The story so far: Marky Meadows gets pushed around on the soccer field and by the local bully, but he hopes his plan to start a newspaper will turn things around.

"Are you OK, Marky?" Sizemore asked as the tomato innards oozed down his friend's face. "That Joe D., man, he should be in prison, not elementary school."

"He's only staying in elementary school until he gets his driver's license," Marky said, finally able to smile.

Sizemore sat on the grass. "What were you saying before the tomato tornado hit?" he asked. "You want to start a newspaper? Like the Skiprock Sentinel?"

Marky took off his glasses to wipe the tomato fragments from his face. "Yeah, except smaller," he replied. "I don't think we can write about the whole world, but we could cover neighbourhood news: fires and fights and lost dogs."

"Can I do the weather?" Sizemore asked, warming up to the idea.

"Uh, yeah, I guess. I'll need you to be the editor, too," Marky said. "I'm not the best speller or capitaliser."

Lying down in Sizemore's yard, the boys talked about other news they could put in their paper: school events, car washes, sports, meetings, church dinners, …

"And we'd break big stories, too. We could be famous," Marky said dreamily, enjoying the feel of the ground, which seemed much softer than the soccer field. "But we need help. Doesn't Mrs. Velasquez work for the Sentinel?"

Sizemore sat up. "The lady over on Graybark Road? Maybe," he said. "You think she'd help us?"

"How could she say no?" Marky said, rising and standing like Superman. "I'm Marky Meadows, Ace Reporter."

Sizemore pointed at Marky's face. "You got a tomato seed on your forehead, Ace."

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"Wow, you must've run the whole newspaper," Marky said, staring at the awards, photos, and framed pages in Elena Velasquez's den. He and Sizemore each held a glass of milk and a granola bar.

"The publisher runs the paper. When I retired last month, I was assistant editor," Mrs. Velasquez said. "I started at the Sentinel as a secretary, 42 years ago."

For the next 30 minutes, Mrs. Velasquez explained the basics of the newspaper business. It was like getting a tour of the Skiprock Sentinel itself as she described the different departments: newsroom ("interviewing, writing, and editing"), circulation ("delivery"), and production ("getting words from the computer onto the paper").

"… and remember to back up your facts before you print them," Mrs. Velasquez told the aspiring journalists. "Back up everything!"

Marky and Sizemore asked questions and took notes, using reporter notebooks Mrs. Velasquez gave them. Marky flipped a page before asking, "How many copies should we print every day?"

"That depends on how many you can sell," Mrs. Velasquez said. "The money you charge for the papers will cover only part of your costs. The rest comes from adverti – oh, goodness! I forgot the advertising department!"

Marky looked at Sizemore. "We won't have ads," he said confidently. "Our readers will only want the news."

Mrs. Velasquez laughed gently and pulled a pencil from somewhere inside her perfectly fixed hair. "Now boys, there's no free lunch. Ads help pay for the newspaper. I only forgot because we keep the news side separate from the advertising side."

Sizemore looked at his granola bar, wondering if it was lunch and if he had to pay for it.

Marky looked puzzled. "You mean, not only do we have to charge for the paper, but we have to ask businesses to advertise in it, too?" he asked. "I just want to be a famous reporter; I don't care about making money."

"I'll be happy to make money, Mrs. Velasquez," Sizemore said. "Tell me about the ads."

As Mrs. Velasquez talked, Sizemore took notes and jotted down numbers. Within a few minutes, he put down his pencil. "I think we can make this work if we sell 100 copies of each issue and get at least four ads."

Marky was still unsure. "But who's got time to get ads? I'll be reporting, and you'll be editing."

Just then, the front door closed, and into the den walked a girl with bright eyes, brown hair, and a big smile. "I'm home, Abuela!"

"Oh, hello, Carla," Mrs. Velasquez said. "I want you to meet my new friends."

In that second, Marky forgot about newspapers, ads, and becoming famous. Marky was in love.

Chapter 2 Questions for consideration

1. What is Marky's goal in starting a newspaper? Do you think he will be successful?

2. If you started a newspaper with some friends, what job would you want? What skills do you have for that job?

3. Discuss how it might have been difficult for Elena Velasquez to advance from secretary to assistant editor of the Skiprock Sentinel.

4. If you created a newspaper, how would you decide what to charge for each copy? List the things you would need to think about in setting a price.

5. Take your own tour of the The Royal Gazette. Contact Jennifer Hind (278-0136) about tour opportunities.

Youngsters who submit written answers to the first three questions will be eligible for a weekly draw for a gift voucher. Send your answers via email to jhind@royalgazette.bm, or fax 295-2766 or drop off at The Royal Gazette 2 Par la Ville Road Hamilton. Remember to include all your contact information.