Can you tell readers a little bit about
yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I’m 25 years of
age, and was born and currently reside in Queensland, Australia.
To be honest I
just started writing without being aware of what genre I was heading into. I
have always been an avid fan on Fantasy and anything Paranormal; I guess
writing in one of these genres was inevitable. I love creating worlds and
characters with abilities far outside the norm. It’s hard to do that in any
other genre.
What inspired you to write this
book?
Before writing
this particular book, my hard drive was filled with only half completed novels.
This was starting to bug me, and I started doubting my ability to ever finish
one. For fun, I started writing the prologue to Hell’s Mercenary and I just
couldn’t stop. When I wasn’t typing, I was planning the novel on scrap paper. I
loved the characters, the worlds and the situations the both of them were open
too.
Please tell us about your latest
release.
Hell’s Mercenary
is the first of three books from the Intervening World Chronicles.
Arliah lives a
mundane life in Hell. In order to escape she unwillingly signs a contract with
the devil. Before she knows it, she is signing out at Hell’s reception desk,
and traveling up the lengthy elevator ride - eventually arriving at Earth. Her
mission is to find out the secrets of Heaven, and bring them to Hell. Meanwhile
the people on Earth are battling against each other to secure one of the weekly
tickets in Heaven.
Do you have a special formula for
creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning
to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain
time periods or regions?
A little bit of
everything really. Obviously in a fantasy novel having the name Michael isn’t
exactly realistic. I use online search engines and name generators mainly. Some
authors find this to be the hardest part of writing the novel, matching a name
to a character can be daunting.
Was one of your characters more
challenging to write than another?
Yes! In Hell’s
Mercenary, a character named Quookum eventually enters the book. She is a
little, nosy old lady whose opinion is the only one that matters. I actually
watched a lot of old people at shopping centers just to get a feel about the
way they act. I ended up writing a complete background story on her for my own
sake.
Is there a character that you
enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
Ida is my
favorite. She is a Witch who lives deep within Hell’s forest. She lives alone
in a little old cottage and that’s how she likes it. Ida is a kind old lady,
but is well aware of the art that is black magic. I have a special bond with
her.
Do you
have a formula for developing characters? Like do you create a character sketch
or list of attributes before you start writing or do you just let the character
develop as you write?
I let the character come out to play why I write. I usually
have a fare idea of who they are and the purpose they have in the book. No
matter how planned I am though, they always seems to have more to their
personality then I realize.
What is your favorite scene from the
book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
One of my favorite
scenes is when the main character Arliah re-enters Hell. This is home to her,
but it’s the first time the reader is welcomed down under.
Certain elements
of Hell are symbolic to what perception is already out there, but I wanted to
develop this one step further. Hell has shopping centers, banks, grocery stores
and children’s playgrounds. All of which the people can enjoy without a smile.
Can you tell readers a little bit
about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from
our normal world?
In the first book
of the series, my main focus was to introduce the reader to the different
worlds, and explain the difference between them.
Earth – A deserted world: a place of patience,
hope and misery. This is the waiting zone for the humans. They must kill each
other for the bounties that hover over their heads. The people with the highest
bounties win a life-long ticket to Heaven. The people that try and don’t
succeed, end up in Hell for 12 months. Once their expiration date approaches,
they are sent down the Tunnel of Abyss, which turns them to dust. The humans who don’t want to participate can
stay on Earth, lingering in fear. Arliah must travel through Earth to find the
gates of Heaven.
With the book being part of a
series, are there any character or story arcs, that readers jumping in
somewhere other than the first book, need to be aware of? Can these books be
read as stand alones?
If the reader was
to only read the first novel, they would miss out on the heart of the story,
the history of the characters and why the world they live in is so brutal. I
believe book two will be the most important.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s
block? How do you deal with it?
Unfortunately yes.
The longest it has lasted was six months. I rely on close friends and family
members to pull me from the rut. When I don’t write, I’m not myself. It usually
starts with me writing several pages of “rubbish” only to delete them
afterwards. Very frustrating.
Do you have any weird writing quirks
or rituals?
Listen to music
that would best describe the scene I’m about to write. It may be Evanescence or
a top 40 hit.
Do you write in different genres?
Yes. I typically
write Fantasy/Paranormal, but I’m working on a Horror. It’s not your typical
“jump out of you seat” horror, but more “obscure.” I have a few general fiction
ideas up my sleeve too.
Do you find it difficult to write in
multiple genres?
It is challenging.
Pulling the reader in and keeping them interested really depends on how you
evolve the story. Keeping them interested with a horror story and keeping them
interested in a romance is a completely different thing. This is what I find
the most challenging.
When did you consider yourself a
writer?
That’s a tricky
one. I guess any writer will find this the most difficult transformation. I
only published my first peace a month ago, so I guess then. I have been writing
since I was 12, but never imagined my work being read by others.
What are your guilty pleasures in
life?
Dr Pepper and
Peanut M&M’s. Even though the packet says to share, I don’t personally like
the idea :D
What was the last amazing book you
read?
I loved The Hunger
Games by Suzanne Collins. One of my favorite books to date!
What can readers expect next from
you?
I like to be
different. I notice the different things in life, and the different/unique
personalities out there. I hope to release a book that you can’t compare to any
others, yet can’t remove your eyes from. That’s the goal anyway.
Where can readers find you on the
web?
Official website: www.lukewest.com.au
Facebook group: www.facebook.com.authorluke.west
Goodreads &
Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6764813.Luke_West
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Authorlukewest
Youtube/Book
preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKSqswiYzRA
Would you like to leave readers with
a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
Although the wide-open space
that the desert provides gives me a certain realm of safety, it also opens up a
new world of danger. This desert doesn't just contain sand; it owns the gates
to Hell. The sun exits, allowing the moonbeams to guide my way. The sweat that
once consumed my skin has now gone, allowing coldness to enter my body. The
night is black, showcasing the thousands of stars that make up tonight's sky.
My legs begin to ache, proving
I must be close. As my eyes scan the area, I can't help feel the oppressive
silence. No noise from banished souls, no echoes from the outer city, just
deathly quiet. Too quiet. I take in the outline of the lift. A small
rectangular shape, outlined in silver metal. If I were any taller, I’d have to
duck or my head would be covered in bruises. A batch of unsettled butterflies
take up residence in my stomach. Something is not right. Standing in front of
the rusted lift doors, something is definitely telling me not to push the
button alerting the lift to my presence.
Surveying the situation, I
become concerned with what little protection this scene provides me. The humans
must be laughing at the target I am so readily providing them. To them I am no
threat at all, just a young woman with long black hair and skin so white I
could pass as a ghost. My bright blue eyes could be my only chance of scaring
them off. I realize I'm not a bulky woman with muscles like a professional
wrestler. I don't have devil horns sprouting from my forehead. My appearance
betrays no mythical power with which to fight them off.
I'm just a girl.
I rely on my black leather
trench coat, my high leather boots and my visible tattoos to composite the bad
ass image I need to survive in this place. I pull my dagger from its hilt,
happy that my glove hides the ring. Allowing a smile to form across my face,
hoping to display the confidence I only hope I possess. I wait. Seconds turn
into minutes. The unsettling feeling staunchly refuses to leave me. With my
dagger still at the ready, I slam my left hand against the button on the panel.
I jump when the lift jerks into
motion. This is the only sound I have heard in hours. I wait. The eerie
creaking of the rusted chains pulling the carriage to the surface echoes loudly
through the desert. No hiding my presence now.
February 11 Guest blog
Secret Southern Couture,
February 12 Interview
Roxanne’s Realm
February 13 Spotlight
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
February 14 Spotlight
February 15 Spotlight
My Sexy Escapes
February 16 Guest blog
A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books
February 18 Interview
Fang-tastis Books
February 19 Spotlight
February 20 Interview
Bex 'n' Books
February 21 Review
Unraveling Words
February 22 Guest blog
K. A. Last
February 24 Spotlight
Lisa’s World of Books
February 25 review
The Full Fang
Hell’s Mercenary
Intervening World Chronicles
Intervening World Chronicles
Luke West
Genre: Fantasy
ISBN: 978-0-9874799-0-7
Number of pages: 203
Word Count: 58, 000
Cover Artist: Jessica Drumm
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/KKSqswiYzRA
Book Description:
If you were faced with the abominable decision to die or kill a loved one to survive, would you be the honorable sacrifice?
Hell’s Mercenary. The Urban Fantasy novel from the Intervening World Chronicles, by up and coming author Luke West.
Tobias is the Devil – the ruler of Hell. For years he has banished the souls of innocent humans only to compliment his ruling status, but slowly things are starting to change.
Fewer souls are struggling down the elevator ride eventuating at Hell’s reception desk, yet heaven is reporting an influx of angel’s climbing the staircase into the clouds.
Tobias begins questioning the rules with his sister and rivalry – Constance – the leader of heaven.
When his inquiries go unanswered, he entrusts his assistant Arliah with a mission she simply cannot refuse, yet reluctantly accepts.
Her uncanny nature and gothic philosophy only cause havoc among Hell’s people, and their eyes slowly open as they begin noticing her continual departures through Hell’s gates and presumably into the beauty of heaven.
What Arliah soon comprehends is that the gates of heaven are located at the other end of Earth.
Earth – A deserted world: a place of patience, hope and misery. The only escape is to win the game; your target – the humans with the leading bounties.
Will her black magic connections lead her to the gates of heaven – a world believed to be the light at the end of the tunnel? Or will her newfound supernatural powers carve the third strike against her signed contract?
Her mission – find heaven, and once she does, bring it to Hell.
About the Author:
Luke West is an up and coming author from Queensland, Australia. He was raised and still resides on the Gold Coast.
“Life is a journey, who knows the destination.”
– Luke West
Luke has always enjoyed creative writing, and his first dream – to become a published author – was realized at a young age. His parents were constant, avid readers of his many short stories and novels, and have always supported his decision to chase his dreams.
After studying the art of writing throughout his teenage years, Luke finally took the leap to pursue his writing career and set out to release his debut novel.
Luke decided to explore the self-publishing world, aiming to prove to the publishing houses that he has what it takes to research, market, and sell his work. With this goal achieved, he hopes to secure a full time career in the world of the written word.
Luke enjoys writing Fantasy, Horror or anything with a paranormal twist. His debut Urban Fantasy novel, Hell’s Mercenary is the first of three books from the Intervening World Chronicles and is available for download now!
For the latest news or to connect with Luke personally, visit www.lukewest.com.au
“Thank you for allowing me to entertain your imagination. I hope my books find themselves among your favorite books.”
– Luke West
Official Website: www.lukewest.com.au
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorluke.west
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Authorlukewest
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/obscureimagination
Official Page: www.lukewest.com.au
3 comments:
Great interview. I liked reading about the characters. I have The Hunger Games and have not read it yet. After reading your interview, I may just do that.
debby236 at gmail dot com
Nice teaser
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks Debby & bn100 - nice to meet you both :D
Post a Comment