The Erec Rex Series by Kaza Kingsley

THE EREC REX SERIES (Books 1 and 2)

by Kaza Kingsley

Young Adult Fantasy
Simon & Schuster
www.ErecRex.com

5 Signed Copies will be given away on Friday April 17, 2009


The Dragon's Eye (Book 1)

Life is not easy for twelve-year-old Erec Rex. His single mother can barely support her six adopted kids. And they've moved into an apartment so tiny that Erec sleeps with the washing machine. Worse, there is a strange force within Erec that is making him do odd things. His urge to obey these thoughts grows -- until it becomes impossible to resist them. Then one morning, Erec's mother is missing. The force inside Erec commands him to find her, leading him on an adventure that will change him forever. When he arrives in Alypium, a hidden world where old knowledge of magic is kept, Erec learns that his mother and the entire kingdom are in peril. And he might be the only one who can save them.

The Monsters of Otherness (Book 2)

Trouble is brewing in quiet, pleasant Alypium, and only Erec Rex can make it better. All of the baby dragons have mysteriously disappeared, and King Piter has lost the trust of his people. Worse, the evil Stain brothers will become the new rulers of the Kingdom of the Keepers unless Erec returns to Alypium and challenges them. but if Erec becomes king, the power of the royal scepter could destroy him completely.As Erec performs deadly quests in pursuit of the throne, he discovers that the right path brings many risks and few rewards -- and when he must delve into the Substance that holds our world together, he must summon all of his strength just to survive.


Book Trailer:

1) The Erec Rex series sounds incredibly imaginative. How’d you come up with the idea?

Thank you! As a kid, fantasy was my entertainment of choice. I loved the Wizard of Oz series so much in second grade that I began to believe the characters were real, and was sure I would eventually escape through a cyclone, an earthquake, or some other natural disaster to meet up with my buddies in Oz. So it was no real surprise when the idea for Erec Rex came to me, and it was a combination of my two loves: young adult fantasy and mythology.

The concept for this series struck me so hard that I literally had to write it. I imagined a kid—a normal kid from our world—that had to face and go through things that paralleled the most harrowing adventures in mythology: the Hercules legend. How would he deal with the tough decisions he would face? Would today’s hero have doubts? Would he fail at times, and lose the very things that are the most precious to him?

The Erec Rex series is my own version of this legend, twisted into something new. Just as Hercules had twelve labors that he had to face, Erec must tackle twelve quests if he will ever become king of the magical Alypium—saving it from sure destruction. Oh, and he has a few other problems thrown in, such as finding out that he might be turning into a dragon, and needing to rescue his missing mother, learning who his father is . . .

Forgive me. I am an excited author, getting ahead of myself. Suffice it to say that I am having a lot of fun writing this series. Within the story line I have woven in all kinds of references to mythology. For example, the three rulers of the Kingdoms of the Keepers—Piter, Posey, and Pluto—are reflections of the three ancient Roman gods: Jupiter, Poseidon, and Pluto.

I can’t remember a time in my life where I wasn’t writing something. Not that the little stories I penned in grade school were anything special. But it was always a great love of mine. I must have finished a hundred short stories before I started my first novel. And then I spent years in editing groups, reading books on story arcs . . . pretty much doing everything I could to work on my craft.

I spent almost half a year writing out the plot for the series, little twists and turns, and surprises. After a notebook full of ideas and outlines I finally felt ready to plunge in! That said, parts of the story continue to evolve as I write.

But I hope that readers will ultimately come away with something more important than legends and history. I hope that my stories offer a small escape to readers, a place to dream, and inspiration to pursue their dreams, whatever they may be.

2) Does Erec have any special powers? As the author, how did this power(s) help or hinder your ability to tell Erec’s story?

Erec was born with a special power, although in Book One it seems more like a curse than a gift. Commands overtake him at times, and he must follow their orders, no matter what they are. So far they have made him do good things, but what if they force him to do something terrible? And what is the force behind these commands?

As the books progress, Erec gains other powers in various ways, such as from a scepter and also a dragon’s eye.

These powers / forces are part and parcel of the Erec Rex saga. So they didn’t hinder the story at all—in fact they helped shape it into what it has become!

3) So I’m sure you get the “Harry Potter” comparison a LOT. So let’s just get that out of the way. How is it similar? How is it different?

You know, it’s interesting. I used to get the Harry Potter comparison a lot, when Book One was first out. Luckily it was in a positive way. But I’d get reviews from Kirkus saying, “This outing definitely belongs aboard the Potter wagon, but merits a seat toward the front.” If you look in the media room at http://www.erecrex.com/press.htm you will see a bunch of TV interviews where I’m asked what it’s like to have written the “new Harry Potter,” and how I felt about the “Harry Potter-like buzz.” It was crazy!

I used to say that it was like having a boyfriend compare you to his gorgeous, model ex-girlfriend. It’s a compliment, but after a while you want to say, “Forget about her! I’m completely different!”

Luckily, after Book Two, The Search for Truth, was released, the series seems to have broken away from that comparison and is now being compared to earlier Erec Rex books! Which it really should. Erec Rex has no wizards or school, and although there is magic and adventure it is really it’s own story.


4) You had sort of an untraditional publishing story with this book, starting out at a smaller press only to get picked up by Simon and Schuster later down the road. Can you tell us about that?

Sure! It was untraditional—but it amazes me how many authors get published via unusual routes. I started very traditionally, with an agent, Jennifer Lyons, at Writers House, a fantastic agency in New York. But Jennifer left Writers House, leaving my manuscript there with nobody to send it out. After months of waiting, editing, and sitting around, I finally decided to take things into my own hands.

Rather than start again with another agent (which sounded very unappealing at that point) I hooked up with an amazing woman, Amy Collins, who had been in the book business for years. I got to help her start a small press that ended up putting Erec Rex out! That was an amazing experience.

I was very lucky, and the books sold well through the chain bookstores. Because of the success of Erec Rex, big publishers took notice! Simon and Schuster offered me an amazing eight-book deal (which is really unusual.) I have been so pleased with them, and am astounded at the success that they are having in pushing the book to new levels.

Untraditional? Yes. But very fun—a fantastic experience.

5) I hear there’s going to be a third and forth book in the series! How many more do you plan to do? Did you have that many books planned out in your head when you sat down to write the first one?

Erec Rex is an 8 book series. The first four books are written. Books One and Two (The Dragon’s Eye, and The Monsters of Otherness) are out now. Book Three, The Search for Truth will come out June 30. And Book Four, The Three Furies will be out next year. I’m going to start working on Book Five soon!

I did plot out the eight books at the beginning, and am always taking notes to fill out the plot and character concepts for the books that are yet to be written.

I would like readers to know that I am available to all of you, to answer questions, or to just say hello, through http://www.erecrex.com on the “Talk to Kaza” page. I look forward to getting to know some of you personally!

In the meantime, remember to always live your dreams.

May imagination and bravery be with you!

Love, Kaza

About the Author:

Kaza Kingsley is a writer, artist, and singer who loves travel and adventure, especially in dangerous and mystical realms. Kaza is also a movie buff and reads constantly when she's not writing books. When she is not off exploring, she can be found in Cincinnati with her loving family...although she may be dreaming of the stars. Visit the official series website at: www.ErecRex.com