Thursday, June 21, 2012

Author Interview: Lee Chambers author of The Pineville Heist

The Pineville HeistOur author interview today is with writer/director Lee Chambers had his book The Pineville Heist. The screenplay version attracted Booboo Stewart (Seth Clearwater) from the Twilight movies for the lead in the motion picture slated to shoot this fall. A quick book description: Seventeen year old Aaron stumbles into the aftermath of a five million dollar bank heist gone wrong. Hiding under a canoe, Aaron partially catches the murder of one of the robbers. In the chaos he sneaks away with the money and heads straight for the closest place of safety, his high school. Terrified, Aaron tells his shocking tale to Amanda Becker, his drama teacher, but it doesn’t take long for one of the psychotic robbers to show up. In the locked down school the pair are relentlessly pursued in a quest to get the money back and wipe out the evidence.

Interview with Lee Chambers

1. What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?
My book started as a screenplay and is written directly from that. Tons of drafts and development.
2. What specific themes did you emphasize throughout the novel? What are you trying to get across to the reader?
There’s teen struggle to identity with parental figures. Battle against crooked authority.
3. Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?
Oh they are very real. Been living with them for over four years and I can still hear their thoughts. The screenplay version I co-wrote with Todd Gordon is still being tinkered with for cinematic effect. Heading into draft 23 and Todd and I know them all intimately.
4. How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?
For my lead character taking the money away from the bad guys is one of the key turning points. Then, really seeing the danger that death is a possible outcome was the next. He needed to grow some balls and stand up or perish. Probably not a spoiler to say he grows balls.
5. In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author’s world view?

I think this is reflective of the theme. As kids or young adults we are expected to bow down to police and authority figures. But what if greed takes over and these figures become bullies?
6. Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?Not really. I was a fun night of chaos! lol
7. Was there a basis for your story? A previous experience? Something else?
As a twelve year old boy I hid under a canoe playing hide and seek. I could only see so much stuffed under there trying hard to be quiet. I could see the legs of the kid looking for me but not his face. He never looked under the canoe. It all started from there. I wasn’t actually hunted down in my high school, in case you are asking.
8. What research did you have to perform to back up your story? Any research which really opened your eyes or gave you new respect for a topic or profession?
No research was needed. Just invested time and money developing the story and characters when drafting up the screenplay. Had story consultants from a former Senior VP Production at Universal Pictures and the author of the Screenwriter’s Bible. Great support!
9. What is your method for writing a book? A certain amount of hours every day? A certain routine? Are you character/story builder or an outliner or some other method?
I spent months outlining the story and characters before starting the screenplay. Then many more months and drafts to get that just right. From there the novel was pretty easy to draft up. I teach film production for 8 months of the year so my schedule for writing is all wacky.
10. How do you get past writers block or distractions like the internet?
I have too many ideas. The block isn’t the writing… it’s what direction to go in! lol
11. Favorite book from childhood.
Curious George. I am still curious… Maybe that’s why I like to write and direct stories.
12. What’s on your desk? Can you see your desk? Describe what you see when you look around.
My 2012 Screenwriter of the Year Award for drafting up ‘Hugh Jackman Saves The World’, a short I also directed in Australia last summer. And my iPad. I actually like writing on my iPad!
Amazon Rankings

#1 THRILLER (APRIL 2012)
#1 CHILDREN’S MYSTERY (APRIL & MAY 2012)
#3 FOR ALL BOOKS (APRIL 2012)

Here’s the set-up:
Seventeen year old Aaron stumbles into the aftermath of a five million dollar bank heist gone wrong. Hiding under a canoe, Aaron partially catches the murder of one of the robbers. In the chaos he sneaks away with the money and heads straight for the closest place of safety, his high school. Terrified, Aaron tells his shocking tale to Amanda Becker, his drama teacher, but it doesn’t take long for one of the psychotic robbers to show up. In the locked down school the pair are relentlessly pursued in a quest to get the money back and wipe out the evidence.

SAMPLE
Aaron almost jumped out of his skin. The shudder of fast-moving air around the muzzle sent a shockwave, before the sound ever hit Aaron’s ears. That was when he knew that Jake was dead. Yet, his ears were ringing so loudly, everything seemed like it was vibrating. He hoped that he hadn’t let out a scream when it happened. If he had, he never would’ve heard it. He didn’t even hear Jake’s body hit the ground – Jake simply fell into view, pale and flaccid; his cheek slamming against the ground right outside the canoe – mere inches from Aaron’s terrified face.
Struggling to control the roll of his dying eyes, Jake looked up and made contact with Aaron. Jake’s eyebrows rose, perhaps involuntarily, or maybe in surprise at seeing Aaron beneath the canoe. A wave of blood washed over Jake’s brow and down his nose.
Aaron shook his head, trembling, as Jake stared now unblinking at him. Aaron raised a shaky finger to his lips – shhh, for God’s sake, shhh.
Jake’s tongue fought back against the blood in his throat. He gurgled, “Help me… he’s a…” A second bullet was fired, silencing Jake, snuffing out his last words. The flash of the gunfire illuminated Aaron, as he cringed, wishing this nightmare would end and he could just wake-up in his bed at the mansion. Just get me out of here.
In that exact same instant, in a moment of madness, Steve and Mike made a run for it. They rushed out of their hiding place in the bushes, while the figure’s back was turned on them, darting across the campsite.
Their footsteps weren’t dainty or quiet. A couple of knuckleheads trampling like a herd of crazed buffalo. They might as well have screamed, “RUN!”, because the figure spun around, dropping the stick to the ground once more, and barreled after them, gun raised.
Steve and Mike hurdled the canoe with ease, but Aaron panicked, curling into a ball as the figure jumped the canoe, his foot catching on the lip. In a second, the canoe flipped right over, totally exposing Aaron in his fetal position.
Then another few seconds passed. A gunshot in the distance. Aaron opened his eyes. Nobody. They were all gone.
Aaron unfurled himself and slowly found the will to stand up. At his feet, Jake had bled out. Something then caught Aaron’s eye, right out of the corner of his peripheral vision. Stuffed under the seat of the canoe. A green backpack.
Aaron whipped through the long grass as fast as his legs would carry him. His eyes were filled with angst and adrenaline. He was still in shock. Not every day you see a dead man. Not every day you see that much money either – he glanced down at the backpack in his arms. Must – keep – running.

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