Ebook Apothecary: Author Interview with Bertel King
Beth Hobson over at Ebook Apothecary has granted Bertel King, Jr. his first author interview. Follow the link to see which authors Bertel found to be the most inspirational and learn more about the origins of Painting Thoughts.
What Almost Was
Painting Thoughts originally took place on Earth, long before the story was ever known by its current name. Art, or magic, was to have been a technological advancement that physically altered the people who chose to acquire it. Two Branch was a school were such people were trained in its use. It would have been located in eastern Virginia and would have functioned as one of many schools in the world fulfilling such a role.
The decision to change was born in part from the realization that it would be much easier for me to create a world of my own, rather than try to create a plausible future for the real world. I lived in a rural county and had never traveled, nor had I ever seen a large city. There was just too much about our world that I just did not know how to envision to feel comfortable writing a book in that setting.
Thus Allsterra was born.
Kindle edition now available!
Today the Kindle edition of Painting Thoughts can be purchased for the same price as the NOOKbook.
If you don’t have a Kindle, Amazon offers free Kindle apps for PCs, Macs, Android devices, iPhones, iPads, Windows Phones, and BlackBerry smartphones.
For those of you who prefer to feel the pages of a book in your hands, a physical copy is coming next!
“”Painting Thoughts is a book well worth the read. The main character, Kae, is developed quite nicely. Because the plot centers around Kae the reader is able to see not only what Kae is thinking, but some of the events and circumstances that make him react the way he does. Overall, this understanding allows the reader to truly engage with Kae and feel a sense of attachment. A strong supporting cast give color and texture to Kae’s world while bringing knowledge and skills of their own.
King also manages to create a very clearly defined and cleverly invented world, Allsterra, for his characters to inhabit. The various and interesting inhabitants of the world, whether they be human, elven, or a strange and wonderful animal are described in detail. King also takes time to explain not only what makes the various inhabitants different, but also what should hold them all together. In addition, the politics of this world, both identity politics and literal politics, become very vivid to the reader as the novel progresses and the characters work with and against these ideas.
Overall, the greatest strength of this book is the engaging style of the author. It is possible to quickly become attached to the characters and be drawn into the world of Allsterra because the author’s style is conducive to full reader engagement. The imagery is vivid and the plot moves, but neither of those happen at the expense of the integrity of the prose.
Painting Thoughts is now available!
Painting Thoughts is now available for purchase from Barnes and Noble as a NOOKbook for $3.99.
The title can be read on any NOOK or NOOKcolor device, and for people who do not own either of these ereaders, Barnes and Nobles provides free NOOK apps for PCs, Macs, Android devices, iPhones, iPads!
With all of these options, most of you should be able to easily read Painting Thoughts on any of your devices. For those of you who prefer to read using a Kindle, do not fret, for a Kindle version is in the works.
This post was originally posted on Nov. 2, 2011, but was re-posted when the site was moved on Nov. 7, 2011.
This post was originally posted on Nov. 1, 2011, but was re-posted when the site was moved on Nov. 7, 2011.
Painting thoughts is something all of us do in our day-to-day lives: every time we put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, paint to brush, or open our mouths to speak. Every action we take — be it grooming, tending to a loved one, studying for a test, or cutting someone off on a highway — offers insight into what we are thinking, what values we hold, and the things that we cherish. Every action drips with the paint from our thoughts.
On the planet of Allsterra, people are capable of painting their thoughts in yet another way: through magic. To the people of this world, magic is art, or rather, art is magic. Kae is an artist at Two Branch Academy, one of the world’s foremost schools focused on the development and advancement of students’ artistic ability. While there are many forms artistry takes, Kae’s particular branch offers him the ability to alter the senses of the people around him, giving him control over what they see, hear, feel, and touch. Kae’s craft focuses on mental ability, and whether he succeeds or fails depends on his ability to project his thoughts onto others.
For Kae, painting thoughts isn’t abstract. It’s real.
Painting Thoughts will become available from Barnes and Noble as a NOOKbook tomorrow, Nov. 2. Come back then for a direct link to where the book can be purchased, and hopefully you will enjoy your experience in the world of Allsterra.
This post was originally posted on Nov. 1, 2011, but was re-posted when the site was moved on Nov. 7, 2011.
