Originally posted by Joshua Robertson:
Enjoy this brief interview by Ann Livi Andrews with Joshua Robertson and JC Boyd, authors of The Blood of Dragons and Legacy Series.
1. Tell us a little bit about this project: what was it like working with another author?
JC: Far more rewarding than I would I have thought. I had always figured that trying to co-write something would end up a muddled mess, ending with anger and donuts, but that was definitely not the case. Although, it probably helps quite a bit that Joshua and I have worked together for years, so I know how to handle his over-exuberance and he knows how to handle my moodiness. The best part, though, was the fact that he really helped to compensate for some of my weaknesses as a writer. I just hope that he can say the same for me.
JC: Far more rewarding than I would I have thought. I had always figured that trying to co-write something would end up a muddled mess, ending with anger and donuts, but that was definitely not the case. Although, it probably helps quite a bit that Joshua and I have worked together for years, so I know how to handle his over-exuberance and he knows how to handle my moodiness. The best part, though, was the fact that he really helped to compensate for some of my weaknesses as a writer. I just hope that he can say the same for me.
JOSHUA: Haha, absolutely! Yes, JC and I developed this idea for a book in 2004. We wanted to create something that captured the themes of friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice. As with many writers, life continued to get in the way of writing the story. But, as brothers, we could not really escape one another’s pestering to get it done, and after many long years, Anaerfell is the final result of the original idea.
2. Describe your favorite scene (without giving away any spoilers).
JOSHUA: Oh man! No spoilers? There is a scene in the second half of the book when Tyran and Drast are discussing the best strategy going into battle. Drast’s response to Tyran makes me chuckle about every time I read it. Then again, most everything that comes from Drast makes me laugh.
JC: I, too, really enjoy most of the scenes with Drast as a central figure, because he never failed to surprise me—no matter how much of a hand I had in his creation. But my favorite scene has to be with the pair of them chatting towards the end of the novel. Joshua and I tried hard to earn the genre of Dark Fantasy with this novel, and when the two brothers have their heart-to-heart, I think that the novel finally finds its home, solidifying who they are, what they have done, and what they are leaving behind.
2. Describe your favorite scene (without giving away any spoilers).
JOSHUA: Oh man! No spoilers? There is a scene in the second half of the book when Tyran and Drast are discussing the best strategy going into battle. Drast’s response to Tyran makes me chuckle about every time I read it. Then again, most everything that comes from Drast makes me laugh.
JC: I, too, really enjoy most of the scenes with Drast as a central figure, because he never failed to surprise me—no matter how much of a hand I had in his creation. But my favorite scene has to be with the pair of them chatting towards the end of the novel. Joshua and I tried hard to earn the genre of Dark Fantasy with this novel, and when the two brothers have their heart-to-heart, I think that the novel finally finds its home, solidifying who they are, what they have done, and what they are leaving behind.
3. What can your readers expect from you in the future?
JOSHUA: The second book of The Blood of Dragons Series in March called Heshayol. This is the sequel and final installment of this series. And, for anyone who follows the Thrice Nine Legends Saga closely, knows this also adds a satisfying conclusion to The Kaelandur Series too.
JC: I also have personal projects, which I will certainly be playing with in the coming year, including another short story set in Aenar.
4. Do you have any advice for authors just starting down the self-publishing road?
JC: Come back to your keyboard (or pencil, or pen, or voice-to-text program, or…smoke signals?). Joshua and I spent years playing with the concept of Anaerfell. It is easy to get discouraged or to struggle to see the end of the daunting process that is authorship, but we came back to the idea time after time until we had the words to say what we needed to say. If you leave, just make sure you come back again.
JOSHUA: I agree with JC. There is a lot of advice out there, but to echo what he is saying, I think the best advice is to keep writing.
5. Fun question: Your favorite movie producer of all time calls. Not only does he/she want to make your book into a movie, but he/she wants your help in a) deciding where to film and b) who to cast in the lead roles. What location would you pick and who would you case?
JC: I would hand the phone to Joshua. We had a bit of a “Ha ha, what if” conversation about this exact situation a few weeks back, and I told him that I could not resolve myself to make changes to Anaerfell for a movie. I would be such a pain in the neck for any producer that the movie would likely never get made. We determined then and there that I was not allowed to have any part of it.
JOSHUA: I am partial to Scotland or Ireland, and it would closely match the environment, but so would Newfoundland. Kevin McKidd (Gray’s Anatomy, Brave, Percy Jackson) would play a good Tyran. And, I would love to have Zach Ward (Chicago Fire, Resident Evil, Postal) play the role of Drast.
JOSHUA: The second book of The Blood of Dragons Series in March called Heshayol. This is the sequel and final installment of this series. And, for anyone who follows the Thrice Nine Legends Saga closely, knows this also adds a satisfying conclusion to The Kaelandur Series too.
JC: I also have personal projects, which I will certainly be playing with in the coming year, including another short story set in Aenar.
4. Do you have any advice for authors just starting down the self-publishing road?
JC: Come back to your keyboard (or pencil, or pen, or voice-to-text program, or…smoke signals?). Joshua and I spent years playing with the concept of Anaerfell. It is easy to get discouraged or to struggle to see the end of the daunting process that is authorship, but we came back to the idea time after time until we had the words to say what we needed to say. If you leave, just make sure you come back again.
JOSHUA: I agree with JC. There is a lot of advice out there, but to echo what he is saying, I think the best advice is to keep writing.
5. Fun question: Your favorite movie producer of all time calls. Not only does he/she want to make your book into a movie, but he/she wants your help in a) deciding where to film and b) who to cast in the lead roles. What location would you pick and who would you case?
JC: I would hand the phone to Joshua. We had a bit of a “Ha ha, what if” conversation about this exact situation a few weeks back, and I told him that I could not resolve myself to make changes to Anaerfell for a movie. I would be such a pain in the neck for any producer that the movie would likely never get made. We determined then and there that I was not allowed to have any part of it.
JOSHUA: I am partial to Scotland or Ireland, and it would closely match the environment, but so would Newfoundland. Kevin McKidd (Gray’s Anatomy, Brave, Percy Jackson) would play a good Tyran. And, I would love to have Zach Ward (Chicago Fire, Resident Evil, Postal) play the role of Drast.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Joshua Robertson was born in Kingman, Kansas on May 23, 1984. A graduate of Norwich High School, Robertson attended Wichita State University where he received his Masters in Social Work with minors in Psychology and Sociology. His bestselling novel, Melkorka, the first in The Kaelandur Series, was released in 2015. Known most for his Thrice Nine Legends Saga, Robertson enjoys an ever-expanding and extremely loyal following of readers. He counts R.A. Salvatore and J.R.R. Tolkien among his literary influences.
J.C. lives in the Midwest with his wife and two dogs and has an M.A. in English Literature. The first novel in his world, Blood and Bile, was released in 2017. Before completing junior high, J.C. had received his first box set of Dungeons & Dragons and devoured J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Since, he has been heavily influenced by a myriad of fantasy authors, such as Weis and Hickman, Robert Jordan, and Ed Greenwood.
Joshua Robertson was born in Kingman, Kansas on May 23, 1984. A graduate of Norwich High School, Robertson attended Wichita State University where he received his Masters in Social Work with minors in Psychology and Sociology. His bestselling novel, Melkorka, the first in The Kaelandur Series, was released in 2015. Known most for his Thrice Nine Legends Saga, Robertson enjoys an ever-expanding and extremely loyal following of readers. He counts R.A. Salvatore and J.R.R. Tolkien among his literary influences.
J.C. lives in the Midwest with his wife and two dogs and has an M.A. in English Literature. The first novel in his world, Blood and Bile, was released in 2017. Before completing junior high, J.C. had received his first box set of Dungeons & Dragons and devoured J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Since, he has been heavily influenced by a myriad of fantasy authors, such as Weis and Hickman, Robert Jordan, and Ed Greenwood.
Of course! Anytime! :-D
ReplyDelete