Uncover #YA @AuthorEricPrice and his award-winning UNVEILING THE WIZARDS’ SHROUD #fantasy

Greetings and welcome back. Today we are honored to ~~question~~ chat with the elusive Eric Price, wordsmith behind the award winning, young adult fantasy UNVEILING THE WIZARDS’ SHROUD (CLC’s Best First Novel 2014). We’ve offered him a goblet of mead and our best victuals to help keep him occupied as we endeavor to unravel the mysteries of his mental journeys. Without further ado, I give you Sir Eric Price…

If you were to hold a dinner party for six, who would you invite and share at least one question you would have for each?

Annie Wilkes-Why didn’t you like Misery’s Child?

Hannibal Lecter-Do human brains really taste like chicken?

Marla Singer-Is this my week to go to the brain parasites meeting or yours?

Alex (“Your Humble Narrator” from A Clockwork Orange)-When you’re ready for the old ultra-violence, is it really that horrorshow to make the red red kroovy flow from your droogs?

Michonne (The Walking Dead)-Can you recommend a good swordsmith?

Jack Torrance-Would you like a cocktail?

I thought about inviting Bellatrix Lastrange, but if you consider the movies, I already had one character played by Helena Bonham Carter. I didn’t want to get confused.

Whether we’re plotters or pantsers (outlines not needed), creating our stories takes us on very memorable journeys. Sometimes we may be part way through before we realize some major aspect of our story is just not working (plot, character, setting). Have you ever hit this sharp, pointy snag and if so, how did you escape? Were you battered and bruised or a bloody mess?

In a lot of ways, this is how Yara came to join the cast of Unveiling the Wizards’ Shroud. I had written the book and submitted it to Muse It Up Publishing. They rejected it but gave me some suggestions to improve upon. If I did, they’d take a second look. Well, in the time since I had written it, I had an idea for a story with Yara that took place in the same world as Unveiling.

I started rewriting Unveiling the Wizards’ Shroud taking into account the suggestions and adding a little about Yara so readers would have some introduction to her when I wrote her book. I intended to introduce her in the first chapter and bring her in again at the end of the book; but, as so often happens, especially for those of us who don’t outline every single plot detail, she decided to tag along for the whole book. I’m glad she’s there. She’s one of my favorite characters. Her book, The Squire and the Slave Master, comes out soon.

–Been there, done that, have secondary characters who’ve managed to finagled their way into their very own story to show for it.

What’s the one genre you won’t ever try and why?

Erotic Romance. I have no interest in reading it, and I believe in reading the same genre(s) I write. I wouldn’t sit down to write a steampunk novel having never read one (though, I intend to read one soon). For the most part, I don’t even like sex scenes in the books I read. I prefer the way Stephen King typically handles the subject: a little foreplay in one paragraph; in the next paragraph everything’s finished and we’ve moved on to bigger and better things. (The pun may or may not have been intended.)

–If I may offer a suggestion for your introduction to Steampunk, consider Jim Butcher’s Cinder Spires.

What is some of the best advice you were ever given?

Rewrite don’t revise. It’s a lot of work, but it makes the final manuscript much cleaner than cutting and pasting; plus, it helps weed out wordy sentences. When you’re up late trying to finish a few more pages, you realize a lot of the words you’ve used aren’t needed.

What is the best advice you can share with others?

Write your own story. Don’t try to write the next Harry Potter, or Divergent, or whatever. Those stories have already been told. If you’re going to spend the time writing, write something new. Oh, and trust your editor(s). They have the same goal as you, to make your book the best it can be.

–Best advice ever, Eric!

Now, as the blood pudding makes its way into the dining hall, we proceed to our ironshot list. Ready? Aim. Fire…

Blades, guns, fists or feet?

Blades for the coolness aspect. Though, like Indiana Jones, I’d choose a gun if my opponent has a blade.

Favorite Fairy Tale of all time?

Peter Pan. I just read it again a couple weeks ago. Well, I listened to the audio book, but that counts.

Three titles and their authors sitting on your nightstand/bookcase/table/floor waiting to be read?

Stephen King’s Revival

Chuck Palahniuk’s Beautiful You

Dmitry Glukhovsky’s Metro 2033

Greatest one liner of all time?

I think the greatest of all time is Tom Cruise’s line from the end of Risky Business, you know, the one about what you’ve got to say sometimes. But since I don’t want to turn off any readers with foul language, I’ll use my second favorite line. This one from The Princess Bride: “I’m not a witch, I’m your wife.”

–For your next visit, we promise no stone throwing will commence if foul language is involved.

Sarcastic witticism, Southern sweetness or Geeky disdain?

Like I care. Oh, I guess that answers the question.

Strangest item currently taking up space in your writing cave?

The double decker couch from The Lego Movie.

Favorite supernatural creature?

Werewolves—because I’m sick of vampires.

We offer Eric our humble thanks for coming over and sharing. If you’re looking for a wild ride that will make you wish to be younger, check out Eric’s UNVEILING THE WIZARDS’ SHROUD now, so you can pick up his upcoming THE SQUIRE AND THE SLAVE MASTER arriving in September…

Literary Classics International Book Awards – Young Adult Award Winning Book

The award winning Unveiling the Wizards’ Shroud (CLC’s Best First Novel 2014) chronicled Yara, Owen, and Cedric’s quest to revive King Kendrick from a dark, magical spell. After the adventure to save King Kendrick, for Yara, everyday life has grown monotonous. The dull work of learning her father’s blacksmithing trade, and the pressure from her parents to decide what she plans on doing with her life, has her nerves so stressed she snaps at her father’s slightest teasing.

Lucky for her, a surprise messenger from the castle brings the king’s request for her to join a collaborative mission between the Central and Western Domains of Wittatun to stop a recently discovered slave operation in a land to the west. King Kendrick and Owen want her to accompany the mission as a secret weapon disguised as a squire.

She has to keep secret not only her magical abilities from any possible traitors, but also her gender. The people of the Western Domain have a superstition prohibiting girls from sailing. But a chill wind carries the distinct odor of sabotage. Can one girl survive to destroy an evil rooted much deeper than mere slavery?

EXCERPT:

Opening the door, she paused to size up the tall, well-built man who stood outside the yard gate. His hair had grown out since she had last seen him, and it looked like he hadn’t shaved for a week. He wore gloves, but she knew underneath, the palm of the right one looked black and charred.

She sprinted and threw herself into his arms. “Owen! How are you?” She pulled away to look at him. “What’s this on your face? Dirt?”

“Yeah, it’s dirt. I thought I should match you.”

Her face grew warm. How much filth must cover her? She hadn’t cared to take time to freshen herself for a messenger, but she would have had she known his identity. It must have something to do with their time apart—they used to spend almost every day together—but as the official heir to the throne, each time she saw him, he somehow looked different in her eyes. More noble. More royal.

He smiled and wiped at a smudge on her cheek. “Did I hear you say something about getting married?”

“Oh no! Father loves trying my nerves. I don’t want to talk about it. Why are you here?” And how much of the conversation did you hear?