The Prince

 

 

The Prince

by Antony Soehner

GENRE:   General/Epic Fantasy

Destiny will always test the greatest of leaders.
Theo never imagined life outside the king’s castle. But when the queen’s funeral reveals the king’s true colors, Theo must rely on his sister, her allies, and his friends to get him to safety. With the help of mercenaries and the native tribes of the plains, Theo must learn to face his destiny and open his mind to the diverse world he’s been thrown into.

Excerpt:

“Dad!” Rhan burst out.

Ta’goda turned his intense focus to his daughter and suddenly his entire body deflated.

Without another word between the two, Ta’goda stood up from his fighting stance, faced whatever was hiding from view of the other three, and he closed his eyes.

Around the towering orc, three snarling wolves made of green flame formed from the ground up. Ta’goda raised his axe in the direction of his fight and the wolves took off.

Once the wolves were out of sight, Ta’goda rushed to his daughter and wrapped her in his arms.

“Rhan,” Ta’goda choked out.

“I’m okay,” she cried into his shoulder.

The chief pulled away and looked her in the eyes.

“What happened?” Rhan asked as she wiped away tears from her cheeks.

“We are under attack,” Ta’goda gritted his teeth, “I must get back to the battle. Our tribe needs me.”

“And me—”

Ta’goda shook his head at Rhan’s protest.

“What?” Rhan blinked at her father.

“You have a new duty,” Ta’goda swallowed. The chief’s eyes peered over his daughter’s shoulders and locked onto Theo. “I cannot leave our people and get the prince to the rivers—”

“I’m not leaving you here—”

“Rhan’takono, this is not the time to argue—”

“There is nothing to argue over! I’m fighting beside you—”

“I can’t—”

“I am to be chief one day! How can I stand before my people after running from this?”

“If you don’t go now, there won’t be a tribe for you to be chief of!” Ta’goda snapped. “This is not a command as your chief. I am begging you as your father—” the words caught in the back of his throat, “please.”

About the Author:

Geek by heart, author by trade.

Raised on a healthy diet of geek and pop culture, Antony has come to share his love and appreciation for role-playing games, geek culture, and fantasy adventure. If it’s random comic book facts, Star Wars trivia, or just the measly obscure movie reference, Antony is there!

Q&A With the Author

Q: When did you first consider yourself to be a writer?

A: I started professionally writing about five years ago when I published my first book but I started writing when I was in 3rd grade. I still remember the first book I wrote in my composition notebook in class about one of my friends going missing and I was the detective working on finding them. It’s completely illegible and impossible to read but I can still piece together the plot points. 

Q: What advice do you have for a new writer?

A: Puke it out! Whatever is in your head or heart, write it, let it be ugly, and don’t edit it until you are done. My mom gave me that advice and I’ve lived by it every day since. 

Q: What is the easiest part of the writing process for you?

A: For me, I can always start a story. Those first few pages and especially the first chapter or two seem to fly by. A couple thousand words are nothing to me to get things started. 

Q: What is your favorite part of this story?

A: I have a lot of favorite moments I’m proud of but I think Chapter 17 “The Man in the Mask” is my favorite part of my story. We meet a dangerous villain, see the repercussions of the world, and everything peaceful is shattered in a single moment. The part when Ta’goda begs Rhan to leave is one of my all-time favorite lines I’ve ever written and when I heard my audiobook narrator read that specific line, I had chills down my back. 

Q: Which character was the most fun to write about? Why?

A: I had an absolute blast creating the character duo of Jeb and Nila. I really enjoyed Jeb’s two-sided personality and the depth he brings. He lives life the way he wants to but has a deeper history and knowledge that he is not the only one living in his world. This is also why Nila is such an amazing companion for him. She’s not quite a nanny to Jeb but she keeps him in line while also doing her own thing and letting him make his own mistakes. But no matter how much trouble one of them gets into, they both have each other's backs.

Q: Which character was the hardest to write about? Why?

A: Writing Cheif Ta’goda was probably my most challenging character. Something I wanted from the beginning was a heavy Native American influence. I wanted to create a new voice in fantasy and break away from the euro-centric lens we typically see. But not being of Native descent, I had to really commit myself to research and properly represent a culture I so deeply respect. But with all of that, Ta’goda takes an extra step beyond just learning. He is based on a person in my past who taught me many of the lessons Ta’goda teaches Theo. I wanted to honor those lessons that changed my outlook on the world and I wanted Ta’goda to embody everything that mentor was in my life at the time.

Website: Antonysoehner.com

Twitter: @AntonySoehner https://twitter.com/AntonySoehner

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AntonySoehner/

Instagram: @AntonySoehner https://www.instagram.com/antonysoehner/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17220779.Antony_Soehner

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/antony-soehner

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Antony-Soehner/e/B075Z3GM57/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

The book will be $0.99 during the tour.

GIVEAWAY:

Antony Soehner will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway