On celebrating the release of his new novel "Savation' (review here), "James Wymore" has answered some questions as part of an interview. Thanks to the author for making time for us and also to the wonderful people at "Curiosity Quills" who made this possible.
So, here is the Q & A -
1) First of all welcome to the blog and thanks for talking to me. So, why don't you start by telling us a bit about your new novel 'Salvation'?
It’s a high fantasy. Reptilian monsters have taken over the ocean, forcing humans inland. The book starts when scavengers find a soldier still alive after a lost battle with the monsters where the rest of his regiment all died. The town is cut off by snow on the pass. The soldier realizes when the spring thaw comes that the monsters will come for the townsfolk before they can escape to the mainland.
2) Your book blurb suggests a nameless protagonist, so is this part of the plot?
Yes. Although they know he is a soldier, he can’t remember his name or anything from his past. The townsfolk don’t trust him because their folk magic doesn’t work on him. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know why either.
3) So what makes your protagonist unique and why do you think readers will root for him?
Elwood, as they call him, has been displaced. His military training makes it clear to him that these townsfolk are doomed unless they train and make preparations. He cares for them, and feels a debt to them for saving his life. However, he needs them to trust him before he can help them to fight back against the coming onslaught.
4) Can you tell us a bit about your world-building and magic system for this novel?
The world building centers on the Hyzoi, the ocean monsters. They are faster, stronger, and naturally armored. They are intelligent enough to organize into troops and utilize battle tactics. They have all the advantages. If not for the fact that they can’t travel very far from the water, humans likely would not exist in the world at all.
The magic is a sympathetic folk magic. Largely carried by the women of the town, the strength of it comes from their ability to lend power to each other and compound the relatively small magical abilities of the individual. This synergy makes their magic formidable when they are united, but not powerful in battle. For the most part they have used their magic to make it possible to live in an inhospitable land and heal or help members of the community.
5) Who are your influences in writing? What inspires you to write?
My favorite fantasy author was always Piers Anthony, although lately I’ve really been enjoying the work of Jason King. I was profoundly affected by books I read in school by Vonnegut, Bradbury, Huxley, and Shelley. I knew I wanted to be a part of that great conversation. So I’ve been writing ever since.
6) Tell us about some of the novels you read recently? Any book in particular that you would like to mention?
The book I just finished is Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. The plot work in that book is amazing. I also liked the world building in The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks. The way his setting expresses the themes is masterful. When I need a Cyberpunk fix, I have been reading Matthew Cox.
7) What more can we expect from you this year? Will you tell us a bit about your future projects?
Salvation comes out May 16. I have a paranormal/horror book called Exacting Essence coming out June 12, too. That one is about a girl trapped by her nightmares of evil clowns. The book I’m currently working on is the second in the The Actuator series. It’s about a machine made to transform the world into a utopia, but a saboteur uses it instead to fracture the earth into patches of every fiction genre. On one side of the border you see aliens, on the other you see dragons. People all over the world are dying. Only a handful of people even know what happened, so they are working to put it back if they can. On the way they have to deal with everything from pirates to vampires.
About the author -
James Wymore studied chaos in college. Unable to make that profitable, he became a teacher where he could always be surrounded by the thing he loved. When he isn't cackling maniacally at the keyboard, James enjoys all types of games where he continues to try to subdue the randomness of life.
His Links:
Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
About "Salvation" -
A man wakes on a frozen battlefield when a scavenging couple finds him among the dead. As they nurse him back to health, he is struck with the horrible realization he can’t remember who he is or anything about his past. Taken in by the kind pair, he begins helping with their farm. She even takes him to meet her family, especially her single sister. The ideal life offered in the high mountains of Winigh is shattered when he sees a transport bringing enemy monsters to the shores below. Cut off by high snow on the pass, their fate will soon be the same as the town his company failed to protect in the last battle, if this estranged soldier cannot help them fight off the next wave of invaders. Even worse, the people of the town don’t trust this Selene soldier. He has a strange resistance to their folk magic which some say make him as dangerous as the enemies preparing to destroy them.
Was published on
May 16, 2014 by "Curiosity Quill Press".
PS: I read and reviewed this book as an ARC from "Curiosity Quill Press". Here is my review.
So, here is the Q & A -
1) First of all welcome to the blog and thanks for talking to me. So, why don't you start by telling us a bit about your new novel 'Salvation'?
It’s a high fantasy. Reptilian monsters have taken over the ocean, forcing humans inland. The book starts when scavengers find a soldier still alive after a lost battle with the monsters where the rest of his regiment all died. The town is cut off by snow on the pass. The soldier realizes when the spring thaw comes that the monsters will come for the townsfolk before they can escape to the mainland.
2) Your book blurb suggests a nameless protagonist, so is this part of the plot?
Yes. Although they know he is a soldier, he can’t remember his name or anything from his past. The townsfolk don’t trust him because their folk magic doesn’t work on him. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know why either.
3) So what makes your protagonist unique and why do you think readers will root for him?
Elwood, as they call him, has been displaced. His military training makes it clear to him that these townsfolk are doomed unless they train and make preparations. He cares for them, and feels a debt to them for saving his life. However, he needs them to trust him before he can help them to fight back against the coming onslaught.
4) Can you tell us a bit about your world-building and magic system for this novel?
The world building centers on the Hyzoi, the ocean monsters. They are faster, stronger, and naturally armored. They are intelligent enough to organize into troops and utilize battle tactics. They have all the advantages. If not for the fact that they can’t travel very far from the water, humans likely would not exist in the world at all.
The magic is a sympathetic folk magic. Largely carried by the women of the town, the strength of it comes from their ability to lend power to each other and compound the relatively small magical abilities of the individual. This synergy makes their magic formidable when they are united, but not powerful in battle. For the most part they have used their magic to make it possible to live in an inhospitable land and heal or help members of the community.
5) Who are your influences in writing? What inspires you to write?
My favorite fantasy author was always Piers Anthony, although lately I’ve really been enjoying the work of Jason King. I was profoundly affected by books I read in school by Vonnegut, Bradbury, Huxley, and Shelley. I knew I wanted to be a part of that great conversation. So I’ve been writing ever since.
6) Tell us about some of the novels you read recently? Any book in particular that you would like to mention?
The book I just finished is Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. The plot work in that book is amazing. I also liked the world building in The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks. The way his setting expresses the themes is masterful. When I need a Cyberpunk fix, I have been reading Matthew Cox.
7) What more can we expect from you this year? Will you tell us a bit about your future projects?
Salvation comes out May 16. I have a paranormal/horror book called Exacting Essence coming out June 12, too. That one is about a girl trapped by her nightmares of evil clowns. The book I’m currently working on is the second in the The Actuator series. It’s about a machine made to transform the world into a utopia, but a saboteur uses it instead to fracture the earth into patches of every fiction genre. On one side of the border you see aliens, on the other you see dragons. People all over the world are dying. Only a handful of people even know what happened, so they are working to put it back if they can. On the way they have to deal with everything from pirates to vampires.
About the author -
James Wymore studied chaos in college. Unable to make that profitable, he became a teacher where he could always be surrounded by the thing he loved. When he isn't cackling maniacally at the keyboard, James enjoys all types of games where he continues to try to subdue the randomness of life.
His Links:
Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
About "Salvation" -
Was published on
May 16, 2014 by "Curiosity Quill Press".
PS: I read and reviewed this book as an ARC from "Curiosity Quill Press". Here is my review.
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