Interview with Raphael Sohnn
Author of
The Captains of Legend
Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.
The Captains of Legend, my debut novel. A story set in a fictional kingdom around five to seven hundred years ago in what eventually became India. It’s a tale of love, war and intrigue that revolves around two lifelong friends who eventually fall in love. The Princess Meena, heiress to her father’s kingdom and Holasiyan, the young warrior destined to be the protector of the Monarch and leader of his fighting men.
Where did you get the idea for this book or series?
It was something I’d been contemplating writing for about two decades, having started the original draft in my early/mid-twenties. The book as it is now in no way resembles those very first few scribblings. Yet the similarities are clearly in the setting, both regionally and historically. I had wanted, from very early on, to tell a tale of the warriors of India from many centuries ago.
Do you write in more than one genre?
I have completed a manuscript for one story set in the future that needs some more work. This manuscript for that very reason has very little in common with my first book, The Captains of Legend, or the following two, as yet unpublished at time of writing, that exist in an almost identical universe – historic India – each of those being unconnected to each other or my debut work. It does however deal with the same sort of themes; valour, and the difficulty in trying to walk the right path or fight the good fight when it’s only the protagonist’s instincts and at times little else that keep them on that journey.
Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.
Though I could be wrong, I do not believe anything else has been written telling the stories of the warriors guarding the kingdoms in which they reside in the way that I have, for they and their homes are purely fictional. They are undoubtedly set however, in what we now know as India, and hence borrow from the traditions and rituals of their times.
Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?
Quite possibly, I do have a background in martial arts. Not for one moment to suggest that I am any sort of warrior.
What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?
I love the stories of the foundational heroes and superheroes of the 19th and 20th centuries. I am also a massive fan of comic book iconography.
Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?
Not sure that it’s fair to regard it as underrated, but Gideon’s Spies by Gordon Thomas is an excellent read.
Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?
Well, all
of them, of course. But only The Captains of Legend has been published, at time
of writing. Look out for the second book very soon, because if you like the
first, you’ll adore the second. (This interview was submitted in 2022, so Raphael may have more books out by now. Check out his website below).
Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?
The end of my twenty-year involvement in the family business. Being as I was, at a crossroads in my life, I took the opportunity to complete that which I had begun as a much younger man.
What question do you wish you would get asked more often?
During which period in history would you have liked to live? The answers vary from The Wild West to 19th century England, amongst others.
Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?
Not so much a catchphrase or quote, but a poem. If by Rudyard Kipling. To read it is to understand why, and after having then done so is to realize that it is a work of absolute genius.
Website: RaphaelSohnn.com
FaceBook: TheRaphaelSohnn
Instagram: RaphaelSohnn
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Thanks to Raphael for participating. Check out his website and social media. If you're not familiar Kipling's "If" - bow your head in shame and vow to improve yourself by finding and reading that poem now.
In my writing, I've having a wonderful time. Saturday morning I signed a contract for my story, "Love under a Purple Sky" to be published in Space Cowboys 6: Fission Chips, which will be available next month. I also just received my copies of this:
The first time my name's been on the cover of an anthology containing one of my stories--or any anthology for that matter. I just finished reading Cursed Canyons, another anthology featuring one of my tales, and found the entire compilation to be of an exceedingly excellent quality. My author copies should be arriving tomorrow. There remains one more story yet out for consideration but it will be another month before contracts go out for it, so I still have some possible good news to anticipate.
My adventure book for boys is nearing the halfway mark. If a boy likes action and adventure, he will love this book. The title remains to be determined. Girls who like adventure will enjoy the book too.
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