Interview with Cesar Gonzalez, author of Element Wielder!

I'm pleased to welcome Cesar Gonzalez, author of the Element Wielder! Reviews indicate that fans of Harry Potter will enjoy this new fantasy series...


1. Hello, and welcome to my blog! To start off, what made you decide to take the plunge into the world of publishing?
 

 

Thank you for having me. It is an honor. 

 

My love for stories beckoned me to get into the publishing world. Ever since I was a kid I would lose myself in stories. Books like Goosebumbs, The Darkside of Nowhere, Where The Red Fern Grows, and Chronicles Of Narnia would consume my days.

However, I wasn't limited to stories told through books. I would also spend many days immersed in the world of video games like Final Fantasy VII, VIII, VI, Dragon Quest, Fire Emblem, Mass Effect, Resident Evil, and Valis. It was this love for stories that drove me to want to share my story with the world as well.

 

2. Tell me about your book.

 

The idea of Element Wielder came to me when I was in eight grade. I wanted to tell a story that reflected what the things I enjoy. Those things are a mix of action, adventure, drama, character development, and romance.

It is the story of inner turmoil as well as outer turmoil. In his quest he has to question himself, where his loyalties lie, and his own character. Is he really a good person, or the greatest menace the world has ever seen? It is the story of faith, love, and a young man’s struggle to continue on his quest, when surrendering to his emotions is so much easier.

However, I know there’s a lot of stories that deal with element control. So I knew that I also had to do something to make it different. This is how I came up with the idea of advanced and basic elements. There’s not only basic elements like water, fire, wind, and earth, there’s also elements like space, holy, mind, darkness, and poison.

 

 

3. Do you have a favorite character from your book?

 

I have favorite aspects of each character, but if I had to choose one it would be the holy wielder, Faith Hemstath.

I enjoy her ability to see the best of every person. Even in the worst situations imaginable, she will find that small ray of light and let it shine.

It is an admirable trait that I wish I could emulate. It’s easy to be dealt a bad hand in life and become pessimistic. But it’s extremely difficult to remain optimistic and kind when the world beats down on you. I think she speaks to that person inside of u that we all wish we could be.

 

 

4. Many of your reviews compare this to Harry Potter. Did the Harry Potter series have any influence on this story?

 

I was pleasantly surprised to see that many people have found Element Wielder to Harry Potter. I’m a big fan of Harry Potter series; however, Harry Potter did not influence the writing of Element Wielder. But I can see how people find similarities in both works.

People want to be immersed in a different world. They want to get to know interesting characters and share in their experiences. I believe this is what both stories do. They take people on an adventure with intriguing personalities, immersive plot, and magical worlds.

People who enjoyed Harry Potter will find Element Wielder an enjoyable read.

 

 

5. Without giving any spoilers, what was your favorite scene to write?

 

That’s a hard one, but I would have to say the romantic scenes. Romance is laced throughout the story, but does not play a huge part in the overall plot. That is why I found it enjoyable to write the few scenes where it is in the book.

I also really liked the fight scenes. They were some of the hardest, but most enjoyable to write. It’s always so easy to picture in my head what you want to write, but putting that image down on paper is always a challenge.

 

 6. What do you do when you're not writing?

 

Usually I’m spending time with my son. I also go out running quite a bit. I’m something of a nut about keeping my body and mind healthy.

My son and me are also big anime. I think that is why Element Wielder appeals to fans of anime and manga.

7. Can we expect a sequel?

Oh, yes. This series is a trilogy. The sequel, Legacy of Chaos, has been finished and is currently going heavy revision. I think readers will really like the sequel because we get to delve more into this strange world. It also breaks the mold and strays away from events that some people may consider to be cliché.

I’m aiming for a release date of November 2014.

 

Off-Beat Questions

1. Your story deals with wielding the elements. If you could wield only one element, what would it be?

 

Space wielding is cool. Who wouldn’t want to summon black holes and stardust from the cosmos. However, I would have to go with void wielding.

Sure, void wielders can only do weak attacks, but the trade off is that they can wield all the basic elements. That means I would be able to wield fire, water, air, earth, and mind. Camping wouldn’t be a problem because I could always make a fire and to heat up some s’mores.

I also would never go thirty. 

 

2. It seems now-a-days that fantasy and the supernatural are pretty prominent, especially in YA and Middle Grade fiction. Why do you think this is?

 

This is actually very simple. Money. It’s hot right now so it’s selling. As long as this continues to happen this will continue.

Thank you so much for featuring me in your blog.