Today's Chat with Sarah features Patrick John Donahoe author of The Noble Mercenary.
To view the official review, click here.
To view the book on Amazon, click here.
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1. What do you do when you aren't writing?
Travel with my better half. We just celebrated 53 years of marriage. We love to travel and discover new places and revisit our favorite places. We both love to play golf [like amateurs], snorkel and visit historical sites and museums. We enjoy spending time with our family and watching them grow and develop their talents.
2. How did you first discover you had a talent for writing?
During my career I wrote many technical documents and always wanted to write novels. Now that I am retired I can pursue my muse. I kept notebooks for many years recording ideas for books to write until I came up with the idea for this series.
3. Let's discuss The Noble Mercenary the second book in the series. The main characters are semi-immortal. Where did that idea come from?
The idea for semi-immortals stems from wanting to write a grand opus covering thousands of years incorporating many historical events, and I also wanted to write about current events, with the same characters. My four main characters tell me where they want to go and what they want to do.
4. Were the characters based on people you know or completely fictional?
The characters are real to me. They have their human strengths and weaknesses. They are not based on any individuals I know per se, but I would love to meet them in person. Ian is the iconic honorable soldier, duty bound, and loyal. Jacques is a creative genius and a bit of a rogue. Serena is a leader and can focus on whatever task is at hand. Desiree is a healer and a master of languages including, in our day, computers. Each of the four has developed many talents over the hundreds of years. They are not cape-wearing superheroes but heal quickly when wounded.
5. The book covers a vast period of time from 1094 AD to the present. how did you seamlessly integrate modern technology with olden times?
The characters adapt to their environment and circumstances. I try to be as accurate about their adventures in ancient times as I try to be in modern times - research, research, research.
6. There seems to be a bit of everything in this story from historical fiction to romance to some science fiction. What audience are you targeting?
I don't target a particular audience. I am telling the adventures of four people I love. Adventures that I personally would like to be a part of. If I were to go to purchase an adventure novel to read, I would buy one of mine. I love to read about history, syfy, military actions, philosophy, science, etc. with a modicum of romance thrown in for good measure. A series like mine allows me to seamlessly combine all of these elements.
7. This is the second in a series. Can you tell us a bit more about what's next for this group?
I laid the groundwork for the characters meeting and becoming members of the fellowship of the ancient covenant in the first book in the series, The Honorable Knight, and told the story of their preventing a terrorist attack on the U.S. The following books continue the ancient adventures and the modern adventures. I can go earlier in time, fill in the time from the beginning to modern day, and go into the future; in other words I could write hundreds more books.
8. Do you have anything else in the works?
I am currently editing (for the umpteenth time) the fourth book in the series, The Faithful Apothecary, with Desiree's picture on the cover. I'm having a great time pulling this one together. I hope to complete it by year's end. In the Fellowship of the Ancient Covenant series there are currently four books - The Honorable Knight is the first, The Noble Mercenary is the second, The Blacksmith’s Daughter is the third, and the fourth will be The Faithful Apothecary.
How about a few fun questions.
9. Camping or hotel?
My wife and I took our kids camping for many years, and I went on many Boy Scout camping trips with my two sons. But now camping for us is a three star hotel.
10. What's your typical breakfast?
My typical breakfast is scrambled eggs and toast, maybe a yogurt, maybe cereal, and/or when I go to the gym, a glass of Muscle Milk powder in milk.
11. What's on your bedside table right now?
The current draft of the current book I am working on The Faithful Apothecary.
12. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
I have no interest in being any animal, but if I had to be I would pick a shepherd dog because they are good dogs, useful and loyal.
