Authors Caleb and Linda Pirtle discuss their novels during a visit to their East Texas home on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. (Cory McCoy/Staff)

HIDEAWAY – Celebrated author and storyteller Caleb Pirtle III finds inspiration for his tales in the most unlikely of places, from busy airports to worm fiddling contests.

The self-described people watcher knows ordinary life can be the fountain of ideas for a make believe world filled with colorful characters and nail-biting adventures.

The international bestselling author, who lives quietly in Hideaway with wife, Linda, has about 70 books to his credit, including many thrillers and mysteries.

In spite of his successes, the writer remains a humble, forward-thinking man who never seems to tire of exploring the world, one chapter at a time.

“It’s been a good ride, and I’m still in the race,” he said. “I’m still trying to figure out how to get out of first gear.”

ALL IN THE FAMILY

There is much to say about Pirtle’s public side.

He’s a recipient of the prestigious National William Randolph Hearst Award for feature writing, given while he was a student at the University of Texas at Austin, for exemplary reporting about a young East Texan captured during the Vietnam War.

Pirtle is a former journalist and past travel editor for Southern Living Magazine.

He’s written teleplays for CBS, including The Texas Rangers and the miniseries Gambler V: Playing for Keeps, and logged 25 years as editorial director of Dockery House Publishing in Dallas.

Some of his recent fiction works center on foreign intrigue and the harrowing adventures of Ambrose Lincoln, a victim of failed government mind control techniques.

Privately, however, his life follows a more typical trajectory.

The Kilgore native is a beloved husband, father and grandfather – who spins tales of spy intrigue, suspense and terror.

His wife of almost 54 years is also an East Texan and author, although her first path in life was in education, as both an English teacher and administrator, then a grant writer.

It was her husband’s idea a few years ago to put her literary skills to work and write a book.

“He challenged me,” she said. “I thought, ‘I can do this,’ and I did.”

She turned out a cozy mystery, The Mah Jongg Murders, and there’s more juicy reading on the way, it appears.

With two writers in a household, one has to wonder if they ever feel an urge to compete.

“No, not at all,” he said. “We support each other.”

In fact, the couple routinely bounces ideas off one another and chats over flavored coffee about plots, characters and who-dun-it theories.

Their approaches seem as different as yin and yang – ever the educator, she meticulously outlines every chapter; he sits down and starts typing.

She carries an electronic tablet and reads for pleasure. He prefers paper and analysis.

Surprisingly, the couple shares an office and a firm understanding about boundaries.

He has one side and she has the other.

When they are hot on the literary trail to pinpoint a killer, the couple follows a simple rule to keep the peace: Don’t interrupt.

But what if they need to communicate?

“We email each other,” they said in unison.

‘NEVER A DULL MOMENT’

Pirtle’s professional travels during his years with Southern Living today provide a wealth of ideas for his award-winning tales, which are punctuated with humor and rich details.

At his wife’s suggestion, he wrote a book about some of people met during his journeys, Other Voices, Other Towns – The Traveler’s Story.

Throughout his storied career, there are moments when professional responsibilities collide with reality.

“I spent my wedding anniversary at a worm fiddling contest in Florida,” he said, recalling the 1981 episode with a grin. “It wasn’t intentional.”

It seems the good people of Caryville, Florida, population 2,880, are known for holding a Worm Fiddlin’ Festival, mostly for bragging rights on best technique for wrangling the most wrigglers.

Digging is not an option, it seems, because the preferred fish species of the area likes whole worms, not chopped ones.

But there’s a certain science to catching them that makes for great entertainment.

“You take a board, drive a little stake into the ground,” Pirtle said, explaining that when a board is rubbed across it, the vibrations cause the worms to bubble to the soil’s surface where they are scooped up and counted.

When the couple figured out the annual worm festival fell on their special day, the good-sported Mrs. Pirtle agreed to tag along, although it’s still unclear whether her enthusiasm for the occasion rivaled his.

“I was saying, ‘Linda look, there’s a worm … there’s a worm!'” he said, arms waving as he recalled the hilarity of his wife’s reaction.

She apparently mustered a polite grimace and two-word response: “Happy Anniversary.”

The slimy memory is just one of countless others that keep the couple laughing.

“There’s never been a dull moment,” Mrs. Pirtle said, rolling her eyes for emphasis.

Most of their trips today are aimed at spending time with the grandchildren, but life is far from mundane.

There’s talk of reviving the travel itinerary and hitting the road.

They plan to continue writing books, mentoring emerging storytellers and managing Venture Galleries, an online connection for readers, writers and resources.

Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Amazon also offer copies of the couple’s work.

“The most honored profession in the world is being a storyteller,” Pirtle said. “It’s important work because stories can change the human heart.”

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