Helen the Transartist
Alexa Belle: Hi Bill, Thanks for joining us at the East Pole today.
Bill: It's great to be here, and the trip here was awesome! I have never transarted before.
Alexa Belle: Tell me about yourself...do you have a family?
Bill: I have two families. From my first marriage I have three grown children, and I am now married to my second wife and have two step-sons and a four-year old granddaughter, Janice.
Alexa Belle: Will you read Helen the Transartist to Janice?
Bill: Absolutely! She lives nearby, and I get to see her often. Right now we are reading the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Alexa Belle: That's the favorite book of many of the Sand Men and Sand Gals! What's your favorite book?
Bill: I love to read, so I have a lot of favorites. One favorite I think you'll recognize is the Wizard of OZ. The pictures by W.W. Denslow are fantastic.
Alexa Belle: Yes, I love that story! So, tell me, what does a book designer do?
Bill: A book designer respects the efforts, intentions, and expectations of the author and matches these to good design and budgetary constraints. Good graphic design is not visible, and the story is always foremost.
Alexa Belle: The design is not visible? Does all mean all your work goes unseen?
Bill: No, by not visible I mean the reader is not aware of the design. Think of an orchestra, if you hear one individual instrument over all the others, then the music has failed. All the parts must work together, and the design must not stand in the way of the message.
Alexa Belle: I see! Tell me, what is the best thing about designing books?
Bill: The making of a book is a noble process. A book lasts, and I like participating in something immortal.
Alexa Belle: What else do you like to do?
Bill: I am a volunteer in a high school for kids who have been kicked out of every other school in Tucson. They come to this school as a last resort. I teach English and journalism. I'm trying to enthuse them about the power of language.
Alexa Belle: Yes, the power of communication! I'll bet you are a good teacher, too. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself.
Bill: Yes, I was talking to some of the Felixes here, and they were so fascinated when I told them about my eleven cats.
Alexa Belle: Wow,that is a lot of cats. Are your cats the tiny, little ones that walk on four legs?
Bill: Yes, I guess by East Pole standards they are small. The Felixes are cool. I wish I could have conversations with my cats.
Alexa Belle: Well, Bill, thank you for being here. Enjoy your lunch at the Transartist Cafe and we look forward to book two.
Graham: Hi, Erin. Thanks for agreeing to share some Cupid insights with us. First off, what's the best thing about being a Cupid?
Erin: Hi Graham. Hi, everybody! Let's see, there are two best things about being a Cupid. The first is that I can fly everywhere. I am so glad I have my wings and am not confined to pathways on the ground.
And the second best thing is that when I graduate from the Cupid Apprenticeship, I'll get to go to Earth and shoot arrows to make people fall in love! That's so romantic!!!
Graham: How do Cupids decide who gets shot with a love arrow?
Erin: We spend four years studying psychology and learning what makes a good match, but we do get a lot of discretion about who gets shot, and with what kind of love potion. That's why being a Cupid is so cool, you get to decide some of those things.
Graham: So some of the decisions are calculated, and some are just "hit and miss?"
Erin: Occasionally there are some misses, but we are required to pass marksmanship tests every season. If a Cupid can't pass the test, he or she is grounded from Earth duty until they improve. So we are constantly practicing our archery skills.
Graham: Your marksmanship is excellent! Congratulations on winning the underage title this year. You beat out a lot of older competitors, not to mention all the boys.
Erin: Thanks, Graham, and now I'd like to ask you a question? Please? Have the Telefairies got any inside information on my role in book two of Helen the Transartist? You know, I didn't make an appearance until page 80 in the first book!
Graham: Yes, I have some information on the second book. You're on page one, and you have a life-threatening experience!
Erin: Oh my gosh! Really? I don't die in book two, do I?
Graham: No, you don't die.
Erin: WHO does?
Graham: Hey, I'm the one that asks the questions here! And we're out of time!
Bill Benoit's photo by Habla the Telefairy, who found the camera heavier than expected.
Many readers have asked about Helen's parents. Helen the Transartist is planned as a series of books, and the second one will feature more of Scott and Nellie. Book two has already been written, but is still a rough draft, awaiting lots of editing.
The working title of the second book is Helen the Transartist at the West Pole. A lot of the action takes place at the West Pole, so readers will get to meet the creatures there and find out how things work over at that Pole.
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There is much speculation about what will become of Narcissa's castle. Opinions are split on whether the structure should be torn down, or turned into something useful.
If you have an idea on how to use this thirteen-story, stone structure, e-mail your thoughts to Alexa Belle. Also, who would you like to see interviewed by the Telefairies? Please e-mail Alexa Belle with your ideas.
Questions and Answers
The first question comes from Laurie Gough of Denver, Colorado. Laurie asks: What is the language spoken at the East Pole? It must be English or else Helen couldn't understand it.
Good question, Laurie. The language spoken at the East Pole, (and at the West Pole, too) is the Universal Dialect of the Fifth Dimension or UDFD for short. Remember, Laurie, the East and West Poles operate in the Fifth Dimension, allowing things to happen which defy Earthly logic.
Kathe Keiner of Omaha, Nebraska asks: How come the flying creatures all have different shapes of wings. Why don't the Telefairies have one type and the Cupids another type?
I never thought about this until I got your question, Kathe. Wing shape, size, and color are like hair color or height or facial features, in that they are unique to every creature.
E-mail me your questions: