Ask the Author: Joe Hunt
Answered Questions (3)
Joe Hunt
Regarding "The Home for Magical H.O.B.O.E. Orphans": there's two answers--that blend together.
A. When I was a kid, in high school, my friends and I had a underground newspaper (or literary magazine).
Sometime during its heyday, I thought of the phrase "Scarecrow to the Aliens." Or--I had a little poem: "God put me on earth, to be a scarecrow-to-the-aliens."
That, somehow... That's why we don't have a ton of evidence about UFO's. Something's keeping them away.
So, sitting around, thinking "What would that entail?"--if you had that job. What would you actually do? Like an anti-lighthouse.
p.s. The original title of Hoboe Orphan book was "Scarecrow-to-the-Aliens." But, then: it took too long to explain ! -- so I changed it.
B. One time, I was sitting around, a little frustrated. (That my first book, Jaws of the Vortex wasn't selling well.) You know: the frustrated artist, penniless genius--like van Gogh.
So, I said to myself--thinking of Harry Potter and / or Series of Unfortunate Events. "They're always a bunch of stupid orphans." (Plus magical.) "I should just write a book called Magical...Hobo...Orphans."
It started off as a joke.
p.s. Could add a disclaimer--just like on Nacho Libre, where they say "I thought you hated orphans." I don't really. Just jealous of other writer's success. Like: the formula's so easy.
(And I also do think it's suspicious. I know why books contain orphans--so the adults are away, and kids have to empower themselves, to save the day. But I think: kind of a dumb trope.
If you wrote stuff more like real life: most people aren't orphans. So, in my books--even Jaws of the Vortex: Maybe the mother is dead. But...then, maybe father ineffectual, gone a lot. Have to do something, so he's not there to help. Anyhow !)
So, it started off as a joke. "The Home for Magical Hoboe Orphans." And I always have had a fondness for Hobos. I think they're funny. But some pretty good history, there, too--riding the rails, working during the Depression.
So, when I actually wrote the book: I made sure to put in a little real history. (Not making fun of homeless people, for example. I have met a number of them--and that's not a laughing matter. Tragic.)
So [again]: it started off as a joke, but then, I thought: "Okay. What if I actually was gonna write it. What would it look like? What would happen?"
C. I had another idea, around the same time--that blended in.
A little love story between two kids (orphans). One of them, the girl, sat around dreaming magical stuff. That her mother was an angel.
The boy: he was good at drawing. All he wanted to do was sit around drawing her, all day long.
So, then: she wanted to escape from the orphanage, go find her mother. He followed her (like a puppy-dog). Her mother happened to work in the museum. Then, created a Rudolph-like character. Guy works at orphanage (a little secret agent / spy-like), has to bring her back.
Conclusion: So, then, the whole book almost wrote itself !
Love story between girl and boy--going to find mother in museum.
A scarecrow-to-the-aliens.
Magical orphans.
Hoboes--who doesn't like? But they're not regular. Magical, secret agents.
It writes itself.
A. When I was a kid, in high school, my friends and I had a underground newspaper (or literary magazine).
Sometime during its heyday, I thought of the phrase "Scarecrow to the Aliens." Or--I had a little poem: "God put me on earth, to be a scarecrow-to-the-aliens."
That, somehow... That's why we don't have a ton of evidence about UFO's. Something's keeping them away.
So, sitting around, thinking "What would that entail?"--if you had that job. What would you actually do? Like an anti-lighthouse.
p.s. The original title of Hoboe Orphan book was "Scarecrow-to-the-Aliens." But, then: it took too long to explain ! -- so I changed it.
B. One time, I was sitting around, a little frustrated. (That my first book, Jaws of the Vortex wasn't selling well.) You know: the frustrated artist, penniless genius--like van Gogh.
So, I said to myself--thinking of Harry Potter and / or Series of Unfortunate Events. "They're always a bunch of stupid orphans." (Plus magical.) "I should just write a book called Magical...Hobo...Orphans."
It started off as a joke.
p.s. Could add a disclaimer--just like on Nacho Libre, where they say "I thought you hated orphans." I don't really. Just jealous of other writer's success. Like: the formula's so easy.
(And I also do think it's suspicious. I know why books contain orphans--so the adults are away, and kids have to empower themselves, to save the day. But I think: kind of a dumb trope.
If you wrote stuff more like real life: most people aren't orphans. So, in my books--even Jaws of the Vortex: Maybe the mother is dead. But...then, maybe father ineffectual, gone a lot. Have to do something, so he's not there to help. Anyhow !)
So, it started off as a joke. "The Home for Magical Hoboe Orphans." And I always have had a fondness for Hobos. I think they're funny. But some pretty good history, there, too--riding the rails, working during the Depression.
So, when I actually wrote the book: I made sure to put in a little real history. (Not making fun of homeless people, for example. I have met a number of them--and that's not a laughing matter. Tragic.)
So [again]: it started off as a joke, but then, I thought: "Okay. What if I actually was gonna write it. What would it look like? What would happen?"
C. I had another idea, around the same time--that blended in.
A little love story between two kids (orphans). One of them, the girl, sat around dreaming magical stuff. That her mother was an angel.
The boy: he was good at drawing. All he wanted to do was sit around drawing her, all day long.
So, then: she wanted to escape from the orphanage, go find her mother. He followed her (like a puppy-dog). Her mother happened to work in the museum. Then, created a Rudolph-like character. Guy works at orphanage (a little secret agent / spy-like), has to bring her back.
Conclusion: So, then, the whole book almost wrote itself !
Love story between girl and boy--going to find mother in museum.
A scarecrow-to-the-aliens.
Magical orphans.
Hoboes--who doesn't like? But they're not regular. Magical, secret agents.
It writes itself.
Joe Hunt
I'm working on a political / religious thriller called "Three-Ring Apocalypse." (Not exactly a Left Behind or Da Vinci Code...but slightly. And: funny.)
So... a potential Apocalyptic scenario. I use a blend of real and fictional characters. The year is 2020. Hillary Clinton is the president--and already suffered a few assassination attempts. (So, it's _almost_ a dystopian future.)
The main thing that drives the plot: Guantanamo Bay has been moved to Yucca Mountain, Nevada. One of the inmates is alleged to be the Mahdi, a mystical Muslim figure who'll arrive before the end of the world. Some people wanna use him...
The Illuminati is also involved. Or are they? It's hard to tell--because they're so mysterious.
It's one of those books that follows around a number of different people (like Magnolia)--until they all merge together at the end.
I had the idea, to follow seven or so people from every major religion... plus their guardian angels. So, there is Magical Realism involved. Those characters are real characters--influence things a little.
The Devil is in there, too, of course.
p.s. I can mention: I happen to be a Mormon--but I was pretty careful not to make the Mormon guy too heroic. (Actually, kind of a clown. I won't say his real name here, because I'm using a real guy--and it's possible I might be sued when the book comes out. That will be half the fun.)
But, anyhow... Part of the moral-of-the-story is: "Can't we all just get along?" -- especially with Muslims, for example.
The Mormon guy is falling in love with the Muslim girl, who also happens to be the sister of the inmate / the Mahdi in Yucca-Mo Prison.
So... a potential Apocalyptic scenario. I use a blend of real and fictional characters. The year is 2020. Hillary Clinton is the president--and already suffered a few assassination attempts. (So, it's _almost_ a dystopian future.)
The main thing that drives the plot: Guantanamo Bay has been moved to Yucca Mountain, Nevada. One of the inmates is alleged to be the Mahdi, a mystical Muslim figure who'll arrive before the end of the world. Some people wanna use him...
The Illuminati is also involved. Or are they? It's hard to tell--because they're so mysterious.
It's one of those books that follows around a number of different people (like Magnolia)--until they all merge together at the end.
I had the idea, to follow seven or so people from every major religion... plus their guardian angels. So, there is Magical Realism involved. Those characters are real characters--influence things a little.
The Devil is in there, too, of course.
p.s. I can mention: I happen to be a Mormon--but I was pretty careful not to make the Mormon guy too heroic. (Actually, kind of a clown. I won't say his real name here, because I'm using a real guy--and it's possible I might be sued when the book comes out. That will be half the fun.)
But, anyhow... Part of the moral-of-the-story is: "Can't we all just get along?" -- especially with Muslims, for example.
The Mormon guy is falling in love with the Muslim girl, who also happens to be the sister of the inmate / the Mahdi in Yucca-Mo Prison.
Joe Hunt
The best answer I've heard to this... (Sorry, forgot the guy's name.) Someone kinda famous said: "If I'm experiencing writer's block, I lower my standards for a moment, and go on."
I kind of write in waves. I'll write rough sketches--inc. some good / solid (theoretically finished) stuff along with bullet points for stuff I need to fix later...Then go back later. Make a few passes through.
I actually write in different colors. So, when it's finished: that's black. If I'm not satisfied with it, I leave it in blue. I put notes to myself--stuff I really need to figure out--in red (or green highlights).
Plus, you know... Sometimes best to walk away--if you're getting tired of stuff--and come back later.
I like to work on a few different projects at a time--whatever I'm excited about. But, then...sometimes stuff doesn't get finished that way.
I kind of write in waves. I'll write rough sketches--inc. some good / solid (theoretically finished) stuff along with bullet points for stuff I need to fix later...Then go back later. Make a few passes through.
I actually write in different colors. So, when it's finished: that's black. If I'm not satisfied with it, I leave it in blue. I put notes to myself--stuff I really need to figure out--in red (or green highlights).
Plus, you know... Sometimes best to walk away--if you're getting tired of stuff--and come back later.
I like to work on a few different projects at a time--whatever I'm excited about. But, then...sometimes stuff doesn't get finished that way.
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