Trinity Student Publishes First Novel

Trinity senior Phil Liaboe recently published his first novel, The Guild of Thieves (PublishAmerica), which is set for a nationwide release in stores on October 23, 2006. The book is available now through online bookstores Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

Guild of Thieves is the first installment of a trilogy, which takes place in the fantastical Underworld. The story chronicles the lives of two poverty-stricken thieves and addicts whose everyday lives are a struggle to survive. Their lives and the lives of others are changed forever when they find themselves entangled in a plot that has been brewing in the Underworld for several generations.

Liaboe says he first got the inspiration for the story when he took a course in creative writing with Trinity professor and English Department Chair Lois Fleming in the spring.

"I was thinking about [the class] one night when the idea just came to me. So I started writing, and the first two stories that I put up on the overhead for the class to evaluate turned out to be the first two chapters of the book," he said.

He credits the course for ultimately motivating him to take his work beyond the classroom.

"If I hadn't taken Creative Writing, there's no way I would have ever gotten this book published," he said.

Before he submitted the finished copy to the publishing company, Liaboe spent nearly a month and a half, six to seven hours per day, writing, editing, revising, and adding detail to the novel, which includes various elements of science fiction, fantasy, and the supernatural. Also, he says, the story contains parallels to Christianity and subjects of a more spiritual nature.

"I included several Christian themes because that is very important in my life, and it's reflected in my work," Liaboe said. "I didn't really think about it at the time, but a lot of the book deals with the allegory of rich versus poor. Also, it shows that humanity has fallen every time we try to better ourselves without God's help. The themes aren't blatant, but the Christian influence is definitely in there."

The book boasts cover art by Trinity junior Bree Pederson, whom Liaboe enlisted for the project.

"It's really an excellent cover. She did a great job," he said.

Liaboe is currently working on a sequel, The Order of the Shadows, and is under contract with Publish America to complete the trilogy, Guardians of the Spirit River, with a third entry. The final book has not yet been named.

According to Liaboe, some of the keys to his success have been perseverance and patience, which have helped him to enjoy the whole process of getting a book published. However, he claims to have had a tough time with patience in recent weeks.

"It almost doesn't seem real," he said. "I don't think it will actually be real until I get a copy of it."

For more information on Phil Liaboe and The Guild of Thieves, visit www.publishedauthors.net/phillydog413.

Author: Zephaniah Whitt, Senior Writer/Editor, Trinity Digest

Date posted: September 15, 2006