Thursday, January 10, 2013

Author in the spotlight

 
Welcome Brae Wyckoff author of "The Orb Of Truth"
 
Brea will gift one autographed copy of The Orb of Truth to one of commenting guests. So make sure you leave a comment with your contact info.
 
Please tell us about your writing. Can you explain the title without giving too much away?

I’m an epic fantasy author and grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons. D&D molded me and really prepared me as an author to write The Orb of Truth.

The Orb in the book is an artifact that suddenly appears from a dream the main character has had his entire life. This happens in the first chapter and really sets the stage for the adventurers. They won’t have access to the Orb until a few chapters later, but in essence the main character, Bridazak, feels a shift within himself that pushes him to find out all he can. He drags his friends along with him.

 What was your journey as a writer?

Life is a journey, that is for sure. The Orb has taken me over 20 years to write, with the last 2 years being extremely diligent and serious. Writing a book, a good book, is not for the light hearted. An author must endure criticism, sound critique, from others and really push themselves to make the best book possible. This requires a challenging critique group for your work, a really good editor, and an extremely high imagination.
 
When I lost my “regular” job 2 years ago, is when my journey really began. I sat down and in 6 months finished The Orb of Truth, joined an amazing critique group with published authors who really took my work through the ringer. Then I found an editor after all the re-writes and then it was hammered some more. I remember my editor telling me that she was going to apply extreme pressure to the coal in order to form a diamond. At the time, all I could think about was her calling my work “coal”. Well, suffice to say, with the Amazon reviews coming in, the work is a “diamond”.

I am inspired by authors like Arturo Perez Reverte, Jack Vance, Dan Simmons, Beatrice Small, J.R.R Tolkien, C. S. Lewis. What writers inspire you?

Tolkien and C.S. Lewis are HUGE inspirations of mine as you can imagine. There really is no one who can top them.

I am currently fond of RA Salvatore and his books revolving around a dark elf named Drizzt. He is an incredible story teller in this day and age.

What are your future writing goals?

The 2nd book, The Dragon God, is already finished with the rough draft and is currently in re-writes before being shuttled off to my editor who is eager to get her hands on it. I have outlined the 3rd of the series which is called The Vampire King and have begun writing it.

The Dragon God should be out in 2013 with the 3rd novel out in 2014 most likely. You have to take the time to make sure the book is good and not mediocre.

 Whom do you see as your ideal reader?

The ideal reader of course is everyone who loves a great adventure, who wants a good ending, a powerful ending, and one that loves series. If you love characters within Lord of the Rings then you will LOVE The Orb of Truth. I have had as young as 12 years old read my work and as old as 90 year olds…quite the gambit of age I would say.

My hope is that every reader will give my genre a chance. When you read my books it will give you a movie within your head and everyone loves a good movie filled with action and adventure. This will do just that.

When you have time, what would we find you reading?

I love to read RA Salvatore books and I pick up Indie Authors as well to find that hidden gem out there. Unfortunately, you have to kiss a log of frogs in order to find that prince when it comes to a good book.

Who has been your biggest supporter?

My family is and will always be my greatest fans. They have supported me all through this endeavor. My oldest daughter created and designed the map inside the book. My wife helped tremendously in keeping me encouraged and focused…she has been such an anchor for me over the years of me pouring into my craft to make it the best it can be.

How are you promoting your work?

All social media works to a degree (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Goodreads, Google+, etc), but you need to build a relationship with everyone. Don’t expect your sales to take off as soon as you launch your novel. You can’t do it alone and you will need support and help from friends and the contacts you have made. Build trust and be involved in others interests. Find bloggers along with blogging about others on your own site. Interact and always, always, always, be available to chat online.

What advice can you give to aspiring writers?

Don’t expect the world to embrace your story overnight. Build relationships and build the trust with your readers that you will NOT sell them short. We have a savvy audience out there and they know a good read when they read it. With the industry the way it is, things have changed drastically. You will most likely have to self-publish, but there is nothing wrong with that at all because you get most of the profit of your work and you do the marketing regardless if you have a publisher or self-publish.

My wife and I ended up creating our own publishing firm…LR Publishing. We plan to help other authors by lining up expert help at an affordable cost.

 Where can our readers find a copy of your work?

The Orb of Truth is available on Amazon in both print and eBook. (See the purchase links below)

And finally, as an author, do you have any quirks or habits that help you write better?

I love to have music playing in the background. It is rare to have complete silence. I remember writing a love scene for the second book, The Dragon God, at Starbucks.

 Thank you for being my guest today. I wish you the best of luck with your writing. 





“It’s a cross between Lord of the Rings and the Wizard of OZ where you will be swept away into a magical land of Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings.”—Brae Wyckoff

 

 
Voted #1 for BEST fantasy book under the radar!

 The Orb of Truth Book Synopsis:

In the hundreds of years since the Holy City disappeared, darkness has fallen over the land. Human kingdoms have seized control of the realm, scattering the other races into hiding.

Bridazak, a skilled thief, and his friends, a Dwarf and a fellow Ordakian, have dared to remain within the human communities and live relatively quiet lives, until they discover a mysterious, magical artifact. The three friends are thrust into an adventure that will challenge their faith, their purpose, and their destiny as they chase a forgotten and lost prophecy across the realm of Ruauck-El, where they hope to discover the origins of the strange item and their place in its history.

An ancient, unknown enemy threatens the completion of their journey at every turn. Bridazak is about to face the biggest adventure of his life, one that may change the known realm, and answer the questions he has carried all his life. Will they unlock the truth?
About the Author:

Brae Wyckoff was born and raised in San Diego, CA and is working toward a Psychology degree. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Jill, for 19 years, and they have three children; Tommy, Michelle, and Brittany. He has a beautiful grandson named Avery. Brae has been an avid gamer since 1985. His passion for mysterious realms and the supernatural inspired him to write The Orb of Truth, the first in a series of fantasy action adventures. Brae describes The Orb of Truth as a cross between the Lord of the Rings and the Wizard of OZ where you will be swept away into a magical land of Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings.

 
Website: http://www.theorboftruth.com/


Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16155612-the-orb-of-truth

 





 


10 comments:

  1. Thanks for having me as a guest on your blog! It was a great interview...

    Blessings everyone!

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  2. Great interview! I loved The Orb of Truth and can't wait for the next book to come out =)

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    1. Forgot my contact info...lol My email is flyerkat@verizon.net

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    2. Hi Kathy! Thank you for your kind words...they warm this authors heart! Blessings...

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  3. Brae is an amazing author and I have enjoyed helping in getting the word out about The Orb of Truth. It was not a book that in normally in my reading genre but I took a chance and LOVED it. My son (12y) is now reading it and is also deeply involved in it. Look for his review on Amazon when he is done! I can not wait for more! Keep up the wonderful work and Thank you Firetulip for this post!

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    1. Thanks Cheree! I am thankful to call you my friend.

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  4. I can't wait to get into his series! He inspires me. Thanks for a great review!.

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  5. This is not the kind of book I would have ever read, but after reading reviews and seeing the video on youtube. I am intrigue!!!!I find myself talking to friends and family telling them I can't wait to get my hands on it!!!!

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