George Cooper is a graduate of Towson University. His story, “Bermuda Shorts,” found in this collection, was written during his college days when he was a Mass Communications major and worked as a student intern on the Baltimore children’s television show, “Bob Turk and the Sunshine Kids.” With retirement and the inspiration of his granddaughter, Lydia, he has rekindled his passion for writing children’s stories.  He wishes to be known as a “Thinker of Silly Thoughts.”

 

SIX MINUTES WITH GEORGE COOPER:

Today LitPick is excited to be joined by a new author, George Cooper. George’s debut novel is Molly McDougal Montgomery McGrath and Other Stories to Make You Laugh, which has received nothing but Five Star reviews on amazon.com and LitPick.com!

George is a husband, father, grandfather, business owner and runner. When George and his wife were young, married college students, they would pass their daughter back and forth between classes! Once his daughter was in school, George would create stories and movies, studying for his degree in Mass Communications. His daughter, Maria, remembers coming home from school one day and finding the living room filled with lettuce. George had his wife and her friend in their leotards dancing to his song, "Lettuce, lettuce, tender and green, lettuce lettuce my vegetable queen. Lettuce, lettuce, you're the one; you taste so great and make such fun aahh doo be doo be doo be do.” George’s creativity shines forth in Molly McDougal Montgomery McGrath!

How did you get started writing?

I have been telling stories for decades. Finally, friends and family convinced me to put my stories down in a book. In the fall of 2010 I took a seniors writing class at the local community college. Faced with the prospect of having to read my material in class, I revisited the stories I had been telling for years. “Bermuda Shorts” was inspired by a madras print, collarless beach shirt with white piping I received for my 12^th birthday. “Molly McDougal Montgomery McGrath” is basically the tale of my efforts to get my daughter to take a bath when she was a toddler. “Fedora Flats” relates the story of a community that is in love with hats. Like Percival Pompadour, I do not like devices that crumple my hair. However, I think Percival took things a bit too far. “The Beast, the Frog, my Friend, and I” deals with the difficulties of keeping secrets. Personally, I believe that if zombies gather at Fourth and Main, that’s a secret that should be told! I found the exposure to other writers inspiring, and at first, a little intimidating. However, in time, and with the encouragement of other students, my writing skills have improved and my enthusiasm has grown to the point where I make time to write at least one hour a day.

Who influenced you?

My instructor, Corrine Hammett, thought that I had talent and told me so in front of my writing class. At first, I felt embarrassed and self-conscious. But, I have since decided, the compliments were just what I needed to get my creative juices flowing. My main influences are writers with a sense of humor, such as Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, and Mark Twain. Make me laugh and you have a friend for life.

Do you have a favorite book/subject/character/setting?

I enjoy children’s literature. Among my favorite books are: The Golden Book of Fairy Tales, Harry the Dirty Dog, Goodnight Moon, and The Cat In the Hat by Dr. Seuss. My favorite character is Thumbelina. Like any thumb-sized child, she faces many unusual challenges in life. Thumbelina navigates her way through an impending marriage to a mole, and ultimately ends up on the arm of a fairy prince. There’s no telling how the partnership will work out. But Thumbelina has all the spunk necessary to negotiate the challenges of her thumb-sized world.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to be an author?

Writing is hard. Even the best wordsmiths struggle at times. Don’t look at crossed-out sentences and prolonged periods of fruitless efforts as failure. Try to learn something from everything you write. Could my prose benefit from additional editing? Are my descriptions vivid enough? Do I capture the reader’s attention in the first sentence? Don’t compromise. Make certain your final effort is the best you can do. Make what you write feel effortless to the reader, even if the choice of each word required monumental effort.  Write for pleasure. If success finds you, so much the better. Don’t wait to be inspired. One hour of writing, enjoyable or not, may lead to one small nugget, one well-written gem of a sentence that will make your time well spent. If you don’t come up with what you were hoping for, get a good night’s sleep and try again tomorrow.

Where is your favorite place to write?

I enjoy writing at Zeke’s Coffee Shop around the corner from where I live. I’m able to focus and relax over a couple of cups of coffee. At Zeke’s, I can climb into my own little world and create to my heart’s content. The staff at Zeke’s knows me very well and always greets me with a smile. I spend my two dollars and twenty-five cents on two cups of coffee and spend the morning composing. Everything in life should be so easy and pleasurable!

What else would you like to tell us?

Writing is a journey. You will learn about yourself as well as the subjects you write about.  It is a difficult process, but well worth the effort. I enjoy the idea of a child curled up with my book, smiling and laughing. This image keeps me going. Enjoy the company of your friends and family. Work hard, but not too hard. The world is entirely too serious. Find a time every day to relax. Think silly thoughts. It will make you feel like a child again.

George, thank you for spending six minutes with LitPick! Your interview will be an inspiration to many to pursue their dreams and never give up!