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Cliff Roles interviews Jeff Shaara

From our boy Cliff Roles:

Jeff Shaara, a descendant of Italian immigrants, was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey (”Shaara” was originally spelled “Sciarra”). He grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Criminology. From age 16, Jeff operated a rare coin business, first out of his home, then in a retail store. After moving to Tampa, Jeff became one of the most widely known coin and precious-metals dealers in Florida. In 1988, Jeff’s father, Michael Shaara, died, and Jeff made the decision to sell his business, and take over the management of his father’s estate.

In 1993, the film “Gettysburg” was released, which was based on his father’s classic novel, The Killer Angels. After the critical and commercial success of the film, Jeff was approached about the possibility of continuing the story, finding someone to write a prequel and sequel to The Killer Angels. After some considerable soul-searching, Jeff decided to try to tackle the project himself. The decision was difficult in many ways, but most challenging because Jeff had no previous experience as a writer.

In February, 2003, the major motion picture “GODS AND GENERALS”, based on Jeff’s first book, was released by Warner Brothers.

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Here’s how it works: Tell us why you deserve free tickets for a night with Lisa Williams in the comments section below, then email us your contact information. We’ll announce our winner on Wed., Dec. 2!

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I’ve written a few times in this space about the strange and convoluted ways books arrive on my shelf, but this week it’s time to own up to a method I have yet to acknowledge: outright theft.

That’s right. I steal books. Whew. It feels good to get that out there.

I can trace my history of literary thievery back to the one novel that probably did more than any other to warp my adolescent mind in the direction of reading: Stephen King’s It. I stole that volume while on an extended fly-fishing trip with my father in Argentina around age 12 or 13. We were staying at a small bed-and-breakfast-like home that catered to American tourists, and I casually picked out It from the house’s large living-room bookshelf, innocently intending to keep myself entertained for a few hours during the TV-less evenings. But, hooked on the book almost immediately, I packed it/It away in my bag, and smuggled it back into the States. The paperback still sits on my bookshelf, the cover by now in tatters.

And while I’ve grown up a lot in the past 17 or so years, my rarely exercised habit of stealing novels remains intact. But before you think me a knave and scoundrel, and refuse to invite me over for dinner, I need to add that I do indeed have rules.

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— After five months on administrative leave, Sarasota Police Chief Peter Abbott will learn whether or not he will keep his job today, as the City of Sarasota prepares to release all 3,000 pages of the Hillsborough Sheriff’s investigation into the Sarasota Police Department.

— The man who will make the decision on Abbott’s future, City Manager Robert Bartolotta, gets mostly positive marks during his annual review before the Sarasota City Commission.

— As all that happens, the citizen review board created to oversee SPD actions in the wake of the Juan G. Perez fiasco receives its mandate and finalizes its membership.

— And in amazingly non-Sarasota-Police-Department-related news, Erin Murphy (aka Maid Mosephine, of Maid Mosephine and the Equines — who just happen to have a new EP out, by the way) has a guest blog post up on CL Contributing Writer Michael Hamad’s new music site, 4GBs. Check ‘er out.

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Click here to download your free PDF of Merl Reagle’s latest Puzzler, “Homophone Syllables.”

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— Venice T.J. Maxx staffers who suffered through Tuesday night’s insane hostage crisis in the store talk more about their harrowing experiences. Other fallout? Turns out the police still don’t know who they’re looking for: “Hours later, Venice police had few leads, saying only that they were pursuing two white suspects. Witnesses could provide little information because the intruders were masked and wore gloves.”

— Community leaders in Newtown — including City Commissioner Fredd “Glossie” Atkins — say a recent uptick in murders in the neighborhood is due to a decreased number of cops on the beat.

— The Tallevast Community Center begins work on a community “wall” garden. Planting in the ground remains off-limits due to the neighborhood’s poisoned groundwater.

— The topic for today’s Tiger Bay Club get-together? Offshore oil drilling. Sure to be lively.

— Richard Swier at Red County Sarasota looks at Sarasota County schools’ FCAT numbers, and wonders if money spent teaching to the test is worth it.

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Really only one story this morning, and it’s a still-developing one: Two gunmen in ski masks storm a Venice T.J. Maxx and take eight employees hostage around 9:30 p.m. last night. At 12:30 a.m., a Sarasota County SWAT team storms the building, rescues the hostages, but (as of 2 a.m.) the gunmen are nowhere to be found. More information will surely be forthcoming as the day rolls on.

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COVER STORY

— What’s next for Jannus Landing? The life, death and rebirth of a beloved concert venue.

NEWS & VIEWS

— Image of the week: Same-sex marriage supporters March for equality in downtown Sarasota.

— The week that was: Rounding up local headlines.

— .Com-ments: Bahi Hut, El Guaro, local hooch, Safe Sex Halloween Bash.

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— Remember the Orlando Democrat who summed up the Republican health care plan thusly: “If you get sick, America, the Republican health-care plan is this: Die quickly“? Well, the man who said those words — Rep. Alan Grayson — is coming to Sarasota to address the Democratic Club of Sarasota on Dec. 6.

— A local Republican Party committee has some fiery words for the Sarasota County School Board and the 1-mill property tax renewal it has placed on March 2010 ballots: “It is necessary to replace all current school board members regardless of party affiliation as their actions have shown a disregard for one of our party’s core beliefs.”

— “The city of Sarasota is issuing a call to artists to create sculptures, which will be placed throughout downtown. A dozen sculptures will be chosen for display, and one of those 12 will be purchased by the city for $20,000 and put on permanent display.”

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— Sheriff Tom Knight faces allegations of accepting illegal campaign contributions last year: “The accusations first surfaced during the campaign but have now landed Knight in the sights of state investigators trying to find out whether he took money from fictitious businesses.”

— Westfield Shoppingtown: Southgate will be 243,000 square feet bigger by 2013.

— High school marching band enrollment is down for some reason, despite the fact that it’s a proven path to success in the world of hip-hop. Right, Saturns?

— Senate candidate Marco Rubio wins a straw poll conducted by the Republican Club of South Sarasota County, and Red County reports there is dissatisfaction with the Sarasota County party leadership: “Talking with those attending this meeting there is a serious concern about Governor Crist being named the ‘Statesman of the Year’ by Republican Party of Sarasota Chairman Joe Gruters. Many I spoke with are planning to boycott the event, which is the largest local party fundraiser of the year. I heard several RCSSC say they will send the $100 per seat price for the Statesmen Dinner being held on December 13, 2009 to the Rubio Campaign as a donation.”

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