Finding a retired author is like finding a single book in an overstuffed bookcase; it’s doable, but it’s going to take some work. Your best lead is that the writer retired to Gadfly Glades.
Shrunk Down to Size
Look around the area where you enter Gadfly Glades and get your bearings. Climb up the small hill above you and look for a cage that’s filled with enemies. There is a Cootie Trap and a pile of Flea Jumpers inside of it. Battle this modest group, and use attacks that hit the entire cluster of targets if your Skylander has anything like that. You’ll make quick work of everything.
Next, pass through the cage and take a detour at the bottom of the path to find a whole pile of free experience. Use the mushrooms to bounce up to a green ledge where there’s a Random Reward Object. Claim it before you return to the path. There are more Fleas on the way, but they don’t have much punch when they’re by themselves.
At the end of the path there are land and sea vehicle areas. The sea path is on the right; take care of that first if you have a sea vehicle ready. Get into that and explore the friendly waters.
A small section of land on the right side has a Random Reward Object. See what you find in there. Make sure to grab the Red Toolbox in the submerged hollow tree trunk. After grabbing that, return to your ship and sail to the land on the other side of the small lake. Disembark and switch to a land vehicle.
Ride through the mountain passes while the local animals leap at you. Fire your weapons to keep them at bay while collecting all of the Gearbits in the area, along with a Red Toolbox, and destroy all of your targets to unlock the gate ahead.
A Bunch of Barrels
Follow the path and you soon arrive at an arena. There is a Racing Challenge here with nine Barrels. This one is easily accomplished if you go slowly and steadily through it and don’t mess up any of your jumps. Trying to get it done too quickly can actually be a bigger problem.
From the starting point, collect the Barrel ahead and then another to the left. Turn right, go up the hill, and get all of the Barrels as you pass them. Go slowly over the cliff at the top so that you don’t overshoot the Barrel below. From there, it’s a simple run over another cliff and down to the end of the challenge. It might take a practice run or two, but you can do this without many problems.
A bridge at the top of the arena leads toward a major battle. Ride up there and prepare yourself. You must deal with quite a few enemies while your much larger adversary tries to stomp on your vehicle. Stay mobile to avoid quite a bit of the damage, and attack the enemies in between stomps. The way out opens once you’ve defeated enough targets.
To help, there are also buffs in the lower-left side of the new arena, so grab those when you’re in need of them.
Drive out of there as soon as the fight ends and race to safety. You soon have to leave your vehicle behind and proceed on foot.