This is my day on the book tour . I'm so exited for my stop on it
First the interview and then the review
About this author
O'Dell Hutchison was born in a small rural town in Idaho. After attending college in the Pacific northwest, he found his way to the Houston area in 1997. He currently lives in Katy, TX with his dog, Gia. By day, he is a Business Systems Analyst. In his free time, he tries (and fails) to work out regularly and eat healthy. He also acts and directs at various theaters around Houston.
You can visir him at his website http://otothedell.com/ or stalk her on twitter @otothedell
Now for the intrview
What inspired you to write The Weeping?
I spend a lot of time working at a local theatre here in Houston, and I am thoroughly convinced there is a ghost there. Many people have seen a man standing on the catwalk during rehearsals or performances, and I have experienced lights and other electronic equipment turning off and on by itself. My good friend, and stage manager, Susie and I went so far as to go ghost hunting on a few occasions using the Ghost Radar app on my iPhone. On more than one occasion the ghost told us his name is Frank. After one particularly intense night of ghost hunting (a chair rocking by itself, lights turning on and off and a piano playing) I had more than enough material for a book.
Who is the artist[s], fanboying here! Lol
Travis Pennington did the cover art. Isn’t it great? He perfectly captured so much of the book.
What was your favorite scene[s] to write in The Weeping
Some of my favorite scenes ended up not making it into the book. The book went in so many different directions while I was writing it, so when I revised it, a lot of it got cut. I think one of my favorite scenes that is still in the book is when Heath sees Molly on the beach and she morphs into Catherine. It came out of nowhere and it really freaked me out. Another favorite was the final showdown. I rewrote that scene dozens of times, getting it just right.
What got you in to reading and at what age , what sort of books did you like reading as a child?
I was reading before I went to kindergarten. I’ve always loved books. As a kid, I especially liked anything by Beverly Cleary, Roald Dahl and Judy Blume. I also read a lot of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books.
Do you have a set routine when you are writing? Are you a plotter or just write what the characters feel like to saying? [to me all characters are like real people]
When I wrote The Weeping I started with a basic idea and just went with it. I rewrote it three times until I was happy with it. In earlier versions, Catherine was Molly, and I ended up hating it. In another version Catherine was driving Heath to kill all these people, and I didn’t like that version either. It was too much of a downer, and way too psycho. I finally sat down and plotted it all out, and changed quite a bit of the story. I was much happier with the finished product. I am currently working on another book and I have plotted out key scenes to keep myself on track, but a majority of it is just my characters taking me on their journey.
Have you any other books in the making at the moment?
Yes, I’m currently working on another novel, which was initially meant to be a standalone book, but about halfway through I realized I had way too much material, so it will more than likely be a two or three book series. This one is another paranormal thriller, but told from a girl’s point of view, and it’s especially creepy. Stay tuned!
Any song[s] that fit perfectly with the weeping scenes /characters or the book itself?
I had quite a few songs that I came across while writing that really seemed to fit the tone of the book. Some of them are “Haunted” by Poe, “Hysteria” by Muse, “Forever” by Firelight and “It’s all Over but the Crying” by Garbage. I have an entire playlist which will be revealed later on in the tour. :)
Why should we read the weeping?
Good question. I think if you are a fan of ghost stories with a few scares and an interesting twist, you should definitely check it out. In my opinion, the book is moderately creepy, though I had a few people read it who aren’t into creepy books at all and they said it really scared them. I also had friends who read it that said it didn’t scare them at all, but they did like the mystery aspect. I guess I’ll let you decide.
This or that segment
Vanilla or chocolate
Definitely chocolate
summer or winter:
I live in Texas. I despise summer. Winter all the way.
Xmas or Halloween:
I love both. The weeks between Halloween and New Years makes me so happy. I think I would have to go with Halloween, simply because it marks the beginning of the Holiday season.
Vampires, faeries or zombies
I hate faeries. (Now that I say that I’ll probably be pummeled by an army of fae in my sleep.) I just don’t see the point of faeries, so it would have to be between vampires and zombies. Zombies scare the ever-living crap out of me. Like, serious stomach-dropping, pee in my pants fear. I used to want to be a vampire. I’d just need to get over that whole drinking blood thing.
Thanks for having me!
The review
The Weeping
by O'Dell Hutchison
Published by H, C & B Publishing
Date Publication: March 6th 2012
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: Twenty years ago, Catherine Whitley was the victim of a horrible crime. Betrayed by her friends, including the boy she loved, she was left to die when the Rock Harbor Opera House caught fire, taking a disturbing secret with her to her grave.
Seventeen-year-old Heath Ingram was driving the night his Jeep careened off the road, killing three of his closest friends. Once a popular, outgoing athlete, Heath now suffers from severe depression and crippling anxiety. His parents decide to send him to stay with his uncle in Rock Harbor, Oregon for the summer, praying that by getting away he will be able to put this awful tragedy behind him.
When Heath starts working at the newly renovated Rock Harbor Opera House, he meets Molly, a young dancer who awakens in him a desire to start over and move on. But, when he begins having visions of a half-burned girl in a white dress, he starts to think he may be slipping even further over the edge.
As the apparent hauntings become more intense, Heath begins to fear for his safety. With the help of his friend Josie, Heath discovers an unsettling secret that ties the mysterious girl to both their families. When two of their friends die unexpectedly, Josie and Heath realize that something, or someone, is after the children of those who wronged Catherine, and they are next
My thoughts:
Cover: LOVE the
red hue and life line on the bottom and eeriness of the cover. I imagined the main characters how it's pictured.
Book: When I saw the sign up. The cover immediately drew me in.I thought to my self"I have to read it and glad i did.
The prologue was rocking and intense. RAD.The writing was easy to follow and loved reading further and further till i finished . ^-^
I immediately loved Heath [hot/lol pun/ being heath is always next to hot lol/Love male protaganist. The male Pov, maybe cause i'm a dude and sometimes girls whiny voices annoy me. He felt like a real teen
I liked marry very much.Liked her character. Her being.[trying to be philosophical again. HUGE FAIL lol] To me characters are people, creatures most of the time
The ending was great. A perfect ending for a good book. Sometimes the pacing was meh at moments. But i still liked it. If you love mysteries, thrillers maybe a bit spooky even. Give it a try
To orderAmazon
Barnes & Noble
Bookdepository [int shipping]
To order
