The Red Scarf

Young Richard's quest for the red scarf is accompanied by unlikely obstacles."Well, I guess you want to hear about the whole dang mess, don't you? Huh? Every little thing? Well - let's see - first off, this here pink scar on the top of my foot and the other one on the bottom happened at the end of summer and these pink scratches with the scabs on the side of my leg happened just a couple of weeks ago. Them two red looking holes was caused by something that happened right before Christmas, and none of them have got nothing to do with each other. Can you believe that? Well, it's true, cross my heart, and it still gives me the willies every time I think about it."In his debut novel, Richard Mason takes us back to southwest Arkansas during World War II through the eyes of Richard, an eleven-year-old with a dream. The dream seems simple enough--to buy a red scarf for Rosalie, the prettiest girl in school. However, buying a scarf doesn't usually include skunks, bobcats, robbers, fur brokers, stolen Christmas trees, and a cast of eccentric characters such as Peg, the one-legged tavern owner, his brother Wing, a one-armed marshal who swings a mean blackjack, and Bubba, a big man who wields an even bigger frying pan. The cast of characters is rounded out by Sniffer, a hound with decidedly bad instincts; Doc, the newsstand operator who styles himself after President Roosevelt; John Clayton, young Richard's best friend and partner in mischief; and Uncle Hugh, who befriends the boys after rescuing the accident-prone Richard from certain infection and carrying him home through the backwoods. Young Richard's quest for the red scarf is accompanied by unlikely obstacles, infused with a little holiday serendipity, and concludes a bittersweet season in a young boy's life. This holiday story fro Arkansas will teach readers the importance of fairness, resourcefulness and responsibility.
About the Author: Richard Mason Bio: Richard lived the part of Richard in The Red Scarf growing up on a small farm in South Arkansas. His childhood days were spent roaming through the woods and up and down the creeks outside of his hometown of Norphlet. For several years Richard was the Norphlet paperboy, delivering the El Dorado Daily News, The Arkansas Gazette, and The Shreveport Times. Many of the incidents in the novel are based on the antics of Richard and his friends. Richard has been writing since his time in Libya, when, with nothing but time on his hands, he spent hours in a hot trailer, writing in longhand his first novel. Since that time he has written numerous guest columns in various papers, and while president of the Wildlife Federation he authored "The President's Column". For several years, after stepping down as president of the Wildlife Federation, he wrote a statewide column, "Natural Solutions." The Red Scarf is Richard's debut novel, but other writings, including a sequel, are in the works. He is an avid collector of antique maps of the south and southwest. His collection has been on display numerous times, and it is considered one of the top collections in the south. Richard's other primary interests have to do with historic preservation. Together, with his wife Vertis, they have restored 17 commercial buildings in downtown El Dorado, Arkansas and have received numerous awards.