author facts Archives - Author K. Williams

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #354
What did you want for birthday/Christmas that you never
got and might be bitter about? Have you bought it for yourself?

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There’s that one wish that kids usually have that becomes the sticking point on Christmas memories. Sometimes they got the thing, sometimes they don’t. A lot of parents comfort themselves by thinking that some other toy became the favorite. It probably did. Not everyone is the same on this question.

To be honest, however, I can’t remember my favorite holiday gift that came from a wish. Maybe it was one of the game consoles we got, or the giant My Pretty Pony from the 80s. Caleco’s Cabbage Patch Kids? I have a plastic treasure snail from my Aunt, which was taken over by my daughter. Regardless, there are pictures recording the utter joy of opening those gifts. The thing is, I was able to have them in my possession and outgrow any affection for them. Now, they seem less dire. I know they don’t occupy any outstanding memories.

We did play those game consoles to death.

For me, the wish never granted is what does stand out. Of course I never got the Barbie Mansion, or pony I begged for. No kittens or puppies unless stuffed. These things were pretty costly, and would have required an enormous amount of work on the part of my parents (maybe not the Mansion).

Do you remember that part in The Santa Clause (1994) movie? The Weenie Whistle and Mystery Date Game? That film brought back my tender memories, and it prompted a chat on the issue at home. To this day, you can’t mention the item to my parents without my dad getting a little put off. You see, they didn’t think it was good enough for me; not well made enough. They didn’t think it meant anything that much. However, it kept sticking to the list for years in a row, and you’d think they’d have gotten a clue by year 3, that this was a necessity. It wasn’t expensive. It was sort of frivolous. However, it was something I desired above all other gifts.

I did not receive my wish until I was about 20, and I had told a good friend the story. She bought it for my birthday.

So what was this gift?

The Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine.

Open Book Blog Hop — Newest version comes with a cleaner punch dispenser. It also is the same as the original.

It sat on my list from 1979 through the mid 80s. Every year, I didn’t find it under the tree come Christmas Morning. My parents thought the parts were cheap. They were light plastic. The thing only costed $20 in the 90s, so I can’t imagine it cost much more in 1979. So, yeah, it was cheap.

Maybe mom worried about me grating my little fingers in the ice well? I have no idea. She was big on not letting me or my brother have junk (or toys that she felt fit one or the other of the binary genders—which meant I didn’t get Star Wars toys either, when asked, but my brother did—I played with his).

They later told me that they had no idea it meant so much to me. I’m not sure how they missed it, year after year. And when I said that to them, that it was on my list year after year, my dad felt a little sick inside. For around $20 bucks they could have avoided this and let me sno-cone myself into sugar shock for a few months until it became a non-thing again. After all, how many sno-cones are you really going to make and eat?

As I mentioned before, a friend bought this for me when I was in my 20s. I was stoked and cleaned it up and used it right away. Let me tell you, it was so cathartic. The ice shaver felt weak, as if it would break at any moment, but it rattled right through making me a little sno-cone. I had prepped the juice in the Snoopy Divo-Hat dispenser. You have to make more than you need, and that is the worst part I remember. I’m not a waster. So I put the Divo Snoopy in the fridge and the sugary stuff got nasty before I used it. It also leaked.

After a short time, the item was stored in the basement, and the last I saw it the ice shaver was rusted. For $20 bucks, it was the best thing ever. I’m thankful my friend tried to make up for my miss wish from childhood. However, it just didn’t hit the same. How could it? My family still talk about it that wish, wondering how they could skip it year after year. My poor dad!

Here’s the commercial from when I was a kid…

VINTAGE 70’S OR 80’S SNOOPY SNO CONE MACHINE COMMERCIAL

I wonder what the other authors will have to say on this topic…

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #353
Tell us about something local to where you live.
Have you ever made it part of your stories?

Saratoga Springs, New York is where I was born and where I grew up. It’s a beautiful city and country county in Upstate New York. You may have heard of it. We’re world famous for horse racing. The Travers takes place each year at our flat track (we also have a harness track and casino). We’re also known for the American Revolution Battle of Saratoga and the Victorian practice of taking the waters (mineral water baths and drinking for one’s health).

Saratoga built up post colonial. However, you can see salt box homes still standing strong among the Victorians. A great place to see the architecture is Union Avenue, just down the street from the track. In years past, I worked for a college on that row, and enjoyed many walks among the houses, as well as the world class Congress Park (designed by the same guy who did Central Park) home to the historic Canfield Casino.

“Racing was sporadic in Saratoga during the years between 1847 and 1863. Several small courses came and went, although the Saratoga Trotting Grounds remained. Morrissey arrived in Saratoga in the early 1860s and opened a gambling house on Matilda Street, now Woodlawn Avenue. He saw the opportunity to supplement his income through racing.
The charade of staging illegal race meets under the guise of a carnival, or labeling contests as speed exhibitions, was a thing of the past. Morrissey wasn’t hiding anything. An advertisement in the Daily Saratogian proclaimed as much: “Running Races! AT SARATOGA.” Two races were carded each day from Aug. 3-to-6, 1863. The curtain had risen on thoroughbred racing in Saratoga.”
https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/about/saratoga-history

Did my hometown make it into my books? Of course she did! Allusions to Saratoga come up in Trailokya, but a mention by name comes in Blue Honor. The reason for this is that during the course of the US Civil War, Saratoga’s streets served as the track by which the gambling wealthy made their wagers. Times were different, and yet so very much the same, that no one got in serious trouble for this. (Do the wealthy ever?) Instead of cracking down, someone saw a money making opportunity and this led to setting up a track and harnessing the tourism dollars from the venue.

Saratoga – http://kwilliamsphoto.deviantart.com/art/Saratoga-101659274

Because of Saratoga’s proximity to Vermont and being a hub of tourism for the well-to-do, it was only natural to include the tidbit. This is a place that the Conrads would know of easily, even if they didn’t go themselves. Likewise, the Maynards were sure to be connected in some way. The inclusion of such information, in my mind, helped ground the story further into the history of the period. It also served as a connection to me, the author of the piece. Consider, my proximity to Vermont gives me greater authority.

Some may feel that it is a superfluous tidbit, but when you realize it has a very real purpose of connecting the author and their authority over the material, you see that it really isn’t unnecessary extra information. It isn’t just coincidence or extra fluff that a story about cavalry mentions horse racing in a popular tourist town of the era that has proximity to the families of the story. I’ve seen my share of comments on numerous materials (especially film and television) that suggest such nuggets are a waste. The true waste is missing the point. If you think something is there for no reason, think again! Film and television can teach us a lot about the use of side notes of interest.

Are you one of those folks who figures out a story well ahead of others? The main reason I figure them out early is that I catch those side notes (or nuggets) and connect them logically to where they aim. Something like the Sixth Sense takes it into account and plays this against the reader of the film. M. Night Shyamalan did a great job of this. The sad part is, such a device only works once! It was a great experience, for sure. This is why I take my own turn at breadcrumb trails and hiding Easter eggs.