Excerpts From an Interview With Author of 'Hank'

From 1991-2001, Arch Montgomery was the Headmaster for the Gilman School, Baltimore’s prestigious boys academy.

THC: How did you get the idea for this novel?

AM: I’m around kids a lot, and I get to watch them in their various struggles to grow up. The worst mistakes kids make seem to happen when there’s an absence of adult guidance. I asked myself, what would you do if you were 13 and had a lot of free time? Then it started to write itself.

THC: This is the first part of a trilogy; tell us more about The Gunpowder Trilogy, its intent, and how Hank fits in.

AM: Hank deals with the problem of a kid where nobody is paying attention, who does what any 13-year-old would do with too much time on his hands. Fifty percent of the kids we deal with as educators are in his position, so Hank’s difficulties are commonplace, and there’s no one at fault. The second novel is called Jake , and it changes focus from Hank, a boy with relatively superficial problems, to Jake, who has a whole community surrounding him. And that’s the only thing that gives him a chance to survive real tragedies. The third novel, Stephie—you might say that it’s a modern female version of the book of Job. The Gunpowder Trilogy hopefully deals with explosive issues, and the Gunpowder River runs through all the stories.

THC: Who is Hank based on?

AM: Hank is imaginary. I conjured up a kid who has to be bright, a kid whose tolerance for bullshit is very very low, and whose susceptibility to influence by someone who is good is very high. I’ve seen so many kids who are rebellious, whose teeth are on edge all the time. They’re hard kids to deal with because they can be wiseguys, but there’s something charming about them.

THC: What does this book represent to you?

AM: Oh gosh, it’s plain good fun. I’m startled that it happened. I’m happy to have a novel without people laughing. I feel lucky to have had the time and good fortune to get this thing finished. It’s taken the place of a midlife crisis.

THC: Well, I’d say it’s a pretty good midlife crisis to have. I mean, at least you’re not off climbing mountains or anything.

AM: I’m actually leaving tomorrow for the Himalayas.

THC: Oh.