Normally today would be a Top Ten Things Not to Do post. Because of the launch of his new book, I decided to invite Craig Boyack to the post to tell you all about it. I have read a number of Craig’s books and loved them all. I have not read Voyage of the Lanternfish but have a belief that it will be terrific based on the others. The top Ten will return next week. The post is all yours Craig.
Thanks for inviting me over, John. I’m here to talk about my new book, Voyage of the Lanternfish. This one is a pirate fantasy and includes magic and monsters.
Lanternfish had one of those magical things happen as I was drafting it. An unexpected theme revealed itself, but not intentionally. Drafting a story is my favorite part because sometimes, things you didn’t plot out influence the story in a small way.
Fatherhood is not intended to be a huge, beating drum in this tale. It’s more of a subtle undertone.
James is my main character. His father was a covert operative, who helped start a war among multiple kingdoms. During the war, he fled in the middle of the night to get his son away from all this.
The lessons were available, but sons rarely put stock in the stories told by parents. Now James is forced into a position much like his father’s, but without the knowledge his old man had.
Dan is another major character, but his father is still alive. If James and Dan succeed at starting this new war, his father will be living on one of the future battlefields.
Mule is a secondary character who shows up later in the book. He leaves his parents, who were quite remarkable. They had much to offer a boy, but he didn’t pay as much attention as he could have. This gives James a chance to become a surrogate father.
Mal is an older character and occasionally gives some fatherly advice. It’s small, but it’s there.
There is a collective knowledge base, one generation away, that could help the pirates immensely, had they paid more attention. Now they have to forge their own way, which is only correct for a story.
I included a bit of dialog about fathers, and missing knowledge, but didn’t go over the top with it. They don’t have much time to lament their formative years and have to get on with the bloody business at hand.
James’ father worked on the land, but he used his small fortune to get James a respectable job in the merchant fleet. James tries to do what his father did for a while, then decides his value is at sea. After all, wars happen at sea too, and perhaps they can start one this way.
I know a good many people who read this will be authors themselves. Have you ever had a sub-plot spring to life during the drafting of your tale? I’d love to hear about it.
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Blurb:
An honorable man is mistaken for his disreputable father. Now he’s pushed into a political scheme to start a war that will spread across multiple kingdoms. James Cuttler’s fiancé is being held captive to ensure he goes through with the plan.
He soon decides his skills are at sea and procures a ship to wage war upon those who disrupted his simple life. He can’t do it alone, so he recruits a band of cutthroats to help him. But first, they need guns and munitions to outfit the ship properly. Deception and trickery will only get them so far. Eventually, they’re going to have to engage the enemy.
James’ goals aren’t necessarily the same as his crew. It’s a delicate balancing act to collect enough loot to keep his crew happy while guiding them back to rescue the girl.
Voyage of the Lanternfish is filled with adventure, magic, and monsters. Lots of monsters. Hoist the colors and come along for the ride.
Purchase Link: http://a-fwd.com/asin-com=B07MP8V633
Bio:
I was born in a town called Elko, Nevada. I like to tell everyone I was born in a small town in the 1940s. I’m not quite that old, but Elko has always been a little behind the times. This gives me a unique perspective of earlier times, and other ways of getting by. Some of this bleeds through into my fiction.
I moved to Idaho right after the turn of the century and never looked back. My writing career was born here, with access to other writers and critique groups I jumped in with both feet.
I like to write about things that have something unusual. My works are in the realm of science fiction, paranormal, and fantasy. The goal is to entertain you for a few hours. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Craig
