Tools of Prophecy

Please welcome  Michael A. Rothman author of Tools of Prophecy.

Michael will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
Don't forget to leave a comment. :)

Tools of Prophecy

by Michael A. Rothman

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INTERVIEW:

What is the single most important part of writing for you?

Entertaining the reader.

Ultimately I think it is the author's job to engage the reader with an entertaining story that allows for them to escape their real world, and enter one with new people and issues and have them personally feel the various levels of anxiety and relief as the story runs its course. 

I believe that a proper story will stress the reader, get them on the edge of their seat, wondering what will happen next. If appropriate, induce strong emotions, and when complete - a feeling of catharsis should be achieved.  You know, that wonderful feeling when you can let that breath out you've been holding for so long because your favorite character finally escaped, solved their problem, married happily ever after, or whatever the conclusion was.  People don't normally think of these elements as what defines entertainment, but in reality - if you think about it, that is often-times what it actually means.

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Borrowing from Rod Serling - it allows me to control the horizontal and the vertical. The world is fully within my control and within reason, writing allows me to exercise things in the way I see fit. It is a release for creativity that some people are drawn to.  Whereas others find similar releases in creating new recipes for cooking, or scrap booking, authors tend to shove that itch into the written word.

What do you enjoy most about life?

A feeling of accomplishment.  Ultimately, that usually entails the setting of a goal and the ultimate achievement of it.  That is an enjoyment that is hard to beat.

If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what would it be?

You mean aside from certain stock tips that I should have leveraged in the early 90's?  :-)

Stay stubborn and don't compromise your beliefs.

What is the craziest thing you did as a kid, and would it ever end up in a book?

I was a very boring kid, oftentimes with my nose in a book.  I suppose one thing I did a LOT of was play table tennis (even competitively).  I suppose that at some point, I could conjure up a character who was a "ping pong" prodigy.  "Paul, the Ping Pong Professor"    Hmmm, I think I'll hold off on that one for a bit.  ;-)

BLURB:

The TOOLS OF PROPHECY is the second volume in an epic saga which describes a prophecy that has placed the Riverton brothers in the lead roles of a struggle to save their world from being overrun by unspeakable horrors. This destiny requires that they face off with the demons that nearly destroyed their world over five centuries ago.

In the first book, the population of wizards had been practically eradicated by the former tyrant. The Rivertons are now charged with creating an Academy of Magic, recruiting qualified students, and furthering their own training with secrets that have long been held by the reclusive elves.

Despite their youth, a mysterious spirit has engaged them in an epic struggle to gain mastery of their newfound skills, help raise and train two armies, and stay alive long enough for their final showdown with destiny.

The only things that stand in their way are the assassins hired to destroy them and the Demon Lord’s minion who holds a personal grudge and intends to witness the young boys’ deaths.

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EXCERPT:  from the Prologue - we are introduced to a very temperamental Demon Lord

In this region of the Abyss, the temperatures always bordered on freezing. Even so, the air was thick with wet mist. Malphas stared up at his master, who sat high atop his throne of blackest stone. Singeing waves of heat seemed to emanate from the Demon Lord’s skin. The repentant demon would call out to him, but he did not wish to provoke more of his master’s ire. For the time, Lord Sammael simply stared into the distance, refusing to acknowledge his general’s presence.

Finally, after what seemed like a long wait, Sammael directed his attention to Malphas. “I have learned that a new wizard has entered Trimoria,” he said without speaking. His voice, inky and coarse, erupted as if from within Malphas’s head. “You will find out how such a thing was possible.”

Malphas strode to the throne and knelt at his lord’s feet. The black scales of his knees rasped against the stone floor. At twenty feet tall, the general usually towered over his minions, but kneeling before the immense black throne made him feel utterly insignificant. Where he would normally cause all who looked upon him to cower, General Malphas found himself cowering at the feet of his master.

“But, my lord,” Malphas said in his gravelly voice, “how can that be? I thought you arranged for the purging of those who followed Seder.”

The temperature in the cold, dank chamber climbed rapidly as the Demon Lord’s rage bubbled to the surface. Lesser demons in the vicinity burst into flame, disappearing into greasy puffs of acrid smoke.

“Don’t ever mention my brother’s name again,” Sammael commanded. “I will not hear it spoken by the likes of you.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I am an Army brat and the first person in my family to be born in the United States. This heavily influenced my youth by instilling a love of reading and a burning curiosity about the world and all of the things within it. As an adult, my love of travel allowed me to explore many unimaginable locations. I participated in many adventures and documented them in what will be a series of books, the first of which you have just read.

Some might put these books in the Fantasy genre, and I never had issues with this label. After all, the adventures were, without any doubt in my mind, fantastic. I simply quibble with the label of “Fiction” that some might put on these tales. These tales should be viewed as historical records, more along the lines of a documentary.

I’ve learned one thing over the years. Magic is real. Keep exploring, and you too will find your magic.

Michael’s Website:  http://michaelarothman.com/

Michael on Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5778499.Michael_A_Rothman

Follow Michael on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/MichaelARothman

Michael on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/MichaelARothman

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT!

Michael will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Don't forget to leave a comment. :)