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The Captain’s Boy“The best kind of historical fiction: a riveting tale that is rich with facts and rings true throughout.” —Steve Wiegand, award-winning journalist and author of The American Revolution for Dummies “I heartily recommend its inclusion in every social studies classroom and every middle school library.” —Mary Kelly, ED.D., Librarian, East Baton Rouge Parish Schools AuthorDon CallawayCheyenne, WYdon@(303) 885-4823??????????????????????????????????????????? PublisherBruce L. BortzBancroft Press (one of the top ten independent book publishers in America since 1992)PO Box 65360Baltimore, MD 21209410-358-0658410-627-0608 (cell)bruceb@PublicistBrandon M. Stickneybrandonstickney5@727-942-8618Title InfoThe Captain’s Boy: A Novel Don CallawayHistorical YA FictionHC: 978-1-61088-037-4PB: 978-1-61088-038-1Ebook: 978-1-61088-039-8Audio: 978-1-61088-040-4 (Audiobook available through Audible, etc.)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020 Length: 268 pagesLexile Range Estimate: 610L - 800L (Early Reader)$19.95DistributorBaker & Taylor Publisher Services (the premier worldwide distributor of books, digital content, and entertainment products from approximately 25,000 suppliers to over 20,000 customers in 120 countries): 30 Amberwood Parkway Ashland, OH 44805.Publisher InfoBeen a top-ten indie since its start in 1992Publishes 4-6 books a yearDistributed nationally by Baker & Taylor Publisher ServicesFrontlist and backlist titles represented in Hollywood by APA (Agency for the Performing Arts)Publishes almost all types of books, from memoirs to mysteries, young adult novels to history and biographyBancroft books have received numerous starred reviews—four, in fact, for two 2018 summer books—and have won numerous awardsThe Missing Kennedy, a NYT ebook bestseller, was on the cover of People Magazine when published in 2015Recent mystery (Her Kind of Case) received star reviews from all but one of trade review publicationsPublished the books of three Pulitzer Prize winners (Alice Steinbach, Stephen Hunter, Elizabeth McGowan)Descriptions of The Captain’s BoyOne SentenceWith his family murdered and his home burned and pillaged, fourteen-year-old Isaiah is plunged into the dangerous world of the American Revolution… on the side of the rebels. Now a part of a cause bigger than himself, Isaiah gradually discovers what it means to be a man.One ParagraphAs he returns home from gathering supplies with his father, fourteen-year-old Isaiah is looking forward to showing off his new symbol of manhood to his mother and sisters. What he doesn’t expect to find is his home burned and pillaged, his barn up in flames, and his family dead 1905058356500at his feet. Equipped with nothing but a description of the man who led the raid and the few items the raiders left behind, Isaiah and his father take to the road with one goal in mind: justice. When it is clear justice cannot be obtained without bloodshed, they go to meet General Washington and join the American Revolution. With his father forming a cavalry of riflemen, Isaiah learns the ways of the wilderness, hunting, and combat from men with their own reasons for joining the war. Realizing he is now a part of a cause bigger than himself, Isaiah gradually finds out what it means to be a man.Five ParagraphsFourteen-year-old farmboy Isaiah Brewster is nearly home after a three-day trip to the outskirts of Philadelphia, where he and his father have escaped the notice of British patrols long enough to barter their home-made whiskey and cider for coin money—enough to buy the basic supplies needed to survive through another cold and snowy winter. He’s excited to show off his new rifle to his mother and sisters—it’s his first big step into manhood. Instead of happiness and warmth, however, Isaiah finds his family barn in flames, his house ransacked, and his family murdered. Before dying, the family’s indentured servant provides him and his father a semi-detailed description of the Hessian mercenary officer who led the tragic raid. With nothing more than the supplies purchased during their previous trip, Isaiah follows his father as they leave their peaceful farm life to obtain justice from the men responsible. After being told that such justice is not within reach, Isaiah’s father turns to the next option, deciding to join the ongoing American war of independence, on the American side. With General Washington’s approval, Isaiah’s father forms a small cavalry of twenty-one riflemen, all with their own personal reasons for aiding the Revolution. The plan is simple: plunder and burn every British and Hessian camp they come across—and leave no survivors. Embarked into uncharted territory, Isaiah must discover how to navigate through the wilderness during a time of war, and to learn, from his companions, how to use the tools of manhood, studying new forms of combat, hunting, surveillance, and woodsmen’s craft along the way.Joining his father’s newly organized company of riflemen, Isaiah hopes to prove himself by devising a new, creative way to defeat the Hessian and British armies. Armed with nothing more than a wagon full of venison and turkey, he goes undercover as a simple meat salesman to stake out their guarded camps. But wartime campaigns rarely go as planned. A raid that goes wrong, two bullets put into Isaiah’s father’s body, a risky reconnaissance strategy, a Hessian boy captured, and a seeming blindness for revenge: all are part of what Isaiah must go through as he reaches towards manhood with the aid and support of his father and his new comrades. Now a part of a cause bigger than himself, Isaiah gradually discovers what it means to be a man: It’s much more than just owning a rifle and learning how to shoot. Capturing the protagonist’s special feelings of excitement, nervousness, fear, and personal growth, former teacher, lifetime writer, and debut novelist Don Calloway brings readers along for a bumpy ride, full of twists, turns, and unexpected encounters. In a field where this isn’t much comparable, at least lately, this authentic and thrilling, coming-of-age story keeps its readers (both male and female) on edge, waiting to see what happens next. Like Johnny Tremain, The Captain’s Boy is destined to become a historical fiction classic for young readers.The Novel’s Key Selling PointsThe Captain’s Boy is a coming of age story about a fourteen-year-old boy, Isaiah, who grows to manhood during the American Revolution.The Captain’s Boy has several selling points:The novel will be of special interest to boys twelve and older who are referred to as “reluctant readers.” The author has taught reading to boys from fourth through seventh grade and he conducted a reading of this book with ten boys who had been identified as reluctant readers. They were interested in guns, war, woodsmen’s craft, and the adventures of a young boy during the American Revolution. The author’s interest in the American Revolution dates back more than fifty years. The novel is the result of reading widely over those years and extensive research into the events and customs of the time of the American Revolution. The author has woven together interesting facts about farm and military life during the 18th century so that readers can discover how daily life has changed and still remains the same.During his research, the author discovered that the famed Kentucky long rifle and the Conestoga wagon both actually came from Eastern Pennsylvania in the time of the American Revolution. Both the rifle and the wagon play a crucial role in his novel, which takes place entirely in Pennsylvania. Young protagonist Isaiah learns to care for and use his rifle and drives a Conestoga wagon, moving deep into the native forest and back out of the forest to scout and trade.One area of the author’s extensive research revealed the nature of the chestnut forest that once stretched from New England to the southern reaches of the Appalachian Mountains. This forest of massive trees no longer exists as a result of a blight introduced in the early 20th century.Isaiah learns fishing techniques, how to cure meat, and how to sell the cured meat and salted fish to the British and Hessian camps.Isaiah learns respect and responsibility by living in a military camp.Isaiah learns to forgive when he is put in charge of a Hessian boy captured on one of the raids.Praise for The Captain’s Boy“Callaway combines his experience as a teacher and talent as a writer to produce the best kind of historical fiction: a riveting tale that is rich with facts and rings true throughout. Readers will be hoping for a sequel well before they reach the last page.”—Steve Wiegand, award-winning journalist and author of The American Revolution for Dummies “In this new author’s introductory novel, Don Callaway immerses young readers ages 12 through 16 in the exciting world of the revolutionary era. Normally, stories in this period are largely set on the battlefield. Mr. Callaway places the action in the farms and fields surrounding the battles. He deals with the everyday life of a young pioneer boy of fourteen. He captures young readers instantly and enmeshes them in the life of this young protagonist. Librarians and teachers of social studies will relish the appearance of The Captain’s Boy. It fills a niche; nothing similar to it has been published in recent years. I heartily recommend its inclusion in every social studies classroom and every middle school library.” —Mary Kelly, ED.D., Librarian, East Baton Rouge Parish Schools Q&A with Author Don CallawayWhy frame this book, not as a traditional “war story,” but a story of a young boy who sorts of stumbles into joining the war, not by choice but by necessity?By framing the story in a time of war, I was able to show the boy’s growth into a young man. Isaiah begins the book as a boy who is content to be a boy. Events push him to become a young man in the eyes of the company of men and, in the end, his father’s eyes as well. Ultimately, the story of Isaiah and his father is more a coming-of-age story than a war story.What kinds or types of research were required to write this particular book? Over the years, I read histories and biographies as well as diaries and letters that brought the Age of Revolution alive in my mind. I also made use of various original documents that are now available on the Internet.How long did you spend researching before you actually started to put pen to paper?The research for this novel began when I was a boy, younger than Isaiah. I was fascinated by the stories of Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, and others who fought the British and Hessians by employing guerrilla tactics. My research continued as I wrote and revised the book.How did you start to develop your plotline and characters? Was one easier to develop than the other?I developed the idea of a father/son story first. These characters, the father and son, developed into a plot, so the plot and the main characters grew together and from each other.Did any of the characters change, in personality or purpose, as you were writing them? Isaiah changes the most as he is able to process his grief and goes on to assume the responsibility of scouting British and Hessian camps. He maps the camps as he sells venison and turkey. The book is the story of a boy becoming a young man. He comes to see himself in the eyes of the other members of the company.Who would you say was your favorite character to develop and why?I enjoyed developing the character of Isaiah the most. In many ways, Isaiah reflects my own growth from boyhood to young man, although my own transition took many more years.Which character was the most challenging to write? Why?The most challenging character to write was the father because he refuses to see his son growing and developing into a young man even though every other member of the company acknowledges Isaiah’s growth and accepts him into their company as an equal long before the father accepts Isaiah for the young man he has become. If you could describe the main character, Isaiah in three words, what would they be?Isaiah is intelligent, loyal, and courageous.If your readers were to take away one thing after reading this book, what would it be?We all mature at a different pace because our development from child to adult reflects the challenges of the world in which we live.Why did you choose the Revolutionary War to set your book?As an elementary and middle school teacher, I found very few books for boys set in the Revolutionary War that challenged the reader to learn about the society and the culture of the time. My novel is intended to fill that gap.What were some of the challenges in writing this book?The greatest challenge was to be true to history as much as possible while telling an entertaining story. I wanted young readers to learn about the period without becoming bogged down in excessive detail.Why did you choose to set this book, not on a battleground, but in the woods and army camps?The woods of that time no longer exist. The massive American chestnut trees were cut down to clear land for farms and towns but still stood in great numbers at the dawn of the 20th century. However, the American chestnut was all but pressed to extinction by a blight in the early part of the 20th century. That forest is gone now. The American chestnut and the wildlife it sheltered form one of the major characters in the novel.Did you have a scene or chapter that was your favorite to write? Why?I particularly enjoyed writing the scenes that feature Isaiah and Gregor, the German-speaking frontiersmen. Gregor values Isaiah and treats him as an equal.Which scene was the most challenging to write? Why?The most challenging scene was the burial scene when Isaiah has to dig graves for the members of his family. Isaiah starts to work his way through the stages of grief while digging the graves. This book could be categorized as historical fiction. What challenges did you come across when writing for this particular genre?The greatest challenge in writing historical fiction is to know when to stop researching and write the story. In historical fiction, there needs to be a balance between the relating of facts and the development of plot and character.What is the significance of the title “The Captain’s Boy”?In the beginning of the book, Isaiah is still a boy, and when his father obtains a commission as captain and informs his own company, the other men see him initially as a boy. By the conclusion of the book, no one sees him as just the Captain’s boy.What did you enjoy most about the writing process? What was the most difficult part?There were days when the words simply flowed and the dialogue all but wrote itself. There were other days when I had to force myself to sit down at the computer and open the file. Those difficult days were the days when the novel grew to maturity.What influences you to write? Are there particular motivations for your books, or do you write as inspiration pops up in a more random spontaneous sense?I have been influenced by a great many other writers. Some writers write by the seat of their pants, while other writers plan in great detail before they write. I plan and then set the words in motion. Inspiration simply doesn’t happen to me often enough for me to count on inspiration to finish a novel. Did you base any of the characters, or any aspects of the characters, on real-life people?All the characters arise from a lifetime of experiences, but no one character fully formed from someone I knew in real life. Will there be a sequel? What do you think the future has in store for the characters?Yes. The next book in the series is tentatively entitled The Captain’s Spy. My plan is for Isaiah to continue to grow as the Revolutionary War develops, all the way to Yorktown and the disbanding of Washington’s army.About the AuthorDon Callaway has been writing for as long as he can remember. The world of books was a very important part of his childhood and he continues to be a bookaholic to this day.37147544005500He wrote while attaining both his undergraduate and master’s degree from LSU and was a founding member of a playwright’s workshop theater while an undergraduate.Don has been a bartender, a nightclub manager, a public school teacher, a university instructor, a call center representative, and an instructional designer. He has written stories and plays and poems as well as a sci-fi novel, We Three Kings (unpublished).While serving as a public school teacher, he noticed how few historical novels, set during the Revolutionary War, were expressly written and published for boys that were. This was the germ of his historical novel, The Captain’s Boy. He is currently composing a sequel, to be called The Captain’s Spy.Don grew up in Louisiana and has lived in Colorado Springs, CO; Lancaster, CA; and Denver, CO. He is presently retired and writing from his home in Cheyenne, Wyoming. ................
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