Phoebe Hinkle's Blog: Chronicler's Corner, page 5

Remembering D-Day

Hello friends! Today marks the 80th anniversary of the Normandy beach landings - June 6th, 1944. Please join me in remembering the brave soldiers - American, British, Canadian, and other nations' - who risked and laid down their lives in this assault. These men are worthy of our honor and respect.

As a history nerd, I do like to celebrate important dates - especially on an anniversary like the 80th! So I played a wargame [complex strategic board game] with my dad and brother (my dad won spectacularly lol), and later we're planning to watch an episode of the show Combat! Any of y'all doing anything special?

An Interview with Brightstar Author Jared N. Michaud

Hello friends! Today I'm honored to host an interview with Jared N. Michaud, the author of Brightstar: Energematrice6 – The Epimyth Begins . We met at a local library event back in November, where I bought a copy of Brightstar and . . . well, most of y'all have probably heard that all from me before. If not, go check out my other blog posts. 😉
But anyway! Jared kindly agreed to the interview, so here goes. My questions will be in italics.

Welcome to the blog, Jared! Will you start off by introducing yourself?
Absolutely! I've loved imaginary worlds since before I can remember. I started writing about those worlds (and specifically the Energematrice6 universe) when I was twelve, and now, almost twenty-five years later, I've finally published my first book, Brightstar. As a dad of six, I want to write fiction that will enrich my kids' generation and point them to the truth of Christ.

So, about Brightstar. I’ve read it – and loved it – but tell our readers more! I know I always like hearing about a book from its author.
Brightstar is just the beginning. If I had all the resources in the world, I would have written a book five times as long as Brightstar to be my first story in the Energematrice6 universe. I didn't have the time or resources to do that, so Brightstar, my debut novel, is the first of four or five books in The Epimyth, which is to be the core miniseries of the Energematrice6 universe. Even then, Nate's story is just the beginning!

Ooh, goody! Lots more books! XD

What’s the history behind the book, and what inspired you to write it?
When the Star Wars prequels came out, I promised myself "I'll never write a prequel." so when I started writing the story that was originally intended to be Brightstar, I decided I had to tell it from the beginning rather than jumping into the middle. What was originally supposed to be the prologue of Brightstar stretched out into 250,000 words (roughly 5 times the length that Brightstar is now) and became a novel itself. It was terrible.
Turns out, it isn't just writing a story "later" that makes it a prequel. It's having a predictable ending point for your story before you ever write it. That on top of my own inexperience with writing made me shelve the manuscript four years after I started writing it, but I still loved the Energematrice6 universe, and Brightstar was the story I originally wanted to tell anyway!
That original manuscript is still "on the shelf," and it has made the background for Brightstar deeper and richer!

I get that! I love writing out character backstories and country histories; even if they never make it into the book, it makes everything so much richer!

Who’s your favorite character to write?
I don't know that I have a favorite. That's almost like asking me to choose between my children--each character is a person to me, and I like each one for different reasons! I AM looking forward to sharing more of the characters' backgrounds with my readers as time goes on.
One of my early readers told me she'd rather hear more about Keevan because "Jon and Rachel seem like more standard characters." I wasn't offended, but I also don't think she realized just how much personality each of these characters has for me!

#truth . . . asking an author their favorite character is an unfair question 😂

Who are some writers that have influenced you?
My most essential influence is Jesus Christ. He is the only person in the Bible to regularly tell fictional stories (parables) that are invested with truth at a deep level, which is what I aspire to.
Phoebs interrupts: Hear, hear!
After that, C.S. Lewis, Orson Scott Card and a slew of writers who contributed to the original Star Wars lore (now considered non-canonical) would be very high on the list.

I know you have a lot more books planned, including your upcoming anthology. What can readers expect?
I'm almost finished with my anthology now. I'd been planning to write only one story to finish it out, but I've been considering doing two (one about Keevan and another about Jon and Rachel). I can use the extra word count, and I like both ideas! (And you folks reading this are officially the first to know!)
After that, I really need to finish the final edits on The Vale of Mysteries (the Epimyth book 2), and I'm still (as often as I can get myself into the right headspace) trying to push forward on book three of the Epimyth!

AAAAH YAY!!! This is so exciting! *happy squeals and flailing*

What are you hoping these stories will achieve?
Oh boy. This is a subject I could talk about for *FAR* too long!
Andrew Brietbart popularized the quote "Politics is downstream of culture." I go further. Culture is downstream of faith, and myth (stories with essential truth embedded in them) lives between faith and culture, pointing back to the faith we stand on and forward to lead the way for the culture. A near-perfect example of this is a tweet I happened upon when I first revitalized the Energematrice6 twitter account, "Dudes will literally read 1 book and then make it their entire personality.(for me its starship troopers)" - @AdamNeumannsCoS
I like the quote because it clearly showcases the point--the stories we read are absolutely critical to the way we think and how we live our lives.
I want to write stories that point back to the greatest truths in the world, starting with Jesus and working out into all the rest of life!

Amen! Sometimes I don't think people - ourselves included - realize just how MUCH influence authors can have.

Where can interested readers buy your book(s)? ('Cause yeah, they need to. I'm saying it right now. Y'all NEED to.) 😉
Brightstar is available anywhere you would normally buy books. That means you should go to a local bookstore and get them to order it for you! (Or choose an online bookseller that is a small business. It's available everywhere!)
For those who are interested in my forthcoming anthology, From the Void, I won't be releasing it through a traditional publisher, so you should check out my website. I plan to make it available there!

I'm keeping my ear to the ground for developments on that . . .

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
This has been a rather amazing journey so far, and I more than appreciate all the folks who have come alongside me, both as readers and introducing me to their own following! Phoebe is an absolute gem, and I've been privileged to meet her and so many other wonderful folks along the way!

Aww, thanks, Jared! ^-^ And thank you for being on the blog today! It's been a great interview!

What do y'all think? Have you taken my advice and read Brightstar yet? 'Cause I mean it; you MUST. I'm not a sci-fi reader, and I loved it.

To Stand Chapter 1 Read-Aloud

Hello friends! I didn't think about this sooner, or I would've posted it earlier . . .

Have you ever wondered what To Stand would sound like as an audiobook? (For the record, I LOVE audios!!) While I haven't recorded it (yet), I DID get the chance to read the first chapter aloud during my release day party at Bonsai Books. You can watch the video here (you don't need a Facebook account). The sound quality isn't great in spots, but it's enough that you can still pick the words out. 😊

What do you think? Do you want to see (hear) To Stand as an audiobook?

Character Interview - Nate from Brightstar

Hello y'all! Friend and fellow author Jared N. Michaud officially published his book Brightstar: Energematrice6 – The Epimyth Begins last week - so, to celebrate, I thought it would be cool to have one of his characters as a special guest on the blog. Fortunately we were able to secure transport from the Aurora Galaxy to my author castle . . . so, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to Nate!

I smile as Nate steps into my office. “Welcome to the blog, Nate! Have a seat.” I gesture to the chair across from me. “Ready to start the interview?”

He nods as he seats himself, and I pick up my notes from the desk. “Great! Let’s start with a fairly easy question. What’s your favorite thing about the new universe you find yourself in?”

Nate frowns thoughtfully, sitting back in his chair and giving the question serious consideration. "I think . . . I'd have to say my favorite thing is not being . . . well . . ." He shrugs helplessly. "Back home, I'm not normal, you know? It's so much easier to get my thoughts out into the world here - to actually talk or do things, instead of having them stuck tumbling around in my head." He looks around quizzically. "We ARE still in the Aurora Galaxy, right? I mean, I'm . . . still 'normal,' so we have to be, right?" He looks disturbed for a moment.

“Um . . . yes!” I hastily assure him. “Well, something like it, anyway.” I hurry on to the next question. “Is there anything you miss from Earth?”

"Ahh, of course." Nate's expression relaxes. "It's never things. It's the people. People are what make the world important. Without the people, the world would just be empty . . . sort of meaningless. I miss Dad . . . and Adrienne too." He looks uncomfortable, but shrugs and nods his head, then sits silent, waiting for the next question. He stares around the room, his eyes tracing the patterns in the large map on the wall. He’s obviously comfortable just waiting, and he doesn't feel a need to fill the silence just to ease discomfort. I’m impressed with how easily he takes command of a situation.

I glance down at my papers. “Would you go back to Earth if you could?”

"I really do like it here, but I have to see Dad again someday, right? . . . even if that means facing . . ." His eyes go dark, and he stutters, "A . . . aa . . . aaanndd." He shakes his head, clearing it with an obvious effort. "And I want to see Mom again too. I still dream about her, even though it's been so long. Do you think it's too late? Is she still . . . alive?" Nate looks troubled, his attention drawing inward, even as he looks at me almost pleadingly. His fragility in that moment is almost breathtaking, and his uncharacteristic innocence in unknowingly showing his vulnerability is somehow precious. The juxtaposition of his natural strength from a moment before and the child sitting before me now is almost startling, and the big sister in me melts.

“It’s quite possible she’s still alive, Nate,” I answer, “even if your author doesn’t currently intend it. I mean, I’ve had several characters decide to show up that weren’t even supposed to be there in the first place.” I laugh a little and move on to the next question. “What was the worst thing about being at the Ochroleucum?”

One corner of Nate's mouth turns up wryly and he shakes his head. "There's something wrong with that place – really wrong. It's like a snow globe." He looks at me quizzically, searching for understanding. When none is forthcoming – I’m not quite sure what he means – he shrugs. "It's like being under a mountain of pressure all the time. There's no way to relax. It's not the people so much, even though they're all so focused on power. It's more like there's something they create without even meaning to. An atmosphere . . ."

Nate shrugs again and shakes his head. "I'm pretty sure it was mostly just me, though. It's like their whole world was pushing down on just ME. Tye didn't feel that way, or not nearly as much." Again, he trails off into silence, satisfied with his answer, though obviously still thinking about what he'd said.

“That . . . does sound really weird. Way different from my college. Did you have a favorite professor there, or were they all about the same?”

Nate makes a face. "Most of them wouldn't even talk to me after the first day. Some were obviously better teachers, or nicer. Professor Argos was OK. He didn't notice me much . . ." Nate grins in memory. "But he didn't notice anybody. At least he said hello sometimes. The others didn't even know what to do with me."

He pauses for a long moment, thinking about the question, then adds, "The Proctor was . . . different."

"How so?" I wait for him to expound.

"Well, she wasn't like the rest of them. She had been around for long enough that it wasn't all about power for her. She actually cared . . . even if she didn't really show it very well."

“Mm, yes. I remember thinking at the time that she sounded decent. Okay, time for a weird question.” I can’t resist a slightly evil smirk. “What’s your opinion of Drake Loriden?”

Nate snorts. "Loriden is like an avatar of the Telestry. He craves power because he thinks that's what will set the Telestry free from the Dominion. Except there's always somebody more powerful. All more power gets you is a bigger enemy, and when it becomes the goal . . . " Nate grimaces. "What's he going to do? Try to dethrone the Lightmaker?" Nate snorts again, in something between derision and amusement.

"If it wasn't Loriden, though, it'd be somebody else. When a society like the Telestry puts you into a position of power, it turns you into an instrument of the community." Nate looks thoughtful once more. "Or maybe you have to make yourself one to get there. Either way, he's the Telestry's avatar now."

I nod. “I can see that. I certainly don’t trust him, and I can’t figure him out. But moving on, do you like having the power of Energematrice6, or would it be easier to do without?"

Nate grins. "It's fun. Can't you do it?"

Ruefully, I shake my head. “No, I wish.”

Nate blinks in surprise. "Oh. You don't know yet. Most people don't, I guess. Everybody can do it. You just have to learn how." His gaze turns inward again, then he looks out to meet my eyes, suddenly serious beyond his years. "There will come a time when everybody will do it, you know. I can't . . ." He shakes his head. "My memory's getting better, but sometimes I still can't see. Or can't put it into words. It will be so different, then."

Nate's grin returns. "It's fun, though. It's like being twice as alive. Who wouldn't like it? There's really nothing all that special about it, you know. It's just a tool, really."

I nod, grinning as well. “Yeah, it sounds like it’s pretty cool to have. Well, you’re now on another ship with some new and old friends – I won’t give names to avoid spoilers. What do you intend to do from here – or will your author let you tell? Authors can be picky about stuff like that . . . I’m one, so I know." I wink.

"Well . . ." Nate hesitates for a moment, then shrugs. "I suppose it won't hurt if I tell you. We have to go through the Vale of Mysteries."

“Ooh, the Vale of Mysteries?” I’m intrigued. "What’s that?"

Nate frowns. "I'm not really sure. It's like . . . a big cloud. But I know there's Hope inside!"

“Hope – as in, hope for the galaxy?”

"No. I mean, Hope One. The ship!"

I’m confused. “Tell me more . . . whose ship is – or was – this?”

Nate grins. "Well, it's how Paul Casisia got to Aurora Galaxy in the first place, and they say there's some pretty powerful stuff on board." He pauses and smiles sadly, his eyes far away. "Besides. Jon and Rachel need to see it. Their dad might have left them something."

I’m nearly out of time – Nate needs to get back to the Aurora Galaxy – so I set my papers aside. “Thank you so much for being a guest on the blog today, Nate. It was great to meet you, and please tell your author that I’m really looking forward to hearing more about you and your friends!”

And that's a wrap! I sure had fun with this 😄 maybe I'll start doing it more often! What do y'all think? (For the record, I think Nate makes an awesome Unlikely Chosen One.)
Have you read Brightstar yet?

To Stand Release Day! 🥳

The day is finally here, y'all! I've been waiting for a long time (at least it feels like it) to share this with you, and now at last To Stand is being released to the world!

To Stand . . . the book that almost broke me as an author. And I'm not kidding. So often I felt like giving up, not just on this book, but my writing career in general. It took me over a year of literal sweat and tears (but not literal blood, just literary XD) to finally get this from beginning idea to finished project. Which really isn't a long time, all things considered, but often it felt like a real struggle. But it was SO worth it, because now it's a good story that I really love.

Sometimes people ask me how I got the idea for a book, and I'm not always sure. But in this case, I do know. I was in the shower (the best time for ideas lol) when a few lines of a song popped into my head. I thought "Hey, this is cool, it sounds like it could be part of a story" . . . and the ideas totally mushroomed from there over the weekend. I started writing it shortly thereafter during a trip, and finished the whole thing (my longest book to date) in just over 2 months.

(Fun fact: Those few song lyrics did make it into the book as part of "We Have a God.")

Much thanks to God, my family, proofreaders, and friends for helping me, putting up with me, and encouraging me to the end.

So with that all said, y'all, please enjoy this story . . . my early readers have really liked it so far, and I hope you will too. 🙂 And once you've read it, I actually created a quiz so you can see which of the characters you are!

Character Introductions: The Broken Exile

RHYS

"I could not serve a heartless monster like you. I'd sooner die."



Five years ago, Rhys's life was shattered by an unforeseen tragedy. Now, scarred inside and out, he struggles on, doing his best to live normally. Though they don't know his past, his friends are good for him . . . and in turn, he'd give his life to protect them. He may be a tough warrior, but he does care deeply about others.

Fun fact: Rhys was the first character I ever assigned a theme song to! Actually he has four theme songs, lol, but for the purpose of this post I'm just including this one.

Since Rhys is the main character, I spent a lot of time in his head - and yeah, I love him. ^-^ Any questions for my precious cinnamon roll?

Character Introductions: The Abbey Maid

SHARA

"I'm here to help you and support you however I can. I feel like I belong with you all."



Although Shara has zero experience with being a warrior, she's willing to make sacrifices for those she cares about. A sensitive, loving heart, she tries to show others Emmanuel's love through her actions. Some might think her weak, but she's not; El Shaddai is her strength, and through Him she'll do anything for her friends.

Do you think anything will happen to Shara? And will she be prepared if it does? You can ask her what she thinks; she's a little shy, but she'll answer.

Brightstar Release Day!

Hey y'all! April must be the month for releasing books, lol. My To Stand is coming in four days, and today Jared N. Michaud's Brightstar is hitting the shelves!

Obviously I've already read this, lol, since I left a review; I bought an ARC copy from the author at a local event. But it's now officially published, so yay!

Now, I practically never read sci-fi, but I really enjoyed this story. In Brightstar, you can expect to find:
-a lovable Chosen One
-a mysterious power, which only some know how to use
-weird guys I can't figure out 😆 (aka the Telestry)
-a fun group of sidekicks
-KEEVAN!!! the kid with an Australian accent (he's minor, but I love him, so there you go 😜)
-an unknown, sinister force
-and a promise of plenty more epicness to come (bcuz epicness is totally a word XD)
-oh and did I mention an AWESOME battle at the end with one of the creepiest monsters I've ever read O.o

Yeah, ik I'm long-winded. To quote Brandon Sanderson, "This is going to take a while. I'm a fantasy author. We have trouble with the concept of brevity." (lol so true XP) But long story short, I recommend this! (Unless you hate sci-fi, in which case still give it a try.)

Jared is also running a Kickstarter campaign to publish a companion anthology of short stories. I've read a couple of the stories he's planning to include (one's on his website, and I'm subbed to his newsletter) and yeah, I want more 😅

And be on the lookout for a character interview with the MC, Nate, coming to this blog . . .

Brightstar: Energematrice6 – The Epimyth Begins

Character Introductions: The Snarky Swordsman

KILLIAN

"I'll live . . . until they kill me."



It's hard to be gloomy with Killian around. The red-haired Elven always has a wide grin or a snarky quip ready. Sure, it gets him in trouble sometimes, but what else do you use a ready wit for? Don't let his joking nature fool you, though; he's a loyal friend, and deadly with that long rapier of his.

Do you know anyone like Killian? He'd sure be a fun person to have in your life! If you have anything you want to ask him, he'll probably tease you but answer eventually.

Character Introductions: The Back-Alley Fighter

RAVEN

"But I haven't forgotten. He'll regret it someday, I swear he will."



It's hard to gain Raven's trust. Street-wise and a bit cynical, she'd rather be in some dark corner by herself than associating with others. She knows every corner and back alleyway in the city of Valleyfair, and she won't hesitate to defend herself in a knife fight. She speaks her mind openly, except when it comes to personal matters. On that she's silent.

But even a cold, closed heart contains secrets, and hers is no exception . . .

What secrets is Raven hiding? Do you think you could be friends in real life? If you have questions for her, I'll try to make her answer them . . . she won't be happy, but too bad for her. 😜