Fantasy Authors Interview

Meet Andrew Dixon

                Interviewer: mikaelkrownmk

As a lover of autumn season his work has gotten the spot light in the world of fantasy. He's got a renowned aspiring talent and also one of the winners of The Wattys 2020 under the Fantasy category! He's no other than adxeventide. Here's the interview with him below.

What's your full name, and tell us a little about yourself.

Hi, I'm Andrew Dixon. I live in a part of central England, known as the Black Country, with my wife and our giant Newfoundland dog, Big Bear. Aside from writing, I'm a collector of guitars and an avid player.

What or who inspires you to write?

I had a very unconventional childhood. Both my parents were antique dealers, and as a result, I would spend a lot of time growing up at antique fairs and auction houses exploring a world of old books, unusual furniture and relics of the past. I think every reader has that one book that starts their love of reading, and mine was The Diamond Throne by David Eddings. I had found it buried in a pile of other books, it was cleverly written with some snappy dialogue and some black humour, uncommon for a fantasy book of its time, but even at a young age, I was frustrated with aspects of the story. I wanted to change things about the plot and how the characters developed. I'm one of those annoying people that leave the cinema with a list of improvements I wished they would've made to the story and characters, and I thought, why not try my hand at creating stories in a similar style to Eddings. Now that I am writing, what really inspires me is to create unique characters and write myself into a corner where I have to find a plausible way of getting out of those situations. I've recently found that tatty copy of The Diamond Throne I unearthed in a box. Inside the dusty cover was the handwritten price of £1.50, just barely legible in pencil. When I think about the inspiration it has given me, it's probably the best £1.50 I have ever spent in my life.

What's your writing process?

I have to admit that I'm the worst procrastinator, and I have the attention span of a small child at the arcade. I don't think I would've written anything if it wasn't for a career change that forced me to take many long train journeys to London. After a while, I came to realise that the train is a great writing environment. You have limited time, little to no Internet connection, and everyone around you is a stranger. You're completely alone without any distractions - perfect for writing. A few weeks in and my commute became the part of the day that I would look forward to the most. I would even take longer journeys and would be the only one happy when the train was delayed. If I were lucky enough to get a seat, I would use my tablet, and if not, I would stand with my phone and write. I treated the writing process like an improvisational drama workshop. I didn't have a plan or a set of characters in mind, I just started writing and would see what kind of interesting situations I could end up in.

How long have you been writing?

Only three years; I came to the game late.

Define Fantasy in your own words?

Fantasy, for me, is the creation of worlds, lore and the people that inhabit them. Usually set in a faux-medieval setting, borrowing elements of world history, it is a journey into the imagination of the author, exploring the peculiarities of their world and how it reflects our own.

What's your favourite fantasy book on Wattpad?

I haven't had a chance to read fantasy books on Wattpad yet, but I like the look of the other Watty Award winners: Shadow Witch, When Queens Fall, Of Kings and Pawns and The Ephemeral.

Who's your OTP?

Let me show my age here by saying I had to find out what the OTP acronym stood for. For me, it is Frodo and Sam. Two guys who spend the best part of a year running around the world trying to throw some jewellery in a volcano must have a special bond. 

Favourite colour?

Blue. One of those colours that can make you think of the ocean or the night sky.

Most used app?

Out of all my apps, I just love the simple free text editor that comes with every phone or tablet. It can be used for everything in your life.

Favourite social media?

Facebook with the occasional sprinkling of Twitter.

A city or country you'd like to visit?

Too many to mention in a post-Covid world as anywhere would be nice other than my own four walls, but a tour of Africa, Japan or a classic American road trip from coast-to-coast would be most welcome. 

Kittens or puppies?

Kittens rule the planet. Those little fluffy overlords deserve your respect and obedience.

Pop or R&B?

I've been playing the guitar since the early 90's, so Rock/Metal for me.

Spring or Autumn?

Always Autumn. If you saw a wood in England going through the colours of yellow and brown, you will never be the same again. Also, Pumpkin Spice Latte comes out that time of year, so double bonus.

And there you have it. Thank you adxeventide for your time spent on this interview. Catch us next time as we bring on another amazing Fantasy author. Till then, have a magical week ahead.