Welcome to my stop on the official THREE blog tour being presented by Angry Robot! Today I have an interview with the author and a review of the book - and don't forget to read all the way to the bottom for a giveaway and instruction on how to enter the tour wide giveaway!
Three (Legends of the Duskwalker #1)
Author: Jay Posey
Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopia
Release Date: July 30, 2013
Publisher: Angry Robot
Buy Links:
Description:
The world has collapsed, and there are no heroes any more.
But when a lone gunman reluctantly accepts the mantel of protector to a young boy and his dying mother against the forces that pursue them, a hero may yet arise.
But when a lone gunman reluctantly accepts the mantel of protector to a young boy and his dying mother against the forces that pursue them, a hero may yet arise.
JP: I actually didn’t know it was going to be a series when I first started out, and there are kind of two halves to the origin story for Three. On a very large scale, I had a whole lot of different ideas and interests I wanted to explore, and for some crazy reason I thought it’d be neat to see if I could create a world where all of those things could co-exist. So I took elements from cyberpunk, anime, martial arts, and the classic Western, and sort of squished them all together. That was part of the fun and the challenge for me, to bring those things together in a way that felt like a single coherent world.
On a very small scale, though, the heart of the story came from a much more personal place. I really wanted to explore some ideas about surrogate fatherhood, and about a different kind of love than the romance we often see in other stories, when it requires some personal cost and sacrifice.
2. Do you have to do any special research for the series?
JP: Most of Three is actually more of a culmination of many years of curiosity than it is a result of any specifically targeted research. I definitely did some checking here and there on things like the proper name for specific nerves in the human body, or for images on interesting urban architecture, but for the most part, I didn’t really spend a lot of time researching any one particular subject. Also, for my day job, I’m a Senior Narrative Designer at Red Storm Entertainment (which is a game development studio started by Tom Clancy), so I’ve had to keep up with a lot of things over the years, like emerging technology and various geopolitical situations. I’m sure a lot of that day-to-day reading of articles and things has carried over into the Duskwalker world.
3. How many books do you have planned for the series?
JP: I’m finishing up the second right now, and I’ve got the framework for a third. After that, I kind of wanted to see what the response was like and if anyone was going to want more. I have some ideas for semi-related or purely standalone stories in that world, but I’m trying not to get too far ahead of myself. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if some of these characters demand more attention than I’m expecting to give them, though.
4. Are any of the other characters based off of people you know?
JP: Mostly no, though the character jCharles is something of a nod to a good buddy of mine. He was kind enough to read through the manuscript of Three a chapter at a time and his encouragement along the way really helped me stick with it and finally finish the thing.
5. Can we expect any big surprises in the next book?
JP: Most definitely. At least, I hope they’re surprising. I had a weird experience with this next book, in that I had a character sort of insist on being in the story, even though I had no idea who he was at the time. And then after I wrote a couple of chapters that he appeared in, I suddenly figured out who he was, and it made me say “Whaaaaaaaaaat?” It will either be very surprising and cool, or everyone will think I’m completely crazy. Possibly both.
6. How did you become a writer? Was there a person or situation that prompted you to start writing?
JP: It’s funny, because I’ve really always enjoyed making up stories, and I think I’ve kind of been a writer since before I knew it was a thing to be. I remember in middle school having to keep a journal for my English class, and I asked my teacher if it’d be okay for me to write stories instead. Mrs. Jenkins was her name. She agreed. I thought it was great. (Thanks Mrs. Jenkins!)
I also used to wander around the house when I was a kid with my dad’s microcassette recorder, and I’d record myself telling stories. I can’t remember really ever going back to listen to any of them, but I certainly enjoyed telling them.
It wasn’t really until I was in my twenties though that I started taking it seriously. I had bounced around in several different jobs at that point, and I was working then doing web application development for a university. I was pretty miserable at the time, and I felt like maybe I could try taking this writing thing a little more seriously and maybe see if I could turn it into a profession.
7. What tips do you have for aspiring writers?
JP: Get in the habit of writing every day or at least something like five days a week. Writing is a lot like exercise, and if you can make it a habit, you’ll eventually find it’s harder for you to go a day not writing. It’s also like exercise because if you don’t do it regularly, it can be challenging to get started again. Also, don’t be afraid to start small. You can learn a lot from writing a 3000 word short story. You don’t have to start out with your Epic Fantasy covering 3500 years of your created world’s history.
And perhaps most importantly, keep in mind that the only person who can really stop you from being a writer is you. (Also, potentially, the internet.)
8. What's next for you?
JP: Once I finish up Book Two of the Duskwalker series, I’ll probably take a little time to recover and replenish my brain-vat with words (by reading a bunch of the great books I’ve missed out on while I’ve been trapped in the word mines). Also, I will sleep. Then I imagine I’ll start poking at Book Three, and evaluating next steps. And I’ve got a more military sci-fi thing I’ve been contemplating for a while, so I might start exploring that world a bit, too.
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog and chatting with us today Jay!
You can now read a chapter from the book! Read it here:
Three is the first book in a new science fiction/dystopian series that follows our main character, known only as Three, as he survives the wasteland that once was earth. Three keeps to himself and does what is necessary to survive in the new world, until he is drawn into trouble after meeting Cass and her young son, Wren. Three has no idea how much trouble he has gotten himself into, or how deep it truly goes. Now on the run, Three must not only think of how to get by, but how to survive without getting himself killed.
This was a fast paced and action packed novel that had me completely hooked by the first page. The characters were all really well done, especially Three. He's a truly mysterious character, but we learn more about him and his history as the book continues. The setting was vividly described with intricate details and a rich backstory - I was easily transported into the post-apocalyptic world the author created. The plot was full of action along with adrenaline and tons of thrills. The creatures that lurked in the dark were really creepy and gave the novel an originality that sets it apart from most other science fiction and dystopian books out there. The writing was incredibly well done, with an effortless flow and quick pace that had me eagerly turning pages to see what was going to happen next. The novel seems to transcend genre labels - science fiction, fantasy, dystopian, action, horror, adventure - all of these are expertly woven together to form a truly captivating first novel in what promises to be a thrilling and original series.
Giveaway: (1) print copy of THREE - Open Internationally!
Tour Wide Giveaway: (2) SIGNED copies of Three - Open Internationally!
This is a scavenger hunt giveaway! Each stop on this Blog Tour of Three by
Jay Posey has a unique question. Be sure to enter your answers into
the giveaway by dropping by My Shelf Confessions and enter
your answers in the Rafflecopter widget! You can answer as many or as
few as you like as each answered question gets you an extra entry!
All the answers to the scavenger hunt questions can be found either on our book page, the
extract/excerpt, or in the blurb.
Here's the questions for my stop:
Question #4 When does Three release in the UK?
I'm looking forward to meeting this character that insisted on being in the book!
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