Hysterical Hangouts with The Hindlegs follows Viktor into the heart of his fiancée’s eccentric family, chronicling his hilarious exploits and trials in a world more chaotic than any reality show. What inspired the setup of this story?

The inspiration for this story is based on the time-honored tradition of finding the partner of your dreams, falling in love, and last but certainly not least meeting the family. I have been blessed to be married to the love of my life for 18 years now. And she has 7 brothers and sisters. I remember the first time meeting her parents and her family and it kind of led me down this rabbit hole. What if, not everything is as it seems? What if, the boyfriend decided that this could be the ultimate opportunity for a reality show adventure?

Reality shows are quite popular and the thought dawned on me to use the reality show aspect as an avenue to deliver the story in a very unique and creative way.

The episodic structure of the book gives it a unique sitcom feel. Why did you choose this format? Is this a hint of a possible TV adaptation?

In coming up with the idea for a reality show, I researched other books with a reality show aspect and really couldn’t find many adaptions. Stephen King’s The Running Man has a reality show aspect as does Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. While these novels are fantastic, my goal was to do something wildly different. During my research, what I found is that there aren’t many true-to-life reality show books in existence. Which I thought was great because it gives me an opportunity to differentiate myself and my writing from a lot of authors. I love pushing the boundaries and capturing the reader’s imagination in a unique way. I wanted the entire book to feel as if you are literally watching the reality show unfold with each turn of the page. I invoke vivid imagery and ensure the reader continues to be engrossed within the reality show aspect.

I would love for this book to be adapted for television. That would be a wonderful transition for “The Hindlegs” and the chaos readers have come to know and love about this family.

The character of Viktor Sniperbone seems like an everyman thrown into chaos. Can you share some insights about his character development?

Viktor is an only child. He has no brothers or sisters and only has some vague ideas about his girlfriend, Mandi Hindlegs’ family. He has had girlfriends in the past and never met a set of parents or family that didn’t like him. That is, until now! What Viktor doesn’t realize is that the “meet the parents” introduction is actually a trap he has never experienced before. Mandi’s parents and family are one-of-a-kind and do everything within their power to make him uncomfortable and push the boundaries of just how much one person will endure to be with their significant other.

The end of the book suggests the possibility of a Season 2. Can we expect to see more of Viktor’s adventures with the Hindlegs family in the future?

I did leave the book open-ended for a reason. What people don’t realize is that Mandi doesn’t just have brothers, she also has sisters! So, my plan is to create a Season 2 of Hysterical Hangouts with The Hindlegs focusing on the sisters Hindleg and the chaos that ensues between Viktor, Mandi, and The Hindleg sisters. I also have ideas for a season 3 that involves Viktor and Mandi’s children, as well as the Hindleg brother’s and sister’s children. When families come together, there is no telling what sorts of unspeakable danger and hilarious adventure awaits.

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