The Gatekeeper’s Son by C.R. Fladmark
(The Gatekeeper’s Son #1)
Publication date: October 1st 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Junya’s grandfather is a billionaire who keeps the secret to his success hidden in a heavily guarded safe.His mother is a martial artist who wields a razor-sharp katana—and seems to read his mind.And a mysterious girl in a Japanese school uniform can knock him over—literally—with just a look.What do they know that he doesn’t?Junya’s life takes a dangerous turn on his sixteenth birthday, when someone sets out to destroy not only the family’s business empire—the one that he’s set to inherit—but Junya himself. He’s fighting for his life, and doesn’t know who to trust.What has his family been keeping from him?Junya’s journey takes him from the narrow streets of San Francisco to Japan, and through hidden portals to the top of the ancient Japanese Izumo Shinto shrine, to places where death and violence are a way of life. And in a mystical world he’s never imagined, he finds his true destiny.
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Author Interview:
Your book, The Gatekeeper's Son, takes place in two very different worlds and cultures, and you manage to slide from one into the other without any problem - even gracefully. How do you do it?
Japan is so different from any other place I’ve visited; it was as if I was on a different planet! On my first visit, I just walked around in awe. Huge glass towers, bullet trains and so many people! But then, you’d round a corner and find yourself in the quiet garden of a 800 year old Buddhist temple. The ultra-modern and the ancient co-exist everywhere so for me, it’s not hard to describe an ancient world beside a modern San Francisco.
Like most writers, I noticed on your website that you also work a full-time job. (Yes, we all need to eat and pay bills.) Do you have any secrets for juggling both at once?
Finding time is a constant struggle. With a busy family and a job, writing often ends up at the bottom of a long to-do list. I keep my laptop with me and when I’m waiting for my kids at music class or sports practice, I write. Then, of course, there is the late-night writing sessions that leave me bleary-eyed at work the next day. That’s all I can do until this becomes a full-time gig.
What is your favorite part about writing?
I love it when I lose myself in a scene and become so engrossed that my fingers can’t keep up with the story. It’s also fascinating how my characters surprise me by doing something unexpected. They take on a life of their own.
Many authors were avid readers during their childhood. What were you favorite books while growing up?
I read like crazy! I can’t really remember specific books but I know there a lot of mysteries and comic books. In my teens, I read a wide variety of novels but westerns were my mainstay.
What are you reading write now?
When you aren’t writing, what do you like to do?
Sleep? No, there are many beaches near my home and we try to get to them as much as we can, rain or shine. And of course, reading is one of my favorite things to do.
What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
I know it's a boring answer but you need to write, write, write. We get better by doing. As we say in martial arts, 10,000 times to master something, a lifetime to perfect it. You need to read a lot too; you can't write if you don't. And read a broad range of genres, not just the type you want to write about. Inspiration for a space fantasy story could come from a Jane Austin novel.
What’s the best thing about being a writer?
I get paid to daydream.
What do your fans mean to you?
My fans are everything! Without readers, I'm not an author. It's as simple as that. Every time I see a book sales report, I feel so thankful that so many people are interested in what I have to say. It’s pretty cool!
AUTHOR BIO:
Award winning author, C.R. Fladmark lives in a small, historic town in British Columbia and travels often to Japan, where he researches his novels among the ancient sites in Shimane Prefecture. To learn more, and read a way longer bio of his life and see FAQ, visit www.crfladmark.com or find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crfladmark.
Author links:
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
- Signed copy of The Gatekeeper’s Son
This sounds amazing. Great interview thank you.
ReplyDeleteIt does :)
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