I’m excited to welcome author R.H. Russell to my blog today! R.H. is the author of Venture Untamed and is here to tell us about the inspiration behind the book and whether we can expect more stories about Venture coming soon.
Venture Untamed by R.H. Russell
Venture Delving is a bonded servant, a member of the lowest class in the world. Already fatherless, when he loses his mother, he veers from energetic to out of control. But when Venture’s rage saves the life of Jade, his best friend and his master’s daughter, Venture finds himself in the last place he ever expected—a center renowned for training young boys to be professional fighters.
When Venture realizes he’s fallen in love with Jade, he knows that the only way he’ll ever have her, the only way he’ll ever be free to live the life he’s meant to live, is to defy convention, common sense, the trust of those he cares about most—and sometimes the law—and become the best fighter in the world, the Champion of All Richland. Venture must battle not only rival fighters, but the ghosts of his past and the members of a privileged warrior class who stand between him and his dream.
Onto the interview!
Every guest on my blog gets their own intro music! So tell us, what’s your song pick?
“Get Back Up” by TobyMac. It’s my personal theme song lately, and I think Venture would like it, too.
What inspired the story of Venture Untamed?
I’ve been involved in combat sports since I was a teen and my experience with fighters of all sorts fueled this story. The world of fighters is truly fascinating, and I wanted to share it with readers in a unique way—a way anyone could identify with, because I truly believe there’s a fighter in all of us.
What message do you hope readers will take from your book?
When I sat down to write about Venture back in 2005, I didn’t have a message in mind. I just wanted to get this story out of my head, to let Venture and his friends loose to play on the page. But during the years I spent writing and revising material for this series and pursuing publication, there was some serious upheaval going on in my non-writing life. Through those struggles, and through all the re-reading and rewriting that goes with getting a series ready for publication, I began to feel like these made-up characters were showing me some very real truths as they dealt with loss, failure, and frustration of their own.
We are all continually given the choice to stay knocked down or to get back up. Like the songs says, sometimes it feels like you’re fighting for your life! But we don’t have to face that challenge alone. Whatever our circumstances, however abandoned we may feel—whether it’s personal tragedy, our own mistakes, or other people that knock us down, we’re not alone. And each of us has the power to demonstrate that to someone else. Knowing we’re not alone gives us a reason to get back up again.
Great message and very true! I love that!
Can we look forward to more books about Venture coming soon?
Definitely. The next book, Venture Unleashed, will be out on December 1, 2011. In Venture Unleashed, Venture makes his way into the world beyond his home in Twin Rivers, where he’s thrust into the center of growing political turmoil and confronted with choices he never imagined he’d have to make.
On your website, you mention that you’ve spent years involved in combat sports. I’ve always wanted to take lessons in a combat sport, but have never had a chance. How do you think your involvement has enriched your life and your writing?
I began doing a combination of martial arts, including judo, in 1993. I immediately fell in love with the sport of judo in particular. But it was the people who affected me most. I was fascinated by the way people of all ages learned and struggled alongside each other. Raw beginners like me worked out with Olympians.
I gained an appreciation for the competitive spirit, the drive, and the big dreams of some of my teammates. But mostly what I gained was friendship—an extended family formed through the mutual sacrifice, the ruts and the high points, the dedication and support that come with training together year-round. When you set out to do hard things with a group of people, you find that they’re the ones you lean on when harder things find you.
I’m not a star, but since I’ve been surrounded by fighters for the past eighteen years, it’s become a big part of my world, and of course it found its way into my writing. I love writing about the high of mastering a tough opponent for the first time, and I enjoy putting my favorite fighting techniques to use in my fiction. But what I love most is the way my relationships with the people I’ve met on the mat enrich the fictional characters I write. Venture Untamed is about a fighter, but at its heart it’s really about relationships.
Fun question: If you had to eat just one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pasta, because there are so many different kinds! Is that cheating?
I don’t think it’s cheating because I would agree! I LOVE pasta of all kinds and would happily eat it every day too.
R.H. is currently running a giveaway for Venture Untamed on LibraryThing. If you’d like to enter for your chance to win a copy, click here!
You can find out more about R.H. Russell and The Venture Books at the links below:
Buy Venture Untamed at the following online stores: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
Great intro music! I love TobyMac. And that really is the perfect song for Venture. I enjoyed this interview so much. The more I hear about Venture, the more eager I am to bump it up to the top of my TBR list 😉
Thank you! So sorry I missed this comment. Happy reading!
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