Wrath of the Storm Lord follows an outcast turned warrior-myth, rising from condemned slave to challenging the empire that destroyed his people. What inspired this setup?

Well, originally Jerith was supposed to be the villain in another series of mine called Chronicles of the Bard King. Coming from a comics background, I’ve always been inspired by writers like Rick Remender, Jonathan Hickman, and Ed Brubaker. These guys create incredible morally gray characters and anti-heroes, and one thing they always nail is making villains relatable. So, that was my goal—I wanted to explore Jerith’s journey, find out what pushed him down this dark path, and why he became the most feared man in Eodarrin. But honestly, I didn’t expect to become so attached to him. Pretty soon, it was clear a simple prologue just wouldn’t do his story justice.

The world you’ve created feels so alive and full of possibilities. Where did your inspiration come from, and did the setting change as you wrote?

Ah, the frozen land of Ver’Sut! This place has been living in my head for nearly thirty years. As a kid, I was fascinated by Viking and Norse culture, especially this idea of people shaped by their harsh environment and struggles. Growing up in the Deep South, snow was rare and almost magical to me. Dog sledding and snowy landscapes always grabbed my imagination—thanks partly to Jack London’s books like The Call of the Wild and White Fang. The concept of an eternal winter just has this mystic charm I couldn’t resist.

Jerith Al’Sut faces deep inner conflict, fighting not to become the monster he battles against. What inspired his character’s journey?

My initial idea for the Sutian people combined elements of Norse culture and Indigenous heritage—reflecting my own background. Both cultures have powerful myths about inner struggle. One is the tale of two wolves inside us, constantly battling for our souls. Another is the Norse myth of Freki and Geri—Odin’s wolves representing greed and hunger. I wanted to dive into this question: if you could save everyone you love by becoming the villain, could you do it? That’s really at the core of Jerith’s struggle, this intense battle within himself.

Can you tease what’s next for the story and where you see it heading in the future?

The heart of the story revolves around the Axe of Eldran—the artifact granting Jerith the power of the Storm God, Eldran. But here’s the twist: during an ancient battle with an evil Arch Fey, the Fey’s defeated spirit attached itself to the axe, slowly corrupting Jerith. In Wrath, we see the beginning of this corruption as he struggles to control his rage. Moving forward, we’ll watch Jerith spiral deeper into obsession as he’s plagued by dark visions convincing him only he can stop an approaching evil—no matter how devastating his actions become. It’s all about exploring how far he’ll go, and whether he can find redemption or lose himself entirely.

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