An interview with Michael C. Baumann, the author of Venom Wars
Michael C. Baumann's Venom Wars of the Desert Realm is a book for 8-12 year old children. Set in the deserts of Arizona, the book has an unusual story line and characters. Michael shares more information about his first book.
Check out Michael's book here : http://amzn.to/2FiLsZU
(PS: I am an affiliate of Amazon. When you buy the book through the above hyperlink, I will receive a small percentage of sales which helps me run Kahani Takbak, a platform to promote Indian books, author and illustrators.)
1. Hares and owls are common in picture
books. What made you choose them as protagonists
for a middle grade novel?
2. Spiders, lizards, snakes, yellow jackets
and wasps are a unique set of supporting set of characters too.
1&2. The animals of the Sonoran Desert (in
Southern Arizona) were the inspiration
for all of the characters in my story.
There is such diverse life here, and is such a tough environment, it’s
admirable. As for the bad guys, there
are so many poisonous critters, they all seemed like natural bad guys. Besides creating a fun action story, I wanted
to pay tribute to the beautiful world around me.
Most people are
uncomfortable with the creepy crawlies. Were you worried if readers would
accept and enjoy reading the book?
I wanted the
reader to fear and be repulsed by the antagonists.
3. How long did it take to write this book?
I hate to say this, but it took me about 7 years from
when I first started it. I have four children and a demanding job, and
sometimes I would go through long spells (months) where I was stumped and
couldn’t right. Thankfully, I was able
to stick with it, and see the final product has been very rewarding.
4. What triggered you to write this book?
I was dealing
with some personal challenges in my life, and I just started writing the story
as a cathartic exercise, an escape, if you will. I created this imaginary world, were I could
deal with emotions and feelings in a healthy and productive way. It sounds funny to say now, but at the time,
I never intending on writing a book, I just wanted to create a world my mind
could roam and be free.
5. Did all your kids serve as beta readers for
this book? Did you incorporate all the changes they suggested?
Actually, no! I keep the whole thing under wraps for a long
time, and didn’t start getting beta readers until it was almost done.
6. Eelion’s disappearance towards the end
gives rise to the possibility of a sequel. Did you know the book will have a
sequel in the beginning itself? Or did you realize it only after you started
writing the end?
Yes, I am
working on the sequel now, “Venom Wars of the Island Realm”, and it picks up
with Eelion waking up on an Island. (That’s all I can say for now). I did want the story to continue, but not
sure I knew how things would play out until the story developed. It’s amazing how the story can almost write
itself once the universe is built.
Eelion is such a great bad guy that he needed to be part of future
stories. I was born in Hawaii, and as
book 1 was homage to the animals and environment of Arizonan Deserts, book 2
will pay tribute to the Hawaiian Islands.
7. Hillmaken turns towards the light and
survives the ordeal instead of dying.
It’s uncommon to see villains redeem themselves in the end of a book.
Was it a conscious decision to incorporate the choice to redeem oneself?
Yes, I wanted to
show that redemption is possible for everyone, no matter the path they first
set out on.
8. Aridin’s readiness to forgive Hillmaken for
the entire ordeal is another trait which stands out in this book. How important do you think it is for today’s
children to let go of grudges and learn to forgive?
Forgiveness is
such a powerful thing, it can heal both
the offender and the person who has been hurt.
We need more of this in today’s world, we all are imperfect, and if we
cannot move on from being hurt by someone, we end up hurting ourselves even
more. Hate is so destructive.
9. Have you started working on the sequel? Will the back story of the protagonist’s
parents and the return of Eelion be dealt in it? Will each get a separate book?
Yes, Eelion
will play a major role in “Venom Wars of the Island Realm”. There may be more hints of the parent’s
history and story, but at some point I will devote an entire book to the
history before the events in the “Desert Realm”, including the discovery of the
Venom Stone and the death of Honu’s son Zona.
10. The IT field uses minimum language
skills. How did you develop your story
writing skills? Are you a natural writer? Did you take any courses to polish
your writing skills? Are you a part of a writer’s group?
Because I am in
sales (for IT) I spend a tremendous amount of time with written communications,
which always need to be thoughtful, meaningful, and concise. Although I was not writing fiction every day,
I was honing my writing skills through my work.
I haven’t taken any courses, or was involved in any writing
groups, but I always have 2-3 books on my nightstand at a time, they are my
teachers.
(PS: I am an affiliate of Amazon. When you buy the book through the above hyperlink, I will receive a small percentage of sales which helps me run Kahani Takbak, a platform to promote Indian books, author and illustrators.)
Comments
Post a Comment