J.M. NORTHUP's BLOG

Sunday, August 6, 2017

The Black River Chronicles by LG Surgeson

Book Spotlight

1.           What is the title of your book?
Summer of Fire by LG Surgeson
Ø   What is the story about?
·       Summer of Fire was the summer of the year 1102, when two major catastrophic events occurred almost simultaneously: a war among the Gods that spilled to the mortal plane, and the rise of an evil overlord.
·       The novel tracks the events that lead to these two catastrophes, and the paths of a group of adventurers who find themselves destined to navigate them and try to fix them.
2.         Who is the main character?
·       There isn't one main character – it's more of an ensemble cast.
·       They are a group of luckless adventurers who have found themselves staring into the open jaws of fate with no choice but to act. 
3.         What inspired this tale?
Ø   How did the story come to you?
·       For 12 years, I worked on a Live Action Roleplay game, called Aberddu AdventuresSummer of Fire, and the rest of the chronicles, were inspired by the world and the story arcs that I – along with my team – created for this game.
·       Many of the characters are based on characters played by friends of mine.
Ø   Did you have to research for this novel, and if so, why?
·       I did bits and pieces of research, but nothing that really springs to mind.
4.         Do you relate to your character?
Ø   Is your protagonist anything like you personally?
·       In some senses, I do relate to some of my protagonists.  Possibly, Sr Daisy is the one that I could most relate to.
ü If yes, then how?
Daisy started out shy and self-doubting. She didn't have much faith in her Temple or her own abilities. Through the story she grows, thanks to the faith placed in her by her friends. I can very much relate to that.
Ø   What made you write this character; were they based on a real person or something that inspired you?
·        Sr Daisy is one of a pair of priestesses whose humility, faith and friendship have an inordinate impact on the outcome of the Gods' war. Daisy and her friend, Mori, are based on me and a friend of mine when we were eighteen. They have the same hopes, fears and flaws as we did then – and the same naivety.
ü What should readers know about this character?
Daisy may seem a bit like a wet blanket at times, but she's as solid as a rock underneath – particularly, when she is protecting friends. Her loyalty is by far her strongest quality.
ü Why is this character important to you?
Daisy is a character that changes the world through sheer force of faith, loyalty and persistence. She gives me hope that simple souls, with faith and loyalty, can actually effect change.
Ø   Do you consider the main character of your story to be good or bad, and why?
·       The characters from the Adventurers Guild are mostly good. They are not always nice, or right, but they are generally on the side that is pitted against evil. Some of them have self-serving tendencies, but in a pinch, most of them could be trusted to do near enough the right thing.
5.         Is there anything you specific want readers to know about this piece of work?
Summer of Fire is a bit like a 'prequel' to the rest of the series. It is far wider ranging than the other stories in the series, and takes place over a much longer period of time. It's much more epic in scale. However, I hope it has the same comfortable readability and relatable characters as the others.
Ø   Is there a particular idea or morale you are trying to convey?
·       There are probably plenty of moral ideas in this story, but I didn't deliberately set out to put one across. I just wanted to make sure that when the characters in later stories talked about the Summer of Fire or the time before it that readers had some idea of the scale and impact that it had on the whole world.
6.         Is this book part of a series, and if so, what’s the series name?
Ø   If it is the first in a series, when can we expect to see the next book published?
·       This is the first novel in the series. There are currently 3 novels available in The Black River Chronicles: Summer of Fire, The Winter That Follows & The Freetown Bridge.  
·       There will be another 3 released soon.
Ø   If it is a part of a book series, can it be read as a standalone or do you need to read the entire series to experience the full realm of the tale?
·       Yes, it can be read as a standalone.
7.          Where can readers connect with you?

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