July 3, 2010 11:30 pm US/Pacific

Peter S. Beagle "the Bandit Prince": Sorcerer of Words, Minstrel of Music, and Benefactor to Humanity.
by Gus Summers.

Los Angeles - "A Fine and Private Place." "The Rhinoceros Who Quoted Nietzsche." "The Last Unicorn." "Tamsin." "We Never Talk About My Brother." "The California Feeling." "The Unicorn Sonata." And the list goes on and on.

As a prolific writer, Peter continues to mesmerize readers around the world! Ursula K. Le Guin, author of "A Wizard of Earthsea," says it perfectly, "For years a loving readership has consulted him as an expert on those heart's reasons that reason does not know." He has used his mastery of words impressively! Aside from his world-wide persona as fantasy author, he is also an accomplished screenwriter, an essayist, an amazing singer and songwriter, a gifted poet, and a gift to us all.

Peter S. Beagle was born on April 20, 1939, in Manhattan to Simon and Rebecca Soyer Beagle. Raised in the Bronx, New York, Peter loved growing up there. It has been noted that he has said, "I most clearly remember that books were talked about. And I don't know of any other house where I could have gotten away at the age of 11 or 12, and currently in love with the works of William Saroyan, with reading a chapter aloud from My Name Is Aram in the middle of dinner just to show how I wanted to write."

A voracious reader, Peter's parents encouraged him in his pursuits of the literary arts. He was a frequent contributor to the Bronx High School of Science literary magazine. In his senior year of high school, he entered a poem and a story into the 1955 Scholastic Writing Awards Contest and his poem took first place. First place came with a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh where he spent his next four years.

His first book, "A Fine and Private Place," was published in 1960. He has used his experiences, his imagination, and his amazing ability to express through words to give book after book after book. "Peter S. Beagle is our best modern fabulist in the tradition of Hawthorne and Twain. From the dark pride in the story "Come Lady Death" to the dignity and love rising from a rhino-emblazoned philosophy, the stories .... make the Fantastic become real, the Real both dark and lovely." - Jack Cady

Peter is announcing a new chapter in his work. His book, "The Last Unicorn," is currently being brought back to life through the medium of manga. To all who desire to keep abreast of this and all things Peter S. Beagle, be sure to visit Conlan Press.

Beware, however, as you enter into the worlds created by Peter. As Tad Williams - author of the Otherland Series said, "Peter S. Beagle is (in no particular order) a wonderful writer, a fine human being, and a bandit prince out to steal readers' hearts."

Gus Summers is the Host and Program Producer for The "IN Show, an entertaining broadcast that covers all things exciting and enlightening. When Gus isn't busy covering current events and interesting people, you'll see him out and about enjoying all that the City of Angels has to offer. For any questions, comments, or program ideas, he can be reached at gus@kclafm.com.

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