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Why you must read Tim Owens’ The Hobbymen

The Hobbymen Tim Owens

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The Hobbymen” revolves around three amateur monster biologists. Yes, rather than hunt monsters and myths, their quest is to understand them and study them as if they were simply animals in the field.

That’s an interesting twist. Tell us more.
The whole story kicks off when Sister Liliana is rescued by two strange men named Geoff and Book while they are being chased by a wild chupacabra. The unreal scenario of course leads to many questions on her part, and she can’t help but get wrapped up into their world of chasing down and being chased by what she used to believe were only fairy tales.

There is one golden rule they follow through their travels, “There is truth in everything.” Every story, myth, or legend is always based on something, and they have taken it upon themselves to uncover what is the truth and what is fiction.

But their little hobby doesn’t come without its conflict. Soon after the three team up, they receive a message from a sinister source, warning them to stop meddling or suffer the consequences. What was once a fun hobby has now morphed into a struggle with the forces of darkness. Lives shall be risked. Lunches shall be eaten. Are they in over their heads? Yes, definitely.

That just made us chuckle. What genre is this?
I like to think that it transcends genre. I like to think that, but in reality it’s likely better linked to contemporary fantasy mixed with humor. I have a rather irreverent sense of humor, so while I grew up on fantasy and monster movies I’m not afraid to take a stick and poke at them a little for how silly they are. So in that sense it’s almost like self-aware fantasy. Yes, I am arrogant enough to invent my own genre.

We can’t see any reason why not! Who will self-aware fantasy appeal to?
Small readers. Big readers. Readers who climb on rocks…

I try to make sure the story appeals to anyone, though I don’t let it drag down the tone into bland, average territory. It’s appropriate for younger and older readers, though I am very much a sarcastic person, so young children might not latch onto the tone as easily as teens and above.

I am, myself, a fan of fantasy and sci-fi, and of course when writing I was making sure it was something that I would also enjoy. But I’ve also read and seen enough of the genres to think “Yeah yeah, prophecies, werewolves, I get it,” so it’s also written for not just fans of those genres but people who are tired of the same tropes over and over (not that I am completely immune to them, just so I don’t come off as some sort of hypocrite).

Here’s a good shorthand, if you’ve ever thought something like “Wait, why do vampires hate garlic?”, you’ll enjoy this book.

Also if you like fun. I hope you like fun.

We like a bit of fun.
If you like fun, like to laugh, like to take a view of the world and then ever so slightly twist it off it’s axis a little. If you like to see “regular” people put into ridiculous situations and act ridiculously, you’ll love my book.

If you like bread, you’ll love my book…no, no one believe that one? Fair enough, worth a shot.

Tell us about the characters in this story.
Geoff is not a self-appointed leader of the group, but he can come off that way just because he’s the tallest. He’s a trust fund baby, never had to work a day in his life, and he resents that in a way. When he was of age he set off to help the world, and somehow that led to him getting roped into monster research. At heart he’s still a kid, optimistic (though lacking in some common sense) and ready for anything, especially if it feels like an adventure. He doesn’t believe he has limitations, but isn’t cocky and just wants to do anything he can to help.

Book is fed up with the world. He’s a short, angry bookworm who cares more for the written word than for people. In a way, he’s done fighting against stupidity and had learned that if people choose to be ignorant he won’t stop them…though that doesn’t stop them from annoying him to death. While Geoff is an open book, Book is shut tight and latched closed. He keeps to himself at all costs, leading to his past and purpose being largely shrouded in mystery. But despite his negativity and cynicism, he will always stand by his friends with an ironclad nerve.

Sister Liliana is, to put it simply, a hot mess when she joins the group. She ran away from home to join a convent…and then subsequently ran away from the convent and ended up in a prison. She’s too prideful to own up to mistakes, choosing rather to run away from them than to face the consequences. She’s impulsive, overreacts, and had a short attention span. Oh, and she can handle a baseball bat like nobody’s business. At her core, though, she regrets all the bad decisions she has made in life, and is choosing her path now as a sort of penance for herself.

Have you written any other books that we should read next?
It depends on how far down the line you read this response. At the moment this is my only published work. I have a few other things I’d like to get out in the future, though nothing is close to finished right now. You can always read this book again twice. Oh oh, you should read it backwards the second time. I’d love to know if I slipped in subliminal messages anywhere.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
Some people like to self-identify as a nerd, and while I have no qualms with that title I prefer to think of it as “I like what I like and have no shame in that”. I was raised on media like Star Wars, classic movies, and terrible horror movies (rather sporadic examples I admit). I’m a lover of all different kinds of art and media, especially animation (traditional hand-drawn thank you very much).

And yet at the same time I have a degree in accounting. My brain is wired for both rhyme and reason, often blending the two to find art in science and science in art.

What else can I say that might be interesting to read? I’m a 90s kid from the suburbs on the Golden Coast. I spent most of my childhood playing or discussing video games. One time I tripped on a step and woke up later in my bed with a bruise in the shape of the letter V on my forehead. Is that what you want? Dramatic anecdotes?

Oh, also I’m apparently related to Reba McEntire…like distantly related…like don’t bring me up to her because she would have no idea who I am.

Now we’re going to have Reba McEntire songs stuck in our heads all day!
Do you use social media?
Right now I have a Facebook page for “The Hobbymen“. I am also on Goodreads as an author, so feel free to search me up there (it was made recently, so forgive the small amount of books I said I have read).

How easily do new storylines come to you? If we give you four random words – Man, Woman, Airport, Darkness – can you give us a brief storyline?
I think you could have gone more random than that. Stapler, Clown, Field, Apocalypse. Now that’d call for some interesting stories.

OK, we’ll use those in our next interview.
What’s next for you, though?
I’m going to get breakfast, do you want any?

I do have other story ideas rattling around my head. I’d really like to tell more stories with these characters from this book, but I have other ideas I am currently working on. I’ve always been a fan of something Stephen King said, that he never writes his ideas down, and if they were any good he’d still remember them months down the line.
I’d love to be able to do this more though, I have plenty of stories to tell.

And we cannot wait to read them.
Any final words?
I also wanted to just give a special thanks to my fiancé Theresa for her love and support through getting this out there.

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