This is continuing feature on Archer’s Aim – Fantasy Authors Unplugged. I hope to frequently share an interview with a fantasy author. If you have authors to suggest and/or questions you’d like to see answered then leave a comment or send me an email. If you are a fantasy author and would like an interview please let me know and we’ll plan one that fits your schedule. Today, I welcome fellow fantasy author, C. P. Bialois, to Archer’s Aim.

Q. Hi CP, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

A.Thanks for having me. 🙂 To be honest, I really got started when my dad taught me to read by using comic books. I couldn’t stand the school books (The cat climbed up the hill gets really old. Lol), so he took me to the neighborhood newstand where I started my love affair with Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Tales from the Crypt, and various superheroes. From there, I moved onto the classics like Treasure Island, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek pocket books.

I loved to play out ideas in my head and wrote my own stories for the cartoons and movies I loved, so it only seemed natural that I’d become a writer. Unfortunately, it took about twenty plus years for that.

Now, I’m a multi-genre author that writes mainly Epic Fantasy and Horror, but I’m open to trying just about anything.

Q. What’s the title of your current book and the plot?

A. My latest release is The Winter Creek Hunter. It’s the second in a trilogy centered on a quiet town in Pennsylvania where strange monsters appear. The town is protected by Sheriff Jay Lightfeather who is a skinwalker and can transform into a werewolf.

A year after the town was terrorized by a Beast (Bigfoot), many don’t believe the Beast was killed or left. Someone hires a bounty hunter to kill the Beast and he arrives armed with silver bullets.

Jay then faces the proposition that he could be in the crosshairs as another, deadlier creature rises from a curse from the past.

Q, What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

A. Honestly, that would have to be my Third Person Omniscient writing style. In an age when Third Person Limited is the norm, I’m often incorrectly labeled a head-hopper because my style isn’t very popular. But Omniscient is gaining traction again! Yay! Lol

Q. What has been the best compliment?

A. That’s a tough one. Lol I have to call it a tie between readers loving my characters and having others say my style and trust in my readers to understand what I’m saying is refreshing.

B. Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is special?

A. I love coming of age stories as well as damaged characters, especially the tough guys that have a fear or struggle with something that seems to cool to others. In the Winter Creek trilogy, Jay Lightfeather is forced to accept his ancestral gift of being a skinwalker and transforming into an immortal werewolf to protect his tribe (Winter Creek) from evil.

His reluctance to give himself fully over to his ability is a fun thing to explore. 🙂

Q. Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

A. Sam Elliot. He’s got the voice and presence that would be perfect for Jay.

Q. How did you decide to become a writer and when did you really commit to it?

A. It just sort of happened. Around 2007 or so, I got the urge to write a few short stories and share them with my coworkers. I didn’t have anything more than that in mind, but they kept saying I should write books and so one day I listened. The next thing I knew I was addicted and loving every minute of it. 🙂

Q. What’s the biggest change you’ve found in your writing over time?

A. I’d have to say my consistency. I can switch from a faster paced thriller style to the typical semi-formal fantasy style at will since I found my voice. It’s helped to push me to improve my overall mechanics and storytelling ability that is apparent when looking at my books from the first one to my newest releases.

Q. What’s your next writing project?

A. Currently, I’m getting the fourth novel in my Epic Fantasy series, The Sword and the Flame: The Dragonmaster ready for release in November and am transcribing and continuing to write the fifth novel (The Rebirth) in the series.

I’m also kicking around attempting a choose-your-path detective YA book for Camp NaNoWriMo in July. No promises, though. Lol

Author Bio

CP Bialois’ love of words began as a small child when his father bought a stack of comics to teach him the reading skills he wasn’t mastering in class. Before long, he was reading at an advanced level and teachers were shaking their heads over the unconventional method.

Growing up in the ‘80s, Bialois was exposed to even further inspiration through the popular cartoons of the day. Transformers, in particular, sparked his imagination and led to him put his first stories on paper. After a decades-long break, Bialois began getting back into the world of writing by joining some role-playing groups. These groups taught him about fleshing out characters and building worlds that stuck with him as he began writing short stories for fun.

To his surprise, Bialois would end up completing his first full-length novel, Call of Poseidon, in 2007. Armed with a finished product, Bialois began working on another book, The Sword and the Flame, unsure of what he would ultimately be doing with either. As with many others in the later part of the first decade of the 2000’s, he found himself out of work and looking into new options. Over the next two years, he would spend most days at the library, completing an additional half-dozen works.

Six books later, Bialois is planning for the release of many more and enjoying the feedback he receives. The up-and-coming author takes inspiration from favorites such as Steven King, Tom Clancy and Sue Grafton. His love of history, fantasy and old monster movies has also served as a muse.

When he’s not busy writing or chatting on his social networks, Bialois enjoys watching hockey and football as well as Metallica DVDs. He currently lives with his wife- a fellow writer- and their fur children. CP Bialois is also active in several South Florida writing groups, as well as the online writer community, and the Florida Writers Association.

Contact Links:

Website: https://cpbialois.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCPBialois

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CPBialois

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/CP-Bialois/e/B006QK4TX2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1433518673&sr=8-3

Sales Links:

The Winter Creek Beast: http://amzn.to/1MbdQG1

The Winter Creek Hunter: http://amzn.to/1KR44vy

The Sword and the Flame: The Forging: amzn.to/1bCtsSA

Thanks to CP for being featured today. As always, please check out his books as well as connect with him – he’d love to hear from you. If you’re a fantasy author and would like to be interviewed for “Fantasy Authors Unplugged” just contact me via email or one of my social media channels and we’ll set one up.

Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section. I’d also love to connect with you over social media so check my Contact page for that information. I’ve updated the site with a new landing page starting today but you can still　view the News page for announcements. As part of the changes, new email subscribers will receive my free new guide, 15 Must Have Apps for Self-Publishing Authors. Sign-up today! I’ve added a new sign-up tab on my FaceBook page to simplify the process. Also, the cover of my book, The Bow of Destiny, was revealed recently so take a look.