The Necromancer Series, Book 1
by Paul Barrett
Genre: YA Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Fiery Seas Publishing, LLC
Cover Artist: Jess Small
Born with the power of ultimate evil, he is the world’s only chance at survival.
Erick Darvaul is a Necromancer, a descendant of the original sorcerers who turned against their dark masters and exiled them. Now these beings have returned, it falls upon Erick and a cadre of newfound allies to rally against these powerful entities and defeat them again.
Through fire, ambush, and betrayal, Erick and his companions claw their way to Broken Mountain to reunite with others who share his ability. There, Erick battles the mortal foe of his ancestors pushing the limits of his Necromantic magic, a force that seeks to corrupt him every time he summons it.
Paul has lived a varied life full of excitement and adventure. Not really, but it sounds good as an opening line.
Paul’s multiple careers have included: rock and roll roadie, children’s theater stage manager, television camera operator, mortgage banker, and support specialist for Microsoft Excel.
This eclectic mix prepared him to go into his true love: motion picture production. He has produced two motion pictures and two documentaries: His film Night Feeders released on DVD in 2007, and Cold Storage was released by Lionsgate in 2010.
Amidst all this, Paul has worked on his writing, starting with his first short story, about Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, at age 8. Paul has written and produced numerous commercial and industrial video scripts in his tenure with his forcreative agency, Indievision. He has two published short stories (As You Sow and Double Cross) and one self-published novel (Godchild). He lives with his filmmaker/graphic artist partner and their three cats.
Q & A with Paul Barrett
Q: Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
Erick is a 17-year-old Necromancer who has been tasked, almost against his will, with traveling to Broken Mountain to meet with other Necromancers. He’s bitter at his parents leaving him, and angry at the town below his manor that has spurned his family for being Necromancers. He’s bright but lonely, his only friend his familiar, a homunculus named Blink.
Elissia is a 16-year-old girl who is also angry because her father exiled her to the island where the book starts because she…nope, not going to tell you. She is independent, intelligent, good with knives, and full of secrets.
Corby is a 15-year-old scribe and scholar who travels with Erick to chronicle their adventures. He’s incredibly intelligent, has an eidetic memory. He is fairly literal and emotionless, having trouble dealing with people because of his inability to relate to them and his shyness. He also has a secret that he fears will destroy his budding friendship with Erick.
The thing these three share is they are all, in their way, outcasts.
Q: Describe your ideal writing spot.
My ideal writing spot would be a beach on the Bahamas, but that ain’t gonna happen anytime soon. So I have an office set up with movie soundtrack music, a view of the outside, and three cats that run the place like they own it. When I was younger, I also enjoyed writing at 3AM at International House of Pancakes, but that doesn’t happen as much anymore.
Q: Who designed the covers for your book and what was that process like for you as the author?
Since this is my first book I didn’t have much say in the cover design. I got to look at the initial cover design and offer my two cents. And to the credit of Fiery Seas, they incorporated some of my suggestions. So the process has been pretty painless, like most all of the process has been. The cover was designed by Jess Small.
Q: What is the best advice you have been given?
In writing or in life? In writing, it’s been “just write.” You can read all the books and take all the classes and learn, but the only way you’re ever going to get better at writing is to just write, and see what works for you and what doesn’t. In life, it was “never run barefoot in a yard full of dogs.” Okay, that’s probably not the best advice I’ve ever gotten, but it’s still pretty solid.
Q: How do you keep busy when you're not writing?
I work as a props master and set dresser on TV shows and movies, and I also enjoy board gaming, video games, and, of course, reading. The influx of great TV shows also has me sitting on the couch watching for many an hour.
Q: If you could have any superhuman ability, what would you choose and why?
Wow, that’s a tough one, there are so many good ones. Probably the ability to fly, because I enjoy flying in airplanes, and it would be so much easier getting from place to place. I’d probably take more vacations if I could physically fly to all the great vacation spots.
Q: Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?
I think they both have their place. This may border on TMI, but I love to read while taking a bath, so obviously a physical book is the safer option there. But ebooks makes it pretty convenient to read anywhere without the danger of setting down the book and forgetting it. Plus, seeing what other people highlight as something that resonated with them is a kind of cool feature.
Q: What book are you reading now?
I’m currently reading two books: Zeroes by Chuck Wendig and From the Stone by John Hartness. I’m also listening to audiobook The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your main characters.
Erick is a 17-year-old Necromancer who has been tasked, almost against his will, with traveling to Broken Mountain to meet with other Necromancers. He’s bitter at his parents leaving him, and angry at the town below his manor that has spurned his family for being Necromancers. He’s bright but lonely, his only friend his familiar, a homunculus named Blink.
Elissia is a 16-year-old girl who is also angry because her father exiled her to the island where the book starts because she…nope, not going to tell you. She is independent, intelligent, good with knives, and full of secrets.
Corby is a 15-year-old scribe and scholar who travels with Erick to chronicle their adventures. He’s incredibly intelligent, has an eidetic memory. He is fairly literal and emotionless, having trouble dealing with people because of his inability to relate to them and his shyness. He also has a secret that he fears will destroy his budding friendship with Erick.
The thing these three share is they are all, in their way, outcasts.
Q: Describe your ideal writing spot.
My ideal writing spot would be a beach on the Bahamas, but that ain’t gonna happen anytime soon. So I have an office set up with movie soundtrack music, a view of the outside, and three cats that run the place like they own it. When I was younger, I also enjoyed writing at 3AM at International House of Pancakes, but that doesn’t happen as much anymore.
Q: Who designed the covers for your book and what was that process like for you as the author?
Since this is my first book I didn’t have much say in the cover design. I got to look at the initial cover design and offer my two cents. And to the credit of Fiery Seas, they incorporated some of my suggestions. So the process has been pretty painless, like most all of the process has been. The cover was designed by Jess Small.
Q: What is the best advice you have been given?
In writing or in life? In writing, it’s been “just write.” You can read all the books and take all the classes and learn, but the only way you’re ever going to get better at writing is to just write, and see what works for you and what doesn’t. In life, it was “never run barefoot in a yard full of dogs.” Okay, that’s probably not the best advice I’ve ever gotten, but it’s still pretty solid.
Q: How do you keep busy when you're not writing?
I work as a props master and set dresser on TV shows and movies, and I also enjoy board gaming, video games, and, of course, reading. The influx of great TV shows also has me sitting on the couch watching for many an hour.
Q: If you could have any superhuman ability, what would you choose and why?
Wow, that’s a tough one, there are so many good ones. Probably the ability to fly, because I enjoy flying in airplanes, and it would be so much easier getting from place to place. I’d probably take more vacations if I could physically fly to all the great vacation spots.
Q: Which do you prefer: hard/paperbacks or ebooks?
I think they both have their place. This may border on TMI, but I love to read while taking a bath, so obviously a physical book is the safer option there. But ebooks makes it pretty convenient to read anywhere without the danger of setting down the book and forgetting it. Plus, seeing what other people highlight as something that resonated with them is a kind of cool feature.
Q: What book are you reading now?
I’m currently reading two books: Zeroes by Chuck Wendig and From the Stone by John Hartness. I’m also listening to audiobook The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher.
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