He is a new epic fantasy author who writes for his minor children, whom he lovingly calls his Vikings. He is planning an expansive epic fantasy called The Dragon’s Promise Saga. He has strong influences from Harry Potter, Name of the Wind, Eragon, and Game of Thrones.
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
A. I have a science background, and that is woven throughout my stories.
Q.2 Can you give us a glimpse into your future projects? Are there more adventures or genres you are eager to explore in your writing?
A. I’m writing out the Dragon’s Promise Saga now, which will have two arcs. The first will be the Castlestone series with 4-5 books, and the second to be named will be the wrap of 2-4 books. After I finish the second book in Castlestone, I may switch up to a prequel series that targets more middle-grade readers so that my three young ones can get more involved.
Q.3 Castlestone: Ascension is described as a blend of "Harry Potter" and "Game of Thrones." Can you talk about the inspirations behind this unique fusion of magical school settings and epic fantasy and how it influenced the creation of Fyrsgard and its intricate world?
A. Castlestone: Ascension targets 16+ and blends the magic and school of Harry Potter with the mystery and political intrigue of Game of Thrones. Castlestone doesn’t have graphic violence and is far more Potter than GoT. It’s actually more like the book Name of the Wind but with dragons.
As an avid fantasy fan myself, I wanted to blend my favorite books as I waited for their final installments. Fyrsgard is actually set in a medieval alternate reality of the United Kingdom. Many of the ancient castle ruins are key locations in my book!
Q.4 Brecken's life takes a dramatic turn when he discovers a dormant power within. Could you delve into the process of developing Brecken as a character and how his journey unfolds in the context of destiny, prophecy, and the power he inherits?
A. I wanted to first start with a mystery. Why Brecken? Why powers? Why now? Why here? I set up answers to these questions over the entire series, but in the first book, I answered a few of them.
On a rare chance occurrence, Brecken finds himself atop the tallest tower in the castle, Skyview, during the first dragon attack in recent memory. Not only does he survive, but when all hope is lost, and the ancient master wizards cannot repel the Undying King’s forces… Brecken somehow does it all by himself.
We learn how this unfolded and what mysteries lie ahead.
Q.5 The novel introduces Castlestone Academy, a place where the protagonist, Brecken, navigates treacherous paths. How did you go about creating this magical institution, and what role does it play in shaping the events of the story?
A. For the past decade, I have visited ancient castle ruins throughout the United Kingdom. I’ve also had the opportunity to visit Universal Studios Florida and enjoy the Harry Potter park to walk in the Hogwarts replica. These all blended together and became Castlestone Academy!
Castlestone Academy teaches learners to become crafters (wizards in Fyrsgard). There are many mysteries in this ancient institution… including secrets. A few secret societies vie for Brecken’s attention and allegiance.
Q.6 The magical system in Castlestone: Ascension is described as unique and grounded in the principles of science and mathematics. How did you develop this innovative approach to magic, and what challenges or opportunities did it present regarding world-building and storytelling?
A. I’m a bit of an academic myself, with firm roots in science and math. One of my favorite parts of books is the magic system. In Harry Potter, the hows of magic are vague (wand cores, spells, wand gestures); in Mistborn, there are metals ingested and “burned,” in the Marvel Universe, Dr. Strange uses astral shapes that can be seen.
I wanted to combine some of my favorite elements to make it feel real. Magic in Fyrsgard is a gift born to only a few.
The first law is that Energy (or matter) cannot be created nor destroyed… but it can be taken from the multiverse. A parallel dimension that may look and feel much like our own.
To access these parallel dimensions, a crafter must Ascend and demonstrate awareness of the multiverse.
The first step is to build a construct. Constructs are made by visualizing ancient runes onto a three-dimensional spell form (shapes like spheres, pyramids, or cubes). Then, if you have enough “willpower” and you are “powerful enough,” then you can “push” it into existence.
There is some math called Merlyn arcanthylpies that will help predict if it can be done.
Caution to those who try crafting beyond their abilities, it could lead to “skidding” and even… death.
Q.7 The legendary Skyview Tower is a central element in the story. What significance does it hold, and how does its enigma resonate throughout Brecken's journey?
A. The Undying King has enslaved the realm, with only one free city… Castlestone. Skyview is the tallest tower in Castlestone’s castle and serves as the seat of power for the crafters in the city. Only the most prominent crafters are granted access to study and craft atop.
The book opens with a savage dragon attack that even the best wizards cannot withstand. That’s where Brecken awakens to his gift, to unusual circumstances.
Q.8 The Undying King and his dragon abominations pose a threat to the realm. Can you discuss the inspiration behind these antagonistic elements and how they contribute to the overarching conflict in the narrative?
A. This is a story with a villain behind the scenes. Many of the realm don’t know much of the war outside the walls, some may not even realize the rest of the realm is oppressed. Information is precious and shared with few.
No one knows much about the Undying King, though the rumor is that he has lived for millennia.
It is believed that the Undying King had someone tame the untamable… and enslaved dragonkind. No one knew how until now. Atop Skyview, the crafters witnessed dragons that were… changed. Dragons were magically imbued with actual human remains, living remains.
The first book sets up the main character and introduces his connection to the overall mystery… what is the dragon’s promise?
Q.9 Castlestone: Ascension marks the beginning of "The Dragon’s Promise Saga." Without giving away too many spoilers, what can readers expect regarding the overarching story and future developments in the saga?
A. Short term… Some coming of age for a young man, introduction to master crafters and magic, political intrigue, and secret societies. Long-term… unveiling of the Undying King, political battles of the free dragon kind, and … well, you will need to keep reading.
Q.10 The blurb mentions a journey through the depths of the multiverse and the corridors of time. How do these elements come into play in the narrative, and what kind of impact do they have on the story's structure and complexity?
A. One of the first laws of magic is that energy (and matter/things) can not be created nor destroyed. All magical outcomes come from parallel dimensions and are “pushed” from some verse to this verse.
This story introduces a mysterious event in the distant past, the Chronoclysm. This event leaves ripples to the present day through chronoflux. Flux occurs whenever enormous energies are released and localized to the nearby proximity of the energy release. This flux causes strange changes in entropy (or orderliness), often resulting in people/ places/things going backward in time.
Chronoflux happens rarely as the energy thresholds are pretty large. However, during the Skyview attack, chronoflux runs rampant, like never seen before.
Chronoflux… let’s just say it comes into play later.
Q.11 Were there any particular challenges or rewards you encountered while writing this book?
A. Long writing! I have never written anything this long. Also, writing in the past tense. Initially, the story was written in omnipresent, and then I went back and turned each chapter to be from a particular character perspective (like Game of Thrones!).
Q.1 Tell us something about yourself that not many people know?
A. I have a science background, and that is woven throughout my stories.
Q.2 Can you give us a glimpse into your future projects? Are there more adventures or genres you are eager to explore in your writing?
A. I’m writing out the Dragon’s Promise Saga now, which will have two arcs. The first will be the Castlestone series with 4-5 books, and the second to be named will be the wrap of 2-4 books. After I finish the second book in Castlestone, I may switch up to a prequel series that targets more middle-grade readers so that my three young ones can get more involved.
Q.3 Castlestone: Ascension is described as a blend of "Harry Potter" and "Game of Thrones." Can you talk about the inspirations behind this unique fusion of magical school settings and epic fantasy and how it influenced the creation of Fyrsgard and its intricate world?
A. Castlestone: Ascension targets 16+ and blends the magic and school of Harry Potter with the mystery and political intrigue of Game of Thrones. Castlestone doesn’t have graphic violence and is far more Potter than GoT. It’s actually more like the book Name of the Wind but with dragons.
As an avid fantasy fan myself, I wanted to blend my favorite books as I waited for their final installments. Fyrsgard is actually set in a medieval alternate reality of the United Kingdom. Many of the ancient castle ruins are key locations in my book!
Q.4 Brecken's life takes a dramatic turn when he discovers a dormant power within. Could you delve into the process of developing Brecken as a character and how his journey unfolds in the context of destiny, prophecy, and the power he inherits?
A. I wanted to first start with a mystery. Why Brecken? Why powers? Why now? Why here? I set up answers to these questions over the entire series, but in the first book, I answered a few of them.
On a rare chance occurrence, Brecken finds himself atop the tallest tower in the castle, Skyview, during the first dragon attack in recent memory. Not only does he survive, but when all hope is lost, and the ancient master wizards cannot repel the Undying King’s forces… Brecken somehow does it all by himself.
We learn how this unfolded and what mysteries lie ahead.
Q.5 The novel introduces Castlestone Academy, a place where the protagonist, Brecken, navigates treacherous paths. How did you go about creating this magical institution, and what role does it play in shaping the events of the story?
A. For the past decade, I have visited ancient castle ruins throughout the United Kingdom. I’ve also had the opportunity to visit Universal Studios Florida and enjoy the Harry Potter park to walk in the Hogwarts replica. These all blended together and became Castlestone Academy!
Castlestone Academy teaches learners to become crafters (wizards in Fyrsgard). There are many mysteries in this ancient institution… including secrets. A few secret societies vie for Brecken’s attention and allegiance.
Q.6 The magical system in Castlestone: Ascension is described as unique and grounded in the principles of science and mathematics. How did you develop this innovative approach to magic, and what challenges or opportunities did it present regarding world-building and storytelling?
A. I’m a bit of an academic myself, with firm roots in science and math. One of my favorite parts of books is the magic system. In Harry Potter, the hows of magic are vague (wand cores, spells, wand gestures); in Mistborn, there are metals ingested and “burned,” in the Marvel Universe, Dr. Strange uses astral shapes that can be seen.
I wanted to combine some of my favorite elements to make it feel real. Magic in Fyrsgard is a gift born to only a few.
The first law is that Energy (or matter) cannot be created nor destroyed… but it can be taken from the multiverse. A parallel dimension that may look and feel much like our own.
To access these parallel dimensions, a crafter must Ascend and demonstrate awareness of the multiverse.
The first step is to build a construct. Constructs are made by visualizing ancient runes onto a three-dimensional spell form (shapes like spheres, pyramids, or cubes). Then, if you have enough “willpower” and you are “powerful enough,” then you can “push” it into existence.
There is some math called Merlyn arcanthylpies that will help predict if it can be done.
Caution to those who try crafting beyond their abilities, it could lead to “skidding” and even… death.
Q.7 The legendary Skyview Tower is a central element in the story. What significance does it hold, and how does its enigma resonate throughout Brecken's journey?
A. The Undying King has enslaved the realm, with only one free city… Castlestone. Skyview is the tallest tower in Castlestone’s castle and serves as the seat of power for the crafters in the city. Only the most prominent crafters are granted access to study and craft atop.
The book opens with a savage dragon attack that even the best wizards cannot withstand. That’s where Brecken awakens to his gift, to unusual circumstances.
Q.8 The Undying King and his dragon abominations pose a threat to the realm. Can you discuss the inspiration behind these antagonistic elements and how they contribute to the overarching conflict in the narrative?
A. This is a story with a villain behind the scenes. Many of the realm don’t know much of the war outside the walls, some may not even realize the rest of the realm is oppressed. Information is precious and shared with few.
No one knows much about the Undying King, though the rumor is that he has lived for millennia.
It is believed that the Undying King had someone tame the untamable… and enslaved dragonkind. No one knew how until now. Atop Skyview, the crafters witnessed dragons that were… changed. Dragons were magically imbued with actual human remains, living remains.
The first book sets up the main character and introduces his connection to the overall mystery… what is the dragon’s promise?
Q.9 Castlestone: Ascension marks the beginning of "The Dragon’s Promise Saga." Without giving away too many spoilers, what can readers expect regarding the overarching story and future developments in the saga?
A. Short term… Some coming of age for a young man, introduction to master crafters and magic, political intrigue, and secret societies. Long-term… unveiling of the Undying King, political battles of the free dragon kind, and … well, you will need to keep reading.
Q.10 The blurb mentions a journey through the depths of the multiverse and the corridors of time. How do these elements come into play in the narrative, and what kind of impact do they have on the story's structure and complexity?
A. One of the first laws of magic is that energy (and matter/things) can not be created nor destroyed. All magical outcomes come from parallel dimensions and are “pushed” from some verse to this verse.
This story introduces a mysterious event in the distant past, the Chronoclysm. This event leaves ripples to the present day through chronoflux. Flux occurs whenever enormous energies are released and localized to the nearby proximity of the energy release. This flux causes strange changes in entropy (or orderliness), often resulting in people/ places/things going backward in time.
Chronoflux happens rarely as the energy thresholds are pretty large. However, during the Skyview attack, chronoflux runs rampant, like never seen before.
Chronoflux… let’s just say it comes into play later.
Q.11 Were there any particular challenges or rewards you encountered while writing this book?
A. Long writing! I have never written anything this long. Also, writing in the past tense. Initially, the story was written in omnipresent, and then I went back and turned each chapter to be from a particular character perspective (like Game of Thrones!).
I published the book to get “ARC” readers and input. So far, I’ve had about 40 people review with an average of 4.8-star ratings. For the past month, I’ve had a copy editor going through it… and realized I have no idea how to use a semicolon (haha).
Q.12 What message or experience do you hope readers will carry with them after finishing this book?
A. Rekindle the hope that magic and dragons are real.
Q.13 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. This is my first… and my favorite.
Q.14 Who designed your book covers? How do you select them?
A. I made them! The first one was based on the magic system, but I got feedback that it looked like a math book. I use Facebook groups and Twitter to get iterative feedback on changes.
Q.15 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. Master Rufus. The steampunk master crafter. He goes on his own path.
Q.16 How do you select the names of your characters?
A. The protagonist is a play of my children’s names. Some are nods to my favorite works of art. Other’s have special significance that will revealed later.
Q.17 If you could be a member of any fantasy race, who it be and why?
A. Whatever race had the most inherent connection to their magical gift, of then those are elves in other works.
Q.18 Do you believe in writer’s block? If yes, how do you deal with it?
A. I don’t know; it hasn’t happened to me yet. Fingers crossed.
Q.19 What is your favorite book from other authors and why?
A. I love so many books. Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is my all-time favorite. Then it’s tough… maybe Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind, then Harry Potter, then Game of Thrones.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. It started as a bucket list item, then a hobby, and then the realization that this was far harder than I thought! Next, I want to shift to younger to create a fun bonding experience with my kids. They are reading a dragon series now, Wings of Fire, how wonderful if we could write a series like that together?
Share your social account links -
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dragonspromise
Twitter - https://twitter.com/DragonsPromise
Q.12 What message or experience do you hope readers will carry with them after finishing this book?
A. Rekindle the hope that magic and dragons are real.
Q.13 How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
A. This is my first… and my favorite.
Q.14 Who designed your book covers? How do you select them?
A. I made them! The first one was based on the magic system, but I got feedback that it looked like a math book. I use Facebook groups and Twitter to get iterative feedback on changes.
Q.15 Among all the supporting characters in your books, who is dear to you and why?
A. Master Rufus. The steampunk master crafter. He goes on his own path.
Q.16 How do you select the names of your characters?
A. The protagonist is a play of my children’s names. Some are nods to my favorite works of art. Other’s have special significance that will revealed later.
Q.17 If you could be a member of any fantasy race, who it be and why?
A. Whatever race had the most inherent connection to their magical gift, of then those are elves in other works.
Q.18 Do you believe in writer’s block? If yes, how do you deal with it?
A. I don’t know; it hasn’t happened to me yet. Fingers crossed.
Q.19 What is your favorite book from other authors and why?
A. I love so many books. Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is my all-time favorite. Then it’s tough… maybe Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind, then Harry Potter, then Game of Thrones.
Q.20 Share the experience of your writing journey so far?
A. It started as a bucket list item, then a hobby, and then the realization that this was far harder than I thought! Next, I want to shift to younger to create a fun bonding experience with my kids. They are reading a dragon series now, Wings of Fire, how wonderful if we could write a series like that together?
Share your social account links -
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dragonspromise
Twitter - https://twitter.com/DragonsPromise
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