How often do you get the chance to ask the author of the book you are reading a question? Well, during this project you have access to the author of Guerrilla Season - Pat Hughes. She will answer any question you may have about the novel, questions specific to being a writer, anything. Just leave a comment to this blog post and she will respond to your question with a post in the same comments list.
Just remember to use correct grammar and list yourself as "anonymous" and list your pen name. Go ahead, ask her a question....
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76 comments:
How long did it take to write the book?
Andrew Jackson
What inspired you to write this book? I mean, why did you decide to write about the Civil War?
WCADelana
Why did you pick a fifteen year old to be your main character?
wcazach
How much reseach did you have to do when you started?
-WCAHans
To Andrew Jackson:
It took me about six months to write the first draft of “Guerrilla Season” which includes inputting it to my computer and printing it out. But as soon as I completed the first draft, I started to revise. First I revised to please myself. Next I found an agent, and he had his own ideas about what needed to be changed. Then my agent found a publisher, and those folks had THEIR own ideas about what needed to be changed. Long story short: From the time I first began writing until the book was published, three and a half years had elapsed.
- Pat
To WCADelana:
For some reason, I've always been kind of obsessed with the topic of Civil War Missouri! It’s weird because I've never lived in Missouri, was born and raised in Connecticut, and have lived in Pennsylvania for the past 21 years. But from the first time I heard the terms "Bleeding Kansas" and "Border Ruffians" in an elementary school history book, the subject has intrigued me. In more recent years, my interest in the Civil War has expanded. Several years ago I found out that my some of my husband’s ancestors fought for the Union – one of them, Ario Pardee, has a field named for him at Gettysburg. And as a little boy during the Civil War, my husband’s great-grandfather, Izzie Pardee, met President Lincoln at the White House! My newest book, “Seeing the Elephant” is based around Izzie’s experiences.
To WCAZach:
Most of my main characters are boys – usually teenage boys. This is probably because my own kids are boys, and I started out writing stories for them. When they were young, I had a difficult time finding stuff for them to read. The majority of books written for kids are aimed at girls, because the perception is that girls read more than boys do. But my notion is that if girls read more than boys, it’s because there aren’t enough books written in a way that interests boys, with strong boy characters. That’s why I started to write the way I write, and mostly about boys. But I'm also glad that girls like my books, too! the emails and letters I get from kids are just about evenly divided between boys and girls.
To WCAHans -
I had to do tons of research, not just when I started but for about three years until the book was close to being printed. When I started writing “Guerrilla Season,” I knew a fair amount about Missouri’s war but very little about 19th century life – in general or in Missouri. Among the topics I had to research were clothing, food, houses, horses, guns, hairstyles, plants, snakes, berries, military matters … And you can bet that my family got REALLY sick of hearing me talk about corn and how to grow it! If you want to hear more on this topic, listen to the Week #1 podcast of Mr. Langhorst interviewing me about research.
What is your advice to young writers?
WCAamy
Why did you chose to write your story on what was going on in Missouri during the Civil War as oppose to what was going on in the other states that were also in the middle of the Civil War?
William Harrison
Why did you start the book off with people rabbit hunting?
☺alannacanida4694♥
To WCAamy -
My advice to young writers is to write and read as much as you can. When you read, you learn by osmosis how it's done - style, storytelling, characterization, all of it. When you write, you're practicing your craft. Have fun with it - let your imagination take you and your characters to the places that intrigue you. Understand that publishing is not going to come easily or quickly. It takes many years of practice to get to the stage where a publisher is going to pay you to print your book!
- Pat
To William Harrison -
Look above in this thread, as I pretty much already answered this question to WCADelana. For some strange reason, I've always been extremely interested in Civil War Missouri!
- Pat
To Alannacanida -
Hmmm. I don't want to answer this question yet! When you get to the end of the novel, let me know if you think you know the answer, OK?
;-)
- Pat
Have you wrote any other books other than the this one and if so which ones? Thanks!
~WCAcHeY~
Why did you choose for the story to take place in Missouri when you live in another state?
WCAjonathan
To WCAcHeY -
"Guerrilla Season" was my first book; since then I have published three others. "The Breaker Boys" is a historical novel that takes place in Pennsylvania coal country in 1897. "Open Ice" is a contemporary teen novel about a boy who plays ice hockey. And my new book, "Seeing the Elephant," is my first picture book and also has a Civil War theme.
To WCAJonathan - Look higher in this thread for the answer to your question. You probably posted your question before I posted the answer!
- Pat
Thank you for answering me and I am really interested in the book "Open Ice". Also I am not really into history and your book is really getting me more interesting! Thanks!
WCAcHeY
How long did it take you to write this book? What inspired you to write this book.
WCASami
what was your favorite part about writing this book?
WCAJAY$ONizzle
What inspired you to be an author?
WCANate
Dear Pat,
Our teacher was telling us and we heard talking about how you actually tring to recreat what it was like to shoot a gun and ride a horse. I have done both of these things. I wanted to know what you thought of this?What did you like and not like?Also what was it like to do this? Thanks
#7
To WCAcHeY -
Well I consider it the highest compliment when someone tells me they're not usually interested in history but they like one of my books! Or sometimes I get emails (usually from boys) that say they don't usually like to read but they like one of my books. It makes me very happy. As for "Open Ice," I just want to point out that it's intended for kids 14 & up!
- Pat
To WCAJAY$ONizzle -
My favorite part about writing the book was writing the book. I really think "Guerrilla Season" was the book I most purely enjoyed writing so far. It was before I had published anything else so I was truly able to enjoy the process of sitting in my house looking out the window and imagining. Even though some of the stuff was pretty heart-wrenching to write (as you'll see later) I really loved the whole process.
To WCASami -
I already answered both your questions upthread, so check them out.
- Pat
To WCANate -
I can't really say anything really inspired me to be an author. It was just something I always wanted to be, from the time I was in third grade. Really. But I will be very quick to add that there were a lot of bumps in that road and lots of times that I had decided I really didn't want to be an author after all. And it wasn't till I was ... well, let's just say many many years beyond third grade that my desire to be an author actually became a reality!
- Pat
Hi, I was just wondering if you had any relatives that you know of that were in the Civil War?
Taylor Grey
In your book, how did you come up with the names of the characters Matt and Jesse? Is there anything relating to these names? Such as; a family member's name, or someone important who effected your life?
Signed,
-Tater Bear
My teacher assigned to read some chapters but i was wrapped up so much in the book i found myself reading till 2 in the morning when i was finished. This book is so amazingly good. I myself have wrote some things (poems, short stories, ect.) and I really want to go into writing and actually go to college for it to be my career. Could you give me some advice? Can you tell me what college you went to?
~WCADelana
How did you come up with the characters names?
Signed,
-Nashomatic
What is your favorite part in the book?
Mister Awesomeness
Was revising and editing your book difficult for you to overcome?
Mister Awesomeness
Why did you choose to write a book about the civil war, and not a different war. Does your family have ties to the civil war?
Pikachu
Dear Pat,
I too have an interest in books, readin writing, or anything to do with them! do you have any advice to give an aspiring writer?- thank you, Ping pong
where did you get your ideas for the characters?
IM Awesome
On the cover of the book that I have has a male on a horse in the forest. There is also a gun across the front and a lit house in the backround. I understand the connection between the illustration and the book, but did you give the idea for it. And if not, would you have wanted anything different?
-La Goober
In the book on the dedication page, what do you mean when you say "pulled me from the slush"?
Toussaint L'Ouverture
Tater Bear & Nashomatic -
I'm going to answer you at the same time since you both asked about character names.
Matthew has always been a favorite boys' name of mine but I didn't want to name a son Matthew because I didn't like the sound of "Matthew Hughes." Say it: too many "u" sounds, right? So I gave it to my character instead.
As for Jesse, you'll see when you get to the end why he had to be named Jesse. But it's also a name I've always loved, and I did give that name to one of my own sons.
What's sort of funny is that my son Jesse has a friend named Matt and it always seems weird to hear myself say "Jesse's at Matt's house" or some such!
As for other characters' names - that's always a hard part of the book for me, in the beginning, when I'm trying to name all the main characters. Because it's not just a matter of throwing any old name onto a person. I feel like I really have to love THAT name for THAT character. It can be very trying. Clayton, for example - I just could not come up with a name that fit him, and if you looked at my first draft you would see where I left spaces every time I had to write his name, until I finally came up with the name and went back and filled in all the spaces! But once I did come up with the name Clayton, I just thought it was PERFECT for that character and it's one of my favorite names of all my characters.
- Pat
Do you think you will write a sequel or even another book about the Civil War?
- Lang Chow
If you were in this place and time period during the Civil War, would you stay neutral like Matt or would you choose a side?
- Lang Chow
What types of items did you find the most helpful when looking for the information to write this book?
Toussaint L'Ouverture
What in life lead u to being an author, or more specifically, to writing books about US history, and such...? -Also, one more question, were u interested in the Civil War when you were a child?
If so, what age, if you remember, was when you started to go more into Civil War history? -Final Question- In the book, I can't help but notice, that your writing mainly supports the Southerners, is that part of your own personal connection? Or is that just part of the story line? -Thanks!
- Vinny Yak
I know that you were very interested in the Cilvil War in Missouri,but are there any other topics you would like to write about.-Miss.Kornrows
When you wrote this book, did have any idea that it would turn out to be a big project throughout many schools in the counrty ?
Mohammad Smith
To Mister Awesomeness -
Question #1 - I can't really say I have one single favorite part in the book. Among the chapters I loved best to write were the chapter where Matt & Jesse ride to the cave & argue over shooting the revolver; the chapter where the four kids all go off picking berries together; and the chapter where Matt goes on the work detail. I don't think you have read any of those yet, so when you get to the end of the book let me know if you agree or if you have other chapters you like better!
Question #2 - My favorite college professor at the University of Connecticut (UConn) was a guy who was my writing mentor, J.D. O'Hara. He used to say "writing is easy; rewriting is hard." I have always found that to be the truth. It's fun and easy for me to do the first draft. It gets much more difficult when I'm trying, first, to self-edit; and then to BE edited is the most difficult part of all. When someone else who doesn't love the book as completely as the author does starts telling the author what needs to be fixed, that can really be heart-rending! It's necessary to any novel, but nonetheless can be extremely trying!
- Pat
Pikachu -
Look upthread for the answer to your questions!
- pat
La Goober -
Great question! I did not come up with the idea for the book jacket, and in general authors don't get to dictate the content of the book jacket at all. But as it turns out, the guy who illustrated the book jacket - Michael Hays - chose one of my favorite scenes for the cover. It's from a chapter late in the book where Matt is making his dangerous way back from a party. (Oh yeah - another part I forgot to mention above when talking about my favorite chapters!)
But I always say I wish jacket illustrators (of novels, of course, not picture books) would not picture the faces of the characters. I feel as though each reader should be able to form his or her own idea of what the main character looks like without having it presented in advance by the book jacket. Do you agree?
And just for the record, in my mind, Matt looks nothing like the boy pictured on the book jacket!
- Pat
Toussaint -
Another awesome question. There have been a lot of really good questions on this thread so far, but this is one I've never gotten before and always wondered if anybody even noticed that line in the dedication!
OK. The "Scott" referred to in the dedication is my terrific agent, Scott Treimel. When a beginning author doesn't have any connections in the publishing industry and doesn't go and shmooze with agents and editors at writers conferences, there is only one way to get his or her work looked at: Something called "the slush pile."
As an author starting out, I had no connections and went to no conferences. So the process is to send a letter, along with a summary of the novel and three sample chapters, to bunches of agents to try to get them interested in the book.
Thousands of aspiring authors send similar packages each year to editors and agents. These piles of unsolicited manuscripts are called "slush piles," and it's known as the most difficult way to break into the publishing industry. But it was because Scott paid attention to his slush pile that he found "Guerrilla Season," read the sample chapters, contacted me and asked to see the whole manuscript, decided to represent me, and sold the novel to the publisher, Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
So ... Scott "pulled me from the slush," and I thanked him for it!
- Pat
Miss.Kornrows -
As I said upthread, I do have other books on other topics - both historical and non-historical.
You can look at my Web site:
www.pathughesbooks.com
That said, I do hold a special place in my heart for Civil War stories and most especially Civil War Missouri stories. I just think it's an endlessly fascinating aspect of the Civil War and I have several more books planned on the topic!
- Pat
To Lang Chow -
I would love to continue writing stories about the characters in "Guerrilla Season." I have three more books all planned out but can't seem to get the time to write them. What is funny is that of all my books and all my ideas for books, "Guerrilla Season" is the only one that sticks with me over the years, the only one about which I feel "my work is not done."
As for your other question - well, I think in all honesty we can never say what we would do in a dangerous situation until we are in it. We all like to think, looking back on history, that we would have been the ones to be on whatever side is considered "right" here in the year 2008. But history is rarely that simple.
Had I been a 15-year-old boy living near Liberty, Missouri in 1863, I probably would have been like most teenage boys in that area - like Matt and Jesse, Southerners at heart, who hated how Missouri was being treated by Kansas.
But had I been a mother living near Liberty, Missouri, in 1863, I probably would have been like Matt's mother - trying as hard as I could to do whatever was going to keep my children safe at any given moment.
- Pat
To #7 -
Ah, my horse riding story. Do you really want to hear this??? Well, I started taking riding lessons with my son. I think it was my third lesson, my horse threw me. No, I did not fall off my horse. My horse THREW me! He got mad at another horse and kicked back with his legs (so the onlookers tell me) and then took off like a shot and I found myself sprawled in the dirt. I do not remember feeling that kind of pain ever before. I was sure I was going to have to go to the ER but as it turned out, I was all right. Just very, very bruised. My riding teacher said "you owe me a beer!" She says anyone who falls off a horse owes her a beer. I said "I did not fall off that horse, he threw me!" But all the while I was thinking to myself, "This is actually a good experience for me to use in a novel some day." And I will, and I know exactly where.
As for shooting a gun, I didn't much like it and don't really care to do it again. I liked holding the revolver that was exactly like the one Jesse and Matt shoot in the book. But that isn't the gun I actually shot. The guns I shot were at a shooting range and I didn't find it a pleasant experience. A. Way too loud B. Way too scary. I hope you're careful and safe when you do your shooting, whether it's hunting or target practice!
- Pat
To WCADelana –
You read ahead in your assignments and stayed up till 2 a.m. to finish “Guerrilla Season”? Ah, music to my ears. I actually hear this pretty often and I'll tell you, it makes me so happy every time.
It’s great that you would like to be a writer. I hope you’ll do a creative project for your final blog project! I would say my best piece of advice is what I said upthread – just keep writing and keep reading. I went to the University of Connecticut – my state university. I honestly can’t say I believe in seeking out “a writing school.” When you choose your college, find out who the good writing mentors are there and try to establish a relationship with that person. And develop a thick skin about taking criticism. It’s essential to anyone who wants to go into any branch of the arts.
- Pat
To Mohammad Smith -
When I wrote "Guerrilla Season," very few people would have even known what a blog was (including me). And projects like this one were unheard of!
- Pat
What was your favorite part about writing this novel. Did you have anytimes when you just wanted to give up because it was too much work?
~Gumbie Almighty
Is it your responsibility as the author to write the inside cover summary of the book? If so,how did you decide which aspects of the story to include and which aspects to keep as a surprise for the reader? If not, who did have that responsibility and are there any portions of the story that you would have liked to see included in the summary?
Hally O'Riley
To Gumbie Almighty -
My favorite part, I have covered that higher in the thread so check back.
Did I ever want to give up? No! I never for minute thought about giving up even though it did get very hard to write at time. You will notice that the book is divided into the "Season of Light" and "Season of Darkness." The "Season of Darkness" was at times wrenchingly difficult to write - I hope you'll understand what I mean when you get to that part of the book, especially toward the end.
- Pat
To Hally O'Riley -
Good question. It is the responsibility of the publishing company to write what is called the "flap copy" - the summary that appears in the flaps of the book jacket. Authors get a chance to review it and to make suggestions, but we generally do not get as much input as we would like!
I do think it's difficult for the publisher to decide how much to say. They want to say enough to draw a potential buyer into the story, but not so much that they're giving the story away. It's kind of like when you read a movie review.
I think my publisher did a pretty good job with the flap copy of "Guerrilla Season."
- Pat
To Miss Kornrows -
I'm currently working on a book about the American Revolution. I also have an idea about Italian Americans on the homefront during the Second World War. This would be based on my own family history. People tend to forget that during World War II, Italian Americans faced many difficulties here in the U.S., because Italy was one of the countries we were fighting in the war.
- Pat
To Vinny Yak -
It's true that, while I try to be fair to both sides, "Guerrilla Season" is written mainly from a Southern point of view. That's because, frankly, I just got tired of seeing the same old story told over and over again regarding the Civil War. I wanted to take a fresh point of view.
There were many, many Southerners for whom the war was not about slavery, but about the invasion of their homeland by the North. In Missouri, this issue was complicated by many of the factors I discuss in "Guerrilla Season." I found the topic so compelling I just had to write about it.
As a child, I did not have any great interest in the Civil War per se, but as I've said before, I had been interested in the Missouri/Kansas border war ever since I heard the intriguing phrase "Bloody Kansas" in 3d or 4th grade.
I think the other questions you asked were already answered, so check upthread!
- Pat
I was just wondering about the song that Matt started to sing to Tyler on page 23. I now that the family wants to remain nuetral in the war, but what is so bad about the song?
K I
How did you come upon the title Guerrilla Season??
~Channing Tatum~
What came first?? Was the story created around your characters such as Matt and Jesse or did you pick the Civil War theme following the characters.
~Channing Tatum~
Through reading I have noticed that Matt seems to have a lot of hostility built up inside of him. I was just wondering what the source of that hostility is. Does he feel resentment towards his father because now he must take care of the family, or is he irritated from everything involving the war, or is it something else?
Hally O'Riley
Did u have any ancestors in the Civil War? If u did how many and what side of the family were they on?
LaDainian Tomlinson
Were you ever criticezed as a child growing up in High School, you know for writing in too much of an extreme way? Sometimes I feel like my more zealous poems and stories are frowned upon by many though loved by the few who care to earnestly read them. It is because people, in general, are not mature enough at my age to understand great literature there are many adults who have read my stuff and loved it. But it just disheartens me when my peers even my English teacher do not allow me full freedom of the pen.
-Scotsmen
To Scotsmen -
This is a tough question because, just as in "Guerrilla Season," I see both sides.
Now, I don't know exactly what you mean when you talk about writing "in an extreme way," but I'm guessing - correct me if I'm wrong - it's violence that gets the negative attention.
Teachers are in a difficult position nowadays because of the increased sensitivity regarding school violence. When I was a kid, I do believe there was much more freedom to write what you wanted when "creative writing" was supposedly the object. On the other hand, when I was a kid there weren't horrible situations like kids regularly bringing weapons to school and committing mass murders.
If it's any comfort to you, I sometimes have to deal with this situation from the parent point of view. My 9th grader likes to write stories that are, shall we say, edgy, and it sometimes gets him into hot water.
Maybe you could talk to your teacher before you write an assignment - discuss what he/she is willing to accept if you make it clear you're not threatening violence, you're writing a story.
As for me personally, I didn't push that particular envelope when I was in school. But I wonder if someone like Stephen King ever had to face similar issues?
- Pat
To LaDainian -
Look upthread for the answer to your question.
- Pat
To Hally -
Another good question, and a perceptive one, but it shouldn't be answered by anybody but the reader. If you get to the end of the book and you don't have the answer, then I haven't done my job as an author! Let me know what you think once you've finished the book, OK?
- Pat
To Channing -
The book did not have a title for quite a while when I was writing the first draft. Then I was reading a terrific book called "Black Flag," by Thomas Goodrich, about Civil War Missouri.
Toward the end of the book, Goodrich reprints an article from a Kansas City (Missouri) newspaper in which the reporter writes, "The guerrilla season for this year is nearly over. It cannot be many days before the leaves will begin to fall, and with the fall of the leaves they begin to migrate to the South. ..."
And with that, I had my title.
- Pat
Again to Channing -
The book actually started as a short story I wrote when I was in college - then when I was in graduate school I made it into a screenplay for an assignment in my Children's Literature seminar. The idea grew out of the character of Jesse - my wanting to tell Jesse's story through the eyes of his best friend - and grew from there. After I wrote about it in graduate school, it lay sleeping in my mind for nearly 20 years. One night I woke up from a deep sleep, feeling like I had just heard someone say Jesse's name. From then on, I was obsessed and I had no choice but to write the book.
- Pat
Pat-
I have finished your book and was wondering why you made Jesse who he actually was? I don't want to ruin it for anyone but I really like your ending. Are you going to write a sequel to this book or have you already? Do you have any other books written?
Mickey Mouse
What inspired you to write a book like this?
- Cheesecubes
To Mickey Mouse -
I'm glad you liked the ending! I feel that's the only way the book could have ended but sometimes kids are disappointed and wanted something different. But we'll say no more about that right now. Maybe I'll make that my question for week 4.
I actually have three more books in mind with the same characters as in "Guerrilla Season." The stories are all plotted out in my mind, and I know just how each story ends. Now all I need is the time to write them ...
As for my other books, you can read about them on my Web site,
www.pathughesbooks.com
You can also read more about Jesse there!
- Pat
This isn't really a question but I just wanted to comment,I totally love this book! I was up until like two in the morning trying to finish it. I'm still not totally done but I'm almost there. I love how in all the history and seriousness in it , you still incorporated a romance. It keeps all of us hopless romantics wondering what happens next! I want to read like all of your books now, and you should totally do this whole blog thing next year with different books that you wrote. Well that's all I have to say, Bye! :)
WCAjazz♥
What inspired you to write Guerrilla Season?
WCATim
This is a random comment, but did you want to name a character after one of your pets or one of your family memebers?
alannacanida4694
Are you planning on writing any other books? If so, what would they be about?
Thank you,
AnimalLover
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