Writer-actor-singer Leonard Bassed was born in the town of Middleburg, Mpumalanga and raised in Johannesburg. He started taking vocal lessons at age eight and studied drama throughout his high school years. A mentor encouraged him to pursue an acting career. Leonard went on to complete acting classes in both South Africa and later Los Angeles. Currently, when not writing or singing, Leonard continues to study acting techniques with the renowned Margie Haber Studio in Hollywood. In his free time, he enjoys travel, reading and movie going. His latest book is The Witch Port Video Game.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: https://leonardbassed.com/
Facebook page for author: https://www.facebook.com/leobassed/
Twitter page for author: https://twitter.com/LeonardBassed
BOOK BLURB:
Leonard Bassed had no plan to write a novel titled THE WITCH PORT VIDEO GAME when he set out to create a movie script with a similar name. “I had written the pilot script first and I kept the same ending for the novel…everything from the script I wrote found its way into the finished book version of ‘The Witch Port Video Game,’ said writer-singer-actor Leonard Bassed. “I was able to spend more time developing the characters and their world…the whole thing was just such an organic experience and extremely enjoyable, creative for me.”
THE WITCH PORT VIDEO GAME tells the story through the lives of three ordinary teens who live in the fictional town of Cradle Creek, USA – a small town they hope to one day escape, attracted by the bright lights and promise of the Big City. All three are students at a prestigious performing art school with hopes of one day making names for themselves in the entertainment world.
Mr. Bassed continued about his story, “A chance encounter the three have with a girl named Bianca Morris threatens to derail their plans. Bianca introduces them to an enticing video game, ‘The Witch Port Video Game’. This encounter, coupled with the arrival of the MacQuoid brothers sets in motion a series of bizarre events that spins their lives into chaos and disarray as the three head into a world of sorcery with an ultimate fight for survival.”
As a young boy growing up in South Africa, Leonard dreamed one day of working in the arts. He wanted to write, to act, to sing. While drawn to acting and song writing, he was also a good story teller. “The auditions I would go out for as an actor were never reflective of the kinds of roles I was after to play. It was this realization that led me to writing the pilot script which I planned to pitch to TV and movie producers. But, once I finished the script I’d grown too attached to the characters and the wonders of their world that ultimately led the script into the shape of a full novel,” he went on to say.
PRAISE
“While the book’s final moments leave us with a rather sudden, enigmatic ending, an end note does indicate a sequel Witch Port Igniting the Coven on the horizon. For those who enjoy the entertaining literary chemistry that results from inquisitive teens and their foray into the mysterious world of sorcery, Bassed’s venture should prove an intriguing reveal.”
–Pacific Book Review
“Filled with cheeky references to famous pop-culture stories of sorcery and mixed with some classic teenage angst, this book is a fast-paced, suspenseful story. The novel’s premise that some teenagers gain special powers through a video game is an updated, modern take on magic and suits the story quite well for a 21st-century setting. The author sets up the story mechanisms so that everything that happens through the students’ video game play also happens in real life. The author states that this novel was originally a screenplay, and those elements shine through, from the descriptive settings to the fast pace in which the action occurs on the page. It will be interesting to see how the protagonists grow with their powers in the sequel.”
–The U.S. Review of Books
Book can be purchased at the author’s web site at www.leonardbassed.com
Interview:
- Would you call yourself a born writer?
I’ve always enjoyed writing; it’s always been my way to make sense of the world around me. I’m very interested in people and what makes them tick. I guess that’s also what drew me to acting.
- What was your inspiration for The Witch Port Video Game?
I have always been intrigued by magical realism. I had the idea to write the Witch Port Video Game script in June of 2014 after I returned home to South Africa from Los Angeles, California, in the USA. While in the US I took classes at the Acting Corps, a place where I got the chance to meet and interact with interesting people from different places and settings. This resulted in me writing a pilot script that I planned to pitch for film/TV. Upon its completion I’d grown too attached to the world and characters I’d dreamt up. This ultimately led my story into the shape of a novel, the first in the series. I am currently writing the sequel.
- What themes do you like to explore in your writing?
I gravitate towards universally relatable themes such as the reluctant hero, the under dog that would normally fade into the background being called to greatness. Themes such as good vs. evil, power and corruption, and love specifically unrequited or forbidden love.
- How long did it take you to complete the novel?
It took me about six months to complete bearing in mind it was first adapted from a pilot script I wrote by the same name.
- Are you disciplined? Describe a typical writing day.
I’m fairly disciplined when it comes to my writing, but the caveat to that is you have to personally connect to the subject matter. A typical writing day for me is being holed up in my room taking frequent caffeine breaks. I definitely have some clichéd writer habits and idiosyncrasies.
- What did you find most challenging about writing this book?
The most challenging aspect of writing this book was definitely the fact that it’s written in a first-person account. When writing a book, one wants the characters to remain in discovery, and not come across as these all-knowing and indestructible beings.
- What do you love most about being an author?
I love the title author it sounds very prestigious [he jokes]. I guess I like the freedom it gives me. Knowing I’ll always have a creative outlet to express myself.
- Did you go with a traditional publisher, small press, or did you self publish? What was the process like and are you happy with your decision?
I self-published my novel. The whole thing was definitely a huge learning curve and the mistakes costly, but I’ve learned a lot through the process. I’m quite proud of the end product, more so because I know what went into it.
- Where can we find you on the web?
Please check out my website: www.leonardbassed.com, all up dates will be posted here.
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