4Q Interview with Tim Baker of Flagler Beach, Florida

The 4Q Interview is pleased to have Tim Baker of on the Scribbler. He is an accomplished author with ten books to his credit. The following was taken from his Amazon Bio: Tim was born and raised in Warwick, Rhode Island.
After graduating from The Wentworth Institute of Technology in 1980 he embarked on a career in Architecture and Engineering. Along the way he has also worked in the natural gas industry, construction and ice cream sales. In his spare time he enjoys a wide variety of activities including sports of all kinds, music, motorcycles, scuba diving, and, of course, writing.
An avid dog lover, Tim was a volunteer puppy raiser for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, raising and socializing potential guide dogs. Find out more about Tim by clicking his link below. 

 

4Q: Most of your novels are centered on an extremely likable character named Ike, the hero all of us guys dream about being. Tell us how this character evolved to become the focus of many of your stories?

TB: That’s a great question, and one I’ve answered many times!

Ike began as a secondary character in my first novel, Living the Dream. His role was to act as a go-between for two of the main characters. At the time I didn’t put much thought into who he was or what his story was…I didn’t think he would ever reappear.

While writing my second novel, Water Hazard, the protagonist, Steve Warwick, found himself in, pardon the pun, some pretty hot water. Steve was an “everyman”, so I needed to have a plausible ally who could help him – so I decided to resurrect Ike.

Once Water Hazard was published Ike became an overnight sensation.

With each novel his legend grows.

My sixth novel, Unfinished Business, only featured Ike in a brief cameo role…which did not sit well with his fans!

I think the reason for his popularity is the fact that Ike lives by a strict moral code which is a cross between “do no harm” and “take no crap”. Ike has a very strong moral compass, but he isn’t above bending, or on occasion, breaking the rules in the name of what is right.

I’ve had dozens of people ask me if he is a real person – and if not who is he modeled after…I’ve even had women ask me to arrange an introduction!

 

 

 

4Q: Besides your writing, you are also a radio personality with a daily show on Surf 97.3 FM.  Tell us how this came about and what can a listener expect when he tunes in here

TB: I was attending a networking event here in Flagler Beach called “Entrepreneur Night”. Music at the event was provided by a local disc jockey named Vern Shank. After the event I wound up at a table with 4 or 5 people, Vern being one of them, and he mentioned that he had bought a small AM radio station.

An off-the-cuff remark by my friend Armand led to a weekly talk show program for the two of us discussing writing and writing related topics.

Eventually the station went FM and the talk show didn’t fit the format, but Vern offered me the 3 hour time slot we had previously occupied for a music show.

Thus Tim Baker’s Friday Night Music Extravaganza was born.

I play an eclectic mix of good old fashioned rock and roll, B-sides, cool covers and some deep cuts that are a bit on the obscure side.

Vern has also given me a daily 3 hour show from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm where I play beach, island and sunshine music that makes you feel like you’re on vacation – which is what Flagler Beach is all about!!!

My shows can be heard anywhere in the world at www.flaglerbeachradio.com

 

4Q: Please share a childhood anecdote or memory with our readers.

TB: Since I just answered the question about the radio station, I’ll share a story that involves my love of music.

I was the fifth of seven children, with four older brothers who were hard-core hippies. I often joke about how I was the only kid in the third grade to know who Jimi Hendrix was and what Woodstock meant.

This story takes place while I was in the fifth grade, circa 1969.

One day per week the class was granted a 60-minute “creativity period” where we were allowed to do anything we wanted, as long as we created something.

It was, by far, my favorite part of the week.

During one creativity period I was at my desk converting pink erasers into race cars, complete with thumbtack wheels and paperclip exhaust pipes.

As I worked, I withdrew into my own “zone” - totally oblivious to all around me – until the teacher, Mr. DeStefanis, came over and tapped me on the shoulder…

“Mr. Baker,” he said in a very respectful tone, “while I am a fan of Creedence Clearwater Revival too, the rest of the class could probably concentrate better if you weren’t singing so loudly.”

I didn’t even realize it, but I had been singing “Born on the Bayou”, fairly loudly, while I worked!

To this day, I have to be mindful of not drifting into the zone too deeply, lest I start singing The Beatles or Led Zeppelin!

 

4Q: What’s in the near future for Tim Baker and what about a couple of years down the road?

TB: I am currently working on my eighth novel, a book called Full Circle.

It’s a story I actually began writing in 1988, but never finished. I’ve always loved the concept of the story and decided after my last novel, Eyewitness Blues, was released last August, it was time to finish it. Although, “finish” isn’t the best way to describe it…I’ve actually started from the beginning, keeping the original theme, but using new characters and bringing the story into the 21^st century.

Full Circle is about karma and the effects that our actions have on the world around us, and how they come back to us as well.

 

Thank you Tim for sharing your thoughts on The Scribbler.  I enjoyed reading about Ike and am looking forward to reading more of your novels. Tim’s books are available at Amazon and Smashwords! The following link will take you to his website which has links to all of his work. www.blindoggbooks.com

 

 

 

Please visit next week and meet Guest Author Lisette Lombard f Monterrey, Mexico and read an excerpt from her novel EBO

 

 

 

 

 

 

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