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When I Decided To Write A Fantasy
Haelend’s Ballad is an epic fantasy novel that follows an ensemble cast that are trying to survive in a war torn land where fate conspires against them. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Definitely history. Our own world is full of war and atrocities, and yet we often only see one side of the story. But when we look at these historical events from various perspectives, we see a much more complex (and often darker) reality. When I decided to write a fantasy, I felt that having a large cast from different backgrounds and perspectives would be the best way to reflect that reality.
Your characters are intriguing and well developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
On one level, I simply wanted my characters to be real. I wanted them to be flawed, multi-faceted, and to sometimes just make really bad decisions. They needed to wrestle with their own sins and as well as the sins other against them, and that, in turn, should impact the choices they make. On another level, music was a big influence that helped shape each of my characters. I listened to a lot of early American ballads and classical composers, as well as more recent musicians such as Mumford and Sons, Radiohead, and Josh Garrels. Every character represented something that spoke to me in that music.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The biggest theme is probably suffering (how it impacts our worldview, the decisions we make, etc.). Other themes include the consequences of racism, nationalism, and political/economic corruption, as well as the power and freedom found in forgiveness, love, and self-sacrifice.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently working on a series of short stories that explores some of the mythology and other events in the world of Haelend’s Ballad. Also, I’ll be collaborating with my cover illustrator at the beginning of next year to create a series of illustrations for a hardback edition of Haelend’s Ballad that I hope to release at the end of 2022.
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A young man signs his own death warrant when he joins an already failing militia. A teenage girl is haunted by her childhood abuse and begins to crave the very things she hates. A childless mother finds herself on the run as a convicted murderer. Yet they are all unaware that their own fates are tied to a young orphan who has drowned and come back to life in a foreign land where he will be the death of everyone he meets.
Hælend’s Ballad is a tale about what happens when men and women from two colliding cultures realize they may not be on the right side. Heroes are villains. The persecuted are oppressors. And when rumors begin to spread that the world is dying, the darkness of their own hearts betrays them.
How She Begins to Recover
The Dragon of Russia finds Leila living with a team of Spetsnaz and facing down a sinister fate. What were some new ideas you wanted to explore in this book that were different from book one?
I wanted to expand further on Leila’s struggles with her personal demon and how she overcomes it by finding balance and learning to open herself for love again (romantic and friendships/found family).
Leila Wells continues to evolve in interesting ways. What were some challenges you felt were critical to her character development in this story?
I thought it crucial to show her hitting rock-bottom and how she begins to recover.
What scene did you have the most fun writing?
Pretty much any chapter with Alek (because he’s so fun), but I really enjoyed writing the scenes that has Leila delve into her psyche/reflects on herself.
What can readers expect in book three of your Phoenix Trilogy?
A return to the Rulers of the Realms Fighting Tag Tournament for confrontation with Bryan Foster, more drama that makes Leila question herself, and a worldwide paranormal threat revealed.
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The Rulers of the Realms Fighting Tag Tournament made Leila Wells embrace her dark side, known as the Phoenix. When its destructive nature becomes uncontrollable, Leila must tame it by leaving again.
Danger in Russia forces her to live with a team of Spetsnaz and their menacing leader, Dragunov—the feared Dragon of Russia. As events unfold, her heart finally starts to open. But a sinister fate lies ahead of them and they can’t escape it.
Book Two in The Phoenix Trilogy
This Twist In His Psychology
The Cure for Stars follows Al-Khidr through a wormhole with Hatathor behind him as they land forward in time in Egypt as it’s being invaded by Napoleon. What were some new ideas you wanted to explore in this book that differed from book one?
I want to write historical fiction. It was more like an experiment for me. Al-Khidr did not have the full knowledge of botany, but he had to find the cure. Hatathor, on the other side, was well versed in technology, but his capabilities too were limited because of battery issues. I liked to show the reader that technology doesn’t help much without electricity or power banks.
Further on, the role of artificial intelligence in language studies is far more critical than the amount of research done in these areas. In my opinion, all the human languages are connected, and in the future, humans should be able to construct algorithms that can connect ancient as we as new languages together. In this journey, I explored the ancient Egyptian language and found many words still spoken in Arabic but must have connections with the ancient Egyptian language. Like alien Lyrian disease, Mumut is a word in ancient Egyptian, meaning contagion, and in Arabic, the term “Mut=Mit” is a root used for dead or dying. This shows that Arabic has connections with the ancient Egyptian language. Similarly, I found many other parallels between the two languages.
What were some challenges you set for yourself as a writer with this book?
As mentioned above, I browsed through ancient Egyptology dictionaries, and I wanted to construct noun-based complete sentences based on the ancient Egyptian language. I am pleased that I successfully made some lines for alien language through this. Also crucial for me to understand the medieval Egyptian view on pyramids and Sphinx (unadulterated by Greek mythology or thoughts). I do not want to call the well-known statue of Sphinx – a sphinx as this is purely a Greek idea to call the figure by this name. Neither ancient Egyptians nor Arabs call the statue as Sphinx. For Al-Khidr’s character, building such elements was necessary, as Al-Khidr had the world view primarily based on 9th century Arabia.
This seemed like a fun book to write? What scene did you have the most fun writing?
I enjoyed writing about Hatathor more than the human. Perhaps because Hatathor’s character has multiple dimensions, he first considered himself a savior, and then he thought the earth was a cursed planet. This twist in his psychology needed detailed elaboration to understand his complex personality. So right from the wormhole, I showed what he was thinking and did almost minute details. Al-Khidr did not need all of that. As he was human, and we already know how he would react.
What can readers expect in book three in The Sphere of Destiny Trilogy?
A reader would find a complex Lyra. A place with new characters, new aspirations, new politics, and a new survival struggle. It explains how advanced societies changed into superstitious cultures.
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Al-Khidr was inside the Hall of Stars, and now he was moving inside a wormhole—a cosmic tunnel that opened up right above the Hall of Stars was spiraling down through galaxies like a coiled serpent from planet Lyra towards Earth. He was unaware of the alien major General Hatathor who was also sucked into the wormhole due to his own act of charging sequence disruption. Where the wormhole was leading? None of them knew. But the one thing sure to the aliens was that the jump was going to happen both in time and space.
A Document Of Our World
The Epic of Gabriel and Jibreel tells the story of two boys who form a powerful friendship amidst devastating loss. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
My goal was to create a document of our world – a piece of realistic and painful evidence. According to SAVE THE CHILDREN REPORT for 2019, 160 million children lived in high-intensity conflict zones. We, the adults, created these conflict zones and we know well that such environments alter the direction of children’s lives and cause many casualties. My main protagonists’ fate is just proof — sad proof, unfortunately — that the world doesn’t care.
The art in the book is vivid and impactful. What was the artistic process like to bring this story to life?
As you already know, I create the illustrations for my publications — my stories give me suggestions for the style of visuals they need. In the case of THE EPIC OF GABRIEL AND JIBREEL, the request was for as-close-as-possible-to real-life illustrations in order to connect the reader with reality. This way the “holy trinity” — narrative, illustrations, and layout, perfectly match and create a cohesive piece of art.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Many themes form the building blocks of the book’s DNA, but two words from the Publishers Weekly review define the main theme well — “cosmic unfairness”.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently working on ART — a wordless book about an autistic and artistic circus virtuoso named Art. It is also a book about art…that defies gravity. The title, as you see, is so demanding that the illustrations must be one-of-a-kind. The publication will be available at the beginning of 2022.
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What Fueled My Imagination
Into the Well is book two in your Warlock Chronicles series. What were some new ideas you wanted to introduce in this book that was different from book one?
In LADY SILVER, we saw the beginnings of romance between Bryanna and Bastion. Neither of them was at a point where they were ready to acknowledge their emotions but they were getting there. INTO THE WELL brings their relationship into full bloom. Each of them is forced to admit that they need each other — that they need other people in their lives. And they have to make the conscious choice of what direction they want their lives to take, knowing the consequences they’ll have to face for the choices they make. That’s something too many of us have forgotten these days, I think (myself included.) Bryanna has enormous power, for example. Yet she is just like everyone else: she makes her choices and lives with the consequences of her actions. That’s sort of an on-going undercurrent through the entire series.
Your characters continue to develop in this novel in new and interesting ways. What were some obstacles you felt were important to Bryanna’s character development in this book?
Bryanna is incredibly powerful, and I kept thinking of the saying, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” In more than one of my characters, we see that in full display. Because of the enormity of the magic Bryanna wields, I felt she had to be in a position to make the conscious choice to succumb to absolute power and all it entails, or walk away from it if that was the right, moral thing to do. Would she let the magic control her, or would she control the magic? She had to be willing to give up everything in order to become everything she could be. All in or all out — there’s no middle ground for her. I think more of us than are willing to admit it actually face a point like that in our own lives.
What were some sources that informed this novels development?
I don’t know that I can pinpoint one or two precise sources. It’s a culmination of my almost-65-years of life experiences and the influence of the books I read in my youth. Authors like Frank Herbert, Margaret Weiss and Tracey Hickman, Anne McCaffery, Jennifer Roberson, Larry Niven, Stephen King, Anne Rice, Terry Brooks, Kathleen Woodiwiss, to name a few. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy today’s sci-fi and fantasy authors. But the “old school” authors were my bread and butter in my formative years. Throw in the original “Star Trek” series, “Lost in Space” series, “Twilight Zone” and the old serialized “Buck Rogers” and you get an idea of what fueled my imagination back in the day.
What can readers expect in book three of your Warlock Chronicles series?
There’s an empty throne that has to be filled. A civil war needs to be rectified. Chaos has a strong foothold in the galaxy and that always brings out the worst of man’s inhumanity to man. And there are past sins that must be accounted for. Bastion, Bryanna, and all of the characters face some difficult choices. New characters are introduced, others may come face-to-face with the end of their story arc. I’m in the same boat as my readers: I won’t know how it ends until I get to the final page!
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A forgotten planet. Dark secrets buried for millennia in dark magic.
Not for much longer…
INTO the WELL continues the treacherous journey of Bryanna D’Isaac, the warlock known as Lady Silver, and Admiral Devon Bastion deep into the Well in search of the lost homeworld of their ancestors. Convoluted space-time, dimensional rifts, and festering conflict brought the Cataclysm that took humans and warlocks to the brink of extinction millennia ago.
History is about to repeat itself.
INTO the WELL: Warlock Chronicles, Book II, is the sequel to LADY SILVER, the first book of the Warlock Chronicles series.
Living With Hunting Dogs
Hickory Doc’s Tales is a collection of humorous stories following the adventures and misadventures at The Lazy Dog Hacienda kennels. What was the inspiration for the setup to your stories?
The memories of over thirty years of living with hunting dogs. My stories come from our relationships with them in the field and at home along with my teaching experiences both in schools and as a docent at several museums. As a docent, I helped develop curricula for children’s programs and gave many presentations to children both at the museums and local schools.
Zeke was my favorite character in the story. Do you have a favorite character in the book?
All of them. Doc for his wisdom and leadership. Zeke (Doc’s brother) for his orneriness, determination, selfishness and humility at times. Patch (Doc’s daughter) for her inclusion of other animals, inquisitive nature, and her hunting skills. Rush (Doc’s Son) for his adventurous nature. Newt (family Lab) for his loyalty and kindness.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Ideas that were important for me to share in Hickory Doc’s Tales for elementary children readers and adults are:
Presenting teachable tales to elementary children on the lives of hunting dogs, other animals in nature, habitat, and life lessons involving—family, bravery, diversity, loyalty, adventure, solving problems, acceptance of others, patience, and not blaming others for your mistakes.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Chatty the Hen Pheasant (Travels With The Pack) Archway Publishing is printing it now. It will be out in December, 2021.
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In Hickory Docs Tales, Doc shares a host of humorous stories from his important role as a hunting dog, and he narrates what life is like at the kennel. He tells tales about his adventures and mishaps with porcupines and cactus and of relationships with humans, other animals, and his tight-knit family of dogs.
Geared toward elementary school readers, Hickory Docs Tales s helps youth transition to chapter books, and it encourages a host of creative writing opportunities and exercises.
To Understand Myself Better
Notes on the Train takes readers on a journey of self-discovery through a collection of expressive poetry that explores the various struggles people face in life. Why was this an important collection for you to publish?
Putting my thoughts out was very important to me because I feel that if there are others out there with the same feelings and the same thoughts, they need to know there are others that share their thoughts and they are not alone in the struggle. It’s oftentimes the feeling of aloneness that is the hardest to bear.
I really enjoyed how eloquent and striking the poems were. What inspires you to write poetry?
I am inspired by my family whose unending support makes it possible for me to feel confident in putting myself out there in the ethos and letting my thoughts speak.
What are some themes you often find yourself gravitating towards while writing?
I find myself writing most often on feelings of aloneness and self-evaluation. As I work through the inner struggles I have on a day to day basis, I write my thoughts to understand myself better.
My favorite poem from this collection is ‘Hitting and Missing’. Do you have a favorite poem from this book?
In fact Hitting and Missing is my favorite poem also. I feel very strongly about being a mother and grandmother. My life has been enriched beyond descrption by having my children in my life and I wanted to capture some of what I was feeling in words.
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Pushed Through Extraordinary Circumstances
The Fate of Lenn continues to expand the world created in the Gift-Knight series with a focus on Duke Lenn Wancyek. What motivated you to write a book exploring this character?
Lenn and Zinnia appear in “flashback time” of The Gift-Knight’s Quest and they never got a complete story until now. In their first appearance, they represent intense action experiences to break up the longueurs of Derek riding to ruins, riding from his old home to his new one, and chewing the scenery. The same is true to a lesser extent for King Jonnecht the First and General Conrad, who both get a fuller story told in Prince Ewald the Brave. But the point is, an entire time period and situation were presented there that set the stage for the original trilogy. There was enough going on to deserve its own book. This time, instead of presenting a Lenn and Zinnia who are combinations of myths and legends and disputing historical records and whatever Derek might imagine them to be, I wanted to show you the reality that later got mythologized. Duke Lenn Wancyek, with a widow’s peak, a tummy, doubts and depression, well-liked but not exactly suave, and just handling life and responsibilities as best he can. A human being pushed through extraordinary circumstances.
What were some driving ideals behind Duke Lenn Wancyek character and evolution?
He is best known in the original trilogy for being a historically important figure who is willing to risk everything for a people not his own and a lover he only knows for a brief time. He recognizes that something terrible is in progress, and he expects nobody else to do much about it, yet he has the power, the privilege to do something. I needed him to be someone who understands that leadership is a role of service, one which comes with privileges that enable his work and compensate him for the burdens it places on him; Prince Ewald seems to understand the same, it is a running theme among my leader characters who have good intentions. I needed people’s lives to matter to him, not just people in his dukedom or the broader kingdom but people in general. He needed to be expertly capable of using deadly force yet reluctant to do so, because it’s a decision he can’t take back, and it tends to occur in situations that risk his own life as well. He always reaches for lofty ideals but has to work within the real, and the disparity between the two frustrates him, comparable to his descendent Derek–someone he must posthumously inspire. Most importantly, Lenn had to be the kind of person where even if it seems to be too late for him, if his situation looks no-win, he still finds the people who look like they have a chance, people he loves and people in need, and he does what he can for them. He is not the kind of person who says, “It’s too late for me, so I don’t have to care about anyone or anything else anymore.” And if it’s not too late for him to help a noble cause, perhaps it’s not too late for him after all.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
This is a tough call because I present a variety of scenes where I enjoyed different aspects for different reasons. Sometimes it’s simple: I like to choreograph a good barehanded fight because it lets me think back to my decade of commercial martial arts experience and how I would describe moves that I practiced and sometimes successfully executed in training. I also liked the entire arc of the musicians coming together to make something unique and beautiful, because I have spent so much of my spare time in the past twenty years hanging out with musicians, seeing them build something together, and always feeling like I could witness history in the making just by being their friend–yet it was so satisfying to produce this fictional account where people with completely different backgrounds and sounds figure out how to coexist and produce something brilliant. Lastly, I will admit my visceral gratification any time I got to write someone taking the piss out of Sir Wolter, whose reputation as a ridiculous man is so widespread that General Conrad took time to throw him some shade in the previous book of the series (Prince Ewald the Brave). Sadly, all the jokes in the world can’t exorcise the toxic mindset he represents and the legacy it has left/the influence it still has on the world today, but sometimes humour is the most scathing weapon I have.
Do you have future books planned for your Gift-Knight series?
At the moment, I do not. I will say this: there are two significant loose ends left between this book and its predecessor which suggest that more story could be told, and the words of Alathea herself in The Crown Princess’ Voyage summarize how those loose ends are tied together. But could it be wrapped up in a few short stories or a novella? The main reason I’m not looking at a full seventh book to the series right now relates to something you pointed out in your review, that these books do not just read like historical accounts. They are supposed to be more than that. I always have messages and ideas in mind, even if the reader doesn’t agree with them or if I don’t present the message clearly. The Gift-Knight Trilogy is about two people who have reasons to hate each other finding a way to work together because greater things are at stake, and the series has opinions about different people finding ways to coexist respectfully, without losing any of the variety and uniqueness that makes the world such a beautiful and interesting place. The prequel trilogy has a lot to say about service-minded leadership versus entitlement, and also the power of young people to either save or ruin their world depending on what guidance and support are available to them; also, the power of their elders to shape what’s to come, and how that’s a complicated process fraught with peril. But, returning to the idea of a seventh book. If I wrote one to tie up those loose ends, which would primarily be about Jarek (the reader may wonder what happened to him and there’s a reason it went unsaid) and Elcimer (the man to whom King Jonnecht offered to sell weapons and soldiers’ services) and the drama surrounding each of them before they meet on the battlefield, all I know right now is a history. “Here’s what happened, here’s the final groundwork of the world we see by the time Derek and Chandra get to have their story.” I don’t know what the intended message is or how it could be any different than what’s already presented. Or how it even upholds the messages already presented, for that matter. Idea-wise, it could easily become “a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing”, and I’m not currently interested in writing a book where I don’t even know what the broader message is. Maybe one day, if I find myself with a large fandom that craves it, I will bring that out for them. But right now it’s not even close to happening. I did release two books in a year and knowing little else of the situation someone might imagine I can pump another out, but my first drafts tend to sit for years before I know what they need. I don’t currently have any complete rough drafts ready for reworking.
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You will meet everyone who looks to him and you will see their struggles which run concurrent with his: a friend and adviser who wishes to steer him right; three musicians who think they have landed the greatest job in the kingdom; a gardener who does so much yet asks so little; a woman who works to free her people. The list goes on, but time grows short.
You will meet the man who becomes the legend. You will know the fate of Lenn.
LITERARY TITAN 