Druids
Druids is a medieval fantasy adventure of an isolated lad born with an eerie cryptic sense that earns him the suspicion and contempt of those who fail to see it as a gift. It is a story that speaks for anyone deemed “out-of-synch with the norm.” Within this tale, our young druid-acolyte joins with two renowned knights – both caught up in a terse gender rivalry – while on a perilous quest to liberate a ruined land from a powerful druid-lord. The quest holds not only the fate of their broken feudal kingdom in hand, but their very souls as they contend with an elemental horror brought on by a deranged sorcery. It shows how an escapade drenched in controversy and struggle brings out the best in some of us. At times, Druids conjures images of “a nerve-wracking game of chess come to life”: a broken castle, a captive queen in dire need of being released, a dread knight wielding a brutish strength that terrorizes those who dare even mention his name -- and underling foot-soldiers known as pons who contain the latent strength to sacrifice themselves for those of higher status.
And rippling through this entire saga, like a whispery breeze, lies the mysterious cryptic sense – possessed by those destined to become druids. An underlying cauldron of mystical might, the sense lurks deep within those attuned to the overwhelming potency of Nature and her elemental enigmas. It is a blend of ancient spiritual beliefs like animism and the early science of alchemy … all draped in the Native American spiritualism of Manitou
Though this tale is set in a fictitious medieval realm, mixing science fantasy & fact, it will yet bring to mind the sort of conflicts and heroics we have witnessed over the centuries and right up to this very day. Druids breaches the gates of time and history as it beckons readers into a world well worth exploring.
Why is this book the perfect read for fantasy lovers?
I believe Druids to be a perfect read for fantasy lovers, because it harbors stock elements that appeal to readers who favor this genre, and also presents original aspects that will most certainly surprise them. There are bold deeds on the part of likely and unlikely heroes; a clearly defined quest that contains high tension; a new take on a mixture of science & sorcery that is anchored in basic facts -- enough to make it credible; a balance of colorful male and female characters; and a monstrous horror element that is unique in its appeal.
The book has been praised for its promise if it were to be made into a film, so how does this make you feel?
Druids impressed a number of noteworthy film agents, managers and screenwriters with its cinematic appeal (when I first submitted it in that form), but I was told it had a better chance if it started as a novel. So here it is, courtesy of blessed Billie Johnson and her Oak Tree Press family willing to give it a chance. If it does indeed “make the move into the movies,” I will have Oak Tree Press to thank for believing in it. I am honored to see this work (and my forthcoming novel, Scratch) among their line of excellent books.
You are a film writer, so when did novel writing come into play?
I actually “cut my teeth” with fiction writing and had a number of short stories published, but then got caught up in playwriting and saw several of my stage plays make a solid run, even having one published, Kangaroo Court, which to this day is still being produced in small venues throughout the country. And I was often told that I wrote cinematically – so I was fortunate to be taught that craft by successful screenwriter Peter Filardi who broke into the industry with his classic film, Flatliners. Later, his brother Jason, author of Bringing Down the House, also helped and I was fortunate to write a number of independent films that did quite well in the festival circuit – most prominently, one by Firesite Films (director, Alec Asten), The Curse of Micah Rood, that featured former sitcom star, Ron Palillo.
When the notion of converting Druids into novel form was presented, it also led to my resurrecting Scratch – an anthropomorphic tale set in the mysterious world of feral cats. It was published on Kindle via Amazon.com and has done well enough so Oak Tree Press will soon be putting it out in paperback. Ironically, Druids itself originated in novel form under a different title and I pulled it out of ”mothballs” --blending the original tale, Tempest Macabre, with another, A Pawn for a Queen,” and came up with the screenplay version I wound up calling Druids.
Please tell us about your one act play Kangaroo Court.
Kangaroo Court is a one-act dark satire where animals put humans on trial. It is a biting reminder that animals are not disposable items, and a popular one too.
What can you tell us about your other book Scratch?
Scratch, too, is a reminder that animals need to be regarded more kindly and majestically by our species. It is a rousing tale of loyalty, friendship and courage set against the backdrop of the world of feral cats. Again, colorful characters caught up in colorful conflicts comprise this tale that features heroics presented in ways that will delight and surprise readers. Scratch also contains an allegorical edge that shows how individuals and even entire cultures misread one another too often -- and realize it once they become better acquainted. And, of course, the story also features one of the most vivid characters to ever make walk the pages or theatrical corridors of my works – the dreaded Hound of the Hill.
Who are your biggest influences in the fantasy genre?
As for those wonderful authors within the fantasy genre to influence me, I hope I don’t leave any out in this listing: J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Moorcock, Richard Adams, H.G.Wells, Jules Verne, Mary Shelley, Robert E. Howard … and I must throw in three quotes by authors who influenced me: Playwright Bertolt Brecht once said, “If you want to change the world, change their minds”: Tolkien said, “Just tell a cracking good tale”; and playwright Wendy Wasserstein once said, “Don’t get angry, go home and write!” (All very sound advice.)
What is next for you?
Next for me (already begun) is converting my stage play, Run to Elysia, into a novel. The musical play version (music & lyrics by Rick Spencer) premiered at the Eugene O’Neill Theater in Waterford, CT to a highly appreciative crowd. It is based on the legend of the Greek runner Pheidippides and his heroic run from the battlefield of Marathon to the city of Athens, warning of a sea assault by the Persians. People loved the play and I know it will also prevail as a novel.