Thursday, May 21, 2020

A garden interview with Hunter J. Skye

Hello Hunter

welcome to my corner of the garden

tell us about your books

Are your books or characters based on anyone you know, or events in your own life? Many of the spirits appearing in A Glimmer of Ghosts- Book One in The Hell Gate Series are based on actual ghost stories from the Olde Towne district of Portsmouth, Virginia, where I grew up. Once a year, these stories are told on the city’s annual Halloween Ghost Walk. These apparitions are well known to the residents of Olde Towne, Portsmouth and the city considers them ambassadors of a sort. One such ghost, Colonel William Crawford, founded the town three hundred years ago and is the inspiration for Grayford- Melisande’s haunting lover.
Also, my main character navigates life with type one narcolepsy just like me.

Do you plot or let the story unfold as you write? I’m just going to let my Pantser flag fly. I love it when the story leads me rather than me leading the story. With that said, I believe the right side of my brain is feverishly plotting as I go. It’s just sneaky and nonverbal so I’m unaware when it’s happening.

Do you have to travel researching your book? Imagine running as fast as you can over the surface of an asteroid surrounded by crushing darkness with only a small flash light. That was me last June in the Grotte de Niaux in the French Pyrenees. The craggy, slanted cave had a chamber a half mile into the mountain with pre-historic paintings we could still get up close to. The only problem- our exhales were damaging to the art, so we had to get in and out quickly. It was dangerous, slippery and the time of my life. You better believe it’s in my next book.

Which phrase in the book are you most proud of? I’ve just written a line in my WIP- the second book in The Hell Gate Series- that I absolutely love. A secondary character is issuing a warning to one of the bad guys regarding the main character, Melisande. The character simply says “If you kill her, she will be unstoppable.” I love the fact that my main character could go evil at any second, and no one knows how powerful she might be- living or dead.


What is your least favorite part of the writing process? I’m horrified that I’ve gotten to a stage in the series when I may finally have to write a Series Bible. I don’t wanna.

and now a little about you


Are you fun to go on vacation with? I love adventures and take pride in being open to unforeseen changes and serendipity. I don’t snore, and I’m also a fairly good chuck wagon cook. I can make anything from spaghettios to barbequed iguana- which is handy in a travel partner. But just kidding about the iguana- I would never… unless we were lost and starving.

If you came with a warning label what would it say? Don’t spill water on her, or feed her wheat gluten after midnight.

What is your favorite comfort food? Spaghetti or chicken & dumplings, but before you feed me dumplings, check my warning label.

What is your favorite time of year and why? Autumn- wood smoke, fiery leaves, foggy fields, hay rides, and pumpkins.

Do you have any hobbies? Star-gazing, birding, fossil-hunting, gem-mining, hiking. Basically, I’ll suit up for any outdoor nature activity.


Where can we find out more?





and other online retailers





7 comments:

Sydney Winward said...

Great interview! It gave me a chuckle :)

D. V. STONE said...

Nice getting to know you, Hunter. D.V.

Hunter Skye said...

Thank you, Sydney and DV! I appreciate you dropping in!

Micki MIller said...

Love her feverishly plotting brain.

Barbara Bettis said...

I am So green (and impressed) that you got to visit one of the caves in France with prehistoric drawings!! Enjoyed the rest of the post too, of course :) continued best of luck with your book.

CB Clark said...

Great interview! Fall is my favourite time of year as well. There's nothing like that special smell of the end of summer.

Hunter Skye said...

Thank you, guys! I really appreciate the visits and the feedback.