Mt. Washington, NH 2004 Sugarloaf, MA 2004
ABOUT AUTHOR EUGENE ORLANDO
First place winner of a 2004 Royal Palm Literary Award for best middle grade unpublished novel sponsored by the Florida Writers Association, Eugene Orlando also won a second place for an unpublished adult fantasy book not mentioned on this website from the same contest. For other books also not listed on the site, Eugene has won a second place and a third place in two different nationally sponsored unpublished novel contests. Also for 2004, he has received an honorable mention in the 73rd Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition for a short story in the genre fiction category.
For 2005, Eugene has won an honorable mention (tie for third palce) in the Royal Palm Literary Awards for best unpublished novel of any genre or category (It is a non-children's historical novel). He also won a second place for a book not mentioned on this website. The second sequel to The Magic Token (A Journey with Anne of Green Gables) won a third place in a nationally sponsored unpublished novel contest from the South Florida Writers Association. Also for 2005, he has received two honorable mentions in the 74th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition for short stories (one for mainstream fiction and one for genre ficiton).
For 2006, Eugene has won a first place for an unpublished adult short story in the 2006 Royal Palm Literary Awards sponsored by the Florida Writers Association. He also received two honorable mentions for poetry, one honorable mention for an adult short story, and a third place for a stage play from the Tampa Writers Alliance. To Be a Gypsy won an honorable mention in the Tallahassee Writers Association.
Eugene is currently serving the Florida Writers Association in the capacites of Regional Director of Hillsborough County, Board Member, and the Co-Group Leader for the Brandon Writers Study Group.
What manner of human being is Eugene Orlando?
He is a man who loves to write for children.
When asked, "Why do you write for children?" Eugene answered-
"Because I'm still a kid myself. Just think, while other adults sit around dreaming about their childhood past; I get to re-invent and relive it! You can't beat that."
When asked, "Why do you write mostly for girls?" Eugene answered-
"Although The Magic Token: A Journey with Alice in Wonderland is for girls and boys, it is not typical of my work. Since Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered his famous 'girlie man' speech, I have accepted the term as my own. I am a 'girlie man', and I'm proud of it. To Arnold, 'girlie man' defines a man as a sissy, but I say to Arnold (and I'll say it to his face), 'Girls are not sissies!' A 'girlie man' is a man who recognizes that all men have a feminine side. (Yes, even you have one, Arnold.) It is a wonderful side that gives a man positive emotions and makes him sensitive, a good communicator (which an author has to be), and a nurturer (even a male author must nurture his characters, and create nurturing characters). I am all of that, and, Arnold, if that makes me a 'girlie man' then let me boldly wear it on my sleeve."
"Another reason I like to write for girls is that I am keenly interested in exploring the father/daughter relationship, a relationship that has been underestimated and clouded with shades of abuse by self-righteous corners of our society. I believe a father can nurture his daughter, and if he is a 'girlie man', he can inspire her to develop into a sensitive, caring, independent, empowered human being fully equal in every way to any other human being. (So there, Arnold, take that!)"
When asked, "What is it that you regret most about your life?" Eugene answered-
"I regret not having the family Mr. Bennet had in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I would have loved very much to have had five daughters. Though a curse in the pre-Victorian times of the early 1800s, it would have been a blessing for me."
The facts on author Eugene Orlando
Eugene Orlando, born in Baltimore, Maryland, now lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife Charlene and handicapped daughter Crystal and their six cats (Camille Elizabeth, Cara Mary, Katina Kitty, and Bubbles Lydia, [Andra Jane died of old age the summer of 2005 and they were our Bennet daughters of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice], Mr. Darcy, and our newest member, Molly Gibson. A computer teacher, Eugene is also affiliated with Stagedoor Performing Arts, Inc. A full-length stage adaptation of The Magic Token was successfully launched in Brandon, Florida by Stagedoor Community Theater in 2005. See Magic Token pictures.
To Meet the Orlando family:
C-L-I-C-K H-E-R-E
If you would like to provide any feedback please email to. . . .
eo@eugeneorlando.com
Eugene Orlando
Last Updated October 2, 2007
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