"The athletic ability of a handcuffed penguin" Q & A with Christopher Healy

This previous week I had the pleasure of interviewing Christopher Healy, the author of The Hero's Guide series.

I absolutely love his books (my second review on the B.O.B. was on his book). So when I found out on his website that other people had interviewed him, I knew I had to give it a shot. I contacted him and he was gracious enough to answer my questions. It turns out that not only is he a great author, but he is a really cool guy!
So my very first author Q & A on this blog just happens to be with one of my favorite authors, Christopher Healy.


A.L. Foster: At what time in your life did you decide that you wanted to write a book?

Christopher Healy: Second grade. Took me about 30 more years to actually do it, though.


A.L. Foster: What were you like when you were in school?

Christopher Healy: I think the word most often used to describe me was "nerd." I had very few friends (though the friends I had were great), the athletic ability of a handcuffed penguin, and mindbogglingly awful fashion sense. As a quite happy and successful adult, though, I can tell you definitively that absolutely none of those things mattered and every minute I spent worrying about them was wasted.


A.L. Foster: If you could be in any of your characters' shoes, whose would you be in?

Christopher Healy: Prince Frederic. He and I wear the same size.


A.L. Foster: If The Hero's Guide series were made into a movie, who would you cast as your main characters?

Christopher Healy: As it happens, Hero's Guide is being developed as an animated film by Fox Animation & Blue Sky Studios. I don't want to jinx it by speculating at any casting choices.


A.L. Foster: In a movie about your life, who would you cast as yourself?

Christopher Healy: Grover from Sesame Street.


A.L. Foster: Where do you get inspiration for your characters?

Christopher Healy: Most of my Hero's Guide characters came from taking pre-existing character stereotypes and twisting them around to make them different and unique. I love turning people's expectations on their heads, and that's what was behind the creation of most of my characters.


A.L. Foster: What's the easiest and hardest thing about writing a book?

Christopher Healy: I don't know that there is an easiest thing, but, for me, the most fun part is probably the plotting at the very beginning, when you can just let your imagination run wild and not worry about how all the crazy scenes you just thought up are going to fit together. The hardest part is figuring out how to make all those crazy scenes fit together—and cutting out the ones that simply won't fit.


A.L. Foster: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Christopher Healy: Always keep a tiny percentage of your mind open for inspiration. You never know when that perfect idea will strike.


A.L. Foster: Can you tell us anything about your new book, The Worst Thing About Saving The World?

Christopher Healy: No, but I will tell you a bit about my new book, Perilous Journey, because that one will be coming out first (I need to update my website). Perilous Journey takes place in America during the Golden Age of Invention and tells the story of a couple of young lab assistants who stumble upon a dastardly plot that just may involve some of history's most famous inventors.


Thanks so much to Christopher Healy for taking time out of his busy summer schedule to blog with The B.O.B.!
:)
Make sure to read his books in The Hero's Guide series, Perilous Journey, and The Worst Thing About Saving The World when they come out. You can learn more about him on his website:
http://christopherhealy.com/

Hopefully this won't be the last author Q & A on The B.O.B. If you guys like it, I'll do another one.
Have a great week!
:)