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About Mike Peterson
- Author and editor Mike Peterson has worked with students and teachers since 1993, creating educational materials that are both engaging and educationally sound. He has given workshops for educators on local, regional, state and national levels, has had articles on educational topics published in a variety of publications, and has won international awards for his youth and community programs. His serial stories have appeared in newspapers throughout the United States as well as in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Bermuda. He has also been a newspaper reporter and editor, radio talk show host, magazine writer and advertising professional.
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Why did you choose the Pierce Arrow for the car that Eddie drives.
Posted by: Shawn Pridell | 02/16/2011 at 02:32 PM
I really like the story so far.
Posted by: crapave lacs | 02/16/2011 at 02:42 PM
Why did you choose the Pierce Arrow for the type of car that Eddie drives? I was just curious on why you chose this. By the way, great story so far!
Posted by: crapave lacs | 02/16/2011 at 02:50 PM
George trusts Kenny?! What will become of our characters? We may never know. The saga continues.
Posted by: CCaseL.A.C.S. | 02/16/2011 at 02:54 PM
Why did Pepe sell their horses and not something else to be able to buy a tractor?
Posted by: bwoolschlager | 02/16/2011 at 05:08 PM
Choosing the cars was one of the most fun parts of writing this story. I had to do research and get it right, but I still had the freedom to use my imagination, too.
George's car was harder to decide on than Eddie's. The Buick Roadster is a really cool car, but it's not too expensive -- a young single guy making some extra money doing construction work on the weekends might be able to afford it. Still, one of the questions in this story is how many people is George really fooling? How many really don't know what he is doing, and how many sort of know but are acting like they don't know?
Picking Eddie's car was different, because Eddie doesn't care what people think of him, and so he went out and got himself a very expensive, very flashy car. (Plus Eddie has a lot more money to spend than George. George only does this part-time, but Eddie is a full-time criminal.)
I didn't want to use a car that is still around, like a Chrysler or Cadillac, because they're more affordable now than they were back then. A lot of bootleggers liked Packards, because they were heavy and held the road well. But the Pierce Arrow was a good car that a lot of famous people owned and for someone who liked to impress people, it was a lot flashier than a Packard.
(The fact that Pierce Arrows were made in New York State was a surprise bonus! A little extra local history for everyone!)
Posted by: Mike Peterson | 02/16/2011 at 05:10 PM
If Pepe bought a tractor, he didn't need the horses anymore, so why spend the money to feed them and take the time to care for them? It's like asking why you would trade in your car when you buy a new one.
But I met loggers in Maine just a few years ago who said they'd rather use horses or oxen in the woods because you don't have to keep starting them and bringing them to where you're working. You just go click-click and they follow you. That's probably why, when he has to work in the woods, Pepe has Paul bring his oxen over from the apple orchard.
Posted by: Mike Peterson | 02/16/2011 at 05:14 PM
Why is George the rummrunner anmd not someone else?
Posted by: cmayerlacs | 02/17/2011 at 10:36 AM
I like the chapters that you are writing.
Posted by: tjenne | 02/17/2011 at 10:36 AM
why is eddie a rum runner
Posted by: kbroutylacs | 02/17/2011 at 10:37 AM
Dear Mr. Petterson,
Who is Eddie's girlfriend and why did you put her in the story?
Posted by: Hannah Rockwood | 02/17/2011 at 10:39 AM
Why didn`t tell the girls name??
Posted by: cjohnsonlacs | 02/17/2011 at 10:39 AM
Why does Kenny not say anything about George to Raymond?
Posted by: cmayerlacs | 02/17/2011 at 10:41 AM
why did you choose oxyen instead if horses
Posted by: kbroutylacs | 02/17/2011 at 10:41 AM
I was wondering that if Eddie is related to related to kenny in any way.
Posted by: rsprowl | 02/17/2011 at 10:43 AM
Sorry Mr. Peterson. did not meen to misspell your name. It was a typo. So, who is Eddie's girlfriend and why did you put her in the story?
Posted by: hrockwood | 02/17/2011 at 10:43 AM
Why aren't Kenny's couisn's as involved as he is?
Posted by: hrockwood | 02/17/2011 at 10:44 AM
I like this story the best so far
Posted by: TBroutyL.A.C.S. | 02/17/2011 at 12:15 PM
sorry that was a typo why did you make the story
Posted by: tjenne | 02/17/2011 at 02:18 PM
Why do all the rumrunners have fancy cars?
Posted by: dberrus | 02/17/2011 at 02:19 PM
will george get arrested
Posted by: msmith | 02/17/2011 at 02:20 PM
Why did you want Kenny to be the main character?
Posted by: sbeller | 02/17/2011 at 02:21 PM
what do the gansters look like!
Posted by: hroach | 02/17/2011 at 02:25 PM
What does the girl that Eddie had with him have to do with the story?
Posted by: Mlyndaker | 02/17/2011 at 02:25 PM
What inspierned you to write this chapter .
Posted by: jstacy at lacs | 02/17/2011 at 02:39 PM
This book is awsome so far!!
Posted by: hmoshierLACS | 02/17/2011 at 02:42 PM
Why did you make Eddie Nickels so fancy with his Pierce Arrow and his fancy clothes?
Posted by: omoyer LACS | 02/17/2011 at 02:42 PM
Why did you have a girl come along with Eddie to the farm?
Posted by: hmoshierLACS | 02/17/2011 at 02:44 PM
I love your book so far, when was the book published??
Posted by: jlehman | 02/17/2011 at 02:48 PM
Does Eddie ever come back into the story and if he doesn't do other beer buyers come?
Posted by: Chelsea Munger | 02/17/2011 at 02:49 PM
Dear mike, why did you make unckle gorge a rumruner?
Posted by: jlarkins lacs | 02/17/2011 at 02:50 PM
Did you enjoy writing this?
Posted by: Alyoung lacs | 02/17/2011 at 03:55 PM
Why does Eddie get the hooch from Uncle George, do George and Eddie have some Kind of trading system?
Posted by: iberl lacs | 02/17/2011 at 04:38 PM
What was your favorite part of chapter four?
Posted by: Cbranagan lacs | 02/17/2011 at 04:43 PM
Why do you have Eddie Nikles pay Kenny for helping him get the burlap bags?
Posted by: Akogut LACS | 02/17/2011 at 05:09 PM
Mr. Peterson,
We have plenty of questions to share soon with you. Have you heard of the book BLACK DUCK? It is a book written about rumrunners during prohibition and takes place in Newport, RI. We have Cape Cod epals we wiki with and plan to ask them questions about rumrunning there!
Mrs. Dermady has our questions on index cards. Can we SKYPE sometime? We are on winter break next week. How about the week after?
One big question...where can we rent the rest of the video of the silent movie?
We are anxious to see what happens!
Posted by: Mrs. Dermady's Class | 02/17/2011 at 06:01 PM
Dear Mr. Peterson
Do you plan on writing another serial story for the Watertown Daily Times? If you do, what do you think the story will be about?
Posted by: erubenzahlLACS | 02/17/2011 at 06:12 PM
Who is the lady with Eddie and how did Uncle George meet this Eddie guy?
Posted by: emalone lacs | 02/17/2011 at 07:04 PM
Why doesn't anybody else know about Uncle George and his hooch.
Posted by: Kalani Zehr | 02/18/2011 at 08:27 AM
Will the lady ever like Kenny, like Kenney liked her?
Posted by: lauren | 02/18/2011 at 09:20 AM
Why make Eddie want georges beer and make Eddie have the Peirce Arrow?
Posted by: Michaela from Mrs. Dermady's Class | 02/18/2011 at 09:21 AM
Sydney: Why does pepe sell a hourse for a tractor because horses are better.
Posted by: Mrs.Dermady's calss | 02/18/2011 at 09:24 AM
What will Kenny do with the five dollar bill?
Posted by: lauren | 02/18/2011 at 09:24 AM
Jade: Why would George let Kenneth help load the Hooch if there was other people around exept George?
Jade: Why did Edie want his Hooch early?
Posted by: Mrs. Dermady's class | 02/18/2011 at 09:27 AM
Do you think uncle raymond wanted to let kenny help put liquor in the back of the pierce arrow?
Posted by: kellen | 02/18/2011 at 09:28 AM
How much would a Pierce Arrow cost in the 1900's?
Posted by: Mrs.Dermady's class | 02/18/2011 at 09:28 AM
Why did Kenny have to work alone?
Why did Kenny help Eddie?
What part of the Pierce Arrow is the 'running board'?
Posted by: Michaela from Mrs. Dermady's Class | 02/18/2011 at 09:29 AM
Dear Mr.Peterson,
Who is Eddie and what did he want with Uncle George? How does Eddie fit into this chapter?
Posted by: Pheobe'- Mrs.Dermady | 02/18/2011 at 09:30 AM
Why did Kenny help Eddie carry the hooch to Uncle George's car?
Posted by: Aaron | 02/18/2011 at 09:30 AM
Did Kenny help Uncle George with the burlap bags or was it Eddie that helped with the burlap bag????
Posted by: Andrea in Mrs. Dermady's Class | 02/18/2011 at 09:30 AM
What was Eddies facial expression when Eddie saw Kenny
Posted by: Andrea in Mrs. Dermady's Class | 02/18/2011 at 09:31 AM
Why did you write that Geoge had a cutsmer to buy hooch and why did give Eddie a Pierce Arrow.
Posted by: shannen in Mrs.dermady's class | 02/18/2011 at 09:32 AM
Dear Mr. Peterson,
Is Eddie's girlfriend an important character in Hooch???
Posted by: Sara | 02/18/2011 at 09:33 AM
From: karissa in Mrs. Dermady's class.
Why would Kenny help load the beer if he knows that is is wrong? Kenny can just tell his uncle Raymond, and he can arrest uncle George.
Posted by: Mrs Dermady's class | 02/18/2011 at 09:34 AM
Why does the Pierce Arrow can have seven passengers on one car?
Posted by: Mrs. Dermady's Class | 02/18/2011 at 09:34 AM
Why has kwnny never held a 5 dollar bill?
Posted by: Grace | 02/18/2011 at 09:35 AM
Lots and lots of questions -- some of them are "read it again" questions, and some are "wait and see" and others are "what do you think?"
Like, why does Eddie have a girlfriend that he takes places? The answer to that is, "Well, what do you think?" Maybe they do things differently where you live, but, where I grew up, some guys have girlfriends and they take them places. And I didn't grow up very far from you, so I'll bet guys in your town have girlfriends, too, sometimes, that they take for rides in their cars.
And I'll bet most of the farmers in your area use tractors instead of horses, too.
But why does Uncle Paul have oxen instead of horses? Well, he could have either, but oxen are a little more calm and patient, and Paul has an apple orchard in Chazy, so he uses his team to pull those big boxes of apples through the orchard at picking time. The oxen are willing to just stand there and wait for the next box to be ready to load.
(I'm going to post this and start a new one so it doesn't get too long)
Posted by: Mike Peterson | 02/18/2011 at 10:45 AM
Now, let's talk about money for a minute ... First, Kenny's never had a $5 bill because his family doesn't make a lot of money, and, in those days, $5 was a lot of money for a kid to have. It would be like someone giving you $64.39 -- and just for helping him with some bags! (What does that tell you about Eddie?)
Well, if that doesn't tell you that Eddie has a lot of money and doesn't mind spending it, the Series 33 Pierce Arrow he drives would have cost him about $7500. Today, that would be like buying a car for $96,589.04. Take a look in today's paper and see what most brand new cars cost and you'll see that a Pierce Arrow was pretty special.
So now that brings us to the question of why Eddie has such a cute girlfriend and such nice clothes, and why Kenny helps him and what Uncle Raymond would think of it all.
Those are questions you need to be thinking about as you read this story, but let me give you some help: This story happens a long time ago, but maybe people haven't changed very much.
Have you ever heard of people making a lot of money doing something illegal, and using that money to buy expensive cars and really nice clothes?
And have you ever heard of kids who knew that those people were doing something wrong, but looked at those nice clothes and nice cars and thought maybe, just maybe, it wasn't so bad after all?
Kenny has an Uncle Raymond, and he has an Uncle George. Which one SHOULD he listen to? Which one do you think he's GOING to listen to?
And that is the biggest "wait and see" of them all!
Posted by: Mike Peterson | 02/18/2011 at 11:01 AM