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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper November 2016 Page 21
James Rada, Jr. — Writing About Ordinar y People, Extraordinar y Lives
Deb Spalding
In addition to serving as The writer. He Courtesy Photo Nature Hospital. Jim worked for a short
Catoctin Banner’s contributing editor, advises time as a reporter before becoming
and writing the monthly column promising and the the editor with the Dispatch
“Looking Back” that appears in the railroad. He newspapers in Emmitsburg, where
Banner and four other newspapers, writers, wants his he worked until he became a full-
full-time freelance writer James “Start time freelancer in late 2008.
Rada, Jr. is the author of eighteen while readers to
books. These include five historical understand His most recently published
novels, seven historical non-fiction you have that the book, Clay Soldiers: One Marine’s
books, and others, exploring a wide a job. Story of War, Art & Atomic Energy,
range of genres, including young Develop canal was is Jim’s first biography. It is about
adult fiction, thrillers, and fantasy. the true the experiences of ninety-two-year-
Jim said that 80 percent of what he contacts dividing line old Chuck Caldwell. When Chuck
writes is history based, adding, “If with was fourteen years old, he attended
I have an interest in the story, I will magazines between the 75th anniversary of the Battle
explore it.” north and of Gettysburg and has autographs
and news- south, not from the soldiers. He fought at
Raised in the suburbs of papers for Guadalcanal as a marine. He also
Baltimore, Jim first discovered articles, the Mason worked with the aboveground
his love for writing while in Dixon Line. atomic bomb tests in Las Vegas.
kindergarten. He dictated the words so you get “The people Jim said, “He has a rich history of
for his first “book”—Mickey’s the clips military experience, perseverance,
Dream—to his teacher and then you’ll need James Rada, Jr. is shown at a library exhibit, one of many where working and determination that others need
drew pictures to go with it. It was in your he promotes his books. the canal to hear.”
about Mickey and Minnie Mouse were truly
going on a date. Then, in third resume. caught in Jim has received many writing
grade, he and a friend wrote stories Work with a lot of different awards from the Maryland
about the Bionic Boys. Jim called magazines.” the crossfire at that time.” Delaware DC Press Association
these stories fan fiction since they Jim advises wannabe authors that Society of Professional Journalists,
were watching The Six-Million Jim and his wife moved to marketing is more work than writing Associated Press, and others.
Dollar Man on television. Seeking to Western Maryland in 1994, where
encourage Jim and his friend in their he eventually took a job as a the book and putting it together. Visit jamesrada.com or amazon.
writing, his third-grade sent them to “Promotions, press releases, talking com to learn more and purchase his
the first-grade classes to read their newspaper reporter. As a reporter, to people, book signings, and shows, books.
stories to the students. They loved Jim drove in a demolition derby,
the stories. Jim explained, “Seeing flew in a B-17 bomber that had it’s a lot of work.”
that reaction from the kids…that’s His family moved to Gettysburg,
what hooked me on writing.” to make an emergency landing, Pennsylvania, in 2004, when
rode with police on a drug bust
Though his work spans several and had to sit in the back with his wife got a job as a medical
genres, the foundation of his writing technologist for Frederick Memorial
is, “To share the stories of ordinary the perpetrator, and had a lot of
people who have led extraordinary interesting, fun experiences.
lives.” He was interviewed as Other assignments weren’t so
a subject on WHAG’s Sunday fun. September 11, 2001, was his 2016
Newsmaker in October 2016. You
can view the interviews online at day off. When he heard about the
Your4State.com. planes hitting the Twin Towers in
New York that morning while he
Jim’s short stories were first was running errands, he went in to
published when he was in high work to give extra help. He was told
school. He also wrote his first novel, to take a photographer and head
The Guardian Angel, in high school, towards Summerset, a town about
but he never published it. Jim has forty-five minutes away, where a SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13
claimed a natural growth in his plane was said to have crashed.
writing, starting with short stories, “Even the police didn’t know where 5k begins at 9am
and progressing to novels. they were going.” They finally 1 mile begins at 10am
arrived at the site at Shanksville,
A graduate of Brigham Young where Jim went house to house to Participate in this heartwarming, small town event where
University, he majored in mass interview people. He was there all
communications with an emphasis day and wrote an article about the the students of Sabillasville Elementary School cheer
in advertising. This gave him crash and their impressions of the you on along the race course all the way to the end!
experience in copywriting, ad
production, and public relations. He All proceeds benefit Sabillasville
even sold newspaper ads in college. Elementary School Parent Group
After college, while working at a for field trips, cultural arts and other school
biotech company, he began selling events. We will also be collecting non-perish-
some short stories. He said, “Short
stories didn’t pay well then, and they day. He was one of the first three able food items for the Thurmont Food Bank.
don’t pay well now. I was just happy
to be published.” reporters on the scene. By afternoon, Receive a raffle ticket for every item donated!
The time was 1993, and Jim tons of people had arrived. Students 18 & under $5
decided to become a free-lance His first two novels were All students registered by 11/4
receive a free shirt!
published in 1996. One was a young Adults (without T-shirt) $15
adult novel and the other was a must be registered by 11/4
thriller. While they sold plenty of Adults (with T-shirt) $20
must be registered by 11/4
copies, neither one made him a lot Race Day Registration Fee
of money. (without T-shirt) $25
Then in 2000, he decided to
publish his third novel himself.
Canawlers would become part of a
trilogy, following a fictional family
during the Civil War on the C&O Register by 11/4 to receive a shirt
designed by Gnarly Artly!
Canal as they faced problems on the
canal that were caused by both the
Registration forms available at Sabillasville
Union and Confederate armies, as Elementary or on the SES Facebook Page.
well as problems caused by Mother For more info, contact Megan Doolittle at
301-514-3115 or [email protected]
James Rada, Jr. — Writing About Ordinar y People, Extraordinar y Lives
Deb Spalding
In addition to serving as The writer. He Courtesy Photo Nature Hospital. Jim worked for a short
Catoctin Banner’s contributing editor, advises time as a reporter before becoming
and writing the monthly column promising and the the editor with the Dispatch
“Looking Back” that appears in the railroad. He newspapers in Emmitsburg, where
Banner and four other newspapers, writers, wants his he worked until he became a full-
full-time freelance writer James “Start time freelancer in late 2008.
Rada, Jr. is the author of eighteen while readers to
books. These include five historical understand His most recently published
novels, seven historical non-fiction you have that the book, Clay Soldiers: One Marine’s
books, and others, exploring a wide a job. Story of War, Art & Atomic Energy,
range of genres, including young Develop canal was is Jim’s first biography. It is about
adult fiction, thrillers, and fantasy. the true the experiences of ninety-two-year-
Jim said that 80 percent of what he contacts dividing line old Chuck Caldwell. When Chuck
writes is history based, adding, “If with was fourteen years old, he attended
I have an interest in the story, I will magazines between the 75th anniversary of the Battle
explore it.” north and of Gettysburg and has autographs
and news- south, not from the soldiers. He fought at
Raised in the suburbs of papers for Guadalcanal as a marine. He also
Baltimore, Jim first discovered articles, the Mason worked with the aboveground
his love for writing while in Dixon Line. atomic bomb tests in Las Vegas.
kindergarten. He dictated the words so you get “The people Jim said, “He has a rich history of
for his first “book”—Mickey’s the clips military experience, perseverance,
Dream—to his teacher and then you’ll need James Rada, Jr. is shown at a library exhibit, one of many where working and determination that others need
drew pictures to go with it. It was in your he promotes his books. the canal to hear.”
about Mickey and Minnie Mouse were truly
going on a date. Then, in third resume. caught in Jim has received many writing
grade, he and a friend wrote stories Work with a lot of different awards from the Maryland
about the Bionic Boys. Jim called magazines.” the crossfire at that time.” Delaware DC Press Association
these stories fan fiction since they Jim advises wannabe authors that Society of Professional Journalists,
were watching The Six-Million Jim and his wife moved to marketing is more work than writing Associated Press, and others.
Dollar Man on television. Seeking to Western Maryland in 1994, where
encourage Jim and his friend in their he eventually took a job as a the book and putting it together. Visit jamesrada.com or amazon.
writing, his third-grade sent them to “Promotions, press releases, talking com to learn more and purchase his
the first-grade classes to read their newspaper reporter. As a reporter, to people, book signings, and shows, books.
stories to the students. They loved Jim drove in a demolition derby,
the stories. Jim explained, “Seeing flew in a B-17 bomber that had it’s a lot of work.”
that reaction from the kids…that’s His family moved to Gettysburg,
what hooked me on writing.” to make an emergency landing, Pennsylvania, in 2004, when
rode with police on a drug bust
Though his work spans several and had to sit in the back with his wife got a job as a medical
genres, the foundation of his writing technologist for Frederick Memorial
is, “To share the stories of ordinary the perpetrator, and had a lot of
people who have led extraordinary interesting, fun experiences.
lives.” He was interviewed as Other assignments weren’t so
a subject on WHAG’s Sunday fun. September 11, 2001, was his 2016
Newsmaker in October 2016. You
can view the interviews online at day off. When he heard about the
Your4State.com. planes hitting the Twin Towers in
New York that morning while he
Jim’s short stories were first was running errands, he went in to
published when he was in high work to give extra help. He was told
school. He also wrote his first novel, to take a photographer and head
The Guardian Angel, in high school, towards Summerset, a town about
but he never published it. Jim has forty-five minutes away, where a SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13
claimed a natural growth in his plane was said to have crashed.
writing, starting with short stories, “Even the police didn’t know where 5k begins at 9am
and progressing to novels. they were going.” They finally 1 mile begins at 10am
arrived at the site at Shanksville,
A graduate of Brigham Young where Jim went house to house to Participate in this heartwarming, small town event where
University, he majored in mass interview people. He was there all
communications with an emphasis day and wrote an article about the the students of Sabillasville Elementary School cheer
in advertising. This gave him crash and their impressions of the you on along the race course all the way to the end!
experience in copywriting, ad
production, and public relations. He All proceeds benefit Sabillasville
even sold newspaper ads in college. Elementary School Parent Group
After college, while working at a for field trips, cultural arts and other school
biotech company, he began selling events. We will also be collecting non-perish-
some short stories. He said, “Short
stories didn’t pay well then, and they day. He was one of the first three able food items for the Thurmont Food Bank.
don’t pay well now. I was just happy
to be published.” reporters on the scene. By afternoon, Receive a raffle ticket for every item donated!
The time was 1993, and Jim tons of people had arrived. Students 18 & under $5
decided to become a free-lance His first two novels were All students registered by 11/4
receive a free shirt!
published in 1996. One was a young Adults (without T-shirt) $15
adult novel and the other was a must be registered by 11/4
thriller. While they sold plenty of Adults (with T-shirt) $20
must be registered by 11/4
copies, neither one made him a lot Race Day Registration Fee
of money. (without T-shirt) $25
Then in 2000, he decided to
publish his third novel himself.
Canawlers would become part of a
trilogy, following a fictional family
during the Civil War on the C&O Register by 11/4 to receive a shirt
designed by Gnarly Artly!
Canal as they faced problems on the
canal that were caused by both the
Registration forms available at Sabillasville
Union and Confederate armies, as Elementary or on the SES Facebook Page.
well as problems caused by Mother For more info, contact Megan Doolittle at
301-514-3115 or [email protected]
