Published: September 02, 2008 11:49 am         

At Random: Writing his own story

Not everyone who is invited to read to children at the Cooke County Library writes his own book.

John Broyles is probably the first, his wife Tamara admitted.

Broyles wrote “The Unlikely Pumpkin” for local kids. His book is a story told through a poem with illustrations.

Writing the poem took only a few minutes, he said.

The illustrations were another story.

“They look kind of like (pictures in) a 1950s or ‘60s children’s’ book,” Broyles said. “We got into a time crunch and I had my daughter, Lexi, helping me color. We stayed up until 2 or 3 a.m. She finally wore out.”

He said in addition to writing a book that would teach a lesson about friendship and acceptance, he also wanted the book to be large enough to get some attention.

“I wanted to make it big so the kids could see it,” he explained.

And it is big.

Handmade of sturdy poster board, Broyles’ book shines with pictures that are comforting and human — kids playing in casual clothes, a dusky moon with a grandfather’s smile looking down on a pumpkin patch.

“The Unlikely Pumpkin” is about a character’s quest to find a place in the world,” Broyles said.

The pumpkin isn’t perfect. He isn’t the first one chosen by the kids who visit the pumpkin patch.

A lot of kids might identify with his initial feelings of being left out of things, and his joy at finding just the right place with the kids who choose him.

Broyles — who is also director of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce — is not just the author of a children’s book.

“He writes plays and poems,” Tamara said.

She said it was her idea to turn “The Unlikely Pumpkin” into a play for the Butterfield Theater’s first youth production of the season.

“When I was putting together the (Butterfield) season, I wanted to do a play for fall, but I didn’t want a Halloween show. I thought “The Unlikely Pumpkin” would be perfect. It’s a story about being yourself, kind of a “High School Musical” for younger kids who all want to feel the same. They want to belong to something. The play makes it possible to realize you can find just one friend who can save you,” Tamara said.

Auditions for the show were Friday, and John said he is still tweaking the script.

He doesn’t expect to have trouble finding inspiration.

When he wrote a poem featured in last spring’s Butterfield’s production of “The Orphan Trains,” he said he sat at his desk and in about ten minutes, the poem was complete.

“The words came quickly,” he said.

Broyles has also written murder mystery plays.

His inspiration was his work in Dallas theater.

He said his wife, Tamara, encouraged him to write.

“I always said I couldn’t. Then after two pots of coffee and a night without sleep, I wrote the first act of “A Charitable Case of Death,’” he said.

He tried various methods to coax the words out.

“I would drag out the process, write a few scenes and revisit them,” he recalled.

He said he finds satisfaction when a play is finished.

“I’m proud of my murder mysteries. They’re melodramas,” he said.

Broyles does not write from an outline.

“If I can get the characters in my mind, they will begin to talk to each other,” he said.

From there, the story develops its own twists and turns.

For years, Broyles made his living as an actor.

He is also known for his voice-over and emcee skills as well as improvisational acts.

When the family moved from the Dallas area to Gainesville, Tamara said they found a niche.

“We are so lucky to both be doing what we love,” she said.