Title: The Wayfinder
Young Winchal Eldras is a Wayfinder, one of the gifted few of G'il Rim who have the ability to locate anything: a lost ring, the way home, a blue dress in the marketplace, a lost child. "Finding" is a valuable talent in this city that sits dangerously close to the Rift, a mysterious, unexplored chasm. When the Rift claims his little sister in a bizarre accident, though, Win is reduced to a Wayfinder who's lost his way.
But suddenly there's no time for grief--the plague has come to the Heartland. And only healing water from the Well of Life, on the other side of the Rift, can stop it. A prophecy commands that Win must make the terrible journey to seek the Well. But no one has ever braved the dangers of the Rift and returned to tell about it! To make matters worse, Win suddenly has a traveling companion in Lady Kala, a prized-and royally stubborn--Tazi hound with a few gifts of her own. A Wayfinder with no direction can't possibly manage this imperious creature from the King's kennels, much less save a civilization on the edge of destruction.
Or can he? --Goodreads
Despite the grief, Win’s adventure of self-discovery to overcome said burden is action packed and exciting all the way up until the very end (in between one-eyed giant eagles, killer crocodiles, and killer wolf tribes, how could it not be?). It was the story about a boy and his companion, learning to trust themselves and each other. Even though it was over sooner than I had hoped for (I easily finished it one sitting), it felt completed, with an ending that left me satisfied, morally uplifted, and ready for a sequel. The Wayfinder is one of those books that shouldn’t be overlooked!
Title: Lost Voices
I picked up Lost Voices for two reasons: the first was that I have never read a novel about mermaids, and the second was that plot actually interested me. I mean, a pack of mermaids murdering people at sea? Sounds dark. And the first forty pages of the book were great. Luce seemed like a nice girl and was one that I could sympathize with, even though I’ve never been in her position before. But after she turned into a mermaid, I felt like the novel lost its steam. Not only were action sequences sort of choppy, but Luce became a…dare I say it? A…a…Mary Sue.
Hidy-ho there, faeries and gargoyles! Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Julian Rosado-Machain, author of the Guardians Inc. series. Today, Julian is stopping by Oktopus Ink to talk about The Cypher, the first book in the series, and share some stories about his writing. Alrighty, let's get this interview started, shall we? (warning: here there be spoilers.)
Thank you very much Emi, for your review and this interview, two firsts for me!
No problem, Julian, and thanks for joining us. What inspired the Guardian series?
Oh wow, everything and anything that has ever caught my attention. I have ADD… So you can guess that a lot of things have caught my attention through the years. Conspiracy theories, History, Religion, Mythology, Sci-fi, Horror and Fantasy. The real world too. Engineering, Marketing, Biology, Archaeology and I’m especially attracted to Theoretical Physics. (Don’t know why because I understand very little.)
When I began the story it was more of a religious conspiracy theory theme for adults, but it just didn’t ring true to what I wanted to do with the Guardians which, in the end, is just to have fun and explore all those things that caught my attention and that are just floating around in my head.
I know… I sound like a crazy person… I get that a lot.
Haha, I get that a lot too. Is there a reason why you decided to have Thomas work in the Guardian headquarters library? (Which is awesome, by the way.)
Thank you! I think Pervagus Library is awesome too!
Because of his Cypher powers, Thomas can read any language and crack any code. The Pervagus Library is the heart of Guardians Inc. It is the depository of almost the sum total of human knowledge through history so it is the perfect place for a Cypher to work. He has access to everything and is exposed to all the knowledge that will help him make decisions on how to steer humanity once he finds The Book of Concord.That is the Guardians Inc. plan, at least, and they have to keep him close by.
I also find Libraries to be some of the most under appreciated buildings ever. A trip to the library is most of the time equated to boredom, and it is quite the opposite! There’s a reason why libraries were at the heart of all ancient civilizations. In the end, knowledge is the most important legacy we can leave to the next generation.
What would you do if you had access to some of the books that Thomas finds for clients at his job?
I would go crazy! Definitely nuts! Imagine getting to read Shakespeare’s first drafts, or Lord Byron’s love letters. You only need to do a quick “Lost books” search on the internet to check out all that has been lost, and not only in ancient times but also as recently as with Phillip K. Dick, Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. And there’s more than just literature!
What artist wouldn't study Mozart’s tuning exercises or Van Gogh’s dabbles? Notes passed between Napoleon and his generals during Waterloo? Einstein’s musings? Area 51’s diagrams and inventory lists?
Go a step further: I love Jules Verne works, especially Capt. Nemo. Well, Pervagus Library has the “unpublished” adventures there, along with four more musketeer books by Alexander Dumas.
You can imagine that it also contains all the things you would love to read. It’s all there, in Pervagus Library, along with your blogs and interviews and my outlines and grocery lists. Don’t worry though; Mrs. Pianova keeps all prying eyes away from those really personal and sensitive things.
EPIC. I wish I had access to Pervagus’ catalogue. I don’t think I’d ever leave. Anyway, how long have you been writing, and what is like writing in a language that isn’t your first?
I’ve been writing since I was 13. But in Mexico, Sci-fi and Fantasy weren’t really viable for new writers so I had to learn English in order to write to an audience. I’m 41. It took me long enough.
The actual writing process for me is very draining. I write down the first words that come to mind and then double check the meaning to see that what I wrote down makes sense. Then I use a dictionary, and then a thesaurus. Then I have very good friends that read and re-read the first, second and third drafts and point out the mistakes, especially in descriptions and meaning of the paragraphs. A single word sometimes changes what I wanted to say in a paragraph! It is frustrating sometimes.
After that, I send the best draft I believe I have to my editor Allison Itterly. You should see the notes she sends back! Even after all drafts, friends, and word processors, the corrections she sends me back almost require a complete rewrite.
Wow, sounds like a long process! You mentioned a few books already, but when you’re not writing what do you like to read?
Any and all from Jules Verne and Alexander Dumas. Les Pardaillan by Michel de Zevaco, Lord of the Rings, Dune, Harry Potter, Ender’s Game, Sherlock Holmes and H.P. Lovecraft stories.
I also read a lot of Mythology and History. The Story of Civilization by Will and Ariel Durant is one of the most entertaining series of books I’ve ever read. It was a great source of inspiration.
The Guardians website is just as entertaining to browse as it is to read the book. The artwork is gorgeous. How did you set that up? How long did it take?
I own a restaurant in San Diego, and if you allow a little cross marketing right here check it out at: www.Haciendadevega.com. But I also have a degree in graphic design. I left Mexico and all my friends back there 11 years ago, then Facebook came and I re-connected with my good friend, Francisco Trueba who owns a graphic design agency. He read the draft I had locked in a drawer and loved it, so he took over the image for Guardians Inc. and we are now partners in other upcoming books. For example, The Man in the Trench Coat is a character from Guardians Inc. that inspired an interactive children’s book for the Ipad, which is going to be released, hopefully, in the next few months.
Francisco’s website is www.trueba.com.mx should anyone want to check him out. All in all it took us about 8 months to plan the images and the website from mock-ups and sketches.
Did you do any research to support your story?
Tons and tons, because the nature of Guardians Inc. is about a company and secret society weaving itself through history. I made the decision to have as much of the story line, places, and characters based on real historical, geographical locales and figures as possible, and to make the effort of supporting it with as much technical and scientific fact as I could. Even the little details, for example: Jean Luc the grotesque tells Thomas that the Mage that created them was Phillibert Le Roy.Well, Phillibert Le Roy was an architect that lived in the 17th century and helped design Versailles. The book is full of details and allusions like that. Little tips of the hat to writers, artists and historical figures I admire. Another example: Tony is a descendant of Piero della Francesca, one of the great painters of the Renaissance, Doctor Franco is… someone that will be revealed in another book. Also, The Great A’tuin from Terry Pratchett’s wonderful Discworld series makes a little appearance in The Cypher, although not by name.
What are you working on right now?
Because of all the things I want to write about, like you’ve pointed out, a dash of science fiction, a dash of fantasy, I knew Guardians Inc. couldn’t be just one book. So I wrote an outline covering 7 years from beginning to end of the Guardians Inc. story. The Cypher is roughly the first year. There are things in it that set up the second and the third book of the series and so on.
At this moment, I’m fleshing out the second book (Guardians Inc.: Thundersword), and working on chapters of the third and fourth. I’m also finishing both The Man in the Trench Coat and Book of Beasts while grilling some beef fajitas and warming up tortillas for table 122.
Wonderful answers, Julian! Very entertaining. :) Thanks again for joining us here on Oktopus Ink.
In addition to stopping by the blog, Julian has given me an extra *signed* copy of his book, Guardians Inc.: The Cypher. To enter, just fill out the form below. Contest ends September 4th. On Sunday, I'll pick the winners using Random.org and announce them here on my blog. Open to US residents only. (sorry international readers!)
For those of you who are interested in learning more about The Cypher and the Guardians Inc. series, please check out Julian's website at http://www.guardiansinc.com/. It's epic!
Title: The Bronze and the BrimstoneA good chunk of the book is dedicated to experimenting and constructing the cannon. Though it sounds like the reading could get tedious, the plot moves along smoothly, with enough fiction and drama to balance the historic/scientific details. I think the majority of the credit for this can be given to Hansum’s and Gui’s clandestine relationship. Even though I still didn’t see the chemistry between them (they don’t spend a lot of time together, despite the fact that they are *spoiler alert* married), the risk of exposure increased the complexity of the relationships in the plot, and Hansum’s family was forced to constantly act like they were walking on glass.
Overall, The Bronze and the Brimstone was a much better sequel than I could have hoped for. It was complex, thrilling, educational, with a cast of characters that just continues to grow on the reader until the very end. My only complaint is that the tagline on the cover of the book (“Can he get back IN TIME to save her?”) is sort of misleading…It feels like more of a spoiler for book three, not what book two is really about.
So I realized roughly an hour ago that I’ve been blogging for more than a year now. The realization came two months too late, but hey, better late than never, right? So to celebrate, I’m going to arrange an extra super special cotton candy filled giveaway. Details to come soon, and no, there won’t actually be cotton candy, but the prizes should be epic anyway. SO STAY TUNED.
DO YOU HAZ TUMBLR? CAUSE I DO!
I jumped on the bandwagon and made a tumblr. There isn’t much on it now, just some Harry Potter pictures and nerd stuff, but I plan on using it more often from now on. The link can also be found on the sidebar, but if you’re lazy and don’t want to find the button, you can click this LINK instead. Follow me and I'll follow you! I could always use more posts in my Dashboard. Tumblr is an amazing time waster. It's the new Facebook!
Anyway, that’s all the news I have for now, so have some pictures of my friends and I at Harry Potter World. Oh, wait, one last thing: did anyone else get into Pottermore? I can't wait until they start letting us Beta test stuff!
Title: The Necromancer's ApprenticeEven after finishing the book, I’m not sure how I feel about it. I don’t think I really liked it, but at the same time, I didn’t hate it, even though at first I know I didn't like it. Jasmine was very apathetic towards everything, which for me was a problem. I have difficulty liking characters that feel like that don’t have anything to live for and are at peace with that, particularly when said character announces this detail about themself at the beginning of the book. In my mind, I immediately question, “Ok, well then where’s the room for growth?” Even if a character finds something to live for, the fact that they don’t even want to try looking to begin with is a sign that I’m not going to like who I’m reading about. But as the story developed, Jasmine’s apathetic nature made it possible for the story to focus on the mystery behind Master Dagg, and more importantly, focus on the nature of death and loyalty. The whole thing kind of reminded me of Rick Yancey’s The Monstrumologist (which I absolutely loved), and appealed to my fascination with the dark and macabre.
However, there were lots of plot holes, unclear character motivations, and lack of developed relationships. I know this was a novella (just a little over 110 pages), and in a novella there’s not a lot of room for long periods of description or investigation, but some more explanation would have been nice. Jasmine goes through a kind of transformation that would have taken years to accomplish, but is accomplished in less than six months. It was unsettling, especially after the horrific events that happen to her and her family in the beginning of the book. I also wanted to know more about the Necromancer, and what kind of magic he was working on down in his tunnels. While the story questions him and his practices, it doesn’t fully explore what exactly was going on and why in a greater context.
Title: My Sparkling MisfortuneMy Sparkling Misfortune offers a twist on the traditional fantasy fairy tale stories that lovers of the movie Megamind will enjoy. I can’t help but make that comparison, since both stories feature bad guys who want nothing more than to be known as the most devious and evil person on the planet. Lord Arkus begins his tale by bragging about how evil he is. But when the pompous Prince Kellemar tricks him into running from the kingdom, he goes hunting for a Gormak, an evil spirit to help with his evil plans. Much to his dismay, Lord Arkus winds up catching a Sparkling, a good spirit. And while Lord Arkus realizes that he can use the Sparkling’s powers to protect him from forces hunting him, he can’t directly use the spirit’s powers for anything evil. Being a bad guy is hard enough as it is without a good spirit breathing down your neck, but the Sparkling (named Jarvis) is intent on turning Arkus into a good guy. Talk about pressure!
My Sparkling Misfortune is one of those books that readers of all ages will be able to appreciate and enjoy. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that had me giggling on just about every page, but My Sparkling Misfortune broke that streak. With such a snarky and hypocritical protagonist who refuses to admit that he actually has a heart of gold…well, how can you blame me? I was sold after the very first paragraph. Lord Arkus’ voice is strong, clear, and the irony and hypocrisy in his actions was hilarious. I could easily read 600 more pages of his story and not get bored. For as evil as he said he was, I just couldn’t bring myself to hate him, especially after he starts working with Jarvis. Jarvis was a wonderful supporting character, able to hold his own against Arkus’ volatile personality. The way the two of them bickered had me thinking that they were a married couple, rather than a master and servant.
Even though the book is short (just over 160 pages), it doesn’t lack in plot, detail, or positive morals. Lond’s world building is top notch, with just enough description for the reader to understand the magic of Arkus’ world and its culture. Even those who are not used to reading fantasy or those who are intimidated by it will find that My Sparkling Misfortune is easy to slip into. Like I said before, I’m positive all who pick up this book will have a fun time reading it! I hope that Lond writes a sequel sometime in the near future.
Title: SolsticePiper was a fairly steady and stable heroine, but it irritated me when she succumbed to what I now refer to in YA novels as “Instalove Syndrome”—where the main character immediately falls in love with one (or even two) mysteriously hot guy who mysteriously shows up in her school and mysteriously announces that they belong together (mysteriously). Those relationships don’t make sense to me, and I think I’m just tired of seeing them show up in fiction. But after Piper actually got to know her love interest I felt like they had chemistry together, so in the end it was all good. For those of you who are more into paranormal fiction than dystopian, you'll be pleased to hear that the book actually becomes less about the dystopian aspects of the world and more about the mythological/paranormal as the story progresses. The elements that provided suspense in Solstice were well done, and had me guessing the truth until it was actually revealed.
Solstice was a book that was easy to slip into, and hard to put down. With a dying world, mythological characters, and steamy romance—not to mention the fact that it crosses between genres, I see Solstice appealing to a wide variety of people. If you’re intrigued by the book’s synopsis, then chances are you’ll end up liking it! If a sequel is every written, I'm definitely going to pick it up.
For more information you can check out P.J. Hoover's website HERE!
ABOUT SOLSTICE:
Where Mythology and Dystopia meet…
Piper’s world is dying. Global warming kills every living thing on Earth, and each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles which threaten to destroy humanity. Amid this Global Heating Crisis, Piper lives with her mother who suffocates her more than the chaotic climate. When her mother is called away to meet the father Piper has been running from her entire life, Piper seizes an opportunity for freedom.
But when Piper discovers a world of mythology she never knew existed, she realizes her world is not the only one in crisis. While Gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life spirals into turmoil, and she struggles to find answers to secrets kept from her since birth. And though she’s drawn to her classmate Shayne, he may be more than he claims. Piper has to choose whom she can trust and how she can save the people she loves even if it means the end of everything she’s ever known.
P. J. Hoover first fell in love with Greek mythology in sixth grade thanks to the book Mythology by Edith Hamilton. After a fifteen year bout as an electrical engineer designing computer chips for a living, P. J. decided to take her own stab at mythology and started writing books for kids and teens. P. J. is a member of THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS. When not writing, P. J. spends time with her husband and two kids and enjoys practicing Kung Fu, solving Rubik’s cubes, and watching Star Trek.
You can visit her website at www.pjhoover.com
Hidy-ho there, warriors! Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Eric Jones, author of the Gatehouse series. Today, Eric is stopping by Oktopus Ink to talk about The Door to Canellin, the first book in the series, and share some stories about his writing. Alrighty, let's get this interview started, shall we? (warning: here there be spoilers.)
It was difficult in the beginning, at the outline stages. But that was actually one of the major reasons to write the book! I wanted to get into the head of a young hero, and I wanted to give my son a glimpse of what it might feel like to be a father who cares deeply for his child, and wants more than anything to relate to him. As I wrote, though, I found that it became easier and easier to slip into the mind of each character. I got to know them both so well, and the supporting cast too, that writing them became second nature. And in the end, the book accomplished its original goal of bringing us closer.
How did you come up with the idea to make Wes' language (English), the language of magic in Canellin?
That was actually one of the first things that came to me. I just had this humorous bit running through my head of an ancient, wise mage who was unable to read this incredibly powerful spellbook, only to find that the title was Magic 101, and it was written like a chemistry textbook. After coming up with the idea, it was much more difficult to find a reason for it! But as I wrote, the reason became clear to me, and is even worked into the story as an important plot point later. I won’t spoil it! But the book of magic that Wes found in Canellin comes up again later, and we do eventually learn where it came from and how it ended up there.
Wes is naturally gifted at playing music. Are a musician yourself?
I am indeed! I play saxophone, fiddle around on guitar, plunk on the piano occasionally, and I sing. I have a background (from college) in vocal music performance. My son also plays trumpet, and yes, he’s quite probably as good as Wes. He’s certainly better than me!
Gatehouse is sort of similar in concept to The Chronicles of Narnia. Were you a fan of the books when you were younger? If not, what are your favorite sci-fi/fantasy novels?
I had read the Narnia books when I was younger, and yes, I did enjoy them. But I actually think the concept of The Gatehouse is more of a traditional fantasy device. Charles deLint, Jack Chalker, Piers Anthony, Raymond Feist, and countless others have used the plot device of a portal to another world in which the rules are different than our own. I like to think the Gatehouse is a little different than most, since there are infinite possibilities as to what might be found behind a doorway. It gives me, as an author, a chance to explore many different genres with the same characters! Super-heroes, war stories, science fiction, horror… who knows, maybe even a western!
As far as some of my personal favorite sci-fi and fantasy novels, the list is staggering! The Incarnations of Immortality by Piers Anthony… the Soul Rider books by Jack Chalker… the Magician series by Raymond Feist… the Ender books by Orson Scott Card… the Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey… and of course, the old standards: Elfquest by Wendy and Richard Pini, and the Belgariad by David Eddings.
Did you do any research when writing Door to Canellin?
I’m actually glad you asked that. It’s not something I’ve really had a chance to talk about, but yes, I did quite a bit of research on one particular subject, and I’m still not 100% certain that I got it right! The channel crossing scene, when Trigg teaches Wes how to use a sextant. It actually turned out to be very difficult to find reference material on the use of a sextant in navigation! But it was something that was very important to the story, in regard to theme, and so I pieced together all the bits of information I could find until I was confident that my descriptions were close enough to the mark that they made sense.
The overall theme of the Gatehouse series is finding your way. Whether it’s finding your way home, or finding your way in life, or simply finding your way to the next town. Wes is trying to find his way to adulthood and independence, and Ryan is trying to find his way as a single father. Jiane, Luther, Elarie, and Gideon all have something they are seeking, something that motivates them, even if it’s not readily apparent. That scene was sort of my amateurish, ham-fisted way of showing that theme of a journey, of seeking, and how complicated and simple it can be at the same time.
Tell us a little bit about your writing process. Do you write everyday? In a specific spot? With a specific drink? Food?
I write or edit every day. My process is simple, but possibly a little too structured for some people. I write from outline. I do a detailed, chapter by chapter outline of my story, maybe even tossing in a line of dialog here and there if it occurs to me, or making notes on some important event that is supposed to happen. I then translate that into prose.
As far as writing in a specific spot, or with specific drinks or food… I’m far too busy! I have a day job, I’m a single father, and both my son and I are heavily involved in the instrumental music program at his high school (him playing, me as a member of the booster club that organizes their events and raises money). I catch my writing time when and where I can! My lunch breaks at work are handy moments, or late at night when I should be sleeping. But really, to answer the question, I don’t have any specific rituals, except for one. The outline and the majority of the first draft of anything I write are written in pen, longhand, in countless composition notebooks.
What was your favorite part to write? Least favorite part?
My favorite part would have to be a tie. I really love the scene where Gideon tells Wes about his sons, and the dragonwar. To this day, I look at that, and I feel it is probably the most well-written part of the book. But tied with that is the climactic battle scene. Come on, who doesn’t enjoy a battle??
My least favorite, you probably can’t pick out of the book. They’re what I call the “connecting” scenes. Some of them even have important events in them! But they’re the scenes that come in between all of the big, major events of the story. And they’re complicated to write! Keeping continuity, timelines, and characterization consistent between the scenes is a chore in and of itself, and I’d never be able to manage it without my outlines, and without my first readers… the people who keep me on track, reading the story as I’m going along.
Is there a specific message that you wanted readers to take away when finishing the first book of the Gatehouse series?
Honestly, there are any number of messages that were intended with the first book, but none of them are overly deep or profound. Just that life is a journey, and the journey never ends. There’s always something new to discover, just over the next rise. But when it comes right down to it, I’ll be happy if readers step away from The Door to Canellin feeling as if they’ve just enjoyed a fun, adventurous romp through a believable fantasy world, with real people, and real magic, and of course, real dragons!
Title: The Door to Canellin
