Steampunk Granny Interviews Amy Holiday of Hypothetical Press

I saved the best for last, but we finally get to hear from the Editor-in- Chief, Owner and Publisher of Hypothetical Press, Amy Holiday, about her publishing company and her story that is included in the just released, Reading Glasses

Steampunk Granny: Amy tell us about yourself and what you enjoy writing about?

Amy Holiday: I'm currently the president of the South Jersey Writers' Group, and took over organizing in 2009. It's exciting to be moving to a professional organization. I also like outdoor adventure activities and have 60lb lab mix named Pixie. I mostly write middle grade and young adult fiction.

                                                             

Steampunk Granny: Since you’ve not only published Tall Tales and Reading Glasses, what do you enjoy doing more, writing or publishing?

Amy Holiday: Very different animals! Publishing is basically a list of tasks to cross off, which gives a feeling of accomplishment. But along with publishing comes accounting. I definitely *don't* like accounting! I like editing more than publishing, and editing an anthology--working with other authors to bring out the best, truest meaning of the story--is a fantastic learning experience (for me, and them too I hope.)

But the short answer: writing wins. I like making stuff up and it's nice to have an excuse.

                                                                     

Steampunk Granny: What was your inspiration for Fox Rose?

Amy Holiday: The first two backers at the "Name a Character" level on the Kickstarter campaign for Reading Glasses were two SJWG members and friends, Jord Fox and Nanci Rainey. Nanci wanted to be a mysterious figure, a spurned lover of sorts; she came up with the name Rose. And Jord is naturally a superhero. I came across writing prompt involving a "visit from an ancestor," and about the same time I visited Longwood Gardens. Combining one of the old Fairmount Park summer homes with a painting of a woman in a garden, which housed a ghost that haunted generations, was the initial seed. (There was also a donor who requested the character be named after his daughter Annika!)

For the Philadelphia buffs, Fox Run is not a real place, but I imagine the location as being Lemon Hill. There are no streams or gardens at Lemon Hill, but at the right angle you can see downtown Philly from the trees. I love the old homes and history in Fairmount Park.

                                   The Daring Amy Holiday on Trapeze                                 

 

Steampunk Granny: You’ve strayed from what you normally like to write; children’s stories and young adult. Did you like writing about the paranormal for a change?

Amy Holiday: Hmm. Yes, it was interesting. I don't remember where this concept of "do what you like" came from, but the idea of spirits in the afterworld helping us make decisions is compelling. (Ghosts with personal agendas may be a different story!) My original idea was for it to be a more scary kind of ghost story. But I think I don't really like scary stories!

Steampunk Granny: What other stories are you working on?

Amy Holiday: I just finished NaNoWriMo (whew!). That project was Summer Kids, a YA contemporary about kids who live at the Jersey shore (no, not that Jersey Shore! A nicer one.) I made the 50,000 word goal, but still have to finish the story, so that's my project for December. After I finish that first draft, I'm going back to the Middle Grade contemporary novel Belinda the Ninja Doesn't Dance. I had to put that on hold to finish up Reading Glasses. But Belinda is closer to completion, and I'm hoping to start pitching and querying by the end of 2015.

And, of course, there's the second collection due out from our Kickstarter Fundraiser, Tall Tales and Short Stories Volume 2! (Publication hopefully this summer.)

                                                                   

Steampunk Granny: Thank you so much for sharing with us, Amy, and we will all be looking forward to reading both Reading Glasses and Tall Tales & Short Stories Volume 2.

Reading Glasses can be found here: http://www.hypotheticalpress.com/

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