Michael Lorde - Author of Tolomay's World and The Pool of Light

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Thanks for being here, Michael.  Please tell us all about your latest book!

I've just released TOLOMAY'S WORLD and The Pool of Light, which is the first book of a romance fantasy series.  It is a NEW ADULT book.  It has no cursing and no sex, but it is not a YA book. Reading the first chapter this novel reads like a sci-fi, but it really isn't a true sci-fi- though I hope sci-fi fans will also enjoy reading it (available for viewing on amazon http://ow.ly/hXUTx).  There is modern technology in several places, but the main focus are the characters and the clean world.  I'm also readying the third series of Tolomay’s World and The Splitting of The Trunk' to be sent to the editor over the next couple of weeks.  The second book 'Tolomay's World and The Mountain of Tegi', is due back from editing soon and will be released in March.  Blind Veil II is slotted for a late release later this year but it is coming soon, and I’m halfway through another Psychological Thriller as well.  The forth of the Tolomay series books is about a third of the way completed.  The Tolomay series has have been in the process for two years, so it's great to see them being released, and so closely together so that readers will not have to wait a year for the next.  I outlined two new books this past week.  It will be a very busy year. 
  

Treat us to a day in your life …

I wake up, get my daughter off to school on school days and get to work pretty much immediately.  I’m a night owl as well, sometimes writing well into the early morning hours, so at times it makes for a crazy, tiring schedule.  The rewards are wonderful though.  I’ve wanted to be able to do this nearly my entire life... to write and publish, so I couldn’t be happier.   In between time with my daughter and my work, my dogs demand much of my attention.  We have two, and they are really small.  Until we got them, I’d only had dogs the size of horses, so it was quite an adjustment to have a dog hop up in your lap.  They’re great, though and despite the yapping, we love them.

What has been the most exciting day of your life so far?

The most exciting day(s) of my life, were the days that each of my four children were born.  Nothing will ever compare to watching someone you’ve given life to take their first breath of air.  No matter what faith a person practices, it’s hard to deny that those moments are a miracle.  There are no words to describe it. 

I’d have to say that the next item on the 'exciting day' list would be every time I release a book.  Those days, it feels like I am giving life to my work... hoping readers will read through the teaser pages... that it will intrigue them enough that they’ll make the decision to give it a try... that they’ll enjoy the story the way I intended to share it with them.  Ah, the life of an artist.  We always want to share our creations with the world. 

Scariest thing you’ve ever done?

The scariest thing I’ve ever done would have been to give up most everything in my life in order to be able to pursue my dream of writing and publishing my books.  Yeah, that was pretty scary, but was so worth it, looking back.  I’m not one to be afraid of change, but the changes and sacrifices I made in order to do it, were huge.  I am happier now than I’ve ever been, no matter the things I've given up..so there it is.  Sometimes less is more indeed.

Favorite book, movie, or quote (or all three).

My favorite movie is Terminator - the original one. 

My favorite book would have to be Webster’s Dictionary... seriously.  I’m not as great a wordsmith as some authors I know, but I do love the dictionary, and I’m not talking about the online version.  I have many editions of different dictionaries, but Webster’s is my favorite.

My favorite quote would have to be almost any of Goethe’s.  Here’s one I like in particular, but he has others that strike a chord too.

‘If you treat an individual as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.’

What sort of music do you like?

I’m a big fan of Jazz and classical, but I listen to most everything else too.  I enjoy Celtic music, vocals, classic rock.  I love drums and guitar.  Van Morrison, Santana... stuff like that is probably closest to my favorite.  Then there’s the Cure, and that era... I love the original songs from Talking Heads, and also Psychedelic Furs.  I guess I like everything except for head bashing and rap, and I’m not much into country, unless it’s modern country, and if that comes on the radio I won’t switch channels.  I don’t listen to country channels unless my daughter insists she can't ride in the car without it  (she's an avid country music fan)... but I do know a few very talented country music artists. 

What makes your heart race?

Worrying about my kids always makes my heart race.  Thankfully, I don’t have to worry very often.  They’re pretty solid individuals. 

What food or drink must you have in order to function?

Coffee... and lots of it.

Any words of advice about writing or getting published?

I am by no means an expert in this field, however, I will share my opinion about writing.  If anyone wants to write and publish, don’t hesitate.  Just do it.  Don’t listen to anyone who tells you not to.  Talk to authors who’ve been published.  Most will answer any questions you have. Don't ever pay someone to answer your publishing questions.  Find support in author groups on fb, or locally.  If you need to improve, then learn more.  We are all improving daily... that’s part of the art of writing.  No author has ever ‘arrived’, and now they know it all and their writing is perfect.  That’s just not reality.  If you want to find an excuse not to write, there are plenty of them out there... you can grab a hundred of them every day.  Don’t do that to yourself.  If you don’t have the funds to pay others to do your book covers and marketing, then learn how to do it yourself until you do have the money, or find another way... bartering.... ebaying... whatever you need to do to follow your dream.  In today’s world of modern technology and Indie authors, nothing can stop you, except you.  If your kids love to read and write, encourage them.  Authors breathe books, and have since we’ve first learned how to read.  There’s a reason for that.  As a kid, I used to think everyone loved books as much as I do and could write and enjoyed that as much as I do.  I've found that isn't true at all.  The passion for writing is a gift.  If you have it and don’t use it, to me that’s a shame because not only will you keep yourself from feeling what it’s like to share your work with the world, you are also doing the world a disservice by not sharing something extraordinary, because even if two authors write the same story... two authors can never write the same book.  Your writing will be like no one elses.   If you want to write, you should just do it.  Important- ALWAYS back up your work on memory stick or on another computer, hard drive, something.  Without a doubt your computer will never go down until you fail to back up something important.  Still, if you somehow lose it forever, don’t fret.  You’ve written it once. You can write it again.  Who knows, it may be even better the second time around.  There are editors out there.  Your the writer.  There's a difference (as can be seen in any of my articles... I have many typos). 

If you could have written any novel, which one would it be, and why?

I would never have wanted to write any other novels than my own.  Writing is like talking, or painting on a canvas.  Everyone’s voice and color choices are different and I like it that way.  I am not one to want to replicate a great work of art, and I wouldn’t understand someone who would.  Hopefully they would want to paint their own picture to share with others.  All works of art are great just standing on their own.  That’s why it’s art.  Some folks might believe that authors are in this business for money and fame.  No authors I know think that way, and most have neither of those things.  We just want to share our creations with the world.  If the rest follows, so be it.  None of us would turn that down, but it’s the journey that counts for me... the journey of writing the book and the feeling when I hit that last keystroke.  That’s what I love.  It’s the best high in the world. 

There are two types of writers... there are those who are great authors... ones who will win academic awards for excellence for works they have written on for years and years...and then there are authors who are great storytellers.  While it would be wonderful to be both, most authors are never going to be both.  If I had to choose between one and the other, I’d choose being a great storyteller.  To me, that’s what an author needs to be, in order for people to thoroughly enjoy the story.  That’s what I hope for... that readers will love my stories.       

What would you say to your childhood self, today?

I'd say

"That stubborn head of yours?... feed it more, because there’s a reason you will go through life’s trials the way you will.  Don’t doubt yourself. Stubbornness is a gift.  It’ll keep you strong and you’ll be rewarded by being able to help others who may need to lean on it... because once you’ve found your own strengths, you’ll be able to help others find their’s too.  You're stronger than you know."

"You will have the opportunity to help people if you choose to... always choose to.   Be a teacher every time the chance arises, but don’t forget about yourself when you are busy doing for others." 

"Learn as much as is possible, every day, about all kinds of things." 

"Always be your greatest advocate.  No one else knows you better."

"Share your smile often."

TOLOMAY'S WORLD and The Pool of Light:

Excerpt #1-

“Fireflies or lightening bugs, not sun flies,” Tolomay corrected Kenter. 

He threw his hand up and turned to face her.

“Like it makes a grand difference!  If you remember your trainings so well, why did you not log these things down?” he barked.  “Three years seems plenty of time to write a guide book, Tolomay.  Just think it.  You would have had full journal notes by now!”  He yelled.

He was annoyed; very annoyed.  The female thought it that just because she was the first, she knew everything about everything in this place.  She felt the need to correct his every mistake.  It was as if Professor Maxy himself had followed him here.  He thought she could have put better teaching methods to use.  But rather than help him find the precious juper, or give him something to read, she chose to lead him from place to place explaining things to him as if he were a two year old child.  She thought he was stupid.  He was not.  He was brilliant, well trained and at the top of his class. 

And what of it that he hadn’t remembered the word window?  Did it really matter?  Who here cared?  After all, he’d not seen one before entering the clean world, and he seemed to survive through life just fine without that one stupid word.  Learning of buildings and their parts was Lethia’s expertise, not his.  He did not care of it.  The environment back home had deteriorated so quickly since Tolomay’s swim that the windows and doors at the pod communities had been permanently sealed shut with metal walls to help keep the solar flares out. It happened before he was even born.  No one was allowed outside.  Tolomay was ridiculous.  Outside did not exist in his world and hadn’t since solar radiation had begun to pierce through the holes in the ozone.  Still, solar flares had penetrated two other pod communities killing most of the citizens inside, including a candidate that he and Lethia knew.  There had been no such thing as windows when Kenter and Lethia were there.  The only window he’d seen, had been the cathedral ceiling glass that had been uncovered for their swim.  That was called a skylight, not a window.  How could he know of such things?  And now he had to hear the same criticism from her about misspeaking the term sunbug?

Excerpt #2 

Tolomay was furious.  How dare this male, who could not last a day on his own in the clean world shout at her again!  Without her assistance, the scarring on his hands could have possibly maimed him for life.  Just because he was the only male here didn’t give him the privilege to treat her as if he were the parent.  And worst; Tarron had never once raised his voice to her.  She was growing tired of it.  Males should not speak to females in such a manner and she for one would not keep mum about it.  Kenter acted like he didn’t even want to learn things.  He seemed contented to sit on the bedding that she had pieced together for him before he had even arrived, while his sister catered to his every whim. 

‘The two of them are well suited as siblings’ Tolomay thought.  ‘He’s the king and she his sklavo.’  Lethia did too much for him.  The only time he’d shown an inkling of effort himself, had been the incident with the bear, and that had merely been adrenalin ruling his arms. Even at that, his healing afterward had to begin anew. 

Well, Tolomay was not Lethia and he had better learn that fact if they were to get along at all.  She could not help it that she had a photographic memory and wasn’t in the habit of writing.  It’s not that she couldn’t write, but she’d never needed to take notes on the things she was taught.  She learned something once, and simply remembered it.  

“A book would help,” Lethia interjected in almost an apology. 

Tolomay ignored her, but scooped Carmela up from the female’s lap before turning to Kenter. 

“You’re not even trying,” she said under her breath and then stormed off toward the hillhouse.  A few steps away, she could no longer hold her tongue.  The grass beneath her feet squealed their burn, as she spun around for one last jab at him. 

“If you want pen and paper and notes, then put yourself to task and get them made,” she said.  “You take the writings.  I am not your sklavo!”

Then she stopped abruptly, set down the lantern, and disappeared into the dark.  Sister and brother exchanged a stare.  Kenter was baffled.

“What’s a sklavo?” he asked Lethia.

“I think it’s something to do with wait staff; depending too much on another.  Or it’s work as another’s servant, without choice or reward, something in that arena.  As if a captive,” she replied.  “Don’t worry, brother.  She won’t stay mad.”

That’s what Tolomay thought of him?  She was his captive?  How could she think that when he and Lethia were captive to her commands?  He raised his chin and turned to Lethia. What did his sister mean, she won’t stay mad?  He was the one who was mad.  He couldn’t help but be angry with Tolomay when she knew so much more than he did about this world.  He tried to exercise patience, but his emotions seemed to be getting the better of him lately.  Whenever he was around her, all he could think to was those shining blue eyes.  He could barely take in her words at all.  It wasn’t his fault that her striking eyes and the movement of her body captivated more of his thoughts than her words did lately.

“Sklavo… humph,” he said.  

He did not depend too much on others.  He was capable.  He knew a great many things.  He was the best trained and the first male.  Everyone knew this.

Links-

AMAZON:  http://www.amazon.com/Tolomays-World-Pool-Light-ebook/dp/B00BFPRLCY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361385836&sr=8-1&keywords=tolomay

BARNES AND NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tolomays-world-and-the-pool-of-light-me-lorde/1114585004?ean=2940016285078

GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17379067-tolomay-s-world-and-the-pool-of-light

SMASHWORDS: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/286231

Website: http://paperairplanespublis.wix.com/tolomaysworld

Author facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichaelLorde

Blog: http://michaelordeauthor.blogspot.com

twitter: @BlindVeil

Thank you for this great interview, Ann.  I really enjoyed it! 

Thanks for sharing your time with us, Michael ~ good luck with the book.  =)