The Tempter’s Bane finds Adroegen’s friends on their own and facing an assault from Vyroun. What were some new ideas you wanted to introduce in this book that were different from book one?

Well, I would say that overall, I aim to have the more timeless themes in this story, themes like good and evil, courage, selflessness, and friendship. Within this book in particular, I think that friendship plays a significant part all the characters’ choices, as the six members of the company within the tale are separated in The Tempter’s Bane and hope that they will see each other again. 

If there is a new theme perhaps that I introduce in The Tempter’s Bane that was not present, or at least not as much so, in The Fleeing Company, I would say a theme of temptation. In The Fleeing Company, the main antagonist is the goblin chief, who is hunting Adroegen and his friends as they run through the wild. In The Tempter’s Bane, the goblin chief’s master, Vyroun, is the villain. 

From what I see of other stories out there today, the trend for villains is to make them ‘gray,’ if that is the best way to put it. They are perhaps misunderstood, or went through some kind of trauma in their past, or perhaps they might think that they are doing what is right but are misguided, and so forth. The point is, one could argue that many villains today are not wholly evil. In my story, however, the main villains are complete embodiments of evil, or of the ‘pure evil’ sort. 

With the villain in this book, Vyroun, I tried to take an approach of making him almost into the devil. The story I give for him is that at one point long ago, Vyroun chose to reject the god of this story, Enilundar, and serve evil, perhaps like a fallen angel of sorts. My goal was to make him vividly terrifying whenever he appeared, but one trait about Vyroun that I implemented was that he would try to tempt good people into serving him, perhaps like Satan tempting one into turning against God. I best not go into great detail, but I will say that I have one chapter in The Tempter’s Bane that is intended to resemble the biblical story from Matthew 4: 1-11, where Satan tempts Jesus three times in the desert. 

The intent was to make evil, or its ways, to appear very tempting, whether by the idea of gaining wealth or power, or simply gaining relief from torment, physical or emotional. If someone were in some kind of terrible agony, whether they are starving or in physical pain, or emotional torment from losing their friends or family, and they are offered to be free of such pain if they but choose to serve evil, some undoubtedly would make choices that they would never make under more normal circumstances.  

This seemed like a fun novel to write. What was the funnest scene for you to write?

It was a fun book, and I daresay that picking a favorite part of it is rather difficult. If I had to choose one, I think that I would pick one scene in which Adroegen returns to the Fornwood, an old forest where all the trees can talk, and many can walk. When he reaches the border, he speaks with three trees, named Willowtwig, Pineleaf, and Beechbark, and the three of them soon begin arguing amongst themselves. Willowtwig does not like being asked to look over the border, because being a willow tree, his branches hang low and make it hard for him to see. Pineleaf, meanwhile, is inquired about his name, because pine trees to not have leaves, and he is not too happy about his name being called odd.

Although, I would say that there were several chapters that were fun. What I liked a lot about The Tempter’s Bane is that while The Fleeing Company was entirely from Adroegen’s perspective, which was done because that worked the best for that book, The Tempter’s Bane is told from a little of all the characters’ perspectives within the company. The plan I have in the long term is for all six characters to have their own stories and heroics as the tale moves on, and The Tempter’s Bane begins telling the stories for the other characters beyond just Adroegen. 

The fun part of going into six separate points of view is that each character is a little different, and would think and react differently in certain situations. When writing, I must think like they would when in their point of view. Edelbir has a liking for work, and so I must think that way when things are told from his perspective. Kattalin is one who loves the sea and spends much of her time doing things like daydreaming and laying in the grass, watching the clouds pass, though she does not get time for such things in this book. Gleowan and Vaenn are both a little more clever and comical. Gleowan likes to drink and smoke, while Vaenn will often obsess over how she looks. 

I think, though, that any chapter with Caitren in particular was enjoyable. Of all the characters, she might stand out the most. Caitren I consider to be someone that is impossible not to like, as she has a naturally hopeful and joyful spirit to her. She is quite a happy character and has a more innocent nature, though these traits are tested in this book, even more so than how they were tested in The Fleeing Company.

What were some sources that informed this novels development?

The greatest influence is undoubtedly Tolkien, who I consider to be a masterful storyteller. I do have several creatures that he borrowed from old folklore and mythologies, but more than that I go after similar themes to what his stories had, themes of courage, friendship, and finding strength and not giving up in the face of daunting evil, among others. These sorts of traits are what I think ultimately make a great story, one that inspires anyone who reads it, and it does seem as if we do not see very many stories like that anymore.

Among other sources, I go to old fairy tales and European mythologies. The Snow Queen and The Last Dream of the Old Oak are a couple tales from Hans Christian Andersen where I took a few minor influences, and the writing and narrative styles I use come from fairy tales. The Prose Edda, where the Norse myths come from, is another great source. After that, I go to some Old English texts.

If you were wondering, just about everything that I read is at least a hundred years old, if not over a thousand years old! There is a gold mine of great ideas in such places though as I have found, even if they are not in our modern dialect and might be, admittedly, tougher to read. 

This is book two of The Drifters’ Road series. What can readers expect in book three?

Well, I had best be careful what I say here, as an author, of course, does not want to give away what they have planned next. I will say that The Tempter’s Bane marks the end of what will be the first adventure for this company of six. The war against Vyroun was one that would last for two books, and for the third book, the company will embark on a new adventure, one which I think will be quite fun. The map is going to expand, and these characters are going to venture off to new places, meet new characters and creatures, as well as have a new enemy. 

This second adventure will be a sequel adventure after their first major one, but it will not be another adventure just for the sake of one. I do have a much greater plan or purpose that these adventures for Adroegen and his friends are building towards. However, I think that I had best not say much more for right now, other than that I completed a first draft for the third book to The Drifters’ Road in late July. Right now I am thinking over what I think must be changed or what could be improved. That process will take several months before the book is ready for editing, and then publication. Realistically, I think that it is at least a year away, but I am working on book three and look forward to its completion. 

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