- If you were not a writer what would
you be doing?
I’m currently in between jobs right now (along with
a good chunk of the North American population) but if I had a choice, I would
be working on audio description. I’ve taken a couple classes for it and it’s
something I would like to do for a job
someday. It’s just like storytelling except you’re doing it for blind people in
a movie/tv show.
- If you wrote a book about your life
what would the title be?
How the Tortoise Won
- What is the hardest thing about being
an author?
Knowing that no matter how much time, energy and
effort you put into writing the perfect story, it will always be imperfect, and
those imperfections will be laid bare for all to see. Your love of the craft is
what needs to keep you motivated. Anything else and you’ll give up quickly.
- What is the best thing about being an
author?
You never know who you will touch or influence with
your words. Whenever people say that it was a great story and it moved them in
some way, that’s a great feeling. Even if it rubs people the wrong way and they
give you a bad review because of it, that too is an achievement.
- Have you ever been star struck by
meeting one of your favorite authors? If so who was it?
I’ve actually never met any of them in person (one
of them is dead), but I’m always glad to meet the author of a book I read/will
read. It inspires me to continue my own books.
- What book changed your life?
None changed my life per se, but a lot as
influenced me. Think and Grow Rich; Rich Dad Poor Dad, and The Dispossessed.
There is also the Bible.
- What were your some of favorite books
growing up?
I liked to read a lot of adventure books like Tom
Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn
- What books are currently in your to be read pile?
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
by Carson McCullers; The Stand b Stephen King and a whole list of other
books that are too numerous to mention.
- Which do you prefer ebooks, print, or
audio books?
I prefer audio books if they are available since
it’s relaxing; e-books come second since they make for really good reading on
the train. I prefer to read print when it’s summer. That way I can read outside
at one of my favorite parks.
- If you could live inside the world of
a book or series which world would it be and why?
Chronicles of Narnia.
I find Aslan to be a majestic creature and I would like to be in the service of
someone like him. He’s like the perfect king. I also like the idea of becoming
someone important in another world. I think all children fantasize about that.
You could live a whole lifetime as a prince or princess and still be back in
your old world before anybody missed you.
CARNIA
Jay
DeMaarten
Genre: Dystopian
Publisher: Storywell Press
ISBN: 978-1-9990165-2-4
Number of pages: 80
Word Count: 13500
Tagline: Only proven fighters win
mates. Cain isn't a warrior, but he's going to fight for a chance to win a
partner
Book Description:
Cain wants an Evite—a woman—of
his own. In a world where mating is strictly controlled, he must follow the
rules and enter Carnia; New Eden’s prestigious annual mating festival.
Many fight for the privilege, but
few are chosen.
After a humiliating defeat,
Cain’s best friend shows him another way—albeit a secret, forbidden way—to get
into Carnia. A way that might offer Cain an opportunity to win a mate, or cost
him everything.
Because not only must Cain prove
he’s worthy to take part in Carnia…
…he must also survive it.
Download a Free eBook HERE
Excerpt
Chapter 1:
Cain landed hard
on his back amidst shouts and jeers. The dirt felt cold against his skin, and
his opponent—a short and muscular boy named Zak—danced menacingly around him,
daring him to get back on his feet. At first, Cain didn’t budge. He was
paralyzed by the noise of the crowd, which was quickly turning into a mob. The
crowd consisted mainly of Adamite youth. They had gathered in the gymnasium to
watch one of the many bouts that took place in the month prior to Carnia. At
seventeen, Cain was now at the age where he could compete for the privilege to
be chosen for Carnia, but so far things were not going well. Beyond the crowd
of Adamites, Cain noticed that some of the Elders were watching from the
elevated seating nearby. They were all dressed in white tunics, which was the
customary dress. All Adamites wore some variation of a tunic, but the Elders’
tunics were a bit more elaborate, some of them adorned with decorations along
the fringes in special colours to mark status. And unlike Cain, who was covered
in sweat and dirt, they were unblemished. One of them, a bald-headed man, shook
his head in dismay. Cain knew what that meant, and a torrent of fear and
emotion washed over him. He curled himself into a ball and started sobbing.
Displaying such emotion did not help, but he could not control himself. He wanted nothing more than to be swallowed
into the earth.
“Get up, sissy!
Are you an Evite?” Zak taunted. The crowd chimed in as well.
“Weasel!”
“Coward!”
“Mother’s boy!”
That last one
hurt, because nobody among the Adamites ever had a mother. To be called a
mother’s boy meant you were somehow one of the Evites. And sometimes Cain
wondered if, in fact, he was. He continued sobbing, and as he buried his face
in his oversized boxing gloves, he began to wish he was an Evite. He wished he
could live amongst them because at least then he would never have to prove his
masculinity.
“Get up!” Zak
repeated. “What’s the matter with you? I barely hit you.”
The referee, who
was a small boy, knelt beside Cain and began the countdown, slamming his palm
into the dirt floor, kicking dust into the air each time. Cain did not move.
When the referee declared Zak the winner, cheers erupted. The crowd hoisted the
victor up onto their shoulders and carried him off. Cain had his eyes closed
the entire time, but he could hear the noise slowly receding.
When Cain
finally opened his eyes, everyone including the Elders was gone, and all he saw
was a tall, wiry young man with dark hair standing above him. Through pain and
tears, Cain recognised him. It was Abe, his best and only friend since early
childhood. Abe held out his hand to Cain. “You ready to get up?”
About
the Author:
Jay DeMaarten has been a lover of
writing since his high school days. He is a journalist and freelance writer,
publishing articles on a wide range of topics. His primary passion, however, is
fiction in all its mediums. Jay enjoys storytelling in both the spoken and
written word, and for the last six years he has been learning and experimenting
with writing fiction. He developed a special love for science fiction and
fantasy during his days at the University of Guelph, where he graduated with a
Master of Arts in 2013. Since then, he has been working on a full-length novel
entitled Noah’s Ark, which will be published in 2020. When not writing, he
enjoys walking, watching movies, exercising, and studying. He is currently studying
accessibility media at Ryerson University. Jay resides in Toronto.
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