What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Blood of the Martyrs (The Elder of Edon Book 2)?
Blood of the Martyrs is the second novel in The Elder of Edon and my second overall published work. Its background is a bit unusual; on a Summer’s afternoon in 2012, I got the idea to write The Elder of Edon on a whim. I spent two months drafting the story, and then went back to edit it for consistency. However, as I continued to edit it, the narrative ballooned to include more characters and plotlines than I originally intended. Sometime around 2013, I decided to break the narrative up into a trilogy. The first installment, Soul of the Prophet, was published in 2021 and is comprised of the first quarter of the original draft. This novel takes covers the middle of the original draft, and over the years it’s been molded by the many life events that I’ve endured since conception.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Blood of the Martyrs (The Elder of Edon Book 2), what would they be?
Believe it or not, this is something I’ve put way too much thought into. If I had to pick a song for Fin, it would be "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" by Jim Steinman. It’s a triumphant power ballad and I feel Fin’s emotion every time I hear it. Rixis’ song is "More" by The Sisters of Mercy. It’s a slick, dark piece with a wicked guitar riff. For Naga, it’s "Poison" by Alice Cooper all the way (it’ll make sense once you read it). And finally, Typhoon’s song is "Elegia" by New Order. I like to think that whenever Typhoon is near, Elegia’s opening starts to play in the background.
What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
I read just about anything that interests me. If I find a book at the bookstore or library that I want to read, I’ll take it and read it. As far as genres go, I’m very eclectic. I would say my favorite is horror, which you can see in BOTM. I also like thrillers and espionage. Pretty much any book that has an exciting hook that makes my heart race. About a year ago, I binge read the entire Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland, and while it’s meant for kids, it’s a hell of a good series.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
I plan on reading the entire James Bond series of novels by Ian Flemming. I read Casino Royale last year and I enjoyed it immensely. I also plan to read The Godfather by Mario Puzzo at some point, along with A Night to Remember by Walter Lord. As I said before, my tastes are very scatterbrained. I plan to, at some point, read the entire Chronicles of Narnia series, parts of which I read when I was a child but never finished. Sometime down the road, I also want to re-read The Stand by Stephen King, which is my all-time favorite book.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
It would have to be the scene where Fin chases Rixis though the tunnels below the Black Ram and into the bathhouse. It took a long time to compose, and I took a lot of inspiration from a pair of real-life locations: the Ancient Ram Inn in Wotton-under-Edge, England, and the Edenborough Vaults in Edenborough, Scotland. I used to watch a lot of dumb paranormal reality shows when I was growing up, and those two spots used to scare the crap out of me! While I no longer believe in ghosts, those two locations stayed with me for years after, and I knew I would have to include them into one of my works at some point.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I light candles and listen to rock or new age music on a Bluetooth speaker next to my laptop. I also like to write mostly at night, as that’s traditionally been the time when I can concentrate the best. Sometimes, I like to watch YouTube videos or podcasts of topics and subjects that anger me. I work best when I’m pissed off out of my mind, and anger often feeds my motivation.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
The ends will always justify the means, and the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Also, it’s not a bad thing to feel proud of your accomplishments and toot your own horn, and if your god says it’s a sin then maybe you need to find a new god.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
There’s more to the world of Edon than what meets the eye, and by the time you’ve turned the last page, you’ve only just scratched the surface.
