Sunday 29 May 2016

PROMOTION & AUTHOR INTERVIEW - THE ÁLFAERÉN LEGACY BY MARC JACOBS

Title: The Álfaerén Legacy
Author: Marc Jacobs
Release Date: 28th January 2016

BLURB from Goodreads
There are some places in Teynia none were meant to go, hiding secrets none were meant to find. But one morning, sisters Kali and Kilyn Middlethird stumbled upon such a place, and uncovered such a secret. They stood before an enchanted Gate left behind by the Álfaerëns long ago to imprison the Spirit, an evil capable of destroying all of Teynia. If only someone had told the Middlethirds about the Gate, they might not have opened it. Now, Teynia’s fate hinged on the Middlethirds, aided by Ice and the wizard Marac, surviving long enough to find the legendary Portal of Worlds, and the lost descendants of an ancient hero hidden somewhere within the Portal. To save their world, they would have to leave it. Their journey would lead them to Earth, where they would have to decipher age-old clues to find what they were looking for. But if Pennsylvania high school senior, Alexandra Castellano, failed to unravel a thousand year old mystery of her own, buried deep within her family name itself, Teynia would be lost to the Spirit, and Earth was next. And none of them would ever find out who they really were…



AUTHOR INTERVIEW
How long did it take you to write The Álfaerén Legacy from the original idea to finishing writing it? 
25 Years.  That’s what happens when a wonderful idea meets a wonderful family and a full time career.  But when my 12 year old daughter challenged me to finish the novel, I embraced the opportunity complete a story that inspired me, and could not be happier with the result.

What genre would you place The Álfaerén Legacy  into?
Fantasy, although what sub-genre is more challenging.  The book has elements of epic or high fantasy, and falls in the Young Adult Fantasy genre as its three main female protagonists are in the 15-18 range. The story also incorporates elements of urban fantasy (as the characters journey through the libraries, museums and universities of Europe and New York) and science fiction as well.

What genre would you put The Álfaerén Legacy  in and what made you decide to write that genre of book?
I believe fantasy and science fiction offers great food for one's imagination, keeps people dreaming and believing in a greater world of possibilities. I have enjoyed fantasy and science fiction my entire life, and have always found inspiration in those genres.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie Is The Álfaerén Legacy the start of a series?
While The Álfaerén Legacy is a stand-alone book in that the story line is “complete,” meaning you don’t have to buy 6 more books to see how the story ends, I am writing a second installment, “The Álfaerën Legacy: The Fate of Time.”   The second book will continue to follow the adventures and challenges of the story’s three main protagonists, sisters Kali & Kilyn Middlethird, and their other-worldly cousin, Alexandra Castellano.

Where did you get your book plot ideas from for The Álfaerén Legacy? What/Who is your inspiration?
So many authors have inspired me over time, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, to CS Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, all of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, and even the recent work by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One.  But for true inspiration, my two daughters and wife provide the main inspiration, and my main characters draw most of their personality traits from them.

How did you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for The Álfaerén Legacy? Who designed the Cover?
I designed my cover myself.  Although I am an attorney by trade, I am also a published cartoonist and as a result, I am very proficient with Photoshop.  As for the name, that was a combination of my family members voting on the name, although I won’t lie, I steered them in the direction I most wanted them to go.
  
Did you basic plot/plan for The Álfaerén Legacy, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
The overall plot structure and subjects of the chapters, were planned out in advance of writing the book.  As for how the chapters play out, and how my characters interact with what is happening, I let the writing flow, and the humor follow.

Did you choose the title first, or write The Álfaerén Legacy then choose the title?
I wrote the story first and then chose the title.

How did you come up with characters names and place names in The Álfaerén Legacy?
At first, the characters’ names were based on the family members that inspired them, meaning, I used their real names.  Eventually, once that decision was overridden, I worked to select names that fit the mood and feel of the chapters, characters, and backgrounds.
  
Are character names and place names decided after their creation? or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
All of the “minor” or non-main characters were decided after creation as the flow of the story required.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
I went with the flow of writing as for the character traits, although being that my main characters were based on real-life personalities, in that sense, they were decided ahead of time.

Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you?
Sisters Kali & Kilyn Middlethird, and Alexandra Castellano, are all based on people I know – at least insofar as their personality traits are concerned.

Do you have a favourite character from The Álfaerén Legacy? and why are they your favourite?
Like my daughters, I love them all equally, although some are funnier than others.

If you had to choose to be one of your characters in The Álfaerén Legacy which would you be? and why?
Marac, a wizard of practical magic and the wisdom to handle all that is ongoing around him.  I believe we can all use traits like that once in a while.

Do you think The Álfaerén Legacy would transfer to a movie well? Do you already have ideas for who you would like to play your characters?
I do believe it would transfer well into a movie because of the pace of adventure and the dynamic that unfolds through Europe and New York.  My daughters have already claimed their characters should the book ever be made into a movie, so casting is complete on that front.

Where can readers follow you?
Blog:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheAlfaerenLegacy-1573489206314417/
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29074616-the-lfaer-n-legacy?from_search=true&search_version=service

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AlfaerenLegacy?lang=en
Google+:
Smashwords:
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Instagram:
Other:  My daughters are scheming… 


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