Focus on Fantasy February - Andrew Wood

Today I conclude my Focus on Fantasy in February with Andrew Wood. Andrew’s debut novel, Storm of Fury, debuted last year, and I reached out to get to know the young author a little better.

So, let’s start at the beginning. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and why?

Great question! I've always loved to write. I can recall doing it well back during my Kindergarten days, though I'd imagine that my work was hardly suitable for publishing back then. As I neared the end of high school, I realized that writing was my true passion and I devoted myself to it full-time and in a professional context. I only want to be a story-teller, and I hope I get the opportunity to reach the hearts of eager readers!

Your debut novel, Storm of Fury: Winds of Legend, that began as a part of NaNoWriMo, correct? In the end, how long did it take you to come to the final draft?

Yes, Storm of Fury began as my second ever NaNoWriMo project. I managed to reach the intended 50k word goal for the month, but when I reached that point, I realized that the story wasn't complete. By March of 2015, Storm of Fury had become a 200k word Epic Fantasy. I write fast, especially when I'm motivated, so I was able to whip up a first draft in personal, record-breaking time. 

What scene was the most challenging or fulfilling to write?

Oh that's difficult to say... Well, without going into too many spoilers, there is a major twist in the novel that occurs near the end of the book. The twist redefines the struggle of the main characters and changes the way they see the world around them, and seeing that manifest in my writing was the most satisfying thing I'd ever written. At that point, I really felt like a real, competent storyteller.

You’re pretty active on social media. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

I believe that a strong social media presence is integral to writing nowadays. A major part of being a writer is having a community, and fostering a place of kindness and fun is key to keeping readers that will stick around. At the time, my book really isn't that popular, so I don't run into readers much, but when I do they say nice things, and it feels nice.

You went through Inkshares for your book. Can you talk about that process?

So, Inkshares is a hybrid publisher, where instead of pitching your manuscript, you instead recruit readers to crowd-fund the book. I was able to pre-sell Storm of Fury to two-hundred-fifty backers, so Inkshares agrees to publish it. The process itself took two years, and if I'm being honest, I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone else. You're better off self-publishing. But even so, I'll never regret the connections and friends I made on the platform. 

What is it about the Fantasy genre that speaks to you?

Ever since I was a little boy, Fantasy has always been my favorite genre, even before I knew what genres were. Something about the wonder of adventure and magic speaks to me on a deep, personal level, and now I have an admiration for powerful world-building and fantastic characters. One of my favorite inspirations is the Wheel of Time series, and I'd love nothing more to write something that speaks to people the way that series spoke to me.

What do you like to do when you're not writing? 

When I'm not writing (which is rare) I love to consume stories. I engage all sorts of mediums, through reading my favorite books, watching my favorite shows or movies, and even through fantastic video games. I love to play chess and spend time theorizing over my favorite stories with people online, and it's not uncommon to find me out enjoying local restaurants.

So, when can we expect the next book in the Winds of Legend trilogy?

That's a complicated question. At this point, the entire trilogy is written and almost ready to go, but I can't say when I'll be publishing the next book; Kingdoms in Shadow. I'm in a position where I'm trying to break into the writing industry, and I don't think that Storm of Fury's sequel is the best way to go about it. You're likely going to see a different book all together come out from me next, and with some fortune I hope it will do better than Storm of Fury. If I'm being honest, as proud as I am as Storm of Fury, I no longer feel that it accurately represents my skill as a competent writer, and as there is little hype or want for this book's sequel, I'm putting my energy in different places now. I assure you, Storm of Fury isn't dead, but my upcoming book is going to be even more fantastic. I'm only waiting now until I'm sure it's ready. 

Andrew, thanks so much for your time today. Greatest of luck to you!

You can find Andrew’s book on Amazon today:

Buy on Amazon