Pandragon Dan

REQUESTS CURRENTLY CLOSED

 

Unfortunately, as of June 8th 2012 I am currently not accepting any new review requests until the current backlog is cleared. Those who have contacted me prior to this date with a review request (that have yet to send me a copy of their book) may still do so if I have asked for it. I aim to try and clear the backlog as quickly as possible.

 

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience caused. I have still accepting requests for guest blogs/blog tours.

 

I am now officially opening up my blog for book reviews! As some of you know, I review books on the website Read2Review – but I’ve decided to open my blog up to reviews independently of the website. Don’t worry, I will still be doing book reviews for R2R, but I also know how hard it is for authors to get reviews these days and would like to do my bit to help.

Therefore, if you are an author and would like to submit a book to me for review then I’d love to hear from you. Please read on and make sure you read ALL the information before emailing me.

How I will conduct my reviews

I will review any book by any author. It doesn’t matter if it’s self published, vanity published or traditionally published – if you’re an author who has a book, then I will be happy to give it a look (and you even got a little rhyme there from me!).

Reviews will be posted on my blog as and when I can – usually on a Wednesday as that is when I dedicate my blog to reading. I will also post any review on Amazon and Goodreads, and if you can suggest another place for the review to go, then let me know (I cannot currently put a review on Smashwords without buying the book first, so if you suggest this, please bear this in mind).

How I review the book will be based on the following criteria, starting with a brief synopsis of the piece/author:

COVER: They say never judge a book by it's cover, but I will spend a few moments talking abou the cover and outline any issues that it may have. This will not effect my overall review though - I'll just be making a comment on it if anything.

PLOT: Essentially: is it a good story? Does it flow well? Is the pace right for the subject?

CHARACTERS: Are they well developed and interesting? Do they stand out? How do they develop during the story? To me characters are a very important part of a story and a large factor in making my decision about a story.

READABILITY: This covers how the story flows and how the different parts join together. I will also include details of any typos or formatting issues.

ARTWORK: I'll briefly talk about the cover if I need to and any other artwork involved.

I will also identify the target audience and I will warn you if there is any adult content and anything else the reader needs to know. After that, I'll do a quick pros and cons section of each book and then a final mark. Much like my Read2Review reviews, I'll give a mark out of five and say for whom I think this book is recommended.

Please note that all reviews will be purely be based on my own personal opinion and they will be as honest as possible. However, I will NOT post any reviews that are overwhelmingly negative. I myself am an author and know the level of hard work that goes into writing. That being said, I don’t believe in giving “empty praise” and will make my criticisms as valid and helpful as I can. If I feel that I cannot do a review without it being negative, I will contact you to advise you of this.

Time frame

I aim to complete any review within 4-6 weeks of receiving the book, although this is subject to change dependent on the level of submissions. I will read all books in the order that I receive them so that it is fair to the other authors. Should you require a review by a certain date, please let me know. I will try and accommodate where possible, but this cannot always be guaranteed.

EDIT: At the moment I am currently experiencing a large volume of review requests so the current estimated time for a review is around 2-3 months.

What I WILL review

I will review Fiction novels (I will also accept short stories and novellas) of ANY kind, this means I will review Children’s/Young Adult/Adult/Etc. My main love is Science Fiction and Fantasy, however, I have also reviewed Romance novels in the past and I am more open to them than most male readers. I do not wish to limit myself to any particular genre so please contact me to discuss your book and I will usually accept it (with the exceptions mentioned below).

I also will accept poetry, graphic novels, comics and Manga of any style – in fact I openly encourage creators (artists/writers) of those to send them forward to me and I will be happy to take a look. For any artists out there who wish me to critique their work, I am also happy to do that as well.

What I will NOT review

I won’t review any novel that contains rape, bestiality, torture, murder or child abuse if it is portrayed as a sexual fetish. I refuse to promote anything above that tries to pass itself off in that way. So that means no Hentai or anything resembling Hentai. That doesn’t mean I don’t accept erotic fiction – but if your work does include any of the above, please let me know.

This also means that I cannot accept any excessively erotic or pornographic artwork of any kind. Please bear in mind I have to be careful of the level of content I can post on my blog and this is the kind of stuff I don’t think I can get away with.

Also, I won’t review fan-fiction of any kind. That’s not to say that I have anything against it, I just don’t feel right reviewing something that uses other peoples work. Unless of course it is a semi-canon source that is meant to be part of the same continuity. If your work falls into this, please let me know beforehand.

At the moment I am currently not accepting Non-fiction books as I do not think I can give them a fair review, so if you're book is non-fiction then I may not be the best person to approach.

How much will I charge for reviews

I will NEVER charge any author/artist for a review of their work. This also means that I will NOT accept bribes of any kinds, so don’t even think about doing that – it will not make me review your book any quicker. I will review the books in the order that I get them, so please be patient.

And now – the important thing... How to submit to me for a review

EDIT: Due to the large amount of submissions I've had so far, I can only currently accept ONE title per author. If your book is part of a series, please send me the first part of the series. If you have more than one book currently out, please send me the one that you most want reviewed. If I like what I read, I will be happy to read more of your work.

Please send all review requests to pandragonpublishing@gmail.com with the subject heading “Review Request” and then the title of your book. All you need to do for this first email is a little synopsis of your book, telling me about the story, characters, genre, etc. You don’t need to go into too much detail, just a few paragraphs is fine. By all means include a link to your website or blog for me to check you out if you so wish.

If I like what I hear, I will ask for a copy of the book. DO NOT send me a copy of the book on your first email. I need to make sure that I can give a full and honest review of the book first, based on the synopsis you give me, so don’t send it until I tell you that I am ready to accept it. By all mean, send me any promotional material and a book cover – just don’t send me the book straight away until I ask for it. Don’t worry, I will usually say yes to any review requests. I would also like a authors biography to include with the review when it is posted, so please send me this also, including any links you like added (because I’d also like to promote you as a author during my review).

For comic and graphic novels, it’s ok to send me some sample artwork if you so wish. I will probably only ask for one issue in the case of a long running series. If it’s a one off, the full issue will be fine.

When I ask for the book, it is probably easiest to send them in PDF or Mobi files. However, if you only have hard copies of the book, I will accept them as well – however please see the disclaimer below.

Finally – a little disclaimer

Please note that the above information is subject to change without prior notice.

I reserve the right to not review a book based on the above and I reserve the right to cancel a review at any given time. I will always give a reason for doing so in this instance.

By the same token, you have the right to ask me to cancel a review if you so request prior to its posting.

Should you wish to send me a paperback copy, you are responsible for your own postage and packaging. Should you wish for a copy of the book to be returned, please include a stamped address envelope with your letter or I will NOT return it. Please bare this in mind when sending hard copies.

I aim to respond to all review requests within 7 working days. If, once receiving your book for review, you have heard nothing from me from the time frame mentioned above, please send me ONE chaser email. If you continuingly spam me with emails, I will cancel your review.

By sending me a copy of your book, you acknowledge that I can use any material provided (ie, cover art) for review purposes. You will retain full copyright to the book and its contents.

Guest posts/blog tours

For those wishing to do a guest post or wish to have me as part of their blog tour, or to include any of my works on their blog, please email me at the address above to discuss.

Reviews of my books

If you wish to express an interest in reviewing any of my books - please contact me at the above email to discuss.

So there you are, hopefully the above is ok for you and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

Regards

Pandragon

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Today I'm joined by Benjamin X. Wretlind, author of the excellently disturbing Castles: A Fictional Memoir of a Girl With Scissors (click on the picture below to see my review of it), with a very interesting guest post on the subject of both sides of our brains. Hopefully it will give you all food for thought! Enjoy!

Right Side, Left Side (or Multitasking the Dinner Plate)

By Benjamin X. Wretlind

There have been, at different times in my life, three or four or even five different novel ideas competing for attention. In March 2006, I tried to analyze how to deal with this mess. The following is a post I made on my original blog (with some tense changes here and there). I bring it up now simply because I find it ironic to read just one day after finishing Phillip K. Dick’s A Scanner Darkly.

Multitasking the Dinner Plate

Allow me to present you with this poor analogy. Pretend you’re sitting at the dinner table with prime rib in front of you. You’re offered a creme brulée and bottle of Dom Perignon. While the meat is good, you’re tempted to let the other two objects make love with your taste buds just as much. Yes, they compliment each other as a whole, but each one has a unique flavor that demands attention, not haphazard scarfing or slurping.

As a child, I ate my food in a specified order (usually clockwise). Peas never made contact with rice, steak sauce didn’t touch mashed potatoes and the last thing on my plate was the flavor I wanted to keep in my mouth the longest. As I grew older, I abandoned this approach and learned to combine the flavors of different foods on my plate by multitasking.

However, I still have my priorities: the main course is generally consumed in multiple mastication sessions, while complimentary dishes are taken care of in one or two. This is how I eat, and it is balanced.

However, my writing life has bounced between two extremes: multitasking to the point of never completing anything, and working on one thing only for months at a time. The former extreme is just plain bad for business and the latter results in a loss of focus. When a bunch of novel ideas compete with each other in my head, I wonder if my approach should not lean more toward a balanced combination of multitasking with more emphasis placed on the project I feel the most connected to at the time. After all, it’s all about focus.

Fixing the Focus Issue

There are exercises to combat loss of focus, but most of them are related to some aspect of project management in the business world. They are not easily transferred to the uninhibited creative mind; in other words, the right side of the brain cannot form strategies (i.e. the path to completion of a “real” project), or break down a project into component tasks. Our right side is often exercised in areas that are contrary to compartmentalizing our creative efforts. It does, however, explore possibilities. Within these possibilities, strategies can be analyzed, and eventually goals can be achieved.

If we subscribe to the notion that novels are projects, and writing them is a career path, then managing the creation of these novels should be no more difficult than managing a software development project or a large defense contract. I’m not saying we apply Critical Path Analyses or Gantt Charts to them, but there are tools that might effectively guide projects to completion without losing focus. To do this, though, we have to assign “novel writing” to the left side (or logical portion) of the brain and infuse creativity into what can now be called a managed project.

I’ll back up for a moment. As some of you know, I used to be a meteorologist and often used a managed process and creativity to analyze the state of the atmosphere at a given time to forecast what the state will be in hours, days or weeks. I was also, for about three years, a project manager and interface designer of prototype climatological Internet applications for the Department of Defense. Software developers who might be reading this are usually guided by requirements documents and shudder at the idea of “creativity.” Damn you for thinking outside the box, and such. As a meteorologist who developed software, though, I had a unique point of view while managing these projects at work: I could insert creativity into the regimented software development process without fear of reprisal. Things got done, and there was much rejoicing in the land.

If I were to turn that around, though, and attempt to apply a managed process to what I feel should be a strict creative expression, I would ultimately lose focus and feel my creativity is being stunted by the logical progression of the requirements document. Timelines would be missed, and although a project might see fruition, it would not do so in an ordered fashion. The end result would be a pretty-looking piece of crap.

So if the first approach to managing projects at work was successful, I wondered: why can’t I apply this principle to writing novels? Why can’t I insert creativity into a managed task?

The answer is: I already do it, and so do you. Yes, the right side of our brain cannot accept guidelines; that’s the hemisphere that, when presented with the order “Stay within the lines,” will translate it into “What would my picture look like if I melted this burnt sienna crayon on the paper and used a tongue depressor to push it around?” And yet, we use our left side to force our creative expressions into linear patterns, to use words, to see order (exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, denouement), and to understand grammatical rules that we adhere to religiously. Combining the two hemispheres allows us to ultimately create something that is accessible to others.
Writing is a managed process infused with creativity.

The Man With Two Brains

When a writer loses focus on a project, there must be a breakdown in one or more of the functions of the brain required to create. I argue that the creativity is not lost here. It is, instead, writhing around in pain in the right hemisphere, unable to cross the corpus collosum–the bundle of nerves that connect the two sides of the brain–and guide the logical process of the left hemisphere. A writer’s focus becomes blurry at this point. He or she attempts to force creativity through the left side or tries to push some managed process through the right. The writer wants to believe that his or her work is a strict creative expression. Headaches ensue and projects suffer.
Roger Sperry, a Nobel Prize winner, conducted a study regarding the vast differences in the way the two hemispheres of the brain react to the world around a person. These “split brain” experiments laid out, in so many terms, what each hemisphere is capable of doing. More importantly, he characterized the need for synchronicity between the two hemispheres in the creative process:

Communication between the two hemispheres of the brain is essential if our creative efforts are to be well integrated in many dimensions . . . Indeed, when the halves of the brain exchange their disparate experiences, pool their viewpoints and approaches, the resulting synthesis brings . . . a whole symphony of talents. (Sperry, R. W. (1975) Left-brain, right-brain. Saturday Review. Aug. 9, pp. 30-33)

With all that said, I offer myself this analysis: in order to complete a project, we must break it down into its component parts, assign a logical progression of plot, and finally allow our creativity to guide the words that come from our left hemisphere. If we do this–assign novel writing to the logical side of the brain and treat it as a project to be managed like any other project and broken down into manageable tasks–we can allow the creative brain to explore deeper, imagine more, dream larger. The stronger the right hemisphere becomes, the more clout it has with the left hemisphere.

In short, we must have two brains, and they must like each other.

AUTHOR DETAILS

Website/blog: http://www.bxwretlind.com/
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/bxwretlind
Twitter: @bxwretlind
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2900267.Benjamin_X_Wretlind

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-X-Wretlind/e/B004X2O624/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Benjamin-X-Wretlind

Thanks to Benjamin for the extremely interesting guest post, which I hope was equally as helpful to you guys. More guest posts to come in the future!

AUTHORS: Want to contribute a guest post? I am always welcome to any author who wants to post on my blog. Please contact me at pandragonpublishing@gmail.com to discuss.

Until next time.

Pandragon

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Up a day later than usually, but none the less I have today the last in my series of Author Interviews (for the time being) of authors whose books I have reviewed on Read2 Review. Today I have with me the wonderful De Kenyon.

Of all the interview's I've done, her's is by far the most entertaining and hirlarious. I love her sense of humour! De Kenyon is the author of the brilliant Tales Told Under Covers - a selection of Children's Horror stories. Featuring everything from zombies to wizards to giant sushi monsters (yes you heard that correctly), this book is a must read if you're looking for entertaining horror that's perfect for children. In fact I actually compared De Kenyon to H.P Lovecraft in some way, in the sense that her stories are so wild and imagitive it's hard not to be swept away by them!

Check out my review for the book HERE . In the meantime, let's see how De Kenyon decided to answer my questions. Enjoy!

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
No.  I refuse.  I refuse to tell you about my love of comic books, learning karate with my daughter, or living in Colorado with an awesome playhouse in the back yard.  You'll just have to live with your despair, which, I see, is making you cry  disconsolately.

2. Outside of writing, what would you say your favourite hobbies are?
Reading books.  I read a lot of books (and comics).  Cooking weird food that I don't know how to cook, just because I want to see how many ways I can mess it up.  Well, I suppose I also want to eat it, but mostly I want to see how far I can mess with things before I can't eat it anymore.  Playing online games with my family.  We usually end up on the bad guys' side.  They're just misunderstood, you know.

3. What made you want to get into writing?
I used to make up stories for people when they came to visit us. We lived on a farm, and my mom stayed home all day, so one or two of our cousins would stay with us every year and hang out and do chores and things.  And we'd play pretend--oh, for a very long time, probably until I was in sixth grade or so--and go on adventures and things.  I'd set up whatever the beginning was, and then we'd all play until everyone got mad at each other.  I got bored in school, and one of the teachers decided that I needed to be a writer, because that's what I'd do in class after I'd done all the homework: make up stuff.  I was sent to writer camp for a week...only I had to write a story before they'd let me in.  Does that make sense, I ask you?  First you teach me to write, and then I write the story.  But no.

4. Who would you say are your favourite authors and who inspires your writing the most?
I'm a huge Alice's Adventures in Wonderland fan, to the point where I know that the town where the author spent some of his vacations had a bunch of white rabbits running all over the parks.  LOTS of them, for some reason.  I find that Alice always inspires me.  I also love Terry Pratchett, Steven Brust, Spider Robinson, Robert Heinlein, Eoin Colfer, Carol Berg, Jonathan Stroud, Tamora Pierce, Diana Wynne Jones...oh, about a bajillion other authors, too.

5. Without giving away any spoilers, can you tell us a little about Tales Told Under The Covers?
It's a collection of short stories about a) defeating bullies, 2) getting in trouble, and d) a lot of other things.  I used to read a lot of horror stories as a kid, like the books with 101 spooky stories in them and stuff.  So all the stories are a little creepy in one way or another, and I can't think of any of the stories that doesn't have a fight in it.  But all of the stories have mostly happy endings.  Because I'm terrible at sad endings, really.

6. How did you get the ideas for the stories in the book?
I asked kids for ideas and then made them as weird as possible.  Like for "A Picture is Worth 1000 Chomps," I asked for an idea, any idea, and the girl told me she wanted a story about evil things coming out of mirrors or picture frames.  I just changed it to cameras and laptops, because nobody expects your tech stuff to be more or less haunted.

7. Do you prefer writing short stories over full length novels?
I like both, but short stories are harder for me.  The hardest part is coming up with the ideas for me, so short stories mean a lot of work for not all that much writing.

8. Which of the stories is your favourite?
It depends on my mood.  Usually I like "The Last Voyage of the Mermaid" the best, because my daughter, when she was younger, was always asking me what death was like, and I never knew what to say to her.  But when we go out for sushi, it's "Attack of the 50-Foot Sushi Monster," because that's where we came up with the idea.  Each of the stories has its own special moments where I'm like, "Oh, story.  I love you so."

9. Even though it’s aimed at children, do you worry that some of the content may be a bit too dark for them in places?
Yes and no.  Yes, because I know some kids are scared out of their wits by scary stories.  No, because the book kind of says, "Hey, there are some scary stories in here."  I think adults don't give kids credit for their bravery.  They see you be scared about one thing, like spiders, and think, "This kid's a chicken" for the rest of their childhoods.  And kids have to deal with scary things all the time--like divorce, parents who have job/money/drug or alcohol problems, not knowing whether you'll ever see your friends next school year, bullies, etc.  Why not talk about that?

10. I have to ask this – the story about the Sushi monster is one of the strangest, yet really entertaining stories I’ve read. Where did the inspiration for that one come from?
My daughter.  We were eating sushi, as we do, and sitting at the counter watching the chefs chop things up.  One of her favorite things to eat was octopus for a while; now it's two different kinds of fish eggs.  I told her I needed an idea for my next story.  When the rolls came out, we were messing around, and she kind of built a sushi figure from my roll.  "What if this was a sushi man and he ate everyone?"  I think that's how she put it.  I sometimes have to tone down her ideas a little; they're already pretty far out there.

11. Are there any current horror trends that get on your nerves?
The women who scream and get chopped to bits.  Really?  Really?  If I'm ever in a horror movie, I'm going for a cleaver.  Or a nice, heavy set of keys.  Even a pen.  I may die, but I'm taking at least a few bad guys with me.  Especially if there are kids to defend.  Hooh boy.  I'd just put down the chainsaw and run, if I were the bad guy.  Don't mess with ladies who are defending little kids.

12. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Read.  If you want to write, you should be addicted to reading the stuff you want to write.  Don't watch mostly TV if you want to write books, for example.  And write. A lot.  Not just when you feel like it.  All the time.  Every day.  It doesn't matter if it's terrible; if you keep writing, it'll get better.  It just will, believe it or not.  But write a lot.

AUTHOR DETAILS

I blog at www.dekenyon.com and tweet at @writerde .  You can get my book in print at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or as an ebooks at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Smashwords, and lots of other online bookstores.

Thanks again to De for the interview - I hope you all found it as entertaining as I did. More author interviews coming very soon!

Normal service should resume for blogging as from tomorrow! Until then, keep reading!

Kindest

Pandragon

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Today I'm interviewing the author of Castles: A Ficitonal Memoir of a Girl With Scissors, Benjamin X Wretlind. Castles was a book that I reviewed earlier in the year and found it a very disturbing - but at the same time well written novel. Told from the perspective of the central character, it is a horrific coming of age story that leaves a lasting impression on the reader and I highly recommend if for any fans of horror.

See my full review of the book HERE

Interviewing Benjamin was an interesting experience, as you'll see below, but I say that in a good way. He's a highly intelligent lad with a lot of good insights into writing and how to write. Without further ado, for your reading pleasue, I present to you, Mr Benjamin X Wretlind.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

I guess the best answer to “who am I” has always been “eclectic.”  However, if I had to elaborate I would say: I’ve lived all over this country and was raised under the hand of a minister who teaches dead Biblical languages.  This probably has nothing to do with who I’ve become, but I’m sure there’s a story in there someplace.  In my life, I have been—at different times, of course—a fry cook, a range boy, a greens maintenance technician, a reservations agent, a room service attendant, an editor, a banquet server, a meteorologist, an instructor, a quality control demon, a program manager for Internet applications and a curriculum developer.  I’m currently working as a simulation engineer for a chemical weapons destruction plant.  I also like llamas.

2. Outside of writing, what would you say your favourite hobbies are?

I read a lot, but my biggest joy lately has been painting things I see in my head with acrylic.  That mostly involves surreal landscapes, but I hope to improve enough this year to start painting characters and creatures.  I also love photography, but I can’t say the camera loves me.
 

3. What made you want to get into writing?

I’ve written most of my life. In fact, there’s a story buried somewhere in my files I wrote in 2nd grade that my mom saved for me.  The story is naturally childish, but when I read it a few years ago I was convinced it was one of the many stepping stones I used to get to where I am.  I always wanted to write and always did.  I wrote for school and I wrote for me.  I wrote because it’s a major part of who I am.  For a real answer to what makes me think I’m a writer, there’s an entry on my blog I wrote in 2006 that covers the two most pronounced events that pushed me in the direction I’m headed.  http://bxwretlind.com/blog/2011/05/23/the-obligatory-reflective-post-parts-i-ii/

4. Who would you say are your favourite authors and who inspires your writing the most?

My favourite current authors lately are Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.  Their novels, especially those revolving around FBI detective Aloysius Pendergast, always keep me entertained.  I’m also fond of Michael Ende, Ray Bradbury and Clive Barker.  Both Ende and Robert Holdstock were probably the most influential writers in my life.
 

5. Without giving away any spoilers, can you tell us a little about Castles?

Castles is a view into the mind of a woman who, throughout her life, is abused in more ways than one.  It's an emotional rollercoaster, told through the main character's voice, about what she sees, what she knows, and what she's been told.  There is violence and there is love, and there is violent love.  I like to think of Castles as a question: is madness really mad and is reality really real?

6. Of the books I’ve reviewed so far, I’d say that this one is probably the darkest. Do you tend to gravitate towards the darker side of fiction? 

I do, but not because I force myself in that direction.  At one point in my career, I thought I had to pick a genre and stick with it.  That’s when the original idea for Castles came about.  However, the latest project I’m working on includes elements of the paranormal (ghosts and witches), romance, family-oriented drama and a few thrills.  A novel I’m currently rewriting might be considered magical realism.  The next novel I’ve been outlining is actually a political thriller.  None of this is really dark, although my characters tend to have a depressing outlook on life, that’s for sure.

7. How would you describe the contents of the book?

If I had to use one word, I would say "disturbing."  If I could use another word, I would add "uncomfortable."

8. Do you think that the book, being written in a POV sense, gives it an edge over most other horror books?

Most certainly.  I think the style is what sets it apart from everything else out there.  Castles was told in the voice of the main character, Maggie, and it's that voice that really allows the reader to question madness.  I've told a few people that Castles wasn't written by me; it was dictated to me by a voice in my head.  That voice, Maggie, wouldn't shut up for seven years--the length of time it took to write to novel.

9. What gave you the idea for the story? Is it based on anything? 

The original short story was written in 2003 when I was part of a writing group.  The subject was "weather" and, as a meteorologist at the time, I thought I had an edge.  I picked dust storms and desert weather as the backdrop of the story because I grew up in Phoenix and love the weather during the monsoon season.  However, when I got my comments back from the group, there was one which stuck in my head: "what you've written is the outline of a great novel."  It took a few months for me to really start working on Castles, and then there was a long break (several years, actually), when Maggie wouldn't talk to me.  It was almost as if she felt I wasn't ready to hear her story.  When she did speak to me, I frantically wrote it all down and felt just as sick as most of my readers. I also felt I had to let the story loose, to let others hear what Maggie had to say.

10. If your book was made into a film, who would you get to star in it and why? 

I don't know.  Maggie has a slight Southern accent, but I don't know what she looks like.  She's in her early 20's, too, so if I had to pick someone, it would probably be Jennifer Lawrence, who starred in Winter's Bone.

11. What are your main ambitions for this book?

Maggie has something to say, and  I want the world to listen to her. In other words, I would really like people to give the book a chance.  There are several reviewers who have said they are very glad to have left their comfortable genre and tried something they normally wouldn't read.  I also would like the book to generate conversation, as it did when I wrote the original short story.  That conversation centered around women as victims and why some women remain victims.  It was strange to feel that something I'd written sparked a debate, and I'd like the full novel to do the same thing.

12. What advice would you give to aspiring authors? 

There is so much advice out there for aspiring authors, from "don't give up" to "learn the craft."  What I would say is this: Every thing and every one has a story; write it down and see what happens.

AUTHOR DETAILS

Website/blog: http://www.bxwretlind.com/
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/bxwretlind
Twitter: @bxwretlind
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2900267.Benjamin_X_Wretlind

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-X-Wretlind/e/B004X2O624/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Benjamin-X-Wretlind

A big thanks to Benjamin X Wretlind for taking time out from his busy schedule to speak to me. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this and will be checking out his book sometime soon.

Next week, we will have the talented De Kenyon, talking about her short story anthology Tales Told Under Covers.

Until next time...

Pandragon

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Todays interview is with J.S. Council, author of Airion - Return to Zire. The book is the first in a fantasy series set in an underwater world and set around two twins with incredible powers.

Whilst I generally don't interview authors whose books I haven't reviewed yet, J.S. Council was an absolute pleasure to interview. She's a down to earth and geninue person that's as keen on writing as much as I am and easy to interview. Therefore, I'm glad that I can give her a chance to talk about her work.

Without further ado, here is my interview with her.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Jessika S. Council. I am a 25-year-old college graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a degree in Creative Writing – Fiction.  I was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina but I’ve lived in Durham, North Carolina with my mother and brother most of my life. I currently live, work, and write in Japan and will be here for a few years yet unless the current wave of events are drastically altered from their path in the near future.

2. Outside of writing, what would you say your favourite hobbies are?

I love all forms of art and creation, mostly due to my family’s influence growing up. I mother is a singer, songwriter, and vocal coach, my brother is a great artist, and many of my cousins are good dancers. If I’m not writing, I’m usually singing at karaoke with friends, working on my needlepoint project, or, these days, I can usually be found dancing with the local college dance team, NEXT. We practice twice a week and have various performances throughout the year. My section is Hip-Hop Jazz, but I like to explore all types of dance from hip-hop to belly dance and ballet to bollywood.

3. What made you want to get into writing?

Ironically, I didn’t know I wanted to be a writer until around my second year of college. My love for reading came a little later in life, in my teens. I was bullied as a young child, so I hated reading out loud, which, in turn, made me hate reading in general. I loathed it, really. I cried whenever my mother made me read. But, I realized much later in life, writing was something completely different. I have always enjoyed it. Throughout my schooling, it was the writing assignments that excited me. I would even ask the teacher for extra projects or research papers. There was just something about controlling the fate of the words on the page that intrigued me. With so many uncontrollable circumstances in life, I admit it still does.

4. Who would you say are your favourite authors and who inspires your writing the most?

When I finally, truly fell in love with reading, it was with J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Since then, Rowling has been kind of a mentor and a rival for me, making me strive to be a better writer and make it as big as she has. But, of course, she isn’t the only one. Steven King, J. R. R. Tolkien of Lord of the Rings, Tamora Pierce of The Magic Circle and Circle Opens series, Tanith Lee of The Claidi Journals series, and Madeleine L'Engle of the A Wrinkle in Time series all have their special places in my heart and my work as well.

5. Without giving away any spoilers, can you tell us a little about Airion – Return to Zire?

Airion – Return to Zire is set in a world beneath the surface of the ocean called Airion. The main protagonists, Kobi and Raili, are identical twin brothers born to royalty in Zire—a nation within Airion. As infants, the twins are sent to live their childhood on Land to protect them from Zire’s sister country and greatest enemy, Cella. Because of the severity of the situation, the boys are not told their true identities and they live as happy kids on Land. At fourteen years of age, every Airian’s body changes to adapt to ocean life, so the boys are scheduled to be informed of their heritage and returned to their home country, Zire, on their fourteenth birthday. But unknown to everyone, Zire’s old enemy, Cella, has made plans of it’s own that will take everyone by surprise.  

6. From what I read so far, I feel that it would almost work as a type of Manga/Comic book story with the stylistic description of the underwater people. Would you say your book could be adapted into a comic?

I get this question a lot from my readers and I think about it differently every time. The storyline of my book is a bit complex, especially with the coming novels. But, from what I see from Manga today, I don’t doubt that the world of Airion would thrive as a manga. I am an anime fan and I do read manga. It would be an honor, indeed, to have my work be a part of that community.  

7. What was your biggest inspiration for this novel?

Amazingly, it was a water leak in my dorm room’s floor that started the wheels turning for this book. My dorm had a carpeted floor and, in the corner, there was a wet spot that just kept getting bigger. Not too long after, as if by fate, I saw an episode of ‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’ about this water world you could get to by jumping into puddles of water. Airion was born from there.

8. What has the feedback been like for this book?

Surprisingly, I haven’t had much negative feedback about the novel itself—the storyline, the settings, the characters, etc. However, when I first self-published, there was an embarrassing array of typos still within the piece. I had spent over six months editing and changing things about the story and I had a few people read it for errors, but there were still mistakes. Fortunately, a few of my new writer friends in Japan took pity on me and ran over the book with a very critical eye.

9. If this book was ever made into a film, who would you choose to star in it?

Good  question. For sure, I would want Zoe Saldrana to play the part of the Zirian Queen, Kai Ventra and Dwayne Johnson could play the part of the Zirian King, Sai Thayne. Viggo Mortensen might be a good Captain Kaiyen Vorex and Sean Bean could make a good Sir Alick of Zire. William Moseley would be a great Trayn, Prince of Zire and the up and rising Jaden Smith could tackle the dual parts of Kobi and Raili. Taylor Lautner would be good to play the role of Trayn’s best friend Kloud and Orlando Bloom or Daniel Radcliff could take his first truly villainous role by playing Balin, Sub-Leader of Cella; Either one of them would work, really. I’d, also, like to see either Jada Pinkett Smith or Halle Berry play the role of Heal Warrior Kimi. But I fear the roles of the younger ladies in the piece would have to be completely new because, although I could think of people who might play the part very well, they are, alas, too old or too young for the parts of Winiki Kaio and Salina Vorex.

10. Are there any current trends in sci-fi fiction that you particularly like/hate?

Now that Harry Potter is over, I have yet to fall in love with another trend. I’m not too keen on the sparkling vampire trend right now though. I liked vampires when they had a bit more of a contrast in their strengths and weaknesses.  Although, I like how werewolves are starting to evolve. As for movies, I think the world created by James Cameron in the 2009 film Avatar was a step in the right direction.

11. What does the future hold for the Airion series?

The Airion series is going to be very exciting. If you liked the first one, book two will be even more nail biting. As of now, the series will be about four books long. I am in the process of writing the second book of the series. I’m hoping to release it in the later part of this year and continue producing a book a year until the series is complete.

12.    What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

•    Set a head goal, or a main focus, and then create ‘stepping stone’ goals to get to it. Remember, a book is created one chapter at a time.
•    Know your trade and read everything. I become the most motivated and creative in my writing when I read works accomplished by others.
•    Never doubt yourself and never give up because the ideas aren’t coming to you as fast as you would like. They’ll come, and when they do, it’ll blow your mind. Trust me.


Airion: Return To Zire is available:
Paperback
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Airion-Return-J-S-Council/dp/0983717907
Amazon Japan: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Airion-Return-J-S-Council/dp/0983717907
Barnes&Nobles: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/airion-mizuneko-creations/1103679370?ean=9780983717904&itm=3&usri=airion
Borders online: http://www.borders.com.au/book/airion-return-to-zire/24998596/
Ailibris: http://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/9780983717904
Ebook
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/70808
Barnes&Nobles: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/airion-j-s-council/1104008877?ean=2940011375484&itm=1&usri=airion%3a+return+to+zire
 
Author Contact:
Website: http://jscouncil.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JSCouncilauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/AirionSeries
 

Thanks to J.S for taking time out to speak to me on her novel. I'll have a review up for her very soon.

Next Wednesday I'll be interviewing Benjamin X. Wretlind, author of Castles - A Fictional Memoir of a Girl With Scissors.

Pandragon

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