Doing a Great Deed

Jan 26

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Eric Swanson Author Interview

Jorsa follows a man who was banished after a failed attempt to dethrone the King and a blue elf warrior who is fighting to restore the balance of power in the kingdom. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I got inspiration from the Bible. Some people may criticize my Christian allegory, but I wanted to write something that gives a picture of sin and how the Holy Spirit guides us when we face evil. I wanted the main character to describe our human condition. There are evil forces outside of us, and there will be struggles in our lives. There will be times when it seems like we are blind, and we need others to help us. But through all the difficult times, we have the help of the Holy Spirit.

I found your characters to be incredibly engaging. Which character in the novel do you feel you relate to more and why?

I can relate to the main character, Jorsa. I don’t feel like I have the same courage, but he goes through struggles with temptations in the book and feels like a failure. I can relate to the struggle with failure and the need to find affirmation in doing a great deed. He’s the target of Tilif, not because he has done a heroic deed, but for wanting to follow Karlek. He struggles to have a personal experience with the King, and it comes in the book. As Christian believers, we all should want a personal touch of God. Once we get a personal experience, it changes cowards into soldiers.

How long did it take you to imagine, draft, and write the world your characters live in?

I rewrote a previous novel I had written about 10 years ago. A friend challenged me to write more like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. They both wrote about spiritual things in their novels without having to say, “Now this is Jesus.” I hope the imagery comes through in the book. The total time of the rewrite took a few years.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

I plan on rewriting another novel, making it into a sequel to Jorsa. The working title is Outcast. I’m very excited about the sequel, where I have more imagery of spiritual warfare and incorporate many of the same characters.

Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Website | Amazon

As one reviewer said, “This book is going on my re-read list.” Then another says, “This pleasantly reminded me a lot of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series.”

Torish discovered the danger of envy when he attempted to overthrow the righteous king, Karlek. Vihaa was his final destination, a barren wasteland where he would live out the rest of his days. But in his dungeon, a plan formed when Susan mysteriously came into his life, giving him a son named Tilif.

Tilif escaped Vihaa, hoping to recapture his father’s glory. But his departure was anticlimactic when two elves shot arrows into his eyes. Now, with the help of Susan, goblins and poliths, Tilif is looking for a way to regain his eyesight and rescue his father. But those who are true to Karlek stands in his way. 
 
Jorsa, a blue elf, joins in an epic battle of good versus evil, where he gets thrust into a leadership role after Tilif kidnaps those whom he loves. It appears he’s all alone against forces beyond his strength. But when it looks like overwhelming odds, Lef, an Island dweller, comes to his aid.

With Lef, Jorsa must rescue his friends, keep Tilif blind, and prevent his evil scheme of rescuing his father, Torish, from Vihaa.

Will Jorsa rescue his friends? Will Tilif regain his eyesight? These questions, and more, are answered in this epic tale.


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Posted on January 26, 2025, in Interviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

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