Q: Your story includes many interesting facts about sharks and volcanoes. Have these two subjects always been a fascination of yours?
A: I grew up on Florida’s Gulf Coast, so sharks were a fact of life. Shovelheads at the beach, baby Lemon Sharks in the mangroves, Blacktips coming out of the water trying to snag a fish I just reeled in on my fishing line. Fresh teeth on the shore with the shells were a constant reminder that they were there, just offshore, even if we did not see them. Sharks fascinated me since childhood, and I never really feared them while swimming–although when you see them while snorkeling, you do fear them. It is a perfect example of “out of sight, out of mind”. Volcanoes have always seemed exotic, perhaps also because that one thing I was never exposed to growing up. As an adult, I read the wonderment of Pliny the Younger witnessing the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius that buried Pompeii, trying to describe events his eyes see but his mind cannot fully explain. So, I hope to have captured a bit of that same awe in Sharkano, as the characters witness what their brains cannot comprehend, yet, their eyes are telling them is happening around them.
Q: What exactly is a lava tube?
A: When lava flows from deep below the earth’s surface, it forms tunnels or tubes.Think of it as a volcano’s plumbing. If the lava solidifies under the earth, it leaves ribbons of rock, but when the lava is expelled during an eruption, it leaves behind a cave where that lava flowed. They can be massive–one in Iceland is a tourist attraction, with the cave up to 30 feet high and almost 100 feet wide. More typically, they are 3-10 feet wide, and can be found almost anywhere on earth where there are–or have been–active volcanoes.
Q: Is the island setting in Hawaii a real place? Are you familiar with the Hawaiian Islands?
A: Mauna Niuhi is a fictional island. I considered trying to place the story in a real location, but decided the mystery is best served by creating a somewhat mystical place with its own mythology. The tropical jungle is based loosely on Kaua’i, called the Garden Isle, but with the contrasting desert-like ecosystem of a massive volcano looming over it.
Q: Are there professional volcano experts who study volcanoes? Was Burke based off of a real person?
A: Volcanology is the study of volcanoes, as well as their lava and the magma that exists under the earth’s surface. Volcanologists are geologists who specialize in the study of volcanoes or the molten core of the earth. They use everything from computer technology to satellites to study volcanoes, and are essential to provide warnings to people who live in the shadows of volcanoes around the world. A volcanologist named David A. Johnston was studying for the US Geological Survey on Mt. St. Helens in 1980 when it erupted. Dr. Johnston was heroically manning an observation post near the volcano, where he died when it erupted.
Q: What is your favorite breed/species of sharks? Why?
A: I have always loved Hammerhead sharks, which frankly look like an alien species. They are relatively common in the Gulf of Mexico, where I grew up. I also am a fan of Tiger Sharks,which are the ultimate predator. Beautiful, fast and unique, they are one of the few shark species which are dangerous to humans. To me, that is not a basis to hate them, but rather to respect such an awesome creature.
Q: If Sharkano would become a movie, who would star as Burke, Jacqueline, and Lexi? What would be the theme song?
A: Great question! Sharkano actually began as an exercise in writing a screenplay, which I adapted into a novel. I did not get as far as casting it in my mind, but since you have given the chance…Burke: While writing this, I imagined a slightly nerdy Burke in my head, but I am not sure I would cast him in this way. Maybe someone like Norman Reedus, who has a charm and sensitivity and can definitely pull off roughing it atop a volcano. Jacqueline: Although probably a bit young, I would love to see Anna Kendrick in this role. She has the glamour and the subtle humor, and she’d make a terrific reporter. Lexi: This is the toughest for me, as I am not familiar with many young actors her age. Would love to cast a newcomer, who could bring the wonder and struggle of a tween as she faces the unknown.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I have written a vampire story based upon true events. No kidding. I am currently writing a series of sequels which, while based upon the original, are entirely fictional and merely suppose what might have been–or which might be.
LINKS: Goodreads: T.A. Bound (Author of Sharkano) (goodreads.com) Sharkano: https://www.facebook.com/FeartheSharkano The Last Vampire: https://www.facebook.com/TheLastVampireNovel
BIO: SHARKANO,my debut novel, was published in November, 2020 by Solstice Publishing. I am an attorney, and have also published a non-fiction book on insurance claims. Raised on the Florida Gulf Coast, after college and Law School in South Carolina, I moved to Marietta, Georgia, my current home. My wife and I live with our adopted dog Maksim Gorky, named after the Soviet author, where I enjoy cooking, writing and reading history—particularly historical fiction.
My Review of Sharkano
Sharkano, (combination of Shark/Volcano), is about a volcanologist (learned that from the author interivew!) who sets up camp to study a volcano on a fictitious island in Hawaii. The volcanologist/Burke is divorced and decides to take his teenage daughter, Lexi, with him for the summer while working. Without spoiling the story, Lexi immediately spots two sharks while swimming in a natural pool situated in the mouth of the volcano. No one believes her because the volcano is detached from the ocean. As people start to die, Burke, her father, begins to accept her story as truth. Her mother, Jacqueline, is a reporter who smells a story and flies to the island to find out what is going on. A shark expert, Dr. K., is also brought in to help answer some questions.
My Review: T.A. Bound does an amazing job with describing the setting-Hawaiian Island and volcano. The setting almost becomes another character as he uses research about volcanoes and a highly detailed description in his story-telling. The main characters, Burke, Jacqueline, and Lexi, move the story as well as offering dimension with their relatable qualities. The story in itself is well-written and action-packed. He does an excellent job painting a picture with words during the climatic scenes. I learned a great deal about volcanoes and sharks while being completely entertained. I thought of Jaws while reading the book as the words played a movie in my mind while reading. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves an adventure story.
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