Emlyn Chand's first novel is everything I hoped it would be. Innovative and thought provoking - the first novel I've wanted to read in one go for a long time.
So what is Farsighted about?
The comfortable but uneventful life of blind student Alex Kosmitoras suddenly changes when he realises he can 'see' things others can’t - visions of the future. When his unwanted visions suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to do something about it.
The innovative bit is a clever touch, as it is not easy to do something different but Emlyn has. Runes, one of the earliest forms of writing, are simple yet mysterious. At start of every chapter of Farsighted is a Rune and a 'prophecy' that hints at what is to come (if you can work out the clues).
The thought provoking bit is to enter the mind of someone who can't see. Emlyn could easily have overplayed it for effect but I like the way she gently reminds the reader just how much harder the everyday challenges of life can be if you are blind.
Intrigued, I asked Emlyn about this and she told me she doesn't have any blind people in her life - just did a load of research before getting started. She admitted that it took a while to adjust to writing without visual details, but it became much easier as the work progressed. (Interestingly she had a team of seven 'beta readers' checking for details a blind person couldn't know!)
I don't make any claims to precognition - but I can see a bright future for Emlyn Chand as a novelist!
Get your copy of Farsighted now by visiting Amazon.com’s Kindle store or the eBook retailer of your choice. The paperback edition will be available on November 24 (just in time for Emlyn's birthday).
Blog Tour Prizes
You could win a $100 Amazon gift card as part of this special blog tour. Just leave a comment below saying something about the post you just read and you’ll be entered into the raffle. I could win $100 too! Please help by voting for my blog in the traffic-breaker poll. To cast your vote, visit the official Farsighted blog tour page and scroll all the way to the bottom. Thank you for your help with that.
The Author
Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories. When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info.
The Trailer:
Wow, thank you so much, Tony! I'm glad you liked the runes - some people do, some don't. I think few people realize that the chapters conform to the meanings of the runes and represent the hero's journey.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, fingers crossed that your prediction is correct. Thanks for your part in it! :-)