I sat down once again with local author Matt Galeone, who had some exciting news to share!

You can read my first interview with Matt HERE

Q: What was your experience talking to the kids at the Crossroads Home School Co-Op?

I started doing this last year. I get to go and talk about writing, and being a writer. I also get to talk about the books with these kids who are in middle and high school. They are the target audience I had in mind when I wrote the books. Last year, some of the kids seemed to be into the books. Some were moved by then. It was the best day I’ve ever had. I actually mention them in my acknowledgement section in my latest book, “The 15th Chair.” So this year we contacted them and wanted to do it again. I went out there for an afternoon and met with a high school class of writers, then three different groups of middle school writers. We had SUCH a great time. Can’t wait to go back again.

I went around the room and asked each student what their favorite book was. If they weren’t a reader, I asked what their favorite movie, or comic book was. There was this middle school student who had all three of my books in front of him. He was sort of red..kind of nervous. He didn’t even say “Your books are my favorite books.” He said “My favorite books are The Clarendon Ditch Trilogy.” It reminded me of when I was middle school, and the writer of “Enders Game” or the Dark Phoenix Saga had come to my school. I would’ve felt the same way. That was my favorite moment of being a writer ever.

Q: So I hear your novels are being published as graphic novels?

Yes! It’s very exciting. It’s the main thing I’m focused on right now. I’m working with a very talented illustrator. It’s a completely different challenge to have someone transform your book into something visual. It’s much harder than I thought it would have been. Books ARE visual, but it’s still a painstaking process with the illustrator, myself, and the editor to get everything where we want it. I give the illustrator a lot of credit. He’s putting in a lot of hours. He’s dealing with a lot of vague comments from me. ::laughs:: He’s getting it done somehow though.

Q: As a comic book fan, how does it feel to have your work turned into a graphic novel?

It’s very exciting. It’s easy day to day to think about how much work goes into it. The first chapter of my first book was never intended to launch a book, let alone a trilogy. I actually wrote it as a writing sample to submit to comic book companies. I kept writing to see where it would go. To have everything come full circle, and finally turn something I envisioned into a comic book..it’s amazing.

 

 

Buy Matt Galeone’s book collection HERE