What genre do
you write and why?
I
primarily write fantasy but have also delved into weird fiction short stories
as well. I just became hooked on fantasy from a young age after reading,
Deathtrap Dungeon, by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson. It was from their
Fighting Fantasy series, which is very similar to a choose-your-own adventure
book with more of an RPG (role-playing game) feel. I started reading more books
from their series until eventually getting my hands on a copy of The Lord of
the Rings. I love how reading and writing fantasy just takes you away to an
entirely different world.
Tell us about your
latest book.
My latest book, and the fifth book I have written, is
a children’s fantasy novel titled, The Goblin Squad. The main characters of the
story are ten years old but I would say the book is suitable for all ages. The
town of Reflection Falls has a problem with goblins that sneak into town to
steal their vegetables. Goblins are only considered a nuisance so brave knights
cannot be bothered to deal with them. The town created the Goblin Squad to deal
with the problem. When children reach the age of ten they become eligible to
join the squad and patrol the town in order to chase away the goblins. A group
of new recruits though, learn that something else is amiss with the goblins and
seek to investigate. It is a fun adventure for the young and old.
Who is you
favourite character in your book and why?
I
would have to say my favourite character is Rubilla, or Rubi as her friends
call her. Rubi has a lot to prove since females in Reflection Falls do not
become warriors or join the Goblin Squad. Rubi does not let that stand in her
way, though. She is tough and very clever and was a lot of fun to write.
Who designed the cover?
I
designed the layout of the cover but the artwork was done by the super talented
artist, Joseph Garcia. He really exceeded my expectations on this project and
managed to draw each of the characters as I had envisioned them in my mind. You
can see more of his work on his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/artofjosephgarcia/.
Roberto Garcia did an amazing job as well with adding the colour.
What formats is the
book available in?
The Goblin Squad is available
as a paperback and as an ebook for Kindle.
Where can a
reader purchase your book?
The
Goblin Squad is available online from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It is also
available at select bookstores in Toronto, Canada. Those specific stores can be
found on my website, www.northlordpublishing.com.
What is your work in
progress? Tell us about it.
I
have just actually finished writing my sixth novel, Evonne and Vrawg: Bounty
Hunters. It is a fantasy novel about two bounty hunters who were first
introduced in my Stonewood Trilogy. The two characters were quite popular so I
decided to write a story about them and how it was that they became bounty
hunters in the first place. It is a very much a stand-alone novel, though, and
does not require anyone to have read the Stonewood Trilogy to follow along.
Evonne is a small woman who became a pirate and Vrawg is a giant half-ogre. It
is an interesting story of their early lives and what brought them together. I
am currently in the editing stage and Joseph Garcia will once again be creating
fantastic artwork for the cover.
What are you currently reading?
I have been slowly trying to
get through the giant book, Necronomicon. It is a collection of stories written
by H.P. Lovecraft that were originally published in the 1920’s and 30’s. I
absolutely love his style of writing and the weirdness of his stories. Since I
spend a lot of time writing myself, I do not have the amount of time to read
that I wish I had. So I am slowly getting through the book. I know I will be
sad when I am finished it.
What books or authors
have most influenced your life?
I
would probably have to say that J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings has been
my biggest influence. But I cannot exclude Robert E. Howard, who created Conan
the Barbarian, along with R.A. Salvatore and Ed Greenwood, who write within the
Forgotten Realms fantasy setting. I have read so many Forgotten Realms novels
that I feel like I know that world even better than our own. I love picking up
a new Realms book and getting that familiar feel of returning to a world I know
so well. I did not discover H.P. Lovecraft or Robert W. Chambers until much
later in my life but they also have had a huge impact on me. So much so, that
they inspired me to write my own collection of weird fiction short stories. I
published those in a book titled, Tales Most Strange.
Where can people find
out more about you and your writing?
People can find out more about my past and current
projects at my website, www.northlordpublishing.com.
Information about all my previous books is there along with a little more
information about me. I have a facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Northlord-Publishing-570299606355141/,
and an author profile on Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6996053.Jeremy_Hayes.
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Jeremy hayes. The Goblin Squad
Jo Linsdell
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2 Comments
Thanks for the opportunity Jo.
ReplyDeleteI have read all of Jeremy's books and loved each of them. My 9 year old daughter read The Goblin Squad and could not put it down!
ReplyDeleteI love to hear from you. So feel free to comment, but keep in mind the basics of blog etiquette — no spam, no profanity, no slander, etc.
Thanks for being an active part of the Writers and Authors community.