Title: Jacob, King of Portalia
Series:The Pillars of Life
By: Casey Clubb
Genre: YA/MG Fantasy, GLBT story
Publication Date: September 16, 2014
Published By: Booktrope
BLURB
Jacob is the only one who can protect us all from a vengeful lunatic.
But Jacob’s a tiny sixth grader who’s scared of his own shadow. And his only known talent is hiding.
A misfit in his own home, a boy out of place in his own skin, Jacob has been hiding all his life—in his head, or behind his only friend.
His kind of different just isn’t accepted.
He thought hiding would keep him safe. But he was wrong.
For Jacob’s hiding has buried more than one truth, more than one secret. Including a destiny and a duty that are his to fulfill.
And a powerful talent. One that could doom his people.
Or save them…if he can find the courage to stop hiding from the thing that terrifies him the most—the truth about who he is:
A boy who likes boys.
A boy with a destiny foretold in an ancient legend.
A boy whose love could save us all.
Barnes & Noble-
INTERVIEW
What inspired you to write this book?
When I was eight, I had my first boyfriend. He used to hold my hand and open doors for me.
People thought we were cute together.
I never had to struggle with whether or not there was something wrong with me because I
liked boys. But if my first boyfriend had been a girlfriend, things would have been very
different.
I’m a dreamer. I dream of a world where we can be who we are and love who we love. I
dream of a world where a boy can fall in love with a boy, hold his hand, and open doors for
him, and nobody thinks twice about it.
I was inspired to write Jacob because I wanted to write a story about a boy who falls in love
with a boy, and becomes a hero and a King.
Can you give us an interesting fact about your book that isn't in the blurb?
Jacob is biracial, he has a year-round, no-sun-needed tan.
How did you choose your title?
It ties in with the final stanza of the Legend of the Unicorns. As do the titles of books two and
three.
Tell us about the cover and how it came to be.
The cover was designed by the amazing Greg Simanson. I described the essence of Jacob to him,
and he came up with a cover that completely captured that essence.
A small boy in a cloak, standing with his back to us, peering downwards in contemplation,
preparing to come out of hiding and step up to a mysterious and unknown destiny, one that
transcends the boundaries of a single world.
A huge eagle approaches, observing. The eagle is from a scene in the book and also has greater
significance as the trilogy progresses.
An interesting tidbit – I have the eagle tattooed on my back. With book two, I plan to add a tattoo
of a dragon, and with book three, a unicorn, to symbolize the trilogy.
Did you selfpublish or publish traditionally and why?
I published independently with Booktrope team publishing. I chose to go this route because I
felt like it afforded me the greatest opportunity to retain control over my story and how it is
presented. And, well, the opportunity presented itself, and I just knew it was the right way for
me to go!
What do you consider the most important part of a good story?
For me, what constitutes a good story depends on my mood. I guess I would have to say that
a good story is one that fulfils my emotional need at the time I read it.
What is your writing process?
My writing process is chaotic, I tend to bounce around a lot :-). I overwrite my first draft. I write
my scenes in many versions, then I pick and choose from each version to see what rings true.
It also takes me about three “finished and polished” versions before my story is truly complete.
After I get what I think is a completely revised and edited story, I let it sit for a while – Jacob
sat for over a year after I finished editing the second version. And for ten years between the
first and second versions!!
How long have you been writing?
Off and on for thirteen years. Yikes!
How did you get started writing?
I’ve always created stories in my head. One day, I decided to start writing some of them down.
That was over ten years ago.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Both. I plot while in the process of writing by the seat of my pants. I start off as a pantser. As
I’m writing, an outline starts to form in my brain. I can’t write the scenes as fast as I plot them
out, so then I start outlining a plot, and making notes for later.
I go back and forth between plotting and pantsing. For me, the two go hand in hand.
But I hate being organized, so I don’t call my plotting an outline, I call it my rocky path :-).
What part of the writing process is the hardest for you?
Sitting down at the computer vs thinking about sitting down at the computer. I love to brainstorm
and think of all the different scenarios. But sometimes I spend more time brainstorming and less
time actually writing the scene.
What tips can you give on how to get through writers block?
The best advice I’ve ever heard or read is the “butt in chair” advice.
Waiting for inspiration to strike has never resulted in any good writing for me.
But sitting down at my keyboard has never failed me. Sometimes I have to write a good two
thousand words before anything good starts to flow. But if I’m actually writing, as opposed to
thinking about writing, I’ve never had a case of writers block I couldn’t overcome.
What kind of music do you like to listen to while you write?
It varies. Lately I’ve been writing in silence, although for years I never wrote without music in
the background.
I write to anything from classical to heavy metal.
When I wrote the first version of Jacob, over a decade ago, I listened to lots of Vivaldi’s Four
Seasons and the soundtrack to Phantom of the Opera.
For the second version, I was into a lot of heavy metal.
And for this version, I wrote in silence.
Who is your favorite author?
At the moment, my favorite author is Mark Lawrence.
Who is your favorite character from a book?
It’s a tie between Miles Vorkosigan and Jorg Ancrath.
What is your favorite book?
At the moment, Prince of Thorns.
Read anything good lately?
Elantris. Loved that book!
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I spend a lot of time working with my German Shepherd puppy, Paco. He’s seven months old and
a gazillion times smarter than me! He keeps me on my toes.
What advice would you give an author just starting out?
Just sit down and start.
Accept that writing, like life, is a journey, a process of change.
And, like having children, if you wait until you are “ready” it will never happen :-).
Have you had anything else published?
The Triumph of the Soul.
What's your next project?
Jacob, Portal Master, The Pillars of Life Book Two
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Casey Clubb lives near Portland, Oregon with her husband and her ever-growing collection of stuffed Tiggers.
For news and updates on Book Two—Jacob, Portal Master, visit www.caseyclubb.com.
TOUR Giveaway Info-
1 paperback Jacob, King of Portalia (US only)
5 eBooks of Jacob, King of Portalia (Intl)
1 eBook of Fractured Dream (Intl)
1 eBook of Spirit Warriors: The Scarring (Intl)
1 eBook of Orenda (Intl)
1 eBook of Eyes of The Enemy (Intl)
1 eBook of Dead Girl Walking (Intl)
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