Fast Fact
Author: P.H. Solomon
Genre: Fantasy
Books:
Trading Knives
What Is Needed
The Black Bag
Bio
P.H. Solomon lives in the greater Birmingham, AL area where he strongly dislikes yard work and sanding the deck rail. However, he performs these duties to maintain a nice home for his loved ones as well as the family’s German Shepherds. In his spare time, P. H. rides herd as a Computer Whisperer on large computers called servers (harmonica not required). Additionally, he enjoys reading, running, most sports and fantasy football. Having a degree in Anthropology, he also has a wide array of more “serious” interests in addition to working regularly to hone his writing. He is currently finishing the first book of a fantasy series and hopes to see it in print soon.
Interview with P.H. Solomon
Q. How did you get started writing?
A. I started writing this book out of high school several decades ago. I almost signed a contract for it with a small publisher in the mid-90’s but backed off due to the terms. Since then I’ve toyed with writing off and on but decided to re-write the book and get serious about writing several years ago.
Q. How many books have you written prior?
A. The Bow of Destiny is my first novel-length book. I previously published a short story, The Black Bag, as an e-book.
Q. What genre do you enjoy writing the most and what is this book about? I enjoy fantasy the most so that’s what I write. The Bow of Destiny is an epic fantasy whose main character, Athson has seen things that aren’t there and suffered fits since being tragically orphaned as a child at the hands of trolls and Kregen the wizard. When a strange will mentioning a mysterious bow comes into his possession, he’s not sure it’s real. But the trolls that soon pursue him are all too real and dangerous. And what’s worse, these raiders serve Kregen and his master, the hidden dragon, Magdronu, who are responsible for the destruction of his childhood home. Athson is drawn into a quest for the concealed Bow of Hart by the mystic Withling, Hastra, but Athson isn’t always sure what’s real and who his enemies are. With Kregen and Magdronu involved, Athson must face not only frequent danger but his grasp on reality and the reasons behind his tragic past.
Q. Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it?
A. Chris Rawlins out of the UK designed the cover based on one of his own pieces named: Robin of Loxley.
Q. Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?
A. Once I saw the artwork my cover is based on I knew that was what I needed. Chris was spot on with the design based on my descriptions. I’m looking forward to working with him again.
Q. Just as your books inspire authors, what authors have inspired you to write?
A. Tolkien heads the list but it also includes Patricia McKillip, Ursula K. Le Guin, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Anne McCaffrey and many others.
Q. What does your writing process look like?
A. Write like mad to get the rough draft out. Then make structural changes, followed by my editor’s structural changes. Then it’s onto nitty-gritty editing until the manuscript is ready for beta reading.
Q. Where do you write?
A. Wherever my laptop lands – it’s my mobile office.
Q. Are you a plotter or do you write by the seat of your pants?
A. A little of both. I like a fluid, creative outline (not the structure kind from school, it just doesn’t fit fiction). An creative outline allows for easy changes. Likewise, Scrivener is a great way to outline too since you can make structural changes easily.
Q. What book do you wish you could have written?
A. Armor by John Steakley or Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock – both are very under-read and under-valued books that very good and I highly recommend them.
Q. Do you have a pet or pets?
A. Actually, my dogs inspired Spark.
Q. Where is one place you want to visit that you haven’t been before?
A. The Outer Hebrides Islands, The Galapagos Islands, Budapest and, well, all the parts of Europe I haven’t been to yet.
Q. If you were any plant or animal, what would you be?
A. Cheetah – amazing runner!
Q. If you could have any accents from anywhere in the world, what would you choose?
A. Scottish is a fun-sounding accent but I’d really like to speak Gaelic.
Pending Projects
Book 1 of The Bow of Hart Saga: The Bow of Destiny releases 9/28/2015. It can currently be found for reservation at these select online retailers: Barnes & Noble, Kobo & iBooks (via the iTunes app)
Book 2 of The Bow of Hart Saga: An Arrow against the Wind due out 1/2/2016. It can currently be found for reservation at these select online retailers: Barnes & Noble, Kobo & iBooks (via the iTunes app)
Book 3 of The Bow of Hart Saga: The White Arrow is due out Fall of 2016 (links pending).
Prequel short stories to The Bow of Hart Saga:
Champion of the Stone Rats – tentative release 9/30/2015 for free, will be on Wattpad during 9/15.
A parallel series to The Bow of Hart Saga is also in process as three novellas.
There will likely be a sequel trilogy for The Bow of Hart Saga and possibly at least a prequel book.
The Black Bag found at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords & iBooks (via the iTunes app).
Guardians of the Gate epic fantasy is also a book/series in development.
The Black Glove adventure-fantasy series is also in development.
Connect with P.H. Solomon
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