By Kris McDowell
New York Times bestselling author, Roland Smith, recently released the third, action-packed installment of The Wildes Series. The Wildes: Captivity follows Ring and Asia Wilde on their adventure in the little Texas town of Glen Rose where they’ve moved the vaquitas (a species of porpoise) to their family’s enormous animal park. The vaquitas’ move has caused quite a controversy and raised a national debate about how to save severely endangered species. Discover how a modern animal park operates and the dramas the brilliant adventurous kids, Ring and Asia, face.
For readers that haven’t read the first two books in the series, Smith said that it is possible to jump into this book as a stand-alone read. However, he said, “When I read a series (and I love reading series) I always start with the first book and read them in order so I don’t miss anything.
For those who have read the first two books and were anticipating the continuation of the Ring and Asia adventures, the good news is there is more to come.” Smith is currently working on the fourth book and says, “At this point there will be at least three more Wildes books. We’ll have to see how the books are doing before the decision is made. I hope there will be more. I have a lot to say about animals and wildlife conservation.”
Born and raised in Portland, Smith received an old manual typewriter from his parents when he was five years old. It may have weighed more than he did, but it was his favorite possession, and regardless of the fact that at the time he “didn’t know how to spell” and “barely knew how to read.” Between his fascination with the old machine and the books his parents had on the shelves, Smith knew from an early age that he wanted to become a writer.
Fast forward to college and while attending Portland State University, majoring in English and intending to become a writer, Smith was looking for part-time work. A zookeeper opening at the Oregon Zoo caught his eye, he interviewed for and got the position. By the time he left he had progressed to the Senior Feline Keeper in charge of lions, leopards and tigers.
Leaving the Oregon Zoo, he went to work at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, WA where he held several positions—Curator of Mammals and Birds, General Curator, Assistant Director and Senior Research Biologist helping to release endangered red wolves and gray wolves back into the wild. What started out as a job during college led to a career working with animals for over 20 years. Those years working with animals also turned out to be good material for writing books.
Initially, Smith wrote several books that didn’t get published and he admits it was “because they weren’t very good to be honest.” It was when he started reading young adult novels and found he loved them, that he finally felt he had found his niche. He says, “I’ve written over 30 novels for young people, and I hear that adults like them as well, for which I’m very grateful.”
Smith’s favorite part of writing is the research. He says, “I don’t start writing a book until I finish the research. I love learning new things. For instance, as I mentioned, I’m working on the fourth Wildes book, The Galapagos, which are a group of islands 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, home to dozens of endangered animals that are only found on these unique islands. My other favorite part of writing is writing the first draft. After I’ve completed my research I sit down and write the first draft as quickly as I can, which usually takes about three months. This means working on the draft every day for several hours. When the draft is completed I revise it over and over and over again, which can take six months to a year. Revision is the hard part of writing, but probably the most important part.”
Smith attributes his ability to be able to become a writer due to being an avid reader. “I have read two or three books a week for over 60 years. Anyone can become a writer. All you have to do is become an avid reader and to write everyday. Like everything in life, if you want to become good at something you have to practice everyday and never give up,” he said.
Smith and his wife, Marie, live on a small farm south of Portland. When he isn’t in his basement office writing stories that usually include animals, he’s traveling (doing research and taking photos for upcoming books) or visiting schools.
The Wildes: Captivity is published by Sleeping Bear Press, an imprint of Cherry Lake Publishing Group. Visit their website, sleepingbearpress.com, or pay your favorite, local retailer a visit to purchase this book or the whole series.
