at the end of the book and try to help kids become | | | | from growing up too fast. |
| interested in the world of the butterfly. | | | | Some of our best children's classics come from |
| Tyler: What is the lesson to be learned from "The | | | | parents writing stories to entertain children. "Winnie the |
| Dark Dreamweaver"? | | | | Pooh" originated in much the same way as my book |
| Nick: The main theme for the book is the power of | | | | with A.A. Milne inventing his world for his son |
| imagination. Much of the magic in the book comes | | | | Christopher. J.M. Barrie told his stories to a friend's |
| from inside the people that populate the story. David | | | | children. He recognized the importance of fantasy in a |
| learns that there are things more important than what | | | | child's life and embodied it in Peter Pan who became |
| he wants, and that working together is better than | | | | the poster boy for the power of imagination. |
| going solo. | | | | I'm perplexed with adults who oppose fantasy. |
| Tyler: The recommended reading age for "The Dark | | | | Thomas Edison was chastised for being a dreamer |
| Dreamweaver" is 9-12 year olds. Do you recommend | | | | and became one of our greatest inventors. Thinking |
| parents read these books with their children, and do | | | | outside the box is a benefit in this fast moving world, |
| you think adults would also find them appealing? | | | | and fantasy is definitely an outside-the-box activity. It |
| Nick: I still enjoy reading Dr. Seuss, so I can't be too | | | | will take an awful lot of imagination to solve some of |
| objective here. A good story appeals to all ages, so I | | | | the issues confronting us today. |
| think that adults will enjoy the story as well. I highly | | | | Tyler: Nick, before we go, will you tell our readers what |
| recommend that parents read to their children and so | | | | your website is so they can find out more information |
| this is a good place for me to layout the BLASTOFF | | | | about The Remin Chronicles series and where to |
| plan. | | | | purchase a copy of "The Dark Dreamweaver"? |
| Bedtime (make time to read) | | | | Nick: Gladly. You can learn all about the series at |
| Librarian (help find books that interest your kids) | | | | amazon or My site has information about the series as |
| Audio (don't ignore audio books) | | | | well as some fun things to do including the theme |
| Self (become a reader yourself) | | | | songs for both books which I wrote and performed. |
| Together (read as a family) | | | | David added some harmonies to the "Breezes of |
| Open-minded (be open-minded about what they read) | | | | Inspire" theme song so check it out if you get the |
| Force (don't force it) | | | | chance. It's been a lot of fun. |
| Fun (if it's fun they will gravitate toward it) | | | | Tyler: One last question, Nick. You mentioned theme |
| I had many kids tell me that they've read my book | | | | songs, which seem unusual for a book. Are you hoping |
| multiple times and that is one of the highest | | | | to expand the books into multimedia ventures, such as |
| compliments that I think I can get. Remin is just one of | | | | cd's, or films? |
| the many worlds that are out there to explore and I | | | | Nick: No. The theme songs are just a way to make |
| hope that children or parents who read this interview | | | | the books stand out a little bit in a very competitive |
| will find out about Remin and then explore more | | | | industry. I had written other songs for my own |
| worlds like Oz, Narnia, and Xanth. | | | | enjoyment so when the book was published it was |
| Tyler: I love the acronym, Nick. As opposed to children, | | | | just a nice marketing tool. There's nothing better than |
| what sorts of responses have you received from | | | | enjoying your work and I like noodling around with my |
| parents about your books or the blast-off idea? | | | | guitar, so it was another easy decision to write a song |
| Nick: Well that's something that doesn't get asked too | | | | to help sell the book. Playing the theme songs during |
| much. Most of the questions I get are focused on the | | | | appearances is also a nice entertainment bonus. Aja |
| children who read the book, so it's nice to talk about | | | | has a theme song for her book "Three Grin Salad," so |
| what parents think of "The Dark Dreamweaver." One | | | | maybe we're at the vanguard of a new trend in book |
| of my favorite quotes is from a mother who thinks the | | | | marketing. |
| book will make a great movie, and several parents | | | | My son of course would love to see the book made |
| have mentioned that they read it to their kids and | | | | into a film and "The Dark Dreamweaver" was an |
| when they were done the kids took the book and | | | | honorable mention at the 2006 Hollywood Book |
| read it themselves. That always brings a smile to my | | | | Festival, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm just going to |
| face, and that's where the blast-off idea came from. | | | | keep playing in the literary world of Remin and see |
| Making children life-long readers is one of the best | | | | what the future holds. |
| things you can do for them, and I have given several | | | | Tyler: Thank you so much for joining me today, Nick. I |
| radio interviews talking about this 8-point plan. Easy to | | | | hope your imagination remains fertile for the many |
| remember and descriptive of what will happen to your | | | | children out there waiting to read more of your books. |
| child's mind when the world of books is thrown open | | | | |