BIO

Homer Hickam is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Rocket Boys which was made into the acclaimed movie, "October Sky." He is also the author of the bestselling THE KEEPER'S SON and many other books including THE COALWOOD WAY and SKY OF STONE. He and his wife and cats share their time between homes in Huntsville, Alabama, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, please see www.homerhickam.com.

AUTHOR TALK

October 2003

New York Times bestselling author Homer Hickam has departed from his successful memoirs to embark on a series of novels featuring Coast Guard Lt. Josh Thurlow, beginning with THE KEEPER'S SON. In this interview Hickam talks about his inspiration for this latest work, the importance of humor in his books, and his next novel, which will continue the adventures of Thurlow and his diverse crew.

Q: Why have you turned from writing your very successful series of memoirs to fiction?

HH: Actually, it's not as big a change as one might think. I wrote the trilogy of Coalwood memoirs (OCTOBER SKY, THE COALWOOD WAY, and SKY OF STONE) in the form of novels. In fact, I coined the term "novoirs," short for novel-memoirs, to describe them. Every character and event, though real, were part of an unfolding drama that I crafted to keep the reader turning the page. Writing fiction requires the same pacing and care. In any case, I always meant for my memoirs to be a trilogy of life in little Coalwood, the town of my youth. That's been done and now I eagerly look forward to writing fiction for the rest of my career.

Q: How did you get the idea to write THE KEEPER'S SON, a story of life on a little Outer Banks island in 1942? I suppose many readers will wonder why you don't write about rockets or space.

HH: Unfortunately, I sometimes labor under the misperception that space and rockets are my principle areas of interest. This is most probably the result of the movie October Sky, which was based on my first memoir. I did use building rockets as a metaphor in OCTOBER SKY (aka ROCKET BOYS) to tell the story of growing up in Coalwood but my true passion in life has always been writing. My third grade teacher, Mrs. Laird, told me some day I'd make my living as a writer so very early on, people noticed I had some talent in that direction. The story in THE KEEPER'S SON is one that has been in my head for a very long time.

My first book was TORPEDO JUNCTION, a history of the U-boat battles along the east coast during World War II. It came out in 1989 and, I am pleased to note, is still in print. To research it, I spent months on the islands of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, including scuba diving on many of the wrecks put down during the battle. Along the way, I got to know the wonderful folks of the Banks and knew some day I'd write a novel that would capture their unique way of life.

Q: Would you characterize THE KEEPER'S SON as a war novel?

HH: Not at all, although there are certainly some stirring battle scenes within. I call it a story of love in a time of war. Many fans have written telling me how much they enjoy the rather peculiar romance between Josh Thurlow, the novel's principle character, and Dosie Crossan, a spirited horsewoman who comes to Killakeet looking, as she says, "for herself." What she isn't looking for is a man who stirs her blood. Enter Josh Thurlow, a widower, and therein hangs part of the tale.

Q: I notice a surprising amount of humor in The Keeper's Son. Is that true for all your books?

HH: It certainly is. If I don't wring a chuckle or two from my readers every other chapter or so, I don't figure I've done my job. I give a lot of speeches to various groups around the country and I think I pleasantly surprise them by being a humorous story-teller. I got that from growing up in Coalwood where story-telling was an art form.

For instance, I love to tell the story of Albert, Mom's pet alligator. It was given to her as a wedding present by an ex-boy friend, one Buddy Ebsen later of Beverly Hillbillies fame. After it chased my Dad around the yard once too often, he insisted that it was either him or Albert. After Mom gave that a day or two of thought, she agreed to release Albert but only in Florida. After several days of hard driving from West Virginia, I think they let it loose on a golf course near Orlando. Years later, Dad would be reading the paper and spy an article about a Florida alligator chomping on a golfer or eating a poodle. He'd yell out, "News of Albert, Elsie!" and my mom would just smile.

Q: What's next after THE KEEPER'S SON?

HH: This is the first of a series of "Josh Thurlow" novels. The next one moves to the South Pacific, specifically the Solomon Islands. I'm already about a third of the way through it and am enjoying writing the story, which is a dramatic chase through those islands of head-hunters and cannibals. There is a special surprise in this novel in that a couple of the characters will be actual historical figures shown as in a manner never before portrayed but very much based on fact. And, of course, there will be romantic situations, battle scenes, and humor. Also a megapode named Dave.

Q: What in the world is a megapode?

HH: You'll just have to keep reading the series to find out!

© Copyright 2003, Homer Hickam. All rights reserved.

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PAST INTERVIEW

1999

TBR's Carol Fitzgerald and Roz Shea both fell in love with Homer Hickam's memoir, ROCKET BOYS, upon which the movie "October Sky" is based. Homer was born in a small West Virginian mining town and ends up --- literally --- launching himself out.  ROCKET BOYS is the inspirational story of Homer and his friends, who built rockets from mine scraps and found hope in a town were there was none. Carol and Roz brainstormed together to come up with over twenty thought-provoking questions for the author. Find out how ROCKET BOYS became "October Sky," if Homer still keeps in touch with the other "Rocket Boys," his favorite NASA story, and what he thinks of the movie. You won't want to miss this in-depth interview with a man who saw a future before his time, and created it for ours.

TBR: Were you a consultant, screenwriter, or otherwise involved in the making of October Sky?

HH: I was allowed access to the various stages of the film's script development by Chuck Gordon, the producer, and Lewis Colick, the script writer. I had some issues with Lewis's original script and argued my points with him and later for Johnston, the director. I won some and lost some. I was always satisfied, however, that all concerned were trying their very best to translate the spirit and meaning of the book to film. I was later hired as a technical consultant and tweaked the scrip to ensure science and engineering accuracy. As technical consultant, I was also on set for about half of the shooting days.

TBR: As so often happens, several wonderful events and colorful characters from the book were left out or downplayed in the movie.  For instance, the movie completely omitted one of the Rocket Boys, Sherman; the touching scene with Valentine and Buck was diminished greatly; the blizzard scene involving the shady lady who lived on the other side of town, and Mrs. Riley's fight against the administration to allow calculus to be taught to the selected few were memorable scenes in the book that do not appear in the movie. The story is told well, but the book version was much richer.  How do you feel about those changes?

HH: I would have naturally preferred to see these scenes included in the movie. Joe Johnston told me, "Homer, there's enough in your book for two or three movies, but we have to pick and choose." I think that's true, unfortunately. A film only has usually a little less than two hours to tell its story so everything in a book has to be compressed or deleted. A television mini-series is about the only way to bring a complex book, as ROCKET BOYS to the public on film. Instead, Joe tried with light and color and imagery to bring the atmosphere and sense of the book to life in the shortened format

TBR: Your feelings about your father were so much a part of your book. Were they translated well onto the screen? Do you feel he was fairly represented?

HH: Chris Cooper, the actor who played my dad in the movie, and I had some long talks about who my father really was, and what he thought about things. I even gave him tokens that belonged to Dad, his Masonic ring, his watch, his lucky silver dollar to wear or carry during the filming. The script made dad seem harsh and sometimes mean and in the hands of a lesser actor, I'm afraid that's how it would have looked. But Chris, through his expressive face and body language, makes dad much more sympathetic.

TBR: Our readers frequently debate the success or failure of book adaptations to the screen. How do you feel about the final project?

HH: I'm very pleased because the audience seems to be so pleased. They laugh and cry and sometimes even applaud during the film. It's hard to argue with that.

TBR: Did you ever see Rocket Boys as a movie while you were writing it?

HH: Yes. Chuck Gordon optioned with book even before I had completed it. Lewis Colick actually penned the script based on the first draft of the book. I wrote four drafts before I was satisfied with it for publication. The hard part was finding that fourteen-year-old boy's voice.

TBR: Why did they change the name from Rocket Boys to October Sky? It seems to us that Rocket Boys was such a very fitting name.

HH: I agree! It was the Marketing Department at Universal Studios who decided Rocket Boys sounded too much like a kid's movie. October Sky is an anagram of Rocket Boys, believe it or not, and that's how they chose the title, retrofitting into the script something about Sputnik "flying through the October Sky."

TBR: We have learned that the publication of an article, "The Big Creek Missile Agency" in Air & Space/Smithsonian led to this book. Had you kept a diary of your "Rocket Boys" project, or did you rely upon your memories?

HH: I had no diary but a perfect memory of every rocket, down to the last nozzle and bolt. I was able to extrapolate the rest of the story by remembering what happened before and after each launching. My father kept a daily work diary, however, and sometimes he would have personal items in them. His diaries allowed me to check dates and times.

TBR: How long did it take you to write the book?

HH: Three months for the first draft, about the same for each of the three drafts that followed, so about a year. There were months that would pass between drafts, however, since I was also working full time for NASA. I guess it all took about two years before I was satisfied.

TBR: Was writing this book a catharsis for you --- especially in exploring your relationship with your father?

HH: Yes, I got a million dollars of psychotherapy I didn't even know I needed!

TBR: Have you been in touch with the other "Rocket Boys" since the book came out?

HH: Yes. We've had two reunions, one last June at our high school commencement where I addressed the class, and again in Knoxville last week for the October Sky premiere.

TBR: What do your current friends and family think of the book and movie?

HH: They love it.

TBR: You fulfilled your dream of becoming an aeronautical engineer at NASA.  Did you ever want to go up into space?  

HH: I'd love to and I may yet. Pete Conrad, the third man on the moon is building a spaceplane and has offered me a seat.

TBR: Do you have a favorite NASA story you might like to share with us?

HH: My cat, Paco, is the first cat that meowed in space. He went over the loops (air to ground communication) to a lonely astronaut who missed her cat.

TBR: What do you think of today's space program?  

HH: I'd like to see more focus on going back to the moon and building better population systems. I think NASA is doing its best, however, and that there are no finer men and women in the world.

TBR: The computers that were used in the early space program were less powerful than many laptops today --- did you think technology would progress this rapidly?

HH: No, the improvement in computer technology is miraculous.

TBR: We see that you live in Huntsville, Alabama. Have you ever checked out the Space Camp program there? What do you think about it?

HH: I designed the Underwater Astronaut Trainer at Space Camp/Space Academy and ran their scuba training for several years. It's an excellent program.

TBR: Nonfiction books, particularly memoirs of relatively unknown people, don't often become best sellers or movies.  What do you think makes this story so engaging and successful?

HH: I don't know. I was as surprised as anyone. It just seems to touch people's hearts and souls. Coalwood is a place people yearn for, even if they're from a big city.

TBR: You had your space hero in Van Braun. How does it feel to be seen as a hero in the movie?

HH: If that boy on screen can encourage people to act on their dreams, and to pursue an honorable and satisfying life, I'm comfortable with it.

TBR: What do you think about high school teachers all over the country telling kids to see this movie...and read the book?

HH: I love that.  I've heard from a lot of young adults and their parents, too, that the book has either changed their outlook on life, or caused them to think about how they might be more optimistic.  There is even a wonderful publication, A TEACHER'S GUIDE TO OCTOBER SKY published by Roberta Nusim, Youth Media International. (www.schoolroom.aol.com)

TBR: Do you see yourself writing another book?

HH: Yes!  I have a novel coming out in June titled BACK TO THE MOON.  I will probably write more about the Rocket Boys, too, in a paperback book called A COALWOOD CHRISTMAS.  More books will follow, I hope!

TBR: Do you think the young people of today still have the opportunity to break free from whatever restraints society or their educational system places on them?

HH: Yes, although it can be more difficult now.  Society has turned so protective, it must seem stifling, at times, to young people.

TBR: What gives you hope today?

HH: The bright, intelligent young faces I see, especially in grade school classes.

TBR: What are your thoughts on the Millennium?

HH: The solar system will be explored, conquered, and settled, or we will fall back into a new dark age.  There is no middle ground.

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