Hello everyone and welcome to my stop on the Escapist Book Co. virtual book tour for Andi Ewington’s Fantasy Comedy novel The Hero Interviews! Today, I am excited to help kickoff the tour by sharing an interview with the the main character from the book, Elburn Barr!
You can find our Q&A below, along with all of the info about the book, the author, and links to purchase a copy of The Hero Interviews for yourself! Also, be sure to take a look at the schedule here or at the top of the post and follow along to see the stops from our other awesome hosts!
Book Information:
The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington
Series: The Hero Diaries
Genre: Fantasy Comedy
Intended Age Group: 15+
Pages: 925
Published: December 1, 2022
Publisher: Forty-Five Limited (Self Published)
Blurb
Heroes… you can’t swing a cat without hitting one. You can’t even hatch a nefarious plan without some adventuring party invading your dungeon to thwart you. So, it stands to reason they’re a force for good—right?
Well—yes and no…
Elburn Barr is a Loremaster who has turned his back on his family’s tradition of adventuring and stepped out into the realm of heroes to interview a whole smörgåsbord board of fantastical characters from stoic, swear-shy Paladins through to invisible sword-carrying Mime Warriors.
Through his transcribed journal, he’ll take a cheeky peek at the truth lurking behind the hero myth—and everything associated with them. Across his many encounters, he hopes to uncover his brother’s fate—a brother who has been missing for ten summers after brazenly setting out to forge a heroic name for himself.
Will Elburn discover what really happened to his brother, or will he fail in his quest and become another casualty of the adventuring trade?
The Hero Interviews is a departure from the usual swords and sorcery yarn—it’s a sometimes gritty, sometimes amusing, but completely bonkers look at the realm of heroes.
See Also:
Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Fire! • You Talkin’ to Me? • So, Mr. du Lac, How Long Have You Been Dead?
Book Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hero-Interviews-Andi-Ewington-ebook/dp/B0BFMBQXLR/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hero-Interviews-Andi-Ewington-ebook/dp/B0BFMBQXLR/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62951981-the-hero-interviews
Character Q&A
Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Why I’m Elburn Barr—Loremaster extraordinaire, on a quest to interview the heroes and those behind the heroes.1 Strangely, I appear to be the one being interviewed rather than the one doing the interviewing—I’m not sure I like being on this side of the scrutiny fence…
What music do you listen to?
Bardic, but not through choice—they are jokingly referred to as ‘horny noise’ for good reason. Lock up your sons, daughters, elderly parents, and any pet dragons you may have—none are safe. That said, I am rather fond of songs like The Cleric is Dead—go get another one, Barbarians rage against the Gnomish Machines and the fans’ favourite, Toss a Dwarf—but don’t tell the Elf.
What are 3 items you can’t live without?
My quill, my journal, and my Soul Squid Ink…
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what is one thing you’d like to have with you?
Some type of flying floor covering to get me home?2
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Bad grammar—especially from those who should know better.3
What do you do in your free time?
I enjoy nothing more than proofreading my work over a nice cup of tea in the relative safety of a quiet tavern.4
What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning?
Knowing there’s a good chance someone will try to nudge me out of my slumber using the Wand of Lightning Bolts business end.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Never try to wake a sleeping Loremaster with a Wand of Lightning Bolts—I jest, it’s really, don’t ever eat red snow—it’s probably from a wounded nearby hero who is about to expire.
What do you carry in your bag?
Currently? A quill, a journal, a bottle of Soul Squid Ink, and a spellbook given to me by a Barbarian who became a Book Merchant.5
What’s your favorite animal?
One that does not bite, stomp, gore or tear me to shreds.
What do you think about Arin Darkblade?
It’s probably best I don’t put my thoughts down in case Arin ever reads this and decides to use my spleen to clean his favourite sword.
Do you have favorite saying?
I’m a Loremaster—not a bloody Wizard!
What is your favorite holiday?
One without monsters, dungeons, screaming, or fear of death…6
If you could go anywhere in the realm where would you go and why?
Home. I miss Mother’s Blue Beret pie.7
What do you do to relax?
Try not to get myself killed in some foolish way.
What is your favorite food?
One that doesn’t have eyes, is still breathing, and was prepared by an Orcish Chef.
What is your favorite season?
The current one—as it hasn’t tried to kill me yet.8
How would you define happiness?
Living to a ripe old age without having to worry about a cold dagger in your back—or pain in my writing fingers.9
What are you passionate about?
Writing. Finding the truth. Writing about the truth. Generally, anything that doesn’t involve Halfling Rogues.
How do you feel about your government?
Each province has its own ruling Baron, Prince, King or Queen—honestly, I’d be happy if we threw them all into a barrel—then pushed that barrel off the top of the Ascension Falls…
If you could change one thing about the realm, what would it be?
Better pay for Loremasters.10
What’s your biggest secret?
I’m ‘really’ not a Wizard.
What do you hate?
Generally, anything that wants to hurt me.11
What’s your biggest fear?
That spiders will work out how to open doors—the fact they can climb ceilings is bad enough!
What do you think your best quality is?
My ability to get to the truth—no matter how deep it’s buried.12
How would you describe the world you live in?
Full of heroes—and they’re all bastards!13
Footnotes
1 I don’t mean Clerics or Wizards—although, admittedly, this could still be said to be true of either of them.
2 Like a giant bearskin rug complete with a surprised ‘I’m-flying’ look on its face.
3 Such as rival Loremasters…
4 If there is such as thing as a ‘quiet’ tavern—most are raucous dens of noise that would put most bards of note (or out of note) to shame.
5 So, choosing the page over the rage, then!
6 It’s probably best I avoid going on holiday during the busy ‘Orcish family’ season then…
7 Complete with slightly arrogant headwear.
8 Never say never where seasons are concerned.
9 As to which pain is worst—give me the cold steel in the back any day of the week!
10 Honestly, Necromancers rate higher than us—and those guys even get a rise out of the dead!
11 Which pretty much includes everything currently found in the realm.
12 I should have been a Necromancer.
13 Except for the ones I’ve already met in my travels, those are fine, honest!
About the Author
Andi Ewington is a writer who has written numerous comic titles including Forty-Five45, Campaigns & Companions, S6X, Sunflower, Red Dog, Dark Souls II, Just Cause 3, Freeway Fighter, and Vikings. Andi lives in Surrey, England with a plethora of childhood RPGs and ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ gamebooks he refuses to part with. He’s usually found on Twitter as @AndiEwington.
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