Hamish X and the Hollow Mountain

He began writing the Hamish X series for Penguin Canada in 2004 and has published three books in the series: Hamish X and The Cheese Pirates, Hamish X and the Hollow Mountain and Hamish X Goes To Providence Rhode Island. He is currently developing the books into an animated series for Teletoon and is hard at work on his new series of books set in Toronto and the world of fairies called the “The Chronicles of the Misplaced Prince”. The first book in the Brendan series was published in the summer of 2009.

Reading has always been one of Seán’s greatest passions. After discovering Tolkein’s The Hobbit in fourth grade, Seán has devoured books from every genre. Seán believes that reading and learning is fuel for his creative processes and he draws on all of the material his brain soaks up and uses it to infuse his work in all fields. When approached to write the first Hamish X books, Seán was presented with an interesting and irresistible challenge. Writing stand-up material and television scripts is very different from writing a novel. Television is really a collaborative process involving many minds and many revisions. Stand up material is very fluid and given to transformation as it impacts with the live audience. Writing a novel is a very solitary business. One is left alone with the work and with only occasional input from an editor. Feedback from a reading audience is months if not years in coming. Having said that, actually completing a book is incredibly satisfying. The books are by far the proudest achievement of his career.

The hardest part is the outline, plotting out the book and where it will go. Once the writing starts, the characters take Seán where he has to go. They guide him without him really even understanding what will ultimately come. Writing is very engrossing and enjoyable. Finding time to do the writing is more difficult. Seán’s wide career interests compete with literary pursuits. The most important thing is to write as consistently as possible: every day some time must be set aside. Seán is very pleased to be considered for this award. He is humbled to think that readers enjoy his books and glad that the Red Cedar Award is judged by the readers as they are his ultimate audience and he wishes to express his extreme gratitude to be included with such great writers in consideration for this award.

Other Books by Sean Cullen:

Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates
Hamish X Goes to Providence Rhode Island
The Prince of Neither Here Nor There

Contact Sean Cullen at:/b>