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Above The Fold - March 8, 2010
Imaginative Fantasy Fiction Author
In Chaz's Own Words:
"Travels to Fahdamin-Ra is my first published novel, but it is going to be part of a series. I have too much fun writing about Celestine and Joel to stop at one book!
Like the Bridges family in my book, I live in Bath, Maine. I have a daughter named Callista, a son named Toliver, and a husband named Arnold. I am very much like Valerie in the book. In fact, the Bridges family is based on my own.
I got the idea to write this book from my kids. We could not find any fantasy adventure stories that featured brown children. By the way, Callista and Toliver refer to themselves as brown because they are multiracial. My husband inspired me because he has curved indentations on the backs of his earlobes, and so do our kids. Arnold jokingly said that somewhere in Africa, he would be considered the prince of a tribe because of those marks! That is the idea that got me started.
I did a lot of research on West Africa and especially Nigeria for my book. I wanted to get an idea about the climate and wildlife in that region of Africa. I used my research results as a base when I created tribes and customs on my own.
We have two cats, but I decided that the Bridges family couldn't abandon them for uncertain amounts of time while they travel to Fahdamin-Ra, so that is one reason why I had Celestine create cats for the Harun. Toliver loves dragons, so Cheswick was generated because that is what my son would bring to life if he had the chance."
To learn more about Chaz, visit her website at:
"Travels to Fahdamin-Ra is my first published novel, but it is going to be part of a series. I have too much fun writing about Celestine and Joel to stop at one book!
Like the Bridges family in my book, I live in Bath, Maine. I have a daughter named Callista, a son named Toliver, and a husband named Arnold. I am very much like Valerie in the book. In fact, the Bridges family is based on my own.
I got the idea to write this book from my kids. We could not find any fantasy adventure stories that featured brown children. By the way, Callista and Toliver refer to themselves as brown because they are multiracial. My husband inspired me because he has curved indentations on the backs of his earlobes, and so do our kids. Arnold jokingly said that somewhere in Africa, he would be considered the prince of a tribe because of those marks! That is the idea that got me started.
I did a lot of research on West Africa and especially Nigeria for my book. I wanted to get an idea about the climate and wildlife in that region of Africa. I used my research results as a base when I created tribes and customs on my own.
We have two cats, but I decided that the Bridges family couldn't abandon them for uncertain amounts of time while they travel to Fahdamin-Ra, so that is one reason why I had Celestine create cats for the Harun. Toliver loves dragons, so Cheswick was generated because that is what my son would bring to life if he had the chance."
To learn more about Chaz, visit her website at:
BOOK VIDEO TRAILER:
Travels To Fahdamin-Ra
(Chaz Young)
Travels To Fahdamin-Ra
(Chaz Young)
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Chaz Young (Travels To Fahdamin-Ra)
Apex Reviews: Thanks for joining us for this interview, Chaz. We're looking forward to sharing more about your book with our readers.
What inspired this quite imaginative, creative fantasy tale?
Chaz Young: My husband inspired me. My husband has comma shaped indentations on the back of his earlobes, so he joked that those were the marks of a prince. He said that if he found the right tribe in Africa, his earlobes would mark him as their long lost royalty.
AR: How did you come up with the concept of the land of Fahdamin-Ra?
CY: The land around the stone circle where the Bridges arrive is like West Africa without the problems. The land is practically pristine, the animals are not endangered, there is a low population, and no one has come to destroy the land or people in search of precious minerals. In later books, the kids explore more of the Fahdamin-Ra world. In book three, I plan to have them journey north to a place where there is snow.
AR: What inspired the Shadow Men and their leader, the Sun Lord?
CY: I knew that I wanted some bad guys, and they would seem scarier if you didn’t know much about them, like someone who lurks in the shadows. When I began writing my story, I came up with the idea of the Sun Lord because he is a complex person with many secrets. As he is developed more fully in the next few books, readers will see how a person can use determination to overcome their upbringing and/or their environment.
AR: The Creators are definitely a courageous bunch. Are they based on real-life people you know?
CY: Yes, the Bridges family is based on my own. I wrote the book for my kids, who said that they could never find a fantasy adventure that featured brown kids as the heroes.
AR: How has the book been received thus far?
CY: People who have read it give me enthusiastic praise. I was surprised by the number of middle-aged and older people who loved it. Readers like it because it is unique.
AR: What's the main message that you'd like readers to take away from the tale?
CY: Appearance doesn’t matter and acceptance of each other, no matter how different we are, is the most inmportant thing. When people work together, everyone benefits.
AR: Is there a sequel in the works?
CY: Yes, I am editing “Across the Savannah” right now. In the second book, Joel tells the story instead of Celestine.
AR: Your writing style is certainly unique. Who have been some of your primary writing influences?
CY: C.S. Lewis, Stephen King, Cornelia Funke. They all are great storytellers.
AR: Please share more with us about your publisher, Eloquent Books.
CY: They let me have a lot of leeway on the content, and when they asked about art for the book cover, I sent my drawing of the leopard. Wendy Arakawa was working with me, and she sent me back a picture of my cover as it looks now, with the African looking writing and the leopard print binding. Liz Page is my Marketing Coach and she has been marvelous, coming up with lots of ideas to promote my book.
AR: What are your future writing/publishing aspirations?
CY: I plan to finish writing the Fahdamin-Ra series, and I have many other books planned after that. During the month of November, I was one of the winners in the National Novel Writing Contest. I wrote the novel “DisEnchanted,” and plan to publish it.
AR: How can our readers learn more about you and your ongoing efforts?
CY: They can go to my website: http://strategicpublishinggroup.com/Fahdamin-Ra/Home.html
AR: How can they contact you directly?
CY: chazyoung@rocketmail.com
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
CY: I plan to write more books that show people of color in a positive light, and hope that people continue to enjoy my books and the message that they bring.
AR: Thanks again, Chaz, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!
Apex Reviews: Thanks for joining us for this interview, Chaz. We're looking forward to sharing more about your book with our readers.
What inspired this quite imaginative, creative fantasy tale?
Chaz Young: My husband inspired me. My husband has comma shaped indentations on the back of his earlobes, so he joked that those were the marks of a prince. He said that if he found the right tribe in Africa, his earlobes would mark him as their long lost royalty.
AR: How did you come up with the concept of the land of Fahdamin-Ra?
CY: The land around the stone circle where the Bridges arrive is like West Africa without the problems. The land is practically pristine, the animals are not endangered, there is a low population, and no one has come to destroy the land or people in search of precious minerals. In later books, the kids explore more of the Fahdamin-Ra world. In book three, I plan to have them journey north to a place where there is snow.
AR: What inspired the Shadow Men and their leader, the Sun Lord?
CY: I knew that I wanted some bad guys, and they would seem scarier if you didn’t know much about them, like someone who lurks in the shadows. When I began writing my story, I came up with the idea of the Sun Lord because he is a complex person with many secrets. As he is developed more fully in the next few books, readers will see how a person can use determination to overcome their upbringing and/or their environment.
AR: The Creators are definitely a courageous bunch. Are they based on real-life people you know?
CY: Yes, the Bridges family is based on my own. I wrote the book for my kids, who said that they could never find a fantasy adventure that featured brown kids as the heroes.
AR: How has the book been received thus far?
CY: People who have read it give me enthusiastic praise. I was surprised by the number of middle-aged and older people who loved it. Readers like it because it is unique.
AR: What's the main message that you'd like readers to take away from the tale?
CY: Appearance doesn’t matter and acceptance of each other, no matter how different we are, is the most inmportant thing. When people work together, everyone benefits.
AR: Is there a sequel in the works?
CY: Yes, I am editing “Across the Savannah” right now. In the second book, Joel tells the story instead of Celestine.
AR: Your writing style is certainly unique. Who have been some of your primary writing influences?
CY: C.S. Lewis, Stephen King, Cornelia Funke. They all are great storytellers.
AR: Please share more with us about your publisher, Eloquent Books.
CY: They let me have a lot of leeway on the content, and when they asked about art for the book cover, I sent my drawing of the leopard. Wendy Arakawa was working with me, and she sent me back a picture of my cover as it looks now, with the African looking writing and the leopard print binding. Liz Page is my Marketing Coach and she has been marvelous, coming up with lots of ideas to promote my book.
AR: What are your future writing/publishing aspirations?
CY: I plan to finish writing the Fahdamin-Ra series, and I have many other books planned after that. During the month of November, I was one of the winners in the National Novel Writing Contest. I wrote the novel “DisEnchanted,” and plan to publish it.
AR: How can our readers learn more about you and your ongoing efforts?
CY: They can go to my website: http://strategicpublishinggroup.com/Fahdamin-Ra/Home.html
AR: How can they contact you directly?
CY: chazyoung@rocketmail.com
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
CY: I plan to write more books that show people of color in a positive light, and hope that people continue to enjoy my books and the message that they bring.
AR: Thanks again, Chaz, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!