Cute and cuddly? Hardly.

B.R.had had the rare privilege of observing grizzly bears in the wild on numerous occasions, especially in the Hayden Valley area of Yellowstone National Park. Watching a male rear up to 9’ on his hind legs is a true sight to behold. On one occasion he watched a male and female engage in ‘grizzly foreplay,’ which ended when the female bit off most of her paramours right ear. Needless to say, he was so enchanted by her that he did not return the favor, and moments later they got busy making a new family. For those of you who looked closely at the photo of the barn in the post above you can see the wood carving of the big guy here. Let’s hope these magnificent creatures never disappear from the earth!

3rd Thomas Scoundrel Novel Coming Fall 2024

1884- Two years after the action in Scoundrel in the Thick, Thomas Scoundrel is getting bored training new recruits for the Mexican Army and chasing bandits in the northern territories, and so he jumps at an offer to write an article about the new Paris to Istanbul luxury train called the Orient Express. Onboard the train he meets Heléne de Bovet, the beautiful daughter of a famous Egyptologist who is on a quest to salvage her father’s reputation and save his life. When Thomas accompanies Hélene to the site of her father’s last dig at Luxor in Egypt, they are swept up into the war that is brewing between British forces under the command of General Charles Gordon, and the fanatical warrior chieftain known as the Mahdi whose thousands of devoted followers are bent on ripping off the shackles of European control. In the ensuing weeks Thomas will be flung into pitched battles on the shores of the Nile, captured by the Mahdi, and tossed into a hellish Sudanese prison. He escapes, but only to face another fight for survival as he races across the blistering Sahara Desert to rescue Hélene, who is being held for ransom by a Bedouin warlord.

The Ghost of Khartoum delivers grand adventure, historical realism, and the familiar touch of gourmet food and wine that readers of the Thomas Scoundrel series have come to expect.

Arriving Winter 2024

The father of science fiction has dinner with Thomas Scoundrel. There's got to be a story there...

 

While in New York City representing the work of one of the earliest impressionist painters (who he befriends in Tahiti), Thomas meets author Jules Verne at the release of his book, Around the World in Eighty Days . (The perfect book for Thomas!) Verne, who is known as the "father of science fiction,’ also wrote:

• Journey to the Center of the Earth

• Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas

• The Mysterious Island

• From the Earth to the Moon

Most of Verne's novels were published in the Voyages Extraordinaires series. Did he ever write about Thomas? More on that later…

OK, that's a serious number of books

Damn the French in general, of course, but they do produce some extraoridnary wines. In Chapter 32 of Scoundrel in the Thick, Thomas enjoys a bottle of Romanee-Conti, considered the finest wine in the world when he drank it in 1882, and still considered to be numero uno to this day. This wine is produced in extremely tiny quantities (less than 500 cases per year), which ensures gargantuan levels of demand: as of 2023, DRC Romanee-Conti is the most expensive wine in the entire world, averaging nearly $20,187 per single bottle for the most recent release. How many books do I need to sell to enjoy a single glass? Let me grab a calculator..

Look, isn't a bosom a bosom?

4 times? One of my editors (whose job it is to note such things) informs me that I use the word 'décolletage' 4 times in Scoundrel in the Thick. I had 2 responses: first, can you suggest a better word? And second, there are another 226,587 words in the book. I don't think the term is overused.

It wasn't all hula dances

The history of Polynesia is a rich and vibrant tapestry of people and places, as is described in Scoundrel in Paradise. One little-known aspect of their history had to do with the practice of human sacrifice.

The ancient Polynesians, who inhabited the islands of the Pacific Ocean, practiced human sacrifice as a religious ritual. The exact origins of the practice are not known, but it is believed to have been a part of Polynesian culture for centuries. The practice was most prevalent in the Marquesas Islands, where it was used to appease the gods and ensure the success of important events such as the construction of a new temple or the launch of a canoe.

Human sacrifice in ancient Polynesia involved the ritual killing of a person, usually a member of the lower classes, in order to appease the gods or to ensure the success of an important event. The victim was often chosen through a lottery system, and was typically killed by strangulation or by having their throat cut. The body of the victim was then buried in a sacred location, such as a temple or a burial ground.

The practice of human sacrifice in ancient Polynesia was not limited to one specific god or religion, but was instead a part of the general religious beliefs of the Polynesian people. The gods of Polynesia were believed to be powerful and demanding, and human sacrifice was seen as a way to appease them and ensure their favor. The gods were also believed to have the power to control the elements, such as the wind and the waves, and human sacrifice was sometimes used to ensure good weather for important events such as fishing trips or canoe voyages.

Human sacrifice was also used to mark important events in the lives of Polynesian leaders. For example, when a new chief was appointed, a human sacrifice would be made in order to ensure the chief's success and the prosperity of the community. Similarly, when a new temple was built, a human sacrifice would be made in order to ensure the blessings of the gods and the protection of the community.

The practice of human sacrifice in ancient Polynesia began to decline in the 19th century, as contact with Westerners brought new religious and cultural influences to the islands. Christian missionaries, who arrived in the islands in the early 19th century, strongly condemned the practice of human sacrifice and worked to eradicate it. As a result, the practice gradually disappeared and is no longer a part of Polynesian culture.

“My life so far has been a long series of things I wasn't ready for.” Ashleigh Brilliant

Does that sound familiar to you? Rocked by surprises, blind-sided by circumstance, hobbled by the occasional accident? I just spent a week in my old hometown of Manhattan Beach, California to refresh and reset. The ocean is a powerful tonic, and more soothing than any medicine designed by science. I hope you get a chance to dip your toes in the water very soon!

B.R. O’Hagan Manhattan Beach, CA 2023

The No Apologies Campaign

If you knock your neighbor’s fence down with your lawn tractor, or snatch the last cookie off the plate before your crying three-year old niece gets one, yes, by all means, apologize. Then fix the situation, and move on. But, the truth is that men are sometimes expected to apologize for pretty damn much everything, and frankly, the ‘apologize-or-else’ movement has gotten out of hand. Get yourself out there and hunt, fish, ride, shoot, camp, build, laugh, vote, speak up, hold her tight, swear when the situation calls for it, and most importantly, take care of what matters most to you, especially your family. Why should you apologize for that?

The theme of the campaign for the first book in the Thomas Scoundrel series is No Apologies. That doesn’t mean never apologize. Instead, it means that we should never apologize for who we are, or for doing what we believe is right. With that in mind, here are some of the images we will be using in our marketing campaign for Scoundrel in the Thick. Feel free to let us know what you think.

Yeah, he won’t be apologizing anytime soon.

Accolades for the 'Voice' of Thomas Scoundrel

Craig Colclough in Don Giovanni September 2023

Congratulations to Craig Colclough, the voice of Thomas Scoundrel. He is getting rave reviews for his performance in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the LA Opera (through October 15th, 2023.) When Craig’s performance comes to an end he will be going into the recording booth to perform the new Thomas Scoundrel novel, Passage to Moorea. We are proud and honored to have a talent of his stature working with us, Bravo, Craig!

Review From Stage & Cinema:

Bass-Baritone Craig Colclough‘s (last seen at LA Opera as Figaro in Marriage of Figaro) portrayal of Don Giovanni’s servant Leporello was, simply put, a master class. What set him apart from others I have seen in the role was his ability to convey Leporello’s internal conflicts and evolving perspective on his master. As the opera progressed, Colclough’s Leporello transitioned from being a simple bystander to grappling with moral dilemmas and questions of loyalty. This evolution was subtly reflected in Colclough’s nuanced acting and vocal delivery, adding an extra layer of complexity to the character. His performance of the famous “Catalogue Aria” was a true highlight, as he navigates the rapid-fire list of Don Giovanni’s conquests with clarity and precision. Colclough’s delivery not only showcased his technical skill but also his ability to infuse the aria with humor and personality.

Keani

Keani is a strong, beautiful, complex character, and a central figure in Passage to Moorea. This photograph was taken around the time the book is set, and was one of the sources for B.R. O’Hagan’s description of the young Tahitian woman.

Artist’s concept of Keani © 2023

Hungry?

Great food and wine are central to the Thomas Scoundrel books, and to be honest, researching meals and vino that were popular at the time is a lot of fun. In Chapter 42 of Passage to Moorea, Thomas and Keani (you’ll find out more about her soon) go spearfishing on the reef that surrounds the island of Moorea. Their catch that day was a large parrotfish, one of the best eating fishes in the South Pacific. Thomas grills it on coals wrapped in a Ti leaf. (Ti Leaves are considered to be sacred to Lono, the Hawaiian God of fertility and Laka, the Goddess of Hula. The leaves are also used by Kahuna priests to ward off evil and bring in good spirits), He adds salt, lemon and garlic, and they have a feast. Along with an ocean-chilled chablis, of course!

Where is the voice of Thomas Scoundrel spending his summer?

Craig Colclough, voice of Thomas Scoundrel and international opera star, is performing in two of the Ring Cycle Operas by Richard Wagner in Austria this summer. You can catch his performance as Alberich in Siegried and Götterdämmerung in June.

In February he played the title role in the opera Figaro in Los Angeles, and In September he performs in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with the LA Opera. Then in November you can catch his performance as Thomas in Passage to Moorea when the audio version of the book is released. Congratulations to Craig on his summer performances!

Go here for more information about Craig.

Maybe you CAN tell a book by its cover

When we began brainstorming ideas for the first Thomas Scoundrel book cover (Scoundrel in the Thick), we started with two absolutely firm ideals: first, we were going to go the high / fine art level, and second, we weren’t going to follow whatever design trend was hot at the moment. We were fortunate to be able to engage one of the premier illustrators in the world for the project, and our first instructions to artist Tyler Jacobson were to create something classic, lasting, and worthy of framing in an art gallery. He delivered, and them some.

With the second Scoundrel book we asked Tyler for the same level of artistry, mood and energy. Once again, he exceeded our expectations and produced a piece that can stand on its own as a fine piece of art. There are 6 books in the Thomas Scoundrel series, and we intend on having Tyler do each of them. That will be quite a library of finished work. (Which, by the way, we plan to make available in other formats, including wine labels!). We hope you enjoy the painting.

Scoundrel in Paradise by Tyler Jacobson © 2023 Pedee Creek Press