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A Proper Super Villain Character
Stewart Hoffman Author Interview
The Bug Boys vs. Professor Blake Blackhart follows Alex and Ian who still have nanobots inside them and retain the ability to take on the different aspects of bugs they swallow. What direction did you want to take this book that was different from the first story?
Well the first book was the origin story. How the kids got their powers, and a lot of get-to-know-you stuff, where they live, etc. In the second book, I didn’t have to go over all that again, at least not as much, so I focused on upping the ante with bigger bugs, robots, action, and a proper super villain character. I also wanted to explore what being a hero was all about.
The writing in your novel is very artful and creative. Was it a conscious effort to create a story in this fashion or is this style of writing reflective of your writing style in general?
This is my writing style. I like to keep things moving along at a brisk pace, and I always jump on an opportunity to see the funny side.
I felt this story was very well written. What’s your experience as a writer?
Thank you! As a kid I was always a story teller. More recently I set up my own movie review blog, and after a couple of years doing that I decided I was ready to construct a full novel. Since I’ve watched and analysed so many films (and books, I read a lot too) I think I’ve got a good handle on what’s needed in a story. It also doesn’t hurt to review one’s work with critique groups either!
Will there be a book three in The Bug Boys series? If so, where will it take readers?
There will, eventually! Tentatively titled, The Bug Boys and The Bullet Ant Queen. This one will spend a lot more time exploring the alien’s planet (The Bug Boys are going to visit!), while I explore the subjects of change, and the environment. This one will likely take a bit longer to put together as I also have another novel I’m working on. Something for adult readers, a little afterlife dramedy!
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The fantastic superhero adventure that began with The Bug Boys continues! Alex Adams and Ian Harris take on Blake Blackhart, a disgraced Oxford professor. He discovers the boys’ source of power and plots to use the Secti’s alien technology to wreak havoc across the galaxy.
With a proper real-life supervillain in the village, the boys must step up their superhero game if they are to put a stop to the professor’s nefarious schemes. Along the way, they make new friends, and they encounter new bugs and superpowers. With the fate of the galaxy in the balance, the boys dig deep within themselves to truly understand what it means to be a hero!
Cyborg Kitten
Stewart Hoffman Author Interview
In The Bug Boys Alex and Ian accidentally ingest tiny nanobots created by an alien race called the Secti. This lets them transform their bodies into human-insect hybrids with superpowers. This seems to be my exact dream as a kid. How did this idea come to you and develop into a novel?
I originally thought I’d go the ‘exposure to radiation’ route to superpowers. It was going to be a radioactive peanut butter sandwich, and only one hero. But, as I started organising the novel, I hated that I wasn’t pushing for something more interesting, so I decided to switch from nuclear to coal, and from radiation to atom sized robots! This opened up new opportunities and ultimately enabled me to create something fresh and new.
I felt that the characters were intriguing and well developed. What were some of the trials that you felt were important to highlight the character’s development?
I think it’s important to let characters grow in a story. Alex and Ian learn not to judge a book by its cover, and that having superpowers isn’t all comic book heroics and fame.
I thought the alien Secti race was well crafted. What themes did you want to incorporate into this race?
I asked myself. What if insects were left alone to evolve on a planet of their own? The result was the Secti. A perfect society, and perfectly boring! So they tweak their social order to shake things up a bit, and employ special Secti called Instigation Officers to travel the planet and cause trouble.
Please tell me that you’re writing a second book?
Book 2 is nearly done! Title: The Bug Boys vs Professor Blake Blackhart
This will probably be available sometime August, 2017. The story catches up with The Bug Boys one month after the events in the first book. In the sequel, they have to tackle an evil professor and his cyborg kitten called, Willoughby!
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“Who would have thought that eating a peanut butter sandwich and an apple would change your life? Let alone get you mixed up with an old alien research project, and transform you into the superheroes your village never needed.
For two young South Yorkshire lads, Alex Adams and Ian Harris, it was a geeky comic book dream come true, but it wasn’t everything it was cracked up to be in the real world. They discover there are many layers between good and evil, and with great power, comes an embarrassing amount of gas!”
The Bug Boys
What kid doesn’t want to be a super hero? Imagine stepping into a world where two boys suddenly have the power to take on the bullies and save the day. In the small coal mining town of Rossolington, Alex and Ian ingest nanobots by accident and suddenly their bodies and lives are transformed by this alien race. While fighting a bully Alex swallows a live bug which turns him into a hybrid human-bug. With their new-found abilities to become part bug, part human Alex and Ian decided to help Alex’s father uncover a conspiracy at the coal mine and take on the town bully.
Stewart Hoffman has written a novel that will appeal to young adult reader as well as adults looking for a fun and quick read. The Bug Boys takes place in the small coal mining town of Rossolington. The mine is owned by the sketchy business man Donald Brock who only cares about profits and considers the safety of the workers to be an annoyance to his schedule. While digging the mine to a record depth the miners unknowingly awake a group of aliens called nanobots.
The concept of an alien robot being able to turn humans into bugs is entertaining on it’s own and is brought to the next level by Stewart Hoffmans writing. The challenges that Alex and Ian face, a bully that tries to steal their lunch money, is a relatable problem that is creatively solved in The Bug Boys. So often in super hero stories does the character go stomping around indiscriminately destroying things. Which is why I was happy to see a different approach taken by the author to throw a twist into the end of the story that will show how, despite having super human powers, the power of compassion and humanity will win. The novel expertly highlights the struggle to do what is right vs getting revenge. Stewart Hoffman has the ability to entertain while also showing that being good isn’t always easy or fun.
Overall The Bug Boys is an entertaining read that will appeal to young readers, especially boys looking for something fun and a bit on the gross side. It is an easy read and not too long so it will hold their interest. I felt that the book left open the possibility of more novels to come, and I look forward to it.
Pages: 199 | ASIN: B076716DNT
LITERARY TITAN 