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SPFBO Author Interview: D.L Gardner

In my third SPFBO author interview I spoke with fantasy author and creator of the Sword of Cho Nisi series. Book one is an entrant in the competition.

  • Hi Dianne, tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write?

I’ve enjoyed writing ever since I was a child and being a devote reader, I lost myself in the worlds of Shakespeare, Dumas, Dickens, Lewis, Poe, and more. I wrote mostly poetry when I was young but having a creative yearning, I expressed myself in other art forms (oil painting and music). It wasn’t until my later years that I decided to write novels. My first successful piece (I have some false starts of course) was about a boy and a dragon. I painted the dragon before I finished the novel. (It’s 3 panels 9 ft X 4 ft oil painting with copper leaf accents) and formed the story while I worked, using my grandsons as not only a target audience, but models for my MC. Since they were raised without fathers, I was especially compelled to write a story that would encourage them to be the man they wished their father had been to them. That series is titled Ian’s Realm and we did some Indie filming of a short concept film, put it in some film festivals and won a good many awards for it. It may be produced sometime down the road.

  • What appeals to you most about the fantasy genre?

I have always been a day dreamer! I grew up in southern CA around the time Disneyland was built and we went there the first week it was open. I can still remember the thrill of walking around in a real fantasy world and I never wanted to leave. I guess I am still enjoying being in another place, one where I have control, where I can make the birds sing, the snow to fall, or horses run in a grassy meadow. C.S. Lewis wrote “You can make anything by writing,” and I found that to be the theme of my life. Writing about the here and now, to me is boring. I need a fantasy element to stay connected.

  • Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together?

Sword of Cho Nisi is a three-book series that I wrote one after the other with the intention of publishing them quickly. It begins as a story (Rise of the Tobian Princess) about a young princess who makes a fatal mistake and spends the rest of the first book trying to make up for what she did. It speaks of overcoming guilt, forgiveness, and redeeming oneself, has a nice subplot romance, but becomes darker in the next two books as the main characters work through their weaknesses. I published the first book May 25 of this year and the next book; Fall of the Kings is set to launch July 9, 2021.

  • What type of characters do you like to write the most and how much of yourself do you put into them?

I’m drawn to writing male characters who have inner struggles. I put myself into all my characters though. I think if I didn’t write I’d have multiple personality disorder because I can relate to so many characters: the confused female, the wicked female, the flighty female, the weak male, the strong male, the bungling wizard, I’m all those things and more so it’s really easy for me to put myself into them. I also have some experience in psychology, so I enjoy developing backstories and why these characters do what they do…what in their childhood caused them to be the way they are.  Developing characters is the most exciting part of writing, I think.

  • For any wannabe writers out there what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned?

If you think you know what you’re doing, you probably don’t. Learn all you can and read as much as you can. Research, even if you’re writing fantasy. Learn about this world and its history and the people in it, and that knowledge will help you develop the world you want to write.

  • What writing tricks do you utilise to hit your deadlines and keep your stories on track?

I write in the morning when everyone is asleep, and I give myself a minimum word count every day if I’m on a schedule. To keep my stories on track, I outline my chapters before I even begin, and have character and relationship sketches. I do a lot of pre planning before I write. If I didn’t, I’d lose track.

  • Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)?

I plot. I need to know point A and point B. I start with a premise, a logline for the plot. Everything else develops from the relationships of the characters. What are the arcs I want to develop for each character, and then how are they going to get from A to B. I then write all the events to get them there. I develop the world as I go and sometimes move between chapters for continuity, so there is a lot of pantsing after the initial plotting.

  • What plans do you have for the future? A new series or perhaps a dip into other genres?

I want to write a spin off series to Sword of Cho Nisi. I did a Kickstarter for this series and found it quite successful and once I’m in a world I don’t like leaving! I have other stories I’ve written that I’d also like to expand, shorter, all with a fantasy element. One is historical fantasy and fans have asked for more of that world. I’m still debating on whether to do that though.

  • With the world the way it is at the moment what sort of tales do you prefer? Ones with heroes where good triumphs over evil or ones that take a darker approach?

I’m always a good over evil girl. If it can’t happen in this world, I want to see it happen in my world.

  • What’s better, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?

Lord of the Rings by far. I don’t think there’s many authors that can compare to Tolkien.

My website: https://gardnersart.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianneLynnGardner

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DLGardner2

New release is Sword of Cho Nisi Book 2 Fall of the Kings July 9

Thanks for taking part!

Thank you so much for including me!

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The Summer Sale Continues with Heir to the Sundered Crown

The Summer Sale is already in its third week and this week book 1 in the Sundered Crown Saga is on sale for just 0.99p/c.

First in a series: The Kingdom of Delfinnia is plunged into darkness after its royal family is assassinated. When Luxon emerges as the first wizard in a century, he’ll have to join a band of noble allies and fulfill his destiny as the prophesied hero. Perfect for fans of Raymond E. Feist!

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION

A realm torn asunder by civil war will give rise to a hero. The Kingdom of Delfinnia is in chaos. After Assassins kill the king and his family, the barons now battle one another for the crown. Unknown to them, one heir yet lives. As the civil war worsens, dark things begin to stir in the vast Eclin mountains.

Horrors long thought destroyed have returned and led by an ancient evil begin to march upon the war-torn kingdom. Meanwhile, in the mage city of Caldaria and as all hope seems lost, a young man named Luxon will discover his powers. The first wizard for a century, he is the man who will one day be known as the Legendary and the hero will give the realm its greatest king.

Sent on a quest to find the hidden heir, Luxon teams up with the legendary monster slayer, Ferran of BlackMoor, the deadly yet beautiful Witch Hunter Sophia Cunning and the noble Knight of Niveren, Kaiden of the Marble shore.

Together they travel the realm battling deadly monsters, assassins, and the most feared enemies of them all, the servants of the dark lord Danon himself, the evil N’Gist cult.

The Heir to the Sundered Crown is a heroic fantasy tale filled with action, battles and magic that will ignite the imagination and set the stage for an epic confrontation between the light and the darkness.

Buy

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SPFBO Author Interview: Rune S. Nielsen

SPFBO 7 is currently underway and to help give some visibility to the authors taking part I’ve opened my author interviews up to them. Today I interview fantasy author Rune S. Nielsen.

  • Hi Rune S. Nielsen tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write.

A long time ago in a galaxy called the Milky Way, in a small yellow brick house in the western part of the Kingdom of Denmark, lived a young boy who obsessed over superhero comic books. And also, any kind of sci-fi and fantasy content he could get his grubby little paws or excited eyeballs on.

Besides being an overjoyed consumer, the boy kept coming up with ideas and stories, and as the boy was me, I just happen to know that he wanted to get these out. Share his excitement with everyone.

I did some drawing and writing, then found an outlet in the wonderful world of roleplaying games, and later when he grew up, I became a journalist and got to write articles and do TV news. My love of beer then sent me to work for a decade at one of the world’s biggest brewery groups, Carlberg. Where we for instance told people, “Did you know that a study shows that one beer actually enhances your problem-solving skills but that two or more decreases the same skills?”

Despite the fine frothing beer, there was still something missing.

However, the dream of writing books never faded, and last year I finally published my first epic fantasy novel, Doomsayer Prince.

  • What appeals to you most about the fantasy genre?

The vivid imagination. The relationships between the characters. The wonder of discovery. The differences and similarities between our world, society, and norms, and that of the imagined places.

But honestly, my first book could have been sci-fi. I love both genres about equally, and for most of the same reasons.

  • Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together?

Currently, I am working on two new books. One coming out this Christmas, the other a year later. And a roleplaying game set in the world I created for Doomsayer prince.

When I began, I knew little about how to write novels. Had I known just how difficult creating a huge epic fantasy was, I would have begun with a short story. Instead, I wrote what I loved—a brick-thick fantasy novel. Kind of crazy, but I loved it. The difficulties I had were many. I had to learn a lot of new skills. And yes, I’m a journalist, but being an author is quite different. The pacing, style, and sheer numbers of hours spent on one project differ from the faster-paced life of a journalist.

Another issue was/is language. I’m a Dane and we speak Danish. For me, English is a second language. I, therefore, use a lot of mental energy on trying to fool everyone into believing that writing English comes perfectly naturally to me.

  • What type of characters do you like to write the most and how much of yourself do you put into them?

Nuanced, intelligent characters with goals and feelings. The kind you can relate to.

All my characters have some of me in them, my prior experiences in life. Like some of the flight sequences, are inspired by my skydiving. Some are inspired by the experiences of others that I have come across in some form or other and still remember.

I would say the same goes for any writer. Why? Let me tell you a cool story.

During the writing of Doomsayer Prince, I went to a lecture. An accomplished scientist who researches the brain for a living was talking about the human memory. I might just have signed up because I thought it was funny that his last name is the same as the name of a Danish fish. I’m getting sidetracked. The memory does that to us.

According to “Mr. Goat Fish,” everything we come up with, inventions, new ideas, and so on, all directly stems from our memory.

According to him: when we humans want to create something “new” we don’t. Not 100%. What we do is take one or more things from our memory and combine them in different ways.

I had a hard time accepting this. My mind rebelled against the mere thought. No, I am creative! I am! Then he talked about the slow pace of new inventions and ideas. It’s typically someone inventing one little thing, then another improves it, and another, and then we all hail one person for “the discovery” of the light bulb or the theory of evolution, or whatever. When in fact it was not one person, but a series of smaller inventions or ideas leading up to someone finally either nailing it or finally getting the message out to the rest of us.

Thing progress in baby steps, we mistake for leaps.

What does that mean for a writer? So, if you want to create a new fantasy monster, you might begin by thinking ‘I want something scary and big for my new book.’ This might lead you directly to ‘dragons.’ But you did that last year. You don’t want that, and this must be new. Feel different!

What could such a monster be like? You then pick something from your memory and combine it with other things you remember. Like what if it has the head of a Geiger alien mixed with a hammer shark? Won’t people see what I did there? I’ll make it white so people can’t see that the black alien inspired it. And instead of the rounded shape of the hammer shark’s face, I’ll give this one reversed pyramid shapes. Does it have wings like a dragon? No, it becomes too much like a dragon, and if I remove the wings, it looks like a dinosaur. What to do? I’ll give it octopus tentacles but filled with needles that suck blood from its victims.

A dragon, mosquito, octopus, alien, shark mash-up. That’s new!

Is it? Well, it might be. What you have made could be a unique combination, but since all the parts are a mash-up of what you know, there are bound to be other works out there with something not so different in them. We all tap into many of the same shared fantasy experiences after all. Like LotR, Harry Potter, or Magic the Gathering.

Yes, as an author you can kid yourself all you like, about writing “new stuff nobody has ever seen before,” and sure, each book differs from all other books, but all of us creatively mash stuff together from our memory to form something that we feel is “unique enough,” but still “same enough” to fit into one or more genres.

The genres for me are different mashes of the author’s memories. Flavored for a specific taste.

When authors are bad at the mashing (or lazy) that’s when the reviewers complain about it feeling too much like a lot of other things they have read/seen/played. That’s why it helps if we know and truly love something. Then we instinctively know which flavors to add to our books.

Or maybe that’s not quite right? Perhaps even completely wrong. What do you believe?

Many authors (including me) feel that we at times get inspiration from somewhere outside of ourselves (no, I’m not talking about beta-readers.) We feel that ideas or words flow into us from some greater and wiser source.

Throughout the years this sort of influence has had many names like muses, guardian angels, genus loci, God…

Believe what you will, but for me, this does not discredit what “Mr. Goat Fish” talked about. Any outside inspiration still must go through our brain, pass through a filter that is us. The same with alien influences or drugs. They might influence your thinking but if YOU write it, it still comes from you and passes through your memory. If you don’t believe me, then think about the letters, we store each of them in our memory (yes, someone taught you to write long ago.)

Trying to get out from under the “shadow of my memory,” I invented a few tricks during the writing of the Doomsayer Prince. All to try to make the characters and the plot less a slave of my memory and hopefully more interesting.

I set up a list of “mental rules” for each character, a guideline to their behavior, and whatever I came up with I checked it with the rules and made sure their arc made sense.

I created randomly distributed “mess up my script bombs.” To help me write in a way that came less from my memory and more from some “other place.” Hopefully making the plot more exciting and unpredictable. I used a lot of time to smooth the rough edges.

If you read the Doomsayer Prince, let me know if you think I made it more unique than most books.

  • For any wannabe writers out there, what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned?

Keep writing. Don’t expect anyone to do you any favors. Stay positive.

  • What writing tricks do you utilize to hit your deadlines and keep your stories on track?

See no. 5.

I also use a fancy app to track all my ideas and structure the plot. It’s Causality by Hollywood Camera Works. It’s made for tv shows but it’s just wicked smart and works fine for novels.

  • Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)?

A plotter. HARD MODE.

  • What plans do you have for the future? A new series or perhaps a dip into other genres?

The next book (working title: A Company of Adventurers) will be out this Christmas. It’s a new beginning but still fantasy. For the first time, I’m writing together with another (the fabulous British author, Chris Paton! He writes under a bunch of pennames in various genres, this one will be under Bran Nicholls.) We are having so much fun and I’m allowing myself to be loose (doing some pantser moves here and there.) It’s so great to have a colleague after spending years writing on my own.

Around Christmas, the following year, I’ll release the sequel to Doomsayer Prince titled Arch of the Zhi’el. I’m not sure when the roleplaying game will be ready. It’s kind of massive in its own way.

  • With the world the way it is at the moment what sort of tales do you prefer? Ones with heroes where good triumphs over evil or ones that take a darker approach?

A mix. Not too dark, not too bright. Not too naïve, not to jaded. Luckily, there’s plenty of space in the middle to tell a great story.

  • What’s better, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?

You might expect me to say Star Wars (based on my answer to the first question.) It’s not, though.

Lord of the Rings, that’s my answer.

Don’t get me wrong. They are all significant works. Then again, if you had a time machine, went back, and killed Tolkien, I’m not sure there would be a Harry Potter or a Star Wars. Or that they would have been successes. That’s how big an influence LotR still has today.

Follow Rune via-

https://runesnielsen.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1318760974938958

Thanks for taking part!

You are welcome 😊

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https://www.amazon.com/M.S.-Olney/e/B00LE9XEBS?ref=dbs_mng_calw_1
matthewolney9 Guest posts

SPFBO Author Interview: Glen Dahlgren

It’s time for another author interview. This time I chat with fantasy author Glen Dahlgren whose book The Child of Chaos is in this year’s SPFBO competition.

  • Hi Glen tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write?

Hi! My name is Glen Dahlgren. I’m a 30 year veteran of computer game design, developing fiction with noted fantasy and SF authors such as Margaret Weis (Death Gate), Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time), and Frederik Pohl (Heechee Saga). Heck, I even wrote a bit of Star Trek. I’ve always been of fan of those works, so getting to write in their worlds was amazing. It just made sense to apply all of that experience to worlds of my own!

  • What appeals to you most about the fantasy genre?

Sf is wonderful, but I love the mystery of fantasy. In my worlds, characters encounter the natural limitations of the relatively primitive society such that magic is more powerful and impactful because of it. When everyone has the tech to make a nuke, nukes aren’t special.

And I think I’m just drawn to mystical underpinnings. Gods, rituals, artifacts, prophecies, rules of magic—they all create the foundation for a compelling world where I want to tell stories.

  • Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together?

I released the Child of Chaos in the summer of ’20 after 20 years of work. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to finish it—but, with the help of some wonderful people, it became what it needed to be.

I was planning on writing the sequel right after, but a fan favorite character demanded his own book. That prequel book became the Game of War, the story of Dantess, priest of War. The novel took me about nine months to write. I’m getting faster! I expect to release it this summer.

While that’s being edited, I’m hard at work on book two of the Chronicles of Chaos: the Curse of Chaos (working title).

I love this world and these characters, so I hope to stick with them for some time.

  • What type of characters do you like to write the most and how much of yourself do you put into them?

I’m a game designer, so I enjoy writing smart characters that need to figure their way through difficult problems. I’d say that in Child of Chaos, it was primarily Horace (the villain) who devised the most ingenious plans. In Game of War, Dantess is forced to play an actual War Game and it takes all of his skill and ingenuity just to make it out alive.

Galen—the main character of Child—had some personality traits that a lot of creative people identify with. He is a frustrated story-teller in a world that actively devalues him. But we all know that stories can change the world.

  • For any wannabe writers out there what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned?

Don’t get discouraged. Keep writing. Allow yourself to write badly (especially for the first draft). If you’re too critical of yourself, you’ll never get to the stage where you can make it better. Also: finish. Completing a work means you can move onto the next one–and believe me, it will be better.

  • What writing tricks do you utilise to hit your deadlines and keep your stories on track?

I haven’t been wonderful at setting and keeping deadlines. Hey, it took me 20 years for my first book! The thing I try to do is keep forward momentum. If I’m not writing, I’m living in the world in my head, sorting problems and forging the way forward. Sooner or later, I get to the end.

  • Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)?

I cannot start writing until I have an outline. That said, the outline will change many, many times as I’m writing. I’ve learned in game development that you always have to leave room for discovery. I look at it this way: I always give my characters a map, but they don’t always follow it.

  • What plans do you have for the future? A new series or perhaps a dip into other genres?

I really enjoy YA Fantasy and I have a lot more to say there. When I’ve completed the Chronicles of Chaos, I’ll see where the winds take me.

  • With the world the way it is at the moment what sort of tales do you prefer? Ones with heroes where good triumphs over evil or ones that take a darker approach?

I don’t shy away from darkness in my books. I put my heroes through the wringer. And Horace is probably the evillest villain I’ve encountered. I actually had a hard time writing one of his chapters because I knew what he was going to do. But I think I would have a harder time writing an ending that didn’t reflect my own sensibilities, which respects the power of friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice.

  • What’s better, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?

They’re all great properties for very different reasons. When I was a kid, I had all the Star Wars trading cards taped to my wall (along with all the other merch I could afford at the time). If you asked me then, there was nothing that could compare, but I think fantasy overtook SF later in life.

Of those properties, I guess I would choose Harry Potter.  While I love the world and the races that the seminal Lord of the Rings presented, the property is huge. There’s so much lore.  Harry Potter feels more intimate; almost everyone can connect with it.

(Please include any social media links – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.)

Blog: http://www.mysterium.blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gdahlgrenauthor

Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/glendahlgren

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20441786.Glen_Dahlgren

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/glen-dahlgren

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlenDahlgren

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glendahlgren/

Amazon Book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BN6S5R2/

Goodreads Book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54239375-the-child-of-chaos

Bookbub Book: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-child-of-chaos-the-chronicles-of-chaos-book-1-by-glen-dahlgren

Audiobook: https://www.audible.com/pd/B08W8GKDLF/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-236240&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_236240_rh_us

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Voyage for the Sundered Crown Audiobook out now!

I am delighted to announce that Voyage for the Sundered Crown is now available to get in audio format and as per usual the excellent Joseph Tweedale has smashed it out of the park!

This is the definitive way to experience the Sundered Crown Saga and Joseph does an amazing job at bringing all of the characters to life in a way that only audio can.

You can get your copy on Audible, Itunes and ACX.

BUY

Win an Audiobook Code!

To celebrate the books release I’m giving away 10 codes. All you have to do to be win one is post a review of any of my books on Amazon, Goodreads, Kobo or Barnes and Noble take a screenshot and send it to matthewolney9@gmail.com.

All qualifying entrants will then be added into a draw with the winners announced via the <a href=”http://&lt;!– wp:paragraph –> <p>All qualifying entrants will then be <a href=”https://www.facebook.com/groups/212672018752900″>added into a draw with the winners announced via the </a>Sundered Crown Facebook Group.</p> Sundered Crown Facebook Group.

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Author Interview: Ron L. Lahr

In today’s author interview I speak with US fantasy author Ron L. Lahr about what he’s working on and why he enjoys the most about the fantasy genre.

  • Hi Ron L. Lahr, tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write? I am married with two grown daughters, which is what affords me the time to write. I love reading, gardening, cooking, baking and working on old cars. I have wanted to be a writer since I can remember and started during high school. I chose to stop writing and get a degree and a career to support my family. Now I have the opportunity to get back at it.
  • What appeals to you most about the fantasy genre? Fantasy is my favorite genre to read and write. It has been since I read the Lord of the Rings in junior high. There are many things I love about it, the sense of wonder, good versus evil, and honor mattering.
  • Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together? My current project is the Kathaldi Chronicles, an epic fantasy trilogy. Dirk, a thief and sarcastic jerk, is the narrator of the story. He and some friends end up accidentally fighting an ancient evil to save the world. The first two books, Children of Kathaldi and Assassins of Kathaldi, are out on Amazon as ebooks and book one is also available as a paperback and an audiobook on Amazon and Audible. I am just finishing up the first draft of the final book, Destroyers of Kathaldi, so it should be out by the end of the summer.  The challenge of writing this trilogy was finishing the third book during the pandemic. With everything else that has happened over the last year it took me much longer to finish the third book than I thought. I like to think that I’ll be back on track very soon.
  • What type of characters do you like to write the most and how much of yourself do you put into them? I enjoy writing all sorts of characters but my favorite is the narrator of the Kathaldi Chronicles, Dirk. He’s a thief, scoundrel, sarcastic jerk, braggart, and believes himself to be quite the ladies man. However, he is also a loyal friend willing to put his life on the line for you. He’s funny, mean, and gets to say things I would never say in a million years. That is definitely fun to write.
  • For any wannabe writers out there what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned? The biggest thing for me is to just finish the first draft before you start rewriting and editing. Get something done and then work on making it perfect, or at least better.
  • What writing tricks do you utilise to hit your deadlines and keep your stories on track? I’m awful at meeting deadlines so any tricks I use are worthless. I need some new tricks!
  • Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)? I am a hybrid. I do create an outline and write pages of notes but the finished story has a lot more stuff in it. Sometime my characters just say or do something while I’m writing that I hadn’t ever thought of and I almost always go with it, even though it can mean a lot of extra work to ensure it fits with the rest of the story. I’d say I’m one third plotter and two thirds pantser.
  • What plans do you have for the future? A new series or perhaps a dip into other genres? All of that and more! I have plans for new series, I will be releasing some humorous books and stories, and I have more plans for the Kathaldi Chronicles, including some anthologies where I write a few short stories and the rest are by other authors, and more books with Dirk and other books that cover different time periods and characters. I’m a planning fool!
  • With the world the way it is at the moment what sort of tales do you prefer? Ones with heroes where good triumphs over evil or ones that take a darker approach? I prefer good to triumph over evil but I don’t mind if it’s a close call and lots of good guys die in the attempt. There can be a fair amount of dark and I don’t mind a bit.
  • What’s better, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars? This is a tough one because I love all three of these. Lord of the Rings has probably had the most influence on me, the books, although I loved the movies, too. The Harry Potter books were about the only thing my oldest daughter would read and we eagerly awaited the publication of each one and then when the movies came out it was our special thing to go see them together. She gave me the Blu-Ray set for Christmas one year. And Star Wars? I was a kid when Episode IV came out and it changed everything for just about everybody.  I simply cannot choose. It’s like trying to choose between your own children – impossible!

(Please include any social media links – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.)

Amazon series page: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089GW4FVW

Amazon for Children of Kathaldi (book 1): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089FNJHB7

Audible for book 1: https://www.audible.com/pd/Children-of-Kathaldi-Audiobook/B08KHSZXRG

Amazon for Assassins of Kathaldi (book 2): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KNW5TT9

Free audiobook of a prequel short story: https://talltaletv.com/dirk-goes-to-church

Website: www.Kathaldi.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Kathaldi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LahrRon

Email: RonLodellLahr@gmail.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8508877.Ron_Lahr

To join my email list: https://bit.ly/39FIcSu

Patreon: www.patreon.com/RonLahr

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Author Interview – Jeffrey Bardwell

In this week’s author interview I chat with dark fantasy author and creator of the Metal vs Magic Universe Jeffrey Bardwell. Join us around the campfire and settle in.

  • Hi, Jeffrey Bardwell. Tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write?

I’ve been writing and publishing dark fantasy with a mix of dragons, steampunk, and romance since mid 2017. I have published six novels, two novellas, and one anthology all set in my Metal vs Magic Universe. I love creating new worlds and populating them with interesting characters. When I’m not shackled to my keyboard,  current hobby endeavours include practising my puff pastries, building a Roman style woodworking bench, and growing every type of berry under the sun. I think my favorite cultivar is the haskap. What a name!

  • What appeals to you most about the fantasy genre?

I love that good fantasy is a story with wondrous impossible broad strokes grounded in tiny realistic details. Riding dragons? Well, be certain to describe the aereal formations and how the leather harness is constructed. Steampunk armor? Well, don’t forget to show your characters slogging through all the upkeep and maintenance.                                       

  • Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together? (include release date etc here)

My latest project involves wrapping up the fourth book in my dark fantasy / romance / intrigue series: The Tyrant’s Peace, The Mage Conspiracy series. I’ve been wrestling with this one for over a year due to various work and health shenanigans. This series is far more complex than others I’ve written because each book interweaves a related suspenseful intrigue and romantic adventure plot with their own unique sets of conflicts and characters. So, each novel is more like writing two novels. The prospect of pushing forward and finally finishing the series with Book 5 gives me a warm happy glow. Book 4 is coming out April 15, 2021.

  • What type of characters do you like to write the most and how much of yourself do you put into them?

I like taking the most evil, despicable villains and making them sympathetic and even loveable at times by allowing the reader to relate to their human motivations. Everyone is multifaceted and has more than one reason for why they do things. I like to impart that quality into all my characters.

  • For any wannabe writers out there what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned?

Stop outlining, world building, and composing long character treatises. Just write the bloody book already.

  • What writing tricks do you utilise to hit your deadlines and keep your stories on track?

I get a feel for how much I can write per day given my current additional responsibilities. Then, I set realistic goals and buckle down. That is at least the plan, which sadly gang aft agley. Giving your timeline generous fudge factors to account for hiccups and the unforeseen is prudent lest you get burnsed.

  • Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)?

A bit of both. My outlines are the broadest strokes simple story beats with motivations and conflicts for the three main characters. Even so, I will often stray from this as the evolving characters reveal a new path while I’m telling their stories. I often leave the last third of the outline especially vague just for this reason.

  • What plans do you have for the future? A new series or perhaps a dip into other genres?

I have three currently ongoing series that I really need to finish. Then, I have four more planned in the future, which I will be writing one at a time. Of these seven series, I already have all the covers designed for four of them. Get your covers done in series batches, folks! Saves time and money later, and allows you to consider series branding as a cohesive whole. My novels all have heavy cross genre elements, so genre hopping is as simple as leaning harder on one point of that epic fantasy / romance / steampunk trifecta. One of my current series is a military fiction (steampunk dragon hunters), the other a coming of age story (prodigy artificer), and the last a court intrigue (spy with magic disguise).

  • With the world the way it is at the moment what sort of tales do you prefer? Ones with heroes where good triumphs over evil or ones that take a darker approach?

I like stories where the heroes aren’t pure saints, and the villains aren’t pure demons. Give me some nice shades of gray, complex character motives, and juicy betrayals.

  • What’s better, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?

I should really side with Tolkien on this one–epic fantasy for life–but in truth I enjoyed all those franchises. Each auteur has influenced me in their own way.

Follow Jeff on social media

Dark Epic Fantasy Website: https://jeffreybardwell.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16676565.Jeffrey_Bardwell

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B071RXS994

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jeffrey-bardwell

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matthewolney9 Posts

Author Interview – Thomas K Davis

It’s been a while since my last author interview but I’m glad to say they’re back thanks to a huge increase in the number of authors wanting to take part. In today’s author interview I speak with Science Fiction writer Thomas K Davis.

Hi Thomas tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write?

Hey, I’m Thomas K Davis, author of the Versatile Layer book saga. I’ve always been a huge Sci-Fi fan. I loved shows like Farscape, Battlestar Galactica, and films like Blade Runner 2049 and Valerian- City of a Thousand Planets. Media like this has influenced my own work. I write fiction that has meaning but knows when to not take itself too seriously.

Versatile Layer is a 9-part Epic Space Opera. The best way to describe Versatile Layer would be Romeo & Juliet meets Star Wars. Our two main characters meet completely by chance and fall for each other. They’re separated again by a tragedy that leads to a war between their two peoples. Their quests to reunite gets wild. There’s Exo-suits, Elite soldiers, Robots, Alien Amazonian warriors, jet packs, assassins, a war raging in the stars, gangsters, heck there’s even a cowboy. The setting and battles are epic but the heart of the story is personal and character driven.

Each book is self-contained with treads that weave into future instalments. Kinda like Marvel movies. In fact, the average read time for my books is about 2 hours. They’re fast paced. I’ve been told that reading my work is like have a movie play out in your head. And that was my intent when I sat down to write them.

  • What appeals to you most about the fantasy genre?

You can really just let your imagination run wild. You’re creating this world with a set of rules. What are the rules to your universe? Are they loose and cartoonish?  Are they realistic? Meaning, if a character falls 30ft onto the hard ground, do they just walk it off? Or are they seriously injured, like in real life. Are your characters swashbuckling like Jack Sparrow with little care for the laws of physics or their own safety. Or are they in a stand-off carefully considering their strike because one miscalculation means certain death?

Answering these questions and establishing these rules is what I love about writing.

  • Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together? (include release date etc here)

I just released the 8th book in the Versatile Layer Saga: THE BLOODLESS REVOLUTION. It’s the final battle for planet Samael. The exiled princess, Adeola M’falme, has gathered her freedom fighters and is ready to remove her cruel brother from the throne. But his forces, led by the ruthless Master Mega, have other plans. Will Adeola be able to liberate her world without sparking a full-scale civil war? It was released on Jan. 26, 2021 and can be found at the following link. http://versatile-layer.com/books

There were a lot of moving pieces and characters to manage in this chapter and I’m very proud of the end result. The cast really expanded over the last few books and I had to tie all of their stories together for this major event. I feel like every character has a satisfying arc and contributes to the resolution in a significant way. There’s still one more book to go with another cast of characters and that’s going to be the final conclusion to the series.

  • What type of characters do you like to write the most and how much of yourself do you put into them?

I write a lot of tough female characters. Since the aliens in my story are basically Amazons from space, it makes sense.

  • For any wannabe writers out there what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned?

Every once in a while, let a character do a thing that doesn’t affect the overall story. In life people express themselves in ways that don’t matter at times. In ways that only matter to them. If you know your character, then when they’re random, you’ll know why they did that random thing and the audience will accept it because you as the writer put it in with confidence and purpose.

  • What writing tricks do you utilise to hit your deadlines and keep your stories on track?
  • Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)?

I have a clear goal and a conclusion I’m trying to reach. I always know the beginning and the end of a story. So, I write those out asap. I don’t outline at all. I’ll be going about my day and scenes will start to play out in my head. That’s chapter 9, that’s chapter 5. If you have a clear vision of where you’re going, you don’t need a map.

  • What plans do you have for the future? A new series or perhaps a dip into other genres?

I’m editing the final instalment of the Versatile Layer series. After that, I’m planning to jump genres. I’m planning to write a dark comedy about vampires. I have the title and some of the characters. I just have to nail down the events, plot, and theme.

  • With the world the way it is at the moment what sort of tales do you prefer? Ones with heroes where good triumphs over evil or ones that take a darker approach?

I can go either way. Currently, I’ve been deep into Attack on Titan which is a seriously dark story. Thought provoking, violent, hopeless at times. You don’t even have a clear idea of who the villain is because most of the cast is so morally compromised.

But on the flipside, I’ve also been enjoying My Hero Academia (I know, anime.) which is a very hopeful series. It’s full of triumph over challenges and incredible moments of perseverance.

  • What’s better, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?

L Before “The Rise of Skywalker” I would have definitely said Star Wars. But after that film, ugh. So much potential squandered. Cringe worthy levels of fan service that hinder the story. (takes a deep breath.) Anyway, I haven’t seen or read any of the Harry Potter series. So, “Lord of the Rings” wins out.

Follow Thomas via –

Website: http://versatile-layer.com/books  

FB Page: http://facebook.com/versatilelayer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badpope

Twitter: https://twitter.com/UmojiLegend

 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/188090.Thomas_Davis

Follow me on Facebook,  and Instagram, and please subscribe to my mailing list for the latest news and book deals.

matthewolney9 Guest posts

Author Interview – Claudia Klein

Today’s author interview is with American fantasy author Claudia Klein. Enjoy!

  • Hi Claudia tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write?

Hi! I’m a military wife and a stay at home mom to my 3 year old daughter. We’re expecting a baby boy in June and we currently live in Colorado. I’ve lived in 13 states so far, 2 of them twice! I’ve always written stories and I was inspired to get published young when I read a biography on Louisa May Alcott who published her first book when she was 17. Obviously, 17 came and went for me and I was still overwhelmed by how in the world to get published. Thankfully I joined a writing group in my early 20s right after college and there were some Indie authors in the group who told me the ins and outs of Indie publishing. It seemed easier than traditional publishing, so that’s the route I took.

  • What appeals to you most about the fantasy genre?

I love that you can imagine almost anything happening and it can happen in a fantasy world. I also love that it’s in the medieval time period. I love history and I especially love that time period.

  • Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together?

So I’m currently in the final stages of getting my sequel to my debut novel, The Heir, published. The sequel, The Crown, will hopefully make its appearance sometime this late spring. Definitely before baby comes in June, that’s my goal. So it’s the sequel, and in The Heir the world was basically thrown into chaos and The Crown picks up where that book left off where the main characters have to put the world back to rights.

The biggest challenge I faced was getting that first draft written. I think it took me 2 years to write the first draft, which is a ridiculous amount of time. I went through months of just not being motivated to open up the document on my computer. And then of course, I had a 2 year old who every time I opened my computer would try and type too, which doesn’t work. So definitely working with a toddler around and getting motivation to write the sequel is what I struggled with the most. I’m glad it’s almost time to publish it.

  • What type of characters do you like to write the most and how much of yourself do you put into them?

I would say there’s kind of two sides to myself that you see in my books. There’s the adventurous tom-boy self who would climb Pikes Peak at 40 weeks pregnant or go to a gun range to try and outshoot her soldier husband. Then there’s the gentle, quiet self who likes to stay home and spin yarn. You definitely see these 2 characters of myself in Kat and Lucy, the heroines of my books.

But it’s almost fun to write evil characters too, like wimpy King Eric and the mysterious Creature.

  • For any wannabe writers out there what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned?

Write that first draft as fast as possible. 4-6 months at the most. Like I said, I wrote the first draft of The Crown in 2 years and there were so many inconsistencies and repeated scenes. It was hard to edit and make it into a cohesive book.

  • What writing tricks do you utilise to hit your deadlines and keep your stories on track?

Gosh, I wish I gave myself deadlines! That’d really help! But my biggest trick is I just force myself to open up the document every day for at least half an hour. Once I open up my book to write it, the words flow easily. It’s just the motivating myself to do it that’s the hard part. And I don’t know why because I love the feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when I’m putting new words on a page.

  • Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)?

Panster. All the way. I typically have an idea for a story in my head, a beginning scene and usually and ending scene. The rest comes as I write. I have in recent years started writing out the plotline on paper as I develop it in my head. Just so I have it all written down so I don’t forget anything important that’s supposed to happen. That comes in really handy for when I start a story idea then set it aside for a few months and come back to it.

  • What plans do you have for the future? A new series or perhaps a dip into other genres?

I’m hoping to get my Endorlothorien trilogy published next. I have all 3 books started and 1 finished. It’s a fantasy world of Elves. It’ll be under a different name because of course my world name is real Tolkien Elvish and that’s copyrighted! Little did I know when I invented the name soon after reading LOTR for the first time…

I’m also wanting to try my hand at Dystopian. That’s the genre I read the most so I definitely want to dabble in it.

  • With the world the way it is at the moment what sort of tales do you prefer? Ones with heroes where good triumphs over evil or ones that take a darker approach?

Definitely the ones where good triumphs over evil. In my book good always has to win. Evil can’t become good. And good always chooses not to become evil.

  • What’s better, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?

Oh my gosh! Such a hard question! I can officially say I’ve read Harry Potter as of last year. (I know, late to the party). I would have said LOTR hands down in 2019. But I think I have to say Harry Potter after having read them.

(Please include any social media links – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.)

Facebook: @claudiakleinauthor

Instagram: @claudiakleinauthor

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matthewolney9 Guest posts

Author Interview – Leslie Swartz

In today’s author interview we speak with Urban Fantasy author Leslie Swartz.

Hi Leslie tell us a bit about yourself and what inspired you to write?

Hi, Matthew! I’m Leslie Swartz, urban fantasy and horror author. I started writing stories when I was four but what inspired me to do it for a living was the movie Legend. I was five or six and it was on HBO all the time. I watched it A LOT. It was the most beautiful and magical thing I’d ever seen and it was then that I decided my goal in life would be to write something that Ridley Scott would want to direct. It’s still the dream.

What appeals to you most about the fantasy genre?

The drama, the high stakes, the badassery. I love that there are no rules. If I want to write a vampire queen falling in love with a depressive angel who tends to punch Lucifer in the face, no one tells me I can’t. If my Messenger of God is a pan woman that sets demons on fire with her mind because she’s having a bad day, no one tells me that’s not physically possible. There are no limits, nothing to stifle creativity. As a writer, fantasy is freedom. As a reader, fantasy is just a good time.

Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together?

I released the final book in The Seventh Day Series in December. The series is seven books that represent twenty years of research and four years of writing, revising, and editing. The biggest challenge came when I was writing Seraphim (book one) and my computer exploded. It completely shorted out WITH my flash-drive in it, corrupting it, too. I lost a third of the book and had to start over completely. It worked out because I didn’t remember a lot of it so I made a ton of changes that made the series more interesting but at the time, I was devastated.

What type of characters do you like to write the most and how much of yourself do you put into them?

I like to write funny HBIC’s that are sick of everyone’s s**t, probably because that’s how I see myself. “Gabriel” is basically me with superpowers and no inhibitions. I didn’t set out to make her that way but after writing her first couple of scenes, it became clear that that’s what I’d done.

For any wannabe writers out there what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned?

Edit, edit again, then edit some more. Vet your editor with other writers to make sure they’re on the up and up. My first editor was a conman, fake name and all. He butchered my manuscript and hundreds of people bought the book looking like trash. It still haunts me.

What writing tricks do you utilise to hit your deadlines and keep your stories on track?

I make playlists for all of my books during the outlining stage so that when I feel stuck, I can listen to songs that remind me of specific scenes or characters to get back in the right head-space.

Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)?

Hardcore plotter. I’m a type A, OCD, leave-nothing-to-chance kind of person. I write out all my ideas, then put them in order, then make a chapter-by-chapter, scene-by-scene outline. I’ll print it out then scribble in the margins any new ideas I have as I’m writing.

What plans do you have for the future? A new series or perhaps a dip into other genres? 

I’m currently working on a based-on-true-events horror novel. When that’s done, I’ll write two more horror stand-alones, adapt them for the screen and, hopefully, sell the screenplays, giving me credibility so when I pitch The Seventh Day as a show, industry-types take me more seriously.

With the world the way it is at the moment what sort of tales do you prefer? Ones with heroes where good triumphs over evil or ones that take a darker approach?

It’s very dark in here, *points to head* and that’s how I write. I think I just like the drama, life and death, big emotions. I don’t need a happy ending, necessarily, as long as the ending wraps things up. I hate open endings almost as much as I hate love triangles.

What’s better, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars? 

Star Wars, for sure. I haven’t read/watched Harry Potter (I know, I know. I’ll get to it, eventually.) and LOTR, while awesome, didn’t give me anyone to care about. Frodo’s great but…meh. The best character was Sam and he didn’t get enough screen time, IMO.

Follow Leslie via –

https://www.facebook.com/LeslieSwartz333

https://www.instagram.com/saffie138/?hl=en

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/89742.Leslie_Swartz

Follow me on Facebook,  and Instagram, and please subscribe to my mailing list for the latest news and book deals.