About Us

The Stalking the Belle Époque team is small, but mighty.  And, a little odd...but, happy.  We are one man, one terrier and one puppet, each with his own values and ideas.

Bertram Wilberforce Wooster was born on June 11, circa 2000.  He's a West Highland White Terrier from Stillwater, Oklahoma and he spent his formative months in a chicken coop.  This, as you might guess, didn't work out and he was exiled to McKinney, Texas where he happily lives today.  His interests include toys which squeak, cookies, sleeping, red sauce and round meat, visiting Grandma and Grandpa, romping through Art History, rides in the car, chasing chickens, napping, cheese, whipped cream, dinner, watching television, barking and being a bossy boots.

Mr. Punch is a puppet based on the centuries-old tradition of Punch & Judy.  He was custom-made by the master British puppet-maker Bryan Clarke.  He came to Texas in 2011 and is passionate about hitting things with sticks, sausages, petting horses, chattering, beating the Devil, not being hanged, and meeting other puppets.

Joseph Crisalli was born in 1973 in an undisclosed location in the north-eastern U.S.  He's spent most of his life in Texas where he remains today in a Victorian house in McKinney, Texas.  The author of The Garnet Red, Joseph illustrated and co-authored The Emeritus Peabody Mysteries and The Turnip War.  In 2010, Joseph debuted Stalking the Belle Époque which he updates seven times a day, seven days a week.  Along with this blog, he introduced the two online novels: Punch's Cousin and Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square.  When not being an author and historian, Joseph likes to practice his puppeteering skills as one of the few Punch & Judy men in the U.S.  Joseph enjoys shopping for antiques and feeding stray animals as well as researching the history of Britain and the British Royal Family, especially King George V and Queen Mary.  And, cake...cake is always good.