A warm welcome to author L.Rockwood joining us today to talk about new release “Defiant Revival”.
Stolen Thunder By L. Rockwood
The idea for Defiant Revival was gnawing at my mind for ages before I finally put into words, let alone gave it a name. Despite having no outline, no character bios written, I always had the first scene mapped out in my head. There was always Billiam, a beautiful, dead prince, and that crazy witch, Shemmy, crawling around in corpses. The line of about him not giving a damn whether she was lovely or not was the first I was certain of. It came to me while I was doodling a sketch of Shemmy during a meeting at least a year before I typed it out.
I finally started my novel when my mom gave me her old iPad. I no longer had the excuse of not wanting to get on the computer. Instead, my word processor was sitting right beside me and thus the muse took over. I wrote both this book and it’s sequel (which I will be shipping off to DSP shortly, had to do some tweaking) in only four short months. I can only imagine how far Billiam would be now had I started way back when he was born.
I’m writing this little background just so I can show that I had the idea for my protagonist and his sidekick at the very same time. They are both pivotal to the story and have been bestowed their own uniqueness and quirks as I grew them. Regardless of that, Billiam had always been my focus, or so I thought.
I put a lot of myself into Billiam, or at least, a lot of how I’d like to see myself. That doesn’t mean he is perfect or a glorious hero, in fact, he is far from it. One of my friends who read it was quite confused by Billiam and even stated that he was impossible. He couldn’t believe that someone could be so brave and masculine in one scene, then fretting over his clothes or breaking down in tears in the next. I of course defended Billiam. I think that’s what makes him work as a character. He is not just one thing; he is not just one kind of gay man. All of us have multiple sides, strengths and weaknesses, and I want all of my characters to represent that, especially my main.
I may have put a lot of work into Billiam, but the poor guy doesn’t seem to be anyone’s favorite. That’s not his fault though, nor does it have anything to do with his complexity. It’s all Shemmy’s doing. I knew she was going to be funny and a blast to write. I didn’t know she was going to take on a life of her own and become the star of the story.
During the sequel, Imperfect Uprising, there are about four or five chapters in a row that are completely Shemmy-less. I would read my wife (or wife-itor) each chapter as I went to get her opinion and she caught on to this immediately. She told me of how much she missed her and warned me others would as well. I asked my coworker who was reading it if she minded the lack of the witch. Adriana responded nonchalantly, “Well, yeah I guess I noticed Shemmy wasn’t there, but it didn’t really bother me. I just knew she would be back, she’s the main character after all, right?” I tried to correct her, but she wasn’t having it. I figured it didn’t matter, because at least she wasn’t suggesting I change my chapter sequence or anything.
I am glad to have a character that is so loved, even if she outshines the stars. It’s also amusing to me to have written a gay romance novel where the most interesting character is a mostly heterosexual woman. I pride myself on being a weirdo, so having that unexpected bit suits me. I just feel a little bad for Billiam, as he isn’t even my favorite character. And no, it’s not Shemmy.
Release date: October 28th 2016.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Blurb:
To free the kingdom from the depravity of Cardinal Aldrious, Prince Micah Helvendeere must take his rightful place as ruler.
Unfortunately, the prince has been dead for a year.
Billiam Grimhart, former page to the prince, knows Micah’s assumption of the throne is the last chance to purge Casperland of the cardinal’s corruption. And for that to happen, the prince must be revived. Only one person stands a chance of achieving the nearly impossible: exiled enchantress Shemmy DuBois, a raunchy bog witch with an affinity for corpses and a heart of gold. Billiam sets out to coax Shemmy to their cause, despite what wading through piles of bodies will do to his favorite shoes.
If he can accomplish it, Billiam might finally get to consummate his love for the prince—something Shemmy is keen to witness. But first, they’ll need to steal Micah’s body, brave a land inhabited by vicious faeries, and accept the help of accomplices as vile and perverse as their enemies. They might be far from typical heroes, but sometimes those are the only people who can get the job done.
If you like dark and edgy high-concept fantasy that’s not for those with delicate sensibilities, join Billiam, Shemmy, and their Faelock allies as they stage their revolution.
Buy Links:
L.Rockwood is survived by his artist wife, Rae, and their three adorable but stupid cats. He is also quite alive however terribly morbid. It is thanks to this macabre fascination (and likely his Scorpio moon) that death and rebirth is the central focus of all his works. L. definitely has a lighter side, usually manifesting in hot pink or glitter, as he is just as obsessed with all things kawaii.
L is an out and proud pansexual, transgender man. He draws from his own experiences, striving to celebrate the various and beautiful ways love and sexuality can manifest through his characters. His time is split between the Central and Lost Coasts of California. He has yet to spot his favorite animal, the unicorn, in his travels, but he will never give up hope.
https://facebook.com/L.rockwoodwrites
