Title: Airion: Return To Zire
Author: J.S.
Council
Series: Airion
Series
Genre: young adult epic fantasy
Publisher: self-published
Formats available: paperback, ebook (HTML, Kindle, Epub, PDF, RTF, LRF, Palm doc, plain text (download), plain text (view)
Book blurb:
Aside
from his outward appearance, Kobi is a normal thirteen-year-old boy. Living
with his mother, his father, and his identical twin brother, Raili, with whom
he spends most days at the cove watching dolphins and whales feed, he is happy
with his life just the way it is. But his fourteenth birthday is coming and
Kobi has no idea how much his life is about to change.
When
Raili is pulled through a puddle in the floor of their second floor bedroom by
a monster armed with poisonous, spiked tentacles, Kobi goes in after him. What
he finds isn’t Raili, but a new world all together, buried beneath the ocean.
With a bounty on his head that has been there since he and Raili’s birth, Kobi
will have to learn to fight or die before he can be reunited with Raili again.
Everything he knew to be true was a lie.
People
he loved and trusted are not who they seem. He isn’t the normal boy he thought
himself to be. A transformation is coming. Raili is gone. Blood is shed.
Traitors lurk, waiting for their chance. War is inevitable. The fate of the
world of Airion rests in his hands. The Wiseone speaks. Failure is certain.
About the Author:
“Although I didn’t
fully commit to making writing my life’s work until my sophomore year of
college, I have always been a writer at heart. I was the only student in class
to get excited about school papers, even asking to write a few for extra credit
on occasion. I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington
with a degree in creative writing – fiction. After graduating, I moved to Japan, where I wrote most of my debut novel, Airion:
Return to Zire, and all of my second one, Airion: Light and Dawn – the first two of a four-book series. Japan
was a peaceful place to just sit and write, but life there was also filled
with adventure. However much I loved it there, I had to return home to do what
I love most. Write.”
With thanks to J. S. Council for this interview. Read all about her new book; her likes, ambitions and sources of inspiration; and her joy of writing...
Welcome J. S. Council. Can you tell us, what is your day
job or are you lucky enough to write for a living?
I wish I was lucky enough to write for a living. I am
working my way up to that. But, for now, I am Tenant Services Coordinator and
Conference Room Manager for a building management company. It’s not nearly as
cool as it sounds. Ha ha. I solve problems all day, which isn’t the worst job
one could have, by far.
What books have
you written so far?
Although I have been writing for a while now, Airion: Return to Zire is my first
published novel.
What works in
progress do you have?
Well, book 2 of the Airion
series, Light and Dawn, is in its
third stage of editing now. I am currently searching for beta readers and
editors to help polish it (if anyone is interested, please email me at jscouncil@yahoo.com). By late summer I hope to have finished the
cover of the book and by early fall I hope to release Airion: Light and Dawn to the world. In the meantime, I have been
constructing book 3 of the series, Airion:
Strange Ruins, in My Journey (my
writer’s journal). I hope to release this one next year.
How long did it
take you to write your book/s?
From conception to birth, Return to Zire took me about 4 years to complete. I liked writing
and I did it often, but I honestly had no idea how to write a novel. I
floundered through it as best as I could with only an idea in mind, until I
finally reached the end and thought about publishing it. It was only then that
I realised I had done it all wrong! I went back through it, over and over,
changing, cutting, adding, fixing, sweating, crying and praying, and then doing
it all over again until I came up with something that I could be proud of. Airion: Light and Dawn I wrote in six
months. J
Do you write
linear, or jump back and forth? Do you plan or write by the seat of your pants?
My method of writing evolved from book 1 to book 2, but I
like the method I used with book 2 much better. First, I brainstorm the
settings, characters and plot, etc, and then I plot my story in My Journey. Once I have all of the
characters more or less mapped out, I begin writing, using My Journey as a guide to keep me on track and ward off writer’s
block. It works like a charm.
Why do you write?
Hmm, good question. Well, since Junior High, reading has
always been a means of escape from the world. I always admired the people able
to think of such good stories to tell. Then I tried it. I found that writing
can be even more therapeutic than reading. There is something about creating life
on a page that others will enjoy and dive into that feels so right. It’s nice
to know that I can be someone’s escape route.
How long have you
been writing?
I wrote my first short story when I was nine years old.
It was a class assignment and the prompt was, “You are going home after school
and you see a mysterious wall, and you look over it. What do you see?” Somehow
my characters ended up running from a living snowman and jumping over the wall
to land in another world, although they didn’t know it at the time. My teacher
loved it so much that she read it out loud in front of the class. I was so
embarrassed and so proud.
Where and when do
you write? Do you have set times?
I don’t really have a set time that I write, as it’s
either in the morning before work, during my lunch break, or in the evenings
after work. I find that I am not very good at writing at home, so I usually
find a bookstore café or coffee shop to sit in, and write for a few hours. I
did most of the editing for Airion:
Return to Zire in the local Borders by my house, before it closed down.
Which character from
your books do you like most/are most like?
I think my favourite character from the Airion series is Black Master Rick, the
master blacksmith of Zire, and best friend of the King and Queen. Rick is so
calm, cool and collected, so strong and loyal, and a great dad to Kobi when his
son feels like he is losing everything. I feel that I am most like Winiki, the
Princess of Zire. She is a rebel and doesn’t allow anyone or anything to hold
her back from what she wants to do. When I created her, I based much of her
dialogue and many of her actions on what I would do in that situation.
What/who inspired
you to write and still inspires you?
I would have to say that reading was my initial inspiration
for taking writing seriously. When I read Harry
Potter by J. K. Rowling and started following her as a writer, I started
using her success as my motivation. I still aspire to be as successful as her.
What do you think
is the ideal recipe for a good novel or story?
I think that a well thought out plot, good setting
placement and strong, logical characters make for a great novel. In some books
and movies that I’ve seen, the characters are made to do things that are
irrational or unintelligent just for a rise in conflict, drama or suspense.
Personally, I don’t like it when the dramatic pull of a novel feels forced. I
believe a novel should be realistic, even if it is fantasy or science fiction.
I believe a writer should write to the flow of the piece, and not force it to
go places that it naturally doesn’t want to go.
Have you ever
based a character on someone from real life? And did you tell them?
I have never based a character’s personality on someone I
knew, but I do have a habit of collecting extraordinary names that I come
across. If I meet someone with an interesting name, I will ask him or her if I
can use it in one of my novels. They always say yes, and I write the name down
in My Journey until I am ready to use
it.
If you had to pick
some actors/actresses to play the characters in your book, who would you hire?
For sure, I would want Zoe Saldrana to play the part of
the Zirian Queen, Kai Ventra, and Brad Pitt, with the body he had in Troy, could play the Zirian King, Sai Thayne.
Dwayne Johnson could play the part of Black Master Rick. Viggo Mortensen might
be a good Captain Kaiyen Vorex and Sean Bean could make a good Sir Alick of
Zire. William Moseley would be a great Trayn, Prince of Zire, and the up-and-rising
Jaden Smith could tackle the dual parts of Kobi and Raili. Taylor Lautner would
be good to play the role of Trayn’s best friend, Kloud, and Ian Somerhalder could
play a truly villainous role by playing Balin, Sub-Leader of Cella. Orlando
Bloom could play Bran, one of the advisers to the king. I’d also like to see
either Jada Pinkett Smith or Halle Berry play the role of Heal Warrior Kimi.
But, I fear the roles of the younger ladies in the piece would have to be
completely new because, although I can think of some people who might play the
part very well, they are, alas, too old or too young for the parts of Winiki
Kaio and Salina Vorex.
 |
| She loves boots! |
Fave things:
animal? food? drink? film? colour? band? song? place? item of clothing?
My favourite animals are dolphins. I love cran-apple anything.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one
of my favourite movie series, among many others. My favourite color is royal
blue; Florence and the Machine is my favourite band at the moment; and Breath of Life by Florence and the
Machine is now my favourite song. The top
of Mount Fuji is my favourite place to date; it’s breathtaking up there. And I
love boots! ^_^
When you were a
kid, what did you want to do/who did you want to be when you grew up?
I think what I didn’t want to do is a shorter list. Ha ha!
I wanted to be a doctor, an actress, a marine biologist, a palaeontologist, a
crime-scene investigator, an archaeologist and zoologist. Can you tell how much
I love science?
Would you say that
your dreams have come true or are you still working on them?
I have many dreams. Yes, some of them have come true,
like living and working in Japan for two and a half years, and learning the
language and culture. But my dream of being successful enough as a writer, to
make it my sole source of income, is still a work in progress. I’ll get there.
You’re walking in
the forest and you bump into an alien librarian from Mars. He wants five book
recommendations from you…
Well, I would tell him Airion: Return to Zire by J. S. Council is a must read! :P Then, The Tale of Two Cities by Charles
Dickens, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkin
and the Harry Potter series by J. K.
Rowling would give him a great outlook on a few different ways we see this
world.
Who is your
favourite character from any book and why?
I love characters with quiet strength and authority.
Characters that don’t have to force people into knowing that they are
important, they just are, from their natural sense of duty and understanding of
what needs to be done in a situation. Whitestorm, from the Warriors series by Erin Hunter, was that character for me. He
wasn’t a major until the sixth novel in the series, but he had my attention
from the beginning of the first one.
Which book do you
wish you had written?
Easy. Harry Potter.
It was the best idea of its age and very well written, hence its success. I
really wish I had thought of it first. Ha ha!
Which three
authors would you like to take to the pub?
Stephen King, Shakespeare and Bram Stoker.
Are you published
or self-published? What is your experience?
I self-published this novel. Due to my inexperience of
the publishing world in general, the self-publishing experience was much more
difficult that it should have been, or will be when I self-publish Light and Dawn.
How do you find
the marketing experience?
Marketing is, by far, my least favourite part about
self-publishing. It takes a lot of time away from writing and there is no
guarantee that you efforts will bear fruit.
What advice would
you give other writers just starting out?
I would suggest keeping a writer’s journal when you first
start writing. It was the best advice I received from my very first creative writing
instructor. Even if you realise that isn’t how you work best, I would still try
it. Also, be ready for opposition. It will come from friends, family, critics,
reviewers and many other places. Just remember to learn what you can from it
and leave whatever is not helpful behind. When publishing and marketing your
book, it is good to make friends and acquaintances who have experience of the writing
world. Those connections are invaluable.
Do you have a
blog? What do you blog about?
Yes, I do, The Council Blog. I do
mostly spotlights and updates on my blog. I’m pretty new to the blogging world,
so I’m still getting into the groove of things. I’m thinking about taking The
Council Blog into another direction; maybe do some book reviews, showcase some
local writing talent and things like that. We will see how that goes. I’m
excited about the change.
What other hobbies
do you have?
Ha ha! I am a very proud dork. Documentaries, medical shows,
and National Geographic are 80% of
what I watch on TV. I also love animals,
Anime and Japanese culture. I can speak Japanese pretty well, although I don’t
practise as much as I should. My mom is a singer and vocal coach, and I have
been singing with her since I was very young. It is fun, but I do get a bit shy
singing on stage. On top of Japanese culture and singing, drawing and dancing
are passions of mine as well. I can dance all styles, including ballet,
contemporary, Jazz and hip hop. Basically, I find interest in everything.
What would you
like to achieve in the next five years?
I would like to have all four books in the Airion series finished, published and
doing well. I would like to be planning, writing or in the process of
publishing book one of my new series.
If you won the
Lotto or a major publishing contract, what would you do with all that cash?
I would buy my mother a house anywhere she wanted to
live, put money away for my future children, help in the efforts to save and
protect endangered species, and keep writing as much as I could.
Complete one of
these stories in 100 words or less… or you can do a poem – anything...
Option 2: Icy fingers
crept up his spine as he realised someone or something was in the room with
him...
Icy fingers crept up his spine as he realised someone or
something was in the room with him. Eyes blindfolded, he could hear the hiss of
its breath escape its teeth. Hands bound in front of him, he tried to turn back
and run through the door he was just forced through. It was locked. He screamed
for help, panic rising in his chest. The hissing breaths grew louder and were
coming out now in short, rhythmic spurts. It was laughing.
Book excerpt:
“If the Cellians just wanted us dead, why didn’t they
just kill Raili instead of taking him?” asked Kobi.
“That is the question, isn’t it?” said Kaiyen slowly. “If
they only wanted to use his power, wouldn’t they have taken them both?”
“Not necessarily,” said Rick, fist to his chin. “Having
both would probably be too dangerous to risk. They may have been afraid of
being destroyed from the inside if they worked together to free themselves.
Even with one son of the prophecy, they could cause considerable damage, or so
they may think.”
“But Raili would never do that though,” Kobi protested.
“Dad…I…I mean, Black Master Rick. You know Raili; you know he wouldn’t do
anything like that.”
“It may not be his choice,” said Kimi. “The Cellians can
be very persuasive.”
Kobi’s heart sank. “What would they do to him?” he asked,
not wanting to hear the answer.
“Whatever they had to,” said Kaiyen. “That is why we must
focus on a plan of rescue, before RailiSaio acquires the powers they seek.”
“On our fourteenth birthday,” said Kobi.
“Yes,” said Kai Ventra. “Almost all Airians change on
their fourteenth birthday. Along with the natural changes they undergo, such as
growing gills, they also acquire unique individual skills, allowing them to
thrive more than most others in that ability. These abilities can be anything
from designing exceptional clothing to controlling the elements.”
“The stronger the ability, the harder it is to control,”
said Kaiyen. “No doubt Cella is depending on this.”
“It won’t work,” said Rick.
“Agreed,” nodded Kaiyen. “But there is another matter
that must be discussed, if I may.” Questioning eyes turned to Kaiyen. “Lady
Sara,” Kaiyen continued after a swift nod from the King. He was addressing the
old woman seated beside Kimi, “have you seen anything in your Kubec about a
traitor in Zire.”
Whispers filled the room. “You go too far, Captain,” said
Bran.
“What are you saying,” said the advisor to Bran’s left.
“Silence,” said Sai Thayne. The talking ceased instantly.
The King’s questioning eyes fell on Kaiyen then turned to Lady Sara. “Wise
One?”
“This man possesses a tainted heart,” said the old woman,
her eyes gazing into the diamond block. “His treachery dives deep.”
“Do you know who this man is?” asked Kaiyen.
“I see not his face nor his rank,” said Lady Sara, her
brow creased and her hands resting on the Kubec. “However, he knows all that we
know and some we do not.”
“It is as I thought,” said Kaiyen, “Zire’s traitor has
resurfaced.”
Book links:
Where Airion: Return to Zire is available:
Paperback:
Ebook:
Author links:
