HEROES OF PERPETUA INTERVIEW
Posted on December 4, 2020
Interviewer: I can tell you're pretty excited about Heroes of Perpetua. You're quite jittery.
Brian: Can you blame me? The cover Keith Robinson designed is just lovely. I'm hoping the cool image of the evil Baron Orb will draw readers in. Plus, I just had a highly caffeinated soda. Gushing about my work reduces the hand tremors (holds up a rather unsteady left hand as evidence).
Interviewer: if you say so. You might want to get that incessant eye twitch looked at, though. Anyway, you mentioned how character driven the book is. Maybe expand on that.
Brian: It's told from three points of view, so that the reader gets to check on the different leads every three chapters. Each character is really based on a facet of my own self.
Interviewer: Always gotta make everything about you, don't you?
Brian: Of course. You should know that. I mean, you're not a real person, but just me feeding questions to my own self.
Interviewer: Yes, I've been meaning to talk to you about that. Doesn't seem all together healthy. Maybe hire someone to fill my, er, your, shoes. I'm not saying I mind tossing you questions, but it is a little weird. Could you get back to your three heroes, please?
Brian: Certainly. Absolutely. My pleasure. Lou is a reflection of my comic book self. She embodies my superhero-loving aspect. While I didn't lose my dad the way she did, I wanted her to have a hardship that would make it completely understandable as to why she was so aloof. All three have something about them that removes them from others. Lou's is her loss. Nelson's is his autism.
Interviewer: Yes, I thought you did a good job with him. You don't outright declare his autism, but it's clear he is.
Brian: It felt more authentic that way. He's very at ease with nature and animals, but not so much with people. He can look furry creatures in the eye, but not his fellow humans.
Interviewer: So, you're saying he could look Uncle Mason in the eye?
Brian (frowns): No one needs to hear back hair humor right now.
Interviewer (rolls eyes): That leaves Hugo.
Brian: Hugo is the gamer, the guy who retreats into tech and video games to avoid social interaction. He's a grade ahead of where he should be in school. That little detail is casually mentioned, but it's a telling characteristic as he doesn't trust his social game in person, so he keeps himself safe and cozy amid electronics. He does reach out to his sister, and you can tell he grows comfortable with Lou and eventually Nelson in the story.
Interviewer: So, is there a budding romance between Lou and Hugo?
Brian: Not really. I wanted that to not play into the story. They like each other, but it's more innocent. Now, I will say, it's very feasible that beyond the story they might grow into a more serious relationship, but I didn't want to delve into that aspect in this book. Remember, all three are different aspects of my social awkwardness. Having them slide into a boyfriend/girlfriend dynamic would feel a little contrived.
Interviewer: I hear you. Look at how long it took you to ask a girl out in your teenage years.
Brian: Hey, senior year of high school isn't that bad.
Interviewer: It isn't that good either. Okay, so no mushy romance to be found among these heroes.
Brian: Correct. Could you move this along? Get to the questions about the magical creatures. I've got a lot to say there.
Interviewer (scans down his list of questions): Ah, yes. So, you've always found ways to make your magical creatures unique in your previous books. And Heroes of Perpetua continues that tradition.
Brian: There's Georgie Golem. He's made of mud and sticks and must receive some water to stay limber. He's actually a character I took and repurposed from an old comic book series of mine, Marshall: Godling of War.
Interviewer: There's an ancient reference no one will get.
Brian: Hey, look, I was before my time with that book. I really do believe that series would be big these days. The son of Ares who'd rather play with an Etch-A-Sketch over orchestrating battles? That's very relatable.
Interviewer: If you feel so strongly about that, maybe bring the little godling back.
Brian (crosses arms): Maybe I will.
Interviewer: Minus the golem, though. Readers would accuse you of plagiarizing your own works if you reused him there.
Brian: Okay, sure. Well, Georgie with this incarnation is also afraid of water. In this case, he does need some to stay mobile and not just a statue.
Interviewer: And he's got someone inside along for the ride, a hitchhiker taking up some of his headspace.
Brian: I really wasn't going to reveal that in this interview. Thanks for spoiling that reveal.
Interviewer: Hey, at least I didn't share it's the wizard.
Brian: You just did.
Interviewer: Sorry. Moving on, maybe say some things about the orcs and dragons. They're pretty cool in this book.
Brian: The magical races of Perpetua all have something taken from them because of what happens to their magic. Readers should find out why they're operating at half magical battery strength by reading the book and not through any spoilers here, right?
Interviewer (looking sheepish): Right.
Brian: The dragons really can't fly because of their magical loss. And the orcs, well, they used to be outraged 24/7 and now they feel empathy just as much as they desire to pop the heads off their victims. That dichotomy makes it hard for them to be competent mercenaries, which is what they were always known for throughout the land. That made for some of the funniest scenes in the book.
Interviewer: And you've got sand zombies and shadow creatures that can turn into keys.
Brian: Look, maybe less is more. Leave some of the surprises for when they read the book.
Interviewer: Got it. So, what makes you infinitely proud of this new work?
Brian: Who says I'm infinitely proud?
Interviewer: It says so on the shirts you had printed up and are making us both wear (points to chest where the slogan: Ask me why I'm infinitely proud of Heroes of Perpetua).
Brian: So, the book is an exploration of how a trio that is socially awkward must communicate and depend on each other to bring about a major win. I'm so happy with the small human moments in the story.
Interviewer (points to paper): And the massive helpings of wit and action. You wanted me to make sure I got you to tout those, too.
Brian (shakes his head): Not smooth at all. Man, you'd think at my age I'd have developed some finesse.
Interviewer: Well, to be fair, you did just pen a novel all about a bunch of socially inept protagonists that are loosely based on you. So, it's really your fault if this very interview showcases just how bad you still are with normal interactions.
Brian: Hey, I've grown. I'm still relatively shy, but I've made some strides.
Interviewer: True, and on the printed page, you do come across as knowing just what to say. Just not on the printed pages of this interview, really.
Brian: Look, I think it's time to wrap this up. I hope readers of all ages will give Heroes of Perpetua a try. It's a sophisticated novel that deals with the human condition of finding who you are and unearthing your strengths. It's got something for everyone. And Lou is one of my favorite characters to date.
Interviewer: And writing her inspired you to have your next series feature a female lead, right?
Brian: That and a beta reader of mine, who I really trust, requested I try my hand at a heroine. Emery Fogg is going to be gangbusters, but that's the topic of another one of these interviews.
Interviewer: And maybe that one won't go off the rails nearly as much as this one did.
Brian (closes his eyes and looks like he is ready to meditate or bash the interviewer in the head): One would hope.