Author Interview – John Hennessy
28 March, 2012
Hey Guys!
So today I am introducing you all to the awesome John Hennessy! He kindly answered all of my questions for all of you!
His first published book, Life Descending, is now available for purchase! Links to his Amazon page are at the bottom!
It was a pleasure to interview John, so I hope you enjoy his answers too!
Without further ado;
Hello John! Welcome to A Daydreamer’s Thoughts! To get us started, why not tell us a little bit about yourself, anything you would like your readers to know.
I am 23-years-old, and recently graduated from Western Washington University this last June. It took me six years to complete my debut novel, Life Descending. I started writing it in high school, finally completing it with a professional edit this last September/October.
That is definitely a long prject then! So, how long have you wanted to be a writer?
I have wanted to be a professional writer since I was a junior in high school, so over seven years now.
You’ve been doing this for a quite awhile, so I’m sure everyone would like to know, what do you do when you’re not typing away at the keyboard coming up with new ideas?
I like to hike, watch movies and TV, and read.
So now we know more about you, what about your novel? What is it all about?
My novel, Life Descending, part one of The Cry of Havoc, is an epic fantasy about a man, Tom Navo, who is resurrected on another planet, gaining new memories and a new life. Once Tom finds out his memory has been tampered with, he begins his quest to discover who did it to him, and why, sending him on an epic journey. Though it hasn’t been out long, it has been called a masterpiece by one reviewer, and as good as Game of Thrones by another, so that has been very exciting.
It definitely sounds worth a read! But what inspired you to write a story in this genre?
What first inspired me to write Life Descending came when I was on an Alaskan cruise with my parents between my sophomore and junior years of high school. On the cruise, I read the book, Diablo: Legacy of Blood, which is about cursed armor. I started to think about my own cursed armor, and the story bloomed from that point on, evolving over the years into something entirely different than what I had imagined as a 16-year-old.
Oooh, that’s pretty cool! That makes me question, when you were writing your story, did you have any specific readers in mind, or were you writing more for yourself?
When I started out, I didn’t have anyone specific, I just wanted to get the story down. Then I just wanted to write something different for fantasy fans, and I think I accomplished that.
Awesome. So, here’s an interesting one, did you enjoy writing your story?
Writing Life Descending was a great experience, and I learned a lot in the process. It took me six years, and during that span, I had a great time creating new creatures, and getting to know my characters.
That’s great then! Getting more one the writing of it, did you use a structured plan or did it sort of tell it’s own story along the way?
Both, actually. I do have very intricate outlines, but then the dialogue, and most of the action in the scenes just sort of happen. I do go where the characters lead me for the most part, and they like to live their own lives.
Okay, and do you have a favourite character in the story?
I can’t say as an absolute that I have a favorite character, but Bravis was fun to create, and I also really enjoyed making my own leprechauns.
Oooh! Leprechauns! Hehe. But what about a favourite moment?
I have a million favorite moments, but chapter 24 was probably the most fun to write, and if you pick up a copy, you’ll see why.
Touche! Were there any challenging scenes that you felt that you just couldn’t get right?
Since it took me six years to write (on and off, of course), I have to say that I was never stuck. I gave myself room to breathe, and everything came together naturally. There were scenes where I had to do quite a bit of research, especially for chapter 24, where I bought (and rented from Western’s library) several books on battle tactics and weapons.
It’s always nice to know when someone really works on their novel! Here’s a hard question for you; can you sum up your novel in a sentence or two?
Should I try? When I think to sum up 155,000 words, it just doesn’t seem right. Too much is missed, or too much might be given away. But, I guess I’ll give it a go. His family missing, his mind altered, exhausted Tom Navo desperately tries to figure out what has happened to him, awakening on a strange new world.
And finally, do you have any advice for any aspiring writers out there?
Well, to be honest, no. I’ve had some really, really great reviews and virtually no sales, so I’m still a newb trying to figure out how to get my book out there and in front of readers. One thing I can say that has helped my editing process, listen to it with a text-to-speech program. It’s a million times better than reading it aloud to yourself. I use the free TypeIt ReadIt program. You can hear how smooth your sentences are, and catch any incorrectly used words, and especially helps find missing prepositions that tend to be left out when your fingers are flying.
and a quick fire round;
ebooks or hard copies?
Hard copies
day or night?
Mornings
reading or writing?
Writing
paper or computer?
Computer
tea or coffee?
Yerba Maté tea
favourite book of the moment?
Don Quixote
most memorable book?
The Handmaid’s Tale
Thanks for this interview, John!
On a world once devastated by deadly climate shifts, war threatens a continent in turmoil. The scorching heat of old is returning, and whispers of a Southern plague cross the Bordergrounds, spreading fear into the fanatical hearts of the North, who prepare themselves for one final holy conquest. At the edge of the conflict lies Tom Navo, a man who has lost a life, only to rise again. But his life spirals into chaos once more when he learns that his memories have been tampered with. Hope and revenge are all that remain after he meets Shakara, a woman who has also been shattered by grim secrets, secrets of missing families, brainwashed soldiers, and a warmongering king. Yet, among these bleak forecasts resides a hint of possibility, a chance to extinguish the coming darkness, with a clue to the location of the ancient Impermeable Suit, the lost enchanted armor of legend, surrounded by tales of triumph and glory of its former bearer. Now, Tom and Shakara seek its power, but others, dangerous and determined, including the zealous King of the North himself, have deciphered the clue and race to find such a potent weapon. In a realm full of deception and disloyalty, lust and malice, corruption and tragedy, stands a story of lords and servants, assassins and soldiers, and extraordinary beings aplenty, whose future teeters perilously on the brink of doom, as all life descends into shadow.
To know more about the John, feel free to hop on over to his website;
here
Or, to purchase his book, or to keep an eye on him, check out his amazon page;
here
One Comment
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