It’s always nice to get to know a little bit about the writer behind the book. A short conversation can glean a wealth of information that may provide an understanding of where the author is coming from. This proves to be true for the author of Another Man’s Treasure, as well.
The Hall family, consisting of Charlie Sr., Mary and sister, Dianne, moved to Florida from their home state of New York in 1971. Hall graduated from USF in Communications, and in 1990, married and moved to Orlando with his wife, Lisa, an elementary teacher for 26 years now. They have two sons, C.J. and Nick, students at the University of Florida and Florida State, respectively.
Hall originally wanted to use his Communications degree to be in front of the camera. His parents believed in him and invested both monetarily and spiritually in that dream. This investment allowed Hall to buy equipment and open his own TV production facility, Seahall Productions. With family support and Hall’s ambitions to be true to his ‘calling’, he works with celebrities all over the world. And, in his ongoing partnership with Disney, he gives so many people a glimpse into the magical world we all want to escape to occasionally. Even with so many accomplishments, Hall felt something was missing; that gnawing feeling that persists.
That feeling came to the surface in the shape of a book and he found himself writing bits and pieces of it over a span of 13 years. Many of the characters in Another Man’s Treasure are composites of locals and tourists who passed through the motel his parents owned for four years on St. Pete Beach. For those who have been around a long time, you might recognize some of them in one fashion or another. With so much time, research, and tireless writing, perhaps, one could say that the book title has become Hall’s own treasure, as well.
A good read is one that compels the reader’s curiosity. What happens next; where will it lead? There are many moments like this to ponder in Another Man’s Treasure. Vivid descriptions of the St. Pete Beach area provide a sense of recognition, of nostalgia, for locales, who may be able to pick out the old haunts, even though the names have been changed. Challenge yourself to try and figure out which local bar or hangout is being referenced. And, if you are new to the area, there is a place for you too, in its story. From sunrise to sunset, Hall captures the essence of a beach day with its exquisite beauty and the back stories that make up the lives of each character.
There are the bad guys, of course, who have ill-gained riches from exploiting people and the land for many, many years, but a few of them find their nemesis with the arrival of a stranger from Canada. Not such a stranger to the area we discover as the story unfolds.
Hall puts us in the story, takes us to the places, the hallmarks, gives us fishing lessons, teaches us to play a piano, encourages everyone who comes across his path to be the best they can be, helps two children realize their youthful dreams, and as a result they discover unconditional love does really exist, and so much more. Maybe you’ll get caught up in the reading of the journal that fills in some of the missing pieces of a wrong committed a long time ago. There are twists and turns along the way that converge into moments of universal understanding no matter where we may live. Highly satisfying, polished, and intriguing, are just a few choice words, for this finely-written first book.
All of the elements of a great read reside in this treasure.
The Particulars: Published by Bardolf & Company, Sarasota, FL www.charlesrhall.com, Charlie@charlesrhall.com, Twitter @charlesrhall, Instagram @charlesrhall.
Enjoy the interview by Studio 10 at this link: http://www.wtsp.com/story/entertainment/television/studio10/2014/04/29/another-mans-treasure/8407379/