Welcome to my tour stop! Check out the interview and enter the tour giveaway below...
For Whom The Sun SingsChristian YA Fantasy
Hardcover & ebook, 233 Pages
March 17th 2020 by Enclave Publishing
Summary
The world is blind…then one boy is born with sight.
Nestled in a mountain haven, the remaining people of the world live in a village that is ordinary but strict. A severe peace must be kept severely, as they say. It’s all that keeps them from descending into the chaos that claimed the world a hundred years ago.
Led by the Prophet Valdas and his Regents, the villagers work, play, marry, and have families. They gather in ceremony once a year to celebrate their Day of Remembrance. Life is planned, precise, and predictable until the special abilities of eleven-year-old Andrius threaten to undermine it all.
Interview
Would you tell us what inspired you to write For Whom the Sun Sings?
There’s an old saying that begins with the words, “In the land of the blind…” and it got me thinking. What would the land of the blind be like? How would society be different if no one could see? How would they build their roads, their houses, conduct business, and what would their beliefs be? Then, what would happen if one person were to disrupt this society, someone who could see? I like to write from burning questions – from ideas that I just can’t get out of my head. This one was too intriguing for me not to write it.
What part or aspect of this story do you love the most?
The dedication in the front of the book reads, “To everyone who has ever felt alone in knowing the truth.” That’s what I love most about it. I think it’s a book that people are going to be able to relate to on a lot of different levels, to say, “I’ve been the lone voice of reason before. I know what that’s like.” It’s sort of a catharsis to that feeling, as well as an examination of the cost of a breakthrough. I can’t get too specific on plot points without giving it away, but I think people will find there’s a lot to love.
What challenged you about writing For Whom the Sun Sings?
This is a world where no one can see – where no one even knows what sight is – so it was important to me that I didn’t use words like “see,” “look,” “watch,” etc. since no one would know them. That naturally included colors as well. As I began writing, I realized how many words are specific to sight! Writing without them was difficult, and even with consciously avoiding these words while writing, it took the editors and I several passes to catch them all. But it makes for a more immersive experience, so I think it was well worth it.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Study the greats. Read their work and analyze it. Deconstruct it and ask yourself what makes it tick. If you want to understand how a thing functions, you have to be able to dismantle it and put it back together again. It’s all too easy to retreat inside of our own heads as writers, but we learn from outside of ourselves. Pick a favorite author and imitate his or her style in your practice. Ask what you like, then why you like it, then how the author accomplished it. Dig deeper into the craft than you think you need to, and it will pay off.
What are you working on next?
I’m always juggling a few projects. I have a TV series that we’ve had a few table reads for, and we’ll see where that goes. I’m writing a new fantasy trilogy (that I can’t discuss the details of yet), I have an urban fantasy novel with a really intriguing antagonist that should be coming out relatively soon, and a re-release of my Starfall Trilogy. If you want to keep up with what’s coming out next, follow me @wafulkerson on Instagram or sign up for the newsletter at my website www.wafulkerson.com!
About the Author
W. A. Fulkerson is the author of ten books, including Writing With Purpose: A Step-By-Step Guide to Producing Your Best Book. He works in film as a screenwriter, having written the award-winning documentary Save My Seoul with Jubilee Media. He teaches regularly at San Diego Writers, Ink in Point Loma, CA. Fulkerson is a voracious reader across genres, but J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Isaac Asimov, Michael Crichton, T. H. White, Pablo Neruda, and John Donne are particular favorites. In his free time, he enjoys coaching wrestling, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and studying languages. He lives in San Diego with his wife and son.More from W.A. Fulkerson
You know the feeling.
Your co-worker is clearly lying again and again, but your boss doesn’t see it. People in your neighborhood keep voting for the same crooked politicians, but they don’t listen when you suggest an alternative. You know you’d be the perfect couple if he/she only gave you a chance. You’ve found the secret to living a better, freer life, but no one else cares to participate.
Sometimes, it seems like the whole world has gone crazy, and you’re the only one who refuses to swallow the crazy pills. It’s an aggravating feeling, and it lies at the heart of my new novel For Whom the Sun Sings.
It’s dedicated “To everyone who has ever felt alone in knowing the truth,” but the book is not an allegory. It doesn’t hint at political points or try to convince you of anything. It’s a catharsis, vented by way of a story that will hopefully have you putting off your to-do list so you can finish the book. (A lot of the advance readers have read it in just one day, which makes me feel good, as the author.)
The main character, Andrius, is the ultimate expression of that frustrated feeling of something being so clear to you, but you lack the ability to explain to, cajole, or convince anyone. Writing it felt like healing, for that reason, and I hope it’s refreshing to you as well.
Tour Schedule
Just the Write Escape, March 30
Texas Book-aholic, March 31
Inklings and notions, April 1
For Him and My Family, April 2
Wishful Endings, April 3 (Author Interview)
April Hayman, Author, April 3
deb’s Book Review, April 4
Artistic Nobody, April 5
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 6
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 7
Emily Yager, April 8
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 9
Pause for Tales, April 10
amandainpa, April 11
Simple Harvest Reads, April 12 (Guest Reviewer Donna Cline)
Tour-Wide Giveaway
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
What connected with you the most in the interview? Will you be reading this one?
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