Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Eternal Curse, and today I’m sharing a special interview with author, Tony W. Weaver, about his fiction book entitled, The Book of The Way. Enjoy!
Where did the idea for The Book of The Way come from?
In the song Counting Blue Cars, a child asks to “Tell me all you know about God, cause I’m on my way to see HER.” I began to think how things would or should have gone if the deity was female. How would things have been different, the relationships between male and female, and more specifically how the angels would have acted, along with the role of the devil?
How did the title of this book come about?
The Book of The Way is an artifact created by THE GODDESS as a kind of instruction manual and key to enormous power that was to be preserved by the angels until the arrival of a Redeemer. The Redeemer is to use The Book of The Way to reunite the different species (mortals, angels, Nephilim, and kindred) with THE GODDESS at the opening of HER heavenly city. Thus the title. The cover of the novel depicts the statue Psyche and Cupid, a male with wings embracing a mortal female in a passionate kiss.
What genre is this book and why did you choose to make it so?
I’m not sure if you would call it Religious Fiction, or perhaps just Fiction. The Book of The Way kind of falls into its own niche.
What would you say is the overall message or the theme of this book?
Life and death, good and evil, and the true meaning of love, along with those of power, corruption, and redemption. First and foremost I want those who read it to enjoy the story and to think about how the world should be in relation to how the world is.
Tell me about the experience of writing this book; how long did it take.
About five years of background research and two and a half years writing. During the research phase I visited and experienced many different religious practices and styles, all of this was combined with science and reasoning to create what I consider would be the perfect form of religion. In other words, I tried to tie up many loose ends that religious texts and stories tended to overlook throughout history.
Tell me about the main storyline within this book.
THE GODDESS creates our universe after entering the void, Angels are created to assist in various tasks, and to act as HER companions. Some revolt and are sent to the world to steward HER special project (mortals). These Angels fail at their assignment, and a Redeemer must arise to reconcile all living beings with THE GODDESS, and reopen the Heavenly City.
Who is the protagonist of this story?
The main characters of the story are Stephen Tower, and his pairbond (wife) Faith Tower. Stephen and Faith are still novices in their belief, but outside forces will propel them into a higher purpose than they could have ever dreamed of.
Who is the antagonist of this story?
The antagonist of the story is Vicar, a Nephilim, who steals The Book of The Way, discovers the secret to immortality and sees himself as the foretold Redeemer. Is he the Redeemer? All the signs point to it. Or is he merely deluded by his long life.
What is the major conflict in this story?
The Book of The Way has fallen into the Nephilim Vicar’s hands. Stephen Tower and his pairbond Faith must recover The Book before it is placed beyond the reach of mortals. Without retrieving The Book, THE GODDESS’ great plan of redemption will fail, and the universe will eventually fail and fade to darkness.
Where and when is this story taking place?
The story is set in the here and now, but it visits many locations throughout time. The Heavenly City, the Garden of Eden, a hidden island known as Thera (5000 years ago), modern Thera, and Las Vegas are just a few of the locales in the storyline.
Who is your favorite character in this book?
The cast of characters is large, and it’s hard to pick just one as a favorite, but Vicar is one of the most interesting, while he is a dark character, he also has much that is good about him.
Are there elements of your personality or life experiences in this book?
I think that finding answers to many unclear questions revolving around belief has been a personal goal I’ve had for a long time. The answers were out there, but they needed to be fused into a comprehensive story.
What is one thing from this book you wish was real or could happen to you?
What happens in The Church of The Way, stays in the Church of The Way. The Church of The Way has its own system of unique ceremonies and rituals, but I couldn’t tell you any detail without spoiling the story.
What is something you wish wasn’t real and hope doesn’t happen to you?
What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas. Near the conclusion of the book, much of the action takes place in Las Vegas. I can’t explain further as it would spoil the plot twists.
Let’s say your book is being turned into a feature length film; quick- cast the main two characters and pick a theme song or score.
As Vicar, I would like to see Tom Hiddleston (he played Loki in Thor). He has the exact look and demeanor for the character of Vicar.
I think that Angelina Jolie would work as Faith Tower, but I developed the character of the Angel Tatiana after watching her in the first Tomb Raider film.
For Stephen Tower, I’m not sure whom I would cast.
The song She Moves in Mysterious Ways by U2 would be a nice overall theme.
Do you have any special plans for this book in the near or far future?
The sequel, Heavenly Beings (working title: Leviathan) has recently been finished, and is now in final editing. The story concerns what takes place after the conclusion of The Book of The Way.
Other plans for The Book of The Way is a revised version with a shorter prologue. Some readers have remarked that while the original prologue was too long, it was essential to the payoff at the end of the story. A few asked about condensing it, after some work I did shorten it, but I really don’t know if I should change the original form.
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Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. To obtain your copy of The Book of The Way, please visit the link provided.
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