Guess who's one of the first stops in the KEEPER OF THE BLACK STONES blog tour? A- this gal! I'm incredibly proud to say Glass House Press gave me the honor of doing an interview with the fresh, intelligent new author PT McHugh. We definitely hit some of the more... interesting topics in this interview. What can I say, I like asking all the weird questions in life, hah!
Alivia Anders: I'm not one to ask the standard 'When did you start writing, what gave you the idea for Keeper, blah blah blah.' So, I'll go straight for the jugular. Name the weirdest place you had an idea for a scene for Keeper of the Black Stones. Bathroom with a Soap Opera Digest? Shower while singing to Beyonce? Baking a cake for your dog?
PT McHugh: Weirdest place to think of a scene or a character? How about walking steel beams several stories above the ground, just after the last beam was hung out at the Raleigh museum? That’s when I figured out how to introduce Tatiana’s character.
Alivia Anders: We both know that, as authors, sometimes we think of our characters as darling little children. And sometimes, those children misbehave. Tell me which character was the biggest pain in your behind out of everyone in KEEPER.
PT McHugh: Paul was the most misbehaved character. Not so much in regard to his antics and humor, but just because of his unpredictability. I pretty much know where I stand with Reis, Jason, and even Tatiana, but Paul is sometimes out there, and I don’t always know where he’s coming from. I don’t think he does either.
Alivia Anders: If you had to choose a lifetime of bacon-flavored foods, or lifetimes of cheesecake flavored foods, which one would you consume?
PT McHugh: That’s a tough one because you’d be ruining one of the two favorite food groups: bacon and cheesecake (and yes, they have their own individual food groups because of how great they truly are). But let’s just say that I wouldn’t get sick of one or the other. I guess I would have to vote bacon. My dogs agree.
Alivia Anders: Give me three words typically used to describe food, but use them to describe Keeper of the Black Stones. Bonus points if you don't use the words 'juicy' or 'delicious'.
PT McHugh: Let’s make it more interesting, I can only use words that start with the letter “S”: succulent, savory, scrumptious!
Alivia Anders: Finish the sentence! If I could, I would wear ________ with a superhero costume every day.
PT McHugh: That’s easy, my Patriots baseball cap.
Alivia Anders: You wake up in a stalled out elevator, flickering lights and impending doom looming. With you is a cellphone good for one phone call for 30 seconds, a pen and paper, and a copy of Twilight with a lighter. You have enough time to use one of the three. Do you burn Twilight, write something on the pen and paper, or call someone with the cellphone?
PT McHugh: Well, since Twilight never hurt me physically, I’d leave the book alone. I wouldn’t want my loved ones to hear me screaming like a little girl, so that leaves me with then pen and paper. “Love you all … don’t stay up too late girls, and make sure Mommy lets the dogs out before going to bed.” That’s pretty much what my last though would be.
Alivia Anders: If Jason from KEEPER had to read one girly magazine (Cosmo, Seventeen, Vogue, etc.) which one would he choose?
PT McHugh: How about Good Housekeeping? There are some beautiful younger women who don’t wear as much makeup in that magazine (pretty girls make him very nervous) AND Jason enjoys cooking every once in a while (something we haven’t covered yet).
Alivia Anders: I typically hear from authors a lot that they never saw themselves as becoming an author. So, pretending you never became an author, list your three fantasy careers and why. (But I'm so going to guess one of your fantasy careers would be a football player for the Patriots!)
PT McHugh: You’re close on the Patriots, but the real action isn’t playing for the Patriots, but owning them. I want Robert Kraft’s job. So that’s number one. Second choice, how about film director? And for my last wish list fantasy job … professional golfer (they’ve got it made).
Alivia Anders: If KEEPER was made into a movie (or TV series!) who do you think would play Jason?
PT McHugh: My daughter said the boy who played Peta in the Hunger Games. Can’t think of his name, but he would be great.
Alivia Anders: Are you a glass half-full kind of guy, or a glass half-empty gent?
PT McHugh: I wish I were a half-full kind of guy, but unfortunately I have a knack for worrying, just ask my wife, coworkers, daughters, editor, publisher…
Oh, Patrick, you should definitely be looking at the glass half-full! You, sir, have done one of the impossible things in life; you got a book published! Much luck to you and your wicked debut.
Make sure all of you pre-order your copy of KEEPER OF THE BLACK STONES today! (Especially since I see the paperback is on sale, double bonus!)
