Focus on Fantasy February - Michael D. Nadeau

It wouldn't be February without a Focus on Fantasy. This week I spoke with frequent Kyanite Press contributor Michael D. Nadeau, an author who has resolutely spent the last few years bringing his fantasy nation of Lythinall to life.

Okay, first things first. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer and why?

I was telling someone I work with to do something with their life that they enjoy. “Take the two things you like and see if that’s something you can do.” I said.  For reference they enjoyed working in their woodshop and loved helping people sell things they didn’t want. I told them to make crafty stuff and sell them. Then they looked at me and said, why aren’t you doing that? I loved fantasy and I loved to read, so I tried writing.

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

Elves, dragons, and faeries oh my! I love the fantasy world for the brilliant settings and the hero saving the day. Give me the charging knight upon his steed against an army and I’ll just gobble that up. Being transported to these fantastic worlds was what dragged me in and soon I was creating my very own.

Your literary world, Lythinall. On your website you’ve laid out a detailed history and even designed a map of the land, and that depth of world building evokes a Tolkien vibe, so I’m curious, how long did it take you to shape the world? What were its influences?

It honestly didn’t take long to come up with the map. The history was a bit more complex and evolved as I wrote more and more of the story. It is heavily influenced by the man, the myth, the legend. Ed Greenwood, creator of the Forgotten Realms —insert trademark thingy here— All told, the map you see is only part of a much wider area. It was actually drawn up into four parts, one for each nation: Lythinall, G’harr, Sirr, and Miran.

So then, your debut novel, The Darkness Returns, once you knew the world, how long did it take you to come to the final draft?

That’s a tricky one. I started the first book in 2011, but after halfway through I needed a part time job at night so I stopped writing. It lay forgotten for years until a friend mentioned a place accepting submissions! So in 2016 I sat down and wrote every night during the week, 1000 words a night and finished in less than a year. I self published and started the second book, finishing that in 9 months. By then I had submitted to Kyanite Publishing and they accepted me as I was finishing the third book. In the interim, I also wrote several short stories that fir into the world, playing off of the secondary characters or back stories and by the time the first book was rebranded, all the stories had been finished. Short answer, 8 years.

What scene was the most challenging or fulfilling to write?

The most challenging scene was in the third book. I had to introduce an entire society that was radically different from human culture. The elves. It took me awhile to be happy with what I had created there in that glorious crystal city, but I did it. When they walk down those streets, I hope you all feel like you’re there.

The most fulfilling scene? In the second book Rhoe finally gets to the castle. He has spent the entire first book and much of the second thinking his parents had died. When he rolls into Everknight his mother come running, shouting his name. She leaps over barricades and through knights, as unstopable as an avalanche. “Rhoe!” she screams. His eyes go wide, tears flowing and runs at her as well, meeting like the clash of storms upon an ocean....I cried while typing. —note this is not word for word, merely an interpretation of events.

Is there a fantasy IP you’d love to take a crack at if the chance ever presented itself

Oh my yes. If I ever had the chance I would love to write a story for the Forgotten Realms.  The dream would be doing a story arc with Elminster himself! Gods above that would make me faint.

I’m partial to this question: What is your writing Kryptonite?

My kryptonite? It would have to be my state of mind. If I’m in a really bad mood, then I just can’t concentrate on my writing. Just stress doesn’t do it, but If I’m really upset, or aggravated, then I just can’t get into it.

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

When I’m not writing — which is a lot of the time lately — I hang out with my kids , watch movies with the wife, and play Dungeons & Dragons every Friday. Of course I also work full time, but I expect you wanted to know of my other hobbies.

So, how many books can we expect in the Lythinall saga?

I have three planned in the main series, and an anthology to go along with it. Then I want to go back and write about the adventures of the Companions of Everknight. There is also a three book trilogy planned for the kingdom of Sirr (pronounced sear) then I want to do three more books set after all of that around the King’s Messengers (the street kids in book 1) Once all of that is done it should wrap it all up nicely to where I want the land to go... for now.

Great chatting with you, Michael!

Readers can check out Michael's website at https://karsisthebard.wordpress.com/, at https://www.worldanvil.com/author/Salen, or via social media on Twitter and Facebook. 

You can find Michael's books on Amazon today:

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