Douglas Van Dyke, Creator of Dhea Loral
Dear Readers,
Today, I welcome Douglas Van Dyke, my fellow Minnesota author. As with many interviews, I will break it into parts to keep it to quick reads. Watch for Part TWO to come.
Before we dig in, let me announce my new email list and make a shameless plug to ask you to sign up for my email list. To sign up for my e-mail list: CLICK HERE. If you're signed up on my blog, you will receive new blog posts. The email list is different, and will include news and updates both for my personal work and for Gabriel's Horn.
And now, please welcome Douglas Van Dyke!
To continue Douglas's interview, go to Parts TWO.
Before we get into your writing, tell us a little about your background.
My dad served in the army, and was relocated several times while I grew up. Lived in Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, and even West Germany for 3 years. Our family settled into the St. Croix Valley upon his retirement in 1988, and I’ve been in the
area since. Graduated high school that year and knew I’d like to work in healthcare. In the mid-90s I started in my chosen field of scanning people with an MRI. Learned basic Radiography at the VA Hospital near the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.
My family still loves to travel. I’ve seen both ocean coasts a few times, hiked parts of the Superior Hiking Trail, and taken several long road trips.
I find it interesting how many authors I know grew up with a great deal of travel! How long have you been writing and what got you started?
I think I’ve been writing since the 1980s. My first stories were very short, action-filled pieces relating to some of the video games I played on the Commodore 64. I recall writing adventures based on games such as Ultima 4, Wasteland, and Autoduel. I completed
my first book entirely in pencil and was in the process of revising it on a computer in the 1990s, but decided that book was better as ‘practice’ rather than something ready for a larger audience.
What books influenced you the most and how did they impact your writing?
I mostly write fantasy, and that’s where most of my reading history originated. Some of the early authors I read were RA Salvatore, Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, and Joel Rosenberg. I liked particularly how some of their works tied together groups of talented
individuals on amazing quests. Rosenberg wrote about an RPG group getting sucked into their “game world”, in his Guardians of the Flame series. Salvatore really brought to life some amazing characters, but also had a talent for writing swordfights and action
scenes that never sounded repetitive on paper. I also loved a comment Ed Greenwood made regarding his book
Spellfire: it involved allowing powerful characters to still mess up, and for luck to be fickle no matter someone’s skill. Aside from them, Louis L’Amour wrote some great westerns that drew me in.
What sets your fantasy world apart from others?
Fantasy worlds are pretty common these days, and the market can get a little saturated by it. Since I grew up during the Cold War, that influenced my world. I’d always question why, in worlds with many gods, the deities didn’t just interfere more often? (Think
of Zeus helping Perseus up in the original “Clash of the Titans” movie.) Also, why are there dungeons and ruined cities littered with treasure everywhere?
For Dhea Loral, the gods did interfere. They were drawn into a conflict in the same way that countries with alliances were pulled into Earth’s World Wars. They shattered continents and disrupted their role as caretakers. They finally backed off and signed a
Covenant keeping them out of mortal affairs, except for the use of mortal emissaries, (priests and paladins). The time period in which my books focus is in the age of recovery. Some gods are now pushing the limits of their new Covenant. Even as traders and
explorers are rediscovering the map, the gods start playing a subtle game of intrigue and power using mortal pawns. I focus on this subject in my Earthrin Stones trilogy.
You normally write fantasy, but you've branched into something new. Tell us about your latest book.
I managed to finish Boxer Earns His Wings in time for Marscon this past year. That was important, as there is a sizeable steampunk crowd attending. Boxer’s book is set in a steampunk-meets-wild-west alternate Earth. I was influenced by the same 1930s action
serials which inspired Indiana Jones. Likewise, the story is filled with action, stunts, and fights. The hero, Brian “Boxer” DuWold, typically earns his income as a con man, winning money in boxing rings and shooting matches. He has a soft spot for his blind
sister, sending care packages to her whenever he can. Unfortunately, agents of the United Republic Agency, (this alternate earth’s version of an evil CIA), knows this and uses it as leverage to get Boxer to do some dirty work. This story was a new challenge
for me, since I normally write fantasy, and this is also my first work done from the first person perspective.
Check in soon for PART TWO.
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE BELOW TO GO TO DOUGLAS'S BOOKS
FIND MORE ABOUT DOUGLAS AT:
Author Bio:
Douglas was born on Nov 28th, 1971. He lived many different places while growing up, courtesy of the assignments the US Army offered to his father. Too quiet and too shy for too
long, there were always dreams of other worlds and places … and the desire to write about them. He's played may tabletop RPGs, as well as online MMOs, and many of his characters developed their personalities and quirks in these games before appearing in his
novels. Douglas continues to write novels and think up short stories, while pondering the changing literary world of print vs. ebooks vs. audio. He makes several appearances at conventions around Minnesota.
Douglas lives with his wife and two children challenged by autism. He works in health care, serving people's needs in imaging. When most people see him, he is wearing scrubs.
Book Blurb:
In Dhea Loral, the gods play at a Cold War at the expense of mortals. In the Earthrin Stones series, an attack on a small town triggers an adventure that spans 5 years and 3 continents, as young people try to understand the nature of the threats gods pose to
the peaceful Covenant. The Widow Brigade, the fan favorite, follows a dwarf widow who struggles against her patriarchal clan to avenge her ambushed husband. The Pilgrims with Blades series, inspired by the Conan series of books, follows 5 adventurers thrown
together who each have a life quest to pursue.
Dear Readers,
Today, I welcome Douglas Van Dyke, my fellow Minnesota author. As with many interviews, I will break it into parts to keep it to quick reads. Watch for Part TWO to come.
Before we dig in, let me announce my new email list and make a shameless plug to ask you to sign up for my email list. To sign up for my e-mail list: CLICK HERE. If you're signed up on my blog, you will receive new blog posts. The email list is different, and will include news and updates both for my personal work and for Gabriel's Horn.
And now, please welcome Douglas Van Dyke!
To continue Douglas's interview, go to Parts TWO.
Before we get into your writing, tell us a little about your background.
My dad served in the army, and was relocated several times while I grew up. Lived in Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, and even West Germany for 3 years. Our family settled into the St. Croix Valley upon his retirement in 1988, and I’ve been in the area since. Graduated high school that year and knew I’d like to work in healthcare. In the mid-90s I started in my chosen field of scanning people with an MRI. Learned basic Radiography at the VA Hospital near the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.
My dad served in the army, and was relocated several times while I grew up. Lived in Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, and even West Germany for 3 years. Our family settled into the St. Croix Valley upon his retirement in 1988, and I’ve been in the area since. Graduated high school that year and knew I’d like to work in healthcare. In the mid-90s I started in my chosen field of scanning people with an MRI. Learned basic Radiography at the VA Hospital near the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.
My family still loves to travel. I’ve seen both ocean coasts a few times, hiked parts of the Superior Hiking Trail, and taken several long road trips.
I find it interesting how many authors I know grew up with a great deal of travel! How long have you been writing and what got you started?
I think I’ve been writing since the 1980s. My first stories were very short, action-filled pieces relating to some of the video games I played on the Commodore 64. I recall writing adventures based on games such as Ultima 4, Wasteland, and Autoduel. I completed my first book entirely in pencil and was in the process of revising it on a computer in the 1990s, but decided that book was better as ‘practice’ rather than something ready for a larger audience.
I think I’ve been writing since the 1980s. My first stories were very short, action-filled pieces relating to some of the video games I played on the Commodore 64. I recall writing adventures based on games such as Ultima 4, Wasteland, and Autoduel. I completed my first book entirely in pencil and was in the process of revising it on a computer in the 1990s, but decided that book was better as ‘practice’ rather than something ready for a larger audience.
What books influenced you the most and how did they impact your writing?
I mostly write fantasy, and that’s where most of my reading history originated. Some of the early authors I read were RA Salvatore, Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, and Joel Rosenberg. I liked particularly how some of their works tied together groups of talented individuals on amazing quests. Rosenberg wrote about an RPG group getting sucked into their “game world”, in his Guardians of the Flame series. Salvatore really brought to life some amazing characters, but also had a talent for writing swordfights and action scenes that never sounded repetitive on paper. I also loved a comment Ed Greenwood made regarding his book Spellfire: it involved allowing powerful characters to still mess up, and for luck to be fickle no matter someone’s skill. Aside from them, Louis L’Amour wrote some great westerns that drew me in.
I mostly write fantasy, and that’s where most of my reading history originated. Some of the early authors I read were RA Salvatore, Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, and Joel Rosenberg. I liked particularly how some of their works tied together groups of talented individuals on amazing quests. Rosenberg wrote about an RPG group getting sucked into their “game world”, in his Guardians of the Flame series. Salvatore really brought to life some amazing characters, but also had a talent for writing swordfights and action scenes that never sounded repetitive on paper. I also loved a comment Ed Greenwood made regarding his book Spellfire: it involved allowing powerful characters to still mess up, and for luck to be fickle no matter someone’s skill. Aside from them, Louis L’Amour wrote some great westerns that drew me in.
What sets your fantasy world apart from others?
Fantasy worlds are pretty common these days, and the market can get a little saturated by it. Since I grew up during the Cold War, that influenced my world. I’d always question why, in worlds with many gods, the deities didn’t just interfere more often? (Think
of Zeus helping Perseus up in the original “Clash of the Titans” movie.) Also, why are there dungeons and ruined cities littered with treasure everywhere?
For Dhea Loral, the gods did interfere. They were drawn into a conflict in the same way that countries with alliances were pulled into Earth’s World Wars. They shattered continents and disrupted their role as caretakers. They finally backed off and signed a
Covenant keeping them out of mortal affairs, except for the use of mortal emissaries, (priests and paladins). The time period in which my books focus is in the age of recovery. Some gods are now pushing the limits of their new Covenant. Even as traders and
explorers are rediscovering the map, the gods start playing a subtle game of intrigue and power using mortal pawns. I focus on this subject in my Earthrin Stones trilogy.
You normally write fantasy, but you've branched into something new. Tell us about your latest book.
I managed to finish Boxer Earns His Wings in time for Marscon this past year. That was important, as there is a sizeable steampunk crowd attending. Boxer’s book is set in a steampunk-meets-wild-west alternate Earth. I was influenced by the same 1930s action
serials which inspired Indiana Jones. Likewise, the story is filled with action, stunts, and fights. The hero, Brian “Boxer” DuWold, typically earns his income as a con man, winning money in boxing rings and shooting matches. He has a soft spot for his blind
sister, sending care packages to her whenever he can. Unfortunately, agents of the United Republic Agency, (this alternate earth’s version of an evil CIA), knows this and uses it as leverage to get Boxer to do some dirty work. This story was a new challenge
for me, since I normally write fantasy, and this is also my first work done from the first person perspective.
Check in soon for PART TWO.
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE BELOW TO GO TO DOUGLAS'S BOOKS
FIND MORE ABOUT DOUGLAS AT:
Author Bio:
Douglas was born on Nov 28th, 1971. He lived many different places while growing up, courtesy of the assignments the US Army offered to his father. Too quiet and too shy for too
long, there were always dreams of other worlds and places … and the desire to write about them. He's played may tabletop RPGs, as well as online MMOs, and many of his characters developed their personalities and quirks in these games before appearing in his
novels. Douglas continues to write novels and think up short stories, while pondering the changing literary world of print vs. ebooks vs. audio. He makes several appearances at conventions around Minnesota.
Douglas lives with his wife and two children challenged by autism. He works in health care, serving people's needs in imaging. When most people see him, he is wearing scrubs.
Book Blurb:
In Dhea Loral, the gods play at a Cold War at the expense of mortals. In the Earthrin Stones series, an attack on a small town triggers an adventure that spans 5 years and 3 continents, as young people try to understand the nature of the threats gods pose to
the peaceful Covenant. The Widow Brigade, the fan favorite, follows a dwarf widow who struggles against her patriarchal clan to avenge her ambushed husband. The Pilgrims with Blades series, inspired by the Conan series of books, follows 5 adventurers thrown
together who each have a life quest to pursue.
The Battle is O'er is now available!
Start from the beginning: Prelude One
~ ~ ~
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PTL Perrin's Terra's Anthem
Meeting Margaret: the Conclusion
Ross Tarry Mysteries
PTL Perrin's Terra's Anthem
Meeting Margaret: the Conclusion
Ross Tarry Mysteries
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