Hope. Dreams. Life... Love: Theo and Sprout: A Journey of Growth

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Theo and Sprout: A Journey of Growth

Theo and Sprout: A Journey of Growth

by Joseph Gergen

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GENRE: Literary Fiction (YA)

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BLURB:

While Theo longs for some guidance through the perils of adolescence, the guidance he knew his family wouldn’t give him, he isn’t prepared for Sprout, his inner Divine Feminine, to present herself and offer it to him. In fact, he doesn’t appear to have a choice since Sprout, sassy and confident about her presence, won’t go away.

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EXCERPT

SPROUT. My brother had no idea the impact the nickname he derisively gave me would have. Neither of us knew how unwittingly appropriate it would become. Was it destiny or self-fulfilling prophecy? I don’t know. Memories and dreams and possibilities like to mix together. As far as my past is concerned and the makeup of who I am and what shaped me, I can make no distinction between memory and reality and dream. I usually don’t try.

While I certainly don’t remember all of my childhood, and many aspects are densely foggy, I remember with clarity the day my life changed. I was preparing for school in the basement bathroom—the small, cramped bathroom that seemed more like a large porta-potty with a shower than an actual bathroom. Wet towels covered the floor and almost all available surfaces. Countless toiletries jumbled themselves wherever space allowed them to balance or stack. Most of these did not belong to me. They belonged to my collection of brothers and sisters. I had a toothbrush. I knew that. Usually, I found toothpaste. If I absolutely needed a less common toiletry, I picked through a baffling array of products, many of which I had no understanding, until I found something useful.

A Word With the Author

What are four things you can’t live without?

Coffee, I think as much for the routine as for the caffeine. A routine to settle things down.

Chocolate, to boost my mood, to find some comfort in a topsy-turvy world.

Movement, to keep the mind and body healthy and in sync.

A good Massage, while technically I could live without it, I would really rather not.

Who is your favorite painter?

I think it depends on the mood I am in. I f I want some offbeat vibes, I may want to look at some Dali. If I want some serenity, I might want to look at a Joseph Turner seascape. Or if I am feeling nostalgic, might want to gaze at a Rembrandt. If I need my sprits lifted, I might want a Renoir or a Monet. Which is to skirt the question by saying, it depends.

If you could be any character, from any literary work, who would you choose to be? Why?

Kurtz from the “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad. He went out into the wilderness and let himself be free of society and himself. Except I would be a more benevolent Kurtz. Though perhaps I would suffer the same fate, and maybe I would be okay with that.

What have you got coming soon for us to look out for?

I’m trying to cobble together a book about memories, about having too many or not enough, and perhaps wishing for the opposite and finding out that the grass is not necessarily greener. Which is the blessing and which is the curse.

What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

That could be a long list. I suspect everything I read influences in me in some way, even books I don’t like. But I can say that the narrative style of Joseph Conrad, the characters of Charles Dickens, the craziness of Kurt Vonnegut, the wonderful story lines of John Irving, keep me wanting to craft a story that channels them all.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Author of “Theo and Sprout”. Born and raised on the plains of North Dakota. Moved to Twin Cities because it’s actually warmer. Enjoy creating in whatever form it takes, including writing, painting, and furniture making. The enjoyment is in the doing. Looking to add a little magic to the world through art.

Other books include “Without a Pang” and “Methane Wars.”

Social Media:

Website: https://josephgergen.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeGergen or @joegergen

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joegergen/ or @joegergen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079140443073

Book Reviews:

https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/theo-and-sprout-a-journey-of-growth-joe-gergen#review

https://chicklitcafe.com/?s=theo+and+sprout

https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/2022/08/theo-and-sprout-a-journey-of-growth-dedicated-review

Books Available at:

“Theo and Sprout” available as eBook, paperback and audiobook Amazon: