Louis A. Meyer (January 1, 1942 – July 29, 2014)[1] was a Maine author. Writing under the name L.A. Meyer, he was best known for his young-adult historical series The Jacky Faber Adventures, also known as the Bloody Jack series. He also wrote two children's picture books and was a painter. He and his wife owned an art gallery called Clair de Loon in Bar Harbor.
L.A. Meyer was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and spent most of his career in Corea, Maine. His father was an Officer in the U.S. army, so he spent much of his childhood moving around with his family. He attended 12 different schools before graduating high school in Fort Myers, Florida.[2] After finishing university at the University of Florida, in Gainesville, Meyer earned a B.A. in English literature.
Later he enlisted in the U.S. Navy for 4 years. While in the Navy, he married his college sweetheart, Annetje Lawrence (in 1966).[1] They had two sons, Matthew and Nathaniel. Like their father, both men are painters[3] and teachers. Annetje was also a teacher before dedicating herself to the family's businesses and researching historical points for her husband's novels.[1]
Since 1984,[4] he and his wife owned an art gallery called Clair de Loon[3] in Bar Harbor, where they sold matted and framed prints of his artwork.[1] Clair de Loon closed in November 2013 due to Meyer's illness.
Biographyedit
Meyer grew up on U.S. Army bases in Germany and the American east coast, attended high school in Pennsylvania and Florida, college in Florida, and then hitchhiked through Mexico and the American Southwest before joining the military.[1]
During the Vietnam War Meyer joined the U.S. Navy, stating in interviews that he joined the Navy to avoid death in a foxhole.[1] He became an officer after four months, and was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet. He saw no combat during his tour of duty, which included ports of call in Italy, France, Spain, and Malta.[1]
Meyer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from the University of Florida in 1964.[4] He took graduate art courses at Columbia University in 1970[4] and received an MFA in Painting in 1973 at Boston University's Master of Fine Arts program.[1] Before graduating from Boston University, Meyer had already written two children's picture books for Little, Brown and Company.[1] He also worked as a floor sweeper, social worker, and high school art teacher.[1]
Meyer invented the idea for the character of Jacky Faber while listening to British and Celtic folk music on a local community radio station in his workshop. Meyer describes the moment on his website:
...the host of the program plays a long string of early nineteenth century songs that feature young girls dressing up as boys and following their boyfriends out to sea, the most well known of these being Jackaroe[6] and Cana-di-i-o.[7] These songs generally end up with the girl being found out quickly and threatened with being thrown overboard, but all ends happily when she either marries the boy or the captain.
It occurred to me, however, to wonder what it would be like if the girl, instead of seeking to be with her lover, connives to get on board a British warship in order to just eat regularly and have a place to stay, her being a starving orphan on the streets of early 1800s London. What would she have to do to pull off this deception for a long period of time? What if she goes through the changes of adolescence while on board in the company of 408 rather rough men and boys, and her not having much of a clue as to what is happening to her? What if this ship goes into combat and she has to do her dangerous duty? And, finally, what if she falls in love with one of the boys and can never tell him of her female nature?
I started making notes and seven months later Bloody Jack was done.[1]
Meyer stated in several fan interviews that the final book in the series would be titled She Will Play the Wild Rover No More, a name adapted from a line in the folk ballad "The Wild Rover", and hinted that the book was already completed and "deep in a vault," though he further stated that he did not know how many more books would be in the series. In August 2013, Meyer announced the publication of the final installment under the slightly altered title Wild Rover No More.[8] The book was published posthumously in November 2014.
Bibliographyedit
two[1] or more[4] children's books published by Little, Brown prior to 1973
The Gypsy Bears Illustrated Children's Book (1971)
Bloody Jack seriesedit
Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy (2002)
Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady (2004)
Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber (2005)
Mississippi Jack: Being an Account of the Further Waterborne Adventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman, Fine Lady, and the Lily of the West (2007)
My Bonny Light Horseman: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, in Love and War (2008)
Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy (2009)
The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Adventures of Jacky Faber, on her Way to Botany Bay (2010)
The Mark of the Golden Dragon: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Jewel of the East, Vexation of the West, and Pearl of the South China Sea (2011)
Viva Jacquelina! Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber Over the Hills and Far Away (2012)
Boston Jacky: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Taking Care of Business (2013)
Wild Rover No More: Being the Last Recorded Account of the Life and Times of Jacky Faber (2014)
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghijklMeyer, L.A. L.A. Meyer Biography 2008-11-06 at the Wayback Machine, brief autobiography on author's own webpage. Accessed February 25, 2009.
^Maughan, Shannon. "Obituary: L A Meyer". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
^ abClair de Loon official website. Accessed February 25, 2009.
^ abcdMeyer, L.A. Biography at Meyer Studio Gallery 2007-05-27 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed February 25, 2009.
^Burnham, Emily (5 August 2014). "L.A. Meyer, Corea resident and author of Bloody Jack book series, dies at 72 — Hancock — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine". Bangordailynews.com. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
^www.facebook.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/LA-Meyer/128462140559986. Retrieved May 28, 2009. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
External linksedit
(Meyer Studio Gallery homepage, archived 2007)
December 20, 2023
meyer, other, people, named, louis, meyer, louis, meyer, disambiguation, louis, meyer, january, 1942, july, 2014, maine, author, writing, under, name, best, known, young, adult, historical, series, jacky, faber, adventures, also, known, bloody, jack, series, a. For other people named Louis Meyer see Louis Meyer disambiguation Louis A Meyer January 1 1942 July 29 2014 1 was a Maine author Writing under the name L A Meyer he was best known for his young adult historical series The Jacky Faber Adventures also known as the Bloody Jack series He also wrote two children s picture books and was a painter He and his wife owned an art gallery called Clair de Loon in Bar Harbor L A MeyerBornLouis A Meyer 1942 01 01 January 1 1942Johnstown Pennsylvania U S DiedJuly 29 2014 2014 07 29 aged 72 Ellsworth Maine U S Pen nameL A MeyerOccupationAuthorNationalityAmericanEducationUniversity of Florida BA Columbia UniversityBoston University MFA GenresYoung adult fiction children s literatureSpouseAnnetje Lawrence m 1966 wbr Children2 Contents 1 Personal life 2 Biography 3 Jacky Faber books 4 Bibliography 4 1 Bloody Jack series 5 References 6 External linksPersonal life editL A Meyer was born in Johnstown Pennsylvania and spent most of his career in Corea Maine His father was an Officer in the U S army so he spent much of his childhood moving around with his family He attended 12 different schools before graduating high school in Fort Myers Florida 2 After finishing university at the University of Florida in Gainesville Meyer earned a B A in English literature Later he enlisted in the U S Navy for 4 years While in the Navy he married his college sweetheart Annetje Lawrence in 1966 1 They had two sons Matthew and Nathaniel Like their father both men are painters 3 and teachers Annetje was also a teacher before dedicating herself to the family s businesses and researching historical points for her husband s novels 1 Since 1984 4 he and his wife owned an art gallery called Clair de Loon 3 in Bar Harbor where they sold matted and framed prints of his artwork 1 Clair de Loon closed in November 2013 due to Meyer s illness Biography editMeyer grew up on U S Army bases in Germany and the American east coast attended high school in Pennsylvania and Florida college in Florida and then hitchhiked through Mexico and the American Southwest before joining the military 1 During the Vietnam War Meyer joined the U S Navy stating in interviews that he joined the Navy to avoid death in a foxhole 1 He became an officer after four months and was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet He saw no combat during his tour of duty which included ports of call in Italy France Spain and Malta 1 Meyer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from the University of Florida in 1964 4 He took graduate art courses at Columbia University in 1970 4 and received an MFA in Painting in 1973 at Boston University s Master of Fine Arts program 1 Before graduating from Boston University Meyer had already written two children s picture books for Little Brown and Company 1 He also worked as a floor sweeper social worker and high school art teacher 1 Meyer died due to complications caused by Hodgkin s lymphoma on July 29 2014 in Ellsworth Maine 5 Jacky Faber books editMeyer invented the idea for the character of Jacky Faber while listening to British and Celtic folk music on a local community radio station in his workshop Meyer describes the moment on his website the host of the program plays a long string of early nineteenth century songs that feature young girls dressing up as boys and following their boyfriends out to sea the most well known of these being Jackaroe 6 and Cana di i o 7 These songs generally end up with the girl being found out quickly and threatened with being thrown overboard but all ends happily when she either marries the boy or the captain It occurred to me however to wonder what it would be like if the girl instead of seeking to be with her lover connives to get on board a British warship in order to just eat regularly and have a place to stay her being a starving orphan on the streets of early 1800s London What would she have to do to pull off this deception for a long period of time What if she goes through the changes of adolescence while on board in the company of 408 rather rough men and boys and her not having much of a clue as to what is happening to her What if this ship goes into combat and she has to do her dangerous duty And finally what if she falls in love with one of the boys and can never tell him of her female nature I started making notes and seven months later Bloody Jack was done 1 Meyer stated in several fan interviews that the final book in the series would be titled She Will Play the Wild Rover No More a name adapted from a line in the folk ballad The Wild Rover and hinted that the book was already completed and deep in a vault though he further stated that he did not know how many more books would be in the series In August 2013 Meyer announced the publication of the final installment under the slightly altered title Wild Rover No More 8 The book was published posthumously in November 2014 Bibliography edittwo 1 or more 4 children s books published by Little Brown prior to 1973 The Gypsy Bears Illustrated Children s Book 1971 Bloody Jack series edit Bloody Jack Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary Jacky Faber Ship s Boy 2002 Curse of the Blue Tattoo Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber Midshipman and Fine Lady 2004 Under the Jolly Roger Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber 2005 In the Belly of the Bloodhound Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber 2006 Mississippi Jack Being an Account of the Further Waterborne Adventures of Jacky Faber Midshipman Fine Lady and the Lily of the West 2007 My Bonny Light Horseman Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber in Love and War 2008 Rapture of the Deep Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber Soldier Sailor Mermaid Spy 2009 The Wake of the Lorelei Lee Being an Account of the Adventures of Jacky Faber on her Way to Botany Bay 2010 The Mark of the Golden Dragon Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber Jewel of the East Vexation of the West and Pearl of the South China Sea 2011 Viva Jacquelina Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber Over the Hills and Far Away 2012 Boston Jacky Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber Taking Care of Business 2013 Wild Rover No More Being the Last Recorded Account of the Life and Times of Jacky Faber 2014 References edit a b c d e f g h i j k l Meyer L A L A Meyer Biography Archived 2008 11 06 at the Wayback Machine brief autobiography on author s own webpage Accessed February 25 2009 Maughan Shannon Obituary L A Meyer Publishers Weekly Retrieved 26 August 2017 a b Clair de Loon official website Accessed February 25 2009 a b c d Meyer L A Biography at Meyer Studio Gallery Archived 2007 05 27 at the Wayback Machine Accessed February 25 2009 Burnham Emily 5 August 2014 L A Meyer Corea resident and author of Bloody Jack book series dies at 72 Hancock Bangor Daily News BDN Maine Bangordailynews com Retrieved 2014 08 07 Jackaroe Lyrics Accessed February 25 2009 Canadee I O Lyrics Accessed February 25 2009 www facebook com https www facebook com pages LA Meyer 128462140559986 Retrieved May 28 2009 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty title help External links editPhoto portrait circa 2002 Meyer Studio Gallery homepage archived 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title L A Meyer amp oldid 1174705832, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
