A Cast of Stonesby Patrick Carr
Paperback, 400 pages
Expected Publication: February 1st 2013 by Bethany House Publishers
Premise:
In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.
Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.
Patrick Carr references Anne Elisabeth Stengl who said:
It’s my pleasure to introduce you to debut author Patrick Carr and his novelA Cast of Stones the first in his epic Medieval fantasy saga, The Staff & The Sword, with The Hero’s Lot and A Breath of Wind to follow…John Otte, who has visited Colorimetry, said:
“With an engaging, imaginative world that bristles with danger, characters that keep you guessing, and a story that sticks with you, A Cast of Stones will keep you devouring pages until the very end. I highly recommend it!”Relz Reviews announced him back in August with an excerpt.
Aimee Laine discusses the cover. Hilarious.
Available for Pre-Order at:
Intrigued? I'm not done...
For this tour sign-up, I invited Patrick Carr to an interview.
I’ve been known to be stingy with words on occasion, so let me know if you need more.
No, no... I love this because it shows how you get to the point quickly, which only adds to my curiosity of your book. But... let me share our conversation...
How did you become a writer? Was there a last-straw event that pushed you over the edge between thinking about it and writing?
From the time I was in 3rd grade (which is about when I learned to read – late bloomer) I was a voracious reader. When my four sons grew to an age where I thought they could appreciate some of my favorite books, I started reading to them. We must have gone through a whole library’s worth of books. Then it hit me what a great idea it would be for them to hear a book that they were in. So, I spent a few months putting together a teen mystery type of story. That’s when the writing bug really hit me.
Ooh... some great books have started out that way!! Nice!
Where did the inspiration behind this series come from?
I was reading a passage from the Bible that said “God is in the lot.” It really stuck with me and I started mulling over all the times I’d read about people in the Bible who drew lots trying to discern God’s will. Then my imagination just sort of ran wild with the idea and all these “what if?” questions started going through my head. I had actually started the book about five or six years ago. I even had three or four chapters that I really liked, but the direction just didn’t feel right. So I shelved the story for a few years and let it gestate while I worked on other things. Then one day, I had this inspiration that took the tale in a totally different direction that really excited me. That’s when “A Cast of Stones” really started to take form.
Ha!! So... A Cast of Stones is literally about reading the future? Casting for God's will?! HA!!! I am so seriously intrigued. What... you didn't mention what the inspiration was that took the tale in a totally different direction. Leavin' me hangin' here....
Share some personal stuff!! How do you like teaching? What are your hobbies? Any unique quirks you'd like to share?!
I love teaching! On a good day when the lesson is going well and the kids are into it and getting it, I wonder why people aren’t lined up for my job. The funny thing is most people really hate my course. I teach Geometry. When I meet people and tell them exactly what I teach, they always get this amazed look on their face and say “Oh! I hated that course!” That always cracks me up because it was the course I did best at in high school.
You're like one of those crazy-great teachers, right? Like the English teacher my husband had that was amazing... or actually... my geometry teacher was incredible. I still love geometry because of him. (Theoretically, you understand. Don't ask me any questions. Any.)
I like to woodwork, but my next passion, in addition to writing, is going to be piano. I took lessons for a few years a long while back, but my sons are all very musical and they’ve inspired me. I want to learn how to play jazz and improvise and all that. I’d like to learn how to sing as well, but, wow, I just don’t know if they can do anything with this voice. Ha.
Lol.
Quirks? That’s funny because when I first got married 22 years ago I would have said I didn’t have any. But my wife, Mary, has been a great mirror. When I see myself through her eyes, I think “How did I get to be so weird?” For example, I eat in courses, mostly because I don’t like my food to touch. And I can’t stand to be late. My dad was career military. Being on time meant being five minutes early. God’s got a funny sense of humor. Mary can’t stand to be early. Slowly, but surely, we’re both becoming more flexible.
Ok... now you're sounding a little scary. Courses? I serve meals on multiple plates, maybe, but not courses. Lol. That's not better, is it? We all have weird quirks.
More About the Author:
Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.
Awards: ACFW Genesis Competition 2010 Finalist for “A Cast of Stones” in Speculative Fiction.
Find & Follow:
Where do I sign up, already?!
Oh, yea... that's right. This is a TOUR announcement!!!! I'm looking for interested reviewers & blog posters to join me in announcing this awesome book to the world!! (I aim high.) I Am A Reader, Not A Writer has an awesome blog tour in January. (It's ok if you participate with both. I am.) Prism Book Tours is going to kick off just as Kathy's tour is winding down... and we're BLASTIN' right through the publication date of February 1st!!
Whooohoo!!
Review eCopies will be available. Fill out the awesome form and enter a world of excitement with a castle on the cover. (Yea!)
Tour-Wide Giveaway you ask?! Of course!! It's too awesome to reveal right now, but lets just hint at print copies, awesome swag and.... and an awesome name. *waggles eyebrows*
You do realize that when you sign up, you get the bonus of receiving emails from me directly into your in-box, right? Score! (Right? That's a good thing, right?!)
