It’s hardly surprising that many fantasy writers have played Dungeons & Dragons. Or that D&D has influenced their fantasy stories.
But in the following email interview with author Holly Searcy, she talks about how her high fantasy novel The Shiver Tree (paperback, Kindle, audiobook) wasn’t just written by a D&D player who was influenced by the role-playing adventure game. It actually started out as the backstory to her D&D character.
A lot of writers have put unique spins on the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty.
But in her new romantic fantasy novel A River Of Golden Bones (hardcover, Kindle, audiobook), author A.K. Mulford started with a “what if?” question about the titular slumbering lady that wasn’t about the fable itself.
To learn what that question was, and what else inspired and influenced this story, check out the following email interview.
On the surface, L.R. Lam’s new epic fantasy / high fantasy / romantasy novel Dragonfall (hardcover, Kindle) seems like it’s all about that hot human-on-dragon action. And it is.
But as she explains in the following email interview, it’s also about false gods hating those who put them on their pedestals.
It may seem counterintuitive, but distraction can, for some people, be an important part of the creative process. Trent Reznor of nine inch nails once told me he had an arcade in his studio so he could clear his head when he got stuck.
But in the following email interview with author Tim Akers about his new novel, a high fantasy / hard magic thriller called Wraithbound (paperback, Kindle), he explains that when he got stuck writing it, his distraction of choice was to write another book.
Usually when fantasy writers discuss their influences, they mention J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, R.A. Salvatore — y’know, the usual.
But in the following email interview with writer W.A. Simpsons about her post-modern / second world high fantasy novel Tinderbox (hardcover, paperback, Kindle), the person she cites — rather ironically — is someone who didn’t use his initials.
In the fantasy realm, it seems like most novels are set in medieval Europe-esque place (J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings), savage times (Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories), or the modern era (J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter). But for his new fantasy novel Soleri (hardcover, digital), writer Michael Johnston has chosen a different setting: Ancient Egypt. Though it talking to Johnston about this book, and the untitled series it begins, it seems he’d prefer Soleri not end up like Tolkien’s, Howard’s, or Rowling’s books as well.