Former resident relies on memories
While the three-ring circus, which lasted well over 100 years, may not exist in its original format, the memories live on with those who experienced the show. The same applies to William Zoldak, whose fourth book focuses on his recollection of when the circus came to Cornwall.
“Grandpa’s Day at the Circus” is available at Hazard’s Pharmacy and the Friends of the Cornwall Library bookstore, as well as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Zoldak, a former Cornwall resident who now resides in Massachusetts, wrote letters to his grandchildren because he wanted to leave information about himself and his experiences in Cornwall. Those 25 letters are being converted into children’s books.
“It makes me feel pretty good,” Zoldak said on releasing his fourth book. “I never thought I’d have anything published. I’ve always been sort of a storyteller. I tried the first one and it seemed to work out pretty well. Now I’m hooked on it.”
As a young teenager, the circus came to Cornwall and set up in a field in Firthcliff. In an attempt to earn tickets for that night’s show, Zoldak stood on line hoping to secure a job to pay his way into the show. Arriving late, he initially didn’t get a job, but was later offered one working with horses. The book tells about what he did that day and the relationships he formed with the circus employees.
Zoldak wrote the story about six or eight years ago, but it wasn’t until this past spring that he picked up the tale and set to work editing it and having it illustrated for print. The author worked with the same illustrator he used for two of his previous works. That usually takes some time to ensure his vision is accurately depicted on the page.
“On this one, we were on the same page and to some degree I had to bow to her artistic talents,” Zoldak said of Nisti Feliciano Hobbs.
For example, Hobbs’ depiction of the elephants is not exactly what Zoldak had in mind. He envisioned them picking up tent poles while the book shows them pulling a wagon.
“Each illustration is a painting, so if I tell her no, she has to start over. I try to be reasonable.”
For his next project, Zoldak has narrowed down his choices to four possibilities, but is leaning toward something he hasn’t done yet – a poem. Aimed at smaller children, the subject would be bumblebees. Zoldak said the illustrations would have to be “really good for this one.” The other possibility is a tale about an event which took place at the top of Mine Hill Road.
