K.C. Poitras was born and raised in Virginia. Now she lives in Florida, where she moved seven years ago. She feels at peace by the sea. Before K.C. started writing, she worked for over thirty years in the customer service industry. For many years she suffered from crippling anxiety, and the thought of writing among other things just overwhelmed her. After meeting Erik everything changed and her true-life love story inspired K.C. to share the knowledge that it is never too late to start over. Her debut novel, You Taught Me What it Feels like to Fall in Love is the first book in her Day One series. K.C's stories are wonderful beach read romances with all the feels of Elin Hildebrand, or Kristen Hannah.

If you want to know more about K.C. Poitras and her work:

https://www.amazon.com/K-C-Poitras/e/B092W3DMDQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B092MWCYSD?ref_=dbs_m_mng_wam_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks

The interview:

1. What inspired you to start writing?

My inspirational support is my fiancé Eric. I’ve had the dream of writing “my story” for years. With Covid, Eric gave me the support needed to go for it and write my story. I started out with that, but it was emotionally too hard. I scratched that for now and wrote Isabelle’s story instead. I will one day soon write my story though.

2. Do you have a favourite and least favourite genre?

No, I like all books and genre’s If I had to pick my least favorite it would be erotica.

3. Can you tell me about your novels? 

I have one novel published. “You Taught Me What It Feels Like To Fall In Love.” I took the self-publishing route. It was published in April of 2021.   The novel follows the story of Isabelle; whose life was seemingly perfect. She couldn’t want or ask for more—until her husband of twenty years is killed in a terrible accident and she loses her job. Isabelle is left unmoored as she uncovers dark secrets, attempts to rekindle her relationship with her daughter, confronts her past, and considers a second chance at love with a man who appears to be her polar opposite. It’s a story of loss, self-discovery, and love. This book was nominated for the Author Elite Award 2021.

4. Do you like using events from your life, or people you know, for your stories?

That’s usually how I come up with an idea, life events of my own as well as others.

5. One of the difficult things is to sync everyday life and writing. How do you like writing? Do you have a schedule, or time, when you can sit down to write?

I’m fortunate to have a very flexible schedule. I like writing in the early mornings, that’s when I’m most productive. Where in the evenings my significant other and I will bounce idea’s on books I’m writing and future books.

6. Do you have any ongoing project? If yes, can you tell me a secret about it?

Yes, I do.. A mirror plays a significant role in the story, It’s genre is more fantasy.

7. If you could meet with a classic author, who would you meet?

Elin Hilderbrand all day long!

8. Coffee, or tea? Why?

Both, coffee gets me going, tea relaxes me.

9. What is the easiest and most difficult part of writing for you? Why those?

Easiest is writing about something I’ve actually experienced. Because, I can describe in greater detail the “mood”.

Hardest is showing not telling, because sometimes it’s difficult to put into words.

10. If you could live anywhere, as anything, where would you live and what would you be? Why?

I’d live on Nantucket, I’d be me but younger and a writer. Because I love the sense of small coastal community with seasons and younger because I wish I had started writing many years ago. One of my biggest fears is dying before my books are discovered, If I help one person from reading my book(s) I’d be happy.

Thank you for your answers! And you, dear Readers, what would you ask from K.C. Poitras? 🙃

Aaron Hodges was born in New Zealand, in a small town, called Whakatane. He has a Bachelors of Science in Biology and Geography, and a Masters of Environmental Engineering. He worked as an environmental consultant for two years, but he quit his job and went to see the world. One year later, in 2015, in Guatemala, Aaron published Stormwielder, his first novel. Since then, he already travelled through parts of SE Asia, North and South America, India, Turkey and Europe. At now, he has over a dozen works to his name.

If you want to know more about Aaron Hodges and his works:

https://m.facebook.com/aaronhodgesauthor 

https://instagram.com/aaronhodgesauthor 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08653PM1L/ 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HCVTHVW 

The interview

1. You travelled a lot and saw so many countries. Do you have any favourite place? Why that place?

I think Guatemala is still probably my favourite place to have visited. They just have so many fascinating landscapes, including views of active volcanic eruptions, stunning beaches, high altitude lakes and even a little patch of caribbean coastline! The people are wonderful and the some of the cities are really cute and interesting to visit as well. I even got to play a game of rugby with the local team in Antigua my last visit which was really something special!

2. You published your first novel, Stormwielder, in Guatemala. Can you tell me about it?

Stormwielder was a project I'd worked on on and off for years before I finally had it in shape to publish. It tells the story about a young man cursed with a terrible power. Unable to understand this power, he banishes himself to the wilderness, but he cannot stay there forever and finally he returns to civilisation--with terrible consequences. Its a story I first came up with in high school and spent more than five years on and off getting it right. Its still one of my favourite stories out of all the books I've published!

3. You have seen a lot of different culture. How did they affect your writing? Did any of them inspire your stories?

I love to incorporate little things from my travels--be they places I've visited, people I've met, experiences I've had, cultures and societies I've interacted with, or even histories I've learnt about. I find they really add a depth to my work that wouldn't be present otherwise.

4. How does travelling affect your writing? How long is to create a new novel?

It usually takes me about three months ot write a book when I'm working on it full time, that's including three drafts, edits by my editor and proofreader, and preparation for promotion. I don't travel so much nowadays, but even when I did I had to treat my writing like a job, setting aside a few hours each day, just so I could stay on track!

5. For you what is the easiest and most difficult thing in writing a book?

I think the most difficult thing is getting everything together before hand--coming up with characters, plot, the setting, creating the entire world around the story. That's hard. But conversely, I find the ending of a book the easiest, as by then everything is set and you're just telling the story about the consequences the rest of the story was leading up to. And I find that part exciting.

6. If you could visit any place from any novel, where would you go? Why?

Hmmm, well I wouldn't be visiting Westoros that's for sure! I'd say I'd go with my childhood fantasies of Hogwarts. Not even because of the magic, just because it always seemed such a homely and welcoming place!

7. Did you ever use someone you know to your characters?

I've used the names of people I know (which they always get a kick out of), but I don't generally base my characters off anyone in particular.

8. Do you have any favourite place, or you can write anywhere?

I usually like to go to a cafe to write, if only to get myself out of hte house each day!

9. Do you have any ongoing, or new project? If yes, can you tell me about it?

My latest project is a bit of a change for me, its a bit more scifi than most of my work, and focuses on a planet invaded by the alien species of the Alfur, who have enslaved humanity. I can't say much more than that at this point. ;-)

10. If you could live anywhere, as anything, what would you be and where? Why?

I'd probably keep my profession, I love creating stories for my readers, although a bit more pay security would be nice, maybe a big multimillion dollar contract thanks? And I'd love to get back to Buenos Aires, where I was living before the pandemic cut my time there short. Its a pretty amazing city with a great social scene and friendly people.

Thank you for your answers! And what would you ask from Aaron Hodges? 🙃

J.M. Lively (Jonathon Lively) was born and raised in California and now lives in Bemidiji, Minnesota, after moving through several states and cities. Over the years of moving, Jonathon created pages upon pages of characters, which were heavily influenced by manga, anime and comics. Many of his ideas were designed with computer graphics, even meant to be tattooed. But instead, he combined all characters and small snippets of stories into a huge document. It took three months to go through all of the drafts for Jonathon and after it he had the outline of a series. Like this, in 2018, the Oreniah Codex was born. After this, Jonathon started writing the story. The Last Soul, the first book of the series, was published in August of 2019. 

If you want to know more about J.M. Lively and his works:

https://www.facebook.com/TheOreniahCodex/

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

https://www.instagram.com/OreniahCodex/

https://amzn.to/20stwRn 

The interview

1. You moved a lot in your life. How did this affect your stories?

Greatly. I have lived in several different states and many cities and towns within each. Because of this, I have gained perspective about how different groups of people interact and how, as an individual, someone can take on different ways of living. How they can justify different actions and thoughts. This has given me insight on how different characters will behave and how they will think in different situations.

2. Comics, manga and anime had a heavy influence at your works. Why these genres and do you have a certain manga, or anime, which influenced your stories, or characters the most? If yes, why that?

I was heavily invested in Bleach from Shonen Jump when it was still in distribution. The manga has since finished and the anime was cancelled. However, the anime is coming back, seemingly to finish out the show and the final arc. I guess the best reason for why I was so heavily influenced by these genres, is because they were the ones that I ingested the most of. I was also into Pokémon, Yugioh, and various Marvel/DC comics and characters as well. Basically, if it had a superpower or fantastical element, I thought it was cool. I've always had a fascination with the afterlife too and because of that, my interest in things like Bleach was more invested.

3. As a fan of comics, manga and anime, would you want your book become a manga, or even an anime?

Absolutely! In fact, most of my fight scenes are inspired by anime fight scenes. I usually picture them playing out as such. I think this often gets me into trouble though. I picture these very unique character designs and powers that can sometimes be difficult to describe in writing only. A lot of my characters would love to be designed and I have started the process of doing so. That can be expensive though and I am excited for the day when fans start to design them as well!

4. Can you tell me about The Oreniah Codex?

Sure! The world that The Last Soul takes place in is called, Oreniah. The idea behind my series, The Oreniah Codex, is basically an accounting of the end of days of that world. The world, Oreniah, is basically heaven in my universe. Initially, when I outlined this story, I kept referring to the world as "The Third Pinnacle". Mainly because I hadn't named it yet and because I knew that my story would revolve around reincarnation. Oreniah was “The Third Pinnacle” because it was the height of the third dimension. The concept behind my theory of reincarnation is that a soul is either climbing or descending a ladder, moving up or down in the third dimension. The rungs of this ladder are different worlds and/or realities within the universe. A soul moves up the ladder if they live according to their soul's purpose. Down, if they don’t. I know that sounds vague but it's simple. A soul's purpose is simply what it is attuned to, what it was meant to do. Like people who think that they are living according to their purpose in life. This doesn't necessarily mean that all purposes are good. My common example is as follows; think about fire. The essence of fire is basically chaotic neutral, it will consume anything in its path, good or evil, with chaotic ferocity. So, if a soul is aligned with a chaotic purpose, using fire as its medium to express that chaos, then any form of fire usage would bring them closer to their soul's purpose. Meaning a murdering arsonist could move up a rung on the ladder of reincarnation if their soul's purpose had a chaotic aura. The same could be true of a firefighter or a fire dancer. 

5. Do you have any favorite genre to write? If yes, why that one?

I’ve only written one novel and it is in the Fantasy genre. Fantasy is my favorite to read and write however, I’ve been delving into horror too. I also have plans to write Sci-Fi as well and intend to connect all the books I eventually write to this single universe. 

6. How long was it to create The Oreniah Codex? Which was the most difficult and easiest part in it?

In general, a year. I began working on this project in August of 2018 and published my first book in August of 2019. The outline for my universe and the creation of Oreniah, took about three months of that year. Although the ideas, inspirations, and materials that went into this project spanned more than a decade. When I was younger, I wanted to be an artist. I was inspired by all those same comics and characters mentioned above. I developed a good habit of saving every little doodle, idea, and inspiration on paper or in Word documents. Years went by and the artist career never happened, after I became an adult, I didn’t keep up with my skills and became depressed about my abilities. Flash forward a decade and I owned a small business writing professional resumes. I tried to write a book about the work I was doing but it felt like plagiarism. No insight that I had was original and needless to say, the content didn’t make it very far. Then, a month or two later, I was sitting at the bar I worked at, enjoying a shift drink, and reading a book. I kept thinking about writing and decided that instead of reading, I should go home and write. I’d recently been invited to a Pathfinder campaign and used the “homework” for a character backstory as my writing prompt. On my other book attempt, I had less than ten pages. Within a few days of starting this character background, I had 67 pages written with absolutely zero preparation. That lead me to believe I was writing about the wrong subject and that I should give fantasy a shot. After finishing my initial character background, I began to think about what I should write about in this new endeavor. Here is where all those scraps of paper and Word documents come into play. I decided to comb through all the content I’d collected over the years and piece it together into something workable. That is what took me the three months mentioned above.

7. Your first book, The Last Soul, was published in August 2019. Do you have any plan, when your next book will come out?

I really want to rapid release the sequel and the third (and final) installment by the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022 respectively. I know that it is a way out but I have found out just how little I knew about this industry in the last year. Because of my new found ignorance, I have been focusing on correcting the mistakes I’ve made and learning how to properly market a book, since I am self-published.

8. The Oreniah Codex is a series. How many books you planned for it? Can you tell me a secret about it?

Three books are planned for The Oreniah Codex. Hmm, a secret… *strokes beard in thought* Follow Ches closely, he is far more important than some might believe. When the series is complete, readers are going to look back and see several hints as to what was/is really going on with his story. I love fan theories and I’d love to see what people think is going to happen with him by the end of the series. For instance, I enjoyed Game of Thrones the TV Show (not so much the books, sorry George). One of my favorite aspects of being a part of the fandom was theorizing about what would happen in the end. I want that for Ches.

9. Next to The Oreniah Codex, do you have any other project idea, or ongoing project? If yes, can you tell me about it?

Definitely. I am already working on the story that will come after The Oreniah Codex. Right now, I think the series will be titled, Shards of Oreniah. I am more focused on the sequels to The Last Soul but I have written several chapters for Shards of Oreniah. I am playing with the idea of turning Shards of Oreniah into a podcast as well, I’ve even learned some basics about audio mixing and developed a rough introduction. I just need to find someone better to do the reading because I HATE how I sound. This is also my attempt to learn and potentially find someone to help me create an audiobook for The Oreniah Codex. With that, I’m also dumping random story ideas into a word document for later. Its mostly Fantasy ideas with a few Sci-Fi and Horror ideas mixed in.

10. If you could live anywhere, as anything, what would you be and where? Why?

Wow, that’s hard. I’m going with a world that I’ve fallen in love with, Roshar. I believe that Brandon Sanderson’s masterpiece will be stuck with me for a long, long time. There are ten orders of Knight Radiant. After my initial thought and some quick research just now, I’d choose to be a Dustbringer or Releaser. If you are unfamiliar with their ideals and characteristics, they are basically destroyers. Their two Surges are Division and Abrasion (Ideal/Essence). The Surge Division causes objects - or people - to degrade, burn, or turn to dust. They focus on responsibility and control, they are not granted their full power at the onset like other Knights Radiant. In fact, their motto is, “I will seek self-mastery”. They must speak their Ideals and slowly come into their power. They are taught that their powers need to be properly channeled and they tend to look down on those that focus on their destructive side. The personality type that tends to become this type of Knight Radiant, is a tinkerer, one who likes to dig down and break something, to see how it works. Despite being used as a powerhouse, a Radiant that could clear a battlefield, they are also sappers, engineers, and strategists. My “why” is simple, almost every part of this description fits me well. Plus, their abilities are awesome!

Thank you for your answers! And you, dear Reader, what would you ask from J.M. Lively? 🙃

Allegra Pescatore grew up in a small village in northern Tuscany. As the daughter of two artists, her childhood was magical, she grew up on the works of Frank Herbert, J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Phillip Pullman and many others. After moving a lot and visiting many countries, Allegra now lives in Western PA, in a cozy cottage. Allegra started writing, when she was eight years old. As a disabled woman and staunch LGBTQ ally, she hopes to create engaging, diverse, and representative fantasy and science fiction. Stories, where people who do not often see themselves center stage get the chance to shine. When she is not writing, Allegra rules her kitchen with an iron fist, gardens, or dabbles in various art forms, creates stories for her tabletop gaming group.

If you want to know more about Allegra Pescatore and her works:

https://twitter.com/AuthorAllegra

https://www.authorallegra.com

https://www.facebook.com/authorallegra

https://discord.gg/eeHmzc7

Where Shadows Lie:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084S3JVCB

NACL: Eye of the Storm:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1952348021

The interview

1. You grew up on the stories of so many great authors. Do you have a favourite, who, or who's works inspired your writing?

Oh boy, difficult question right off the bat. My father read me a lot of the greats, and all of them inspired me in their own way. The Hobbit was my door into fantasy, and Harry Potter was what inspired me to teach myself to read english, so the obvious answer would be one of those, yet I don't know that either of those are my favorites. I think the work that really stuck with me was the Valdemar universe by Mercedes Lackey. It had magic, politics, action, humor, and romance, but at no point did they ever feel like they neatly fit into a specific sub-genre. She explored so many different facets of fantasy within the same universe, and she let her world move through time, instead of only telling the story of a single age. I really loved that! As for who inspired my writing, I would have to actually look at science fiction. Dune was perhaps the most inspiring piece of fiction I had ever read, and it bridged the divide between fantasy and sci-fi so well. Every time I go back to it, my desire to write is renewed. 

2. You started writing, when you were eight. About what was your first story?

I've been a very myopic writer throughout my life. My first story was the very first draft of what would become Where Shadows Lie. It was written by hand, in italian, in a hardback green notebook that I carried around for years. It was terrible, and yet the core pieces of the story were already in place. While almost everything has changed, the core cast of characters has remained mostly the same. I still have the little playmobil figurines I used to play with when I developed Elenor, Gabriel, Fay, and Fedrik. Sometimes I have conversations with them, and while they don't talk back and it makes me look a little crazy, it's something I've done for most of my life while working through plot problems.

3. You moved a lot, saw a lot of countries. How did these affected your writing, or your topics?

The places I've lived and traveled have inexorably changed me. I feel like my worldbuilding has become much more diverse. I started out like most do, with a euro-style kingdom. As I traveled and saw more of the world, though, the worlds I wrote expanded. Both culturally and geographically, I now try to create settings as diverse as I can make them. I try not to assume anything about culture when I first begin worldbuilding a new setting, building it up from the ecology instead of shoehorning the environment into a prefabricated box of european aesthetics. The other big thing that travel did was put me in scary, life-threatening situations. I believe that it helped my writing a great deal, especially when it comes to writing characters who are facing impossible odds, or who need to dig deep for strength they didn't know they had. 

4. You write fantasy and science fiction. Why these genres?

Fantasy and Sci-Fi have been a lifelong love. While I enjoy them apart, most of my own writing falls solidly between the two. I like mixing it up and pushing the boundaries of what is expected. My first two books are actually set in the same universe, despite one of them having dragons and magic, and the other computers, giant corporations, and tech-happy pirates. These two stories are headed on a collision course. This is part of a large, collaborative project, called the Ao Collective. Our goal is to really play with genres, try out fun combinations, and see what multiple minds can come up with when working together in a sandbox. The Ao Collective, however, is not my only project. These days I'm also experimenting with everything from LitRPG, to erotica, to memoir. I have fun with all of them. 

5. Every author has their own cliches, like certain character types, plot twists they prefer. Do you have any, which you like using often?

Oh do I ever! The most obvious one is that I have written multiple versions of the same characters. Often, when I'm experimenting with a setting, I just drop in an old character, adjust their life story to fit, and play around with them. Sometimes, these characters stick, and diverge so far from each other that they are unrecognizable. this is how, for example both Elenor from Where Shadows Lie and Lani from NACL: Eye of the Storm came to be. Despite the fact that one is a disabled and deeply flawed princess fighting for the throne and the other is a wild, foul-mouthed, ill-tempered pirate, they both originated as the same character. As for tropes, I'm a big fan of anything enemy-to-lover, and am a big fan of super weird and eclectic characters. The big thing, though, is that almost all my books have some sort of big bad giant corporation manipulating things in the shadows. I can't seem to get away from it, and considering my love of intrigue plotlines, I probably never will. 

6. Do you write on English only? I have heard from more people, the best is to write in your native language. What do you think about it, do you agree, or disagree?

I write in English because my Italian vocab is that of a thirteen-year-old. English was the language my father read to me in, so it was what I've always associated fantasy with. One day, I very much hope to write a book in Italian, but that day is still far off. I think that there is something to be said in writing in other languages, if nothing else as practice. I do, however, think that the best writing comes from a place of truly understanding the flow of a language. It is, therefore, hard to master in one that you are not both fluent and practiced in.

7. As someone writes stories since her childhood, do you have any part of the book creating process, which is the easiest and the most difficult for you?

I love, love, love the drafting stage, especially drafting endings. When a story starts coming together, all the pieces clicking into place and the words tumbling end over end to get onto the page, it feels like flying. If I could only write book endings, I would. Strangely, I also really love revisions. They make me pull my hair out, but the rush when something that didn't work is fixed and everything starts flowing again is pure magic. The thing I dread the most is line edits and proofing. I am a tad dyslexic, english was my second written language, and I am naturally more of a big-picture thinker. It means that focusing on every comma, capitalization, and sticky sentence is torture. Fortunately, I have the help of my editing team in that phase, but even with their assistance, I dread those weeks. 

8. If you should choose one from your works, which one would you recommend to read first? Why?

That is a very difficult question, because the order in which you read my current two books will change the way you will interpret certain events. For example, in NACL: Eye of the Storm, there are multiple references to the magic system, world, and even food of Where Shadows Lie. If you read NACL first, you'll miss those. On the other hand, if you read Where Shadows Lie first, you'll miss the ominous undertone of the Gods, and the cameo of one of the NACL characters, and the fact that this seemingly Epic Fantasy tale is, in fact, science-fantasy. So I would say that if you're looking for an Epic Fantasy story full of intrigue and dragons, read Where Shadows Lie first, and if you are more of a high-octane adventure and pirates sort of person, go read NACL: Eye of the Storm first. Either way works, but both will be essential for the upcoming sequels.  

9. Do you prefer soft, or hard magic systems?

I think both have their place. For a long time I've mostly written hard magic systems, but of late I've been playing with softer ones and really loving it. I think, as a whole, I'm shifting away from hard magic systems for pure fantasy, but keeping them in place for my science-fantasy. I really love how magical magic feels in softer systems, though there is so much more potential for an inadvertent deus ex machina. Harder systems are fun because it more readily allows readers to try to figure out how to solve problems with magic, which I think involves the reader more deeply into the story. For now, I write both. Time will tell if one wins out over the other in my own writing. 

10. If you could be anything anywhere, what would you be and where? Why?

I would definitely and without question be a dragon rider. I'm not even picky about what setting. I would just like a dragon best friend, and to be able to fly about with them and have adventures. If those adventures were more of the 'travel to exotic locations delivering messages' and less of the 'oh god, someone's trying to kill us' variety, all the better, but I'd be willing to put up with the latter if it meant hanging out with a friendly dragon. Since I don't see a way to realize that dream in real life, however, I must content myself by having many, many pets. Hopefully Dog+Cat+Gecko=Dragon. If not, at least I have a lot of fluffy friends who take up most of the bed at night and make me laugh. 

Thank you for your answers! And you, dear Reader, what would you ask from Allegra Pescatore? 🙃

Deston "D. J." Munden is a science fiction and fantasy author. He lives in a small house in a woods in North Carolina with his brother. When D. J. is not writing, he is playing video games, watching anime and reading manga. He likes trying out new recipes, collecting samurai memorabilia. Currently, he is working on the Dargath Chronicles and on his science fiction series, 'Dusk Mountain Blues'.

If you want to know more about Deston J. Munden and his works:

www.djmunden.com

https://www.amazon.com/Deston-J-Munden/e/B07Q2D6948/

https://twitter.com/SrBuffaloKnight

https://www.instagram.com/authordjmunden/

https://www.facebook.com/D.J.Munden/

Tavern: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PWTR89Q/

Dusk Mountain Blues: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085LQJH3K/

The interview

1. Your next book, Duke’s Brand: Book 2 of the Dargath Chronicles Series, will be released in December 2020. Can you tell me about it?

Duke’s Brand is the sequel to Tavern, but not the direct sequel. It follows a new main character who I’ve been marketing as Neville Longbottom meets Thor from the MCU and Steven Universe. It’s a story about a knight’s redemption as he comes in direct contact with a person he slighted in the past. He’s also my first ever autistic main character and I hope that everyone enjoys him as much as I enjoyed writing him. If you’re the type to enjoy high fantasy novels with loads of magic, battle, and a budding friendship, you will enjoy Duke’s Brand.

2. You like video games. Have you ever thought at that, to write a story for a video game? 

It’s something that has come up from time to time. If given the chance, absolutely. I would love to join a video game project. It was my original plan before I realized that I wanted to be a novelist just a bit more. I would love to write on a heavy story-based game like Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect, Baldur’s Gate, or Dragon Age. I would even love to write for a Skyrim mod. I think that would be neat. So, in short, yes, I’ve thought to write a story for a video game a lot. I have plenty of ideas that I think would only work in video game form.

3. You write both fantasy and science fiction. Do you like mixing magic and science in your books?

I don’t actually. I keep my fantasy and science fiction far away from each other. They do inspire each other in terms of world-building but that’s it. Science is for science; magic is for magic.

4. For you, which science fiction author, or book is a must-read for a scifi fan? Why?

Gareth J. Powell, easily. He’s a fantastic author that is active on twitter. His books inspired me to write Dusk Mountain Blues. If you haven’t read the Embers of War series, I strongly suggest that you try it out. It has a lot of interesting characters, the writing style is slick, and it feels like a classic space opera. Please give him a go.

Other than him, I would recommend the Expanse series. It’s a fantastic book series and a great television show too!

5. Magic systems are interesting and need time to create. Do you prefer soft, or hard magic systems in your stories? Why?

I’m a hard-magic system type of guy. I prefer my magic to have clearly defined rules and limitations. It’s easier to write and makes it so that the magic isn’t too overpowered in the story.  Time and time again I’ve seen authors use soft magic systems to literally magic away a problem in the story. Also, with a hard-magic system, it allows the characters to have to get creative with what they can and cannot learn within their abilities. Dargath Chronicles has a hard magic system where everyone is born with a single rune and they cannot learn magic outside of that rune. I feel like that gives the characters some uniqueness while keeping it contained.

6. You like collecting samurai memorabilia. Do you like using samurais, or any famous samurai as an inspiration in your books? If yes who and why?

Yes, I do like using samurais or the inspirations in my book. My orcs are closer to samurais than I think people realize at first, especially with their bonds to their swords. As for famous samurais, the main samurai that I’m often inspired by is Musashi Miyamoto. He’s an inspiration for a lot of my characters, even Xel to an extent. His history is so rich and complicated that I would love to have had a chance to spend at least a little time to know him. If you haven’t already, read his book “The Book of Five Rings”. It’s an amazing experience.

7. Writing a book is a lot of work and not always fun. There is any part, which you would like to skip, if you could?

Editing most likely. Editing is the hardest part for me because I’m so hard on myself. When I see something wrong, it bothers me to no end. But I’m getting used to it.

8. Currently you are working on the Dargath Chronicles and on Dusk Mountain Blues. Do you have any other ongoing project, or project idea?

Not entirely. I’m going to finish Dusk Orbit Blues before I go to any other project. These two are already a hand full.

9. If your books could become a movie, or an anime, would you want it? If yes, which one would you prefer?

This is a question that I’ve gotten quite a lot. Movie, no; anime, yes. I think with a movie, there will be too many problems in the production to make a good movie for either of my series. There’s a lot of crazy stuff that happens in my books. I’ve watched enough anime that I believe that my novels would make better animations. Also, I think the animation would allow the people producing it to have better control over the voices and design that I would want in the series.  

10. If you could live anywhere, as anything, what would you be and where? Why?

Japan, obviously. I’m a bit of a dork. I’ve done so much research about Japan but I’ve never had the chance to see it on my own. There are places that I want to see in Japan, even just the countryside and experience that majestic beauty. Also, there’s temples that I want to see and cities I would love to visit. The only thing that really makes me nervous is the language barrier. Before living anywhere else, I would like to know a bit of the language.  I feel like talking with the people is just as important as experiencing the culture or environment. So, yeah, definitely, Japan.

Honorable mentions will be Canada, New Zealand, and Germany.

Thank you for your answers! And you, dear Reader, what would you ask from Deston J. Munden?

Robert Cano is not just an author, but an unique poet too. He hearkens back to the world of classics, he brings his poetic voice to his prose too. The universe he created is inspired by Tolkien, Shelley and Le Guin. Cano's work is of a classical mindset. Calming, despite, or maybe because of, the darkness with which he writes. On October 29, today, the second book of his Soul of Sorrows series, 'The Shadow Cult' is released.

If you want to know more about Robert Cano and his works:

https://twitter.com/shadowyembrace

https://www.instagram.com/shadowyembrace/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/620898828753102

https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Cano/e/B0798JC552?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1599425033&sr=1-1

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-cano-6b0a2836/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14685395.Robert_Cano

https://shadowyembrace.com/

https://books2read.com/u/b5Z6Ap

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08G7JQ7RD

https://threefuriespress.com/products/the-shadow-cult-by-robert-cano-paperback

https://threefuriespress.com/products/the-shadow-cult-ebook

The interview:

1. Your book is released today, on October 29. Can you tell me about it?

This book is called The Shadow Cult, and it is book 2 of the Soul of Sorrows series which begins with The Dark Archer.  The Suffering, which is a novella, is a standalone story which gives backstory to an important character throughout the series.  The Shadow Cult picks up about 3 months after we leave our characters at the end of The Dark Archer.  They are trying to stop a war and attempting to find the source of the magic which created Bene, the human-turned-wraith from The Dark Archer.  They fear that he wasn't the end of their magic.  And they're right.

2. You are a writer and a poet too. Do you like putting your poems into your stories?

If a poem is fitting for a scene, I'll do it.  But let's be honest, most people aren't exactly the poetic type, so I reflect that in my writing.  I do, however, write in a classic feel which can often wax poetic.  I have a flair for heady metaphor and powerful lines, so in that way my poetry finds its way into my work.

3. Do you have any favourite topic, or poet, who inspired you? If yes, why that poet?

My favorite poet of all time is William Wordsworth.  For his time, he was a maverick of a poet, although he is largely considered only classical today.  The irony for me is how far we've grown, or fallen, from those classical roots, depending on perspective.  To be honest, with my affinity for classical poetry and literature, I find much of the modern or contemporary work to often be barely palateable.  But I find more and more that I'm certainly in the minority with such thoughts, and I'm okay with that.  In many ways, I'd love to see the more classical stylings make a comeback.

4. There are many different genres in poetry too. Do you have a less favourite, and a favourite? Why those?

I will say that I pretty well avoid modern poetry.  There are a few contemporary poets whom I love, but their stylistic choices are something that resonates with me, and I can say that none of this ever makes it to academia or popular culture in any way.  These poets aren't selling their works across the world, but their words are certainly worth listening to.  Most of them I came across through certain poetry groups I've been a part of over the long years, and to this day I find that their skills are sorely underappreciated.

5. In fantasy there are no limits for our imaginations. Do you like creating fully new races and worlds, or rather use classic examples, which you make unique?

I think I do a little of both.  I certainly have a tendency to pull from existing tropes, but I always put my own spin on whatever it is I'm doing.  My world is its own, but I find that I base many of the locations on something I've seen in our world.  In like manner, I've used various types of lore or legend to derive some of my races and creatures, but all of my readers so far have felt like even if some of the names are the same, such as fae or satyr, that my spin on them makes them so unique it's as if they've never seen them before.  Truly, I can't think of higher praise.

6. Poetry and novels are very different, but if you should choose, which one is easier to write for you and why?

Easier?  I don't know if I could say one is easier.  When I write a poem, and I consider it "good enough," I know that it will be tweaked over years.  As for novels and stories, they have their own difficulties.  I suppose if I'm comparing one poem to one novel, I would pour much more time into one novel, but odds are that I could write a chapter in a novel before I finish a poem. Sounds crazy, but it's possible.  I've written a sonnet in as little time as 30 minutes, and I've been found tweaking sonnets 10 years after the fact.  It really all depends.

7. If you should recommend one poet, who would you and why?

One poet only, I'd recommend Wordsworth.  His poetry has depth, but isn't a slog to get through, nor is it difficult to understand, although quite layered with meaning.  In the same way, Tennyson, who was Poet Laureate after Wordsworth, is a poet who chased after a similar aesthetic.  Tennyson had to learn much between his first attempts at poetry and his eventual placement as Poet Laureate.  I think many poets today could learn from that kind of study and understanding of the craft.  Even if they aren't the type to write classical or form poetry, but that depth of understanding of line, rhythm, meter, rhyme, etc... can really enhance a poem, even when not employed.  This is something I find lacking in today's poetry.

8. For you, which is the easiest and most difficult part of creating a book?

I suppose the easiest thing for me is coming up with ideas.  But then again, I've had this world in one form or another dancing around in my brain for over a decade now.  Many times, when I go to sit down and write, the stories just come pouring out.  Of course, this can be harrowing as well, and I've had moments where everything (writing) comes to a screeching halt, and I have to let it stew for a bit before I can get back to writing.  Sometimes these are issues with pacing, or could be issues I'm having with a specific character, but whatever it is, I can't continue to write until I've figured it out, and this has taken anywhere from a few minutes to a few months.

9. Do you have any new, or ongoing project? If yes, can you tell me about it?

I can tell you a little bit.  As you know, The Shadow Cult is book two of this series, but book 3 is in the works right now.  Entitled The World Soul, it is slated for a fall 2021 release, and I'm pretty excited about that one as well, as it will tie up the first trilogy in my world.  The next trilogy is already planned out and will be taking place on a different continent across the sea, a place we've only seen glimpses of up to now.  I'm super excited to see that come to fruition as well.  Also, my first science fiction novel will be released in February.  So I'm working on edits right now, which are always tough, but necessary.  Wish me luck.

10. If you could live in any fictional, or real universe, where would you live and what would you be? Why?

I think at the top of that list has always been Arda, or as some know it better, Middle Earth.  But for us Tolkien nerds, we know that Middle Earth is but a small section of the world.  One of my all-time favorite books is The Silmarillion, where we get to explore so much more, and meet so much more powerful characters than we do in Lord of the Rings.  But the world is so beautiful.  The lore and history so rich.  I don't know if I'd ever get tired of exploring it.  Preferably without the threat of Morgoth or Sauron to sully my travels.  

Thank you for your answers! And you, dear Reader, what would you ask from Robert Cano? 🙃

JMD Reid is a fan of fantasy genre, since he read The Hobbit. His creative mind is full with fantastic tales, which he is eager to share with us. When he is not writing, Reid likes playing video games, D&D and listening music.

If you want to know more about JMD Reid and his works:

 https://twitter.com/JMDReid

https://www.facebook.com/JMDReid

(Fantastic Worlds of the Imagination): https://www.facebook.com/groups/158087188138155

http://eepurl.com/61bSz

http://www.JMD-Reid.com/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085X3PHYB

The interview:

1. Do you remember the first fantasy book you have read and made you fall in love with the genre?

Yes, it was the Hobbit. Given to me by my uncle when I was in the fourth grade!

2.  Fantasy has a lots of subgenres. Do you have any, which you prefer for writing and reading?

I enjoy epic fantasy. I like the big, sprawling stories.

3. Creating a whole universe is not just interesting, but a lots of work too. Do you like using some of your fictional universes for more stories, or you rather create a new world for every new book?

It depends on the story I'm telling. I have a fantasy universe that I created to tell multiple different stories across the world. My Secret of the Jewels series is the start of that project. But with more epic, world-ending stakes, I create worlds just for that story. My The Storm Below series has a very creative universe but I have no interest in telling more stories. I told the story the world was created to tell.

4. Do you have any book, or writer, who inspired you? Who and why them?

Yes, JRR Tolkien inspired me to love fantasy, Robert Jordan and his successor Brandon Sanderson influence my actual writing style. Robert Jordan always clicked with me. I was reading his Wheel of Time series starting back in 92 and was on that ride all the way to its end. David Eddings for his dialogue between his characters and R. Scott Bakker for his very human and flawed characters.

5. Magic is an important part of fantasy tales. Do you prefer soft, or hard magic systems? Why?

Soft magic can create very awe-inspiring moments. It can be mysterious and, well, magical. Hard Magic is fun in that there are rules and seeing how an author develops and exploits those rules can be a lot of fun. I tend to write hard magic, but I don't have a problem with either.

6. If you could take anything from a fantasy universe here to real life, what would it be and why that?

Probably Traveling from the Wheel of Time. Just making a portal to the other side of the world and step through. No more flying coach.

7. For you, what is the most difficult and easiest part of creating a book?

Not the world building, but writing down all those notes. It's tedius to get all those little details charted down so I can get to writing the book. The easiest part is the writing. It just flows.

8. What do you think about popular fantasy cliches?

Archetypes are often mistaken for cliches. Archetypes are the language of genre while cliches are just very specific ideas that are over used. But finding new ways to use archetypes is always good.

9. Do you have any new, or ongoing project at the moment? If yes, can you tell me a secret about it? 

I am preparing What Mask Hides for publishing early next year. It is set in the Secret of the Jewels universe and is a companion series. New characters that have connection to that series but are on their own story. It's about Lady Foonauri, an exiled noblewoman who has found how empty her life of seeking powerful men has left her drowning in guilt. When she gets a chance to become a thief and find purpose breaking the rules to help people, she embarks on a new life of double identity, political intrigue, and fantasy heists!

10. If you could live anywhere as anything, in any real, or fictional universe, what would you be and where? Why?

I really don't know. Just need a place to right. The place really doesn't matter so long as it doesn't interfere in that.

 E. G. Stone is one of those authors, who write from their childhood. Since the age of six, she wrote 22 novels, short stories, a screenplay, blog entries and even poetry. E. G. loves not just writing, but creating stories in a wide range of genres. Her favourites are mystery, adventure, science fiction and fantasy. Next to write, E. G. loves reading too, and languages. She enjoys being a full-time writer. On 22 June, this year, E. G. already published a book, 'To Never Hear The Song' and the release date of her newest novel, 'The Forsaking Of The Blind' is today, on 17 September.

If you want to know more about E. G. Stone and her works, you can check out and follow her on social media too:

https://linktr.ee/egswriter

The interview

1. You write since you were a child. What would you call your first work?

My first work was titled Wings of a Dragon and it was…well, terrible is a bit of an understatement. Basically, I took the plots from my favourite fantasy pieces, added a dragon and some wish fulfilment and there you have it. I’ve definitely grown since I was a young child and I’m ever thankful for that first book for getting me into writing. But…it will never see the light of day.

2. As someone, who published a lot of work, can write in more different genre and style, what would you advice to newbie authors, or those, who want to write?

If you want to read something that doesn’t exist, no matter what genre, write it. It doesn’t matter how “good” of a writer you are, just that you are exploring and learning. Some things will work, some won’t. But if you are interested in what you write, then that is a goodly portion of the battle fought.

3. You write in many genre, style. Do you have any favourite and less favourite?

Probably not. I think I do all the different genres and styles simply because I enjoy writing all the different genres and styles. Much as with people in general, I don’t tend to fit solely into one category for personality, likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc. So I enjoy writing and exploring all my different styles and genres. It’s just who I am.

4. There is any genre, or topic, which you have always found difficult?

Apparently, academic style writing and I don’t tend to get along. Oh, I can manage it quite well (if I couldn’t, I wouldn’t have gotten my degrees) but I’ve been told that I don’t write in a standard academic style. That is, I am far more blunt in my logic and I don’t tend to prevaricate with all the excess words that other academics use. Frankly, this doesn’t bother me much. But it did confuse people who were reading my work because I said what I meant. Pah!

5. There are people, who create stories from sudden, spontaneous ideas. What was the strangest way you got inspiration for a book, or character?

Conversations with people always bring about the most interesting ideas. For example, I was just having a discussion about organisations that actually make you vanish. They were created for people who were trying to escape abusive relationships or go off the grid, but imagine that coupled with time travel? Conversations and inspiration like this is fairly common for me. 

6. You can write anywhere, anytime, or there is a certain time and place you prefer to be able to perfectly focus?

I can, theoretically, write anywhere or at any time (excepting when sleeping, because I’m just not that capable) but I prefer to do it at home and in the quiet of my mind. I think the only place where I have failed completely to write is while surrounded by many people who just don’t stop talking. 

7. Writer's block is maybe the most annoying thing, which can happen to an author. What do you do, if you have it?

I don’t tend to have writer’s block. Sometimes I feel like a story stagnates a bit, but then I just work on something else for a while. I write consistently every day during the work week and when I don’t write, I have ideas on what to write. Granted, this comes from many years of consistently writing, even when not pursuing this as a career, so I’m fairly used to getting words onto paper.

8. From your characters, who was the easiest and most difficult to create? Do you have a personal favourite?

All my characters, near as I can tell, are fully-formed people who just sort of spring into being. If there is any difficulty, it’s simply because I don’t particularly understand them, yet. But I wouldn’t necessarily say that I create them, more that they just appear. If I have a favourite, then it would probably be Ske’toa, the antagonist from Speaker of Words. Though, all my characters are wonderful, so I wouldn’t pick just the one. :) 

9. Today, on 17 September, your new book is published. Do you have any ongoing, or new project?

I always have ongoing projects! I can’t seem to stop with projects. I usually have two or three going at one particular time, all in various stages of development. At the moment, I’m working on book four of an upcoming urban fantasy/satirical fantasy series. I also have an epic-style fairytale retelling in the works, and several others in the planning stage. Still, it will be a little sad to see The Forsaking of the Blind go out into the world, because it’s the end of the trilogy. (Fear not, there will be more books in the same world!)

10. If you could be anything in any universe, anywhere, what would you be? Why?

Um…maybe a dragon in a library? I think that would be pretty cool.