Interview With Author Of A New Goonies Inspired Book, Pleasant Grove

BY ADAM C. BETTER|  SEPTEMBER 2, 2020|  EXCLUSIVES, INTERVIEWS, NEWS

Author Jason Price has just released a new book, Pleasant Grove, that is a tribute to the work of Amblin and films like The Goonies. Price currently works full time as a movie publicist, and self-published his second book as a tribute to his young daughters.

Pleasant Grove Description From Amazon:

Small town. Epic adventure.

What’s outside Pleasant Grove?

Welcome to Pleasant Grove, a quiet small town where neighbor helps neighbor and doors are left unlocked at night—an unspoiled paradise with one peculiar feature: It’s enclosed by a glass dome.

No one can leave. No one can enter. No one can survive beyond the dome.

But then, a visitor arrives from the outside. When 12-year-old Agnes Goodwin discovers a strange boy with no memory, she teams up with her best friends to unravel the mystery. Their extraordinary adventure will uncover a long-buried secret so monstrous it will threaten everything they know…and everyone they love.

I spoke to Price about the inspiration behind his new novel, Pleasant Grove. You can purchase a copy of Pleasant Grove here.

You have described this book as a love letter of sorts to the films of your youth, films like The Goonies. Can you talk a little bit about that?

This was my attempt at writing a book for my two girls. They are in first grade and third grade. I remember the days when I first saw a movie like The Goonies. There was nothing more magical than watching a bunch of friends go on an adventure. I thought it would be cool to write a story that captured Amblin in the pages of a book. I wanted to write something for my girls, and you don’t see books about girls on adventures – it is usually boys. I know a little bit about raising girls now, and I put that into the story.

The book is escapist entertainment. It’s a sci-fi and horror adventure story. The catalyst is definitely the girls. I was trying to capture the magic I felt when I would watch those old Amblin films.

Have you shown your girls Goonies or any of those Amblin films yet?

I just recorded The Goonies on TV to show them. They are a little bit young still. The 6 year old is a little young for it. My 8 year old is probably ready for it. I might show them. They are excited to watch it because we do story time at night. I tell them stories like Labyrinth…Goonies…Big…they really dig them. I change them a bit so they can relate. I also edit them a little. The idea is to introduce them to these stories that I still love so much. These movies inspired a whole generation. It’s fun to see their eyes light up when you share with them things like this.

It’s funny when you talk about editing the stories a bit. A lot of the 80s films we grew up watching are a little weird by the standards of today. I still love Big, but it’s a little weird that the main plot point is this young boy sleeping with an adult woman. Do you have to change a lot when you have story time with them?

Rewatching The Goonies…there is language I have to edit out if I show them the film. That’s why I recorded it off of TV because they edit a lot out. All the Mouth stuff with Rosalita (Mouth describing explicit acts in Spanish to her). I don’t need to explain that to my girls at the age they are at (laughing). You got away with a lot more back then in terms of what was considered traditional family entertainment.

As a kid, what was the thing that you think attracted you most to Amblin films?

I love what you are doing with Amblin Road. You can see your passion there and I share that too. It’s fun to have a shared experience as a kid that we all still hold on to.  That’s what Spielberg does so well. He’s like a mythic poet of suburban life.

Was your childhood in suburbia? Did you grow up in a small town?

Not really. I grew up in San Jose, which is in the Bay Area of California. We are kind of considered a country town when you compare us to like San Francisco or Los Angeles. For me, I was always an introvert as a kid. Those films being on VHS, and I lived near a theater, dominated my spare time. I watched Goonies and Back to the Future over a thousand times in my lifetime. The adventure always appealed to me. I have always loved how those movies start on a normal day and then the kids are thrown into this great adventure. It was always my dream to go on an adventure like the Goonies or Back to the Future.

That’s the spirt I wanted to bring to the book. When ordinary characters face the extraordinary. My favorite scenes in Spielberg movies are the ones like Dreyfuss in Close Encounters with the mashed potatoes. Or like Scheider in Jaws with his son at the dinner table. Spielberg roots those extraordinary stories with people and situations you recognize.

Amblin is kind of a genre of storytelling now. It describes a type of nostalgia we all have for that 80s decade. Since you were making it for your girls in 2020, did you have to update that Amblin style at all?

The story is sort of out of time. The town itself is pulled from like 1950s sitcoms. It feels like Leave it to Beaver. This community fits a 1950s sensibility. But then you have this gigantic dome that is almost like 2050. I was able to avoid cell phones and pop culture references. The central mystery is what is outside of the dome of Pleasant Grove. I didn’t have to worry about updating those tropes or genre characteristics from the 1980s. I wanted the neighborhood to feel like a playground. Kind of how it feels in E.T. for the kids.

Those Spielberg films from the 80s have such a specific feel. You almost can’t describe it. They are like comfort food. The feeling is what people respond to I believe.

It is like comfort food. The stories are also rooted in domestic tension. I think that’s a trademark of those Amblin pictures. I tried to bring that element to the book with my story and characters.

They have been trying to make a Goonies sequel for ages. Since your story is so heavily influenced by that film, did you ever think about taking a crack at a Goonies II script?

I never thought about that. I would love to get the book in front of Spielberg though, because I think it is a throwback to his older work.

Interview With Book Author Jason Price

December 23, 2020

Hello all,

I had the pleasure to do an interview with Jason Price, the author of “Pleasant Grove”. I read this book recently and I really enjoyed it! It is the perfect adventurous book to read during winter. You can read my review by clicking HERE. Get to know Jason Price better and find out more about his reading and writing preferences and his favourite books.

Who is Jason Price?

I’m a husband and father. I’ve worked in movie publicity for almost 20 years, which, I suppose, tells you the most about me as an author: my lifelong love of movies and storytelling.  

Tell us a little bit more about your book – “Pleasant Grove”.

In many ways, it was movies – particularly those I watched as an adolescent – that most informed the writing of Pleasant Grove. I wrote the novel for my daughters, who are both in grade school now, and approaching the same age when I first discovered movies like The Goonies, and E.T. and TV shows like The Twilight Zone. I wanted them to read a novel that captured the same spirit of wonder and adventure that Steven Spielberg’s Amblin films captured for my generation. Pleasant Grove is the story of a 12-year-old girl named Agnes Goodwin, who lives in an idyllic small town with one peculiar feature: It’s enclosed by a glass dome. But that all changes the day Agnes discovers a strange boy from the outside. The hook was to take a small town and drop it in the middle of a sci-fi story – a story built around a single mystery: What’s outside the dome? I grew up in the suburbs, so I pulled from those experiences as well. The kids’ adventure becomes an exploration of what it means to leave a hometown – what’s gained…and what’s lost.

What was your favourite moment when writing “Pleasant Grove”?

My favorite moments are when a character says something, or acts in a way, that’s contrary to my outline. It happened multiple times during the writing of Pleasant Grove, despite my best-laid plans. That’s always exciting, because if I can surprise myself then there’s a good chance it will surprise the reader too.

Who is your favourite character in the book and why?

Agnes. She’s curious and likes asking questions…which puts her at odds with the adults in the town, who hold the secrets of Pleasant Grove and aren’t too keen on spilling the beans. But Agnes’s quest for knowledge knows no bounds. I hope readers of all ages can identify with her. I wanted to ground the extraordinary in the ordinary. My favorite sci-fi stories would still resonate without the supernatural element, because as much care is given to the ordinary as the extraordinary.  

How long does it take to write a book?

Pleasant Grove took me a little over 2 years, from rough draft to published copy. But the truth is, a book takes as long as it takes. There were months of brainstorming before I began writing. Stories are an accumulation of life experiences, so perhaps the more accurate answer is a lifetime.  

How do you deal with a writer’s block? 

Some days the writing is easy; some days it’s hard. I outline before I start writing, which gives me a blueprint. Inevitably, the characters and story will take the lead, but the blueprint helps mitigate any potential writer’s block. I also find it useful to end the writing day when I know what happens next, so when I sit down again, I have the benefit of a head start. 

What is the most challenging part when writing a book? 

I can only speak for myself here. The way I see it, there are 3 major steps to writing a book: brainstorming, first draft, editing. None are easy, but all hold their pleasures. I find brainstorming to be the most difficult. It’s the foundation. Building a foundation is grunt work; it’s exhausting, and your hands get dirty. But a good foundation – a house with good bones – will see you through; so in that sense, it’s also the most rewarding. 

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

A screenwriter. This started in high school when I began writing screenplays. I also wrote stage plays and had a couple works performed at the Alley Theatre and Stages Theatre in Houston. But there’s a certain creative freedom to the long-form narrative that appeals to me now, namely that the work is complete when I type “The End.” It’s not dependent on funding, or performance, only a willing reader.

What kind of books do you like to read in your spare time? 

At the moment, I’m coming off a deep dive into Stephen King and Richard Matheson. I like genre books that transcend their genre.

When you are not writing, what keeps you busy in life? What are your hobbies? 

When I’m not reading or writing, I’m on the hunt for my next favorite movie or album. Outside of a great book, there’s nothing quite as thrilling as watching a great movie, or listening to a great album, for the first time. 

What is your favorite book, author or quote? 

I’ll take a crack at all three. I’ll pick the first book to really blow my mind, and that’s 1984. Over any other author, give me Stephen King at his best. My favorite quote comes from King: “Fiction is the truth inside the lie.” 

What are you planning next for us, readers?

This is going to sound like a dodge, but I like to keep ideas close to the vest. Many of my closest friends didn’t know about Pleasant Grove until it was published.

Get your copy of Pleasant Grove here. And don’t forget to follow Jason Price on Goodreads as well.

Thank you so much for this lovely interview, Jason! I wish you all the luck and success in the future. 

It was a pleasure. Many thanks Ivana!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: JASON PRICE

November 6, 2020

Hey guys! Today I’m excited to share with you an interview with Jason Price, author of middle grade sci-fi Pleasant Grove. I posted a review for this book last month, which you can find here and I’m thrilled to by sharing some insight into this story and Jason’s writing process. I hope you enjoy!

What inspired you to write the story? 

Pleasant Grove was written for my daughters, who are both in grade school now and fast approaching the age when I first discovered Steven Spielberg’s Amblin films, like E.T. and The Goonies. I wanted them to read a book that captured the same sense of wonder, where ordinary kids went on extraordinary adventures. I couldn’t find a book that fit the bill…so Pleasant Grove was born. The story is also inspired by Rod Serling, whose supernatural tales were often rooted in the ordinary. I grew up in the suburbs and I wanted to reflect those experiences as well. So, while the story pulls from sci-fi and horror, it’s also a meditation on leaving a hometown – what’s gained…and what’s lost. My hope is that Pleasant Grove is enjoyed by middle-graders and the middle-grader at heart.

What was your favourite part of the writing process?

I had a blast building the small town of Pleasant Grove – a community that, in many ways, exists outside of time. It’s an 1850s agricultural community, with an idyllic 1950s suburban design, enclosed by a towering glass dome that might belong in the 2050s – a setting that feels both familiar and foreign, which mirrors the experience of our 12-year-old protagonist Agnes Goodwin, who wonders: What’s outside Pleasant Grove?

What do you think readers will love about this story and the characters?

My favorite sci-fi stories give as much care to the ordinary as the extraordinary. I tried to do the same. I hope readers want to spend time with these characters outside the pages of the book, and the story offers a few hours of escapist fun during these heavy days. 

Did you always intend for the book to be middle grade?  

The main characters were always going to be 12 years old. It’s when many of us begin finding our place in the world; so it seemed the natural age when Agnes would discover her own sense of agency, asking questions that threaten her entire world. Much like that transformative age, I wanted the story to take the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions.

Finally, how would you find life in Pleasant Grove? Would you be curious to investigate what’s outside the dome? 

At 12 years old, I was closer to Maddie. She’s living in a safe, comfortable environment where she’s never in need. She asks Agnes early on, “Why would you want to leave?” Now though, I’m closer to Agnes. At the heart of the story is a quest for knowledge – a quest for truth – and I think that’s a universal longing, whether you’re 12 or 112.

Thank you Jason for stopping by! You can find the book on Amazon UK.

Author Interview: Jason Price

• Post author By Megan
• Post date September 7, 2020
• Author Interview: Jason Price

I recently read and reviewed Pleasant Grove by Jason Price. You can find my full review here. Pleasant Grove is such an entertaining story that I jumped at the chance to interview the author. Below we discuss inspiration, character development, and the continuation of the story.

All questions included in this interview are my own.

1. Can you tell me about what inspired this story or where the idea originated? 

Jason: The novel is dedicated to my wife and daughters. The girls are in grade school and they’ll soon be reaching the same age when I first discovered Amblin films. I wanted them to read a book that captured the same sense of wonder and magic. Specifically, girls on an adventure. The story idea originated with the third act, which is difficult to discuss without spoiling the fun. As for influences, there’s certainly Spielberg and Serling. A touch of R.L. Stine and King. I’ve always enjoyed stories where you’re not entirely sure what genre you’re in.

2. Each of the characters in Agnes’ friend group feel like distinct people, each with their own personalities. Can you tell me about the character writing process and how you made each character’s voice unique? 

Jason: Each of the girls’ personalities is informed by their home life. Agnes is curious; she asks questions, even when her parents are less than forthcoming…and she’s determined to discover the answers to those questions at any cost. Dakota, on the other hand, her parents are absent, and the promise of adventure thrills her. She’s also a little reckless. As for Maddie, her parents want to keep her from growing up, so the looming danger terrifies her. Her character arc will force her out of her parents’ shadows. I also wanted the reader to feel empathy toward the grownups in the town – to understand the lengths parents will go, and the secrets they’ll keep, to protect their children from the truth of the world. My favorite supernatural stories are rooted in the familiar, where as much care is given to the ordinary as the extraordinary. 

3. There’s a culminating event in which the characters are put in a pretty serious situation. Did you struggle to keep the narrative within the middle grade age range? 

Jason: While it was important to strike the right tone, I didn’t shy away from the scares. There’s not a lot of violence in the novel, but I wanted the threat to resonate, for any violence to have consequences. I wanted the story to be dangerous, but not traumatic. Fun, but not frivolous. It’s probably upper middle-grade for this reason, but my hope is that it’s enjoyed by readers of all ages. It’s for the child inside us all, who still remembers that the biggest adventures can begin in the backyard of an ordinary house in a small town. As the kids attempt to escape the lockdown, the story becomes a meditation on what it means to grow up, to leave a hometown, what’s gained and what’s lost. Like those transformative middle-grade years, the book is an epic adventure that’s a little scary…a little funny…and maybe a little heartbreaking. 

4. What was your favorite part about writing this book? 

Jason: The town. Pleasant Grove is a farming community, where the clothes are DIY, like something from the 1850s, like Little House on the Prairie. The neighborhood, with its identical houses framed by white picket fences, with street names like Maple and Oak Creek, it could be out of a 1950s sitcom, like Leave It To Beaver. Then there are those wind turbines rising at the edge of town like spires and the towering glass dome that encloses the town…like something from 2050. I wanted the reader to have a map of Pleasant Grove in their mind, for it to feel as familiar as their own hometown. In those early chapters, while I’m introducing mysteries and opening the door of possibilities, I’m also establishing Pleasant Grove as a character. It was a thrill to create something so unlike anything I’ve ever read. A town that, in many ways, exists outside of time.

5. Do you have a favorite Pleasant Grove character?

Jason: Old Man Turner, Agnes’s neighbor. He’s the Boo Radley of the town. We don’t know his first name because the kids don’t know his first name; so, they form an idea of who Old Man Turner is. He’s the guy on your street who’s a little strange, who’s perpetually grumpy, who keeps to himself. His third act reveal was a surprise to me…I hope it’s a surprise to the reader as well. Like Mockingbird, there’s a payoff for his aloofness – one that enriches both his character and the story itself.

6. The ending left off on quite a cliffhanger. Is book two in the works? 

Jason: Here’s the interesting thing about the final scene: it was originally the beginning. But the story took on a life of its own; and, so, I tucked away that little kernel of an idea until I could use it. Then it became the curtain call. Some of my favorite stories end with a twist that stirs the heart and mind. I have kernels for book two, but we’ll see if the popcorn pops. 

7. Did you always want to be an author?

Jason: I always wanted to be a writer. I wrote screenplays in high school. In college, my stage plays were performed at the Alley Theatre and Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston. I studied under Edward Albee at the University of Houston. While a play isn’t complete without a cast and crew, a novel is complete at “The End.” There’s a unique freedom in the long-form narrative that appeals to me.

8. Is there anything you would like to say to your readers? 

Jason: I hope you have as much fun reading Pleasant Grove as I had writing it. There’s nothing more valuable than time. And whether you give me one page, or ten, or the full 377, know this: I consider your time valuable. I hope I’ve made every word count. 

About the author:

Jason: I grew up in a suburb of Houston. As a kid, I stayed up late watching movies, sometimes writing reviews I’d leave for my dad to read before he left for work in the morning. I’ve worked in film publicity and promotions for almost 20 years.

Thanks so much to Jason Price for allowing me to do my first author interview and providing me with a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review. I had a blast in this world and recommend to anyone looking for an eerie, creepy setting in which to escape. 

Author Interview | Jason Price

Hello everyone! A couple of months ago I had the opportunity to read and review “Pleasant Grove” by Jason Price. In case you didn’t see my thoughts on this middle-grade novel, you can check them out here. Now, I get to share more about the author, Jason Price! He was kind enough to share some of his inspiration behind the book and some writing tips in general.

The Book View: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Price: My love of writing began in middle school with my love of movies, which led to writing movie reviews in high school. I’d stay up late watching Blockbuster rentals and would sometimes leave reviews for my dad to read before he left for work in the morning. That led to writing screenplays, and then stage plays in college, some of which were performed at Houston theaters like the Alley and Stages. But there was a liberating appeal to the long-form narrative, one which I didn’t fully appreciate until after I graduated: The novel didn’t require a cast or a crew; it was a complete creative work when I typed “The End.”

The Book View: What does being a successful author look like to you?

Price: Success comes by clearly defining “success” at the start. For me, each achievement brings some measure of success: starting the book, finishing the book, sharing the book with others, the first good review, the first interview…and remaining humble enough to accept that each step does not guarantee the next.

The Book View: How did you get the idea for Pleasant Grove?

Price: I wrote Pleasant Grove for my daughters. They’re in grade school and near the age when I first discovered Amblin movies. I wanted them to read a book that captured the same sense of magic and wonder I had watching films like The Goonies and E.T. and Back to the Future. I couldn’t find a book that fit the bill, specifically girls on an adventure. That’s when I knew I had to write it for them. The idea originated with the third act, which is difficult to discuss without spoiling the fun. The biggest influences were Steven Spielberg, Rod Serling, and Stephen King – authors of sci-fi tales that moved the heart and the mind…storytellers who rooted the extraordinary in the ordinary.

The Book View: What do you most want your readers to learn or get out of Pleasant Grove?

Price: Pleasant Grove is a book for middle-graders and the middle-grader inside us all. For kids, I want them to experience the same sense of wonder those classic movies gave me when the greatest adventures could begin in the backyard of an ordinary house in a small town. For adults, I hope the story taps into the wonders of nostalgia – a reminder of what it was once like to be 12-years-old, in all its scary, funny, heartbreaking glory. Amblin movies are eternal because they tell children they can fly, and remind adults that we were once children who did. I aimed to capture the same spirit inside the pages of a book.

The Book View: Do you have any writing advice for prospective writers?

Price: Set goals. Remain disciplined. It’s not always easy. But the act of creation is deeply, richly rewarding. Stay inspired. Learn from the best; their secrets are in plain sight. Study what works, why it works, how it works. Remember that everyone will have an opinion. Not all of it will serve you well. Take what’s useful. Discard the rest. And that includes everything I just advised. We’re all still learning.

Alex Lopez

Author Interview with Jason Price

Hello everyone! I recently had the opportunity to interview Jason Price the author of Pleasant Grove. From fun facts to learning about his writing process, this was a fantastic interview that certainly makes me anticipate more of his works!

1. What is a fun fact about your book? (behind the scenes)

Pleasant Grove was written for my daughters, to give them a middle-grade novel that captured the same spirit of adventure and wonder that Steven Spielberg’s movies gave me as an adolescent.

2. If you could spend a day with any of your characters, which would you choose and why?

This is a tough one, because the answer is different than my favorite character. The character I’d spend a day with is Agnes’s father...with one caveat: He would have to answer all my questions.

3. Do you have a set writing schedule or do you write as inspiration strikes?

I have a set writing schedule. I’m a night owl, so my writing is done while the house (and most of the neighborhood) sleeps. I brainstorm for many months before I begin formally writing, though - jotting down notes when inspiration strikes, working (and re-working) the puzzle of the plot. I need structure…I need to know the destination. Otherwise, it’s like telling a 5-hour joke without a punchline.

4. Where did the idea for your book come from?

I wanted to write about ordinary people in a small town…and then drop them in the middle of a sci-fi story. Many of my favorite stories observe what happens when the ordinary meets the extraordinary: The Goonies, E.T.,The Twilight Zone…The specific origin of the book is difficult to discuss without spoiling the fun, but here’s an anecdote: I began with the third act and worked backward. This ensured I would stick the landing.

5. What input did you have for your cover design?

I shared every version of the cover with my wife, and her honest feedback was crucial. I wasn’t interested in a traditional middle-grade cover. I wanted a clean design that was impactful.

6. Is there an author or book that inspires you?

Stephen King is a big inspiration. Like Spielberg, King laser-focuses on character; the supernatural is a mere extension of those internal and domestic tensions. If you removed the supernatural from their best works, you’d still have timeless stories that resonate on a spiritual level.

7. If the year 2020 were a book, what would you title it?

1984

8. Can you give readers any hints about your future projects?

Not to dodge, but I keep ideas close to the vest. Even my closest friends didn’t know about Pleasant Grove until it was published.