Introducing Katie McHugh Parker and Sean McHugh

Posted by: Allison Helps Cats on: May 8, 2011

• In: Authors A-M | Current (After 1999) | Fantasy | Grades 3-5 | Paranormal | Teasers
• 4 Comments

Allison: The road to publication has not been easy for the two of you. Who encouraged you along the way? (Please feel free to note famous people!)

Sean and Katie: First and foremost were our parents. We were both blessed with wonderful parents who always encouraged us to go after our dreams! We also had family, friends who kept believing in us. Even actor and children’s book author, Henry Winkler called us after a meeting at a book signing to cheer us on and give us some words of wisdom! “Keep throwing that pasta until it sticks!”

Allison: How did you finally find a publisher? What was the editor-author process like?

Sean and Katie: It was just a lot of trying and a lot of trips to the post office. After ten years and 127 submissions, we sent our book to Diversion Press. Diversion Press has been wonderful to work with. We were so worried that when we finally found a publisher that they’d want to change things that we felt very strongly about like Stamp’s goatee or the Bible reference in the last chapter. Our publishers couldn’t be more helpful or accommodating.

Allison: Your families and Parker’s students knew that the two of you were writing a book. How did you share the news of your publication with family, co-workers, and Parker’s students? How did they react?

Sean and Katie: We shouted it from the rooftops! Family, friends…. everyone was so excited for us!  After ten years of trying and all, I guess people love a Cinderella/underdog story! We made an event out of signing the contract. We picked a special day and signed our contracts together over the phone. Katie’s father (Sean’s brother) presented Katie with a silver pen with “Broomsticks” engraved on it to sign the contract. The roughest part was that he passed away just weeks before the book’s release, but he was there for the signing of the contract and he couldn’t have been prouder.

Allison: How did your families feel about some of their names being used for characters? Why did you make these choices?

Sean and Katie: It’s funny. Pocky is the nickname of  Sean’s sister/Katie’s aunt. She was kind of weirded out at first even though her name was used for the heroine of the story. However Katie’s husband, Rick, had no problem with the villain having his name! We just thought it would be fun and make it more personal. We always thought it was cool that L. Frank Baum had a niece named Dorothy!

Allison: Being newly published writers, promotion is a new experience for you. What are some ways you have been promoted? How did these types of promotion happen?

Sean and Katie: Our first promotion was from Erin Murphy who played Tabitha on Bewitched. She was kind enough to read the book and sent us a quote we could use for promotion. Our hometown newspaper did a feature story on us seven months before the book was even out! Facebook has been a huge help in promoting and getting the word out. We were promoting long before we found a publisher. Some of it was luck and some of it was a lot of hard work.

Allison: What have been your favorite parts? What have been some of the more challenging aspects?

Sean and Katie: Our favorite parts have been the reactions from the kids who’ve read the book and just knowing that dreams can come true. It’s been a long ten years! Professionally, the most challenging aspects have been getting the books into bookstores. Some independent stores have been very nice to us, but some bigger chains aren’t interested in first-time authors from a small publisher. A few have even given us the same treatment Julia Roberts got when she was snubbed in that store in “Pretty Woman.” Personally, the hardest part was celebrating a dream come true while still mourning the loss of Katie’s father. He was so supportive and encouraging from the beginning. And even though they died years ago, the absence of  Sean’s parents/Katie’s grandparents is still deeply felt. The reason we write happy, magical children’s stories is largely due to the fact that these people gave us happy, magical childhoods.

Allison: What are your future writing plans?

Sean and Katie: Right now we are eagerly awaiting the release of our second book, Broomsticks: The Halloween Spirit, which Diversion Press has just given the green light to. We have a third book in the works that’s almost finished entitled “A Broomsticks Christmas” So we’re just going to keep writing, promoting, and throwing that pasta until it sticks!

Contact Info: Facebook

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Tags: Allison's Book Bag, author interview, books for young people, Broomsticks, Erin Murphy, Henry Winkler, Katie McHugh Parker and Sean McHugh, postaweek2011