The Elf by Max Dune

Stop by to learn more about The Elf – a young adult fantasy novel by Max Dune, courtesy of Xpresso Book Tours! Plus, while you’re here, make sure you enter the giveaway for some HUGE prizes!

Title: The Elf
Author: Max Dune
Genre: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult
Release Date: October 18th 2016

About The Book:

This Christmas…it’s war. Grab your weapon and join the fight in this modern Santa Claus retelling with a dark twist. Fans of Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar will be riveted by The Elf‘s action, humor and romance!

Elves are dying in the North Pole, and none of their scientists can find a cure. They believe it’s a virus, unleashed by a powerful enemy. All signs point to Jack Frost, who’s been biding his time from afar. Watching. Waiting. Plotting. One brave elf, to save his kind, will venture out to meet evil in the eye. But he uncovers a mystery more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Now Lucian must join a group of warriors and fight. Fuego; a flame-wielding pyro. Tiktok; a brilliant bomb expert, Yuriko; a deadly ninja assassin. And Bullets; a hot-headed gun aficionado. These unlikely heroes must learn to work together and defeat the rising evil. Or Christmas will soon be lost…forever.

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

About The Author:

Max Dune is a Southern writer who spent most his childhood watching TV, devouring comic books and weaving magical worlds in his head. In his mid-twenties, he decided to follow his true passion. He has since created a number of short stories, novels, screenplays and TV pilots. To be alerted to future books and giveaways, please sign up for his newsletter here.

Connect With Max: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Author Q&A:

What sort of research did you do to write this book?

That was the most time-consuming part. I had to research SO much. Topics I’d never though I’d have to learn about. About ninjas, guns, bombs, arctic wildlife, the machinery used by toy manufacturers—all sorts of random things! Thank goodness for Google and YouTube.

Any chance of a sequel?

Several, actually. I have three sequels outlined already. I want to make our team like the Suicide Squad for fairytales. Once they deal with the villain in book one, they will help other famous characters. In one sequel, for example, they will rescue Dorothy from the clutches of the Wicked Witch of the West. Flying monkeys will be the least of our heroes’ worries as they travel through the land of Oz…(evil laugh).

What started you on the path to writing for a living?

I’ve just always had an overactive imagination, ever since I was little. I’d spend most of my time daydreaming, but it wasn’t until my mid twenties that I decided to get those stories onto the page.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Oh boy. I wish I had a happy story about that. Truthfully, I got the idea for this story during the most difficult year of my life. 2014. Everything that could go wrong in my life, went wrong. All at once. It was bad. I lost my faith in people. I withdrew from friends and family. I stopped writing. Totally shut down. But it was during that period these characters came to me and shared their story, pulling me out of my depression and into their wild adventures! Now, I can honestly say I’m thankful for the trial I went through. It molded me into the person (and writer) I am today.

What was your favorite part to write in The Elf?

That’s a tough one. There’s so many parts I loved writing and often go back to re-read. I’d probably say the epic battle at the end. All hell breaks loose then, and tons of characters bite the dust via guns, flamethrowers, bombs, katana, etc. Readers will never see Christmas or elves the same way ever again!

Who was your favorite character?

It’s a tie between Lucian and his best friend, Zeb. I’d say I connected more with Lucian because I was experiencing the same emotions he was while writing this book. Also, he and I have similar personalities. But Zeb was such a riot. He infused the book with so much fun, humor and randomness. I laughed pretty hard during most of his scenes.

What do you friends and family think of The Elf?

They’ve been supportive from the get-go. In fact, out of all the novel ideas I pitched them, The Elf is the one that got the most enthusiasm. Their eyes would just light up. Their reaction was strong enough that I stopped working on a thriller I had at the time and focused solely on this project.

Do you have any other hobbies besides writing?

Walking, hiking, swimming, fishing. And over the past year, I’ve started cooking almost everything I eat. It’s healthier and saves money. I’ve also gotten into vegetale gardening for the same reasons. Nothing beats homegrown tomatoes!

Any advice you’d give aspiring writers?

Write stories that YOU want to read. You’ll have more fun that way : )