Steven Vincent author of Dawn of the Knight
Every few weeks I like to do a blog featuring another author and their novel or upcoming work. Today Steven Vincent has been generous enough to sit down with us and provide some insight to his book, Dawn of the Knight.
Question #1 - Let's start by talking about your book; why should people be interested in buying it?
"I always tell people that Dawn of the Knight I - Xeltian Invitation is a 560 page fantasy novel. That's almost two books worth, so once you fall in love with the story you wont have to worry about it ending anytime soon!"
Question #2 - Can you describe your favorite character from the book to me?
"Well, let's talk about Hamlet. Really early on, he appears as a sort of obstacle to Egon, but also a friend. His demeanor is almost impossible to describe, and he was the biggest challenge I faced, trying to put what I had envisioned into words! He skips, he vanishes, he rhymes, and he trips over the smallest things. He's one of my favorite characters I've ever made!"
Question #3 - What would you compare this work with?
"In a way, like Lord of the Rings, since Egon faces an uphill battle just like Frodo. The only real difference is that Egon can fight, and the foes along his path are a lot tougher than Gollum! Just picture Lord of the Rings on hard mode, with a more modern voice."
Question #4 - What are some of the main struggles in the story?
"Change is the first. Egon must learn to become a stronger, more reliable person if he hopes to succeed, but he must also stop trying to fit everyone else's standards. He has to learn to walk his own path. Aewulf's struggle is that he's an elf well over a hundred years old, but somehow he's lost his memory. Adela is the princess of Hemford, but at the hands of the Xeltian Knight she's lost everything, and must rediscover who she is, and who she wants to become."
Question #5 - Now let's talk about you; what makes you the most qualified person to write this book?
"I grew up playing video games! Games are meant to be pure fun, or at least they used to be. It seems like games, books, and movies now aim to depress you and show how rotten the world can be, but I never got into that. So, you can rest assured that my book(s) may leave you on the edge of your seat, might scare you at times, but you'll never feel gloomy when you put it down!"
Question #6 - Did you learn anything during the publishing process? How about the writing process?
"Yes, as a matter of fact, and relearned for that matter! I used to want to make comics, so I learned how to do a little drawing and computer coloring way back when. When the time came to publish my book though, I needed cover art and did not have the budget to have someone make it for me. So, I made my own, and I'm always happy when people ask me who did it!
There's so much else you learn along the way. You get better at writing with every chapter. You learn the market more and more as you become a part of it. I've by no means figured it all out. Life is about learning; that's what makes it interesting."
Question #7 - What would be your advice to someone just about to publish their book?
"If you can, publish it a little later than you planned. This way you'll have time to gather your wits and make sure everything is in order. My biggest regret was publishing before I began to network with other readers, writers, and bloggers. You need friends in this business, and you have to make sure your cover, the book itself, everything is how you really want it."
Question #8 - What other works helped inspire you?
"As I mentioned earlier, I grew up with video games. Literally, I started playing Sonic when I was 2, had won Super Mario Bros. when I was like 3? But most importantly, I started playing the Legend of Zelda when I was 5 years old, and that game, even with all the broken sentences and 16-bit graphics, helped inspire me to love fantasy, and later on I drew a lot of inspiration from the things I imagined while playing it."
If you would like to find out more about Steven or his book you can reach him at anyone of the following links:
