BookWire - Meet The Author

Homer Hickam is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller October Sky (aka Rocket Boys) which received a National Book Critics Circle nomination and was named a New York Times Notable Book of 1998. He is the author of the "Coalwood Trilogy" (October Sky, The Coalwood Way and Sky of Stone), Back to the Moon and Torpedo Junction. He is also a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, retired NASA engineer, an Olympic torch-bearer, and the holder of Alabama's highest award for heroism. He lives with his wife in Huntsville, Alabama.

Neela Sakaria: Thank you for your time, Mr. Hickam. Was We Are Not Afraid a direct response to the events of September 11th? Please tell us what inspired you to write it.

Homer Hickam: Although the atrocities of Sept. 11 certainly spurred me to write this book, I'd been thinking about writing something for people who were afraid for a long time. I knew the wisdom I'd learned back in West Virginia could help so many who constantly come to me for help and inspiration. The thing is a lot of people don't even realize it's fear that's holding them back from being happy. Self-pity, being negative, timidity, or constant worry are all symptoms of long-term fear. So is an inability to hold a family together, or find a good job. It's almost like having a chronic disease. Some folks have gotten so used to it, they don't even know they're infected by fear. The wisdom I write about in this book, however, can defeat long-term fear by teaching a philosophy of life that will fill readers with a sense of well-being and confidence.

Neela: The book is based on qualities of the people in the town you were raised in - Coalwood, West Virginia. Tell us why the people of Coalwood are important and why they have had such an impact on you.

HH: The Coalwood model I write about was the one I knew when I was a boy growing up there in the 1940's and 1950's. In a way, it was a microcosm of the perilous times we now find ourselves facing. It might be fairly said that Coalwood always lived during perilous times. At its center sat a deep coal mine, one entered by going straight down a long, narrow, vertical shaft that dropped nearly a thousand feet. Every day, the men of Coalwood entered that mine to dig out the coal, an inherently risky proposition. That required courage, but not the kind that men can show in an instant. Coalwood's miners had to figure out how to be brave over a long period of time. The same was true for Coalwood's women. Every day, they sent their husbands off to work the deep coal, knowing very well they might not ever see them again. It is impossible to do that year after year without developing a philosophy of life that defeats fear and puts aside the feelings of constant dread. Coalwood's people figured out how to stop being afraid over the long haul, and it is that wisdom that this book seeks to give, one that works no matter when or where we live.

NS: You talk about various mindsets which can help people overcome fear and dread. Can you briefly tell our readers how one of these mindsets -"being proud of who you are" can help overcome fear?

HH: One of the ways the people of Coalwood taught their children to be unafraid was to let them know who they were and to be proud of it. This knowledge made every child always feel as if they were part of something big and grand. They were never alone! To transmit this knowledge meant that stories needed to be told, stories of parents, grand-parents, and all who had come before. In the schools, the teachers taught the history of the town, the state, and the country, all presented as if it were a grand pageant. The bad was taught alongside the good but, ultimately, the children understood that they were part of something glorious and fine. That made them feel part of a larger group, one that would always be there to help them. That made them unafraid.

HH: Being afraid has not changed a bit for centuries. We all struggle against it, especially long-term fear. Long-term fear is a killer. It not only stresses us physically, it destroys any chance we might have for happiness. Adopting the Coalwood way of life as a model can help defeat fear. Coalwood's attitudes might seem simple but they take some thought and soul-searching to learn and follow.

Neela: Some of our readers may know you from your bestselling book, ROCKET BOYS, on which the movie OCTOBER SKY was based. What would you tell those readers to expect in your new book, WE ARE NOT AFRAID?

HH: We Are Not Afraid is my sixth book. My first book, Torpedo Junction, still sells and has never gone out of print, even though it's been around for thirteen years. My second book, Rocket Boys, went all the way to the top of the best-selling charts and was made into the movie "October Sky." Because of popular demand (over 400 schools are studying the book), I turned Rocket Boys into a trilogy, adding The Coalwood Way, and Sky of Stone, all best-sellers. In between, I wrote a novel, Back to the Moon, which gained a legion of other new fans.

But We Are Not Afraid is my first foray into the genre of self-help or inspirational books. I wrote this one primarily because so many people in my audiences on the lecture circuit demanded it. They kept saying, "Could you please write that down?" after they heard one of my speeches about defeating fear. But readers who love my tales about the people of Coalwood will not be disappointed as there are many more in this book, including some about the Rocket Boys of "October Sky" and how we overcame all that was against us. The book is designed to allow an occasional chuckle, and maybe even laughter right out loud, but it has a serious purpose: how do defeat fear and put dread on the run!

NS: Was it difficult for you to see your book, ROCKET BOYS turn into a movie? What are some of the challenges of a film adaptation? What are some of the positive aspects of it?

HH: It was great fun to see Rocket Boys become the movie October Sky. Of course, I thought they should have just filmed it exactly the way I wrote it down in my book but Hollywood has its ways, and they're not generally the same as book-writers. But only good things have come of it, I'd have to say, even though I didn't like that the movie showed me quitting school. I would have never quit school. My parents would have lived in a tree before they would have ever let that happen! But so many people across the world have been inspired by the movie. A lot of astronauts even watch it the night before they climb aboard the shuttle. Now, that's pretty special!NS: What would you say to someone who is skeptical of the advice in your book. How would you go about reaching one of the "negative people" that you mention?HH: I am not a philosopher. I have no academic degrees in either psychology, or sociology, or any other kind of -ology. But I was raised by a wise and steady and strong people who tested their approach to life during good times and bad. It is their wisdom I have to give, not my own. That is why I decided to write this book, so that everyone can have access to this philosophy. Their attitudes sustained them and let them live full, happy lives without fear or dread. That's a fact. I am convinced adopting their attitudes as our own can do the same for all of us. That's why everyone should read this book. I am, however, always wary of negative people. They subtract from the lives of everyone they touch. That's why they're called negative!NS: Are you working on any future projects?HH: Always. I love to write. My next book is a novel set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina during World War II. It's an adventure-romance-war novel and I'm having great fun with it. I think my fans will like it, too. I hope someone is alerting the Pulitizer Prize folks so they can be ready when it comes out.NS: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

HH: Folks who'd like to know more about my books, the Rocket Boys, and the town of Coalwood, can visit my website at www.homerhickam.com. Also, I'd like to invite everybody to come and visit Coalwood, especially during the annual October Sky festival. They can read more about the festival on the website! The people of Coalwood love to have visitors!