Browsing on a particular website for something new to read, I came across a Supernatural Thriller among the usual free ebooks that are quite rubbish (See previous article Fifty Shades, the Aftermath). I had already asked for my money back on a number of self-published books, less to do with the content, and far more to do with the incredibly poor quality. Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, sections missing are only some of the ways which mar a reading experience, and some are so bad it is actually impossible to read them at all.
However, I digress. I downloaded the Lamp by Jason Cunningham and can honestly say that I was utterly astounded, partly because it did not contain the irritating errors that I mention above but mostly because it was so compelling. It is one of those rare books that you do not want to put down, even when your eyes are closing by themselves and you know that you will need to get out of bed in about three hours. The primary reason I enjoyed it so much was that there was no telling what would happen next. Unpredictable and understated, the characters as well as the story were compelling and easy to connect with.
My only gripe was the ending. I nearly screamed when it ended and I was left with questions, which is why I left a review on the site that I had downloaded it from, and did grump a bit about the ending. The author very kindly pointed out that there are sequels to come which has left me very relieved. Briefly, the story revolves around a man who comes out of prison and returns to his old house to find a lamp left for him that has special powers, although he does not know who has sent it to him. Underlying the story is a question of trust, and whether or not he can trust the sender, who also leaves him messages.
I would really recommend reading this book, not too short and not too long, it is very entertaining and whilst the story will have you gripped, the social problems that underpin the storyline are equally as fascinating. I enjoyed it so much that I contacted the author and asked a few questions, which he very kindly answered. They provide an backdrop to the Lamp, and offer some useful insight as well as a message to you all.... Enjoy and thanks to Jason Cunningham for his time!
Q: What was the inspiration for your book, "The Lamp"?
A: I told my editor that I wanted to write a story about trust. Can you trust someone you've never met? If so, to what extreme? The philisophical implications are obvious, and as someone who's always found it hard to trust people, I wanted to tackle this subject matter honestly. The hero, Levi, is a guy with a rough past who is granted an incredible favor from someone he's never met. But he's not sure if this makes him liberated or enslaved. In a sense, the answer is "both."
When Levi realizes his life is in jeopardy, he has no choice. If he doesn't trust this mysterious friend, he'll be dead in short order. But that doesn't make it easy. The idea of a guy who is burdoned with carrying this lamp that heals sick people came from my good friend, Tom Safford. That's as far as we went with the idea and then I put it away for a while. But the characters sort of found me and dragged me back, letting me know there was a story to tell here. So although the premise and the theme were interesting to me, I'll always be a character guy at heart.
Q: Would it be possible to get an idea of what readers can expect from the sequels?
A: Yes! I'm keeping the same cast of characters, although Violet will have a more predominant role in the second book. I'm also introducing a few new characters to fill in the world. Not to give away any spoilers but there is also a new villian, much in the vein of Dev from the first book, but more terrifying. Actually, the second and final books will be quite a bit scarier than the first installment because the stakes are much higher and not everyone will make it. That's all I'm saying.
Q: There is an article on your blog entitled 'Adventureland' which offered an insight into the personal philosophy of you and your wife. Do you think that your philosophies on life influence your writing or do you prefer to stick to fanstasy alone?
A: I don't know how writers can seperate the two. Life and art are too infused with one another. Our lives are enriched by art, and art is kept honest by reality. My first book "The Island of Ted" tackles the idea of the American Dream and escaping the rat race, as well as the importance of relationships. Some might even think it's a bit heavy handed, which it might be. It was my first book, after all, and I'm still learning how to balance that.
No one wants to be lectured to when they're just looking for a relaxing read. The Lamp tackles some of my own weaknesses like trust and courage, and I wanted to throw every temptation at Levi that we all face on a daily basis to see how he reacts. A long time ago I heard a great truism about what makes for a good story: Give your hero the biggest challenge you can throw at him... then make it worse.
Q: When you re-read a book once you have finished it, what are the important characteristics for you? (for example, strong characters, lots of dialogue, being able to picture the story etc.).
I have to care about the characters, what happens to them. It's visceral. When I'm reading back over a story, I want to be sucked into the world and lose myself in it. Whether or not I learn some life lesson is secondary. So if I don't feel emotionally stirred up or compelled to care about the main characters, the story needs to be reworked. Story is important, but for me plot is always second to that emotional connection with the characters. Something I hate, and try desperately to weed out of my writing, is overly descriptive passages or what's called "purple prose." That's gotta go.
Q: Based on the above question, do you feel that your favourite authors have influenced or inspired the way that you write and in what way?
A: My first reaction is to say no, but I think influence does probably seep in unconsciously. Most of the writers I respect and admire don't write in a style that's similar to mine. The closest is probably author Hugh Howey, because he tends to use strong themes and also writes lean. But I also think Hugh is a better writer than me, even though he's my closest style match. I read more non-fiction than fiction so there are always threads of reality to my work. Real people and situations inspire my imagination more fully than well crafted fiction, although they both do the job.
Q: Is there any message that you would like to offer to the readers of this article, whether they have read your books or not?
A: I suppose not, since any message I might give would only sound like common sense to most folks. Read C.S. Lewis. Read lots of non-fiction and never be afraid to let it change your opinion about something. And when you're finished reading all the good books out there, maybe throw mine into the pile somewhere, if only for kindling.
