Q&A with "The Four Horsemen" author, LeeMichael Charboneau

So what is The Four Horsemen series about?

The Four Horsemen series starts in the future around the year 2040. A secret government program is created to have a group of covert and elite soldiers who operate off the books and off the grid. They’re essentially mercenaries who receive their orders directly from the president. Though all four books are not yet written, the books are designed to cover a thirty to forty year span in an alternate reality created by fictitious events following the 2012 presidential election. Each book is told from the first person view of one of the characters, and the ending of one book overlaps the beginning of the next. Readers will get to the end of the series and reflect on the drastic changes both our nation and our planet undergo throughout the books.

The Four Horsemen author, LeeMichael Charboneau (2014)

What inspired you to write a novel such as The Four Horsemen – I am the Fourth?

I have always enjoyed action and adventure movies and I have also been a very avid reader. What inspired me to write the books was imagining what I wanted to read. To better clarify, I found myself reading a book, or watching a movie and thinking to myself, “That’s great, but here’s what I think would have made it better, or more entertaining.” Upon creating my own concept, I then had the freedom to do whatever I wanted with the characters, the plot, etc. Writing has come naturally to me. As long as you understand the basics of what a story needs (protagonist, antagonist, plot, setting etc.) then the material just sort of flows. Many questioned after reading the first book why I opted to start a book series so far in the future. At first glance, it may seem easier to have started the book in the present. But in order to set the scene and create a prologue, you have to build the back story. You would need to incorporate real historical facts. Setting the book’s plot in the future gave me immense freedom. A couple pages of the prologue were real events, and as the prologue advances, the alternate history takes shape. There ends up being less work involved, because ultimately there are no real ‘facts’ to check as you cannot clarify actions and events from an era of history that has not happened yet.

Book 1 of 4 of The Four Horsemen series

Did you have any writing experience or take classes before you embarked on The Four Horsemen series?

I took regular required English classes throughout grade school and college, but never anything specifically geared towards writing itself. In high school I was a member of a Power of the Pen writing club for a semester. I didn’t enjoy the club mostly because I had not evolved to a point where I enjoyed sharing my work with others. Ultimately I obviously did share my work in the form of self-publishing. Despite that, my views on this artistic avenue have generally not changed; I write for myself, and no one else. If I do share my work, I admit that I am not all too receptive to criticism. I started writing fiction when I was seven years old. It started on legal pads, and spiral notebooks, and overtime evolved to a traditional typewriter and computers.

Bryan Miller of Lunar Indie Studios stated that he used illustrated storyboards to provide the groundwork for his 2014 dystopian thriller, Tombstone Philosophy. Did you do anything similar to that when roughing out the story’s overall layout?

I used very limited methods to plan out the first book. I created my main characters with paragraph long biographies and created timelines on scratch paper to follow my plot and get to where I ultimately wanted to be. Beyond that, I started writing and the words just started flowing onto the pages.

The literary influences of LeeMichael Charboneau: Ray Bradbury and F. Scott Fitzgerald (l to r)

Were there any authors who influenced you on the path to becoming a writer?

I have always enjoyed the works of (Ray) Bradbury and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Both authors had such a great way of writing their novels that it kept readers glued to the book. Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is probably the character I identify with most throughout the literary world, and subsequently Fitzgerald as an author.

In the dedication part of The Four Horsemen – I am the Fourth, there is a quote from someone named Eugene who was close enough for you to mention him in your first book. Who was Eugene?

Eugene was just the nicest guy you ever met in your whole life. I worked with him for years at the Honeybaked Ham Company while I was in college. He was so incredibly smart, but in exchange he was very quiet and a little awkward just like me; I think that’s why we got along so well. He passed away from a massive heart attack in 2009 and the quote is the last thing we talked about before he died. We had talked about space history and he chuckled claiming to know more about Star Trek than anything in the real world. That weekend he called in sick and he never ended up returning to work. He seemed to know everything about everything. I continue to miss him and think about him often.

Did any films, movies or world events provide you any influence to the creation of The Four Horsemen – I am the Fourth?

The book took me nine months to write the initial rough draft. World economic climate and the upcoming presidential election (2012) were drivers for the start of the book. This was where the idea of an alternate history began. I wanted a book that was entertaining to read with enough content to keep the reader captivated. It has its funny one liners, its serious moments, and at times absurd scenarios. Essentially what I wanted was my own version of The Expendables. All the while I thought to myself as I progressed, “What would you want to read?” So right there, I understand that my book will more than likely only be read by a niche market. Some read the books and critiqued the historic events I created. While everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion, some took the plot too seriously citing that certain things could not have happened. The books are meant to be entertaining. Though the reader is transported on a journey, it’s not intended to be a journey where the reader’s attention is pulled from the plot to dwell on fictional facts of an alternative history.

What made you decide to use dictator, Kim Jung-un as an antagonist for The Four Horsemen – I am the Fourth?

Well, let’s keep in mind the world was a much different place seven years ago (2010). Back then he was more bark than bite and someone I don’t think anyone really took seriously. Much of the world laughed at him, so I figured, why not expand on that? He is so odd and eccentric that it really was an easy choice. The series begins with a newly unified Korea attempting to take over the United States. Throughout books and literature we see the enemy of America as China, Russia, and even some limited South American countries. Very rarely to you really see Korea doing anything of any substance in literature and film. The decision was made to run with a concept and a ruler who were very rarely portrayed.

The upcoming sequel to The Four Horsemen - I am the Fourth

You have a sort of literary/artistic relationship with fellow author, Bryan Miller, who also provided you the cover illustration and creative direction for your novels. How did you two meet and engage in this sort of partnership?

Bryan and I attended the same high school and graduated the same year. We formed a friendship as we both appeared at events and homes of mutual friends. I honestly think small talk was really how we got to where we are today. “Hey I’m a writer!” “Hey I’m into graphic design!” There was definitely something there where we felt a partnership would be mutually beneficial for our talents. He may disagree, but I feel that the book covers are so much cooler and nicer than any of the content in any of the books; that’s just me. After seeing what Bryan could do, I acknowledged that whoever designed the books themselves would have to be talented enough to catch the eye of a prospective reader. I gave him free reign to create whatever he wanted based on a limited restriction of a color scheme chosen by me. The result? Mind blowing covers better than I could have ever imagined.

The Four Horsemen – I am the Fourth was part one of a four-part series of novels, the other three are The Chronicles of John Wallace, I am my Father’s Son, and They Gave Me Life. How’s the progress on those sequels, and what do we (the reader) get to expect from Carl Jackson, John Wallace and the rest of the Horsemen?

There was an immense amount of self-produced fanfare upon the completion of the first book. Keeping in mind that I didn’t write the book specifically for money, I think that a little part of my brain was hoping that it would take off, become popular, and I’d make a ton of money. Who wouldn’t like that? But it didn’t. I spent so much money on posters, promotional materials, and the books themselves that I essentially broke even on the whole journey. I think I saw that as sort of a failure despite the fact that money and notoriety were not why I did this. I made it about a third of the way through the second book, The Chronicles of John Wallace. I couldn’t get moving enough to drive it home and finish it yet. To try and maintain motivation in the series, I began writing the third book, I am my Father’s Son, but unfortunately I’m not any closer to a sequel than I was when I began writing them. I have not abandoned the series, nor do I plan to. Completing the series is something that I want to do, but I am unable to provide a time frame at this time. The reader can expect to see each character pushed to their limits in various ways. Each person’s personality will be clear, but at some point in each book, readers will see them put in a position to make choices that would otherwise contradict their normal instincts. Though the books are each told through the eyes of one specific character, readers can expect everyone to be tested at one point or another.

The Four Horsemen series as a part of Earth-2 of Lunar Indie Studios' Lunarverse

In the upcoming three novel, The Four Horsemen - I am my Father’s Son, there are rumors based on the Lunar Indie Studios’ official Lunarverse timeline of a considerable time gap between the end of Book II and III (spanning between 2044-2079); any particular reason for the time gap?

I want to keep the plot flowing through the books. Yes, there is a time span of thirty-five years, but it allows me to prolong the literary life of some of the characters in special ways. I go back to what I would want to read, and I would want a series that expanded beyond one era of history. I think readers that follow the plot to the very end will be pleased with how the series concludes.

Where can readers obtain a copy of your novel?

Readers can pick up The Four Horsemen: I am the Fourth from big name retailers like Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Lulu.com. The best price is on Lulu.com. Lulu is a self-publishing site which has given me 100% control over my projects. With that being said, after the initial release and a specific period of time, I placed (and will place on all future books), a permanent discount on the book. Readers can choose whichever medium suits them best, so there are hardcovers, paperbacks, and e-book copies to enjoy.