Interview with YA author Rocky Gregory

Author Rocky Gregory is here today and we’re chatting about his young adult adventure novel, One Groovy Summer.

Bio:

Rocky was born and raised in SE Virginia. He was fourteen when he heard the Beatles for the first time. He became a big fan of the British Rock Invasion. He loved all the songs and groups like the Stones, Animals, Kinks, The Who, Zombies, Dave Clark Five, etc.

Then the sixties took off. Somehow he managed to thrive and grow through it all. He had a real blast in the seventies. Being a single guy, he would disco the nights away.

Now he is a respectable married man living on the coast of Southern California with his sweet wife and lovely daughter and two cats. 

Welcome, Rocky. Please tell us a little bit about this novel.

This is a story about two boys who just graduated from high school in 1968. They know they could be drafted into the Vietnam War at any time. So their goal for the summer is to have as much fun and adventure as they possibly can, because who knows what’s going to happen next!

The summer of 1968 was a very eventful time – a time of great changes. There was women’s lib, civil rights, and anti-war movements going on. We had the pill and “Make Love Not War”, and Hippies all happening at the same time. It was a great time to be a teenager. There was the cool cars and fantastic music. It’s all in the novel, plus many funny and romantic moments. It’s one groovy experience.

What inspired you to write this book?

A lot of the book is based on my own personal experiences. I would tell these stories to my friends and family. And they would urge me to write a book about it, and I finally did.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m doing a story about a sixteen-year-old boy who is sent to a military academy far away from his home and friends. It’s a coming of age story with drama, comedy, and some mystery solving.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When I was class paper editor in college, I started writing magazine articles. After I had two of them go to print, I knew I had real skill as a storyteller.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I write part time at night mostly

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I hand write it all down in a notebook first. Then when I am typing the novel, I edit and things to it.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an airplane pilot.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I love to play tennis and go to the beach. I live on the southern coast of California, so I can go to the beach every day. I love meeting and corresponding with my fans.

Links:

Website | Facebook

Thanks for visiting today, Rocky!