Book: Melik Nightcat And The Elven Prince: The Key Of Brundag
Q1. Hello Sir, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
I served in the military, have a Juris Doctorate, and am wrapping up a thirty-year career as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst with the State Police. I’m married to a wonderful woman, have a grown daughter and a dog named Biscuit.
I grew up on the banks of the Mississippi with its wetlands and tributaries as my playground. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved books. My earliest memories are of my dad reading the newspaper to me. Later my grandmother regularly gave me a quarter to purchase a comic book and candy bar at the Five and Dime. My comic book collection has grown to over 10,000!
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Melik Nightcat And The Elven Prince: The Key Of Brundag’ book?
The first big challenge was believing I could write a book worth reading. I’m very critical of my work. My first attempts were when I was twenty. All were rejected, and rightly so. Forty years later, with a lifetime of experience, I was finally ready.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your writing?
Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs influenced my physical description of action. J.R. Tolkien, Ann McCaffery, Andre Norton influenced my world vision. Stephen King spoke to me on character development. A fantasy author who combines all of this that I enjoy today is Jim Butcher and his “Dresden Files.”
Q4. What’s your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
I love to visit the beach and watch the ocean play at its edge. It is so relaxing, and it seems to wash away all concerns. I feel like I’m in a dream, and my imagination is free. Some of my earliest books were about ships of war during the revolutionary war and, of course, pirate ships in the Caribbean.
Q5. Are there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?
Not really. When I’m not on task with something, my mind tends to wander, and I’m musing over bits and pieces of stories of various kinds. It all just bounces about in my head, so when I sit down to write, all I need to do is put it in words.
Q6. How long did it take you to write the ‘Melik Nightcat And The Elven Prince’ book?
It took about a year to write the book. I was working full time and spending time with family. I set myself a goal of writing five pages a week, and eventually, the book was finished. It is how I approach any big task, one step at a time until you reach the end.
Q7. On what all platforms can readers find ‘Melik Nightcat And The Elven Prince’ book to buy?
You can purchase a paperback or Kindle version through Amazon. It is also available on Kindle Unlimited. If you live in the Peoria, IL area, you can buy a signed copy from Bob at Acme Comics on Glen street. It has been my favorite store for the past thirty years.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Melik Nightcat And The Elven Prince’?
The title describes the entire story perfectly. Melik and the Elven Prince must work out their differences to stop a civil war. It is their quest to succeed or fail.
The book cover is the product of being married to a talented and popular artist. I have made friends with some of the most wonderful artists because of it. Jeremy Berkley, an amazing screen-printer, agreed to create the covers for all three of the books in my series. I showed him some examples of book covers I liked, and the creative genius that is Jeremy came up with several possibilities from which I chose two. The one you see on the first book and another for the second book.
Of course, having the art and turning it into a book cover is something else. Here I turned to Chelsie Tamms of “Letteringworks.” She put it into a proper format and lettered the title.
Q9. When writing a book, how do you keep things fresh for both your readers and also yourself?
I want my world to seem like a real place. Even though it is all made up and full of magic, I want the reader to believe the place might have existed. I love the challenge of working out how certain magics would affect day-to-day life or why only a few use magic. It sets boundaries within which I create, and my writing thrives as restrictions become apparent.
For the reader, I like to take the expected and push it into the grey. I don’t want to take familiar tropes and make them unrecognizable but change them subtly to give them a new look.
I also like to foreshadow. For the discerning reader who wants to figure out where the story is heading, I like to leave breadcrumbs. There is always a reason why I put something in the story. When the unexpected happens, the reader can think back to an earlier part and understand where it came from.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb) you can share with your readers?
In college, I was both a player and game master of dungeons and dragons. There are quite a few nods to the game if you’re paying attention.
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Melik Nightcat And The Elven Prince: The Key Of Brundag
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