Spirited, fun and always a joy to talk with, we sat down with Nanishka Torres, author of The Prince.
Nanishka was inspired to write The Prince when she noticed a lack of positive LGBTQ books in the literary world. She felt it necessary to write a love story between two men that did not focus on their coming to terms with their sexuality. She wanted a story that showed the love between men with conflicts coming from other sources other than their sexual orientation.
The Prince is a fantasy novel that takes place in a kingdom called Finrir. Prince Callum is loved by his people and rules his kingdom with peace and justice. Lorkan, Prince Callum’s partner, is kidnapped by a radical religious group and the story unfolds.
Q. If you could give your book to one celebrity, who would it be and why?
A. Humorously, I’ve already given my book to a celebrity: Sebastian Stan. I based the character of Lorkan on Sebastian Stan. He is such a kindhearted person, as well as a person with conviction, and I kept him in mind as I wrote Lorkan.
Q. If you could give your book to one singer/musician, who would it be and why?
A. I would give The Prince to Henry Jackman. He composed the soundtracks to “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Captain America: Civil War”, and I absolutely love the way he supports the story with his compositions. I would love to hear what music comes to his mind while reading the book.
Q. If your book was turned into a film/TV show, who would you tap to play the lead(s)? Why?
A. Sebastian Stan to play Lorkan, of course. I also had James McAvoy in my mind as I wrote Rhett Ryckoff, and he would portray him magnificently. Jesse Williams or Aubrey Joseph (when he’s holder) would both be perfect as Callum, and Gabrielle Union is my ideal Queen Thestera.
Q. What is the core message you want to deliver to the world through your writing/books/stories?
A. The core message is that we will all do just about anything for those we love. I wanted to portray the love shared among these characters at equal levels to emphasize that we all love the same: gay, straight, bisexual, male, female, non-binary, trans, whatever, love is universal and has no boundaries. It isn’t more powerful when between a heterosexual couple than a homosexual one. It isn’t more powerful between romantic love than familial love or friendship love.
Q. Recommend a book from another author. Why should people read this book?
A. I just finished “Beat the Reaper” by Josh Bazell. It’s a really fun read with a main character you like straight from the beginning. I also recommend “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” by Seth Grahame-Smith. I absolutely love how well he wove history with fantasy, making all of the supernatural elements sound plausible.
Rapid Fire Questions and Answers
Q. Star Wars or Star Trek?
A. Star Wars
Q. Guardians of the Galaxy or X-Men?
A. X-Men
Q. Kittens or puppies?
A. Puppies
Q. Ninja or pirates?
A. Ninja
Q. Reading or writing?
A. Writing
Q. Marvel or DC?
A. Marvel
Q. Coachella or Broadway?
A. Broadway
Q. The ability to fly or mind reading?
A. Ability to fly
Q. Miley or Selena?
A. Miley
Q. E.L. James or J.K. Rowling?
A. J.K. Rowling
Q. Meat or Veggies?
A. Meat
