Author's Friday |Stefan Haucke

Our author for today has traveled to over twenty nations.  His favorite adventures have included riding a camel near the pyramids in Egypt, swimming with sea lions in the waters of the Galapagos Islands, climbing the Great Wall of China, hiking near the Acropolis in Athens, dog sledding in northern Michigan, and photographing polar bears in Canada. 

Stefan Haucke has always been fascinated by history, literature, and world cultures. He has an affinity for folktales, fairytales, and urban legends and has successfully worked as a deckhand, a shepherd, a dispatcher for an emergency services unit, an electric meter reader, and as an office manager. He currently resides in Colorado near the city of Boulder.

Interview:

The Page Walker: Wow, Stefan, you travel a lot! I'm sure many of these places inspired you. But tell me first, which writer/s inspire you?

Stefan Haucke: Many authors have inspired me. Here are some of my favorites (the list isn't in order because I love them all equally): Mark Twain, Ray Bradbury, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ernest Hemingway, H.G. Wells, Stephen King, George Orwell, William Faulkner.

TPW: I am sure that a traveler like yourself couldn't be tied in a spot, but I have to ask, do you prefer a special spot when writing?

SH:  I write in different spots. I always write longhand in a notebook. I like the feel of holding a pen and writing on paper. When I type what I've written into the computer I will make minor revisions to what I've written. I always listen to music when I'm writing. Usually classic rock. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones.

TPW: So, you're also a Beatles fan, that's great! Anyways, when did you decided to become a writer?

SH: Ever since I was a child I've enjoyed creating stories. Several years ago I decided to begin writing for the public.

TPW: I've seen your book cover, and the title was enough to get me curious. Why choose this title?

SH: The title of my novel, Shadows of Ghosts, was inspired by a phrase that I read in Aeschylus's Agamemnon.

TPW: How about the book cover, is there a story behind it?

SH: The cover is a picture of a river. In Shadows of Ghosts the main character, Cal Lanshire, falls into a river when a bridge he's crossing collapses. When he falls into the water he is attacked and bitten by a poisonous snake. He almost loses his life. This is a turning point in the story. It is when Cal finds an inner strength he didn't know he possessed. 

TPW: Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

SH: Mont is my favorite character. He is adventurous, brave, has a great sense of humor, and is loyal to his friends.

TPW: Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

SH: Shadows of Ghosts is intended for people who enjoy fantasy stories. The main character is twelve years old, so the story will appeal to kids around that age. However, it was written in a style that will appeal to adults too.

TPW: Well, I do know a lot of readers who love reading fantasy, kids and adults alike.  How about you, why choose this genre?

SH: I was drawn to the fantasy genre because fantasy stories are entertaining, fun to read, and present the main characters with large, life and death challenges that they must find the inner strength to overcome. An inner strength that at the beginning of the story they didn't know they possessed.

TPW:  Are there any plans for your next project?

SH: Shadows of Ghosts is a complete story.  However, I felt the supporting characters had a story that needed to be told. So, I'm writing a follow up novel to Shadows of Ghosts. This novel is called Dark Dreams Return.

TPW: I'll be expecting that then. Thank you, Stefan, for dropping by. Hope to hear more from you.

SH: Thank you for your interest in Shadows of Ghosts.

Find Stefan Haucke here.  

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About the book:

Shadows of Ghosts carry readers to Enara, a kingdom at war with itself, where for centuries centaurs have been treated like animals because of their horse-like lower bodies; they've been forced to work as slaves in the southern agricultural provinces, and have been bought and sold like livestock. But a strong abolitionist faction has convinced many that centaurs' human torsos, heads, and intellectual abilities make them humans, who should be liberated from slavery and granted the same rights as any other person. After four years of being forced to live in a remote village and having to keep his real identity a secret, Cal Lanshire, days away from his thirteenth birthday, is given the best birthday present he can imagine. He is told the war is almost over and he will soon be allowed to return home. But then an old acquaintance unexpectedly arrives with news that changes everything. Cal's father, the king, has been assassinated. Suddenly the outcome of the war and the very fate of the kingdom depend upon Cal being able to reach the capital where he will take his father's place. With only his crafty best friend by his side and an escaped centaur slave to guide him, can Cal make it through an enchanted, hostile wilderness, past the assassins sent to kill him, and back to the capital before it's too late?

Get your copy of Shadows of Ghosts from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.