Page 9 - ION Indie Magazine November December 2019 Issue

Performing a rock opera is different because it So, the story? On Christmas Eve, a destitute man
has this story element. The music will likely have steps off a bus into the town of his childhood after
more moments of reflection vs. straight-out, 30 long years as an itinerant laborer. A homeless
turned up to 11 for two hours. But like any good street kid in his own youth, he joined the military
story, there are big moments where all pistons as a young man to try and find a life and place to
are firing, and then there are quieter moments. be, but war left him somewhat broken. When he
The audience that shows up to a rock opera returned, he married and had a child, but shortly
usually knows they’re in for some full-out scream- after, he tragically lost them both. Thus, began his
inducing moments as well as some that might “bus-years.” Penniless, he takes the only job he
touch a nerve. One of the cool things about the can find on Christmas Eve…ringing a bell.
rock and metal community, in my opinion, is it’s Throughout that day and night, he encounters
pretty open-minded and inclusive. many people whose lives are as hard as his has
been. He finds that he is the exact right person on
KP: I know that you spent time in the this night to help these people. In the end, he
corporate realm working for Microsoft until a finds a sense of inner peace, realizing that finding
layoff happened and you found yourself a “place to be” isn’t really about a physical place
parting ways with this giant of a company. I at all, but about giving whatever best part of
am curious to know, did your departure from himself he can to those who have need of it.
Microsoft serve as a catalyst to realize your
dream to breathe life into The Bell Ringer? KP: As many authors incorporate themselves
in their characters, is there a particular
PO: It did. Once the initial fear and uncertainty character in The Bell Ringer that represents
wore off, I figured I had a little time to think about the essence of Peter Orullian?
what I wanted to do with my life. That lead me to
recall the idea I’d had when I graduated high PO: Not in particular. That said, while fiction is
school. I decided to give it a shot. I would never supposed to, by definition, not be
have done so if I was still working a long autobiographical, most writers inject themselves
corporate day. into the story quite subconsciously. It usually
takes the form of experiences or people they
KP: Can you tell our readers about how the know, all of which inform scenes and interactions
concept for The Bell Ringer was born? between characters. It’s part of what makes
Provide a brief synopsis on the story of The fiction work, since there are common human
Bell Ringer. experiences we all share.

PO: About the time I was hitting my senior year in
high school, a couple of life-changing things
happened to me. I was pulled into rock music in
a big way and I began to read a good amount of
popular fiction -- like Stephen King and Dan
Simmons. Anthemic music and character-driven
storytelling just got inside me and made me want
to put my creative urges to good use. I worked in
a parking booth across from the Greyhound bus
depot. Through the holidays, I watched the poor
and homeless receive more consideration from
rushing passersby. I imagined a guy stepping off
one of those buses on Christmas Eve, a guy with
a tragic backstory, and taking a job as a bell
ringer. It was all he was qualified to do and he had
the determination to stand all day in the cold to
fetch a few coins. It opened up in my mind the
story and the music I’d use to drive that story.
Many years later, I finally took the chance of
making it a reality.