Ted Lazaris

Resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his wife and family; has worked many jobs in his life including retail sales, the medical field as an anesthesia technician, the printing industry, and has owned his own business, among other things. You might say he's worn many hats. But that's not important. What's important is you, he feels that people should be able to escape their everyday routine of work and school by seeing a movie, watching a favorite TV program - or reading a good book. That's what his books are all about, good fun and a means of escaping your daily routine. He likes to think of his books as modern day fables for the young and the young at heart. Visit Ted online at http://www.dragonman.tv

 

Pageonelit.com: Where did you grow up and was reading and writing a part of your life? Who were your earliest influences and why?

Ted Lazaris: I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and to tell you the truth reading and writing wasn’t a real big part of my life at the time. I was the kind of kid that spent as much time as I could outside, mostly exploring in the wooded areas around where I lived. However I did enjoy reading Dickens and Twain and have always been influenced by a good story no matter who wrote it. I feel authors generally fall into three categories. Some are good writers, some are good storytellers and then some are exceptionally good at both … they create works of art … those are the great ones.

 

 

 

Pageonelit.com: Who is Luke Starr aka Dragon Man? Where did this superhero come from? How is this superhero different from other superheros? What are his superpowers?

Ted Lazaris: I would have to say Luke was your average teenager in many ways, that is until fate and an unknown force caught up with him and thrust him headlong through a cosmic portal to a different plain of existence, not into the mysterious depths of outer space, but to inner space, a place that is every bit as baffling and mysterious; located on an alternate realm of earth known as Spellville. Soon after Luke arrives he comes to realize he isn’t so ordinary after all, and little by little discovers the astonishing legacy of his birth right, one that ties him with a overwhelming bond to this strange and wondrous world.

After a ritualistic exchange of blood with a dragon Luke begins to notice some very subtle changes, ones that will eventually become his alter ego, Dragon Man. The awesome part of being Dragon Man is that he keeps evolving, getting smarter and stronger, causing him to think of things that most of us could scarcely dream of. But he also inherits a dark side of great strength and brutal fury. This makes it a tough road to travel for this Christian kid of strong religious and morals beliefs, grappling with his fears and doubts while always in an inner conflict with himself trying to keep the violent nature of the dragon in check.

Dragon Man has several extraordinary powers of undetermined nature, some of which are still evolving. Like a dragon he can fly, breathe fire or engulf a room with a gas that can drain one’s life force, leaving them temporarily in a weakened and confused state. He can even shield himself in a cloak of camouflage rendering him almost invisible.

 

Pageonelit.com: The Dragon Man series is in novel form - Have you presented or any plans to present this character in the comic book form? Who did the art work for your book covers? In your opinion what makes the novel form better/different?

Ted Lazaris: It’s in novel form for selfish reasons. I have too much fun writing the novels. You see, when I write I actually travel on the journey myself. It almost seems as though I cross over the threshold of this world and enter the story itself, weaving a tapestry of magic and myth, all the while pulling and tightening the strings of wonder and excitement until the final knot is tied, bringing the journey to an end and turning the final page of the completed novel.

As of now I have no plans of turning Dragon Man into a comic book character. I feel the novel is different, I won’t say better but I like it better for the simple reason I can put to paper so much more in novel form.

My brother Phil did the artwork for my books. It works out kind of nice because we’re both on the same page, so to speak. We both have a strong background in art; I went to technical college and majored in art when I was younger. As kids growing up, my brother and I would paint an array pictures, then I’d give him my opinion of his work and he would do the same for mine; you might say we’re still doing it to this day. In the second book I took a more active role in this area by drawing some sketches of the characters making it easier for him to visualize and paint some of the scenes.

 

Pageonelit.com: How much fun is it to have your own Superhero? Did you have a favorite superhero when you were growing up?

Ted Lazaris: It gave me a great sense of satisfaction and joy to be able to give life to this character, because as a kid my favorite superhero was Superman and this just gave me the rare opportunity to create my own super being … it was a lot of fun.

 

Pageonelit.com:   If Hollywood called today - Who would you choose to play Dragon Man in the feature film?

Ted Lazaris: If Hollywood called me today, I would choose Kevin Zegers to play the part of Luke Starr, because of his young and wholesome appearance, not to mention I think this kid can really act.

However in my books, Luke isn’t the only one that evolves and changes into something else. The dragon that becomes Luke’s blood brother does as well. I wrote this character thinking that Jack Black would be perfect for the part if Hollywood ever contacted me.

I think I’d like someone like Peter Jackson or Steven Speilberg to direct, if a movie were ever made, and I think it would need to be strong on story, with amazing special effects, but not to overshadow the story itself. It would also need great sound effects as well as an awe-inspiring theme song.

I feel all the great movies had this winning combination. A few that come to mind are: “Jaws” with its heart pounding sound effects. “The Exorcist” with its eerie storyline and terrifying special effects, enhanced by the music that sent chills down your spine. And who could forget, “The Wizard of Oz”. This movie still entertains and delights audiences from all over the world to this very day.

To date my book has been compared favorably by New York Times best selling author Ellen Tanner Marsh to “Dorothy’s adventures in Oz,” “The Lord Of The Rings, ““Harry Potter” and “Spider-Man,” all of which have been blockbuster movies.

So I think it would be a wise decision on someone’s part to start talking to me about a movie deal and the sooner the better … Ha Ha.

Pageonelit.com:  I understand the First Lady, Laura Bush, has written you regarding the Dragon Man series?

Ted Lazaris: Yes, she did, and being the teacher and avid reader that she is made me feel pretty good, it certainly was quite an honor for me.

 

Pageonelit.com: What do you hope to achieve with Dragon Man books? What do you hope readers will take away after reading your books?

Ted Lazaris:  First and foremost I hope I can entertain and enlightened people everywhere, in addition to that I hope they had as much fun reading my books as I did writing them.

 

Pageonelit.com: What has been your feedback from readers?

Ted Lazaris: Generally speaking, most folks say it’s a fun read and call it a fast paced fantasy. I’m especially happy with the review I got from NYT/best selling author Ellen Tanner Marsh … I thought it was an excellent review.

 

Pageonelit.com: What's next?

Ted Lazaris: Book three in the series of course. I’m already doing research for the book, but it’s a long and winding road from story outline to finished novel, so it’s kind of hard to predict just when it will be completed.

 

Pageonelit.com: What was the last book you read?

Ted Lazaris: I’m currently reading “Scientology: A New Slant On Life,” by L. Ron Hubbard, but the last book I read was, “Triggers,” by Joseph Sugarman a master of the written word. It’s a marketing book by one of the greatest ad men of our time. What intrigues me most about this book is he reveals 30 of his psychological triggers that can motivate, influence, and persuade the masses to buy just about anything. I try to use some of these same techniques in my books, not to sell anything, but it does keep things moving along briskly, so it makes for a fast paced read … almost hypnotic you might say.

 

Pageonelit.com: Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How do they enhance your writing?

Ted Lazaris:  If you can call taking a five-mile walk every day at 3 in the morning a hobby, then I guess I have one. I do this because I get some of my best ideas for my books while I’m walking down the dark, quiet streets of Milwaukee. When I finish my walk I return home, usually around 5:00am, then it’s time to get busy writing … and once again the journey begins.