Deliverers Interview: Jeremiah Tosis

As we head into summer, I thought it might be a good idea to interview some more characters from my book, The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel. Please click the link and "Like" the book's Amazon page if you have a second. Last week week spoke with Charles Endria, the Lord Mayor of Calendria, and Cordon, blacksmith and town Council Member.

This week, I thought we'd journey beneath the Iron Mountains to the Dwarf Kingdom to speak with Hallo's father, Jeremiah Tosis. I thought it might be interesting to find out a little about Jeremiah's career and to see if he could give us any insight to Hallo's childhood.

Greg:  Thank you Jeremiah for letting us visit you here in your lovely home.

Jeremiah:  You're welcome. It aint no big deal t' have Big Folk visitin' the Kingdom nowadays, but back before all the recent hubbub, it were unheard of.

Greg:  Recent hubbub? Oh yes, you mean before Eric and Stig's visit. Well, yes there wasn't much traffic between the Big Folk and the dwarves back in the day. The dwarves kind of kept themselves hidden, didn't they?

Jeremiah:  That's so. I didn't do no good messin' with things that weren't none of our concern. Leastways, that were the prevailin' line o' thought.

Greg:  So, Jeremiah, what's your role in the Dwarf Kingdom?

Jeremiah:  Well sir, I don't mind tellin' ya that I hold a right important position within the Kingdom. I'm the Royal Goldsmithy t' His Majesty, King Angus Thunderhelm. I'm in charge of the precious metal-works what makes all sorts o' rare an' wond'rous things for His Majesty. 

I'm not ashamed t' say that m' creations're deemed t' be rare an' wonderful by them as should know best.

Greg:  Well that's just fine, Jeremiah. I've seen your work and it's definitely of the highest quality. I'd like to talk a little about your son, Hallo Tosis, who accompanied Eric, Stig and Kate on their journey.

Jeremiah:  What? Oh, yeah, fine, fine. Wonderful lad, Hallo. O' course I had m' difficulties with him, but we've been able t' work that all out. What did you want to know?

Greg:  For one thing, his name? Why on earth did you name him Hallo Tosis?

Jeremiah:  Heh, heh, Hallo Tosis. Still give me a chuckle ever' time I hear it. Well, ya see, his mother, may she rest in peace, were dead set ag'in him bein' named Jeremiah, Jr. So, I said fine, iffin ya don't want t' name him somethin' sensible, then It'll be Hallo Tosis. Now, I thought sure that she'd back down, since it's the man's right t' name his son, but she threatened me with her mother.

Greg:  You mean she threatened to leave you?

Jeremiah:  No, that wouldn't have been so bad. She threatened t' have her mother move in with us! Well, seein' as how that were the case, I had t' stick with Hallo. She done it t' spite me, although once I got t' reflectin' on it, it were kind of a funny joke.

Greg:  Well, it seems to me to be a cruel joke on Hallo.

Jeremiah:  Nonsense, the lad like a good joke himself. 'Course seein' how things went early on, it was prob'ly a bad choice. Things wound up bein' hard enough on the lad without havin' t' deal with a name like that.

Greg:  It was rough for Hallo growing up?

Jeremiah:  Lookin' back, he had a tough time of it. I didn't make it any easier for him, neither. Ya see, Hallo is the only dwarf in history t' be born without The Gift. Thee ability t' fashion either metal or stone. The lad was a total washout in that department, an' if ya can't do that, ya can't do anything as far as the Kingdom is concerned.

It was embarrassin' for me, too, an' his poor mother. There I was the Royal Goldsmithy, an' my son wasn't even good enough t' be a blacksmith. An' stone work? He weren't even fit t' be smashin' rocks. That made things tense, and finally, I had no choice but t' banish him from the Kingdom.

Greg:  But you and Hallo have made up, correct?

Jeremiah:  Oh yeah. I mean, we still have our little tiffs, but I'm right proud o' the lad for what he done with the Deliverers an' what he's doin' now. Matter o' fact, he's on one o' them there Assignments now. I hope he looks after himself--he can be right clumsy if he's not lookin' out.

Greg:  Well, thanks for your time, Jeremiah. Oh, by the way, I noticed that Hallo's face is now on the door of your ancestors. Does that mean he was able to finally master one of the ancient talents of the dwarves?

Jeremiah:  No, no it don't. They had t' create a whole new category just for him. He don't use a hammer or chisel, but he sure can run his mouth. Now where do ya suppose he got that from?