Local author explores ancient war through the eyes of teen warriors

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Local author John Chadwell brings to life an enormous African elephant, teenage warriors and a touch of mythical beings in his first teen novel, “The War Elephant,” which was released in May. 

Now, Chadwell is scheduled to hold a book signing at Hill’s Bookstore in downtown Hollister on June 21 at 10 a.m.

The book was released by Linda Guevara’s All About Kids Publishing, a Gilroy-based independent publisher. He previously self-published eight novels.

“The War Elephant” centers on a boy named Titus, who has autism, and his relationship to Surus, a mistreated elephant that was originally used for hauling stones and logs. The pair get recruited to war and build relations with other warriors along the way.

“In just moments, they bonded, and over the next few years their bond increases,” Chadwell said. “Titus starts evolving, becoming a highly functional autistic boy.”

The story takes place during the time of Hannibal, the Carthaginian general who fought against Rome in the Second Punic War between 218-201 BC. Titus and Surus become Hannibal’s bodyguards.

While the story had been brewing in Chadwell’s mind for some time, it wasn’t until he was connected with Guevara that he began to develop it with a blend of history and his Christian faith. 

“I just made it up as I went,” he said. “I had no preconceived ideas. My only guideline was the actual war.”

Chadwell, a former BenitoLink reporter who considers himself a history buff and whose background is in screenplay writing, said he relied on AI for inspiration and research. He experimented on how the characters might look, and once he achieved an image he liked, his mind went into “hyperdrive.” 

Though Chadwell was familiar with Hannibal by reading his biography, he said he constantly used AI to answer questions such as what type of weapons were used during the war and whether it was logical for a character to move from one place to another.

Despite finishing the book in a week, he said it was a challenge writing for teens.

“I’m 79 years old,” he said. “But I’ve got grandchildren and great-grandchildren so I pulled some of it off just being exposed to them.”

He said he also used his granddaughter, who is a psychologist, as a resource for information on autism.

Another challenge was keeping the story succinct. Chadwell said he would have liked to have included more detail about the supporting characters and action scenes.

“I can only hint at things, being limited to 150 pages,” he said. 

Chadwell said his favorite part of the book is the loyalty between the characters, a reflection of his life that includes serving 20 years in the U.S. Navy and dedication to his faith.

“I like the idea that they would never shirk,” he said. “They would do anything for each other.”

 “The War Elephant,” is part of Chadwell’s three-book deal with the publisher. He is already working on his second book, a rewrite of “The Kid and Wild Bill.” 

The third story idea, initially intended to be a screenplay, is about a gun battle between young students at a Texas school and escaped convicts from a local prison. The story takes place in the 1900s.

“I haven’t written a word yet but I’ve been researching it,” Chadwell said.

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