Today I have the pleasure of starting the blog tour for Royce Bond, author of the sci fi/fantasy novel The Princess and The Pirate – Book one of The Knights of  Katesch, a swashbuckling adventure about a Pirate, a Princess and their followers as they fight to save the universe  from evil forces. 
 
Synopsis: These are the chronicles of the Knights of Katesch, who for time out of memory have fought the wizard Maligor, across all the dimensions of the known universe.
 
After the death of her mother Hibana, one of the famed Knights of Katesch, at the hands of a Kladath assassin, Princess Hepzebah faces the fight of her life. As the new queen, she has inherited her mother's powers. The space pirate Captain Sergio runs the blockade to bring an unearthly army to fight the last battle against Maligor's hordes. He has plans for this young queen, but his plans are hijacked and they are thrust into an inter-dimensional battle for the future of the known universe.
 
Q. Tell me about yourself. 
I’m a retired primary school teacher with twenty-two years of experience. I have had other books published.

Ashton Scholastic published my first book, Kitchen Science, after I won the National B.H.P. /C.S.I.R.O. Science Teacher’s Award. This book was used in schools throughout Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, and in some schools in South America. 
 
Random House published two children’s
books; The Case of the Smelly Armpit and other Scientific Mysteries, and Mars
Attack. These children’s books were translated into Chinese and
Korean.

Hodder Headline published the next book, Spare Body Parts, and seven teacher reference books were published by Scholastic Australia.

During this time, I worked as a part time freelance writer, publishing dozens of articles in magazines and newspapers across the nation, as well as working as a newspaper columnist.

I dabble in poetry and have written over a dozen children’s short stories and one television script, called The Beetlejuice Pirates. 

Since my retirement, I have changed my writing to young adult fantasy novels. I began, what I thought at the time, was the first book in a series, The Knights of Katesch: The Summoning, in February 2005 and since have written two more, The Fall of Maligor, and The Nexus, the final book in this series. Early last year, I wrote The Princess and the Pirate, and decided that that this book should be the first in the series. 

Q. Who is your favourite author and why?
My favourite author is C. S. Lewis. I absolutely love The Chronicles of Narnia. Karen and I bought the book when we were on our honeymoon. 
  
Q. Some writers have a preferred writing schedule. Do you?
I often day-dream each chapter before I plan it. Then I day-dream the planning for about a week. So by the time I come to write the chapter I have spent a week seeing all the action, hearing all the words, smelling, feeling, everything that happens in the chapter in my imagination. When I sit down to write I am then able to replay everything I have imagined and am able to write 2,000 words in an hour and a half.
 
Q. Do you have a favourite place to write?
Yes, my medieval room. I’ve set up a room under my house so when enter it I feel like I’m in not only another time, but in another world.

Q. When did you begin your writing journey? 
I began in 1985, while studying at college in Brisbane. My first actual story “The
Time Warriors” was a good story, but quite badly written.
 
Q. What is your greatest joy in writing? 
Seeing my reader’s eyes open in wonder as they read my stories. 
  
Q. What is the hardest part of writing for you? 
I find editing quite hard work. It’s a very important part of the writing process, but I find it a lot harder to motivate myself to do it. Never-the-less, I find the outcome from a good session of editing very satisfying, because I can see how much better the final product is once the editing has been done.
 
Q. What's the easiest?
Daydreaming and imagining the action and various scenes in a chapter. I can remember one time I was in a staff meeting and was staring out the window, imagining a part of the next chapter I was to write, when I heard my name. The principal of my school was talking to me, but then realized that I was day dreaming my next chapter. I heard her say to the rest of the teachers. “Oh ,Royce isn’t here at the moment. Can you bring him up to date after the meeting please.” My body was in the chair in the staff meeting, but my mind was on the planet of Katesch, in the midst of a major battle.

Q. What's next for you? Are you currently working on or have plans for future projects?
I’m about a quarter of the way through a prequel called The Hunter. This is the fifth in the Chronicles of the Knights of Katesch series. And oh boy, it’s so exciting and funny that I often find myself laughing, and getting excited while I’m writing. My wife now ignores me when she hears peals of laughter or excited yells coming from my room when I’m writing. I’m so into this book I actually feel it will be the best of the Chronicles yet.
 
We look forward to reading that one. Thanks for taking the time out of your school tour to do the interview. 
 
The Princess and the Pirate is available from your local bookstore. 
Signed copy available from the MPA website. 
http://www.morrispublishingaustralia.com/the-princess-and-the-pirate.html

Follow the blog tour get some great writing tips, read reviews, and learn more fascinating information about this author. 

Comment on any of the blogs and go in the draw for a free copy. 

BLOG SCHEDULE:
Monday August 12th:      http://morrispublishingaustralia.com Interview
Tuesday August 13th      http://diannedibates.blogspot.com.au/ Interview
Wednesday August 14th  http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com Interview
Thursday August 15th     http://www.elaineoustonauthor.com Interview
Friday August 16th          http://bookmusterdownunder.blogspot.com.au Review
Saturday August 17th     http://www.losangzopa.wordpress.com Review
Sunday August 18th       http://www.kids-bookreview.com Interview