Supernatural Central Short and Quick Interview
1. Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book.
This story has two central characters: Edvar and Isy.
I’ll start with Isy because she’s admittedly my favourite. Isy is the definition of an underdog. She was born in a small rural town in the country of Yurr with a black birthmark covering a third of her face. The people of the town think she’s cursed, and her parents treat her as if she is too. Isy has very little to live for, until one day she’s kidnapped by a tall, harry, frog-like being. It carries her off to its people, who she discovers are in dire need of help. Isy agrees to give that help, and it begins a new chapter in her life, one of growth and discovery.
She has a really satisfying character arc, I feel. After such a traumatic and awful upbringing, she discovers what life is and what she can do, her skills, talents and passions. She essentially awakens as a person and as readers we get to see that unfold.
The other character is Edvar. He has a very different arc to Isy. He’s the son of a famous hero of the nation, a great war hero and right hand man to the leader. Edvar was training to take his place when he passes unexpectedly, thrusting Edvar into the role before he’s ready.
The story begins with Edvar trying to foil an assassination attempt on the Keeper (the equivalent to the monarch). From there, things get worse for Edvar, until he completely falls apart. His character arc is one of redemption. He begins in a good place, but descends quickly to the pits of despair. On his journey back to the top he meets Isy and from there on their fates are very much intertwined.
There are a few other perspectives throughout the story. Adding new people for the odd chapter is something I like to play around with, especially if they have a unique point of view. So you can find some of those along the way too.
2. Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?
I wouldn’t say I strictly believe in the paranormal but I’m very much open to the ideas surrounding it. I’ve always had a curious mind and tales of the supernatural, of monsters and myths have always drawn my attention.
Growing up, the best option we had for paranormal content was Most Haunted, a TV show featuring a scouse medium called Derek Acorah. Sometimes it got a bit daft, but when you strip away the drama and focus on the actual paranormal content it was pretty good.
I haven’t had any paranormal experiences, unfortunately,
3. What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?
At the moment I have a high fantasy novel called Elanta that I’m pitching to agents. It follows a young mother who desperately tries to flee a land ravaged by a war waged with a race of creatures called rymlaks (half ogre, half goat).
The scope expands as the story unfolds and you learn more about the reasons behind the war and what Elanta and her companions can do to stop it.
It’s a story inspired by the journeys made by those impacted by wars and natural disasters and the great lengths they go to protect those they love. The story also explores the essence of good and evil, a classic theme in fantasy, and one I wanted to tackle myself, with my own interpretations. I had an awful lot of fun writing it and hopefully I can find a home for it soon.
I’m also drafting a novella-come-short story anthology called Together We Rise. This one is very much a project for me. It tells the story of one day from eight different perspectives. And it works like a literary relay race. So it begins with character A who encounters character B. Then the story continues with character B, onto C, and so on. Each perspective offers a unique look while advancing the story, which is the tale of a revolution, of the people of a city run by corrupt politicians rising up and taking back control. It essentially takes a hard look at capitalism.
It’s also set in the same world as the novel I mentioned above, with one or two of the same characters making an appearance, so there’s a little more to things which gets revealed as the story progresses.
That’s all I’m working on at the minute. If you’re reading this and you like the sound of what I’ve just described, you can join my mailing list to stay in the loop for any new releases as well as get some free books and short stories.
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Excerpt:
Like a flock of dive-bombing gulls, the great stones of the Yurrish trebuchets and catapults twisted and turned in the air. One jagged chunk struck the bow of a Karraban galley and splinters and shards burst forth to a chorus of cracks and screams. Another great boulder obliterated the masthead of a nearby ship, hurling those upon the deck overboard.
More missed than struck. The yellow tide did not falter.Driven forward by oars, the Karraban fleet ate up the water, moving in a diagonal line. The trebuchets were taking an age to reload. From his vantage point, Jem could see those on the quay hurrying to winch back the catapults. At the sound of a frantic horn, the arms of the catapults were unleashed and clusters of iron balls, stones and rocks rained down on those ships leading the Karraban charge, puncturing hulls, sails and decks.
Still they came.
The trebuchets, ranges adjusted, loosed again and once more struck a destructive blow. The Karrabans still persisted. Yurrish archers upon the quay walls unleashed their first volley. Unfortunate rowers upon the open decks screamed, and the momentum of a number of ships waned, oars falling slack or tangling with others. One talented, or lucky, archer struck a helmsman and the galley veered into another, scraping its side and snapping its oars, and, no doubt, the arms of a few oarsmen too.
The Karrabans answered with arrows of their own, their archers placed in crow’s nests and platforms built amongst the rigging. The air quickly grew thick with darts. The persistent shouts and cries of men were incrementally drowned out by the great crashes of stone against wood as the loads of catapults and trebuchets fell. The frenetic scene around the quay wall absorbed Jem’s attention. Creeping into the top of his vision, looming behind the chaos, came the first of the great galleons. Its rowers slowed, turned portside, level with the quay gate.
"Sir, the galleon carries the thunder. You must stop it!" Jem shouted.
Gundar looked to where he pointed and nodded. He dispatched messengers to the quay and artillery stations. Jem spotted hatches opening on the portside of the ship. Catapults continued to fire at the galleys, though some quick-thinking engineers had turned their aim to the galleon.
Their loads fell short. The trebuchets were still reloading. They were the only ones who had a hope of hitting it, if any of their operators had the presence of mind to know where to aim.
One by one, their great wooden arms swung forwards. Huge rocks hung in the air like eagles.
Everyone upon the wall had their eyes upon them, hoping they struck, willing them to do so, and despairing as they watched each one splash harmlessly into the water.
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