Tag: Jevon Knight

The theme is the consequence of not being able to let go of what we love. As self-aware beings, when we love something, whether alive or material, we get so attached to it that we become emotional and depressed when it’s gone. Not everyone makes positive decisions or logical actions once they reach that point, and some people are never the same again. You can relate to this at funerals, where people mourn in widely different ways.

I remember attending a funeral where the elderly husband actually begged his wife to get up and walk, like if she was just pretending. I figured, what if I had a protagonist who never recovered from that state, and someone told him that his love was actually not dead? I made him a king to show the reader how bad his despair was and how much he was willing to give up to get her back.

But it’s not just about him. In this book, there are several characters who have lost loved ones, and they each deal with it in their own unique way, both negative and positive.

What big challenges did you encounter with your book that you did not anticipate?

This book is based on an era that is long gone, the medieval period of about the 8^th century or so. And while there are several books and movies that cover this time, some things are skewed to satisfy the desires of entertainment. That is why it’s so important to research the world you want to write about, even if it’s not real.

Long after I started my book, I just happened to watch a documentary where it demonstrated that a sword cannot penetrate the metal armour of a soldier, something that you always see in those games and movies we love. A spear, and an arrow from a long bow could do it because of the amount of force, but a human just cannot swing a sword hard and fast enough. Even though my book has many fantasy elements, I still want to keep it realistic by satisfying basic laws.

So, if a weapon as staple as a sword cannot penetrate metal armour, how does a sword-wielding soldier fight?

I did some research and found out that warriors used a fighting style where they would aim for the gaps in armour, like the neck. I had to go back and adjust the writing in my fight scenes to cater for this, and always kept this rule in mind. 

You’re from Trinidad and Tobago, yet you write a lot about medieval style kingdoms. Why go in that direction? Does it just come naturally?

I actually grew up on fairy tales and fantasy stories like the Hobbit. I’m much more interested in worlds with vast forest, mountains, and amazing characters. So, while the culture of my country prefers literature, there are still those who are into lore from different parts of the world.

But I do recognize that Trinidad and Tobago has some interesting folklore. I actually plan to write a novel that combines historical tribes with our local folklore, and elements of Carnival. So you might have a Carib tribe that encounters creatures like dwens, lajabliss, blue devils, and a beautiful feathered woman. 

Carnival happened a few months ago. Did you flee the island or live it up?

I love Carnival so I prefer to live it up. I like to go all-inclusive fetes, and play our mud mass called Jouvert. It can be expensive though, so I have to select the good ones. After all, there is life, and writing, after Carnival.

Are you working on any big projects outside of novel writing?

No. I pretty much write, go to work, and write some more. I did try a couple of business ventures, but writing seems to be the only thing that I kept at.

What is your next book project about? Any hints?

The next book I plan to write is called One Kingdom. The theme for this one is mentorship and a twisted sense of protection. It’s about two brothers: the older recently became king, the younger swore to protect. There is no jealousy, but the younger despises the king’s concept of peace, and makes several bad decisions in an attempt to make him understand that true peace can only be achieved through total domination.

Prince or Michael Jackson – and why?

Michael Jackson, definitely. So many great songs, like The Girl Is Mine, and you can’t beat the moon walk.

If you could only give one piece of advice to writers wanting to get their stories on paper, what would it be?

Don’t think you have to wait until you have an MSc in Literature, and completed all the creative writing courses the world has to offer to start writing a novel. If you have a story in mind, and you have a dream of getting published, then grab a chair, grab a laptop, and start writing.

Where can people go to find out more about your books and/or buy them?

I’m hoping to have my first novel, King Larsen, published by December 2013. You can go tohttp://jknightsworld.wordpress.com/ and click on the links under My Books to read the about and excerpts from my books.

Describe an awkward event from a past job that you didn’t like?

When I first started working as a computer technician, I was real enthusiastic about getting all my work done. I remember I was given a project to install CD ROM drives in about 40 computers. I did it pretty fast, and one evening I was left with nothing to do but listen to the radio. When the boss called asking for a co-worker, and I told her he was not around, she asked what I was working on. Being the naive new guy, I said, “Well, I’m finished with all my work, so I’m just listening to the radio.” She was so shocked and confused by that answer that she stuttered her following command, which pretty much meant get to work. I never forgot the lesson I learned that day: never rush to finish all your work, always pace yourself. Not exactly something you want to preach to your kids though.

If the president signed a law requiring everyone to buy your book, what passion would you pursue with all that King Larsen money?