Page 3 - August2020-NBY News
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Senior in Action:
          Senior in Action:                   Ron Singerton Historical Author, Painter, Sculpter
           Senior in Action:
          Senior in Action:
          Senior in Action:
                                              Ron Singerton Historical Author, Painter, SculpterHistorical Author, Painter, Sculpter
                                              Ron Singerton Historical Author, Painter, SculpterHistorical Author, Painter, Sculpter
                                              Ron Singerton
                                              Ron Singerton
        by Marilee Marrero Stefenhagen       www.ronsingerton.com                                 owned an art
                                             or via Amazon or                                     gallery in Idyllwild
                                             Barnes & Noble.                                      featuring her
            Q: Ron, what forces shaped the   The newest                                           magnificent jewelry
          active person you are today??      manuscript, The                                      and my paintings
            Singerton: “As a youth, I watched  Refused, features                                  and sculptures.  The
          my father paint murals on our walls at  an American Civil                               largest amount of
          home. That was an inspiring influence  War Union officer                                work I did was
          and I began painting when I entered  who goes to Paris                                  bronze casting and
          college.  About twenty years ago I  in 1869 to become                                   wall sculptures. We
          started sculpting in stone: marble,  an artist but the                                  still do art
          alabaster, onyx - a favorite activity. My  Franco Prussian                              commissions (call
          father was also a fencing master, and  War turns his           Ron Singerton, 78        951-849-3870) and I
          fencing (mostly saber) was my sport in  world upside                                    hope someday to
          college.                           down.                                                teach stone
              I always enjoyed word craft,          My tip for                                    sculpting for cruise
          history and storytelling. I read books  writers?  I                                     ship passengers.
          about the WWI fighter pilot squadron,  suggest they                                     There is something
          the Lafayette Escadrille; A Connecticut  join a literary                                primeval about
          Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by      group related                                     working in stone.
          Samuel Clemens; and The Second World  to the genre in                                   It’s like touching the
          War series by Winston Churchill. Being  which they                                      past while creating
          small for my age, books became my     plan to write.                                    something new that      with Darla’s family in NY by phone.
          sanctuary. My first writing was a series  That’s how I                                  may last centuries.”   For my latest venture, I’m partnering
          of mini-U.S. history books for my 8th  met the CEO                                        Q: How are you     with a lady who owns “Betty’s Photos on
          grade students when I taught in the LA  of Penmore Press.”                  maintaining your sanity during this  Fabric”  www.bettysphotosonfabric.com
          Unified School District in the ‘70s. The  Q: Are you a native Californian?  pandemic?                        to make personalized reusable face masks.
          kids loved them because each was a      Singerton: “I was born in Los        Singerton: “Darla puts me to    Our masks will feature the faces of its
          play with speaking parts. But my      Angeles in March 1942, and grew up    work.  I used to exercise at a gym,  wearers from the nose down. People can
          serious writing began in 2003, when I  in Rosemead and Lakewood. I          but one can lose weight building  email photos of themselves, their pets or
          wrote my first historical novel, “Villa  graduated from CSU Long Beach with  cinderblock walls and cutting down  children to go on the masks to
          of Deceit,” a coming of age story set in  a history major, art minor in 1965. In  trees.  Darla and I cancelled all our  bettysfabphotos@mac.com.  No more
          ancient Rome. Its sequel, The Silk and  the 70’s, my graduate work focused  trips, drink wine and margaritas,  anonymity! We hope to have them on the
          the Sword, takes place on the Silk Road  on international studies.  My love of  watch the hawks and read books on  market soon. Very exciting.”
          and progresses to the Great Wall of   history led to my teaching career at  our veranda every afternoon! When  OK, NBY readers!  Here’s your
          China, which my wife Darla and I saw  the middle school and high school     it’s not too hot I work on stone  challenge.  Tell us how you are being
          in person in 2019.                    level.  I made presentations to       sculptures outside (where I can  creative during this pandemic!  Are you
              While stationed on Hokkaido,      university students and community     make lots of dust) and write and  trying new recipes and sharing your
          Japan during my service in the U.S.   groups regarding the American Civil   paint large abstracts in the studio.  cooking?  Scrapbooking, or writing your
          Army from ’66-’70, I gained wonderful  War. My hobby was ‘time travel’ as a  We miss sharing fun times with our  memoir?  Building playhouses in the
          exposure to a new culture.  My job in  Union cavalry reenactor until twelve  grandson Brent, and twin        backyard for the grandkids?  We want to
          the Army Security Agency was top      years ago. I appeared in uniform and  granddaughters Kate and Emma in  hear your story.  Submit  c/o
          secret stuff, nothing heroic.   Before  on a few occasions brought my horse.  Yorba Linda, but stay connected  nbynews@juno.com or mail to Not Born
          corona virus quarantines, Darla and I  My wife Darla, a retired Captain with  with my son Mark and family, and  Yesterday! P.O. Box 722, Brea, CA 92822
          travelled frequently and explored     the Riverside County Sheriff’s
          many unique cultures.”                Department, suggested that I join the
        Q: How many books have you written?     Sheriff’s mounted posse as a
      Can you share advice for aspiring writers?  volunteer. I did.  One year, our posse
        Singerton: “I’ve written four books     attended the Riverside County Fair &
      published by Penmore Press, and a 5 th    National Date Festival.  We must
      manuscript.  The four published books are:  have looked intimidating when 10 of
      Villa of Deceit, The Silk and the Sword; A  us paraded on horseback into the
      Cherry Blossom in Winter, and its sequel A  Indio fairgrounds, because the crowd
      Blossom in the Ashes.  A Cherry Blossom in  grew very still.  Suddenly, mariachi
      Winter*, is a love story between a young  music blared into the arena, and my
      Russian aristocrat and a Japanese girl    horse Sundance pranced along in
      during the Russo Japanese war era. (*won  time.  Applause and whistles erupted
              st
      Goethe 1  Place Award for historical fiction  from the crowd, and the whole
      in 2017). Its sequel, A Blossom in the Ashes,  atmosphere lightened.  My horse had
      follows the family into WWII. Two         rhythm, but never had dance
      brothers on opposite sides, one woman     lessons.”
      they both love and a horrific war in the    Q: Where do you live now?
      Pacific. Readers can order these novels     Singerton: “Our home is on Hwy
      through my website                        243 between Banning and Idyllwild.  Social Distance Be In Charge of Your Safety
                                                From 2008 to 2016, my wife and I

      August 2020                                                                                                                                        3
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