Who is Pinto Grinn?

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Pinto "Grinn" is not only the teller of Sam's story; he is a character in the book. His name is meant to invoke a feeling of spectacle that I try to convey in Moonlight Meridian. In many ways, Pinto Grinn is an extension of me as the author and is a testament to my immersion in my work. 

A ”Pinto” is a horse with two colours, physically embodying yin and yang. When we are in touch with our Pinto, our mind and body are one, and we are united, in touch with our true selves. 

Grinn is a name that comes from the concept of smiling. 

The idea of Pinto came to me about ten years ago while I was writing a short story called “To Pinto. " The story is about a writer struggling with his deteriorating mental health. He is divided. He is isolated in a cabin alone, haunted by a series of letters that begin with “To Pinto,” signed by someone named T (stands for teacher or Tom in reference to my grandfather). 

In To Pinto, Pinto’s struggles mirrored my own at the time, as did his feelings of isolation. Ultimately, Pinto is forced to take a leap of faith at a lighthouse. In many ways, I am still leaping. I adapted this story in a later work called The Indeterminate Life of Arthur Finkle, where I attempted to expand on the concept. 

Pinto Grinn's Moonlight Meridian is an adventure—hopefully, a magical one for the readers. It is the story of a cat named Sam who wakes up with heightened awareness after being asleep for three days. She has no explanation for her new understanding or why she was asleep. Her last memory was waiting beside her human Jhal for a woman in a stained yellow dress to step off the train. Because of her heightened awareness, her perspective begins to change, introducing the readers to the world of Moonlight Meridian through Sam’s eyes while she rediscovers it.

I began tinkering with world-building and the first maps of the Commonland six years ago, long before any professional artists were hired. I developed Sam’s character when I began working on the project earnestly, following the spark that would see me through to the end after at least a dozen false starts. 

Sam is based on a real cat named Ginny Minou, who periodically sits with me when I write. He never fails to wait for me by the door to come home at night to give him treats. Ginny Minou looks and acts a lot like Sam and scolds me as if he is human when he does not get what he wants. Watching and spending time with Ginn inspired Sam's creation. 

“Sam woke” is where her story begins.

In the book, I take credit as Robert R. Richardson. 

I prefer Ryan.

That is the name I use.

I wrote my first story, "Bravery's Blade," when I was 12 when I realized I could not draw. The story was twenty-three pages long and written in ink as neatly as I could. My mother ruined it by editing it. Hours of work hacked to pieces with scribbles and marks. She changed my ending, and I never forgave her. The fact I still have it means that she cared. I will share the story, including the edits, on this site one day. I smile every time I read it :)

I hope you enjoy Pinto Grinn’s Moonlight Meridian

-Ryan