An interview with Antony Soehner, author of epic fantasy The Prince
Destiny will always test the greatest of leaders.
Theo never imagined life outside the king’s castle. But when the queen’s funeral reveals the king’s true colors, Theo must rely on his sister, her allies, and his friends to get him to safety. With the help of mercenaries and the native tribes of the plains, Theo must learn to face his destiny and open his mind to the diverse world he’s been thrown into.
Excerpt from The Prince
“Dad!” Rhan burst out.
Ta’goda turned his intense focus to his daughter and suddenly his entire body deflated.
Without another word between the two, Ta’goda stood up from his fighting stance, faced whatever was hiding from view of the other three, and he closed his eyes.
Around the towering orc, three snarling wolves made of green flame formed from the ground up. Ta’goda raised his axe in the direction of his fight and the wolves took off.
Once the wolves were out of sight, Ta’goda rushed to his daughter and wrapped her in his arms.
“Rhan,” Ta’goda choked out.
“I’m okay,” she cried into his shoulder.
The chief pulled away and looked her in the eyes.
“What happened?” Rhan asked as she wiped away tears from her cheeks.
“We are under attack,” Ta’goda gritted his teeth, “I must get back to the battle. Our tribe needs me.”
“And me—”
Ta’goda shook his head at Rhan’s protest.
“What?” Rhan blinked at her father.
“You have a new duty,” Ta’goda swallowed. The chief’s eyes peered over his daughter’s shoulders and locked onto Theo. “I cannot leave our people and get the prince to the rivers—”
“I’m not leaving you here—”
“Rhan’takono, this is not the time to argue—”
“There is nothing to argue over! I’m fighting beside you—”
“I can’t—”
“I am to be chief one day! How can I stand before my people after running from this?”
“If you don’t go now, there won’t be a tribe for you to be chief of!” Ta’goda snapped. “This is not a command as your chief. I am begging you as your father—” the words caught in the back of his throat, “please.”
An Intreview with Antony Soehner
-What inspired you to become a writer?
One of my favorite books that spawned my love for storytelling and writing was “Armada” by Ernest Cline. It’s a standalone, modern SciFi that doesn’t end with a happily ever after. There was something about the ending that taught me how writing could stir emotions and that’s what inspired me. It’s like art to me and not all of it will be bright sun shining meadows but there is still beauty in the dark, dreary, and macabre.
-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?
I would try and eat my way through the harvest feast put on by the Woya tribe. I have a culinary background and love to eat adventurously. The smells, spices, and spread would be a whole new world to discover but would also be reminiscent of our own world. (I might have to actually create the recipes from the story after this.)
-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)
Theo is quite an open book. He would probably expel his anxieties and dreams all in the same sentence, but somewhere in all of that, I think he would reveal his desire to escape his royal duties and live on a remote farm raising animals.
-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?
Jeb, hands down my top choice. Not only is he the life of every party he ends up crashing, he comes with his own entertainment and knowledge about the world. Every outting would be a completely different adventure you could tell your grandkids one day.
-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?
I love this question! I personally would accept the duel but with the objective to end it with a peaceful negotiation. Something with playful quips like in a Spider-man comic.
-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
It really upsets me I can’t do SciFi. I’ve tried writing short stories and even have some little ideas for the future that I hope to challenge myself with but I’m never satisfied with the results. I’m a huge Star Wars geek, Trek fan, and Ray Bradbury’s short stories are some of my all-time favorites to read. But when it comes to my own writing, my creativity vanishes into a black hole. Some day tho, I really want to break that barrier.
About Antony Soehner
Geek by heart, author by trade.
Raised on a healthy diet of geek and pop culture, Antony has come to share his love and appreciation for role-playing games, geek culture, and fantasy adventure. If it’s random comic book facts, Star Wars trivia, or just the measly obscure movie reference, Antony is there!
Find him online:
Giveaway
Antony Soehner will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!
Thank you for having me and hosting!
The book details sound like an interesting read.
Sounds like a great read. I love fiction and stories of earlier times with kings, queens and princes!
What inspires your book plots?
Great interview, Antony, keep challenging your self, you will achieve success…eventually! The Prince sounds like a great book and I like the cover! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a sunshiny day!
How do you handle writing slumps?