Brock Eastman’s newest novel Risk reunites readers with the Wikk kids as they explore a strange, abandoned civilization and continue their search for the hidden planet Ursprung in order to save all that they hold dear.
I wanted to take the story of The Quest for Truth deeper and raise the stakes! Taken set up the series and introduced us to the characters, and Risk takes us into non-stop heart-pounding action. We find the Wikks who we have just met and begun to love thrown into a very dangerous world. I wanted to show the dynamics of a family and how siblings can work together. I also wanted to show readers that anyone can be a leader regardless of his or her age, it just takes courage.
WHEN MAKING UP STORIES, HOW MUCH DO YOU DRAW ON YOUR OWN LIFE EXPERIENCES AND PEOPLE YOU KNOW, VERSUS DRAWING ON RESEARCH ABOUT COMPLETE STRANGERS?
This is a great question. I certainly draw on life experiences, but sometimes I just close my eyes and put myself there. I let my imagination take control. Inspiration from God, past things I have read or heard, and things I’ve seen all blend into one, and soon my story has the answer. It amazes me how God so perfectly created our minds and gave us imaginations that can think of anything. That just shows how we are truly created in His image. I mean, look all around us at what He imagined. PRETTY COOL!
IN YOUR NEW NOVEL, WHO IS THE CHARACTER IN THIS STORY WHO SURPRISED YOU MOST?
In Risk I think I saw the most growth in Austin. He really took the stage in this book and developed in ways that aren’t quite apparent until Unleash, but the basis for those changes happens in Risk. At times I found myself saying, “Austin, do you really want to do that?” But sometimes your characters just don’t like to listen.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?
I am currently writing Unleash and loving it. It is by far the most complex of the series so far. Things begin unraveling, and mysteries are uncovered. We also see Tiffany step up. She has surprised me even more than Austin in Risk. Her ability to take control of a situation and do what needs to be done gives her great growth in this edition of The Quest for Truth. I am also revising HowlSage and BlizzardSage for a future release. I’ve been getting a lot of requests on BlizzardSage, so I realize it’s time to sit down and work on it.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS GET OUT OF YOUR WORK?
I want readers (especially kids) to be motivated. I want them to learn they are capable of anything if they put their hearts and minds to it. God has uniquely gifted each one of us and created us for a purpose. It’s something I’ve always believed and is an inspiration for my writing.