Interview with Adult Epic Fantasy Author Darryl A. Woods @darrylawoods #interview #blogtour

Darryl Woods is a storyteller who hones his craft entertaining coworkers. He also enjoys regaling family and friends with stories of his upbringing in rural Ohio, of the motorized contraptions his father fabricated, and of the timber cutting and sawmill work he did with his father-in-law. With an appetite for reading fantasy, it was inevitable he would choose to write about an epic journey in a world dominated by magic and sword fighting.




Can a group of college-aged friends from a small Kentucky town actually be the Summoned Ones of prophecy, called to a strange world filled with magic and devastated by war? Can they save the lives of the desperate inhabitants and help them defeat a wicked tyrant? Their epic journey will push them to the limits of their endurance. This unlikely group will discover truths about themselves and experience another world beyond their imagination.

During their journey, they will explore this new world, discover new talents and previously hidden abilities, develop friendships with people they couldn’t have dreamed possible, and will be forced to take actions they would have never considered in any less dire circumstances.

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Can you tell us what your new book is about?

The Summoned Ones is about a group of college-age Kentuckians magically transported to a world dominated by war. They are the prophesied saviors of the beings who summoned them. But can this group survive long enough to reach the safety of Bericea?

Can you tell us a little about your main and supporting characters?

The main characters are eight friends in their early twenties. They are struggling to accept their situation and then to understand and come to grips with their roles. The supporting characters are warriors and cleric magicians who are aiding them in the flight to reach safety.



Your book is set in Malabrim and Bericea.  Can you tell us why you chose this location in particular?

The book is set in a fantasy world of two battling countries: Malabrim and Bericea. The 10-year battle rages on after the forces of Bericea fail to stop the evil protagonists, Zybaro’s army, from sweeping across Malabrim. Now they find themselves battling just to secure Bericea.

I chose this setting to show modern-day people thrust into a chaotic situation. I wanted to explore their emotions and illustrate how they would handle conflicts beyond imagining.

How long did it take you to write your book?

The writing took 2 years, but this included a large portion of the sequel, Perilous Path, planned for release in early December. I spent at least as long as I did writing in perfecting the professionally edited manuscript. Even more time-consuming was learning the indie publishing process. My goal was to produce a book that would rival the quality of any traditionally published volume.




What has been the most pivotal point of your writing life?

I suppose the most pivotal point was when I finally released The Summoned Ones. That marked a milestone for me, a culmination of much persistent study and work. Of course, any indie writer will attest that this is only the first step in a long journey. I am working hard on promoting The Summoned Ones, writing short stories that I send out every 15 days in my newsletter, and am working to complete book 2 in the Flight to Bericea series.   http://darrylawoods.com/newsletter/


What kind of advice would you give other fantasy authors?

1)      Stick to it.
2)      Use a professional editor.
3)      If you indie publish, be very leery of companies that do all the publishing work for a set price. Even if they allow you to retain 100% of the royalties, most are overpriced at best and many are scams. The availability of low-cost and incredibly talented cover artists and interior layout design companies is amazing.




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