A story of adventure, immersed in time travel, mystical romance and a sprinkling of humor.
That’s what readers will discover in “The King and The Void,” a tale about a young magic prodigy, by E.R. Malone.
Malone will be having a book signing from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at The Magic of Books Bookstore, 113 W. Second St., Seymour.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
The 26-year-old Seymour man said he comes from a large family, many of whom are close to him and live in Jackson County.
An entrepreneur, he currently runs a marketing agency and is always looking for new ways to bring ideas to life.
Malone said “The King and The Void” is a revamping of his debut novel, “The Chosen King,” as it includes both the original work and a seven-chapter sequel novella named “The Void” in one book.
“The original work was started in 2018 as a time-consuming hobby to make work less boring for me,” he said. “It was completed and released one year after the rough draft, and ‘The Void’ was written in three weeks’ time in December of last year and released in January of this year.”
Malone said he first noticed he had a true passion for the art form of writing while he was in his high school English class.
“I was always excited to write about subjects I found interesting, especially historical topics,” he said. “However, even as a child, I would write funny, made-up stories about whimsical characters and share them with my grandmother.”
Malone said his grandmother has always supported his talents, and he believes writing has always been natural for him, as he has a profound sense of imagination.
He classifies his new book as fantasy and science fiction, as he has had a lifelong obsession with that genre.
“I really had fun with it, and there are all sorts of action thrown together with comedy and romance,” he said. “That creates a lighthearted yet intriguing sense of excitement throughout the saga.”
He said the book spans from a fantastical epic into a modern action sci-fi thriller in a way he pridefully claims as an original method of storytelling from constantly shifting perspectives.
“You’ll find time travel, giant battles, mysterious situations and emotional dialogues all in one place,” Malone said. “Several of my characters are modeled after friends and relatives that have played large roles in my life.”
Malone said he puts a lot of his own personal traits into his characters and that equality also serves as a major focus within his characters.
“All of my novels will be intertwined but not necessarily chronological,” Malone said. “I first plan a general plot line with techniques, such as the traditional word web.”
Once he has structured a good narrative, Malone said he will write several chapters at a time, often taking large breaks in between, days even. He said his method is absolutely chaotic, but it works for him.
As for what advice he might have for someone who wants to write a novel, Malone suggests writers take their time and focus on telling a good story.
“Put yourself into the work, find a message that you want to portray and don’t fear criticism,” he said. “The most important thing is to connect with your readers.”
Some of his favorite authors are J.R.R. Tolkien, R.A. Salvatore, C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling.
Malone said his inspiration is wanting to become like those he looks up to within the art form. He wants to create his own legacy and a piece of history.
“I want a kid who has nothing but his books to keep him company to use my work as a sense of escape from reality, just like Tolkien did for me,” Malone said. “He changed my entire life and gave me friends and heroes that I could look up to when I was bullied or sad. I want to provide that for someone else.”
At his first official book signing Saturday, Malone will have a limited number of physical copies available, but readers also may order a copy at that time.
“I can have it signed and sent to the store for them to receive at a later date,” he said. “People can also go to my Facebook page facebook.com/ermaloneauthor, which provides a one-click shopping option for all of my merchandise.”
The Castle Games hobby shop, located at 210 W. Second St. in downtown Seymour, also carries Malone’s books.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
What: Book signing event with E.R. Malone, author of "The King and The Void," a tale about a young magic prodigy
When: Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Magic of Books Bookstore, 113. W. Second St., Seymour
Information: facebook.com/ermaloneauthor
Malone will have a limited number of physical copies available, but readers also can order the book at the event.
[sc:pullout-text-end]