Monday 9 February 2015

BOOK PROMO & AUTHOR INTERVIEW - THE INFERNAL LANDS - THE AIONBACH SAGA BY J.C. STAUDT

Title: The Infernal Lands
Series: The Aionach Saga
Author: JC Staudt
Release Date: 25th December 2014

BLURB from Goodreads
In this, the opening volume of The Aionach Saga, a sprawling post-apocalyptic fantasy epic begins to unfold. The world has been ending for half a century. Solar storms and intense heat have driven ages of technological prowess to ruin. Now the inhabitants of a lawless realm are beginning to unearth mysteries from a forgotten age. The war over what yesterday left behind will lead them across harsh wilderness, through the sun-stroked urban wasteland, and deep into the roots of the world. 

Daxin Glaive, aging scion of a disgraced family, flees his home under duress, embarking on a desperate quest to bring about the downfall of his forefathers' most bitter rival. 

The governing council of an underground colony, led by the formidable Raithur Entradi, is forced to make a series of tough decisions to alleviate the burden of its own prosperity. 

Lizneth and her family struggle to meet their harvest quota under the oppressive rule of the local warlord and his band of marauders. 

Merrick Bouchard is an enlisted mercenary serving the dogmatic Scarred Comrades among the remnants of the crumbling city of Belmond. The Scarred have managed to preserve a rigid peace, but dissent gathers in the south, and the days of peace are numbered. 

A decorated priest called Sister Bastille educates her subordinates in the nefarious ways of her Order, even as the secrets she uncovers try the extent of her loyalties. 

The Infernal Lands is a convergence tale spanning five separate narratives, woven together on a grand scale. The search for survival and purpose will become the catalyst for lives that intertwine in unexpected ways, calling into question the contrast between chance and destiny. Some will find what they're looking for; others will be devoured in its pursuit.


PURCHASE LINKS



AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
I'm J.C. Staudt, and I was born on Long Island, New York, in a town called Oceanside. I now live in Manassas, Virginia.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I've been writing since I was a kid, but I didn't consider authorship as a possible career path early in life. It's always been something I've liked to do for fun.

When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
Probably the day I finished my first "real" story. I've started many, and I've finished plenty that I didn't necessarily like. The day I finished the first story I was genuinely proud of, that was when it felt okay to think of myself as a writer.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
My latest book is called The Infernal Lands. My nineteen-word summary would go something like this: After half a century, the inhabitants of a dying world are beginning to discover the reasons for its troubles.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
The Infernal Lands is part of a series. I haven't decided yet how long it's going to be. It will take at least three books to tell the story, but it could take as many as five.

What genre would you place your books into?
Post-apocalyptic Fantasy is the term I've been using. I think most post-apocalyptic books are set in a fictional version of the real world, and I thought it would be interesting to shift that kind of scenario into a fantasy world.

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?
Absolutely not. Honesty is worth far more than smoke-blowing. No one ever gets better at what they do by believing they don't have room to improve.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
I focus more on character goals and backgrounds and let their personalities fall into place from that. I do "get to know" my characters during the first draft, and I go back and solidify those traits during revision.

Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
I used to plan in detail, but I found that it made my writing process much harder. Sometimes you don't know what a character is going to do until you're in the moment, writing it, so I try never to force a story along a predetermined path.

Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you?
Indirectly, yes. I've never created a character as a mirror-image of a real person, but I've definitely played with descriptions, character traits, and real-life events and morphed them into the story world.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?
I'm currently listening to Bag of Bones by Stephen King and re-reading A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin. I'm enjoying both. The Bag of Bones audiobook is interesting because Stephen King narrates it himself. Sometimes author-narrated books can be pretty bad, but I've been enjoying King's performance of his own work.

Where can readers follow you?


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