Interview with T. X. Troan, author of the middle grade fantasy mystery Sophie Freeman series
What begins as a special trip for eleven-year-old SOPHIA FREEMAN and her billionaire father, leaves her trapped on a mysterious island with a tree boy and other fantastical creatures.
The moment Sophia thinks her situation can’t get any crazier, she is shocked to learn the island is under a deadly eternal curse. All living things are rapidly decaying and soon nothing and no one—including herself—will be left alive.
From competing in a three-round yearly held competition to reviving a long-lost magical spell, Sophia and her new companions must gather every ounce of courage, wit and skill as they are stepping closer to breaking the 150-year-old curse. But will they make it in time while surrounded by enemies and traitors aiming to stop them at any cost?
Excerpt from the Sophia Freeman Series
“So, what’s on your agenda today, my dear?” Grandma asked.
“Dad and I are going to explore his new island after this,” she replied, sitting on the edge of her seat.
“Oh, yes, your father told me about that on the phone last night,” said Grandpa, then gave Sophia a serious look. “My girl, do you know why all the previous owners vanished?”
Sophia shook her head slightly, but kept watching him without blinking.
“Rumors say the place possesses some sort of magical energy. As dusk arrives, the island comes to life: boulders begin to quake, monstrous trees uproot themselves, and mysterious creatures crawl out of their homes. They will do
anything to protect their island … especially from humans.”
Sophia’s eyes widened and her hands began to sweat.
“Joe, that’s enough!” Dad ordered. “You’re scaring her.”
“That was very mean of you, Joe,” Grandma added.
Grandpa chuckled. “Well, it looks like I haven’t loss my touch. You’re still that innocent girl that I used to know.”
Sophia sighed with relief. He must have been teasing.
When she was a lot younger, Grandpa used to tell her ghost stories and it would frighten her every time. The all-time best story was about an invisible spirit that watches us from behind since the day we were born. It would one day transfer our soul to a magical place when
we are ready to go. He told the little girl it was time for him to go and would never return. She burst into tears and tried to convince him it wasn’t time yet. She stayed with him that whole night and never let him out of her sight.
Interview with T. X. Troan
-What inspired you to become a writer?
To share my stories with the world.
-If you could visit your book’s world for a day, what one thing would you do?
Explore the magic spells!
-It’s two in the morning. What does your protagonist reveal in confidence? (Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)
Sophia Freeman usually wakes up by her nightmares.
-Which of your characters would you go out for drinks with?
I would go out with Sophia Freeman and Tim Charnal (When they’re old enough lol).
-You’re in a tavern, and a dwarf challenges you to a duel. What do you do?
I would ignore the dwarf or go to another tavern.
-Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
No.
About T. X. Troan
Thuan Doan is an award-winning author of the Sophia Freeman series. He conceived his first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain, during a trip to Gabriola Island, British Columbia in the summer of 2013. Then he took his work and settled in a small town of Enderby, where it’s peaceful and quiet.
Thuan is writing under a pen name of T.X. Troan. “X” stands for Xu, his grandmother’s name who passed away. And “Troan” is a combination of his parents’ names.
“No matter how this turns out, I want my family to be a part of this wonderful journey.”
T.X. Troan married Sarah, his original fan and longtime love, in 2016. They live in Enderby with their pack dogs!
Giveaway
T.X. Troan will award a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you so much for hosting today.
Thank you for hosting! I will be outside most of the day, but all questions will be answered. Thank you for your patience. Enjoy the series! 🙂
Thanks for sharing. I would enjoy reading this one.
Thank you, Marcy! Enjoy the series 🙂
I’m looking forward to reading this. Thanks for hosting this tour.
Thank you. Have a wonderful day!
This sounds like a good book and I really like the cover.
Thank you, Sherry. Have a great day 🙂
Do cultural themes play a significant role in your storytelling?
No. For all my ideas, I used my past experiences, movies, and video games.
And books 🙂
How do you stay motivated to write?