guest post: Author Kevin James Breaux

Written by Darlyn At Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Hi guys! Today I'm so honored to have Kevin James Breaux, author of Soulborn at Darlyn & Books. You have to read the guest post, I love how he talked about his experience and memories of his childhood, beautiful paintings, fantasy and arts. Hope you enjoy!

Kevin James Breaux, Author, Level One

You know how they say one event can change your life forever. Looking back at my childhood I think I can pinpoint a single moment that created a wide spread butterfly effect that rippled throughout my years.

On my seventh birthday, back in 1981, my friend Matt, who was a few years older than me, gave me my first Dungeons and Dragons book. It was the OFFICIAL ADVANCED DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS MONSTER MANUAL by Gary Gygax and it had the most amazing painting of a bunch of pegasi fighting a big red dragon on the cover. The book was hard bound and large, unlike all my other little children’s books. Holding it here in my hands now, I recall those very happy days.

Of all the gifts I got from my friends and family that birthday the Monster Manual is the only one I remember, and still own to this day. Yes, I’m sure I got a football, some Star Wars action figures, maybe even some Batman Underoos, but those items did not make a lasting impression on me. (Underoos were boys underwear that looked like a superhero costume and were quite the trendy fashion statement of their day).

I vividly remember feeling that Matt had given me a very special gift. At the same time I was curious and excited; what was this book and what secrets did it hold inside?

I admit at seven years old I probably did not comprehend half of what I was reading, but the pen and ink pictures hypnotized me. Massive snarling dragons, swirling wind elementals, giants as big as trees, squid-headed mind flayers and even shambling zombies; these 112 pages kept my attention for hundreds of hours. I wanted to draw everything I saw, and tried my best to copy my favorite pages.

My parents must have wondered if this book was secretly enchanted with kid-tranquilizing magic due to the simple fact that, short of cartoons, nothing quite held my attention so solidly. Thinking back all those years I cannot remember if I begged my mother to take me to the hobby store in the Village Mall that week to buy more books like this one, or if she raced me over there just to find more of these “hardbound baby sitters”. Either way, it worked out nicely and I added MONSTER MANUAL 2, FIEND FOLIO and DEITIES AND DEMI-GODS to my collection.

Seeing my excitement over his gift, Matt wanted to teach me how to play the game behind the “cool drawings”. He and his friends were just learning it too and they needed one more player. I’ll never forget the feeling of amazement that washed over me when I saw all the little metal knights and wizards used to play D&D. Unlike the plastic army men I had buckets of, each of these metal soldiers and monsters seemed to have a story about them, and the way Matt explained it those tales were yet to be told. Yeah, I was instantly hooked, time to play.

You know how kids play; they kinda make things up as they go along. Did I know all the D&D rules back then? NO WAY! I probably knew 5% of them, if even that. Basically I understood how to make and equip my character and when to roll my dice, other than that I just followed the leader. I had a good imagination and was easily amused, the best I can explain it is that the game of D&D was all just one big puppet show, and from time to time I was allowed to dance my very own puppet.

It’s hard not to credit D&D for the onslaught of fantasy related things my parents put in front of me from that day forward. Toys like the LEGO Castle and movies such as Excalibur and Hawk the Slayer; it all shaped me as a future writer in the genre. After years of enjoying other people’s creations I realized I could make my own. It wasn’t until recent years that I realized it was not the act of playing games like D&D, Ultima: Exodus, Final Fantasy or even World of Warcraft (I miss you WoW) that I truly enjoyed, it was actually the process of character creation that excited me.

SOUL BORN is my debut novel: a character driven fantasy; 110,000 words born from the tips of my fingers and the core of my heart. SOUL BORN can be read as a standalone novel, or the beginning of a proposed three book series.

All Opal wanted was to be respected as a wielder of magic, but her teachers passed her over time and time again. When a mysterious warlord embarks on a conquest to destroy the lands of Illyia Opal seizes an opportunity to step out from the shadows of her instructors and take her rightful spot among them. Tala, an alluring young elf, was banished from her tribe, hunted and nearly killed by the beasts that dwell in the deep forests, but more than anything else she is a survivor. Joining forces with an ancient elemental power Tala finds herself in the center of an unrelenting human war. She never wanted any of this.

Flesh like leather and bone as strong as steel Karn, a veteran from the first kingdom to fall, is fueled by vengeance. While pushing ever headlong into battle Karn begins to recall memories of another life; ghosts that haunt his dreams.

Through death of soul, their world is born.

About the Author

Kevin James Breaux is an award-winning author and artist. He is a member of the HWA and EAA. Along with having many short stories published Kevin's first novel, SOUL BORN, an epic fantasy, will be released 11/2010. Soul Born is book one in a three book series, that runs over 110,000 words.

Visit him at his website: http://www.kevinbreaux.com/



Thanks so much Kevin for visiting Darlyn & Books!


21 comments:

  1. Great article, Kevin! Nice shout-outs to D&D Monster Manual and Superhero Underoos, too!

    Coincidentally, the D&D Manual also had a HUGE effect on me as well. And, like you, I mostly made up my own rules and spent the rest of the time coming up with dungeon maps (ahhh....graphing paper) and plotting my own quests.

    I wonder if the makers of D&D can ever get enough credit for inspiring so many artists?

    Anyway, great article, and thanks for the insight into your own personal evolution as a writer.

    Bob

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  2. That's one hot looking author, Darlyn! Thanks for hosting the author.

    Hello to Kevin and thanks for the great guest post. I like the sound of the book. "Through death of soul, their world is born." I like!

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  3. Thank you Bob. I love the cover too, JuJu! Dan Dos Santos did an amazing job. Thanks Alice, for the kind words and right back at you! Nice self portrait.

    Kevin James Breaux

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  4. Thanks so much Kevin for stopping by! I can't wait to read Soul Born!

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  5. Very good article, Kevin. Looking forward to having an autographed copy of SOUL BORN of my very own!

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  6. Soul born sounds so so cool! This was some brilliant insight from the author...great job featuring this, Darlyn! :)

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  7. Nice to have met Kevin, thanks to you both for an interesting post. We will no doubt be hearing a lot about Soul Born on varrious blogs as it sounds like a good read.

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  8. Good stuff, Breaux. Miss you back here. Best of luck with Soul Born.

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  9. If u will given a chance to travel across the Philippines, what destination would it be?

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  10. Wow have a great collection all is very important thanks for it.

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  11. Meski Kalah, Simeone Tetap Apresiasi Pemainnya

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    Atletico dipaksa mengakui ketangguhan Valencia dengan skor 3-1 dalam lawatan ke Estadio de Mestalla, Sabtu (4/10/2014). Atletico sudah tertinggal 0-1 di menit keenam karena gol bunuh diri Miranda. Hanya jeda semenit, Atletico kembali kebobolan lewat gol Andre Gomes. Gol Nicolas Otamedi di menit ke-13 makin membuat sang juara bertahan tertinggal.

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  12. Wenger Sampaikan Pesan Simpati ke Mannone

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    Agen Bola Terpercaya indo11.com melaporkan, Manajer Arsenal, Arsene Wenger memberikan kata penghiburan kepada mantan anak buahnya yang kini membela Sunderland, Vito Mannone.

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    ReplyDelete
  13. Skrtel: Balotelli gets full support from Liverpool

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    Liverpool center-back Martin Skrtel says Reds’ players always give 100 per cent support to under-fire Italian attacker Mario Balotelli.
    The 24-year-old has yet struck a single top flight goal ever since joining Liverpool from AC Milan.
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  14. Song Lauds West Ham Spirit in Win over Man City

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    On-loan West Ham United midfielder Alex Song says their 2-1 victory over title-holders Manchester City was down to their spirit for the same cause.
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  15. Mario Gomez is Hoping to Get and Add Confidence and Score More Goals for Fiorentina



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    He added that the goal against Juventus was able to make the Artemio Frankie in surprise.

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  16. You Can Tell a Duel, Both Teams is to Get the Chance to Occupy the Top Three Serie a Italian League



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    ReplyDelete


  17. Louis Van Gaal and Ronald Koeman Confident Of Infection Storm in Southampton Will Not Be Affected



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    Van Sant hosts the Red Devils in the Premier League match on Monday morning (8/12) at a later date.

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  18. Wenger Assess the Gunners Do Not Have A Leader Who Is Able To Manage the Coordination Line Behind His Team


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  19. Didier Deschamps : “Kami Memiliki Kans Juarai Euro 2016”


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Thanks for the comments! XOXO ;p

 

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