Title: Telemachus and Homer
Author: Scott Locke
Genre: YA Fantasy
For every boy who grew up in his father’s shadow and every
girl who has been underestimated, there comes a time to look within themselves
to see if they have the strength to meet the challenges of the lives. For
Telemachus this time arrives soon after Odysseus returns from his twenty year
absence, when Telemachus comes to appreciate that his own life needs to be
about more than waiting for his father to guide him. On the verge of
embarking on an adventure, he learns that his community has been threatened and
realizes that he does not know how to help. Swallowing his pride, he
recognizes that Homer, a young blind woman is a necessary ally. Homer,
like Telemachus has something to prove, for although she is respected for her
knowledge, she feels unfairly defined by her community. Together, as
the people of Ithaca’s last hope, they begin their quest.
Author Bio
Scott Locke is a graduate of Brown University with a
concentration in biology and of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law,
where he earned his J.D. Scott has published many articles on
various aspects of intellectual property. Telemachus and Homer is
Scott’s first publication of fiction.
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Book Excerpt
By the time that Telemachus was nineteen, he had
had enough of Homer’s attempts to help him to get in touch with his feelings. He was living his loneliness, and he did not see any value in brooding over it as Homer wanted him to do. Consequently, he spent longer times in a
state of silence that was loud and clear to Homer.
However, even in silence, Telemachus could not hide his discomfort.During these times, Homer heard Telemachus’ breathing rate change as she asked questions that made him feel ill at ease, and she could smell the sweat that accumulated on
his brow. Finally, Homer stopped
following him to the shoreline.
Telemachus
had been Homer’s only true friend. He was the only person who did not ever
question why she spent so many hours studying, and he never asked her how she
could learn so much even though she was blind. She always wanted people to
treat her as Homer, and not the blind girl. In receiving the cold shoulder from Telemachus, her wish came true, and it hurt.
By contrast, Telemachus had mixed emotions about not having Homer as a companion. He missed the company, but he also felt relieved that no one forced him to confront his feelings. Homer had been the only one in all of Ithaca to press him on these issues. Even Telemachus' own mother did not press him. He wondered whether Homer was the only one who could not appreciate that her questions were inappropriate to ask the son of Odysseus, or whether she was the only one who cared enough to ask the questions that despite his unease and desire not to hear, needed to be asked.
In the first few days after Homer stopped shadowing Telemachus,Homer sulked and Telemachus became even more introverted. But Homer was too determined to make something of herself to allow her rift with Telemachus to bring her down. Accordingly, whereas
Telemachus remained focused on waiting for news of his father, Homer threw
herself into her interests, and she increased the intensity of her training in the medicinal arts. She also spent her free time, the time that she had previously spent with Telemachus, interviewing travelers and veterans of the Trojan War. Quickly, she became Ithaca’s most worldly citizen, despite never
having left its shores.
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