Good morning!
It's been snowing non stop for days over here, and we've received over 2ft of snow this past week. No doubt it'll be a white Christmas. So join me around the fire and take a moment to hear from the co-author of The Crimson and the Frost.
First off, thank you for allowing me a voice here on your blog.
You are most welcome! And I must say...I LOVE the book cover
TAGLINE
Take a journey to a world full of wonder and mystery, where magic rules and a war between two legends looms on the icy horizon…
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Late one night, young Billy Hampton investigates a strange presence in the woods behind his house, where he discovers a curious transport. He makes the hasty decision to climb aboard, and suddenly he is whisked away to the remote winter wastelands of the far north.
Billy finds himself in a town full of mystery and wonder, built by the legendary Crimson Wizard and his devoted followers. The residents had lived here in peace for centuries, protected by a powerful magic jewel known as the Heart of Polaris. It is their only defense against the wicked and covetous King of Winter who wants them cast out of the lands he claims are his alone.
Now, Billy accidentally loses the Heart of Polaris and without its protection, his newfound friends become vulnerable to the power and fury of the King of Winter and his army of savage grimghouls.
Its desperate race against time as Billy and his friends search for the Heart of Polaris before they fall victim to the impending onslaught.
Could you share a little about yourself and
what led you to become a writer?
I used to write as far back
as I can remember. I would invent my own superheroes and villains and draw them
into comics as a child. Then, when I was about 8 or 9, my brother introduced me
to Dungeons and Dragons. He and I would invite over friends and we would all
create adventures for our characters to play. The natural progression from that
was for some of those friends and I to dabble in novel writing…mostly
sword/magic/fantasy stuff.
After college, I began
a career in broadcast television but that work didn’t involve any writing. It
was mostly, producing, camera work, editing etc. I have traveled to exotic
locations and met plenty of celebrities but there was a creative outlet that
was missing for me...writing. So, on the side, I started writing screenplays
and used some of my entertainment industry connections to shop them around. There
was one screenplay in particular that I had co-written with my cousin James that
both of us absolutely loved. One film producer in England read it and said, "I love this! It would make a great
movie but we’ll never be able to raise the 150 – 200 million it would take to
make a film this epic and grand-scale...it is too new and unknown by the
masses. There is a reason the Harry Potter movies get made...the huge built in
audience they come with."
So, instead of letting
that script sit on a shelf collecting dust, James and I decided to transform it
into what had become our first novel "The Crimson and the Frost."
During the writing process the story became so much more than the screenplay
ever was and we are even more proud of it.
That sounds amazing. I am looking forward to reading my copy of it even more!
Tell me about why you chose to co-author your
novel as opposed to writing it on your own.
My cousin James and I are close in age and
always had the same interests. James I used to create since we were teens. We
put together a handful of rock bands. Our last band was called Soulvyne and you
can find some of our songs on the internet if you look hard enough. Since then, we’ve always been attached at the hip creatively. We directed 2 music videos
for the band (Queensryche) that have aired on VH1 and live on the internet,
directed a 'found footage' horror feature film that sold overseas, wrote all of
our screenplays together...and now the novel. I prefer teamwork than writing solo. I find
that James and I take each other’s ideas and spin them in new, exciting
directions the other person may not have thought of. James actually wrote two
of my favorite chapters in the Crimson and the Frost... Fear the Frost and The
Polaris Odyssey.I find that fascinating, since I have been toying with the idea of co-writing a novel. You have definitely convinced me to give it a try.
Could you tell us a little about your novel?
Late one night, as young Billy Hampton investigates a strange presence
in the woods behind his house, he discovers a curious transport. He makes the
hasty decision to climb aboard, and suddenly he is whisked away to the remote
winter wastelands of the far north.
Billy finds himself in a town full of mystery and wonder, built by the legendary Crimson Wizard and his devoted followers. The residents had lived here in peace for centuries, protected by a powerful magic jewel known as the Heart of Polaris. It is their only defense against the wicked and covetous King of Winter who wants them cast out of the lands he claims are his alone.
Now, Billy accidentally loses the Heart of Polaris and without its protection, his newfound friends become vulnerable to the power and fury of the King of Winter and his army of savage grimghouls.
Its desperate race against time as Billy and his friends search for the Heart of Polaris before they fall victim to the impending onslaught.
What is the message behind the story? Was it
something you specifically wrote a story around or did it develop as your
characters came to life?
There are a lot of
messages that show up throughout the story and most of them developed as the
characters and story came to life.
One the surface, this
is an adventure with a lot of fun, and thrilling action but at the heart of
it…it is simply a battle between generosity versus greed…compassion versus
indifference. That’s what I hope stands out amidst all of the events of the
book. In all, it is my wish that the readers enjoy their trip into the world
we’ve created as much as I have enjoyed so many great stories of others through
the years. Movies, books and TV have been a big part of my life. They’ve
touched me, made me laugh, cry, feel inspired, taught me lessons, etc. If my
stories do that for someone else...well, let’s just say I would be humbled and
honored.
Do you work from an outline or just go with the
flow? If you use an outline, how detailed is it?
I usually start out
with a ‘notepad’ document where I just slap down my own thoughts as come,
whether it’s research, character ideas, scenarios etc. I call it, pardon the
expression, ‘pukin’ on the page.’ Lol.
From there I will
start to lay out a very skeletal chapter list leaving it open for plenty of
fleshing out and expansion. Next, James
and I will meet a few times and just talk out our ideas, build on each other’s
good ideas or make fun of each other’s bad ones (that makes for some good
laughs).
From that point I go
back to the chapters list and make it more true to how the story is going to
play out. Once that is finished, James and I will divvy up the chapters and
start writing. Once we both finish, we put everything together and that becomes
our first draft (the first of many…many)
Just a point about ‘not’ writing by going with
the flow, as fun as that might be. Always know where your story is going, and
most definitely know how it ends before your start writing. This way the road
getting to the end is easier to navigate. When I first started writing
screenplays, I was working on a supernatural horror. I came up with a premise
and began writing. It was fun not knowing where the story was heading as I was
writing. It was like I was the writer and the reader at the same time, watching
the story unfold before my eyes. But then I got to the last act and was like
‘now what? How does this story finish?’ Needless to say 15 years later…that
script sits on my computer without an ending, lol.
What is the time span in your novel, weeks,
months, years? How much research went into it?
The first chapter
starts out as a flashback from over 500 years ago. Then the story jumps ahead
to the present. The events of the book take place over the course of 3 days.
There wasn’t much
research that went into this story at all. That is one of the benefits of
writing fantasy. You are creating your own world with its own rules as opposed
to say, writing a crime drama involving the FBI or a political thriller, or a
war story, etc. You have to do your homework when writing those kinds of
stories because those environments and institutions are real and you have to
get the details accurate and believable or the readers will call you on your
inaccuracies.
One script James and I
wrote, called “Empire of Crows”, is based on true events that happened in Rome occupied Europe
around 9 A.D. Now, that took some research…The Crimson and the Frost, not so
much…it was mostly our creation.
How does this book differ from what you have
written in the past?
Well, in terms of
novels this our first. But we have written some screenplays that span many
types of genres. We have a handful of horror scripts, one historical epic, a
crime drama, a family adventure, etc. Interestingly, I would have to say my favorite
genres to write in are horror and family fantasy adventures...talk about a
dichotomy, lol. Good for the imagination, I suppose. You are not boxing yourself into a single category.
Describe the place where you like to write.
I’ll write just about anywhere, as long I have
some music playing. I love listening to appropriate movie soundtracks or
instrumentals to go along with the story I am delving into as a mood setter.
However, the ideal place for me is at night in my office/study with some
candles, some atmospheric music and I am good to go. That’s when the creativity
starts to flow and my typing has a hard time keeping up with the ideas flowing out of my brain. I can really
lose track of time during those sessions.
When James and I talk out the early stages of a
story, we love to sit outdoors by a fire pit... there is something about the
openess of the outside and hypnotic dance of the flames that opens up a
creative flow in me. Maybe the human brain is wired to be open to creativity
under those conditions...after all, man sat and told stories around campfires
for thousands of years. How true. Even when we are out on manoeuvres or survival training, we sit around the fire at night and exchange stories.
Could you tell us what you’re working on now?
Right now James and I
are working on transforming another of our screenplays, a supernatural tale called
“Pray for Light”, into a novel. That one takes place in the present with large
flashbacks to 1700’s Louisiana .
It deals with the early days of paranoid religions (like the witch hunts of Massachusetts ) that are
quick to condemn, voodoo, necromancy etc. I really enjoyed writing that script
and working on the novel, expanding the story is even more fun.
We are also developing
two more instalments to The Crimson and the Frost.
BIO
 |
| John |
 |
| James |
Cousins and co-authors John Williams and James Colletti are close in age and always had the same creative interests. As teens they wrote music and formed a handful of rock bands. The pair shares a long and successful creative history that includes writing music, playing in rock bands, writing screenplays, producing shows and music videos for broadcast television, and directing an internationally released movie. There was one screenplay in particular they had co-written that they absolutely loved. One film producer in England read it and said, "I love this! It would make a great movie but we’ll never be able to raise the 150 – 200 million it would take to make a film this epic and grand-scale. It is too new and unknown by the masses. There is a reason the Harry Potter movies got made, that series had a huge built in audience from the books."
So, instead of letting that script sit on a shelf collecting dust, John and James decided to transform it into what had become their first novel "The Crimson and the Frost." During the novel writing process the story became so much more than the screenplay ever was and we are even more proud of it.
EXCERPT:
SOUL OF WINTER
Out of all the stalagmites jutting from the cavern floor of Hailstones’ Peak, one stood
apart from all the rest. It was smoother than the others and its top was carved into a claw-like
holder. It clutched a rough-hewn orb of ice.
The King of Winter stood nearby admiring the prize he had painstakingly constructed.
Centuries had been spent meticulously infusing it with doses of his wintry magic. For eons, he
had been waiting for the day he would have the chance to use it…and it looked as if that day
was finally coming to pass. It was time to inject this dormant, yet powerful artifact with its final
dose.
Now in deep concentration, he stood perfectly still with his eyes closed and ignored the
powerful rush of wind. His hands were outstretched as glowing hues of blue light danced across
his features. The surge of frigid air carrying an immeasurable number of ice particles raced past
him, pelting him, as they were sucked from the sky above and speeded through the many
tunnels that led from the surface. Cracking and shattering ice echoed throughout the vast
structure as the mountainous formation of ice that was Hailstone’s Peak was beginning to be
sucked inward upon itself, threatening to implode. It too was being absorbed as the vacuous
mouth of the cave grew ever wider from the fury of wind that was tearing away at it.
Suddenly, The King of Winter’s eyelids snapped open to reveal two pupil-less, white orbs
as he released the gathered power.
The rough-hewed orb of ice radiated a blinding luminescence as The Winter King
imbued it with an unimaginable amount of power. The block of ice began to rise and spin with
blinding speed as the magic gushed into it, filling it to the point of nearly shattering, while
mutating its surface.
As the final bit of magic entered the orb, The Winter King’s eyes closed once more as he reached deep within himself and searched. He felt his essence and allowed the icy magic flooding the orb to latch onto his immaterial spirit. He found his essence being sucked through a dark tunnel that crackled with veins of energy as his spirit raced toward a brilliant light at the end of the passageway. His body shuttered as his very being was ripped out of its physical form.
Reaching the end of the tunnel, he knew that he and the icy orb were now one as the sense of nirvana flooded his being. Although tempted to give himself over completely, he fought against the overwhelming need to allow the magic to fully absorb his spirit. With the last bit of strength and clarity he possessed, he moved away from the purity of magic that was beckoning him and his spirit raced back through the dark tunnel.
The Winter King’s eyes opened and his body crumpled to the floor. He lay there a long time, sapped of all strength. He wondered if this is what death felt like for mortals. He then eyed the orb that lay in the snow next to him. Finally, after centuries of crafting, the once ordinary block of ice was completed, its surface covered in intricate patterns of facets as it pulsed with an inner brilliance of frosty magic. It was so clear and so expertly crafted with symmetrical perfection that it appeared more like cut glass than ice. He smiled a wickedly confident grin. The Soul of Winter was born.
TRAILER LINK:
http://bit.ly/19li1kw
SALES LINKS
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1kxMxtt
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1c1o3Rl
BLOG INTERVIEWS
CIR: http://bit.ly/1c0bqJT
Talebearers Publishing: http://bit.ly/1cg0BEl
REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS (from Amazon)
Wonderful
“A world of fantasy awaits older kids in this magical and fun read. Journey Into the frozen wastelands ruled by the King of Winter. Enter the Crimson Wizard and watch as an epic battle unfolds :) This story line is so involved and intriguing with characters that are very well developed and yes, believable. The plot of the book has intricacies that point to a creative imagination and confidence in the authors writings. We are taken from a tragic story into a place of hope. Where did these writer's come from, and how is it possible that this accomplished work is a début? It is sure to be one of the highlights of my family's holidays!”
I was transported into my childhood with every page I read!
(from author Jami M. Brumfield)
“Wow! What an amazing read! I stepped out of my usual genre when I got this book and I am so happy I did. It was a fantasy thrill ride from page one to the end. I was transported to my childhood with every page I read. This book is great for all ages, young and old. The characters were amazing and very likable! The description throughout the book painted a beautiful picture scene after scene. I highly recommend this book for the holidays and the rest of the year!!!”
Invincible Summer: Disney or Dreamworks For the Movie?
(from author Thomas Baker)
“First of all, I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing artwork on the cover of this book. It sets the reader up for a fantastic journey with memorable characters, an intriguing, good vs evil plot, and a final confrontation that will leave the universe as the reader wants it to be (good), or changed forever (bad). The opening quotation is a foreshadowing device that caught my attention immediately, namely: "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer." --Albert Camus
I took a moment to actively digest how that made me feel. Instinctively, I agree that it is when things seem darkest, seemingly hopelessly lost, that I usually find within myself some unknown source of imagination, creativity, or pure refusal to submit to reality, call it whatever you like, but I can tell you countless stories of when I was on the very edge of defeat or some other negative, undesirable consequence, that I found something inside of me to overcome and triumph in the face of overwhelming odds to the contrary.
Accordingly, my anticipation, for a story that would exhibit similar characteristics, was already in place, and I began to read from this perspective, namely, a heroic struggle. I was not disappointed. The plot is meticulously well developed, the characters memorable, and the climax leaves you breathless, a real roller coaster thrill ride.
The book has an unmistakable flavor of C. S. Lewis, and it is a very good fit. Children and adults of all ages will enjoy reading this book, and it is a good candidate for a Disney or Dreamworks movie. The possibilities are endless in the hands of the talented and creative movie-makers at Disney and Dreamworks.
Finally, I most enthusiastically recommend this book for readers of all ages who enjoy
great storytelling, magic, and fantasy. This book has all of that and more.”
Great Read!
“My 10 year old son and I both read the book and really enjoyed it! We love fantasy
fiction and he is the ultimate critic! In his words "This is right up there with Harry Potter
mom!"
CONTACT INFO:
Crimsonandfrost@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/thecrimsonandthefrost
