The Promise of Eden

By: Eric Durchholz

AMAZON Reviews



The power of the imagination is fully realized in the debut novel by Eric Durchholz. We are introduced to Anna, part human, part spirit whose dalliances with an alien race have made her very powerful. In spite of her strength, she is forced to occupy a section of time and space that intersects a house inhabited by young Gregory Coleman and his family. She befriends the young boy, masquerading as his imaginary playmate, all the while devising her plan of redemption. She is aided in her task by Joseph, a hermit with enigmatic ties to the small town of New Harmony, and Sylive, a 200-year-old poltergeist with aspirations of godhood.



As Gregory matures, he is drawn further into the web Anna has created to shield him from the truth of her existence. For Anna is not what she seems, nor is she the devoted playmate Gregory always thought her to be.



[snippit of an interview from Amazon.Com -- interesting notes about Prince, Wendy & Lisa]:



Amazon.com: Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way? What
books have most influenced your life?



E.D.: Music influences my writing more than anything. In fact, many of my short stories were influenced by bootleg Prince recordings. One of the major themes of TPOE (and the title as well) was extracted from a Wendy and Lisa song. TPOE has a soundtrack as well as other works I have written. As far as books go, I think Imajica, by Clive Barker opened me up. I learned from him that one can write about religion in new ways without being afraid of going to different places thematically. Religion is a great point of reference for most of us. It has a built-in emotional weight.



Amazon.com: What is the most romantic book you've ever read? The scariest? The funniest?



E.D.: I do not read romances. The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson stands as the scariest book I have ever read. The funniest would have to be Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.



Amazon.com: What music, if any, most inspires you to write? What do you like to listen to while writing?



E.D.: The music of Prince inspires me the most. I prefer silence when writing.



Amazon.com: What are you reading now? What CD is currently in your stereo?



E.D.: I am not reading anything currently, but plan to start on the new Carl Sagan bio soon. Nine Inch Nails' The Fragile is in my player. It replaced Moby's Play which stayed there for nearly two months.