Arles: Carol, The Chosen of Azar is an intriguing first book in what promises to be a multi-book epic in your series titled The Fifth Age Chronicles. What is it about this genre that inspires you?
Carol: I’ve always had a vivid imagination. The fantasy genre allows me to play god with my imagination, not only with the characters I create, but with the world and culture they live in. With epic fantasy I use the same cast of characters throughout the series, sometimes killing off a few and others adding some. They are not static. It is fun to see how they grow and change over time in the saga.
Arles: Have other authors influenced your writing?
Carol: The general answer is yes, authors influenced me all of my life. When it was too cold to venture outside, I read. We didn’t have a television, but we had a great collection of books, and a neat little public library that charged a whole two pennies a day for overdue books. It always made my imagination soar to read books, and that imagination is why I write. To this day, I love to read. The authors who instilled in me a love of epic fantasy are, Robert Jordon, David Eddings and Terry Brooks.
Arles: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Carol: I wrote it strictly to entertain. I’m sure the influences in my own life are reflected in it. There is a strong distinction between good and evil and right and wrong. In the book, anyone who breaks the rules suffers the consequences of their actions. Discipline, by our standards, may be considered harsh, but this is not a world like ours. This is world with an evil God and his cohorts threatening its very existence. There is also the element of spirituality that exists in our world as well.
Arles: What books have you read recently?
Carol: The most recent were Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and the Aubrey/Maturin nautical series by Patrick O’Brian.
Arles: Who first encouraged you to write?
Carol: That was my High School English teacher. Her name was Sister Mary Grace. I attended a Catholic boarding school. I had the same English teacher for all four years. She was a tough task master who delighted in handing out assignments that called for diagramming sentences, writing poetry, short stories and book reports. She thought I had the propensity to be a poet back then, because I had poetry chosen for the National High School Poetry Anthology every year. I remember I hated the grammar assignments…but some of it must have sunk in. I didn’t appreciate her as much then like I do now. She truly was the driving force in my early desire to write.
Arles: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Carol: It truly was a labor of love…even the many re-writes. The hardest part was undoubtedly the sleep depravation. It literally kept me awake at night as I envisioned ways to set or improve a scene. Sometimes I would awaken in the middle of the night, and something in the book would invade my mind. It is like walking in the footsteps of a character.
Arles: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Carol: Read, read and read some more. Enjoy writing. Check out the Writer’s Resource Directory at my website and the coauthored site of Finding Go: Matching Questions and Resources in Getting Published. http://www.publishingquestions.com http://www.carolkluz.homestead.com
Arles: Can you give the title of your next book and share a little information about it?
Carol: The title of Book 2 will be The Commanders. It is teeming with changes at Haven’s Hold as the Commanders prepare to battle the armies of Condragon’s warlocks. After a few hard learned lessons, three of the Chosen reach the threshold of adulthood. Azar makes some surprising moves to thwart Condragon. This book introduces new characters and delves into many more adventurous confrontations with Zorad and his cohorts.
Arles: Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?
Carol: First of all I want to thank them for reading the book. I encourage them to pick up the The Commanders when it comes out soon. I believe they will be just as intrigued as the story continues. I would also like to thank you, Arles, for this interview.
