Author Jon Sprunk has a brand-new book available today entitled, Sun and Serpent, and we here at NTG were lucky to sit down with Jon to discuss his new book and the craft of creative writing.
 
Nerds That Geek: What can you tell us about your new book?

Jon Sprunk: Hello. It’s so nice to speak with you and your audience.
Sun and Serpent is the fourth and final volume of my Book of the Black Earth series. It chronicles the story of a prisoner of war in a harsh empire ruled by nigh-omnipotent sorcerers. In this final book, the main character and his allies must confront the evil that lurks at the center of a eons-long war before the very fabric of the cosmos of torn apart.

NTG: What are you most excited for your readers to experience?

JS: This is the longest series I’ve ever written, so I’m excited for my readers to see the climax, where everything they have read so far comes to fruition. Will they succeed? At what price?

Writing a series is an interesting journey, for both the reader and the author. It’s almost like running a marathon together. By the end, seeing the finish line really gets your blood pumping.

NTG: What is it you love the most about creative writing?

JS: The freedom. A blank page has no limits except the boundaries of your imagination. I love stretching myself to envision more, and then the challenge of translating those visions into words. It’s a magical experience.

Also, the freedom of expression. All of us think of things that we don’t say or do. Writing is a means to explore every aspect of ourselves, and then to share that exploration with others. It can be frightening, but it’s also liberating.

NTG: What is a unique story that you haven't tackled yet that you'd love to write?

JS: Unique is difficult thing to nail down. In one sense, every author is completely unique from all the rest, simply because of their singular perspective. Yet, we don’t write in a vacuum. We share so many ideas through books, movies, and other media that it all gets jumbled together, and writers pick out the themes and situations that appeal to them in the moment.

I would love to write the perfect stand-alone fantasy novel, something that provokes the imagination as well as social consciousness. I would also love the capture the hijinks of my D&D group in story form.

NTG: What's next for you after this release?

JS: I have a lot of ideas floating around in my head, but nothing concrete yet. Sometimes a concept comes to me, so crystal-clear that I know exactly what I want to write. Other times, it’s murky and unclear, and I have to let my imagination marinate for a while. That’s where I’m at right now. I’m just enjoying the chaos. When the right idea comes along, I’ll seize it.

As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, most people are out looking for that last second item that will be that perfect gift for the holiday. As Christmas hopefully brings out the best in most people, there are still some that are not about the season for different reasons altogether. One of the many things that could tarnish this holiday for some used to be believers, would be the loss of a loved one during that time.

Ebenezer Scrooge sits and watches his employee Bob Cratchit work on Christmas Eve. Christmas has lost all appeal to Scrooge as his best friend passed away seven years ago to the day. Not allowing anyone to get close to him again after all these years, Scrooge does not let the holiday get in the way of his one goal, making money. With his nephew stopping by the shop and inviting his uncle to dinner, Scrooge gives off his standard ‘Bah Humbug’ answer and goes about his business. Letting his employee out of work a few hours early with pay seems to be the nicest thing he will do for the night.

When arriving home, Scrooge gets comfortable in his normal fashion, but he hears something in the other room that is slightly disturbing. Jacob Marley, his old partner is dragging along the chains he fashioned in life and wants to deliver a warning to his old friend. As a ghost, Marley is willing to spend his last night on earth to try to help Scrooge get past his death and live life again. Marley tells Scrooge that he will receive three visitors this evening, which does little to frighten the old man, but his night and life will soon change.

Scrooge is first visited by a ghost of a little man that is falling apart. The Ghost of Christmas Past is what he calls himself. Scrooge is not worried until the ghost is able to transport him back to his childhood and show Scrooge what made him upset as a youth, as he was more of a loner when he was a child. But when the ghost transports him to his first real job, Scrooge is dumbfounded when seeing his first employer throwing a ball for the townspeople. Everyone was welcome and thankful for the ball and Scrooge's ex employer, Fizziwig had such a kind heart, he would even thank everyone for coming to the event.

Scrooge is beside himself as he is returned home to his flat when the second visitor arrives on this fateful night. The Ghost of Christmas Present; is a large glutton of a man who once surrounded himself with all of the best things, life had to offer. But now his torch can sprinkle good onto whomever he chooses, and always choosing the poor is how he handles business in the afterlife. For the poor need more help than the rich as evidenced by the next voyage Scrooge goes upon, to the home of the Cratchit’s. Seeing how people are barely getting by with next to nothing opens Scrooge’s eyes, but what really tugs at his heart is seeing their son Tiny Tim struggling to survive, while still wearing a smile on his face and carrying a song in his heart. Scrooge is then transported to the home of his nephew, and witnesses that he is the punch line of many of the family’s jokes, but still in their mockery of him, his nephew Jack still raises a toast to his old uncle and wishes him the best.

Scrooge is very shaken up now, seeing that little Tiny Tim will not survive for too much longer and that his family does not have much of a love for him, he sits and waits for the final visitor of the night. He waits and waits as time must be standing still, but still nothing. Finally, the last ghost makes his way into Scrooge’s room, a dark figure, not showing any aspect of his own being other than a boney hand. Not speaking a word, the ghost takes Scrooge to the outskirts of town to a pawn shop where some women are getting money for hangers and old sheets taken from the dead. The Ghost of Christmas’ Yet to Come only points at things and nods his head as Scrooge tries to get information out of him. Yet, there is only one thing that Scrooge wants to know after hearing all of the ramblings around the town and that is who died. The ghost shows Scrooge the headstone of the newly deceased and Scrooge becomes nearly a ghost himself.

Charles Dickens’ novel A Christmas Carol could be viewed as one of the darkest holiday tales of all, or an enlightening tale of rebirth. Following Scrooge on his adventure through time opens up his eyes as he is able to see that what he has done in the past is truly going to affect his future. Being shown that living life is much more worthwhile than harping on what has happened in the past is one of the things that the ghosts try to get through his head. Seeing what all is currently happening along with what will happen if his ways are not changed enlightens the old man. Trying to find a way to change his doomed future, Scrooge puts on a different hat and shows everyone that he is more than just about money and unhappiness, he wants the world to know that he really does care about others.

As life changing events hit us on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis, we should always make sure to look for the opportunities, rather than get stuck in the past. Scrooge is very fortunate to have the ghosts come in and intervene one night and show him what he is missing out on. Keeping our heads up and looking forward is the only way to view the holiday, and sometimes making someone feel better about themselves with a gift, a smile or even just a pleasant word could be just enough to keep someone going through this time of the year. Forgetting that we are all human and need to be treated as such with a common gesture could be one of the biggest things that we let pass by as Dickens has shown. Stay safe and smiling, and as always, Happy Holidays!

When growing up, you get to learn more about who you are and who you are going to be. With the help of your parents, you are groomed to become the next great person in your family and most of the time you take the lessons they give to you and put them to work. But not all of these lessons are good as there are families out there that don’t care about their kids’ wellbeing and just want them out of the house as soon as possible. I know several people that have been put into bad situations at home and they have dedicated themselves to becoming someone new, someone that their namesake would never know. Which makes these people rock stars, since they never got the helping hand that their parents were supposed to give them when they needed it most.

In ‘The World Below’, Jakabok Botch is just trying to get along in his home. With an abusive father, Jakabok depends on his words and imagination to get him through the day. Writing in his journals about how he will be able to inflict pain and torture those who are mean to him, Jakabok finds out that he has plenty of rage on his hands, but when his mother finds his works hidden in the floor boards of the house, she is less than happy. Forcing her son to burn all of these masterful works, Jakabok’s father comes home and demands an explanation. When Jakabok falls into the fire however, he finds out what the true feeling of hell is, as he has become disfigured by the flames. With that not being enough, his father finds some of the unburned writings and wants to teach his son a lesson.

Chasing Jakabok with his gun and machete, Pappy Gatmuss has no remorse in his eyes as his son needs to understand who is in charge. Running into the hills, Jakabok finds a resting place with meat and beers and takes a breather, but his father is right behind him. Stepping back and making sure that his son understands that tactic is not going to work, Pappy sits and feasts as well, but what he does not know is that the two have fallen into a trap. When the snare releases, Jakabok and his father are pulled up quickly into the sky with no way of escaping. As each level passes beneath them, they are worried about what is awaiting them up above. While his father starts to cry about being taken to ‘The World Above’, Jakabok has a plan to release him of his worries. Pulling a kitchen knife from his pocket, Jakabok cuts the rope hauling his father up and curses his old man as he falls to his doom.

Jakabok is far from safe as he finds out where he is and what the ‘fishers’ are planning to do with him. Being an agent of Hell, the ‘fishers’ take note of Jakabok’s two tails and try to formulate a plan of how to make a lot of money off of the deformed demon. Being able to escape his new captors, he is able to run free in the woods and meets his first and only love, Caroline. As the demon tries to save the young girl, he accidently pushes her into the boiling water that is being used to debone those of his kind. Killing his only love is not the only thing the demon has to face, for people are not willing to have his kind roaming their world. Coming upon a small town, Jakabok is met by a couple of the Archbishop’s guards who are going to await word from their high commander on what his fate will be, but little does he know, there is another in a position of power that can make his life in ‘The World Above’ that much more tolerable.

Hooking up with the former guard, Quitoon, Jakabok is given the name Mr. B and the two head off on their adventures together. Quitoon is a powerful demon that has been living here for many years and is infatuated by humanity and how they are able to create new things that will change their lives forever. Although Mr. B does not feel the same way, he tags along on these trips and finds out more in the thirty some years the two are together. Finding great places to hold up, out of the cities and off the beaten paths, Mr. B is able to go along with his old ways, which involves killing infants and using their blood to bathe in, but nothing lasts forever as he always seems to make mistakes in the short term. Needing to leave their current place of residence, Quitoon hears of a new invention and wants to check it out before the villagers come to smoke them out. The story that follows will leave you breathless as Angels and Demons face off to try and keep The End from coming.

From the mind of Clive Barker comes Mister B. Gone, the life story of Jakabok Botch as he is captured and brought to ‘The World Above’. As he escapes one problem, he seems to find himself in another one just as quickly. All the while, he is speaking to you as you continue to read his story and he takes the time to beg you to burn the book. Without having any luck on his side whatsoever, Mr. B is able to survive with his longtime friend Quitoon at his side, but when the two decide that they will no longer travel together, Mr. B’s life changes drastically. With the human race chasing him, other demons chasing him and Angels chasing him, Mr. B has to find out what the newest invention is that will change the world forever and if it should exist. Not having the same abilities as his counterparts, Mr. B has to make it through his days using his smarts and words to keep himself alive, but that can only work for so long as those that are more powerful than him are looking to end him.

This could be considered a disturbing look at how the forces from below can still control what is happening in the world today, but I think it is just fun. Having the main character talk to you throughout the entire book, begging for you to release him is just epic and I rather enjoyed it, although I did have to look behind myself a couple times to make sure he was not there. I don’t know what else to say about the story without giving it all away, you will just have to read it and decide who is right and wrong in their fight to destroy the world over the next great invention. Even though Mr. B is a demon, it is easy to fall under his spell, even with him doing heinous acts on humans, it is just his way and he will not change in the words that he is putting in front of you. Stay Scared.