We are pleased to welcome author B. K. Bostick as he drops in for an interview on his virtual book tour! Bostick’s upcoming novel Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure is a great treasure-hunting adventure book for middle readers full of excitement, friendship, discovery, creepy villains, and mystery! Be on the lookout for it when it hits shelves October 1, 2011. (Review to follow!)

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Huber Hill is a great adventure story full of treasure hunting and exciting escapes. Where did you get the idea for the book and the story about buried treasure?

What inspired you to share it with the world? My grandpa. He would always tell me stories about Spanish treasure hidden up in the mountains. I always imagined going on these wild adventures to find the gold. As I grew older, I realized that the real treasures were the stories my grandpa told me. I’ll always remember those days sitting at his side listening as he showed me old maps, books, and artifacts. If there’s one theme to the story, it’s that relationships with friends and family are of much more worth than any kind of money.

Out of the three kids–Huber, Hannah, and Scott–which character do you relate to the most? Were any of them based on people in real life?

I was bit like Huber when I was young–more sober-minded and quiet, yet tenacious when I decided to do something. Grandpa Nick was based off of my own grandpa and Scott took on a lot of characteristics of one of my best friends.

In Huber Hill, you do a great job capturing the dynamic between siblings. Did you base Huber and Hannah’s relationship on your own family? What about the relationship between Huber’s parents?

I do have an older brother (we nearly fought to the death on many occasions). However, Huber and Hannah’s relationship I took from working with twin siblings during my time as a teacher. I noticed oftentimes that twins would be compared and sometimes one would excel the other in school, sports, what have you. Huber’s parents’ relationship I also took from many of the parents I observed while teaching. Their personalities and differences would always come out during parent teacher conferences.

You wrote such a creepy, determined villain–he’s so interesting! What was your inspiration for Salazar?

In the stories I like to read, the villain is always rotten to the core. There are times you wonder about Salazar and even feel sorry for him, but there’s no denying the fact he cares about no one but himself. Some of his quirks and vocabulary were influenced by a certain Spanish teacher I knew (he’ll remain nameless). Salazar is just as tenacious as Huber, but their motivations polar opposites.

A lot of reviewers have been comparing Huber Hill to the movie “The Goonies”. Do you think that’s a good comparison, and did you make that connection yourself while writing?

I take that as a compliment. I love Goonies. I think Dead Man’s Treasure is focused on relationships and adventure. I’d say it’s more a combination of Stephen King’s Stand by Me and Goonies (two of my favorites growing up by the way).

Sometimes stories can take on a life of their own. Did Huber Hill turn out the way you expected it to, or did the story surprise you in the end?

I had a basic idea of where I wanted to go, but left room for the plot and characters to evolve. My wife would get mad because I’d wake her up in the middle of the night and ask her what she thought about this or that change? After running to the office to make the changes, I ended up sleeping on the couch.

Without giving away important plot points, what’s yourfavorite scene in the book and why?

My favorite part is where Huber finally stands up to Scott and puts him in his place at school. That’s the turning point—where Huber stops seeing himself as a victim.

As a kid, what were your favorite kinds of books? What didn’t you enjoy reading? (Any changes in your adult book tastes?)

I loved Jerry Spinelli and Brian Jacques (still do). I didn’t like reading history when I was younger, but as I’ve got older, I’ve grown nerdier–now it’s some of my favorite stuff to read–specifically American history.

This is your first published novel (congratulations!). Was it hard for you to get published? What was the process like for you?

It’s definitely not easy being rejected and when querying publishers, most likely you will get rejected more than a few times. I kept a file of my rejection letters labeled “The Price of Success.” We also keep job rejection letters there, so we can share them with our kids when they’re older and applying for jobs, colleges, and whatnot.

You’ve decided to donate all proceeds from pre-orders of the book and purchases between October 1st and 16th to a girl named Alyssa who was diagnosed in 2010 with a Meningioma brain tumor. What inspired you to be so generous? Can you tell us about Alyssa? All our best thoughts go to her and to you for your generosity!

Alyssa is an amazing kid! I’ve known her for a couple of years. Her diagnosis was a shock to the community in which we live. She’s been through more than most adults will experience in their lifetime. However, her cheerfulness and positive attitude are an absolute inspiration to me personally. I wanted to give back and hopefully her family can use the money to help pay for medical costs or go on a much deserved vacation. Visit www.treasureforalyssa.com for more details.

Huber Hill ends on such a huge cliff hanger! Please tell us there’s more to come!

There is more to come! Huber Hill and the Brotherhood of Coronado will be released in the fall of 2012. Here’s a hint–the story takes place in Spain.

From the author:
Thanks again for reading my interview. Be sure to visit www.deadmanstreasure.com for all the info regarding the book. There’s a pretty fun game on there too if you need to waste time.

I’ll be giving away a replicated gold coin/bookmark to each reader who goes to my author page on Facebook and clicks the “like” button. In addition, one lucky follower Our Time in Juvie will receive a free e-copy of the book. Good luck! (Leave a comment with your e-mail address or e-mail Jenny/Ruby directly to enter! The winner will be randomly selected and contacted in the following week.)

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Be sure to check out the other stops in Bostick’s blog tour for more fun facts and information!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to check out the book trailer too!