Introducing the Scarlet Scrapper: Debut Action Adventure
Introducing the Scarlet Scrapper by Leonard Apa
Author Interview + Book & Author InfoDon’t miss any ITW Debut Author interviews! Click the link here.Introducing the Scarlet Scrapper
Thomas Malloy has just witnessed the worst trauma a child can suffer. With nowhere to turn he seeks out the only man he feels can help him, The Scarlet Scrapper! The trouble is that Frank Hodge is no kind of hero, he just plays one on the radio.
Hodge, a veteran who drinks too much, is dealing with his own inner demons. Now he must decide if he will continue down the disastrous path he has been on since returning from the war, or if he can become the hero Thomas needs him to be.
A story of action, adventure and heart, where hero and villain collide in a showdown for an innocent boy’s life.
You can get your copy at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and BAM.Introducing the Scarlet Scrapper Author InterviewIntroducing the Scarlet Scrapper centers on Thomas Malloy and Frank Hodge. Tell us about those two characters:
Thomas Malloy is an eight-year-old boy who goes through the worst tragedy a child can. With nowhere to turn, he seeks out the one man he thinks can help, his radio hero The Scarlet Scrapper.
Frank Hodge is a returned veteran, not so much fighting his demons, as living with them. He despises his role as the Scarlet Scrapper and has been climbing into a bottle to numb himself. But when Thomas finds him and asks for help, Hodge begins to feel something again for the first time in a long time.
Introducing the Scarlet Scrapper is set in the 1940s. What did you do to research the era and bring those details into the novel?
In order to build the world of 1940’s New York, I read novels from the time period, I watched newsreels and looked at pictures of NYC in the 1940’s. As the book is heavily influenced by the old radio shows of the period, I listened to all the big heroes of the times.
Tell us about the society that these characters exist in? What’s the environment like?
Hodge and Thomas are living in a society torn by war where corruption runs deep. While they navigate this corruption, there are also those who bring hope and who are willing to help others.
Introducing the Scarlet Scrapper involves a radio show. What intrigued you about that medium for storytelling? You also have full episodes of the radio show along with artwork on your website, how did those come about?
I have always loved superheroes and back in high school, I stumbled upon the old Superman radio show. It was love at first listen. From there, I began to look for other radio shows. I ended up finding The Shadow and remembered the movie from 1994 and decided to listen to that, then came The Phantom, then The Green Hornet. There is just something about the sound effects and the advertisements and the acting in the shows that pulled me in. They are a lot of fun.
When I was writing the book, I thought a fun aspect would be to include excerpts of radio scripts from the fictional show The Adventures of the Scarlet Scrapper. So, I studied old radio scripts and began to build stories that could feature the Scarlet Scrapper. I thought it would be fun to have those scripts brought to life, so I extended the scripts into full episodes, and then asked around on social media to see if anyone would be willing to produce them. The rest is history.
As far as the artwork on the website, I have some amazing students who are very talented. It started with one student who wanted to make some art for me. When I hung it on my classroom wall, more students decided to make art. One student even gifted me with a mask and fedora on a mannequin head. Most recently, the art was used to make bookmarks, and a t-shirt.
You also teach high school English in New Jersey. What do your students think about you having your debut novel coming out?
It’s actually pretty flattering how excited my students are for the book to be released. This excitement is where a lot of the art came from. The students ask about ordering the book, and on the less than rare occasion, one will raise their hand and ask about the book as they visit my website … while they should be working in class.
What are you working on now?
I just finished writing the first draft of Re-Introducing the Scarlet Scrapper, which is the sequel to Introducing and takes place twenty-five years after the first book. There will be one more book to complete a trilogy, but what is fun about the character is that there are endless possibilities in other mediums.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:
Be patient with yourself and your writing. Sometimes when we complete something or make some headway, we start to rush. Sometimes, with the excitement, it’s hard not to, but like most everything else, it takes time. Writing takes time. Crafting a story takes time. It’s okay to take your time.
Brilliant advice!Introducing the Scarlet Scrapper Author Leonard Apa
Leonard Apa is a high school English teacher living in New Jersey. He is also a member of ITW (International Thriller Writers). His short fiction has been published in CAPED: An Anthology of Superhero Tales, Deadman’s Tome Campfire Tales Book One, the first issue of Creepy Campfire Quarterly, and The Good Fight 5: The Good Fight. He was also featured in the “Reject a Hit” segment of Writer’s Digest.
Leonard’s debut novel Introducing the Scarlet Scrapper will be released by Running Wild Press on September 23rd, 2025. He is currently hard at work on a new project.
Follow Leonard’s author journey: Leonard Apa- Author Website, Leonard Apa- X.com.Elena Hartwell/Elena Taylor
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