Author Interview & Giveaway: Peter Kelly

Today I’m doing an interview with young adult author Peter Kelly. His debut novel, Dawn of the Shadow is currently available as an eBook and will be released in paperback soon. Please welcome Peter Kelly!

Tell us a bit about yourself...

Well I am 27yrs old born May 10, 1983 in Philadelphia PA. I am the youngest son in a family of 8 children but I'm not the youngest child. I have a little sister. I am a true Philadelphian at heart. A massive sports fan especially when it concerns the Philadelphia Phillies, or the Philadelphia Eagles. I went to school first at Philadelphia Community College where I decided to become a writer but not a novelist. In Community I found a love of journalism and sought a degree in communications. I graduated and then moved on to Temple University where I gained my bachelors degree in Journalism. Currently I am a movie theatre manager working full time and writing at night. Writing in some way has always been apart of my life in one way or another.

How/When did you decide that you wanted to become an author?

I always wanted to be a writer but being an author didn't really become a reality until late last year. I wrote my book Dawn of the Shadow over a period of 8yrs. I originally wrote it working at my then movie theatre job. Working in movie theatres is a great source for a writer. People of all kinds walked through those doors which really got my imagination pumping. When I finished the book it felt so perfect that it started me thinking of really becoming an author.

What was your road to publication like?

Being an unknown author was a long and frustrating journey to be sure. I was unprepared for the long fight but in the end it was worth it. After my first go through, editing the book, I attempted to send the book out to a number of publishing houses. I didn’t know what to expect at first but had high hopes. Unfortunately it didn’t pan out to my benefit. After a few rejections in the way of form letters stating thank for my submission but my work wasn't right for them I became depressed. I kept trying to find someone to give my work a shot but being unknown and without an agent it was nearly impossible. After a few more rejections and a few more form letters I was all set to give up. Nearly 11 months ago I came across Dream books. They were a small house so I decided to try one more time. When they replied they showed interest but wanted to work with me in cleaning the book up some more. For the first time in years I was encouraged so that began my journey to the point where eventually I signed with them to release the book. I suspect many new authors have similar stories. I guess for me the rejections and constant waiting helped make me a more patient writer. In the end it was all worth the trouble.

Tell us a bit about the book...

Dawn of the Shadow is an origin story of a hero I created named Shadow. It begins with a story about a race that existed a long time before humans even existed. The war was between two races led by beings of power and intelligence. The leader of the Sumerians the race attempting to conquer the universe was a ruthless dictator named Bocchio. Seeking the means to defeat his foe, the leader of the other race the Cromanutts Gregorias, Bocchio builds a machine to create soldiers of incredible power. Building it on the home world of Gregorias, Bocchio made sure no one would know about the machine. By fate or chance Bocchio's plan didn’t go forward as a disaster forced the planets near destruction forcing the population to leave. Bocchio became frozen in his underground lab with the machine. The story then moves to the present where a group of friends are riding through the woods. After an accident a young man named Peter Farrell is separated from his friends and heads back home. Farrell in the beginning of the story was just a boy lost in the shadows of his friends unsure of his destiny. Getting lost on his way back he stumbles upon the lab. Inside the faculty he discovers the machine still sitting in the room Bocchio left it. Accidentally he triggers it shooting massive energy beams into his body. The machine shuts down leaving Pete weakened near death. After a few hours he finally gets home collapsing on the floor. Over night his body transforms from the average body he had to something extraordinary. Just as this rebirth happens an old evil is awakened. The accident that triggered the transformation awoke Bocchio from his frozen prison. Pete awakes a new man. A confidence, and strength he never had Pete steps out from the shadows to the surprise of friends and enemies. Just as Pete begins his new life Bocchio tries to continue his own. Taking steps to use the underworld Bocchio begins to rebuild his army to strike the world leaders to take control. His plans hinges on Pete himself. Pete during this time having the power to no longer fear anyone begins to shows an anger and rage. A darkness that grows each day pushes him from his friends and family. It grows as Bocchio nurtures Pete's anger over a life he was denied by bullies, fears, and jealousy over the popularity of his friends. Bocchio tests and teaches Pete to use his new strength, speed, and heightened senses to become something far greater then the man that once existed before. Bocchio pushes Pete to his limits and nearly turns him until Pete is shocked by the loss of loved one. Before Pete can react Bocchio begins his plan leaving Pete nearly defeated. The world coming to an end Pete is left lost again stuck between the man he once was and the man he was becoming. He is saved through a sign from the past and a story about his families history. Deciding to take up the fight against Bocchio he takes the mantle of Shadow a hero born in darkness to bring light to the night. The epic final battle ensues where will the winner will decide our fate. As his new life begins he takes on a saying to guide him Darkness rises....The Shadow falls...Light remains.

Where did the idea about this unique machine come from?

I have always been a comic book geek. Its not something I am ashamed of admitting. In all the origin stories I know about none really felt like the way to go with this story. I intended Dawn of the shadow to seem more real then say the Spiderman tales, or my personal favorite Batman. I didn’t want Shadow to be a rich kid, a genius or anything so spectacular. He was meant to be just a young man, kid who didn’t know what he wanted. So I thought what would happen if something just dropped into this kid lap. A discovery that would change his life. It led me to expand it the idea to be more then just the machine. The true discovery would be the lab that Bocchio had built. The machine laid inside it waiting but the lab is what ultimately changes him from an ordinary boy to a superhero. When I designed the machine I wanted something simple at first but when activated it would be become extraordinary. It was in a way like Pete himself. Ordinary at first but when activated it becomes something truly extraordinary.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing Dawn of the Shadow?

Like any story you want your work to be original. Writing Dawn of the Shadow became for me a problem in writing a story no one has read before. I wasn't sure at first how to really explore this guys life. A hero in my thinking was a damaged soul whom was seeking redemption. I needed to really think what happened in Peter Farrell's life that would require him to sacrifice it for the life of crime fighting. I still couldn't answer it fully until I thought how I would react in these situations. In my style of fiction writing I like to place myself into these situations and imagine how I would react. With that thinking It seemed to make sense that a loss, one I could blame myself for would be enough to push me into this world of crime fighting. I never intended it to be complicated but in a way it became that because once I understood the hero I needed to expand on his life. Who were his friends and how deep were they in this world? His family, how would they be apart of his life and his decision making? I think the easiest question to answer was why he would want to be someone else then the man he was before the machine; Love. For any hero the chance to get the girl he always dreamed of would be to great a chance to pass up. But putting that need for the love of his life, with his need for redemption. In the end answering what meant more was the most difficult question of all.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

At this moment I am writing the sequel for Dawn of the shadow. My intent is to turn this into a not just a series but a franchise. The way a hero's origin tale should be told is in phases. The first is the beginning of his or her journey were they sacrifice there life to be something greater. The second phase is story of taking their life back. While the hero does promise to lead a life of responsibility the hero earns a little peace by taking back the life they lost. The final in the series deals with revisiting the past and learning truths about the future.

The sequel is titled Shadow of the Night where I move the story two years into the future. The story shows the toll the life has taken on Pete and his friends. But things look up as Pete's friends Tim and Mark try find a way to keep Pete from disappearing entirely into the Shadow. The trio start a band named 9to5. Becoming successful the join a contest called American Rock star where they compete with a host of other bands for a shot being signed onto a contract. Throughout the story the two side of Pete's persona, Shadow and Pete, fight for balance. The guys are helped in their effort as someone from Pete's past returns offering him a chance at a normal life. However as Pete struggles for balance an new enemy crops up. Created in a way similar to Pete this enemy seeks to abandon his life and become this creation of his warped mind called The Creator. A brilliant, ruthless, driven monster who seeks both revenge and a power in a world he despises. This creator is far more brilliant then Bocchio and is much more patient making an enemy that could spell the end for Shadow.

I am also working with a great editor named Robb Starr editing a work I call Its Just a Family Thing. In this book I take a step away from the fantasy and try a conspiracy cop story. The story surrounds a family of cops, The Farrell’s. Each member of the family is unique with a personality all their own. The story starts with the two younger brothers Pete and John detectives stopping a massive weapons bust. We find out these brothers are cowboy like in their work which makes them unpredictable yet brilliant. Their captain is their elder brother Dave whom frets that there constant risk taking will end badly. John the youngest of the family starts the investigation finding links that the weapons bust is part of something larger. His partner and brother Pete attempts to help but while the story shows the investigation it also shows the dynamics of the family. Pete struggles to fulfill a destiny his father set for him that his brothers and sister Jules all believe he has as well. The links John discovers go to a shadow company headed by a man named Richard Black. Black whom has run the company for years tries to slow John down by painting him a criminal. His efforts fail as John digs deeper to the truth getting closer then anyone before. John goes on the run leaving Pete to continue his efforts as John is hunted by their own people. Pete like John finds links to the company forcing Black to again stop another Farrell. The brothers hunted now by Blacks men, their own cops, and the older brother decide to do the only thing they can and fight back. In a dangerous mission they discover the truth of the whole conspiracy but not before Dave and their sister Jules are targeted in a last effort to stop them. The family then faces a decision; with the evidence they have they could clear the names. But if they don’t act the life of someone dear would be lost. The question of what would make a family of cops go head to head with an army of mercenaries comes down to one answer. Its just a family thing.

What are you currently reading?

Right now I am reading Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider. Written by Ellen Maze its a vampire tale like no other its very good.

Anything else you would like to add?

Unknown authors will always have a difficult time getting noticed. Its not a lack of trying that slows us down its matter of trust. Books are so personal a thing for authors that sometimes we forget that while we may believe they are brilliant a reader might not. Don't allow your frustrations to slow you down. In the end if you work hard enough all your hard work will pay off in the end.

 

Where to find Peter Kelly online
website | twitter | facebook | librarything

Buy the book
Smashwords | Kindle

***GIVEAWAY***

Peter is giving away 5 PDF copies of his debut novel, Dawn of the Shadow!! Giveaway open Internationally. Please read the Contest/Giveaway Policy for full list of rules. Giveaway ends July 18th, 2010.