Today's Chat with Sarah features Matt Zullo author of On-The-Roof Gang.
To view the official review, click here.
To view the book on Amazon, click here.
To visit the author's website, click here.
*********************************************
1. What do you like to do outside of being an author?
I work full-time, and researching and writing about the On-the-Roof Gang has consumed most of my spare time for the past few years. Outside of that, I love to travel -- I've visited 45 countries and lived in 4. I've also been to 46 states and looking to visit the final 4. I also like to ski, which I've done on three continents. Of course, I like to do this with my travel partner and wife, Kecia.
2. Walking us through a typical day for you when you're writing.
When writing, I'm usually up and at my desk by 6am, sometimes earlier. I'll work through the day, which includes writing, digging through source files, discussing my research with others who are interested, and posting information on social media.
3. What or who has influenced your writing the most?
I am driven by the women and men, past and present, who have served in the U.S. Navy's cryptologic community. Certainly, this includes the Sailors and Marines who made up the On-the-Roof Gang and their families. In the process of researching and writing these books, I have met and corresponded with several of the On-the-Roof Gang members and remain in contact with some of their family members. The reaction of the families of this group from the "Greatest Generation" has made all the work worthwhile.
4. Let's discuss your book On-The-Roof Gang. Can you give us a quick synopsis?
On-the-Roof Gang: Prelude to War is the origin story of this group of Sailors and Marines. They were a group of 176 Navy and Marine Corps communicators, who responded to an increasingly aggressive Japan in the years leading up to World War II by teaching themselves the Japanese equivalent to Morse code, based on the katakana syllabary. The story follows the life and career of Chief Radioman Harry Kidder, who was the founder of the group. The book describes the birth of what will be known as the Naval Security Group and ends on the day which will live in infamy -- December 7, 1941. Volume 2, On-the-Roof Gang - War in the Pacific follows these communications intelligence pioneers through the war -- through evacuations of collection sites, being taken as POWs, and participation in some of the most famous naval battles of all time, including Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal, Leyte Gulf, Okinawa, and more!
5. Why the 1920's?
Japan was fighting a war against China since the turn of the century, and they had become increasingly aggressive in their colonization of southwest Pacific island countries in search of resources to fuel their war efforts -- namely oil and rubber. The United States dedicated resources, military and otherwise, to try to counter the Japanese efforts at expansion. During this time, the Imperial Japanese Navy began to communicate using a telegraphic code based on the katakana syllabary. When Harry Kidder and others heard this telegraphic code on the airwaves, they taught themselves how to intercept and exploit it. These efforts set in motion events that would lead to the birth of the Naval Security Group.
6. The protagonist, Harry, is a radioman. How much research did you do in this field in order to write the book? How did you do it?
I've been researching Harry Kidder and the other members of the On-the-Roof Gang since 2006, when I began to write my master's thesis on the topic. I've spent weeks at a time digging through boxes of information at the National Archives and visiting the National Cryptologic Museum. However, the biggest source of my information was the Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association, who have published the Cryptolog magazine since 1983. They've also released "special publications" and oral histories, many of which were written by or contained information about the On-the-Roof Gang. Without a doubt, the most rewarding research I've done was in speaking to the On-the-Roof Gang members themselves or their families.
7. Which character from the book do you identify most with?
I don't really identify with any of the characters. I am nothing but an admiring witness to the unbelievable acts of heroism each of the On-the-Roof Gang members performed. As part of the "Greatest Generation," their sacrifices helped win the war against tyranny around the world.
8. Why did you choose historical fiction? Or perhaps it chose you?
After writing my master's thesis, I had all this information about the On-the-Roof Gang that really wasn't appropriate for a research paper. Still, I found it fascinating, and I thought others would, as well. I toyed with the idea of writing a completely non-fiction book, but decided I wanted to make it more accessible by creating dialog, thoughts, and personal interactions. All of it is based on real people and real events, but it's wrapped in a fictional story to make people want to keep turning the page.
9. Is your next book going to be in the same genre?
Yes, it will be the second book in the On-the-Roof Gang series - War in the Pacific, which is due out in October 2020.
I like to end on a few fun questions.
10. Plane, train or automobile?
Oh, all three, for sure! As I mentioned, I love to travel. I'd prefer to drive everywhere, because the journey sometimes reveals treasures as inspiring as the destination. But since the world is too large for that to be feasible, I'm happy to fly or train, if it gets me to new parts of the world.
11. Besides your own, what book is your favorite?
One of my favorites is Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, by John le Carré. Other recent books I've read have been Code Girls, by Liza Mundy; Storm over Leyte, by John Prados; Monuments Men, by Robert Edsel; and Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose.
12. Warm fireside on a cold day or air conditioning on a hot one?
Definitely warm fireside with a snifter of schnapps after a day of skiing!
