Happy Tuesday, friend! The spotlight for today is author Quill Holland and his latest novella, Forgotten Evil. This is the first book in the scifi series, The Forgotten Saga. Let’s welcome Quill and learn about the book.
Get to know the author: Quill Holland
Welcome, Quill! Tell my readers and me a bit about yourself!
Hello there – I’m Quill!
First of all, thank you for the welcome, Kriti – it’s great to be here!
I’m a programmer by day and a writer by night, and I live in New Zealand, which is a lovely country with lots of opportunities to be creative all year round. Software development is inherently creative, so the day job often gets my mind working, and outside of work, I dabble in photography, drawing and, of course, writing.
Growing up and even to this day, I’ve been a complete bookworm and cinephile – I’ve always loved getting lost in the worlds presented by a good book or the silver screen, and I believe this helped nurture my imagination, which never seems to stop!
Science-fiction and fantasy are my favourite genres, and I could go on all day listing my favourites because, honestly, there are so many of them. Still, some of my much-enjoyed series would include Lord of the Rings, His Dark Materials, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Mortal Engines, and The Hunger Games. A few movie/show favourites include Iron Man, Alien, The Terminator, Edge of Tomorrow, Battlestar Galactica and Stargate.
I started writing my own stories when I was about 14, and over the next ten years, I would write 35 stories, give or take a few, improving my skills and increasing my word counts with each one. And it was around this point that I decided I wanted to get a bit more serious about my writing. I self-published my debut short story in 2020, The Last of Her Kind, followed by a second short story in 2021, What Mattered Most, and I published my first Novella, Forgotten Evil, in August this year!
What inspired you to write this book?
As is often the case, this idea popped into my head one day about a character who goes on a hero’s journey, only to discover he’s the villain of his own story. And the mechanism for this being possible was due to the character having amnesia.
But I know that using amnesia can be a bit cliché and handled poorly – along the lines of the character receiving a convenient knock to the head to bring all the lost memories back, that sort of thing. And that’s what I didn’t want to do, so I set out to create a story where there was a plausible, technological reason for the MCs amnesia, and no easy way to undo the memory loss, and to have the MC deal with the ramifications of his past – and Forgotten Evil was born!
How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?
I took about a year from start to finish – which was the fastest that I’ve ever developed a story of this size – due primarily to having a go at being a plotter, as opposed to a pantser, as I’d typically been in the past. And well, the results spoke for themselves!
What makes your story unique?
As I mentioned earlier, when I set out to write an amnesic character, I wanted the cause and lasting effect of the amnesia to be believable and impactful. As an individual, the main character of Forgotten Evil, Raith, has only existed for two years. He knows from some medical examinations, however, that biologically he’s about 35 years old, so there’s a big question mark hanging over him of who was he for 33 years of his life?
Additionally, he came from off-world, so nobody knows about his past on the colony world he lives on. He also knows that his dissociative amnesia was caused by extensive, unnatural neural trauma, so these facts further add to the mystery of his past. His final clue is a dark, ominous voice inside his head, which is a remnant of his past personality. As the story progresses, Raith learns about his past and the technology that erased it, forcing him to choose between his former life and his current life – potentially at a high cost to all of humanity!
All these elements, individually and collectively, make for a unique character in a unique situation, and it is a dark but hopefully entertaining read.
Who would enjoy reading your book?
I think Forgotten Evil will appeal to mature readers that enjoy science-fiction and technology. It’s set in the future, humanity has colonised several planets and travels between the worlds with relative speed (and the help of cryostasis), and the territory is divided between a progressive republic, an oppressive empire, with an underbelly of rebellion. There are space stations, artificial intelligence, rail guns and multi-functional spider-like robotic gadgets – if any of that sounds like your cup of tea, Forgotten Evil is worth a gander!
What’s something you hope readers would take away from it?
First and foremost, I hope to entertain! If I’m lucky, perhaps I’ll inspire someone to begin or carry on with their creative endeavours. And lastly, Raith’s story represents the choices we must all make, between light and darkness, and that despite what others want us to do, or the temptations placed before us, the power to shape our destinies always lies within us.
Do you have a favourite quote or scene in the book that you find yourself going back to?
There’s a scene in the last quarter of the book where there’s a discussion taking place, where ultimately, the other participant (Zavis) wants Raith to wield the same technology that erased Raith’s former identity, believing it to be the most merciful way to end the divide between the republic and the empire, but Raith is in the unique position of knowing what it’s like to be on the receiving end of that technology:
“Raith, you don’t understand –”
“No, you don’t understand!” I yelled. “I know why you changed me; I do … but what you want to wield is the power of gods!”
Zavis sat there in stunned silence.
“And we are not gods!” I continued. “We are men, prone to corruption and greed.”
Forgotten Evil
This book is part of The Forgotten Saga series. Tell me more about the series. How many books are there?
Forgotten Evil is the first book of The Forgotten Saga, and there are two sequels currently in development (and I’m sure there’ll be room for more if there’s a story to tell!). Actions have consequences, and the saga will continue to follow Raith as he continues to be haunted by the past, as the ramifications of his choices in Forgotten Evil catch up with him.
What is something you have learned on your author journey so far?
The journey of becoming a self-published author has been rewarding, and I’ve certainly learned a lot, although there’s still a lot I’ve yet to discover! One lesson, in particular, is that writing a story is the easy part! Producing and marketing a professional, finished product is more nuanced than I realised – marketing is tricky, and I’m still learning how to market myself and my books more effectively.
What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?
If you publish a product that is poorly edited and badly presented, it’s a disservice to you, your hard work, and the broader publishing industry – so invest in that product, hire a professional editor, get a good cover designed – treat the book with the respect that it deserves!
If you could give a shout-out to someone(s) who has helped in your writing journey, please feel free to mention them below!
I’d have to give a shout-out to my best friend, who is fundamental to my writing journey. He reads most of my work, often multiple times, from the first draft to the final copy, always being a great sounding board, picking up on plot holes and validating the overall story.
Forgotten Evil
Genre: Adult Science Fiction
Publication Year: 2022
If you had the power to rewrite people’s thoughts… would you?
As a thirty-five-year-old farmer on a colony world, Raith is a kind and simple man, with a catch – he’s only existed for two years. His previous life is a mystery; the only clue to his past is a dark, ominous voice inside his head.
When the empire executes its triennial ‘Soul Harvest’, Raith’s partner, Amorina, is amongst the abducted colonists. Stowing away aboard one of the departing ships, Raith must navigate strange yet familiar territory in an attempt to save her. Haunted by his inner demon, the rescue becomes increasingly complex, as Raith finds himself caught between the empire, the Insurgency, and the United Earth Republic, with new friends and enemies knowing more about Raith’s history than he does.
Finally, as his past catches up with him, Raith discovers the dark truth about his former life and the powerful technology responsible for erasing it. With the burden of his disturbing past weighing upon him, Raith is forced into wielding that power once more; and the fate of humanity hangs on his decision.
Content notes: Forgotten Evil is intended for mature audiences and includes scenes with sexual material, violence, and offensive language, which some readers may find distressing.
Book Excerpt from
Forgotten Evil
“Is there anything else you’ll be needing, young master Raith?” asked one of the shop keepers.
“Um … possibly,” I said, glancing at him. “Has my father produced enough to get one of these?” I asked, pointing to the stand of Arachnobot Fives, newly arrived from Earth.
“Let me check for you,” the keeper said as he went over to a terminal.
I grabbed one of the Arachnobots off the shelf. They were robotic devices capable of operating as either a smartwatch or a spider-like robot.
“Your father does have enough produce on record, but it will use your entire annual surplus.”
“That’s fine. Everything on the farm is in good working order. We can afford to spend a little.”
I pocketed the Arachnobot, then turned and walked out of the building. I checked inside the EV, ensuring all the farm supplies were loaded in, and then glanced around for Amorina.
“Raith,” I heard her voice calling over the noise of the town. “Raith! Over here!”
I spotted Amorina on the other side of the road at her mother’s coffee shop. As I walked over, she pushed a seat out with her foot.
“Do you want a coffee?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I thought you might. Mum is already making your favourite.”
I smiled as I sat down, appreciating Amorina’s foresight.
“How’s yours?”
“Perfect,” she said, taking another sip, “as always. Mum’s never made a bad one yet.”
Amorina’s mother made fantastic coffee, and my mouth began to salivate at the thought of my own taste of perfection arriving.
“Did you get something for yourself, as you mentioned?”
“Yeah, I did. Remember that old Arachnobot that I’ve got back at the farm?”
“Yeah. What about it?”
“In the store, they had fifth-generation ones fresh from Earth. So I got one.”
Amorina chuckled. “You know they only send us their outdated tech, right? Plus, it takes like two years for it to get here from Earth, so they’re always a generation or two ahead.”
I nodded. “Yeah, but it’s still an upgrade for me.”
“Raith! Good to see you again.”
I looked up as Amorina’s mother placed a coffee in front of me.
“Hi, Anne! Good to see you too. How’re things?”
Anne beamed at me with the same smile that I had so often seen grace Amorina’s face.
“Things are good. A steady flow of customers and a happy, healthy daughter – what more could I want?”
“More customers?” I said with a wink.
Anne laughed. “Well, I certainly wouldn’t say no!”
Suddenly, a rumble permeated the air, coming from somewhere high in the sky. A chilling silence fell over the town as all laughter and conversation ceased, and people turned their gazes upwards. As Amorina looked up as well, I watched the blood drain from her face.
“What is it? What’s happening?” I asked, glancing upwards.
“It might be nothing … maybe just a meteor,” said Anne unconvincingly, her face equally pale.
I looked around at the townsfolk, all staring at the sky, fear written across their faces.
“You’re telling me people are this concerned over a meteor?”
Anne turned to look at me. “You’d better fucking hope it’s just a meteor!” she snapped.
My eyes widened in shock “Why? What’s the alternative?”
A boom erupted from the sky, and the surrounding crowd gasped as people started pointing. I looked up to see eight points of light descending.
“Dropships!” someone shouted – a cry soon echoed by others.
Moments later, the light disappeared, revealing the dark metallic shuttlecrafts.
“What do dropships mean?” I asked
“It means,” Amorina said, turning towards me with a tear-stained face, “it’s a Soul Harvest!”
Interested?
Learn more about Forgotten Evil on Goodreads, Storygraph, IndieStoryGeek and Universal Link.
Thank you for hanging out with us today. Connect with Quill on Twitter, Instagram, Website, Goodreads, Amazon and Facebook.
If you are an indie author and would like to do a book excerpt, check out my work with me page for details. Check out other book excerpts here.
Cover image: Photo on Unsplash
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