Author: C.O.B
Title: Rocket Ship
Publisher: 2014, Grey Line Press
ISBN: 9780983002835
Pages: 268, Paperback
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Read Author Interview with C.O.B
Questions for C.O.B.
Interviewed by: Anita Lock, Pacific Book Review
Today we’re talking with C.O.B., author of “Rocket Ship”.
1. PBR: Tell a little about yourself?
I grew up in Miami, FL and moved to Philadelphia, PA in the mid ‘90s for college.
2. PBR: How did you get into writing?
I got into writing because of the movies. Going to the movie theaters growing up was just a great experience. So of course, I had that moment—the moment you find yourself in a movie theater watching a movie as a kid and you say to yourself: “That’s what I’m going to do,” with a giddy grin that only you can feel and no one else sees. I ended up in Philly because it had one of the few universities that had a screenwriting program, not just a film program that included how to write. I was more intrigued by telling stories, not necessarily filming them. Flash-forward years later…I write books now because a friend thought the format best suited the stories I wanted to tell. Till this day, one of the best advice that I received that I’m glad I listened to and acted upon.
3. PBR: You have catchy author initials. Are these your real initials, or a pseudonym?
Yes, my initials are real. Sad, but still fortunate? My parents gave me three last names. I’m ok with it now, but my name(s) made for a lot of jokes growing up.
4. PBR: According to the Grey Line Press website (http://www.greylinepress.com/), this is your third book. Your first two are adult books. Besides the fact that this is earmarked for young adult readers, what sets this book apart from your previous works?
Rocket Ship is different from my previous two works because it is more of a personal tool for me, and I hope the readers find it as such also. My first two books are just stories, a reader at the end can feel good, bad, or indifferent toward them, and I’d be okay with that—of course, I’m also wanting them to feel good about all my stories. But with Rocket Ship, at the end of this story, I’m hoping that reader not only has had a fun, great, adventurous experience, but also believes that the story can be used as a tool for better.
5. PBR: Why did you choose to write a book targeted for young adults?
Honestly, it’s the cliché for me: I didn’t choose to write a book for young adults; the story is just that, targeted for young adults. There were a couple ideas in my head for my next project and Rocket Ship was the one that completed itself first.
6. PBR: What is your inspiration for creating Rocket Ship?
My daughter was my inspiration for Rocket Ship. And I guess, she is the also the reason why I view story as a personal tool and the reason the story took on a life of its own toward completion. She is currently my only child, and now lives in two separate homes; I was raised by both parents in one home, so my daughter got me thinking…what if. Rocket Ship is my ultimate ‘What if’ scenario asked and answered. What if, we as parents, caused our kids to disappear? What if my daughter had the power to be elsewhere, because of me? I had many ‘what if’s’, but as frightening as these questions that I was asking myself were, I thought it to be a compelling idea for a story. All the while writing, I was telling myself that I need to make sure my daughter never feels like the characters I am writing about—this is where the tool aspect comes into play—how can I use this story to help me become a better person, a better parent? The story serves as a reminder for me, and for my daughter, that I hope we both never feel like the main characters in this story.
7. PBR: The scene to Rocket Ship is set in a Miami Gardens area called Carol City. Why did you choose this location?
I chose the location because it is where I spent most of my childhood. Also, it allowed me the opportunity to address some general popular misperceptions of living in Miami, Fl.
8. PBR: Lincoln and Gary, the main characters in Rocket Ship, are diverse in so many ways yet they are victims of dysfunctional families and bullying. What inspired you to create these main characters?
Misperceptions, again, was the inspiration behind creating the characters of Lincoln and Gary. I wanted characters that represented the majority of kids I grew up around—kids who could and would do bad things, but weren’t necessarily at the core of them, bad kids. The kids I grew up around just didn’t know any better or care, or rather, they didn’t have the backing of someone telling them they could do better. So, what if a bad kid, if not at home, actually had another person, another kid, backing him to do good? Rocket Ship tries to address that question. Also, regarding the dysfunctional families and bullying aspects, much like the story tries to portray it as normal, so too was it for most of the kids I grew up with; we never considered our homes dysfunctional or considered ourselves being bullied. Now being older, with a child of my own, none of it is normal and shouldn’t be considered normal—another reason why Rocket Ship means a lot to me.
9. PBR: Tell how you came up with the addition of Rahadonya?
Much like Rocket Ship is my ultimate ‘What if’ scenario, Rahadonya symbolizes my ultimate ‘it’ person or thing—the person who is made fun of, picked on, and mocked without provoking and just because. She also represent a lot more because she is it — she is the hidden in plain sight secret of Rocket Ship – the reader just needs to figure out what that secret is.
10. PBR: As the story unfolds, in comes a very old couple – Mr. and Mrs. Stouhon – who come to the boys aid. Why was it important to include such old people into a cast of youth?
It was important to include Mr. and Mrs. Stouhon because they represent the past and the future. As much as kids, teenagers, deny it, or don’t understand or acknowledge it, every old was once young. Just as important, Mr. and Mrs. Stouhon embody, for me, that classic idea of family, of guardians, of neighbors—when someone truly needs help, you don’t ask why, you just help. It’s important to also note that I’m not talking about negative help—I’m not saying this old couple would help you steal food if you were hungry, I am saying they would cut their one sandwich in three to feed you. All kids need help in order to grow, and that help always come from the old, it’s just, in some cases, it’s not the old of parents; the Stouhons are the older, the wiser of those parents, of adults, in general.
11. PBR: Do you have any plans for another young adult book?
No, I do not have plans for another young adult book. At the moment, I would not consider myself a young adult writer, nor do I like to label myself as a specific type of writer, so anything is possible.
12. PBR: Have you ever considered writing a young adult series?
Also, no, I never considered writing a young adult series before. However, Rocket Ship, I believe is a strong foundation for a sequel. The story leaves the reader with closure, but also with many questions that could be answered in a second book.
To learn more about”Rocket Ship” please read the review at: Pacific Book Review.
