George Pringate's Last Hurrah By Stewart Hoffman

12/14/2019

Multi-genre, multi-volume author, Stewart Hoffman, introduces us to his funny story about life in the afterlife, George Pringate’s Last Hurrah:
Hell is tears, pain, and depression, baked into a cake made of misery and despair.
Heaven is meet-cutes and puppies, life-affirming moments, and hanging out with Elvis!
George Pringate is dead, and he really wants to go to Heaven! But first, he must survive Hell’s assassin, confront his demons with the help of his afterlife counselors, and most critically, be honest with himself.

George is in big trouble. He doesn’t automatically qualify for heaven. He has some work to do, and that’s hard for a depressed slacker.
This book is so much fun! I love the way Stewart writes. He has a wonderful knack for humor and I love the humor. His scene-setting is just right. The dialogue makes me laugh so much and the plotting is perfect. George has to go through so much to prove himself worthy of entrance to heaven, including not being destroyed by an assassin from the underworld. The action is really good also, the pace and flow make for a very smooth read. George thought life was hard, he is learning it’s even harder being dead.
I award “George Pringate’s Last Hurrah” 5 stars! You will laugh yourself silly!

You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/George-Pringates-Hurrah-Stewart-Hoffman-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/book/-george-pringate-s-last-hurrah
https://amazon.co.uk/George-Pringates-Hurrah-Stewart-Hoffman

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/stewartfhoffman
http://www.talkiegazette.com/books
https://www.facebook.com/StewartFHoffman
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15583189.Stewart_Hoffman

I have also reviewed this book "The Bug Boys" and interviewed the Stewart under the review, here is the link:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-bug-boys-by-stewart-hoffman
I reviewed the next book also “The Bug Boys Vs. Professor Blake Blackhart” https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-bug-boys-vs-professor-blake-blackhart-by-stewart-hoffman

Tags: humorous fantasy, fiction

Copyright © Mark L Schultz 2019 except for the author’s introduction

38 Comments

Stewart Hoffman link

12/16/2019 11:19:58 am

Thanks for the 5-star review! I'm glad you enjoy my book.

Mark

12/16/2019 11:47:34 am

I enjoyed your book a great deal. I love to laugh and your book gave me many laughs!
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Stewart link

12/16/2019 12:46:44 pm

Thanks! I wanted to use humor to explore difficult subjects (anxiety, depression, and substance abuse) in George P, and the feedback I’ve gotten so far seems to suggest that I’ve pulled it off.

More about me? Okay. I’m a late 40’s web developer (day job)/author (dream job) living in Anaheim, California. I enjoy reading most genres, but gravitate toward science fiction and fantasy stories the most. My go-to authors are – Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, John Scalzi, Michael Poore, Andy Weir, Harry Harrison, and Tomi Adeyemi.

12/16/2019 12:52:34 pm

Excellent! Those are my favorite genres also. That was all I read for a long time.
Your humor works very well. Those are difficult subjects.
New questions.
Does your work have any influence on your writing?
What inspired you to write this book?
Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?

12/16/2019 03:27:41 pm

I wanted to do something different after the second Bug Boys book. I wanted to challenge myself and write in the 1st person (swapping between present and past tense too).

Most of us have known someone who has struggled with drugs and alcohol, so I wanted to write a contemporary fantasy about forgiveness that explores what the afterlife might be like for something like that.

By placing the story in my own fantasy universe (while also grounding it in a real looking world, Anaheim, California), it allowed me to avoid the usual afterlife clichés and have a little fun with George before the more dramatic elements of the story kick in during the last act. Elements in George’s life become fodder for content in this afterlife space, so his interest in classic movie cars features heavily in the book.

12/16/2019 03:39:43 pm

I love stories written in first person POV. When done without any head hopping, I find the story so intimate. You pulled it off quite well!
I think everyone has a family member or a friend who struggles with addiction. I know I do.
I loved the movie cars.
New questions.
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
What do the elements on the cover represent?
Was it hard to come up with the title?
What was the process?

12/16/2019 08:30:05 pm

I designed the cover. It represents what George sees on the first page of the novel; a kind of pearly gates with a twist!

This story was based on a screenplay I wrote twenty-years ago, which I called The End Game. I wanted something different for the book, as the novel explores more themes in more detail, so I started with, The Last Hurrah, and then decided to make it more specific/unique.

12/16/2019 08:41:02 pm

I like the opening. The slow reveal is fun and grabs the attention in a subtle way.
I will be asking more about screenplays as we progress.
New questions.
Were the character names difficult to develop? How did you choose them?
Is this your newest book?
What other books and genres have you written?

12/16/2019 11:33:15 pm

Character names come easily for me. Most of the time, I just scan my bookshelves and sample author names! For George Pringate, however, I wanted a name that sounded dull, like the most forgettable person you ever met.

George Pringate’s Last Hurrah is my most recent release. My first two books are science fiction stories for younger readers. The Bug Boys and The Bug Boys vs. Professor Blake Blackhart. I’m working on the third installment now, and I hope to get it finished in 2020.

12/17/2019 09:42:53 am

I think you succeeded with George's name, it does sound dull and boring.
I loved both of the previous books. I have links to my reviews of them at the bottom of this review.
Your fans will be happy to know they can get another Bug Boys fix next year! I know I am.
New questions.
Have you entered any writing contests?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?
I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you?
How many books have you put in KU?

12/17/2019 12:50:53 pm

I haven't entered any contests recently, but I did once get a honorable mention from Writer's Digest for the first Bug Boys book.

I recently moved all my books over to Amazon and the Kindle Unlimited platform. I've had mixed results with KU. It's interesting to see pages being read and you can tell when someone reads your book all the way through versus people who clearly didn't care for your work and abandon it after 5 pages!

12/17/2019 01:11:25 pm

An honorable mention from Writers Digest is nice. Congratulations.
I have often wondered if KU was beneficial for authors. It certainly seems like a good deal for the reader.
New questions.
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?
How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?
There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

12/17/2019 08:32:50 pm

I never seriously queried any of my books. I have writer friends who do, and still don't have agents or a book deal after years of trying. I didn't want to wait.

I'm not sure how my books compare to traditionally published work. Maybe the cover designs are better. I hire professional editors and proof readers before I self-publish, so I'm confident the printed text is worth reading. My work is well reviewed, even by people I don't know personally.

12/17/2019 08:53:13 pm

That story is what I have heard from so many authors. Amazon upset the publishing world so drastically, the traditional publishers have never fully recovered. So many of them closed shop or were bought up. Now, most of them are scrambling just to stay alive with very slim profit margins. They don't take chances like they used to, huge advances are the rare exception these days. Unless you are a big name already, they aren't going to invest promotional dollars. That is on the shoulders of the author. Some won't talk to an author unless the author has a mailing list of several thousand. The publishers see that as a quantity of guaranteed sales.
You are wise. It only takes one person to write a first draft. After that it takes a group of people to really make the book shine in every way possible.
New questions.
After rejecting traditional publishing, did you consider an independent or hybrid publisher?
Or did you choose self-publishing as the best way and why?
There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

12/18/2019 12:36:50 pm

My first two books were published through iUniverse, an independent publisher. The experience was, okay. They took care of all the copyright stuff and getting the books registered with the Library of Congress, etc. The process was expensive, but at the time I didn't know how to do this by myself so I was happy to let someone else take care of that.

With George Pringate I did everything myself. Then I republished both Bug Boys books myself and stopped listing them with iUniverse. You can save a lot of money if you take care of the paperwork yourself!

I can't think of any unethical practices in publishing, sorry.

12/18/2019 01:16:53 pm

You learned a lot with iUniverse, it sounds like. Did they tie up your intellectual property rights for any length of time?
Some publishers seek to grab more than a big chunk from your wallet, they also want your IP rights. There are so many to use, such as audio books (exploding worldwide), graphic novels, comic books, large-print books, plays, TV series, streaming services (they are so hungry for content now), big-screen movies, DVDs, merchandising and more. Then there is all of these in foreign markets; there are dozens of countries that use English as the official language, plus translations into foreign languages. Intellectual property is key for authors to build a long lasting income. Kris Rusch has done a series of blog posts about this topic, look for "Business Musings" in the search box below.
New questions.
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?
Did you have a favorite book as a child?
Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

12/18/2019 09:08:20 pm

I have both. Thankfully, the authors I like are pretty consistent! I love Terry Pratchett's Discworld fantasy novels, and John Scalzi is always a reliable read. More recently I've been enjoying books by Michael Poore.

As a child, the only book I remember clearly is The Hobbit. I didn't become a book worm until my late teens, after I read Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

Out of my books, I think George Pringate's Last Hurrah is my favorite. It's funny, but also tackles some serious topics.

12/18/2019 09:41:25 pm

I have been reading all of my life. I learned to read before starting the first grade. The set of books I remember the best is Lord Of The Rings. I read it three times before graduating from high school. I read the Hobbit after the first read of LOTR.
New questions.
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?
If you have participated, what kind of preparation do you do before it starts?

12/19/2019 09:11:44 am

If you want your stories to have depth, to be more than just places and names moving around your plot, you absolutely need to tap into the emotions of your characters.

I've never done NaNoWriMo, and I don't think I could. I can't write like that. If I did, I'd produce garbage; un-editable garbage!

12/19/2019 10:33:11 am

NaNo seems like an interesting experience to me. I am not a writer, but writing against a deadline of one month to have a first draft at least 50,000 words would be a good way to stretch writing muscles. After all, the first draft has only one purpose, that is to exist. It's supposed to be a piece of garbage. Because you cannot edit a blank page.
New questions.
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer? When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to it to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?
Are you talking about sentences, paragraphs or a chapter that didn't survive the final cut?

12/19/2019 06:38:03 pm

I'm an, about-right-writer? I run each chapter by my critique group and make changes as I go. So, the first draft ends up being pretty close to the end product. The first Bug Boys book got a few chapters trimmed, the 2nd Bug Boys book was the same. George Pringate, I added a few things here and there. The editing process is mostly about making sure I find all my typos!

12/19/2019 06:54:01 pm

Excellent, that might be a new category, somewhere-in-the-middle writer.
New questions.
Did you cut mostly descriptions, action, dialogue or whole chapters?
What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories?
Have you ever used yourself or other acquaintances as a character for a starting point in a story?
Would they recognize you or themselves in the story?

12/20/2019 08:10:09 am

I use real life events and people I know all the time. The Bug Boys is a good example of this, as I based Alex's family on my own. The book's heroes, Alex and Ian, are extensions of my own personality.

It helped, especially with that first book because writing about things you're experienced is a lot easier than making stuff up.

12/20/2019 09:51:44 am

That makes a lot of sense, writing about what you know. It certainly fulfills the advice given to authors so much of the time. Even when writing about something not personally experienced, such as the afterlife, common experiences can be transplanted into the new setting.
I imagine that most people aren't going to recognize the people you have patterned characters from.
New questions.
Which is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?
What is one thing you hate about your protagonist and one thing you love about the antagonist?
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?

12/21/2019 09:00:57 am

Villains are always more fun to write, because they have chosen to free themselves from the rules that govern the rest of us.

I don't have a routine as such. I write when I'm in the mood to write, because I can't force it. I have a bi-weekly critique group meeting, so I try to have a few pages ready to review for that.

12/21/2019 09:44:16 am

That is a good way to describe a villain. I have also read that every villain is the hero of his or her own story.
So, you are not an everyday writer.
New questions.
How many critique group members show up for the meetings usually?
In the critique group is everyone published?
Are sections read aloud for discussion or printed up and passed around?

12/21/2019 04:03:36 pm

There are three other members in my group. One has self-published, the other two are querying and hoping one day to get an agent and make a deal.

We read a small section of our submission, and then each member critiques. It really helps to bounce your ideas off a fellow writers. I couldn't do this without them. We used to meet a local coffee shop, but with people moving around, we now meet online using Skype.

12/21/2019 04:15:28 pm

Your group sounds like it has been going for a while. I can imagine how useful it is. I have heard from so many authors how important a critique partner or group is for many reasons.
Skype is a wonderful tool, I use it occasionally myself for consulting with a client.
New questions.
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?
Which is more important to a story, pace or flow? How do you control it?
Did your writing process change much from your early books to your current book or did it stay the same?

12/21/2019 11:57:12 pm

My 'slow and steady' process hasn't changed at all, and I'm a plotter that writes in a straight line. I would say flow was more important. To be honest I don't consciously think about it as I write. I just write a few pages every two weeks, and trust that my critique group will tell me if it doesn't flow well - which they do!

12/22/2019 08:44:10 am

I believe in slow and steady wins the race. That could be the habitual procrastinator within me, also. I do prefer to research and evaluate options when I have the time.
New questions.
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?
What is the one thing you hope readers will remember from your book?
What else are you writing these days?

12/22/2019 07:27:07 pm

I try to avoid reading my books after they are published because I'd always find something I'd like to change. At some point in the editing process you have to say "no more" and move on!

I think George Pringate is very relatable, as I said before, we've all known someone that's struggled with substance abuse. I personally think the world moves too quickly, and I can understand the need to tune out.

Currently, I'm slowly but surely working on the 3rd Bug Boys book to finish off the trilogy. Then I have some other ideas bouncing around my head.

12/22/2019 08:21:31 pm

You are right about that. It's very hard for some writers to turn their baby loose. I have heard of some writers who never stop editing to avoid publishing.
We live in a fractured and fractious time, the desire and/or need to escape is very understandable. A good book is all I need.
Completing the Bug Boys cycle will be fun. I have enjoyed both books. I have links to those reviews just under the review of this book.
Are you going to stay in either of these genres or try something new?
More questions.
Do you have a classical author or poet you admire?
What popular modern authors have influenced you?
What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?

12/23/2019 10:45:16 am

Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol inspired George Pringate's Last Hurrah. Being that they are both fantastical stories with characters that guide a flawed protagonist through a life (afterlife in my story) altering adventure.

John Scalzi (Old Man's War) and Micheal Poore (Reincarnation Blues) are two currently living authors that inspire me.

I use Microsoft Word with Grammarly installed. Just because. I use Calibre to get my ebooks ready for publishing.

12/23/2019 11:43:35 am

Dickens' Christmas Carol! I totally see that. That is a great comparison of type.
Grammarly finds quite a bit, it also misses stuff I find. I played with it a little bit for a short time. It is useful in a limited fashion.
New questions.
How do you keep track of all the characters and events in your books?
Are you a plotter, a pantser, or a hybrid?
Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?

Stewatr link

12/23/2019 04:14:50 pm

I'm a plotter. I start with a two or three page write up of the story I want to tell, then I plot out each chapter. I have altered the story a little if there are new ideas I want to explore, but more often than not, the finished product is what 'the director' intended.

12/24/2019 09:22:24 am

If I was a writer, I would probably be a plotter also. It seems to be my nature. I love maps and laying the story out ensures that the end is reached.
Last questions.
I know there are many ways to build the outline. Do you do it all on the computer or do you get analog at some point with post-its or note cards?
Do you have defined space for writing at home, or are you a coffee-shop writer?
Do you listen to music or have the TV on when writing, or do you need quiet?

12/24/2019 03:47:36 pm

Mostly on the computer, but I have a printout of the chapter notes on my wall, and as I go through my process, several post-it notes are used to remind myself to expand a point, or to research something.

I write at my desk at home, and I don't listen to music.

Thanks for the opportunity to talk about George Pringate's Last Hurrah.

12/24/2019 04:38:04 pm

You and I work a lot the same way. I don't listen to music when proofreading. I do listen to the videos my daughter has made, she is a social media influencer for food and Weight Watchers. Our granddaughters are in many of the videos and I like hearing their voices in the background.
I have very much enjoyed our conversation. Your fans and I look forward to the next Bug Boys book.
Tomorrow is Christmas so I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Decade!

George Pringate's Last Hurrah By Stewart Hoffman

Leave a Reply.

Who am I?

Archives

Categories