Guest Post ~ J.P. Galuska author of A Kiss For Emily

Today I have a special treat for you. Author JP Galuska has agreed to do an interview with one of her characters, Alex Hibbs, from her book A Kiss For Emily, book one of her Emily Stokes series.

Blurb: A Kiss for Emily is a suspense driven YA paranormal romance. This novel is listed as YA because the main character is a 17-yr. old girl from Kansas, but the character dynamics and adult-friendly plot make this story enjoyable to anyone 12 years old and up.

In the story, Emily never thought that falling in love would put her smack bad in the middle of chaos. Or having her questioning her own sanity! But when strange occurrences turn unbelievable, it becomes a race against time to save her from none other than the good-guys. 

As a new author, I am still surprised by how attached some readers become to my characters...like these people inside the pages are real. I take it as a total compliment, figuring I've created some pretty believable characters. They "love" Kat, Emily's little sister...appreciate the parents not being "dysfunctional or jerks." But one repetitive comment I wasn't expecting is the request from readers begging for more information about one character in particular: Alex Hibbs, the boy Emily left behind. 

Alex is typically the most misunderstood character. Probably because he himself is messed-up, and knows it. I think it's hard for readers to watch a likeable kind of boy spiral downward. I hope you'll enjoy the following interview between me (JP) and my character, Alex!

JP: So Alex, why don't you tell the readers a little about yourself.

Alex: I’m 5’11, weigh 185—

JP: I’m not sure that’s what our readers had in mind, Alex.

Alex: (laughs) I know, I’m just messing with you. Let’s see, something about me. I know, I love jokes. What do you call a man with no arms and no legs floating in the water?

JP: Ah?

Alex: Bob! What do you call a man with arm and no legs laying in a pot hole?

JP: I give up.

Alex: Phil!

JP: You are funny! Do you tend to be a class clown in school?

Alex: Usually not. I mostly keep to myself. Can’t stand all the drama and gossip.

JP: I hear that. How do you “fill” your time away from school?

Alex: I work over at Mac's Autobody after school, doing minor car repair. The owner taught me how to apply body putty and tape up a car area before he paints it. That's where I got my Jeep...Mr. Winkle did some major repairs to it, and then the owner never came back for it. He sold it to me for real cheep.

JP: Cool. I’ve seen it. It’s pretty nice.

Alex: Yeah, but driving it through the garage didn't do it any favors.

JP: Yeah, I’m not sure what you were thinking with that one. 

Alex: (shakes his head)

JP: Would you like to talk about it?

Alex: It just really makes me mad, sad...all at the same time, ya know? He took the easy way out!

 JP: You are referring to your dad?Alex: I might as well just tell them the story. My family moved to Topeka when I was in middle school. We lived in Colorado but moved after my dad quit his job as an airline pilot. On one of our biking trips in the Rocky Mountains, he wiped out on some loose gravel, hit his head, and went blind in his left eye. The airlines wouldn't let him fly after that. 

 JP: That's really too bad. But he seemed to move-on with his life, didn't he?Alex: If you'd call managing a restaurant moving on. He wasn't meant to have his feet planted on the ground.

 JP: Where those his words?

 Alex: Yeah. He didn't keep his unhappiness a secret. But he wasn't the only one. The whole family fell apart after we moved. My mom had an affair; Dad pretended not to know. Then about a year ago, my brother went to jail. (He laughs, but it doesn't sound happy) My parents told me he went to stay with relatives. Like I'd never find out? But no one will tell why.  

JP: This is some tough stuff, Alex.

 Alex: Not as hard as the day I found my old man in the garage. There was nothing left of his f***ing head. The coroner's  report stated that he blew his face off first, and had to to reload a second shot. (Tears well in his eyes) Can you imagine? (Looks away) Do you think it hurt?

 JP: (Reaches out to touch his arm.) I'm really sorry to hear all this. How are you doing? Do you need someone to talk to?

 Alex: I don't want to talk to anybody. What's done is done.

 JP: You still seem to be hurting a lot. 

 Alex: I’ve found something that helps.

 JP: A girl by chance?

 Alex: I wish. But I have a plan for that too. 

Author Bio

JP started writing after a work related injury temporarily removed her from the job market. Three years later, she self-published the first novel in her Emily Stokes Series. Although she's a graduate with a master's degree, JP was far from being a literary expert. In fact, learning to write dialog and entertaining narration was all new to her. She started reading lots of books about writing. She joined a local writers’ group. And then revised, revised, revised. JP is currently working on the second book entitled, A Gift for Emily.

J P loves to hear from readers! Please follow, "like" or join her at all these cites:
@JGaluska
Facebook J P Galuska (or) A Kiss for Emily
jpgaluska.com

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