Title: Starscape
Author: Benita Prins
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Release Date: 9th June 2015
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A legend that tells of a star… more beautiful than any other… even before the sun… thousands of years ago… wiser than the wisest of men… a song of unearthly beauty…
It was no more than idle talk in the marketplace that began it.
When Pluriel is accidentally reminded of an old prophecy, he and three companions begin the long journey to Nevarra Swamp. Their mission? A nearly hopeless attempt to recapture the Sword of the Star, stolen centuries ago by Jalavak. This Sword is the only weapon which can defeat the Dark Lord, for he was wounded by it in the war of the Valintari at the dawn of time. But what can Pluriel, Ringard, Galdore and Tristal do alone? For if the prophecy is to be fulfilled, the Star itself must fall from the sky – and how could such a thing come to pass?
It was no more than idle talk in the marketplace that began it.
When Pluriel is accidentally reminded of an old prophecy, he and three companions begin the long journey to Nevarra Swamp. Their mission? A nearly hopeless attempt to recapture the Sword of the Star, stolen centuries ago by Jalavak. This Sword is the only weapon which can defeat the Dark Lord, for he was wounded by it in the war of the Valintari at the dawn of time. But what can Pluriel, Ringard, Galdore and Tristal do alone? For if the prophecy is to be fulfilled, the Star itself must fall from the sky – and how could such a thing come to pass?
PURCHASE LINKS
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
What is your
name, where were you born and where do you live now?
My name is
Benita J. Prins. I was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and now live near
London, Ontario.
Did you always
want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
Oh yes, I have
wanted to be a writer ever since I can remember! The first story I remember
writing, I wrote when I was about six. I was terrifically proud of myself!
Did it take a
long time to get your first book published?
Considering I
first looked into publishing when I was twelve or so and my first book was not
published until I was nearly sixteen, you might say it was a long time!
Do you work
another job as well as your writing work?
Yes - I work
as a waitress.
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 a fantasy entitled Starscape. Pluriel and his friends must recover
the Sword of the Star, the only weapon that can kill the Dark Lord.
(Precisely 20
words - go me!)
Who is your
publisher? or do you self publish?
I am
self-published. This is largely because my main purpose was to have copies to
give as gifts to friends and family who had read my manuscript. But why not
allow other people to enjoy my writing at the same time?
How long does
it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing
writing it?
It really
depends on the book. Starscape began as something completely
different from what it ended up as two and a half years later! That, however, I
think was because I was developing so much as a writer. I tend to think my
current project will not take nearly as long.
Which of your
books were easier/harder to write than the others?
Once I
actually got into the story of Starscape, it was very easy to write. So
far, Seascape (my WIP, not a sequel!) has been difficult. I'm
hoping that will also change once I get more into the story.
What can we
expect from you in the future? ie More
books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
The former -
more books of the same genre! I love fantasy and the freedom it gives to create
everything.
Do you have
plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
My answer is
above; yes, I am writing a new book (and have plans for a third once this one
is finished). But no, it is not part of a series. I have extremely varying
ideas many of which would not fit in the same worlds I've used before, and so a
series would not easily work for me.
What genre
would you place your books into?
Fantasy.
What made you
decide to write that genre of book?
I read The
Lord of the Rings at age eleven and fell in love with it at once. Fantasy
is what I have wanted to write ever since.
Do you have a
favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
I love
Pluriel. I am not sure why, because in the first drafts of Starscape I
hated him (and even laughed when, in the first draft, I killed him off). I
ended up loving him though.
Where do you
get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?
I get great
ideas at night, as soon as I've decided to go to sleep. They just pop into my
mind at random times.
Do you have a
certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain
chair?
I like to
listen to the Lord of the Rings soundtracks; they provide great backing
for my plots.
Do you have
anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release
them?ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
My sisters and
several friends love reading my work as I write and they often have very good
suggestions for improving what I have so far, or for new plot lines. No official
reviewers or reviews though.
Do you gift
books to readers to do reviews?
I am happy to
gift PDFs or epubs to readers in return for an honest review.
Do you read
all the reviews of your book/books?
Yes. I love to
know what people think of it.
What was the
toughest/best review you have ever had?
So far, no
tough ones have come in. The best review I ever had compared Starscape
to The Lord of the Rings. It was literally a dream come true!
Would you ever
ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your
book/books?
Certainly not,
that would be dishonest. As I said above, I want honest reviews. In my eyes
it's better to have a negative review than a flattering but false one.
How do you
come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the
Cover of your books?
I once drove
by a farm called Starscape Farm, and I immediately noted down the name as a
great title for a fantasy book. It remained on my list of unused titles for
some months until a friend's dream triggered a plot idea which perfectly fit
the title Starscape. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find that
farm again.
Once I'd
finished Starscape, I was talking to one of the friends who had been
reading along from the first draft of the prologue to the last draft of the
last chapter. This friend, Bridget, is also a fantastic artist; as we were
talking about the book, she suddenly paused and gasped a little. I asked what
was wrong, and she said she'd just had the best idea for a cover image. She
described it to me and I was amazed to find that her idea was the same as mine
had been! I hired her on the spot to paint the front cover.
Who designed
the cover? Yours truly. I took Bridget's lovely painting and added only a title
and author name, and it was perfect. A professional couldn't have made it more
satisfactory to me!
Do you choose
a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
I have a list
of titles which I can apply to books as they come. I did have the title Starscape
picked out already and I did tailor the story a little to fit it at first.
However, by the time the story really took on life, it was naturally wound up
with stars and I didn't have to try and make Starscape fit at all. It
was perfect.
How do you
come up with characters names and place names in your books?
My main method
of coming up with names is to take three words that relate to the character or
place, then mix and match the letters and sounds to create a new name. It works
remarkably well. A few of the characters in Starscape, though, were
named by going through my French dictionary, finding interesting French words,
and modifying them.
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 almost
always know how the story is going to end, with a rough plan of the middle
events which I mostly keep in my head. I do jot down ideas I have because I
have a horrendous memory, but other than that I don't outline. I tried that
once and the book came out totally flat and lifeless.
How do you
market/promote your books?
I run a
website, numerous pages on sites such as BookLikes and Booklaunch, and I have
Google+, Pinterest, and GoodReads. I have never had a Facebook or Twitter
account because I have a prejudice against them, left over from childhood. Both
my parents hate FB and Twitter and I have to say I agree.
Besides online
means, I have been creating brochures and postcards that I can distribute
around my town, encouraging people to support their local author!
What do you
think makes a book a really good/bestseller ?
You never know
what's going to be a bestseller. It has to connect with people on a deep level
and it's difficult to impossible to write something that you know is
going to be a bestseller. (My joking about Starscape being the next Lord
of the Rings doesn't count.)
What do you do
to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?
Oh yes, I have
a hobby - writing! No, really, other than writing, I read, sing, and play
piano. Filmmaking is another of my hobbies; but I'd hardly call preparing for a
shoot, undergoing the exquisite torture of keeping actors in line, and then
editing the entire movie, "relaxing"...
Have you ever
based characters on people you know or based events on things that have
happened to you?
I haven't done
this consciously. I know I've included traits of certain friends' and family
members' personalities, but I have never taken a real person and
copy-and-pasted him/her into my book.
Which format
of book do you prefer, ebook, hardback, or paperback?
I prefer
paperbacks. There's nothing wrong with hardcovers but paperbacks are easier to
carry along! I cannot read ebooks very well. There's something about reading on
a screen that makes me skim; it's really hard to concentrate. Besides, screens
make my eyes ache.
What is your
favourite book and Why? Have you read it
more than once?
My favourite
book ever is The Lord of the Rings because it's true. It's fiction but
it's true. And of course I've read it more than once! I can't imagine liking a
book a lot and not reading it a second, third, fourth, hundredth time!
Do you think
books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst book to movie transfer?
It depends on
the book. My least favourite movie adaptation is The Hobbit. Ugh, I
couldn't stand that movie! It's not so bad when a movie just deviates from the
storyline a little - it's when it completely deviates from the spirit of
the book that I go bonkers over it.
What are you
currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or
paperback)
What am I
reading... I'll pick one: Still William by Richmal Crompton. The William
books are hilarious collections of children's short stories from the 20's or
30's or thereabouts. I never get tired of them! This particular copy of the
book is an old hardcover.
(I remember Just William being a TV Show and Bonnie Langford was the little girl who was always threatening to "scream, and scream and scream until she made herself sick")
Do you think
ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?
I highly doubt
it. At the very least I hope not! That would be terrible.
Do you think
children at schools these days are encouraged enough to read? and/or do
Imaginative writing?
No, I don't
think children are encouraged enough to pursue literary activities such as
reading and writing. And then there's the problem of teachers and parents
thinking that as long as their children are reading, that's good - no matter
what they're reading. That's not true. Children, especially in the elementary
school years, are so susceptible to messages that different books promote. If
the books they're reading are promoting being disrespectful to adults (such as
the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary) or dangerous activities like witchcraft
(like Harry Potter), then these are not books they should be reading. I don't
think the books I mentioned above should be banned or anything; I just believe
that parents shouldn't let their kids read them till they're a little older.
Did you read a
lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in
your life?
I have always
read and written. I have to write; it's in my blood.
Did you have a
favourite author as a child?
I read and
reread Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. They influenced me a ton for a long time!
Is there a
book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't
finish?
There are lots
of books I know I will never read... one of these is the Twilight series by
Stephanie Meyer. I've heard a lot of things about them and am not impressed by
what I've heard.
Is there
anything in your book/books you would change now if you could and what would it
be?
I might change
some of the word choices and expressions I used. But what's done is done, and Starscape
is written in my unique voice so I'm almost glad I can't go back and change.
What do you
think about book trailers?
If a book
trailer is well done, I think it can be great. I personally have almost never
watched a book trailer, though.
What piece of
advice would you give to a new writer?
Don't change
your voice or your story to suit anyone! It's your story and yours alone!
Do you or
would you ever use a pen name?
I don't use a
pen name now, no. I used to think it was a neat idea, but I now like the idea
of readers knowing what your real name is. They get to know so comparatively
little about you that they should at least know your name!
If you could
invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy
chatting with?
J.R.R. Tolkien
for some good conversations about world building, and to ask him some questions
I've always had about Middle-earth. P.G. Wodehouse, for a solid dose of humour.
C.S. Lewis, for an illuminating chat about theology.
Where can
readers follow you?
Blog:
benitajprins.wordpress.com
Goodreads
author page: goodreads.com/benitajprins
Google+:
plus.google.com/+BenitaPrins
Amazon:
amazon.com/author/benitajprins
Pinterest:
pinterest.com/benitajprins
