Today is character guest post day! We have Monty (The Ghost) of David Schaub and Roger Vizard's new book, SPIRITS OF THE WESTERN WILD, with us today. Welcome, Monty!
The name is Montague Montgomery; with Montague being the given part of my first name, of course. But for years I went by the name of “Monty,” the respected and revered lawman about town.
Yup… there was a time when every man, woman and child around here counted on me for their preservation and good safekeepings. And because of that, I was cherished and adorned by all of ‘em.
But all that came crashing down the day Big Willie waltzed into town… struttin’ his stuff like he owned the place, or something. And just like that, he called himself “sheriff” -- and that was the end of it.
Can you believe that? There I am…. top of the hog-pile one day, and next thing you know I’m just taken for granite around here. And for some reason, no one sees through that crooked old weasel for what he really is… just a highfalutin, fast-talking carpetbagger pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes. Just a wolf in cheap clothing, is what I say.
But it doesn’t matter what I say. People just don’t pay me attention like they used to. They all act like I’m not even there when I talk at ‘em. But if Willie’s what they want, then Willie’s what they got. I rest my pieces.
So I’m propped up in the corner of this old saloon now, spending my days ruminating the backwash at the bottom of this empty glass. Anyhow, I figure it’s better to be an old “has-been” than a “never-was.”
And just as I was settling in with that idea, this funny-looking kid called Luther comes busting in. He commences talking at me like no one’s talked at me in a long while.
I kind of took to him for a minute there… until he started getting up into my business. ‘Says he thinks no one is talking at me ‘cause no one can see me. ‘Said he thinks I’m some kind of mis-embodied spirit, or some such hogwash. A GHOST?! REALLY? I swear… kids these days got nothing but misrespect, and they sure don’t know how to stay outta people’s privates.
You think that’s bad…? You wanna add insults on top of my injuries? Get this… these writers come along -- Schaub and Vizard -- and start talking about how “funny” it would be to make my prevailing situation even more troublesome. Can you believe that? They want to make my life a living hell for their own laughing matter.
So they got me on the run now – but I got Luther in tow.
I think I’m gonna hold on to this little punk for ransom.
But I gotta keep ten paces ahead of these troublemakers, or I may not get out of this one alive.
Monty
Yup… there was a time when every man, woman and child around here counted on me for their preservation and good safekeepings. And because of that, I was cherished and adorned by all of ‘em.
But all that came crashing down the day Big Willie waltzed into town… struttin’ his stuff like he owned the place, or something. And just like that, he called himself “sheriff” -- and that was the end of it.
Can you believe that? There I am…. top of the hog-pile one day, and next thing you know I’m just taken for granite around here. And for some reason, no one sees through that crooked old weasel for what he really is… just a highfalutin, fast-talking carpetbagger pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes. Just a wolf in cheap clothing, is what I say.
But it doesn’t matter what I say. People just don’t pay me attention like they used to. They all act like I’m not even there when I talk at ‘em. But if Willie’s what they want, then Willie’s what they got. I rest my pieces.
So I’m propped up in the corner of this old saloon now, spending my days ruminating the backwash at the bottom of this empty glass. Anyhow, I figure it’s better to be an old “has-been” than a “never-was.”
And just as I was settling in with that idea, this funny-looking kid called Luther comes busting in. He commences talking at me like no one’s talked at me in a long while.
I kind of took to him for a minute there… until he started getting up into my business. ‘Says he thinks no one is talking at me ‘cause no one can see me. ‘Said he thinks I’m some kind of mis-embodied spirit, or some such hogwash. A GHOST?! REALLY? I swear… kids these days got nothing but misrespect, and they sure don’t know how to stay outta people’s privates.
You think that’s bad…? You wanna add insults on top of my injuries? Get this… these writers come along -- Schaub and Vizard -- and start talking about how “funny” it would be to make my prevailing situation even more troublesome. Can you believe that? They want to make my life a living hell for their own laughing matter.
So they got me on the run now – but I got Luther in tow.
I think I’m gonna hold on to this little punk for ransom.
But I gotta keep ten paces ahead of these troublemakers, or I may not get out of this one alive.
Monty
Inside the book
Title: Spirits of the Western Wild
Authors: David Schaub & Roger Vizard
Publisher: Independent
Genre: Adventure / Mystery / Comedy
Authors: David Schaub & Roger Vizard
Publisher: Independent
Genre: Adventure / Mystery / Comedy
This mystical adventure follows a young
adventure-seeker named Luther McCleron on a westward journey to learn
more about his Grandfather. A series of fateful missteps take Luther far
from his destination to a disheveled little town under the tyranny of a
crooked sheriff named Big Willie. It’s here that Luther comes
face-to-face with the legendary ghost of Monty: a curmudgeonly ghost who
refuses to believe he’s dead. Luther just wants to get back to his
quest, but Monty thwarts his plans by using Luther to take out his
vengeance on Big Willie.
A mysterious book of premonitions, an ominous crow, and ancient Indian drive the mystical tone of this world; conjuring spiritual forces to help steer Luther on his journey through this western “twilight zone.”
All the loose ends resolve in a satisfying story of redemption, loyalty and ascension while exploring the mysterious nature of fate and destiny. Was all of this a coincidence? Or are we guided by ancient “spirits on the wind” that nudge and steer us along our path to assure that we arrive safely at our intended destination in the end?
5 out of 5 stars
A fantastic and Immersive adventure for everyone.
What a wonderful audio book and what a
pleasure it was to be on this journey. Not only the adventure was
captivating but also everything around it. The sounds effect and voices
really bring it all together, you almost feel like you are right there
witnessing all this first hand. The production quality is something I
have never heard before. Very well done and I highly recommend it.
cLICK BELOw TO ORDER YOUR COPY!
Amazon → https://amzn.to/2qsxtKC
Audible → https://adbl.co/2OjjleM
meet the authors
David Schaub is a writer and Academy Award ®
nominated Animation Supervisor working in the film industry for more
than 25 years. In 2019 he produced and directed the audio adaptation of
SPIRITS OF THE WESTERN WILD. He also developed STORY COMPASS®
smartphone app for screenwriters (www.moviemethods.com) in 2017.Schaub received Oscar nomination for animation in Tim Burton’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND (Disney), along with nominations for BAFTA Award, Saturn Award and Critic’s Choice Award, and won the Golden Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects for his team’s work on the film.
HEAD ANIMATION on Sony Picture’s SURFS UP – recognized with two Annie Awards among its ten nominations including Academy Award nomination and four Visual Effects Society (VES) award nominations.
ANIMATION DIRECTOR on AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2 (2014), CHRONICLES OF NARNIA (Disney), I AM LEGEND (Warner Bros.) and LEAD ANIMATOR on STUART LITTLE 1 & 2, EVOLUTION, CAST AWAY, GODZILLA, PATCH ADAMS and more.
ANIMATION DIRECTOR – Universal’s award-winning JURASSIC WORLD EXPEDITION (2019) VR EXPERIENCE. Exploring cinematic potential of virtual reality.
website & Social links
Website → https://www.dschaub2.com/
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/dschaub2writer
Goodreads → https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19662596.David_Schaub
Roger Vizard is a writer and self-taught artist. He was accepted into the animation program at Sheridan College in1987, then worked at Sullivan Bluth Studios in Ireland, then as an animation apprentice on “WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT” at Richard Williams’ studio in London. He later became Williams’ assistant animator on “THIEF AND THE COBBLER.”
After several years working in Europe at studios like Gerhard Hahn in Germany and A-films in Denmark, he moved to Los Angeles in 1993 to work as a story board artist on the first season of Sonic the Hedgehog, then rolled back into animation again after that. He successfully made the transition to from 2D to CGI on “STUART LITTLE 2” in 2001, and since that time have worked non-stop at animation/VFX studios in Los Angeles.