Fantasy Adventure, Animals, Family, Middle Grade (ages 10+)
Date Published: 10-28-2022
Publisher: Beasts at the Feast Press
A Readers' Favorite 5-star review recipient
Magic stirs and a little dog speaks: the kingdom will fall. But will humans listen?
Jake is a fluffy little dog who just happens to be one of the Sculptor's "wise
ones" . . . but nobody's told him. He's certain he's ordinary, and he knows he doesn't deserve living in a rags to riches fairy tale where he’s been rescued from his hardscrabble life by the King of Gorseland and pampered and loved by his two royal children, Janice and James.
But the good life is threatened with the arrival of the sorcerer, Beezeldorn, and his raven. Beezeldorn is a seeming charlatan: a crowd-pleaser with his sleight-of-hand and cheap spectacle. But his power from dark magic runs deep, on display in town when he heals a leper.
The queen senses the danger and pays for her instincts with her life.
Jake knows something is wrong, but what can he do? Beezeldorn is always one step ahead, moving into the castle, earning the king’s confidence, and befriending James. Even Janice is drawn to him.
Now it's up to Jake to protect his family . . . before it's too late . . . for the king . . . and his kingdom.
Perfect for fans of C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia.
Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
Find
and claim your own spiritual pathway--with all its twists and turns and wonderment--to
a greater good and force that transcends and elevates us above our everyday
toil, misery, and cynicism.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Action scenes are
never easy. I have the entire visual sequence vividly played out in my head…but
getting it down on paper…well that is an entirely different matter.
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
This is my first book and so it is my favorite. I
hope it will be someone else’s favorite as well.
If You had the chance to cast your main character from
There aren’t a lot of talking dogs in Hollywood
(well, maybe that’s not entirely true…ha!), so I would need to consider voice
actors. Hmm…I think Elijah Wood or Tobey Maguire would do nicely as the voice
of Jake.
When did you begin writing?
I’ve kept a digital notebook of ideas,
characters, and snippets of dialogue for the past 30 years or so. I began to formally
write in earnest about 7 years ago, starting off writing shorts (for film),
moving up to feature screenplays (this book is based on the same-named
screenplay), and finally into starting this novel a couple of years ago.
How long did it take to complete your first book?
This book is based on the same-named screenplay,
so including that, all told about three years.
Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
As
a child, I loved reading C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Dickens. As an adult, I grew
to appreciate them even more as I gained a new comprehension of their mastery
of the craft.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Truth
be told, the actual writing of a book (at least for me) is an emotional slurry
of unexpected small successes, setbacks, anxiety, stress, and tentative
victory. I wanted the book to have worth, to be meaningful to others; during
the actual creation process, I didn’t really know if that was happening. The
delight finally came after I had stepped away from the completed work for a few
months and then came back to it; as I read it, I surprised myself with smiles
and tears.
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
Uplifting fantasy and adventure
Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the
future for your writing?
I
have two books in the early stages that continue the storytelling of Gorseland
and the surrounding lands: one will go back a thousand years and visit the original
corruption and conflict of men and enlightened beasts; the second will pick up
in the near future as Jake and his friends experience new troubles and terrors matched
with courage, sacrifice, and friendship…and a bit of magic, faith, and good
conversation thrown into the mix.
About the Author
Ray Petrolino is an award-winning screenwriter and author.
He lives in North Carolina with his wife and family and their dog Jake (not just any dog, but a talking bichon with an unfulfilled set of demands).
When Ray is not writing, he's listening to his dog (and sometimes his wife); or he can be found working on film sets, playing drums at his house, or playing drums at someone else's house.
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