In this prequel to Purrazzi's Malfunction trilogy, readers are introduced to a world where monstrous aliens have invaded the planet, forcing humanity into a bleak existence beneath the Earth's surface. Cowl Coven wants a way out. Instead he discovers a secret government project that's destroying lives and a victim who needs his help.
The premise of the story is intriguing enough in its own right, but Cowl makes the gritty tale even more engaging and surprisingly funny at times with his sharp wit and often dark sense of humor. While he initially comes across as self-serving and callous, it doesn't take long to realize there's much more to him than that. I loved how the author was able to provide so much depth and complexity to his character in a story this short. The other major character in the story, G4, was also well-developed and fascinating in his own right. I'm interested to see how things will turn out for both of them in future books.
The setting here is well-crafted, and I always had a clear visual in my head of what was happening. The story is tight and moves right along without any unnecessary details or information thrown in to slow down the pace. I could have easily read it all in one sitting if I'd had the time. I wanted to. It was a fantastic story, and I'll be eagerly awaiting the Malfunction trilogy and other future books by this author.
I also had the pleasure to interview J. E. Purrazzi about her writing and this story. She provided some great insights into her stories and how she makes writing a priority in her busy life.
Cowl is a fantastic character. I love his sharp, sarcastic sense of humor. What is the most fun part of writing him for you?
I think the thing that was the most fun to write was also the least. Cowl's humor is a blast to write as is his irreverence, but it also leaves me second guessing a lot. Humor is extremely subjective and the more you hear something the less humorous it becomes. That means that the same things that had me giggling out loud in an empty room during the first draft got really old in the fifth.
What was the hardest part of writing this book? How did you overcome that?
The hardest part about writing Revelation was smoothing over the plot holes. I had told this story through dialogue in the first book of the trilogy and trying to fill it out to a full, believable story that was actually exciting to read took more than a few tries.
Revelation is a prequel novella to the Malfunction trilogy. Which did you write first? When can we expect to read the rest of the series?
I wrote Revelation between the second draft of the second book of the trilogy and the first draft of the third book. I currently have at least one draft of all three books of the trilogy done. I am aiming at having Malfunction, the first book of the trilogy, out at the end of July but I want the best product possible so that might be moved back.
I know you're a busy person with a very full life. How do you balance writing with all the other demands on your time?
What I've learned is that you will find time for the things that really matter to you. I had to move around some priorities and sometimes regret what I am missing out on. I usually work on my writing stuff from about nine at night to eleven thirty. It means a lot of caffeine and some complaining, a few other things sacrificed, but as long as I keep my priorities where they belong and remember to rest, the end product is worth it all.
If you could give one piece of advice to new or aspiring writers, what would it be?
There are a lot of good bits of advice out there: form habits, read a lot, get good feedback. I think that a writer who dislikes research is at a real disadvantage. We are living in the age of information. Thanks to the internet there is a wealth of information at our fingertips. My advice is to devour any writing craft resources you can find and carefully weigh and apply it. It will be hard at times, but it's better to learn from other people's mistakes than from your own.
Other places to find J. E. Purrazzi
Website: www.jillanepurrazzi.com
Twitter: @JEPurrazzi