Dark Fantasy Authors II

[January 2024] - mediocrehobbit

mediocrehobbit came in as the overall winner for The Chosen Darkling with their story Honour of Reason.

How did you come up with this story? Any interesting facts about its title?

I'm a huge Shakespeare fan and my favourite play is Hamlet. I always wanted to construct a story based around Shakespearean storytelling and I thought the themes could really be brought to life in a fantasy setting. The title originally was 'Doubt the Stars are Fire', as it was one of my favourite Hamlet quotes and symbolises the ongoing value of love and brotherhood throughout the story. Alas, as I wrote further I realised 'Honour or Reason' was better suited as it created that atmosphere of inner conflict seen in Conlaed during the story. 

What do you think are your story's strengths? Why should people read it?

I think Honour or Reason provides a little something for everyone. Our main protagonists Aglaesha, Brilyn and Conlaed are all characters I think people can resonate with. Brilyn in particular is a key strength to the story i think. He isn't your usual hard-headed and bold protagonist; as someone who has struggled to find a voice or be looked over as 'weak', I think Brilyn offers the quiet contemplative hero that is quite uncommon in many dark fantasy novels.

When you write, what comes first? The plot or the characters?

For me it's usually the plot. I base a lot of my novels on historic eras or plays (especially Shakespeare and Euripides), so I need to have a concept or story to tell before I begin to create characters that fit the storyline. However usually that refers to the main protagonist or focal point of the book. For Honour or Reason I needed to know that elements of the story would be inspired by Hamlet to create a character like Conlaed; however Brilyn was someone I had been contemplating in my thoughts and ideas before then. 

Is there a character in your story that is most similar to you or someone that you know?

I think Brilyn is the closest to myself. I wrote a lot of my fears and self into his character. He's soft spoken but he carries a sense of justice that seems to dictate his next move. I made him quite an anxious and cautious character much like myself, and I feel like in a way that adds some realism because he is genuinely afraid and confused. But at the same time that strong sense of fair and unfair drives him to speak out when it is necessary. 

What/who inspired you to write Dark Fantasy?

I've always like the darker side of fantasy and I think it's just my kind of genre. It allows you to have moments that are full of despair and fear, yet there are spots of that fantastical wonder and love that offer up that balance. I'm a big fan of Shakespearean tragedies and Ancient Greek tragedies like Medea too, so those texts are definitely a massive influence. 

What other genres interest you other than Dark Fantasy? Do you write in them too? If so, tell us more about those works.

I quite like fantasy romance and books influenced by history. I have two books on my romance-fantasy and history-related account @sharpenyourquill that really dive into those genres. 'Sparkling Ivy' is a fantasy romance book inspired by the mythology of Ancient Greece that follows a young witch and her attempt to steal a holy relic, while a rather gorgeous runaway princess tries her hand at snatching it too. My other book is 'Let's Kill Caesar', set in a world where the Roman Republic never fell; a young senator runs for a magistracy for the first time and becomes entangled in several bloodthirsty plots among the senate. 

What is your typical writing space like? What do you usually need to stay focused?

I mainly write at my desk. Before I begin a writing session I pour myself a cup of tea and prepare my notes. For novels like 'Honour or Reason' I jot down notes and red herrings so that when i need to come back and connect the dots I know exactly what was written or planned. Other than notes and a cuppa, I generally keep my desk tidy as possible. Along with a tidy area, listening to a special-made playlist for each book helps me focus on the work at hand and keep the good vibes rolling. 

Tell us a few things about your journey as a writer. What do you love the most about it?

I've been writing since I was eleven and it's been my dream to be an author since then. I've always had a bit of a wild imagination so writing really lets me get all my ideas out. My writing journey has certainly been a rocky one. I've struggled with finding readers and some days that can be discouraging, along with the occasional bouts of writer's block. But I think that makes me excited whenever i see my story has been read! Overall though I think my favourite thing about writing is that it makes me feel so passionate when that perfect story idea or character comes along and that you can share it with others. 

What/who are some works/artists that you look up to and have influenced your writing?

There have been a lot of influential works and artists involved with my writing adventure. Shakespeare, as I've mentioned, is definitely a huge influence. I just love his storytelling and characters; I have an anthology of all his works at home! Oscar Wilde is also a huge inspiration to me; his life and his writing are both so incredible and his bravery in the face of adversity is and will always be an inspiration to me. JRR Tolkien's 'The Lord of the rings' was a huge impact on my writing also. That book got me really invested in the fantasy genre and will always be one of my favourite books. 

What writing advice can you give to people who are looking to try writing Dark Fantasy?

I'm not sure I'm qualified to be giving advice, but I do think that staying true to what you love is key. Fads and trends come and go, but writing to fit with them doesn't yield the best results. It makes it difficult sometimes if your topic or inspiration is niche, but that will be what makes it unique!

Is there going to be any further series of this book? If yes, give a little teaser about it.

Absolutely there will be a second book. It's in the works at the moment, but I assure you Conlaed and the gang have certainly only just begun their journey. The next book will be darker, crazier and most importantly more lovestruck that the first, you can count on that. 

Is there another story in the works that you would like to share with the readers?

At the moment I am working on 'Sparkling Ivy', 'Let's Kill Caesar' and of course Honour or Reason 2, but i'm sure there will be more series and ideas to come!

What are the goals you'd like to accomplish in the future whether in Wattpad or outside it?

My dream is to be a published author, or a paid author on Wattpad; outside of writing i am determined to get a postgraduate degree in ancient history...although I'm only starting my second year of university so we'll see about that. 

Please provide the links to your other works so that readers can find them!

Sparkling Ivy: https://www.wattpad.com/story/350041407 

 Let's Kill Caesar: https://www.wattpad.com/story/354006215