Kings and Vagabonds

It actually all started when I was in Venice where a lot of the story takes place.  What happened was I kept thinking of The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke and how memorable of a book it was.  That book is what taught me dramatic irony.  It's when you scream at the book because there characters are so stupid and have no idea what's going to happen...even though it's so obvious!  Anyhow, I kept thinking, why don't I write like that.  Anything like that.  Typically, I write sci-fi so while walking around the story started to unfold, but that one was very different from the actually story.  It orignally would be in first person with Aless's POV starting with how she was a pretend pirate and so on.  I ended up changing it to third person.  The second chapter I wrote was about Fireheart and suddenly from there on out the story became a reality.  Also it was nice becuase I got a lot of walking time in Venice to think everything over.

My inspirations change every second yet my muse remains the same. My muse is the nightsky and all the wonders it holds in it.  Although, that may not be all that apparent throughout this novel but for the most part I write poetry along with science fiction.  This novel is a little bit different but I have always written fantasy.  It's a little out of this world for me.  Other than that some inspirations of mine in general are Star Trek, Cornelia Funke, J.R.R. Tolkien, Arthur C. Clarke, Phillip Glass, Danny Elfman, Two Steps from Hell, Muse, Bryan Fuller and Joss Whedon.  The list of course goes on and on but those I would have to say are my main inspirations that remain constant.  Sometimes new insprations come like the other day I was listening to Pink Floyd and a part of the song Echoes makes me think of Fireheart and Aless, which is odd becuase I call it the psychadelic space odyssey (you don't even need LDS).

In Italy, it's called Venezia instead of Venice.  Personally, I liked that name a little better so I chose it.  Also it sounds much prettier and fits the story better than Venice.

Yes and no.  The whole fire part comes from Dustfinger.  There's a lot of Cornelia Funke inspiration throughout this novel because I love the way she is able to craft a story.  But for the most part.  No.  Fireheart is not Dustfinger other then the fact that they are both able to play with fire in a special way.  Actually a lot of inspiration for Fireheart comes from misc. people in my life, Mo from Inkheart (he's my favorite character) and Aragorn from Lord of the Rings.

Well that's sort of a funny story.  Originally, when it was Sebastiano, I just called him Sebastiano instead of Fireheart.  The problem was every time I used his name I said it about five times in my head becuase I loved the name so much.  When I was walking around Venice with my family I kept saying his name in my head until I realized, I don't really like the name Sebastiano.  It sounds funny.  That was when I changed it to just Fireheart.  Later it was, Sebastiano Fireheart only I still hated the name Sebastiano because I made the mistake of saying it too many times.  Therefore, I decided to switch up the Italian/Latin name game and chose my all time favorite Spanish name.  Alejandro.  I love it both as Alejandro and Alejandra.  Personally, I think the name fits Fireheart better and I doubt it will ever change again.  Also Alejandro is the Spanish/Portuguese form of Alexander, which means 'defending men' and that's what Fireheart does.

Random Fact: Alejandro is the name of the Zorro's father.  His name was Don Alejandro de la Vega.

No!  Actually, this question has been asked way too many times in my opinion.  Vulcan, which is located in Prometheus, has nothing to do with Star Trek.  Actually, it's an allusion to Roman Mythology.  First off, in Greek Mythology, Prometheus is a titan who stole fire from the gods and brought it to the humans.  When I needed a city name, to match such a reference I chose Vulcan because he is the Roman god of fire.  Since this is where Fireheart comes from, people here are able to tame fire.  This is why it's so profound that he is a Promethean, which is touched on throughout the novel.  Also they worship the god Vulcan.  It's the official/only deity of Prometheus.

Random Note: It's fun to look at words over time and how they form into other ones.  Vulcan.  Vulcanus.  Volcano.  And technically, Vulcan should be pronounced almost with a w sound if I remember correctly.  Wulcan.  But I think it sounds cooler with a V becuase the letter is heavier, which then makes it sound more powerful.

In Venice, my family and I went to this little island where Murrano glass was and the person who makes the glass, they call Maestro.  Therefore, I thought that would be what he would simply be known as.  Maestro.  Also I haven't thought of a name that fits his personality but once you learn a little bit about his past.  I will probably reveal his name. 

Well.  Considering the fact that I haven't even finished writing the novel.  There's no telling.  In my head, I want there to be a sequel to develop characters who come in later such as Ilaria and King Sam Wolf.  Also Fireheart has a little secret that I'm going to let known to the world at the end.  And that itself can build into a huge sequel.  Everybody'll just have to wait and see.

I honesty have no idea.  Some projects are finished while others are not.  But unlike anything else that I have written before, I always seem to come back to this one novel.  Therefore, I'm hoping to finish it someday soon.  There's a lot of things that I need to work out though before I start to continue the story.  I'm a harsh critic,if anybody knows me...they know exactly what I mean by this.  Imagine that added onto the criticism we all thrown upon ourselves.  I hate what I write.  I love what I write.  It's all one bipolar love story.  I guess only time will tell if Kings and Vagabonds will be finished.  What happens to Fireheart?  Will he win?  Will he die?  And what about that Alessandra?

Of course!  That is if I actually ever finish writing the novel first.