The character of Eric Icarus has been floating around in my head since I was a child, so completing a full-length novel as the first in a series of YA sci-fi superhero adventure books is a surreal experience. But just who is this imaginary underdog who rises to face the most perilous of adversaries? And why did it take so long to get his story written?
Like many authors, my passion project was one of those tales that would’ve gnawed at my brain until I inevitably caved and typed it out. The concept of a person who can fly and chooses to fight crime isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel - in fact, it was deciding on what unique spin I could add to this trope that was partially to blame for the decades long delay. As a kid, I daydreamed about my fly guy, the heroic super-dude I made up that rose above all the other imaginary champions who stole my attention away from learning boring things like basic life skills. Influences were abundant, from cartoons, movies, comics, and, of course, books - though it would be a long time before I even started to develop better reading habits. My action-packed parables and thrilling yarns were always a visual affair. Tactile, as well, since action figures often played the part of what my ideas were in my head. Children have immense and vivid imaginations, so it’s no surprise that the very young are interested in storytelling. That being said, my crusader’s chronicles weren’t always the most original.
Nothing was ever ripped-off or thieved, but parallel thinking has a way of sometimes rearing its ugly mug right as you’re on the cusp of something glorious. My aforementioned influences buried themselves into my subconscious and as I grew older, I became more aware of this fact. To counter any unintended mimicry, when I first started writing notes outlining what would eventually become the first book, one of my goals was to establish a setting that made this tale as fresh as could be. Eric, my fictional frontman, lives in New St. Cloud City, a place already familiar with armored superheroe and other technological marvels. Due to his environment’s futuristic backdrop, when Eric discovers he has the miraculous ability to defy gravity, he doesn’t consider himself to be the single most special individual roaming the Earth. At least not at fist - Eric’s inventor father, David, has been building gadgets and gizmos since Eric can remember, so seeing something spectacular is a daily occurrence (even if most of his dad’s inventions don’t work quite the way as he intended).
Well into my adulthood, whenever the idea of Eric Icarus would swoop in intruding upon my thoughts, there was always the presence of an older mentor figure in Eric’s life. This potential parental person went through many amorphous forms, from a wizened old physics instructor to a helpful police officer. The final iteration of the story doesn’t quite see those particular paragons, but along the way of producing the story, a multitude of exciting notions flooded my nervous system. Inspiration struck numerous times, and Eric’s world grew into a fully realized realm of creativity that got me excited to not only get the story out of my system, but to share it with the world. Not that the planet’s population was clamoring for me to write, but I was excited anyway.
Eric Icarus is a ninth-grader (though at one point, many years ago, he was a college student - the poor guy keeps bouncing around the school system in my mind) whose preternatural ability to go entirely unnoticed among his peers would have you guessing he can become invisible instead of soar through the sky. When attention does come his way, Eric isn’t prepared for the whirlwind of ups and downs that are associated with fame. In the novel, Eric’s flying power is remarkable but the catch is, he cannot stop flying. If he doesn’t so much as stay afloat or levitate, a mysterious pain ravages his body. Being unable to stay “grounded” for too long is not a great way to blend in with the crowd. Eric must now raise his own expectations and lift his spirits enough to deal with no longer being able to be an unseen nobody.
Fortunately for Eric, he befriends a girl in his class, Jaycee, who has the connections to ultimately lead Eric to donning a sleek blue costume and debut as the city’s newest superhero. While Eric embraces his new life in the spotlight, a mystery from his past casts a dark shadow over everything he holds dear - and threatens everyone he cares about. Eric Icarus must rise above his own fears and face the truth as he realizes being a soaring superhero is not all fun and games.
Unsecret Identity: Eric Icarus - Book One is available now - download your copy today from the Amazon Kindle Store.
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