Need a Summer Camp Fix?

One of the things my publisher has done is let us read pre-release copies of upcoming books if we want. Obviously this helps the author get reviews, but it’s also good for those of us who love books. So I was thrilled to get a chance to read Hear No Evil. It came out yesterday and I highly recommend it. Technically it’s a middle grade book – but like so many other middle grade books out there, adults will love it as well. I plan to read it aloud to my eldest when we’re ready for a new read aloud.

Here’s the blurb:

Summer camp is no fun for Brady McCaul. The girl with the cute dimples thinks he’s immature and childish. The camp bully targets him with cruel taunts and teasing, and flips Brady’s canoe to keep him from winning the race. But worst of all, his mom won’t let him come home. She doesn’t want him living with her anymore. Brady wonders if even God cares about him. Can Brady figure out what he did to earn Mom’s rejection and change her mind by week’s end? Or will he have to live with his workaholic dad, the guy who left when Brady was seven? All seems lost until a surprising secret changes everything.

I also asked Mary if she’d be willing to answer a few questions (cause I know it’s fun to get to know a new author a little). She was lovely and agreed – so here’s a little interview with the author!

If you could be any of the characters in your book, which one would you choose?

That’s a tough decision. I think I’d like to be Claire because she’s confident and comfortable with who she is. She doesn’t let anyone mess with her but she also has a soft heart. I love her enthusiasm and leadership qualities. She’s not afraid to meet challenges head on.

Some of your characters are based on real people. Tell us about them.

Several of my characters have their roots in people I knew as a child. Zeke, the director, is a composite of two people: my dad and another pastor who taught children’s vespers at family camp. He kept us mesmerized by drawing pictures to illustrate something that he was teaching. Then he would choose one lucky youngster who got to take the drawing home with him. I was thrilled to get one of baseball great Sandy Koufax.

Nurse Willie also shares a love of fishing with a nurse who worked at our camp. And Steven is based on a teenage boy who came to camp for a couple of years. We were all amazed at how much he could do even though he was blind.

How much of what goes on in Hear No Evil is real? In other words, which activities did you experience while you were growing up at camp?

A lot of the action comes from my memories of camp. The cabin scenes are a little different in that the kids quiet down much faster after Lights Out than they did in real life. But the ball game, the tug of war contest and the sweatshirt relay during the water carnival were actual competitions. The meals were the same from year to year, so it’s not unlikely that if Steven came to camp for 10 years, he’d remember Monday morning pancakes and a lot of the other meals.

You’re a real believer in summer camps, especially Christian camps. Why is that?

I think kids need breaks from routine and daily pressures as much as adults do. I know when I go on vacation, I often see things from a different perspective than when I’m dealing with them day after day after day. Going to camp does that for kids, and a Christian camp can help them see things from God’s perspective. It can be a life-changing experience for many.

Hear No Evil is the first book in the Rustic Knoll Series. Does that mean we’ll see more of Brady and the gang?

Brady will make some appearances but the next books will feature different main characters. Speak No Evil is the next book, and that will be Taylor’s story. He’s the bully in Hear No Evil. Brady’s buddy, Steven, will star in the third book, See No Evil. I’m excited about all of them!

Any final comments?

Just a thank you for inviting me to join you on your blog. And if readers want to connect with me, they can do it on any of the links listed below.

www.maryhamiltonbooks.com

www.facebook.com/maryhamiltonbooks

www.pinterest.com/mhamiltonbooks/

Twitter: @mhamilton122

I encourage each of you to go check out this book – you won’t be disappointed!