Please welcome James W. George author of The Prophet and the Witch
James W. George will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
The Prophet and the Witch
by James W. George
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Historical Fiction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
INTERVIEW:
1.
What elements are
necessary components for this genre?
a.
This is historical fiction. I
suspect, even those two simple words can mean dramatically different things to different
readers and authors. For some readers,
historical fiction should be 100% factual, with no fictional characters. For others, historical fiction should mean
romance, and lots of it.
b.
For me, historical fiction is ideally done in the manner of master-of-the-genre
Bernard Cornwell. First, find a
fascinating battle, war, or event from history.
Research it extensively. And
then, introduce well-developed fictional characters that help really bring the
dry, factual nature of the event to life.
c.
The best part of fictional characters is they create the ability to
offer theoretical speculations as to why things turned out the way they
did. For example, in King Philip’s War
in 1675, the leader of the Native Americans allegedly believed whichever side
fired the first shot would lose the war.
Why would he believe that?
Historical fiction offers the ability to provide a compelling,
intriguing answer.
2.
How did you come
up with your idea for your novel?
a.
As a lover of historical fiction, I wanted to start writing my own,
but I wanted to choose a topic the average reader was not familiar with. That’s the beauty of historical fiction – it
should educate and entertain.
b.
There’s a ton of great books out there about the Vikings, the
Tudors, the Templars, and WWII, but I wanted to introduce readers to an era and
event they may not be familiar with: New
England in the 1670s. With the exception
of the Salem Witch Trials, it seems like there is a 150+year lull in our
history books from the Mayflower to the American Revolution.
c.
In the 1670s, however, the Puritans (and Pilgrims), who were once
loyal allies with the Wampanoag Indians (think about Massasoit and the first
Thanksgiving), were now bitter enemies, and they went to war in 1675. The war was one of the most catastrophic
events in colonial American history, and it doesn’t get nearly the attention it
deserves.
3.
What would you
want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?
a.
I strongly suspect my teenage son is secretly letting me win at NFL
Madden on the Play Station. I think he
knows how grumpy and cranky I get when I’m losing, and I think he knows it’s
just not worth the aggravation. My
suspicions are always raised when I get out to a nice ten or twenty-
point-lead, but then, in the fourth quarter, he starts doing all these crazy
no-huddle offenses and starts moving the ball downfield like he’s Tom Brady and
starts catching up. Ultimately, however,
he still loses.
b.
One of the most fascinating things about parenthood is watching your
kids eclipse you at things. When they’re
in elementary school, it almost seems inconceivable that one day, they will run
faster than you, they will be smarter than you, they will play musical instruments
better than you, and they will almost always defeat you at games of skill or
strategy. But that’s the nature of
humanity. It’s just always surprising
how quickly it comes.
c.
Fortunately, I gave him a Thanksgiving beatdown on the chess board,
which I’m almost certain was legit.
Almost.
4.
As far as your
writing goes, what are your future plans?
a.
Although “The Prophet and the Witch” stands well on its own, it is
book two of a trilogy. Book three is
slated to move about fifteen years into the future, where there was still more
catastrophic warfare between New England, New France, and the Native
Americans. Additionally, in 1692, there
was some kind of kerfuffle in Salem that got everyone all excited.
b.
The audiobook for the Prophet and the Witch should be out early next
year. The narrator, Angus Freathy, is fantastic. Dozens of characters, numerous accents, crazy
New England place names, tipsy singing…he does it all.
5.
If you could be
one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?
a.
That’s a fascinating question in a book like this, because life
during wartime in the 1670s was not pleasant.
It was downright horrible, whether you were an English colonist or a
Native American, and many of the characters endure terrible adversity in this
book.
b.
If I had to chose one, I’d say Deputy Governor John Easton is one of
the most virtuous characters in the book, and he probably endured the least
suffering. He is a real figure from
history. Before the outbreak of war, he
went to see Metacomet (King Philip), to try and mediate a peace. In my novels (in book one), he saves Israel
Brewster from a life of decadent alcoholism.
So, three cheers for John Easton.
6.
Can you give us a
sneak peek into this book?
a.
I hope you’ve received the two blurbs. One is the opening paragraphs, and the other
is later in the book when Linto is with a captain from New France.
b.
Ultimately, this is a truly epic book, with a scheming, Scottish
dandy, a beautiful, scarlet-haired, Quaker pacifist, a hulking, heroic son of a
carpenter, a disgraced minister wrestling with insanity, an obnoxious, drunken
pirate, a captivating young Native American on a spiritual quest, a seafood
feast, a passionate wedding night, witchcraft,
America’s first army ranger, Frenchmen, lacrosse, lots of holy scripture from
the King James Bible, a slow, obstinate, flatulent horse, seventeenth-century-drinking-songs,
Mohawks, betrayal, sorrow, joy, and hope.
And a brutal, relentless war. All
in one book!
7.
When did you first
decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take
this big step?
a.
I think I’d call it the “pfftt” syndrome. Recently, while reading a novel from a famous
author, I concluded the novel was fairly mediocre, and the zillionaire author
was just mailing it in. And I thought,
“Pfftt. I can write a better novel than
that.”
b.
I suspect a lot of authors get their start due to the “pfftt
syndrome.” I could have sworn there was
a famous nineteenth century American novelist who got his start that way, but
now I can’t find it.
8.
What is the best
and worst advice you ever received? (regarding writing or publishing)
a.
I haven’t received or given too much advice, but one thing I’ve
learned is this: There are approximately
four million books for sale in the Kindle Store, so if you’re going to write
another one, you damn well better be passionate about it.
9.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
Can you tell us why?
a.
I’m extraordinarily proud of all of the characters in this book,
both fictional and historic. I think
when you study the reviews of both books in the series, however, readers really
seem to be fond of Brewster and Linto, and I have to agree.
b.
These are two friends who hail from opposite worlds, but both experience
spiritual journeys of uncertainty, suffering, heroism, and redemption.
10.Anything else you might want to add?
a.
I’m extremely proud of this book, this series, and how well the
novel’s been received. Even if you don’t
consider yourself a fan of historical fiction, I’m confident you will love this
book. I’m very proud of the reviews it
has garnered. Don Sloan of Midwest Book
Review awarded it five stars and said it was “a remarkable book that should be
required reading for anyone who believes that history is just a dry procession
of facts, dates and faraway places.”
Thomas Anderson, of The Literary Titan, awarded it a gold medal for
October and said it was “Expertly written and instantly engaging from the first
few pages...An exceptionally drawn historical fiction account. I was captivated...one of the more
intellectual of reads."
Thanks, the Angels
Thank you for hosting me!
BLURB:
If you thought New England was dull
in the 1670s, get ready for a history lesson.
In the critically acclaimed “My
Father’s Kingdom,” debut author James W. George transported his readers to 1671
New England, and the world of Reverend Israel Brewster. It was a world of
faith, virtue, and love, but it was also a world of treachery, hatred, and
murder.
Four years later, Brewster is a
disgraced outcast, residing in Providence and working as a humble cooper.
Despite his best efforts, war could not be averted, and now, “King Philip’s
War” has begun.
The rebellion is led by Metacomet,
known as “King Philip” to the English colonists. He is the tormented son of the
great Massasoit, and leader of the Wampanoag nation. Once the most reliable of
Plymouth Colony’s allies, they are now the bitterest of enemies. Meanwhile,
Metacomet’s mysterious counselor, Linto, despises this war and will do anything
to end the bloodshed.
Meticulously researched, “The
Prophet and the Witch” is a tale of hope and brotherhood in the face of evil
and violence. It features the remarkable cast of fictional and historical
characters from book one, including Josiah Winslow, Linto, Increase Mather,
Constance Wilder, and Jeremiah Barron. Additionally, new characters such as
America’s first ranger, Captain Benjamin Church, bring this chapter of history
to life like never before.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT:
It
was a glorious sign from the Almighty.
Of that, there could be no doubt.
This
was certainly the opinion of Major William Bradford, and few seemed inclined to
question the holy assessment of the good major and his magnificent
pedigree. The fact that the garrison
commander, the aged and venerated James Cudworth, enthusiastically concurred
with his famous underling should have eliminated any debate amongst the Puritan
faithful.
Bradford,
however, would take no chances, and he zealously reinforced his initial
assessment. “The will of the Lord, my
brothers. The will of the Lord has
clearly been made manifest in the night sky.
Our cause is just, and our army is righteous.”
The
Reverend John Miles felt obliged to speak, perhaps since it was his own Swansea
home currently being used as a military garrison. “Yea, verily, hear the word of the Lord,
recited for the holy soldiers of the Lord.
It is certainly written in the Book of Joel, the sun and the moon will
be darkened, and the stars shall no longer shine. And was not the death of the vile and wicked
King Herod sanctified by an eclipse of the moon? Certainly, Metacomet is a vile enemy of our
Lord and given to evil ways, just as King Herod. Metacomet, this odious King Philip, will
indeed pay for his treason.”
Most
of the Puritan militia garrisoned in Swansea solemnly bowed their heads. Some were troubled by the sight of a lunar
eclipse on this balmy June night. The
more learned among them recalled their history, and knew that a
partially-eclipsed moon, in accordance with prophecy, rose above Constantinople
in 1453. Seven days later, the
magnificent city fell to the heathen.
There
were also dim mutterings about the Peloponnesian War more than a thousand years
ago. Evidently, a lunar eclipse so
greatly troubled the Athenians that their war vessels sat shamefully idle in
the harbor. Ultimately, their enemy
exploited their fear and indecision, and destroyed the fleet.
Others
were certain they witnessed the image of a human scalp within the eclipse. Was it the scalp of an Indian, or an
Englishman? Was there even a scalp to be
seen, or was it a witchcraft-induced hallucination? The quiet ruminations within the garrison
were increasingly unsettling.
The
sullen deliberations continued, and their confident martial zeal was slowly
eroding. Bradford could discern the
consternation among his troops, and he continued his exhortation. “The savages have committed a grave sin, and
the Lord has made His displeasure clear with His handiwork in the night
sky. Be brave, and be of good cheer, for
certainly the holy Book of Judges commands us to…”
“Pig
titties.”
Never
before had one hundred devout Puritan men of high character witnessed such
blasphemy in the face of both holy and civil authority. Major Bradford was the second-in-command of
the expedition, and the respected son of the deceased and revered Governor
William Bradford. Major Bradford, as
usual, demonstrated a cautious temperament in the face of adversity.
“Excuse
me?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
James W. George is a lover
of history and historical fiction. He is
a graduate of Boston University and a military veteran. He is currently residing in Virginia with his
wife and children.
He published his critically-acclaimed
debut novel, My Father’s Kingdom in January 2017. The novel described the prelude to King
Philip’s War in New England in the 1670s.
The Indie View gave it five stars: “This is high historical drama
handled wonderfully…a tale that will fully engage you on every level.”
My Father’s Kingdom is a
planned trilogy, and book two, The Prophet and the Witch, was published in
September 2017. This is an epic novel
that spans the entire conflict of King Philip’s War, and includes such notable
historical figures as Josiah Winslow, Increase Mather, Metacomet, Benjamin
Church, and Mary Rowlandson. The
Literary Titan awarded it five stars and a gold medal for October 2017.
The author is looking
forward to book three of the trilogy, and he can be found on Goodreads:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
James W. George
will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter
during the tour.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f2512
Welcome to the Angel's blog. I hope you have a great tour. Allana Angel
ReplyDeleteThank you, Allana. It's great to be here with the Angels!
ReplyDeleteGreat post - I enjoyed reading the excerpt & interview :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting
ReplyDeleteInteresting interview! Hope your tour goes well!
ReplyDeletecongrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDelete