Thursday, May 3, 2012
Journal Entry by Prof. C. R. K.
It has been two weeks since I returned to Oxford. The contents of the chest I have taken with me, much to my wife's chagrin. Regardless, the demands of my time have been dominated by my students. In my studies of the strange fragments, when I've had the time, I have been able to translate precious little. The writing is strange and fluid, but when the letters themselves are translated the speech seems very rough and hard. Some records are bound in leather books, others in scrolls several documents thick. John has taken a look, and suffice it to say he is simply baffled by them. The accounts given here, in these papers, is nothing short of extraordinary. Nevertheless, I feel that still more is yet to be found...
Thursday, April 19, 2012
THE LAST ASCENSION Synopsis Revealed!
So you've been waiting to see what's going to happen in the second volume of the MAVONDURI TRILOGY. I've dropped a few hints here and there, but now here is the full" jacket-flap" synopsis for BOOK TWO OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY, THE LAST ASCENSION! Get ready to meet some new characters and face greater threats as Mathion's destiny hurtles closer towards its fulfillment, to the salvation or destruction of all...
THE LAST ASCENSION: BOOK TWO OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY, takes place 583 years after the events of MATHION. When King Tharion is gravely injured in a surprise assassination attempt by a werewolf, Mathion is forced into a corner by the Council of Elders. Knowing that he is not yet ready to ascend, Mathion decides to undertake another journey, traveling to the far northern reaches of Kânavad, accompanied by his friends Kéle'il and Oharion Halfbreed once again, to find the only cure for one suffering the near-fatal bite of a werewolf: Wolfsbane. At the same time Mathion’s son Mathios, along with his old friend Dovosir, is now embroiled in a conflict with the rebel Uprisers, led by a renegade Elder and threatening civil war with Ánovén. And overshadowing all of them is Azgharáth who, seeing the ripe opportunity before him, seeks to avenge his humiliation at Mathion's hands and ensure that Mathion will never ascend the High Throne of the Wolven.
THE LAST ASCENSION: BOOK TWO OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY, takes place 583 years after the events of MATHION. When King Tharion is gravely injured in a surprise assassination attempt by a werewolf, Mathion is forced into a corner by the Council of Elders. Knowing that he is not yet ready to ascend, Mathion decides to undertake another journey, traveling to the far northern reaches of Kânavad, accompanied by his friends Kéle'il and Oharion Halfbreed once again, to find the only cure for one suffering the near-fatal bite of a werewolf: Wolfsbane. At the same time Mathion’s son Mathios, along with his old friend Dovosir, is now embroiled in a conflict with the rebel Uprisers, led by a renegade Elder and threatening civil war with Ánovén. And overshadowing all of them is Azgharáth who, seeing the ripe opportunity before him, seeks to avenge his humiliation at Mathion's hands and ensure that Mathion will never ascend the High Throne of the Wolven.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
AuthorTalk with Mark Tierno, author of MALDENE
Hey all!
So I know I haven't posted in a while but I have a special treat for you today: my first RECORDED audio interview! I had a total blast talking with MALDENE author Mark Tierno about MATHION, writing and a whole host of other random topics! Visit The Official MALDENE Site or just click on the link at the bottom of this post to listen to the interview. There are a few tidbits about where the MAVONDURI TRILOGY is headed and where some aspects of the mythology originated. So listen on and tell me what you think!
AUDIO INTERVIEW
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Author Interview: Shane Porteous, author of HOW GODS BLEED
Well, it seems to be a weekend full of firsts on the MAVONDURI TRILOGY OFFICIAL BLOG! Today I have my first author interview with Shane Porteous, author of the extremely well reviewed dark fantasy novels RASCISS and, what this interview is really about, HOW GODS BLEED, a dark fantasy saga featuring--you guessed it--werewolves. Now while I wouldn't go so far as to call ourselves "rivals", Shane and I are actually pretty good friends, so it's great to have him be the first interview I do for the Blog.
You can download HOW GODS BLEED by clicking this link http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101158. It's free, and it's a fantastic book to boot!
Now, let's get started!
Shane, it’s great to have you on the MTOB! I’d like to start off by asking, how do you sum up your writing style for those who’ve never read your work before?
The best way to describe my style is “Different.” I pride myself on not writing in a “by the numbers way”. That’s really important to me, that I avoid the stock-standard way of storytelling.
How was writing HOW GODS BLEED different from your best known work, RASCISS?
Good question, I feel I had a lot more experience and interaction with both readers and fellow writers when I wrote How Gods Bleed. Because of that my mind was in a far different place to what it was when I wrote Rasciss.
Cada Varl is certainly a dark character, as is Hollowawk. Are you drawn to dark characters in particular, and if so why?
I am definitely drawn to darker characters because they seem to have far more depth to them than most of their light hearted counterparts. Their histories also tend to be more interesting and less predictable.
What were some of your favorite scenes to write in HOW GODS BLEED?
There were so many! But in terms of sheer fun, the scene right at the beginning when I got to introduce Granzool, the king of Helluv, was a lot of fun to write. The battle between Aneeku and Cada Varl was great to write because that was the beginning of when the story turned up a thousand notches. But the scene I am most proud of is the conversation and following duel between Cada Varl and Gosfear. I just love it after I had finished writing it.
Now, let’s get to something I’m very passionate about personally: backstory. The illusion of depth is a central element in great fantasy. How do you bring that depth to the page? Do you build the world of the story beforehand or do you discover it along with your characters as you write?
I have a basic idea of the world I want to represent to the reader, but I don’t map out every nook and cranny beforehand. I feel doing that would constrict my characters too much. I prefer my world to be dictated by the characters that live in it, not the other way around. Besides, sometimes it is fun to take the journey with the characters and see what they see, when they make their journey.
What, in your mind, makes for a great villain? And how do you strive to make each antagonist unique in each new work?
Put simply a great antagonist is someone you can understand. Even if you don’t agree with what they do, you can understand why they do it. I don’t think an antagonist has to be necessarily evil, in fact I find it more interesting when they are not. In terms of a great fantasy antagonist, I think the reader must respect their power. The reader must believe the antagonist can defeat the protagonist in a direct confrontation.
As for my own work, my antagonists are not evil. They merely find themselves in a situation where they can no longer co-exist with protagonists. They are unique from one another because of the situations they find themselves in.
Is there an overall scheme to these works? Do you plan on tying them in together or are they going to remain separate stories?
It is actually a long time goal of mine to one day write an epic story where the main characters of each of my books are brought together at the same time. The stories aren’t really tied together, but they all take place in the same world, just in different lands and continents.
Alright, last question then I’ll let you go! Out of all the characters you’ve come up with, in all your stories, which one is your absolute FAVORITE to write for and why?
This is a difficult question to answer, because my favorite character is from a story that I have yet to introduce to the world, in other words a story that hasn’t been published yet. But out of all my introduced characters that has to be Hollowawk.
I feel that I owe him a lot, I have written my entire life, I have told hundreds of stories and created countless worlds. Rasciss was the first story I introduced to the world, my lifelong dream was finally accomplished and Hollowawk had to carry all of that on his shoulders. He had the responsibility of showing the real world what my created world was like. He will always hold a special place in my thoughts because of that. If I may say judging by the reviews and the fan art I have received, Hollowawk has accomplished his purpose wholeheartedly. He will always have a specific legacy and so writing stories for him will always be a pleasure.
Shane, thanks so much for coming on here! I look forward to having you come back again sometime.
My pleasure Jeff, I had a lot fun and if I may add, to anyone reading this post, please help yourself to a FREE copy of How Gods Bleed. A tale that has been called “The most original werewolf story ever told,” by more than one reviewer. That is a fact that I will always be proud of!
You can download HOW GODS BLEED by clicking this link http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101158. It's free, and it's a fantastic book to boot!
Now, let's get started!
Shane, it’s great to have you on the MTOB! I’d like to start off by asking, how do you sum up your writing style for those who’ve never read your work before?
The best way to describe my style is “Different.” I pride myself on not writing in a “by the numbers way”. That’s really important to me, that I avoid the stock-standard way of storytelling.
How was writing HOW GODS BLEED different from your best known work, RASCISS?
Good question, I feel I had a lot more experience and interaction with both readers and fellow writers when I wrote How Gods Bleed. Because of that my mind was in a far different place to what it was when I wrote Rasciss.
Cada Varl is certainly a dark character, as is Hollowawk. Are you drawn to dark characters in particular, and if so why?
I am definitely drawn to darker characters because they seem to have far more depth to them than most of their light hearted counterparts. Their histories also tend to be more interesting and less predictable.
What were some of your favorite scenes to write in HOW GODS BLEED?
There were so many! But in terms of sheer fun, the scene right at the beginning when I got to introduce Granzool, the king of Helluv, was a lot of fun to write. The battle between Aneeku and Cada Varl was great to write because that was the beginning of when the story turned up a thousand notches. But the scene I am most proud of is the conversation and following duel between Cada Varl and Gosfear. I just love it after I had finished writing it.
Now, let’s get to something I’m very passionate about personally: backstory. The illusion of depth is a central element in great fantasy. How do you bring that depth to the page? Do you build the world of the story beforehand or do you discover it along with your characters as you write?
I have a basic idea of the world I want to represent to the reader, but I don’t map out every nook and cranny beforehand. I feel doing that would constrict my characters too much. I prefer my world to be dictated by the characters that live in it, not the other way around. Besides, sometimes it is fun to take the journey with the characters and see what they see, when they make their journey.
What, in your mind, makes for a great villain? And how do you strive to make each antagonist unique in each new work?
Put simply a great antagonist is someone you can understand. Even if you don’t agree with what they do, you can understand why they do it. I don’t think an antagonist has to be necessarily evil, in fact I find it more interesting when they are not. In terms of a great fantasy antagonist, I think the reader must respect their power. The reader must believe the antagonist can defeat the protagonist in a direct confrontation.
As for my own work, my antagonists are not evil. They merely find themselves in a situation where they can no longer co-exist with protagonists. They are unique from one another because of the situations they find themselves in.
Is there an overall scheme to these works? Do you plan on tying them in together or are they going to remain separate stories?
It is actually a long time goal of mine to one day write an epic story where the main characters of each of my books are brought together at the same time. The stories aren’t really tied together, but they all take place in the same world, just in different lands and continents.
Alright, last question then I’ll let you go! Out of all the characters you’ve come up with, in all your stories, which one is your absolute FAVORITE to write for and why?
This is a difficult question to answer, because my favorite character is from a story that I have yet to introduce to the world, in other words a story that hasn’t been published yet. But out of all my introduced characters that has to be Hollowawk.
I feel that I owe him a lot, I have written my entire life, I have told hundreds of stories and created countless worlds. Rasciss was the first story I introduced to the world, my lifelong dream was finally accomplished and Hollowawk had to carry all of that on his shoulders. He had the responsibility of showing the real world what my created world was like. He will always hold a special place in my thoughts because of that. If I may say judging by the reviews and the fan art I have received, Hollowawk has accomplished his purpose wholeheartedly. He will always have a specific legacy and so writing stories for him will always be a pleasure.
Shane, thanks so much for coming on here! I look forward to having you come back again sometime.
My pleasure Jeff, I had a lot fun and if I may add, to anyone reading this post, please help yourself to a FREE copy of How Gods Bleed. A tale that has been called “The most original werewolf story ever told,” by more than one reviewer. That is a fact that I will always be proud of!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Love, Friendship and the World Ending PROTECTOR by Vanna Smythe!!
As you all know, I recently did an interview with the lovely and talented Vanna Smythe on her blog. Well, now it's time for me to return the favor, and I'm happy to do so by giving her her very own Guest Post on the Mavonduri Trilogy Official Blog! Her novel PROTECTOR: ANNIVERSARY OF THE VEIL BOOK ONE is available now on:Twitter: @Vanna_Smythe
Blog: www.vannasmythe.com
Now, without further ado....the incomparable Vanna Smythe!!
Love, Friendship and the World Ending
This is my first guest post. It is also the first post I have written about my debut fantasy novel Protector (Anniversary of the Veil, Book 1). I had planned to write something creative, something artistic, to show potential readers what I can do. Instead, I decided on a straightforward post about the path to realizing my longtime ambition and wish to write, polish and publish a fantasy novel.
Protector is the absolute best piece of writing that I am capable of producing at this point in my writing career. I hope to grow still as a writer, but I realize now that such growth can only be achieved by writing more books, new novels, not by tinkering with just the one. I started writing Protector as a NaNoWriMo challenge in November of 2009. Once that was done, the manuscript lingered on my hard drive for more than a year before I decided to take it, and with it my writing, to the next level. Editing. Being more of a seat-of-the-pants (or tour-de-force, as I prefer to look at it) writer I am a stranger to editing. Or should I say, was a stranger to editing.
Protector has been through three heavy rounds of rewrites now, and there is no more I can do. It is ready to be introduced to the world, and I am ready to begin writing the sequel. And if any of you are wondering if your NaNo book is worth a second chance, the answer is a big “Yes.” It’s all already there, you just have to polish it and make it pretty.
As for the title of this guest post, those three things are entwined in the overall theme of the story of Protector, and the entire Anniversary of the Veil series. Friendship becomes love. Love will determine the fate of the world. Sound vague enough? I can’t say anything more lest I give away most of the story. And I would hate to do that.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
SILVER KNIGHT by Caron Rider
A phenomenal author who I'll be interviewing soon, right here on The MAVONDURI TRILOGY OFFICIAL BLOG!! Keep. A weather eye out!
A Struggle Against Evil—Love Through the Ages—A Destiny to Fulfill
When seventeen-year-old Diana recognizes an elderly priest in a video on YouTube, she realizes that reincarnation is real and that she’s been alive before! Every night in her dreams, she views her past lives learning that it’s kill or be killed.
Now a bishop at the Vatican whom she saved in another life calls on her once more. She is needed to help defeat an infestation of demons living within the catacombs of Rome. But when she arrives in Rome, she meets Alexander – the man of her dreams! Through the centuries she has loved him…betrayed him...been killed by him. Will she give him another chance or this time will she strike first?
Silver Knight takes you on an adventure where demons and heroes from the past blend with history, action, and just a hint of romance.
5 Star Review:
“All I could think once I started reading this book was WOW! My only warning is that once you start reading this story you are not going to be able to put it down!” –Readers Favorite (Read more at: http://readersfavorite.com/review/5699)
Caron Rider’s Bio:
I began teaching adults to use computer software, hardware, and networking back in the 1990s. After several years, my clients became younger and younger until I found myself tutoring high school dropouts to pass the GED. I found working with at-risk teenagers so rewarding that I changed her undergraduate major to Education.
Upon graduating from the University of South Alabama with a B.S., I began teaching high school history and I continue to teach history classes online. I now live in rural Missouri with my two kids, two dogs, two cats, and father.
Some useful links:
Website: www.caronrider.com
Blog: www.caronrider.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Silver-Series/217988348281222
Twitter: @Caron_Rider
A Struggle Against Evil—Love Through the Ages—A Destiny to Fulfill
When seventeen-year-old Diana recognizes an elderly priest in a video on YouTube, she realizes that reincarnation is real and that she’s been alive before! Every night in her dreams, she views her past lives learning that it’s kill or be killed.
Now a bishop at the Vatican whom she saved in another life calls on her once more. She is needed to help defeat an infestation of demons living within the catacombs of Rome. But when she arrives in Rome, she meets Alexander – the man of her dreams! Through the centuries she has loved him…betrayed him...been killed by him. Will she give him another chance or this time will she strike first?
Silver Knight takes you on an adventure where demons and heroes from the past blend with history, action, and just a hint of romance.
5 Star Review:
“All I could think once I started reading this book was WOW! My only warning is that once you start reading this story you are not going to be able to put it down!” –Readers Favorite (Read more at: http://readersfavorite.com/review/5699)
Caron Rider’s Bio:
I began teaching adults to use computer software, hardware, and networking back in the 1990s. After several years, my clients became younger and younger until I found myself tutoring high school dropouts to pass the GED. I found working with at-risk teenagers so rewarding that I changed her undergraduate major to Education.
Upon graduating from the University of South Alabama with a B.S., I began teaching high school history and I continue to teach history classes online. I now live in rural Missouri with my two kids, two dogs, two cats, and father.
Some useful links:
Website: www.caronrider.com
Blog: www.caronrider.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Silver-Series/217988348281222
Twitter: @Caron_Rider
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Telling and Retelling: How the Werewolf and Atlantis Myths Fit So Well Together
Well today I'm celebrating my first ever Guest Blog Post on Vanna Smythe's Blog! Read below
~
As the author of the MAVONDURI TRILOGY, its origins are an interesting story for me to tell. But that’s not what this post is ALL about. This is about how fantasy, as a genre, can retell ancient myths in new and exciting ways, using two mythic archetypes as specific examples. I’ve always found both the Atlantis myth and the werewolf myth extremely fascinating for different reasons, but it wasn’t until I began writing Mathion that I found that I could retell both of these myths in one story.
I’ve done my fair share of research, and found that almost every ancient culture has or had some kind of shapeshifter (i.e. “werewolf”) myth and an Atlantis (or Deluge) type myth. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I’ve never thought so. Both of these mythological archetypes are so ubiquitous in human culture that I thought there had to be a connection. And it was through writing Mathion that I found a way to make that connection. In their most basic forms, they run thus:
•In the Atlantis/Deluge myth, you hear of a prosperous island empire that is consumed by the sea. But it’s not that simple, and this is where the “proximity phenomenon” comes into play. Those cultures that are closer to the source of the myth will be able to convey more detail concerning the real events that inspired the myth (Atlantis), whereas those further away are less detailed (deluge).
•In that same vein, we have a similar derivation with the werewolf myth. Whether or not it is specifically a “wolf”, the idea of a human being able to assume the form of an animal is one of the most common and pervasive myths in human culture. It could be a wolf, yes, but in Norse cultures there were tales of “berserkers” and further east there were legends of werepanthers and other similar shapeshifter myths. In the Americas the most noteworthy shapeshifter myth is that of the Navajo “skinwalker”.
So what could be the ultimate “source” of these two myths? Well, upon finishing my research I came to the conclusion that the sources are one and the same: these shapeshifters inhabited a vast landmass in the middle of the ocean, and upon its destruction they spread out over the world and these “myths” emerged in our cultural subconscious.
The idea of “reinvented (or lost) history” is among the oldest in terms of the fantasy genre. I myself have always found that an immensely interesting aspect of it, and when the opportunity arose to reinvent history myself, I took it and started running with it. To take an icon of horror and set it in the fantasy genre opens up so many more doors in terms of character than if you were to put it in any other medium.
Finally, I would just like to say this: if you are writing or are going to write a fantasy story, and in particular an EPIC fantasy story, I believe there are three central “tenets” you as an author should follow. Not have to, mind you, but should. They are:
•The Map- this is the world in which the Tale is told, and it goes far beyond just the actual map found in the book itself. It comprises the history, cultures, languages and even religious ideals that add depth and legitimacy to the world in which your characters inhabit. It’s very important that there be a cohesion within the Map (place names, language, etc.)
•The Quest- this is the tenet which allows both author and reader to be introduced to and explore the world in which the Tale is told. It also can reflect your Hero’s inner journey and be just as, if not more perilous.
•Sub-Creation- this tenet has its ultimate source in the father of modern fantasy, J. R. R. Tolkien. The art of sub-creation isn’t a conscious one, but it emerges as a result of the depth you add to the Map, to the extent that you begin to “discover” certain aspects of the world that were not consciously created but fit within the context of it. Some of the best fantasy worlds and stories are a product of sub-creative processes and as a result have such a realistic feel to them that there is no need for a suspension of disbelief.
In the end, “to create a convincing story, you’ve got to know what you’re talking about in every detail.”
~
As the author of the MAVONDURI TRILOGY, its origins are an interesting story for me to tell. But that’s not what this post is ALL about. This is about how fantasy, as a genre, can retell ancient myths in new and exciting ways, using two mythic archetypes as specific examples. I’ve always found both the Atlantis myth and the werewolf myth extremely fascinating for different reasons, but it wasn’t until I began writing Mathion that I found that I could retell both of these myths in one story.
I’ve done my fair share of research, and found that almost every ancient culture has or had some kind of shapeshifter (i.e. “werewolf”) myth and an Atlantis (or Deluge) type myth. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I’ve never thought so. Both of these mythological archetypes are so ubiquitous in human culture that I thought there had to be a connection. And it was through writing Mathion that I found a way to make that connection. In their most basic forms, they run thus:
•In the Atlantis/Deluge myth, you hear of a prosperous island empire that is consumed by the sea. But it’s not that simple, and this is where the “proximity phenomenon” comes into play. Those cultures that are closer to the source of the myth will be able to convey more detail concerning the real events that inspired the myth (Atlantis), whereas those further away are less detailed (deluge).
•In that same vein, we have a similar derivation with the werewolf myth. Whether or not it is specifically a “wolf”, the idea of a human being able to assume the form of an animal is one of the most common and pervasive myths in human culture. It could be a wolf, yes, but in Norse cultures there were tales of “berserkers” and further east there were legends of werepanthers and other similar shapeshifter myths. In the Americas the most noteworthy shapeshifter myth is that of the Navajo “skinwalker”.
So what could be the ultimate “source” of these two myths? Well, upon finishing my research I came to the conclusion that the sources are one and the same: these shapeshifters inhabited a vast landmass in the middle of the ocean, and upon its destruction they spread out over the world and these “myths” emerged in our cultural subconscious.
The idea of “reinvented (or lost) history” is among the oldest in terms of the fantasy genre. I myself have always found that an immensely interesting aspect of it, and when the opportunity arose to reinvent history myself, I took it and started running with it. To take an icon of horror and set it in the fantasy genre opens up so many more doors in terms of character than if you were to put it in any other medium.
Finally, I would just like to say this: if you are writing or are going to write a fantasy story, and in particular an EPIC fantasy story, I believe there are three central “tenets” you as an author should follow. Not have to, mind you, but should. They are:
•The Map- this is the world in which the Tale is told, and it goes far beyond just the actual map found in the book itself. It comprises the history, cultures, languages and even religious ideals that add depth and legitimacy to the world in which your characters inhabit. It’s very important that there be a cohesion within the Map (place names, language, etc.)
•The Quest- this is the tenet which allows both author and reader to be introduced to and explore the world in which the Tale is told. It also can reflect your Hero’s inner journey and be just as, if not more perilous.
•Sub-Creation- this tenet has its ultimate source in the father of modern fantasy, J. R. R. Tolkien. The art of sub-creation isn’t a conscious one, but it emerges as a result of the depth you add to the Map, to the extent that you begin to “discover” certain aspects of the world that were not consciously created but fit within the context of it. Some of the best fantasy worlds and stories are a product of sub-creative processes and as a result have such a realistic feel to them that there is no need for a suspension of disbelief.
In the end, “to create a convincing story, you’ve got to know what you’re talking about in every detail.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)