Hello Peter, Thank you for doing this interview.
Did you always want to be a writer or did you realize it later on?
I always had a love for storytelling and regularly ran off with my imagination. In high school, I absolutely loved English classes and creative assignments. I had written short stories, some articles, and not much else until many years later. There was always a yearning to write a book, but didn’t start seriously penning a novel until about 4 years ago.
Do you do anything other than write?
Yes, I do plenty of other things than write. As many authors will tell you, only a miniscule percentile of writers can actually sustain a living with their craft. I work hard in my IT career.
What do you like to do when you have down time?
I spend time with my family, read books, blog, listen to music, watch movies and TV shows, and generally just try to enjoy life to its fullest. I have somewhat of a passion for the arts. It’s really difficult to find great and original TV shows to enjoy, but I absolutely loved the first two seasons of Game of Thrones, Merlin, and Grimm to name some favorites.
Do have a favorite author that inspires you?
Absolutely, I have quite a few… but you never forget your first fantasy read. I can thank Robin Hobb for her amazing Liveship Trader series. It was my first real fantasy read that made me fall for fantasy novels.
Do you have a favorite place you like to go to think when you are working on a story?
Marithia *laughs*, I used to have my places to go… like a café, etc. But time is preciously short, and I maximize my use of it. I am currently writing Legends of Marithia 3 on my bus trips and during lunch breaks. People may think me insane, but it’s making the absolutely best use of otherwise wasted time.
Where do you come up with the characters for your books?
That is a great question, and it depends on the characters. I have met many different people in my life, and they have all inspired me in different ways. Some characters are based off the personalities of some people in my life. Others, come from my imagination… but there are a few “special” characters in my books. Anakari, for example, was a brilliant character that was written for my books as part of a competition I ran. Lynn, is actually my wife. But there are many personal secrets in my books that I will leave hidden.
Are the places in your stories similar of places you’ve traveled to or would like to?
I crafted Marithia from places inspired from various elements in my life. I have always had a love and fascination for castles, and although I am yet to visit there… I am keen on visiting the castles in England and Europe.
Why did you decide to mix vampires in with traditional fantasy characters?
I’ve always felt that vampires were part of the fantasy world, not a separate world altogether. I have always had a love for fantasy, as well as for vampire stories and films… and the two blended together for me beautifully in my books. There are a large number of different species and characters in my books for readers to discover, but what is more interesting, is how some of them are linked together in ways that readers will not expect.
Do you plan on trying another genre in the future?
At this stage, I am really not sure. Fantasy is what makes me excited and passionate to write, but once I complete the Legends of Marithia series, I will have a long think about what to write next. One thing for sure is that I will only write what I love to write, not what is selling, popular, or what I think publishers are looking for. I write from the heart, and in genres that feel good for me to write in. If I was to take a guess at genres I may attempt, I would go with: Thriller, horror, mystery.
What is next for you?
My biggest focus is to spread the word about my books and try to get new readers to pick it up. I am writing Legends of Marithia 3, while I work hard on promoting the first two books. I am also doing my best to get a few book-related projects off the ground, such as converting my first book to a screenplay (I have a project up and running on Pozible.com), creating a new book series trailer, and expanding extra content on my website. A writer’s work never stops, and we have to be our own biggest promoters.
Again thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thanks for giving me this opportunity and I hope that more readers pick up my books and take the journey. My books tend to be different to what readers expect, and may contain mature themes which may offend some readers, so I strongly suggest reading a preview before purchasing.
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