Interview Heartbound by P.I. Alltraine
I never really set out to be an author, but writing is something I always knew I could do. When I was at school, some of my friends could sing, some could draw… I could write. I was the editor in chief of the school paper so I edited and wrote news articles, I wrote many of the school plays I performed in, I entered poetry writing competitions and performed spoken word poetry, I wrote the speeches I delivered in oratorical competitions, declamation, debates, etc. At the time, I thought I was doing so many different things, but looking back, everything I chose to do involved writing.
I wanted something that would encapsulate the romantic and fantastical elements of the book. Like everything else, it came to me when I was minding my own business and not thinking about it.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
'Heartbound' is a fantasy so it's littered with elements that are out of this world (literally). But at its core, it's about questioning and finding one's own identity, trying to find a resolution between who you're meant to be and who you want to be. It's about finding the bravery and courage to go against the tides, refuse to conform, and fight for something that means everything to you but means nothing to everyone else.
Is the book, characters, or any scenes based on a true-life experience, someone you know, or events in your own life?
I moved from the Philippines to London, so I was able to draw from my own experiences when writing about Petyr' s struggle to adapt to his new environment, fit in, and find a sense of belongingness in an unfamiliar world.
What books/authors have influenced your life?
I love writers that make me feel something I can't explain or change my perspective. When I read anything by Virginia Woolf, for example, be it an essay or a novel, I feel baffled and enlightened all at once. 'Paradise Lost' by John Milton, 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe and 'Dubliners' by James Joyce are some of my favourites because these literary pieces pulled me into an unfamiliar world and compelled me to change my perspective.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I think poets more than novelists have influenced the way I think, the way I see the world, and the way I write. There are so many, but if I have to choose one, it'll have to be John Milton. I was raised Roman Catholic so when I read 'Paradise Lost,' I found the sublimity and the epic heroism in a figure I grew up seeing as a one-dimensional villain very enlightening. It was empowering to see how Milton took something a lot of people considered sacred, especially at the time, and manipulated it with such grace, such skill.
I'm working on three novels at the moment. One of them is the second book in the Heart Series (sequel to 'Heartbound'). The other two came to me at the same time, and I just couldn't choose between them. I'm also working on some poetry (spoken word). I'm building a collection that will hopefully be ready for publication by next year. There's a video performance available for 'Unmoving,' and a few more from the collection should be up soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2q4JxaN1fw
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
This is always the most difficult question to answer because there's just too many! If I have to choose though, it's got to be John Milton and Virginia Woolf and James Joyce and Chinua Achebe and… (it's impossible to pick just one).
Write for yourself. It doesn't matter if your style doesn't fit the current trend or if some circles won't consider it "good writing." Write because you want to, and write whatever the hell you want. Writing is not a way to fit in or please others. It's one of the very few things in the world that allows the liberty to be true to yourself.
Do you have a song or playlist (book soundtrack) that you think represents this book?
Chapter 1: BELIEVE by Mumford and Sons
Chapter 2: EVERYTHING by Lifehouse
Chapter 3: BUILD IT BETTER by Aaron White
Chapter 4: FEELS LIKE HOME by Chantal Kreviazuk
Chapter 5: WHEN YOU FIND ME by Joshua Radin feat. Maria Taylor
Chapter 6: GHOSTS THAT WE KNEW by Mumford and Sons
Chapter 6: GRACIOUS by Ben Howard
Chapter 8: SOMEBODY TO DIE FOR by Hurts
Chapter 9: FLAWS by Bastille
Chapter 10: HERE IS A HEART by Jenny Owens
WAS THERE NOTHING by Ásgeir
Epilogue: SCARS by James Bay
ATLAS HANDS by Benjamin Francis Leftwich
Heartbound
P.I. Alltraine
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Date of Publication: July 2015
Petyr has never found it necessary to consider the humans as anything more than distant, inferior beings–until now. They are the cause of the fatal disease that has plagued his realm, taking the lives of too many of his kind.
As a future leader of a realm in peril, Petyr must find a way to resist and cure the affliction. He must enter the unfamiliar realm, appear to be an ordinary eighteen-year-old human, observe and learn.
However, things don't exactly go according to plan. Instead of embarking single-mindedly on his sober mission, Petyr meets an 18-year-old girl who does things to his emotions that he can't quite fathom or control. Petyr is falling in love, and he almost forgets the gravity his choices have on his entire world. Despite the risk it poses to his life and hers, he wants to know her, and he wants her to know him–and his world.
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/g5mii9Q1TZM
Available at Amazon UK Amazon US
P.I. Alltraine is an award winning poet and author. She has won several international poetry competitions, and her poems have been published in separate anthologies.
She teaches English Language and Literature in London. She earned her degree in BA English from Queen Mary University of London, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and Master's in Teaching at the UCL Institute of Education, University of London.
Before moving to London, she lived in the Philippines where she was ensconced in the rich culture encrusted with dark myths and enchanted tales. She draws inspiration from these in her writing. Although she has lived indifferent places and experienced different cultures, she always enjoyed the constancy of writing in her life. Her favourite authors include John Milton, Virginia Woolf and James Joyce.
http://www.pialltraine.com
https://pialltraine.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/p.i.alltraine
https://www.twitter.com/pialltraine
http://www.authorsden.com/pialltraine
https://www.goodreads.com/pialltraine
https://youtu.be/m_S8fLKf7cA
Labels: Genre: Fantasy Romance, Heartbound, P.I. Alltraine