Website
* Facebook *
Twitter * Instagram
* Goodreads
GUEST POST
What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve
always loved classic Good versus Evil tales. True they are a dime a
dozen, filled with similar tropes and sometimes a bit cliché. You
know, light versus darkness, one chosen character to rid the world of
this monstrous evil, magical items, etc. etc. However, just when you
think you’ve read something like this before, as soon as you’re
enveloped into the story, you see how the tale carries its own
uniqueness. Of course, there will be similarities, I can find that in
just about every bestselling epic fantasy/sci-fi I read, but each
story carries its own flair.
I
love when a villain or even a hero begins to question their path,
wondering if the task they are trying to accomplish is the right
thing to do. Perhaps the Light has a point? Perhaps the Darkness has
a point, and looking a little deeper, maybe, just maybe the Light (or
whom we call our heroes), isn’t so perfect after all. Besides, all
of us know the world is far beyond mere black and white. So, I took
all my thoughts, likes and influences and molded them together and
out came my book Prophecy
of the Guardian: Book One, Guardian Trilogy.
What can we expect from you in the
future?
Right now, I’m working on a book that
takes place half a century after the Guardian trilogy ends, so, same
world. It’s called “The Tree of Damnation.”
Do you have any “side stories”
about the characters?
I thought about writing some side
stories/short stories about some of my characters. I just might do
that sometime…
Can you tell us a little bit about
the characters in Prophecy of the Guardian?
Darshun Luthais is the protagonist of
the story. We meet him as an infant, cast upon an altar, moments away
from being sacrificed by a cult. However, before we get to him, we
are introduced by two other characters, Mirabel and Seth. We discover
these two are members of the Nasharin race, a race long thought to be
extinct. They are known for their monstrous powers in not only their
unique magical abilities, but also in the martial arts. The Nasharin
stands out from every other race within that world. They have many
intriguing surprises. Most of all, they are considered a curse to the
forces of the Light but are feared by the Dark.
Darshun is a happy-go-lucky character.
He loves to have fun; he loves to eat (like ridiculously), he loves
to fight, and he has a big heart. However, sometimes his ego gets in
the way. He is flawed and must go through many trials and
tribulations throughout the story. Each choice he makes impacts the
war that is occurring. And sometimes his choices are not so wise,
especially when led astray by his first lady love, a woman who
carries her own secrets.
But you get to see Darshun grow. You
laugh at his often silliness. You also root for him when he’s
facing seemingly impossible odds and battles. He is probably the most
developed character in the entire story.
The Dark Queen Talvenya and the mystery
warrior Nayland are two other intriguing characters we meet in book
one, Prophecy of the Guardian. These two are many fan favorites. They
get fleshed out well during the adventure. However, I can’t say
much more or I will spoil some things. The surprise behind Nayland in
book one really intrigues the reader. Until you find out, you’re
asking yourself “who the heck is this guy?!” And that’s because
many strange things surround him, also his knowledge of things he
shouldn’t know, his brilliant fighting skills and of course his
dark stare and often crude mannerisms.
How did you come up with the
concept and characters for the book?
It definitely evolved over the course
of half a decade. Remember this is a trilogy, so I had a long way to
go. Some characters that survive I was originally going to kill and
vice-versa. Other characters I fell in love with. They ended up
taking another path I had not originally intended.
I wanted an epic tale. I wanted
characters who feel like friends to the readers, characters you root
for or cry for during their troubles.
I wanted the tale to be mystical,
energetic, emotional and inspirational. I did not want just a bland
story about fighting. There are lots of fights and battles in my
Guardian trilogy, lots of epic one on one fights too, but I put every
amount of emotion and detail behind them, making sure as one is
reading it their imagination is greatly heightened and their hearts
on edge because of the closeness you have come to feel for the
characters.
Lots of magic and even some romance
takes place as well, and it is one incredible ride, especially as you
become attached to a few of the lead characters of the story.
What did you enjoy most about
writing this book?
The long, oppressive journey that
Darshun (our protagonist) goes through, from start to end. He learns
a lot, is flawed but has a big heart. He admits his mistakes, and as
the pages turn, he gets stronger physically and spiritually, which is
a must before he faces his final obstacle.
Tell us about your main characters-
what makes them tick?
Darshun loves a good time. He enjoys
partying, eating and drinking, but he also loves to fight. A stronger
opponent only excites him further and he will push himself to
overcome that opponent. It’s not that he wants to be “better”
in an ego sense. He too wants to gain those skills and better
himself.
Mirabel (Darshun’s adoptive father)
is a Nasharin master. He has learned it all over hundreds of years.
By the time the Guardian trilogy starts, his mindset is always on his
son, Darshun. He wants to train him, prepare him for what he knows is
coming. Mirabel lost a son many years previous. Darshun has a special
place in his heart.
The Dark Queen Talvenya loves to
control. She is domineering to the point of anyone or anything
crossing her path she wants to pummel into the ground. As she sees
it, they are to forever remain beneath her or at her feet. She
delights in cruelty. However, this is not random. There are reasons
why she is the way she is. The prologue of the story, a scene where
she exchanges words with a fallen lord after she dominated his men
and personally committed an act of cruelty (no spoilers here). The
words she says to him make us wonder…what did she mean by that?
What has happened to her in the past?
Who designed your book covers?
Rosen Simeonov. I think he did a
fantastic job portraying the characters and elements to the story.
If you had to do it all over again,
would you change anything in your latest book?
Not a single thing. I’ve been working
on these babies for years, had earlier versions, revised and revised.
Finally, I am happy with the Guardian Trilogy and now I can let go
and move on to other tales.
If your book was made into a film,
who would you like to play the lead?
I honestly don’t know, but the magic
and battle scenes would look fantastic on the big screen!
If you could spend time with a
character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do
during that day?
The Dark Queen Talvenya. I’d
challenge her to a game of either chess, or Soulblade from
playstation 1. She wins, I will be her servant, or she could turn me
to stone. I win, well…I think I’ll have her mow my lawn and take
care of my chores for a week. That way I get more time to write. I
don’t think she’d go for it though; I’d be stone nonetheless,
something for the birds to perch on. Haha!
Do your characters seem to hijack
the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
Yes, they hijack it often! They have
voices of their own and demand to be listened to or they’ll just
keep shouting!
Convince us why you feel your book
is a must read.
A few reviewers said it is a must read.
But convincing others is difficult. Still, it’s a long adventure, a
wild ride, lots of mystical creatures, especially the Nasharin race.
It has lots of emotion, even romance and is not just another story
about how many spells can this wizard or that sorceress cast. Once
the ball gets rolling and you realize what the forces of darkness are
searching for, and how our heroes begin to combat them, the story
will be hard to put down, that I promise you! 😊
A Nasharin warrior by the name of
Darshun Luthais and a group of companions go in search for the
ancient elemental crystals. Objects of great power that became lost
in the second age. The enemy is also searching for them, and if found
they plan on using them for weapons of mass destruction against not
only the forces of Light, but the whole world, reshaping it to their
likeness.
The story begins with the obliteration
of the Loreladian army. Invaded by the Cullach—a half man, half
boar-like race—the Loreladian people had little time to prepare and
found the numbers of the Cullach to be overwhelming. Only four
survive the battle, two of them Nasharin warriors (members of a
supposed accursed race but live in peace with the Loreladian people).
One of the Nasharins, Mirabel Luthais swears to the fallen king that
he will lead the Loreladian civilians into safer lands before the
Cullach arrive to claim the city, where death would surely follow.
As this journey takes place Mirabel
senses the presence of another Nasharin, something he had been
sensing since the Cullach invasion, only now it becomes much
stronger. He finds it strange because only a handful of Nasharins
remain in existence and have lived in Loreladia for the last century.
Still, he cannot deny this feeling, this…pull from another living
Nasharin—one whose inner power feels extraordinary.
With the help of a fellow warrior (and
a horde of beasts this warrior communicates with), Mirabel rescues
this Nasharin from a Cullach sacrifice. The Nasharin is just a babe,
not old enough to mutter a word. And yet…the power within the child
frightens Mirabel. He is not frightened of the child per se,
but of what the child means, and the times they could possibly be in,
or heading toward, the Prophecy of the Guardian and the Second Great
War…
As so begins this heartfelt, beautiful
and at times brutal story of Darshun (the Guardian) and friends.
It is involving, meeting Darshun as a
baby, watching him grow as a young boy into an adolescent, learning
to fight, learning who he is, and learning to love. There are many
secrets that unfold and characters to meet along the way.
Darshun Luthais, however, is part of
the most interesting and feared race—the Nasharin race.
The old races of Light despise
Nasharins because they are considered a curse upon the earth, due to
their origins. And the Dark…well, they often fear the very name
Nasharin because these warrior humanoids have been known to surpass
even the greatest of wizards and are also incredibly lethal in the
martial arts. Each Nasharin is born with his or her own element. Once
mastered, the glow they produce when calling out this power is
something to be feared. It goes beyond mere magic. Everything about
them changes.
Convinced yet? Please read this
trilogy! 😊
If your book had a candle, what
scent would it be?
Honey –Vanilla with a touch of
Cinnamon? Nah, that sounds too gentle and delicious. However, the
main protagonist does love his sweets. So, let’s go for that!
What did you edit out of
this book?
All the mistakes I made in the earlier
versions, haha.
Fun Facts/Behind the Scenes/Did You
Know?'-type tidbits about the author, the book or the writing process
of the book.
A fun fact about Prophecy of the
Guardian:
Chapter Ten:
Temptation. There’s a section where our main protagonist and his
newfound lady friend are traveling up a mountain. Darkness has
fallen, the stars and moon clearly visible. Perhaps a beautiful night
for a seduction. Yes, that lady friend is up to something no good it
seems. Anyway, once they reach the mountain top, she tells our
protagonist to turn around and witness the view. One can see almost
the whole landscape, every bonfire lit, every light shining within
the villages far from them, even the great tree Merlin that
illuminates at night.
The scene was
influenced by a place my friends and I used to go to in our teens.
You cross the railroad tracks out in the country, pass through a
woodland, a wild meadow, another short woodland and finally you trot
your way up one heck of a steep, grassy hillside until reaching its
peak. At night you can see the whole town below, the city of Hudson,
New York, even the lights on the bridges in Albany, New York. It’s
spectacular! We called this place The Top of the World. Fun times…
Follow
the tour HERE
for special content and a giveaway!
$25
Amazon giftcard (WW),
Print
Set of The Guardian Trilogy (US Only),
ebook
set of The Guardian Trilogy (WW)
-1
winner each!
