Can you
tell us a little bit about your book and what you think makes it stand out in
the vast world of Young Adult Fantasy Adventure novels?
The Valcarion Series is a set of young adult adventure
fantasy novels which revolves around the character who shares its name;
Valcarion, and his brother, Renther (who really comes into more of a leading
role in the second book of the series). The brothers are orphans – victims of a
worldwide war – and they both kind of stumble into positions of power after
being separated by war. The choices that the brothers make are really what sets
them apart as upstanding and likable characters. Basically, both Valcarion and
Renther wind up being characters with good reason to be spiteful, self-centered,
power-hungry, even evil – but the first book, Sacrifices, shows both the
quality and the cost of their choices to do what is right rather than what is
easy.
Valcarion is special to me because he has two key qualities as a fictional main character. First, he is likable, has an established personality and style, and can kind of be relied on as a character. Second, and equally as important, though he is an established and personable character, Valcarion has an aspect of ambiguity to him – just a touch – so that readers can relate to his situation, his choices, his personality, experiences, and can imagine themselves as being in his place. When they are in the midst of a chapter and they read, “Valcarion considered his options” they will hopefully kind of feel like their name is almost swapped out with his.
I was quite intentional when I began writing as a teen to
use what I had learned as a young person, what I had experienced, and what I
had read to make my books better for a younger crowd. Because I wrote my first
book, Valcarion: Sacrifices, as the age of 16, I believe it has an element of
youngness and relatability that fantasy books by older authors can’t quite
offer. I believe there is beauty in fast paced, easy-to-follow, straight
forward, story telling. So part of what I set out to do with The Valcarion
Series was leave cliff hangers – constantly make a reader want to read some of
the next chapter, because I have always loved reading books that do that. What
I don’t like is literary fluff – boring, drawn out story lines which make you
wish they would “get back to the action” so to speak, so my work tries to be
very enthralling and captivating, and people have seemed to really like that.
Do you
have a favorite character?
You know, that is a difficult answer to give… I like several
characters for a variety of reasons, but if I had to pick a single favorite,
the first character who comes to mind is Renther Theoron, the older brother of
our main character, Valcarion. Renther, to me, represents many aspects of an
ideal leader, the man most guys want to be, and a well-developed, well rounded,
stable personality. If there were one person in the entire series who is meant
to be not predictable, but reliable, it is Renther. He’s kind of the rock – the
home base – that other characters look to and return to in times of
uncertainty. Also, I am probably biased personally, as Renther is inspired by
and intended to mirror my older brother, who I am very close to and greatly
respect. It is my hope that the reliable relationship between Renther and
Valcarion as brothers will be both relatable and enthralling to readers.
Tell us a
little about yourself and your background.
Man, there is a lot to say and I want to paint an accurate
picture of my life experiences, my character, and personality. I suppose the
essentials about me are that I grew up with one brother and three sisters, and
I am extremely close to each of my family members. As a kid, I was the little
boy who liked to run into the street, climb trees (probably higher than I
should have), and cause trouble. After all the trouble, though, I liked to try
to smooth everything over and be really nice to whoever I made life difficult
for – it was like a game for me.
The one thing I didn’t do was treat girls like they had “cooties”
– I liked girls for as long as I can remember! Hahah. In high school and
college, my patterns kind of matured but the underlying thought process
remained the same – I like to test people, to feel people out, I like to talk a
lot (some people would say too much), and I love getting beneath the surface in
regards to relationships and understanding how people “tick” – how they think,
why they do what they do, all of that.
I suppose through my interactions, I developed and strengthened an imaginative
mindset.
When I would read a book or watch a movie, I would think “Ok,
I liked this, I didn’t like that, that was an amazing detail or plot twist,
that aspect didn’t make sense…” and I would kind of use the stories I had heard
and the experiences I had to develop my own stories, my own worlds, and my own
daydreams. Eventually, I kind of narrowed down the focus of my imagination and
began to develop each aspect as though it were part of the same world – the
same story, and then I started writing Valcarion:
Sacrifices!
When I’m not writing, I love to do things outdoors – swimming, hiking, hunting, skiing, water skiing, wakeboarding, boating, working on old collectable cars, paintball or airsoft, camping – those are some of my most favorite activities. However, my favorite thing to do would have to be having a good, late night conversation with a group of close friends or family – you really can’t beat that, in my mind.
Why and
how did you begin writing Valcarion: Sacrifices?
I began writing the first book in The Valcarion Series, Valcarion: Sacrifices, at the age of
six-teen. I wish I could remember the moment I decided to sit down and write,
but I don’t remember it… What I do remember, though, is that I had been
planning out the story for years in my mind, daydreaming about it frequently. I
had always liked the idea of writing a story or making a movie, and after
taking a creative writing class in high school, I decided to sit down and write
the story I had mapped out for so long. I wrote the first draft of Sacrifices
in just under two weeks, I was at the computer typing away for hours on end
each day and at night I would stay up thinking of the plot details. The project
kind of grew and matured as I went, but one thing that stayed the same all the
way through was that I wanted my books to read as though they were a
blockbuster movie – I wanted the readers to be drawn in and kept in the midst
of the action, in a fast-paced and enthralling story. Hopefully that is the way
everyone will feel when reading the books! I also remember my Mom scolding me
at first for being on the computer so much – you know how it goes, every parent
wants to limit their kid’s computer time. But when she saw that I was seriously
writing and not sitting there playing RuneScape or something, she was like “go
ahead, stay on as long as you want to”. My parents were always really really
supportive and enabled me to do what I have done today, which is much to their
credit in my mind.
What are
your ambitions for your writing career?
Well, from a goals standpoint my ambitions are pretty simple
and pretty big! I would love love love to be a successful, household-name,
author. The NY Times Bestseller List is certainly what I am aiming at, and
beyond that, I would be blown away to see my book made into a motion picture
some day, and I kind of wrote it with that idea in mind. Dream big. Hahaha.
From a more thoughtful, abstract, almost philosophical standpoint, I would say I want the ability to influence others in a large and far-reaching way. Many people want money, and money is great, but what I think is even more important than money is influence – so if I were to ever achieve a low paying deal with a great marketer who helped me to build an influential public platform, I would be fine with that.
I believe we are at a time in our world where people –
specifically young people – are looking for and longing for inspiration and
direction. Many times, sadly, that comes from the wrong or negative sources, in
my opinion. As a result, I would love to use not only my work, but my public
personality to connect with and influence young people for the better. I think
of the power that successful young musicians, actors, athletes, and stars have –
its astonishing and some use it for good and some not so much, but I would love
to partake in that field of work.
What
message and themes are behind your adventure novels?
The messages which are behind my writing flow directly from
my personal beliefs and kind of fit in line with my goals as a writer. Writing
is interesting because it offers stories which, whether the writer realizes it
or not, say something about how the writer sees the world and how he or she
thinks. Whether they acknowledge it or not, every person has an ethos – a set
of rules, standards, and beliefs – lenses through which we see the world. Part
of my belief system is that in the end, the good guys truly do always win. Now,
to go along with that, though, is a great saying I heard once that goes, “If
you want to tell a story with a happy ending, it’s all about where you stop
telling the story.” I think that quote is right, so then, from a writer’s
standpoint the question becomes; where do I stop telling the story and what
does it mean for the good guys to win? The answer certainly lends itself to
creative license, and in a book about war, there is plenty of opportunity for
sacrifice and hardship in order to achieve the greater good; the ultimate
victory of the good guys.
Other messages behind my work are that there should be no
price too high to pay in order to do what is right, in order to help others,
and especially to help those whom you love. Family is the most important thing
in life, those bonds are forever and ought to be preserved and respected. And
on a lighter note, adventures are fun, challenges are a good thing, and teens
who dream big and work hard can achieve truly great and world changing goals.
Are you
currently under a traditional publishing contract for future books or do you
have manuscripts that you will self-publish?
I am currently working with a plan to self publish my entire
series, however, if a traditional publisher who I thought was capable and fit
my style well came along, I would certainly consider working out a deal there.
The two biggest benefits I see of traditional publishing are one; the ability
to mass produce hard copies of a book, which are just great. Even though I have
a kindle and enjoy using it, and my book is currently solely sold as an eBook,
I do prefer the overall feel that a real book with pages and that new book
smell offers. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, but hey, that’s the truth. Hahah. Two;
traditional publishing offers more connections, networking, and marketing
growth opportunities, which is fantastic.
What is
your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?
I will occasionally listen to music, though silence usually
is best for me. I like to think over a book, a story, characters, and
plotpoints in my head for quite a long time before formulating an official
written adventure. For instance, I had been thinking about several sections and
characters in The Valcarion Series from the age of 12 or so. I usually have a
few plotpoints in mind and have an overall story-arch I want to complete, and
then I just sit down and write as thoughts flow naturally. Sometimes, I find
myself unable to sleep because many of my best ideas come to me at night. What
I’ve learned to do is to write down the ideas I have as I think of them, and
establish an overall outline with the essential developments, quotes, and
happenings of my story.
Did you
hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
I actually outsourced a lot of my editing – I believe that
any artist, any athlete, and business person has to know their limitations and
has to be wise and humble enough to accept help when they need it. In my case,
I can write a story and make a plot I am satisfied with, but I can not bring
the fresh viewpoint and set of ideas that a new content editor or grammatical
editor can present. As a result, I had one content editor, Kristiina Negron,
and two grammatical editors – LeAna Negron and Brooke Bozarth. Though I wrote
the original and first draft of my book in about two weeks, I spent about two
years going through my book editing and polishing it. Now, some people will
similarly outsource their book cover design, but I believed that I had a pretty
well executed design, so I created my own. A book cover is, as many people will tell you, one of the
most important aspects of publishing a novel. A cover kind of sets the mood and
establishes a certain feel for the writing as a whole. A cover is also the
first and last part of a book that most people will see, and it can establish
the look for an entire set of branding in future books and other book related
merchandise, so a cover has to be unique, sharp, and recognizable.
After looking around at several sources of popular products,
specifically with young adults, what I saw was that simplicity and sleekness
were important and were well responded to. As a result, I wound up designing
the Valcarion cover with a sleek black backdrop, lettering that kinda pops out,
and some double exposed smoke framing the cover – smoke which, by the way, came
from a fire in my very own backyard!
Greatest
lesson learned for other writers?
The greatest lesson I have learned as a writer is probably
this; whether you’re self publishing, traditional publishing, or any mixture
thereof, writers can not afford to just be
writers. The best writer doesn’t sell their writing alone – they sell their
personality. The greatest of writers has to be a writer, a marketer, a public
figure, and a likeable personality.
Website: www.valcarion.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LukeEdison22
Amazon Author Page: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/profile
Blurb:
Valcarion: Sacrifices is an enthralling adventure from the
start as readers are cast into the expansive fantasy world of Frais. A tale of
great battles, loyalty, and sacrifice is told through the eyes of Valcarion
Theoron, an orphan from the age of three, who is well acquainted with the
deep-cutting consequences of the war that has been ravaging his world. Until
the age of sixteen, however, Valcarion was seen by the world around him as
unimportant; just another body on a quickly changing planet. As the story
unfolds, Valcarion’s past troubles and worries are swiftly forgotten when he
finds a mysterious sword: one of the legendary Blades of Seraphic. From the
moment Valcarion touches the decorated hilt, he is forever changed.
In a world full of lore and mystery, Valcarion will need
something more than luck to rise to the challenges he faces as a young wielder.
Unknown to Valcarion, the only other dangerously powerful blade is held by none
other than the malevolent king, Grostine, who leads a battle hardened army in a
campaign of darkness.
As war begins to affect Valcarion on an increasingly personal level by claiming his remaining family and threatening his freedom, the young hero has his dedication and strength of character tested at every turn. Though loyal friends join his cause along the way, in the end it is Valcarion who has to decide just how much he is truly willing to sacrifice.
Buy Links:
Author
Bio:
Luke Edison is a twenty-three
year-old author who grew up in southern New Jersey alongside four siblings in a
home that was never lacking adventure.
During his sophomore year of high school Luke began writing a story that
he had mapped out in his mind several years earlier, Valcarion: Sacrifices, as
the first book of The Valcarion Series. Though Luke enjoys multiple art forms
such as pencil sketches, song writing, and acting, his love for story telling
is his most prominent and well-favored artistic interest. When not writing or working
his post-college position, Luke enjoys activities such as terrain-park skiing,
wakeboarding, surfing, camping, and hiking.
Though he has many passions in
life, Luke’s primary goal may be found in his desire to positively influence
the lives of many readers by successfully making a name for himself. His desire
is to use his writing as a tool to reach teens and young adults and to build
his public personality. Like the protagonists in his writings, Luke hopes that
his actions as a public figure will impact the world around him in ways which
encourage and inspire people across the globe.
Website: valcarion.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LukeEdison22
Amazon Author Page: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/profile
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