Another Writer Hits Silver Pen: Joel Rochester!!
We’ve got another amazing Silver Pen, and we’re so thrilled to introduce him! Joel Rochester of Wales, has already written >15,000 words!!
If you want to give Joel a shout out, you can find him on his website, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, NaNo, or leave him a comment on his Malala Fundraiser page. 🙂
Read below to learn more about how cool Joel is, and maybe YOU will feel inspired to strive for Silver Pen too.
What is your favorite book and/or author, and what draws you to them?
That is such a hard question, but some of my favorite authors include J.K Rowling, J.R.R Tolkien, Leigh Bardugo, Laini Taylor, Kendare Blake, Susan Dennard (hehe) and V.E Schwab. I’m in love with the way that they write and the worlds they build, they draw me in. It’s so inspiring and I hope to build and craft stories and worlds like them but in my own way.
Is this your first book? If not, what was the first book you ever finished writing?
This isn’t my first book! The first book I finished writing was A Mirror of Smoke which is the first book in hopefully a series. It follows a girl named Asha, who resorts to looting and odd jobs in order to gather water for her kingdom is in a state of drought. When she’s offered the chance to get revenge on the Prince that deserted their kingdom, she can’t resist taking that chance as she believes killing him will appease the Gods and bring back the rain. Then we have two other perspectives which follow Kaiah, whose twin brother is murdered before her eyes. She resorts to becoming him in order to find out who killed him and what did he know for someone to warrant murder on him. And then there’s Corvus who is about to graduate University and become a mentee to a mentor until he discovers he can open portals, an art of magic thought lost and suddenly, he becomes a desired treasure for two armies caught in a civil war.
It’s my passion project and I definitely hope I can publish it one day!
What’s the working title of your NaNoWriMo17 project?
The Dream Prince
Give us an elevator pitch of your project.
In a world where sorcery is outlawed and wars rage on between kingdoms, Prince Khenan discovers that the prophecy defining his life was forged since birth. After learning it’s true meaning, he must travel to his mortal enemy’s kingdom to save their Prince who was placed under a Sleeping Curse. But as Khenan journies towards the prince, his self-belief will be tested as he’s forced to make decisions that will permanently change his world in this Sleeping Beauty reimagining.
Share your favorite line/short paragraph from your book so far.
Khenan’s father, King Brantly began a crusade against sorcerers since Khenan’s first birthday, the bloody swords and screams serving as permanent reminders in Khenan’s mind that no one was an exception to this rule. For this reason, Khenan often doubted his prophecy. He was the one everyone loved but he was too the thing his father hated most. But he couldn’t deny his core existence, his form of freedom. Khenan’s wings were his sorcery, they gave him a form of freedom no man nor woman could. However, were it to be discovered, Khenan would be executed to prevent its corruption, even if he was the prophesied Sun Prince. The pain magic caused his father would be too powerful to retract the essence of revenge embedded deep in his heart. The day Khenan becomes King, however, will be the day he hopes to bring a reign of peace and prosperity, a reign where wars are over and sorcerers are free. But for now, he must conceal his true self if he should ever stand a chance of bringing such a world from dream into reality.
How did you hear about the Mighty Pens?
From Susan Dennard’s newsletter. The idea was such a great one, I had to join!
What inspired you to join the Mighty Pens?
The fact that I could help raise money for the Malala Fund while writing for November is amazing. It gives me the perfect motivation to keep writing and to keep going throughout the month.
Congratulations once more, Joel!! And keep on doing what you’re doing!!