20 Jan

Getting To Know Harry Gilleland

Author: Darcia Helle  //  Category: Literary Corner

Today I have the honor of hosting Harry Gilleland! Harry Gilleland is an author of five books to date — three collections of his poetry, a fantasy action/adventure novella, and a contemporary romance novel. Harry is a retired microbiology professor who lives in Shreveport, Louisiana with his wonderful wife, Linda. Old and fat, Harry tries to enjoy life to its fullest.

Harry’s latest poetry book is entitled Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man.

This collection of storoems (story-poems) and poems offers hours of enjoyment as it makes the reader think, feel, and ponder life. The next poem may make the reader laugh or perhaps will bring a tear to the eye. The various subjects addressed will both surprise and delight. This is a collection both to own and to give as a gift, as it will surely be read and re-read. It continues in the footsteps of Harry Gilleland’s previous two published poetry collections.

Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man may be purchased on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Musings-Old-Fat-Man/dp/1435712420/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210286150&sr=1-4

Harry Gilleland’s contemporary romance novel is entitled White Lightning Road.

This is a story of romance set in rural northern Louisiana. It follows the lives of two best friends, Jennifer James and Sally Jeffers. Each was an urban teenager whose family moved to White Lightning Road, a country road running between Vienna in Lincoln Parish and Homer in Claiborne Parish, where they became friends. Upon graduation from high school, each escaped back to the big-city life they love. Now a family tragedy has brought Jennifer back to White Lightning Road. Soon she is embroiled in a mystery involving her neighbor Michael Garrott, a man widely believed to be an unpunished murderer. Thus begin the romantic adventures of both Jenny and Sally. It is a tale of mystery and romance.

White Lightning Road is also available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/White-Lightning-Road-Harry-Gilleland/dp/1411686934/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c

Harry’s delightful novella is entitled Bob the Dragon Slayer and is suitable for readers from teenage to ninety.

Bob, a mere peasant lad, sets off to see a dragon that is terrorizing a village and soon falls in with a wizard named Stephen. Thereafter, his life is filled with adventures that involve dragons, knights, damsels in distress, castles, a fair lady, friendship, true love, an evil king, civil war, and lawyers. This rollicking tale belongs not to history but to legend. Written with wit and humor, this novella will delight readers from teenagers to octogenarians.

Bob the Dragon Slayer can be purchased on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Dragon-Slayer-Harry-Gilleland/dp/1411633156/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c

I hope you’ll check out Harry’s work!

Harry and I appreciate your stopping by my blog today. Please feel free to leave a comment here for Harry.

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  • http://www.margaretfieland.com Margaret Fieland

    Darcia, thanks for hosting Harry. Harry, I didn’t realize you’d written fiction as well as poetry — your books sound fabulous.

  • http://educationtipster.blogspot.com kathy stemke

    Great post, Darcia. I’ve read Harry’s poetry book and I loved it!

    I just read your Amazon reviews of the other books featured here. You got some excellent reviews, Harry. Way to go.

  • http://sites.google.com/site/nancyfamolari/ Nancy Famolari

    Harry, your fiction sounds great! I didn’t realize you were so multi-talented.

    Great post, Darcia.

  • http://dkvwriting4u.com Karen Cioffi

    What a wonderful post.

    Harry, your books do sound great, especially, Bob the Dragon Slayer. I love the cover!

    Do you create the covers to the books yourself?

  • http://www.stephentremp.blogspot.com/ Stephen Tremp

    Sounds like Bob the Dragon Slayer has his hands full. On top of dragons and evil kings, he has to deal with lawyers. The horror. the horror. The worst kind of evil villains in the world. Hey, best wishes Harry for your continued success.

    Stephen Tremp

  • http://www.wholechildpublishing.blogspot.com Martha Swirzinski

    Wow, what a range of books. Which do you enjoy writing the most?

  • http://helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com Helena Harper

    I very much enjoyed learning more about Harry – thank you for a most interesting post, Darcia.

    Harry, I had no idea you had written a romance and a fantasy novella as well. Is there no end to your talents?

    Helena
    http://www.helenaharper.com

  • Anne

    Harry, my daughter loves fantasy novels and Bob The Dragon Slayer sounds perfect for her. I will tell her to look for it on Amazon the next time she is book shopping.

  • http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/ Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.

    Thank you, Margaret F. While I consider myself primarily a poet (with over 400 storoems & poems), I also write the occasional prose fiction book.

    Greetings, Kathy. Thank you for the praise of my poetry book & for your commenting here. Getting great reviews isn’t my problem. It’s getting noticed among the herd. :-)

    Thanks, Nancy. But perhaps you had better read my fiction books before declaring me multi-talented. LOL

    Hi, Karen ~ The book covers were designed by me and created by my much-more-computer-literate daughter-in-law. I tell her what I want, and she finds it or makes it. I wanted Bob’s cover to represent his sword that was as legendary as Excalibur. Not too many covers are red; so I wanted a red cover background to be eye-catching.
    (All three of my poetry book covers sport an umbrella, which is my way of saying poetry casts a large umbrella or tent under which many variations of formats fit…including my storoems.)

    Hi, Stephen. Lawyers play a pivotal role in Bob’s storyline near both the beginning and again at the end.
    Not even a wizard is a match for lawyers and their fine print. Thank you for your comments and the best wishes.

    Greetings, Martha. I enjoy writing poetry the most because writing a storoem is easier time-wise. I can write a lot of poems/storoems in the time one book takes. Plus I enjoy writing rhyming verse the most.
    (That said, Bob was a lot of fun to write. It is quite witty, i.e. I had a lot of fun with wordplay, etc. My wife actually likes it best of all my work. And it has an advantage over poetry in that it appeals to a wider audience, from mid-teens to elderly readers.)

    I view writing prose novels as a challenge for me. I think I am better at poetry than prose so far. I am actually going to try writing an action/adventure novel now. Hence, I am leaving this group at the end of January to devote my efforts to full-time writing.
    I have enjoyed immensely being a member, and I wish you all every success.

    Cheers!

    Harry

  • http://katiehines.com Katie Hines

    Nice to learn more about Harry has written. Thanks!

  • http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/ Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.

    Greetings, Helena. Thank you for commenting. I hope I write fiction novels well enough to be called talented! :-)

    Thank you, Anne, for your comment and for telling your daughter about Bob the Dragon Slayer. I appreciate your doing so.

    Cheers!

    Harry

  • http://www.janetanncollins.com Janet Ann Collins

    I read and enjoyed Harry’s poetry book, but didn’t know he’d written the others. They sound good.

  • http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/ Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.

    Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Janet. I appreciate your doing so.

    Cheers!

    Harry

  • http://www.magdalenaball.com Magdalena Ball

    I love the idea of “storoems” — do you think you’ve invented the form, Harry, or are there other masters you’re following?

  • http://www.danadonovan.com Dana Donovan

    Great post, Darcia! Harry, you sound like a simply wonderful guy.I read your poem “The Nature Trail” and loved it. It’s light and whimsical and carries like a summer’s breeze. Best of luck with your books.

  • http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/ Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.

    Greetings, Maggie. When I started writing poetry, I wrote longer-lined, longer stories just because it seemed natural to express what I wanted to say. I was asked what did I call this format, to which I responded that they were story-poems — a hybrid between a short story and a traditional poem. I coined the word ‘storoem” for stor- plus -oem. Some poets like the format; some hate it. Some argue that my storoems are really only prose poems or narrative poems, although I think my storoems are different from either of those tradition forms. So, I think I did invent the form more or less. I certainly was not ever following any previous poets. It has taken a while for storoems to gain acceptance, but now I see “storoem” being used more widely. I claim to be the inventor of the term “storoem” for sure and maybe the format (as far as I know). My education was mainly in science (Ph.D. in Microbiology). So, when I started writing poetry, I just wrote what I liked and didn’t follow traditional forms out of my ignorance of proper poetry rules. I’ve learned quite a lot since I began writing poetry in 2001. If I started today, I’d probably have followed more traditional formats.

    Thank you for your comment and your question.

    Cheers!

    Harry

  • http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/ Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.

    Hi, Dana ~

    I am pleased that you enjoyed my storoem, “The Nature Trail”. I like to include humor in my work. Thank you for your kind comments.

    Cheers!

    Harry

  • http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/ Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.

    Thanks, Darcia, for hosting me. :-)

    Cheers!

    Harry

  • http://www.QuietFuryBooks.com Darcia

    My pleasure, Harry! I hope you have tons of success in your writing career.

  • http://www.heidimthomas.com Heidi M Thomas

    An eclectic collection of writing, Harry! That’s wonderful. Keep up the good work.

    Heidi

  • http://www.BookkeepingforWriters.com Brigitte Thompson

    What an interesting writing collection!

  • http://www.writeonbooks.org Dallas Woodburn

    Harry, you amaze me! I am going to order your book of poetry right now for my grandfather. I know he will love it just by the title alone!

    Keep up the great work!

    Best,
    Dallas :)

    dallaswoodburn@aol.com
    http://dallaswoodburn.blogspot.com
    http://www.writeonbooks.org

  • http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/ Harry E. Gilleland, Jr.

    Greetings, Heidi, Brigitte, & Dallas ~

    Thank you all for dropping by and for leaving a comment. I appreciate it!

    Dallas, I hope your grandfather enjoys my poetry book.

    Cheers!

    Harry

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