Book: The Walls of Woodmyst
Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Hi. I’m Robert E Kreig and I make stuff up.
I was born in Newcastle, Australia and grew up in its outer suburbs. After completing high school, I tried my hand at life for a couple of years, working the odd job here and there before enrolling at The University of Newcastle where I graduated in 2001 with a double degree in Teaching and Social Sciences.
Since, I’ve been teaching young students in schools throughout New South Wales, spending a large portion of that time living in Sydney where I began my adventure of writing. The first book I penned was Long Valley, a fast-paced action/horror with elements of science fiction.
Afterwards, I set out to write a stand-alone fantasy novel called The Walls of Woodmyst. The world surrounding Woodmyst encaptivated me so much I ended up writing ten books for the series, The Woodmyst Chronicles.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘The Walls of Woodmyst’ book?
The one key challenge I faced when writing The Walls of Woodmyst was time. Having a full-time, very demanding career quite often got in the way of telling this story. I tried to set aside at least one hour a day to write something. Now and then, that hour expanded as I couldn’t tear myself away from my computer until the action sequence unfurling before me came to an end. There were many nights when I went to bed very late only to wake early the following morning to go to work with my eyes hanging out of my head.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
The authors and books that have influenced my writing are too many to list here. Some of my favourite authors include J.R.R. Tolkein, Stephen King, Orson Scott Card, Ray Bradbury, Matthew Reilly, Nathan M. Farrugia and Frank Herbert. I came into the George R. R. Martin craze a little late, after penning the first few books of The Woodmyst Chronicles, but I can say A Game of Thrones is very inspirational in the sense that the books made me want to keep writing more fantasy.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Apart from visiting my family in Newcastle, my favourite spot to visit is the city I currently live in, Canberra. I fell in love with this place when I was an eleven-year-old boy on a school excursion to the nation’s capital. As a teacher, I visited many times and my fascination for the area grew. I recently relocated here and I’m discovering new things about Canberra all the time. It’s a terrific place.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
Not really. I’m more of a “pantser” when it comes to my writing style. I’ll jot down some basic plot points, but nothing in depth. I know I want to take my characters from point A to point B, but I’ll let my characters drive between those points however they wish. When I’ve completed my first draft, I’ll tidy up some loose ends and tighten the action a little. In essence though, the characters are in control and I’m just along for the ride.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘The Walls of Woodmyst’ book?
It took a while. Possibly six months for the first draft, thanks to work getting in the way. Ah, the pains of being an indie author. The Walls of Woodmyst was originally released within the year of penning that draft. Whitekeep Books has since re-released it after I made a few changes and had the cover redesigned.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘The Walls Of Woodmyst’ book to buy?
The Walls of Woodmyst is available in paperback and eBook versions and can be found at most online retailers including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Kobo and Scribd to name a few. More information is available at https://www.robertekreig.com/the-walls-of-woodmyst.html
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Walls of Woodmyst’?
The title came to me as I was writing the first draft. A great deal of action takes place on the walls throughout the book. So, it made perfect sense to reference them in the title. As it turned out, this was a good decision as it gave me a basis upon which to name the successive stories in the series, naming Woodmyst on all ten books.
As for the cover, I recruited the help of a fantastic cover designer at Dee Dee Book Covers https://www.deedeebookcovers.com/ who designed all print and eBook covers for the series. She is currently working on the cover for book ten, A Farewell to Woodmyst. Finding her was beyond a blessing.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
Admittedly, I don’t write for an audience. I write for me. I write the types of stories that I like to read. If what I write is enjoyed by others, it’s a bonus on top of something I love to do.
The one thing I love to do is create characters and scenarios that can turn, change and mislead the reader. But, not without leaving some breadcrumbs or signs to suggest that these twists weren’t always going to happen. The Woodmyst Chronicles, in my opinion, does this throughout the entirety of the series. Some breadcrumbs are scattered in the first few books that don’t necessarily make sense until the end.
The Walls of Woodmyst can be read as a standalone story, but it is crucial to the rest of The Woodmyst Chronicles. What happens in this book matters to the story that follows. Tiny things woven throughout The Walls of Woodmyst are often revisited and some things only make complete sense much later on.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
I can’t share any secrets. You’ll need to read the book to uncover the reason for what happens in the book. One thing I will share is to not take anything at face value. Sometimes it’s not always black and white, good against evil. There’s a little more to the story if you do a little digging. And, while one person’s actions may not be acceptable in our view, it may be perfectly justified in theirs.
I have certainly loved writing The Woodmyst Chronicles and hope everyone who reads and enjoys The Walls of Woodmyst might consider reading the series to see what adventures take place in the dark, disturbing world of Woodmyst. Books I to IX are available now and book X is due for release very soon.
Book Is Available On Amazon
Sassy Reviews 