Sean Paul McCartney (he’s not related to the Beatle) was born in 1971. He graduated from Alfred University in upstate New York with a Bachelor’s in Communications in 1993. From there he played two exciting season traveling around the world with the Washington Generals playing against the world famous Harlem Globetrotters. In 1996 Sean earned his Masters in Education and embarked on a career as a teacher. He is employed by Plain Local Schools in Canton , OH . The first book in the series The Treasure Hunters Club: Secrets of the Magical Medallions introduces the four teens Tommy Reed, Jackson Miller, Shannon McDougal and Chris Henderson. The series is a cross between The Hardy Boys and Indiana Jones with a touch of National Treasure. You can visit Sean’s web site at www.treasurehuntersclubbook.com or e-mail him at seancoach@juno.com. Visit his The Treasure Hunters Club: Secrets of the Magic Medallions Facebook Fan Page by clicking here!
Q: Thank you for this interview, Sean. Can you tell us what your latest book, The Treasure Hunters Club: Secrets of the Magical Medallions, is all about?
It is about thirteen-year-old Tommy Reed who receives a medallion from his famous treasure hunting uncle, “Diamond” Jack Reed, and must find out the secret behind it before an ancient evil hunts him down.
Q: Can you tell us a little about your main and supporting characters?
Tommy Reed is the leader and founder of the club but every member is important. Jackson Miller is the super smart kid who always believes there is an answer. Shannon McDougal is the only girl in the group but is tougher than all of the others put together. Finally, Chris Henderson is the strongest and meanest looking of the club but is really a softy at heart.
Their inspiration is “Diamond” Jack Reed who is a cross between John Wayne and Indiana Jones.
Q: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?
The characters are all based on kids I grew up with or students I have had as a middle school teacher for the last fourteen years.
Q: Are you consciously aware of the plot before you begin a novel, or do you discover it as you write?
Very aware. I outline the entire story so I have a basic understanding of what is going to happen and where the story is headed. However, when I start writing and I feel the story go in another direction, I don’t stop that process. I just adapt the outline.
Q: Your book is set in a very generic city. Can you tell us why you chose this in particular?
I wanted the city to be basic to allow kids to imagine the story happening in their own backyard and town.
Q: Does the setting play a major part in the development of your story?
To a point. I try and let the characters drive the story and let the action go through them. I am conscious of where they are but more concerned with what they are doing.
Q: Open the book to page 69. What is happening?
Tommy Reed is about to go into his depressing house. When he enters he sees his unemployed father who starts in on him about his friends.
Q: Can you give us one of your best excerpts?
“No!” Tommy shouted and lunged for the last box. But it slipped from his wet hands and he hit the floor with a thud waking himself.
Tommy’s head popped up and he stared at his digital clock.
4:15 A.M.
Great, he thought, two more hours of sleep before school.
The young man lifted himself off the ground and fell back into bed. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep but he couldn’t. He wanted desperately to become a treasure hunter like his famous uncle. To travel the world finding mankind’s greatest treasures and…he lost his thought and shook his head.
Tommy did smile at the idea behind the dream and the many others he’d had since he and his friends formed the Treasure Hunters Club in the sixth grade.
Now two years later his club still hadn’t been on any hunts and Tommy could feel them, as well as himself, getting anxious.
He pulled the covers over his head and reminded himself it was just a dream, but a voice inside kept asking when did it have a chance to become reality?
Q: Thank you so much for this interview, Sean. We wish you much success!
Thank you so much.
As The Pages Turn 