Trashy Kelly Couric interviews PJ Hoover!

EDITED TO ADD: PJ IS GIVING AWAY A COPY OF THE EMERALD TABLET TO A LUCKY COMMENTER. JUST COMMENT BY WED., FEB 25 AT MIDNIGHT PACIFIC TIME FOR A CHANCE TO WIN. EITHER CHILD #4 OR ONE OF PJ'S DELIGHTFUL RUG RATS WILL CHOOSE A NAME!




Hi bloggy peeps! I'm baaack!. It's ME, the slightly chubby, super sassy and trailer-trashy KELLY Couric! I'm taking over the blog today while Barrie is helping out in Child #4's classroom. I get to interview Author PJ HOOVER who has a fantastic middle-grade fantasy out now, THE EMERALD TABLET. Middle-grade! I love it! It's exactly my reading level! Best of all, THE EMERALD TABLET is the first in a trilogy.

(knocks on door, then strides in, carefully balancing a tray of cookies) Hello! Barrie! I'm here! And I brought you some white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.




(rushes over to PJ and grabs the cookies) Thank you, thank you. I'm always looking for extra fat grams.



(opening eyes wide) Are you...is it really....Am I going to be interviewed by THE trashy Kelly Couric?!




(puffing out chest and smiling proudly) You are, dahling, you are. And let's get started. (crosses ample thighs) So, PJ, pretend I'm a really rich and famous literary agent. And you're lucky enough to get to pitch to me. What's your book about?



THE EMERALD TABLET is the adventure every kid dreams of going on! It's about five kids who have to go to summer school. Which would normally result in a total yuck factor, right? Except in this case summer school is on a hidden continent under the Pacific Ocean (Lemuria). And to top it off, the kids find out they aren't even human, but an awesome species called telegens.

Here's the cover copy:
Benjamin and his best friend Andy are different from normal. They love being able to read each other's minds and use telekinesis to play tricks on other kids. In fact, they are getting all set to spend their entire summer doing just that when Benjamin's mirror starts talking. Suddenly, Benjamin's looking at eight weeks of summer school someplace which can only be reached by a teleporter inside the ugly picture in his hallway.
And that's the most normal thing he does all summer.

So are you ready to join them, Kelly???



Yeah, right. My idea of summer fun is Camp Marriott and a spa! And a masseuse. (rolls heavily-outlined eyes) PJ, now that you've achieved your publishing goal, are you actually working on anything new? Or do writers publish, then chill on the couch, guzzling cocktails and bonbons?


Cocktails wait until the kids get home :) Ditto bonbons, but I need to hide those from the kids unless I want to share (which NO, I do not).

I'm not much of a chiller. I started book 2 in the series (THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, Fall 2009) as soon as I'd finished THE EMERALD TABLET. And then came book 3 (THE NECROPOLIS, Fall 2010). So basically I had all three books written (in one form or another) before I signed the contract. Of course they've all been through various stages of revision, but at least the guts are there, which is nice. Because guts are the solid base we're all built around. Or maybe it's the skeleton.

I've also started a couple new projects: a MG urban fantasy with an Egyptian theme, and a YA urban fantasy based heavily in Greek mythology.

My head is filled with ideas, and my kids keep giving me new ones. I'm sure I'll never catch up—which in the writing world I think is a good thing!



You're quite the busy bee! Now, PJ, we want you to open up to us on this blog. Tell us something weird about yourself. Preferably juicy and scandalous. We're all friends here. Seriously. And if it's something like a unibrow you've never had taken care of professionally, feel free to include a pic.


Wait! Maybe I need my cocktail first!
Okay, juicy and scandalous. I once met the famous Barrie Summy. Okay, it was twice; I admit it.
No really—it's true!
And wait until I tell you what she told me...

Fine, I'll dig deep and see what I can think of.
How about this? My mom let me go to school dressed like this in seventh grade (I'm the blond one). And yes, I did used to fit those pants. And no, I wouldn't have a prayer of fitting them now. And yes, it was the 80s. And no, I would never let my daughter dress like that.

A scandalous photo of PJ Hoover (she's the blond in the shocking blue pants)

(frowning) Don't even try to fake us out that Barrie told you something scandalous. But that outfit? It is scandalous! And, now back to ME. Last time I read a whole book was in high school. Could you recommend a book for me?

The book I would recommend for you, Kelly, is THE EMERALD TABLET. In fact, I would recommend this book for every person on Earth. And could you do me a favor and recommend it to everyone you meet also? It doesn't matter if you've read it or not. Just please tell everyone it's the best book in the world. And make sure to give them the amazon link in case they don't like to leave the house.
If you aren't sure what the book is about, please go back and read this interview.

And now for the most scrumptious question of all... What is your favorite cookie? (We'd love the recipe. We're planning a side bar link with all the cookie recipes.)

Simple!
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies!

I have two recipes I LOVE!

Recipe 1:
Go to freezer section of your favorite grocery store. Here in Texas, I'm way partial to the H-E-B. And yes, the B in H-E-B does stand for Butt.
Find a frozen dough package of whatever White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies are on sale.
Pick it up.
Buy it.
Cook per directions. Remember to save part of the uncooked dough to eat raw.

Recipe 2:
Walk into your favorite deli or other establishment which sells cookies.
Get money out of wallet.
Request one White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookie.
Pay for it.
Eat cookie.

(munching on a cookie) Okay, that's it, bloggy friends. The interview is officially over. I have some serious snacking to do. Have a great weekend! And thank you for stopping by, PJ Hoover, author of THE EMERALD TABLET.

EDITED TO ADD: PJ IS GIVING AWAY A COPY OF THE EMERALD TABLET TO A LUCKY COMMENTER. JUST COMMENT BY WED., FEB 25 AT MIDNIGHT PACIFIC TIME FOR A CHANCE TO WIN. EITHER CHILD #4 OR ONE OF PJ'S DELIGHTFUL RUG RATS WILL CHOOSE A NAME!