Torry Martin - The Call of the Mild: Misadventures in Africa, Hollywood, and Other Wild Places

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Cover design by Kyler Dougherty

Cover Images Rorshak / www.rorshak.com (Lion provided by Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee); Artemisia1508 / iStockphoto

Chapter 30 includes partial lyrics from

Danger Zone (from Top Gun )

Words and Music by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock.

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The stories you are about to read are truefor the most part. Some names, places, and details have been changed in an effort to prolong my life.

THE CALL OF THE MILD

Copyright 2018 by Torry Martin and Doug Peterson

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97408

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-7159-1 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-7160-7 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Martin, Torry, 1961- author.

Title: Call of the mild: misadventures in Africa, Hollywood, and other wild places/Torry Martin and Doug Peterson.

Description: Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2018.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017046131 (print) | LCCN 2018001539 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736971607 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736971591 (pbk.)

Subjects: LCSH: Martin, Torry, 1961- | Christian biographyAlaskaBiography.

Classification: LCC BR1725.M264 (ebook) | LCC BR1725.M264 A3 2018 (print) | DDC 277.3/083092 [B]dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017046131

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From Torry

To my amazing parents, Billy and Verna Martin

For all that youve done for me, you should have 100 books dedicated

to you, and at least 99 of them should be manuals on how to raise a

difficult child. The other one should be How to Work with What

Youve Got. I love you both.

And to my best friend, Robert Browning

I know I dedicated the last book to you, but Whatever.

From Doug

To Scott Irwin

I am speechless. I am without speech. Thank you for being a wise and

wonderful friend. In the immortal words of Kramer, Yo-Yo Ma.

First of all, I need to acknowledge that I nearly drove Rob crazy while writing this book. So thank you, Rob, for everything you do. Without you, this book would not exist. You are my biggest blessing.

In addition, Id like to thank Marshal Younger. We met 18 years ago when we were both writers for Adventures in Odyssey, and since then weve gone on to write 11 screenplays together. Marshal has become a second best friend. His invaluable help transformed this book, and Doug and I are indebted to him in ways that words cannot convey.

The third person in my Torry trinity of best buddies is Jack Aiken. I would like to thank Jack and his lovely wife, Ann, for their faithful friendship and for the guidance they have given to me over the years.

In addition, I thank the incredibly talented Rory White, who did the cover and back cover photography for this book, as well as for Of Moose and Men. I look forward to working together with him for many years to come. Also, thanks to Lucas Wilson for photographing my return to Alaska, and to Don Catlett at Clearly See Media for his tremendous help with the pictures for this book.

Also, thanks to Terry Glaspey and Gene Skinner at Harvest House Publishers for not lopping off my head when I asked for my fourth deadline extension. You believed in this project from the beginning, and I appreciate all that you did in making the book a reality, except for giving me a word-count limit. (Word counts apply to acknowledgments too, or I wouldve made this longer.)

I take full credit for any lapses in grammar. Terry, Gene, Marshal, and Doug all allowed me to put the book in my own voice, even at the expense of grammatical accuracy. Any grammar deficiencies are not a reflection on any of them.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge The Chicago Manual of Style and how very much I despise you. Every time I tried to use like as in like Im stupid, you would change like to as if.

Like I even care.

As if!

Torry Martin

CONTENTS

T he first time Torry Martin and I met, we were both on staff at a conference on the campus of Villanova University. We sat down at an outdoor table and talked for hours like old friends, delving into matters of God and faith as we made our way through a small vat of coffee. We also talked about writing, living with OCD, and how hed almost wrecked a washing machine while cleaning shotgun shells for the Christmas lights he was making to accompany his moose-dropping garlands (which definitely dont go in the washer).

Technically, that was the second time we met. I dont remember the first, but it happened at a trade show where he lined up for a copy of my latest novel. Torry was exercising his secret superpower of encouraging and supporting the work of others who may not even know him yet. He was doing what he does best: investing in lives with the gift of his time (while nabbing a free novel of exceptional quality, of course). Its something he regularly does, tithing time to the growth of others who may not be aware that hes working on their behalf, doing good behind their backs.

Today, Torry is the kind of friend I shriek happily upon seeing and then say loudly, Oh my gosh, is that Torry Martin? Ive seen his movies! (This probably embarrasses him, but how many friends have you seen on the Hallmark Channel?) Then we hug before diving into discussion as deeply as time allowspreferably over a sandwich and with a few goofy selfies.

Torry is the kind of person you can be your serious and nerdy self with. Hes someone with whom you can discuss spiritual matters and the (equally crucial) best way to organize a silverware drawer and the pivotal Tupperware bin, which he and I may or may not have discussed with an exchange of photographic evidence on more than one occasion.

As a creative, Torry is a prolific mind with more ideas than hell ever have time to produce, write, or acteach of them as funny as they are deep. A true gift to a world longing for both meaning and much-needed levity.

Most of all, hes a friend with a gift for making others feel seen and full of the potential they may not recognize in themselves. A man full of adventure with a heart for each being he finds in his path, fueled by his keen desire for God.