Interview with Sean Griffin Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is happy to be joined by Sean P. Griffin, who is here to talk about his new fantasy novel “Animalkind.” Sean Patrick Griffin was born in Arlington, Texas in 1972. He attended college at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas and then the University of Texas at Arlington, where he studied primarily biological sciences, including physics, chemistry and zoology. He earned both a Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 1995 and in 2003 his MBA. Sean has been writing since he was young and has always had a love for fiction writing, albeit fantasy, science fiction, detective or mystery. Sean lives with his wife Rebecca and two sons, Ian and Jack, near Fort Worth, Texas. He works in the pharmaceutical industry during the day and writes at night. In what spare time he has left, he enjoys playing ice hockey and collecting vintage to antique toys. Tyler: Welcome, Sean. I’m glad you could join me today. To begin, will you tell us about the title of the book and why it is appropriate for your novel?
Tyler: Where did you get the idea for a world where everyone has both a human and animal form? Were you influenced by other stories such as Greek myths of centaurs or tales of shapeshifters? Sean: Great question. I have always been a big fan of mythology as well as modern fantasy. There have been a number of stories that described shifting singular creatures or maybe a lesser, unknown number of shapeshifters scattered about an otherwise normal world. I just expanded on that I guess and balanced the playing field. Why not make a whole world like that and see how it plays out? It led to some unexpected conflicts I must admit, especially when it came time to eat. Tyler: How does eating differ in Aegea compared to ours? Are there still creatures that are higher on the food chain than others depending on what they shapeshift into? Sean: Well, first off I should explain that the people who inhabit Aegea are naturally divided into different groups, referred to as realms, based on their dietary preference. Basically the key conflicting groups are the Vegans and Carnic (carnivores). Vegans are the inhabitants of Aegea who morph into animals that are herbivores (or omnivores, such as elephants, horses, sheep, cows, etc.) and the carnivores are those that morph into, well, natural carnivores (lions, tigers, wolves, etc.). It sounds a bit strange to have thousands and thousands of people divided by dietary preference but you have to remember, apart from vegetation and water, the only other food on Aegea comes from one another. If someone gets a craving for a t-bone, the source is still the same, but that cow just happens also to have a human form, so morality comes into play. Adding to the fun, the people of Aegea reflect a bit of their animal forms in their human forms, where they spend most of their time. Consequently, the Vegans are a bit weaker and more timid than their carnivore enemies. This leads to a very clear food chain, where the carnivores sit at the top and hunt the weaker Vegans. Within each realm are chains of command as well, with the mightiest creatures ruling the weaker. Tyler: Will you tell us more about your main character, Thane? What about him do you think appeals to readers? Sean: Thane is not your typical fantasy novel hero. He is just a teenage boy trying to make his way through the world. It just so happens he becomes the focal point of a war that nobody ever saw coming. Thane isn’t all-powerful, secure in his abilities or a commanding presence. I think readers will be able to relate to his mistakes and really cheer for him as he grows throughout the book. Tyler: Will you explain about the Vegan people and their land of Arvyndale? Why were they in the land of Carnivore and how did Thane’s father, King Arvyn, lead his people out of that land? Sean: Always struggling to survive, the Vegans are a scattered people, nomads primarily, who travel in large herds for protection. They do not have their own land and instead must make their way in a world of constant danger. At the beginning of the book the reader learns that one Vegan leader, Avryn, gathered a number of the others of his kind together and offered to lead them to a recently discovered nirvana of sorts—a secluded location tucked behind a mountain range where the hungry eyes of the carnivore would not find them. Those who joined him on his journey helped establish the largest Vegan settlement ever to inhabit Aegea and in his honor they named it Avryndale. Tyler: How does the past of Arvyndale affect the current events of the novel? Sean: The book does not spend a great deal of time pre-conflict, but the reader does get a glimpse of the “good life” the Vegans enjoyed for a few years while they thrived in peace after Avryndale was built. Unfortunately, that peace didn’t last. Tyler: The novel begins early on with Thane having headaches. What is the significance of those headaches? Sean: Not sure how much I should give away, but let’s just say it has something to do with a significant metamorphosis he is about to endure. Tyler: Thane is almost assassinated. Who is trying to destroy him and why? Sean: This is one of the primary plotlines of the novel actually. It turns out that Thane unknowingly poses a threat to the leader of the carnivores and when faced with an obstacle to reign, as history has taught us, many less diplomatic leaders simply turn to assassination to put a quick end to the threat. Tyler: How does this assassination attempt result in Thane gaining new magical powers? Sean: You did your homework Tyler! Again not wanting to spoil everything, but the assassination attempt does fail and in fact leads Thane to tap into a previously unknown power to survive. Once his abilities become known, his training becomes a focal point in the novel. Tyler: Thane also enlists some reclusive beings to help him defend his people. Are you able to tell us without giving away the plot who these strangers are, and why their involvement in the action is significant? Sean: It kind of goes back to the general theme of the book, good vs. evil sure, but also animal realm vs. animal realm. There are certain members of the animal kingdom that obviously stand out from the others—fish and birds. They don’t roam the fields, live in caves or thrive off of the land. These other realms live in seclusion and try to distance themselves from the troubles of the land. When war is imminent, their involvement becomes significant because they have never before muddled in the affairs of the land dwellers. They now recognize that the carnivores, whom they actually relate to in ways, pose a threat to their world as a whole and without their support might eventually bring chaos down on them as well. Tyler: I can certainly understand how the birds can become involved in the land, but how do the fish do so? Sean: Good question. They really aren’t meant to do that, are they? It would be nice to think that they would just be willing to help the Vegans, but perhaps they have other motivations that start to become clear as the story develops. Tyler: Will you tell us more about the names of the five peoples of the world of Aegea? Why did you choose the names you did, and what did you intend them to represent? Sean: There are indeed five groups of people who inhabit Aegea. They are the Vegan, Carnic, Avian, Aquan and Reptilian. Essentially these groups are divided by their animalkind—the animal shape they can take. Their animalkinds have different needs and instincts, thus the people who fall into those various groups choose to stick together. The names of the realms are representative of the species that they are comprised of and, in fact, a majority of the names of the characters in the book are derived from the taxonomic species name of their animalkind. Thus, someone who has studied biology or zoology or just paid attention at the zoo might have insight to a character’s animalkind before it is revealed. Tyler: Did you have a theme or message in mind in writing “Animalkind”? What do you hope readers will take away with them when they finish reading your book? Sean: There are several messages that the book seems to convey that just naturally come out when you read it. Although I won’t get too deep on any of them, my only real hope is that it makes people think a bit while providing a good read for a few hours. Tyler: Sean, may I ask if you are trying to make any political or ethical statements in the book. Is it better to be a vegetarian than a meat-eater? Sean: I wondered when this one was coming! You know, I did my best to write the book from a completely neutral perspective and show the Animal Kingdom in a way never really done before. So far the reviews I have received from vegetarian friends have been positive and I haven’t had any complaints from carnivorous humans either. I better go check my Inbox. Tyler: Sean, you mentioned you like mythology. What else do you like to read? Are there any authors you would specifically say had a major influence on your own writing? Sean: I am a huge Dean Koontz fan. I love his style and originality. He also is a genre-mutt, which is how I see myself. He isn’t fantasy, sci-fi or horror or detective. Just fiction. J.R.R. Tolkein’s originality and Stephen King’s ability to make your heart pound have all influenced me as well. I am also a huge M. Night Shyamalan fan. His films really have an impact on me. Tyler: Sean, do you have plans to write any more books? Sean: No question there, I think this is something I was meant to do. I have about four projects in the works right now including a sequel to “Animalkind.” They cover a few different genres including Detective to Sci-Fi to Fantasy. I guess I am a mutt when it comes to genre choice! Tyler: Could you give us a clue to what might happen in the sequel? Can readers expect a return of Thane or any of the other main characters from “Animalkind”? Sean: The sequel leaves off right where the first book ended. Every ongoing storyline is picked back up seamlessly so Thane, Mordigal and the other key characters that survived the war are all back. There are of course new characters introduced as well, some nice and some not so nice. Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Sean. Before you go, will you tell us about your website and what additional information our readers may find there? Sean: Sure, absolutely. My website is www.seanpgriffin.com and from there readers can learn a bit more about me and my book “Animalkind.” There is some exclusive content on my web site that explains a bit about Aegea and sheds some light on this rather unusual world. I also provide links to where you can buy the book and updates on projects I am currently working on. Tyler: Thank you, Sean. I hope you’ll come back to talk to us again when you finish the sequel to “Animalkind.” Sean: I would love to. Thanks for your time, Tyler. It has been a real pleasure. Listen to interview on Inside Scoop Live |
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