| Long awaited....It's an epic poem...it's a picture book...it's...you'll have to order it and see! Last Haven is the book we have bee awaiting for two years! With illustrations by Susan Simone, this this a must have.
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| Sneak peek...cover and part of an interview with Mr. Pratt (and a picture of him!) Exclusive to JEA...get to know this prolific writer! | 
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Essel Pratt |
What genre(s) do you write in and why?
My normal genre of choice is horror. However, I do dabble in fantasy/adventure and sci-fi. For me, horror is a fantastic outlet to vent the frustrations of life. It can symbolize a negative aspect of my life, community happenings, or even the world within a character’s actions, as well as his or her demise. The same applies to fantasy/adventure and sci-fi.
What is FINAL REVERIE about both on the surface and down deep?
On the surface, FINAL REVERIE is about the bond between friends and desire to seek out adventure in many forms. Down deep, FINAL REVERIE is about the hardships we are dealt in life, and the need to work together to succeed rather than experience defeat. It also shows us that we must sometimes make sacrifices in order to be victorious in our ventures. It also tells us that there may have been mistakes in the past, but we should not let them define who we will be, instead we are in control of our futures.
What inspired this?
Originally, I was inspired by the bond between a child and his or her pet. We tend to treat our pets as though they are human, both in the way we talk to them and treat them. One of the strongest bonds we have is with our pets. The story was floating around in my mind for a while, without an actual plot to give it form. However, an open call with an anthology focused on the Hero’s Best friend, instead of the hero himself. I took the opportunity to submit to the anthology and my short story was accepted. With the blessing of the publisher, I worked diligently for over a year to reform the short story into a full novel. In the process, the story went through many changes. The characters took on different names and personalities, the world in which they live was expanded beyond the glimpse that was given in the short story, and the overall theme was changed as well. In the end, the short story took on a life of its own and became what it is today.
Who is the main character?
There are actually two main characters within the novel. The first is Franklyn, a human adolescent that loves to journey the land and assist those that are threatened by those that use magic for evil. He is skilled in swordsmanship, and is mature beyond his years, although he still likes to joke around every once in a while.
The second main character is Franklyn’s closest friend, Chij (pronounced: Chee). Chij is a wolf with the blessing of speech. Since magic has made a return to the world, Chij’s family has been blessed with the gift, as have many animals. He met Franklyn when they were both babies and have been side by side ever since. They think of themselves as brothers, instead of master and pet.
What was difficult about penning this?
The most difficult thing about penning this novel was finding the time to write. I outlined the entire novel as part of an assignment with the Institute of Children’s Literature, where I graduated with a diploma. As part of my last assignment, I wrote the first three chapters of the book. However, it was nearly a year before I was able to collect enough time to actually finish the book, then another few months to go back through and work on initial edits. Since then, I have developed a routine with my writing, working it into my weekly schedule to ensure I do not lose touch with the projects I am working on.
What is difficult for you as a writer?
Other than finding time, I find outlining to be the most difficult. Not that it is hard to do, but I tend to put too much thought into it, so I put it off. The outline for FINAL REVERIE took me a record three days to finish. However, a couple other books that I am attempting to outline have taken me months just to start because I want it to be as detailed as possible, even though I rarely stick to the details I put into it. The outline for FINAL REVERIE, that I used daily, is now covered in doodles, coffee stains, and notes. I find that I need to force myself to complete the outlines, or I will put it off far too long.
My normal genre of choice is horror. However, I do dabble in fantasy/adventure and sci-fi. For me, horror is a fantastic outlet to vent the frustrations of life. It can symbolize a negative aspect of my life, community happenings, or even the world within a character’s actions, as well as his or her demise. The same applies to fantasy/adventure and sci-fi.
What is FINAL REVERIE about both on the surface and down deep?
On the surface, FINAL REVERIE is about the bond between friends and desire to seek out adventure in many forms. Down deep, FINAL REVERIE is about the hardships we are dealt in life, and the need to work together to succeed rather than experience defeat. It also shows us that we must sometimes make sacrifices in order to be victorious in our ventures. It also tells us that there may have been mistakes in the past, but we should not let them define who we will be, instead we are in control of our futures.
What inspired this?
Originally, I was inspired by the bond between a child and his or her pet. We tend to treat our pets as though they are human, both in the way we talk to them and treat them. One of the strongest bonds we have is with our pets. The story was floating around in my mind for a while, without an actual plot to give it form. However, an open call with an anthology focused on the Hero’s Best friend, instead of the hero himself. I took the opportunity to submit to the anthology and my short story was accepted. With the blessing of the publisher, I worked diligently for over a year to reform the short story into a full novel. In the process, the story went through many changes. The characters took on different names and personalities, the world in which they live was expanded beyond the glimpse that was given in the short story, and the overall theme was changed as well. In the end, the short story took on a life of its own and became what it is today.
Who is the main character?
There are actually two main characters within the novel. The first is Franklyn, a human adolescent that loves to journey the land and assist those that are threatened by those that use magic for evil. He is skilled in swordsmanship, and is mature beyond his years, although he still likes to joke around every once in a while.
The second main character is Franklyn’s closest friend, Chij (pronounced: Chee). Chij is a wolf with the blessing of speech. Since magic has made a return to the world, Chij’s family has been blessed with the gift, as have many animals. He met Franklyn when they were both babies and have been side by side ever since. They think of themselves as brothers, instead of master and pet.
What was difficult about penning this?
The most difficult thing about penning this novel was finding the time to write. I outlined the entire novel as part of an assignment with the Institute of Children’s Literature, where I graduated with a diploma. As part of my last assignment, I wrote the first three chapters of the book. However, it was nearly a year before I was able to collect enough time to actually finish the book, then another few months to go back through and work on initial edits. Since then, I have developed a routine with my writing, working it into my weekly schedule to ensure I do not lose touch with the projects I am working on.
What is difficult for you as a writer?
Other than finding time, I find outlining to be the most difficult. Not that it is hard to do, but I tend to put too much thought into it, so I put it off. The outline for FINAL REVERIE took me a record three days to finish. However, a couple other books that I am attempting to outline have taken me months just to start because I want it to be as detailed as possible, even though I rarely stick to the details I put into it. The outline for FINAL REVERIE, that I used daily, is now covered in doodles, coffee stains, and notes. I find that I need to force myself to complete the outlines, or I will put it off far too long.
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