Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:06:51 EDT
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 3, background

Seeing Castaway Hotel is a complex, multi-book series, I thought I should
add this to help you keep track of the characters.  I will list the boys in
the order they came into the story, give some vital statistics about them
(as of the beginning of this book), and a brief summary about how they came
to live there.  I have also decided to include the Book and chapter number
when that character was introduced as well.  I will also list other
characters, with reoccurring roles in the story, at the end.  I hope this
helps you follow the story better.


Josh Currie -- A 49 year old widower (47 at the beginning of book 1) with
four grown children (2 boys, 2 girls), who decides to take in foster boys,
to help make their lives better.

Ricky (Richard Allen Glover Currie) -- 14 yo -- tenth grade (sophomore) --
5' 6" tall, longish blond hair, gray eyes and doesn't mind a little fun
with his brothers.  Ricky came to Josh as a 7th grade hyperactive,
behavioral problem, whose drug addicted mother had died, his father was
unknown and he had no other family.  (Book 1, chapter 1)

Danny (Daniel Edward Roma Currie) - 16 yo -- eleventh grade (junior) -- 5'
11" tall, brown hair, brown eyes and an athletic build.  Danny was Josh's
second foster son.  He was 13 at the time and kicked out of his home by his
parents (mainly his father) when they discovered he was gay.  (Book 1,
chapter 4)

Brandon (Brandon Patrick O'Hara) -- Danny's best friend -- 16 yo --
eleventh grade (junior) -- 6' 0" tall, blond hair, brown eyes and slender,
but not thin.  While not a foster son or an adoptee, Brandon is still
considered 'one of the family.'  (Book 1, chapter 10)

Jay (Jay Aubrey Curtis) -- Ricky's best friend -- 14/15 yo -- tenth grade
(sophomore) -- Jay is 5' 10" tall, has red hair and green eyes and was
lanky (ungraceful and thin) when younger, but is filling out and his
coordination is catching up to him as he has gotten older.  Like Brandon,
Jay is also 'one of the family.'  (Book 1, chapter 14)

Dustin (Dustin Mathew Kowalski Currie) - 17 yo -- twelfth grade (senior) --
6' 0" tall, black hair, green eyes and a solid build, but not fat.  Dustin
was thrown out of the previous foster home because he was caught in a
homosexual act with the foster parents' son.  He is bisexual.  During the
previous wrestling season, Dustin placed third in his weight class, in the
Pennsylvania State Wrestling Tournament.  (Book 1, chapter 29)

Kevin (Kevin Michael Baxter Currie) -- 15 yo -- eleventh grade (junior) --
5' 10 1/2" tall, longish brown hair, blue eyes and is slender, with a
swimmer's build.  Kevin was the son of the foster parents Dustin was caught
fooling around with.  His father beat him pretty badly after he threw
Dustin out, so Kevin ran away.  Kevin learned he had a cyst on his testicle
and later cancer was discovered in the same testicle, so it was surgically
removed.  (Book 1, chapter 31)

Cole (Cole David Van Cott Currie) -- 14 yo -- ninth grader (freshman) -- 5'
2 1/2" tall, blond hair and brown eyes.  Cole and his brother, Graham, were
found abandoned and malnourished.  They were taken from their home and
placed with Josh.  Cole and Graham both suffer from learning disabilities,
although Cole has it the worst of the two.  (Book 1, chapter 34)

Graham (Graham Thomas Van Cott Currie) -- 13 yo -- seventh grader -- 5' 0"
tall, brown hair, brow eyes and still slender.  Cole's brother and also
malnourished when he came to live at the Currie household.  Both Graham and
Cole suffer from learning disabilities, although Graham's problem is less
severe.  (Book 1, chapter 34)

Pat (Patrick Alan Murray Currie) -- 15 yo -- tenth grader (sophomore) -- 5'
7" tall, dirty blond hair, blue eyes and a solid build.  Pat never had a
stable home life, being raised by several different relatives and moved
around frequently.  This caused him to have problems in school.  He got
into a minor scrape with the law, and Judge Shay asked Josh to take him in.
He also showed some bigoted attitudes at various points, which he now seems
to have under control.  He is bi.  (Book 2, chapter 4)

Trey (Alexander Michael Daniels III Currie) -- 14 yo ninth grade (freshman)
-- 5' 8" tall, brown hair, brown eyes and slender.  Trey is shy, a bit
effeminate and an avid reader, with hopes of someday becoming a writer.
Trey was an orphan, as his parents and sister were killed in an explosion
at his house while he was away.  (Book 2, chapter 8)

Frankie (Franklin Albert Hopkins) -- 16/17 yo twelfth grade (senior) -- 5'
11" tall, black hair, brown eyes, broad shoulders and a solid build.
Frankie came as a result of getting into trouble and at the request of
Judge Shay.  Josh later had to send him away, after he tried to rape
Trey. (Book 2, chapter 17)

Sammy (Tsukimo Yamada Currie) -- 11 yo seventh grader -- 4' 11" tall, black
hair, black eyes, and small for his age.  Sammy and his brother, Andrew,
was taken after the Curries read where his Japanese father had shot his
American wife and then killed himself.  The boys only had their Japanese
grandparents, who decided they were better off with the Curries.  (Book 2,
chapter 25)

Andrew (Furuhata Yamada Currie) -- 9 yo fifth grader- 4' 5" tall, black
hair, black eyes, and also small for his age.  Sammy's brother, and came to
the Curries after the murder/suicide of their parents.  (Book 2, chapter
25)

Dion (Dion Jamal Jackson Currie) -- 12 yo eighth grader -- 5' 7 1/2", black
hair and brown eyes.  Dion has toffee colored skin, is a loner and
non-athlete.  Dion was born to teenage parents and raised by his
grandmother.  His mother took off and his father, a fireman, was killed in
a fire.  When his grandmother died, Sally became his guardian but thought
he'd do better with the Curries.  Dion is bi.  (Book 2, chapter 28)

Carlos (Carlos Miguel Garcia) -- 14 yo freshman -- 5' 6" tall, black hair
and brown eyes.  Carlos is stocky, but not obese.  Carlos and his mother
(an illegal Mexican immigrant) moved from California to Philadelphia with
her boyfriend.  The boyfriend physically abused Carlos and Carlos ran away.
Josh was able to keep Carlos and his mother together, by helping to arrange
for her to be in the country legally and by helping her to find a job and
place to live.  (Book 2, chapter 36)

Other recurring characters:

Sally Swarthout -- works for Dept. of Social Services, and Josh's friend.
Sally helped convince Josh to become a foster parent and brought him many
of the boys.  The boys call her Aunt Sally.  (Book 1, chapter 1)

Patrick & Brenda O'Hara -- Brandon's parents.  They have become Uncle Pat
and Aunt Brenda to Josh's boys.  (Brenda in Book 1, chapter 12 and Patrick
in Book 1, chapter 35)

Howard & Audrey Curtis -- Jay's parents.  Have become Uncle Howie and Aunt
Audrey to Josh's boys.  (Book 1, chapter 35)

Steve & Mary Shay -- Steve was the judge who presided over the first group
adoption and arranged for Pat and Frankie to come to live with the Curries.
He and his wife have since become good friends of the family and the boys
call them Uncle Steve and Aunt Mary.  (Steve in Book 1, chapter 40 and Mary
in Book 2 chapter 23)

Josh's older children & their spouses (from oldest to youngest): Michael
(Andrea), Marie (Adrian), Robert, and Elizabeth (Timothy).  (Book 1,
chapter 38)

Jordan -- Josh's 6yo grandson -- he's in first grade and comes and spends a
great deal of time with his grandfather and uncles.  (Book 1, chapter 38)

Nicky -- Josh's 5 yo grandson (he and Jordan are cousins) -- he is in
kindergarten and he also spends a great deal of time with his grandfather
and uncles.  (Book 1, chapter 38)