Mom With A Kindle: BOOK BLITZ [Interview + Giveaway] The Gatekeeper’s Son by C.R. Fladmark (The Gatekeeper’s Son #1)

The Gatekeeper’s Son

by C.R. Fladmark
(The Gatekeeper’s Son #1)
Publication date: October 1st 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Junya’s grandfather is a billionaire who keeps the secret to his success hidden in a heavily guarded safe.
His mother is a martial artist who wields a razor-sharp katana—and seems to read his mind.
And a mysterious girl in a Japanese school uniform can knock him over—literally—with just a look.
What do they know that he doesn’t?
Junya’s life takes a dangerous turn on his sixteenth birthday, when someone sets out to destroy not only the family’s business empire—the one that he’s set to inherit—but Junya himself. He’s fighting for his life, and doesn’t know who to trust.
What has his family been keeping from him?
Junya’s journey takes him from the narrow streets of San Francisco to Japan, and through hidden portals to the top of the ancient Japanese Izumo Shinto shrine, to places where death and violence are a way of life. And in a mystical world he’s never imagined, he finds his true destiny.

When did you first start writing?

I started in high school.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?

You’re asking the first one I remember? It was for socials 11. We were reading Macbeth and we had to write a modern version. I'd just finished reading The Godfather and I wrote the Macbeth saga as a gangster story. I got an A+ and the teacher read it to the class!

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?

I love seeing what my characters will do next. It's way more fun than watching TV or movies.

What motivated you to become an indie author?

The current model of traditional publishing is irrelevant to today's market. They want what's already successful––another vampire book is safer than a new idea because they know vampire books sell. I had a story to tell and the best way to get it to you was to start my own publishing company.

Describe your desk

Uncluttered and neat, 2 large flatscreen monitors and a great view of the mountains and trees.

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

I have to. I still need a full-time job. Can you help me with that so I have more time to write?

What is your writing process?

I try to plan ahead with a storyboard and I also use an outline. As I write, I update the outline with a short summary of each chapter to keep myself on-track. However, the creative process can’t be re-planned too much. I let the story evolve organically within the structure and change things as I need to.

What’s the best way to write a story?

Know what the ending will be before you start (Although sometimes I don’t)

How do you approach cover design?

I go into it already knowing what I want then my amazing designer, Pete Garceau, brings it into reality. (The Gatekeeper’s Son won a silver medal for the cover design at the 2015 Benjamin Franklin book awards).

What are you working on next?

The Gatekeeper’s Son II. Junya and Shoko will spend far more time on ‘the other side’ in this book. There will be more violence, more characters and Junya and Shoko are going to get ‘intimate’ in this book (definitely PG14 stuff). VIsit my website (www.crfladmark.com)if you want more details of the publication date.

AUTHOR BIO:

Award winning author, C.R. Fladmark lives in a small, historic town in British Columbia and travels often to Japan, where he researches his novels among the ancient sites in Shimane Prefecture. To learn more, and read a way longer bio of his life and see FAQ, visit www.crfladmark.com or find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/crfladmark.

Author links: