Douglas Van Dyke, Part Two
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, welcome back, Douglas Van Dyke!
In part ONE, Douglas talked about his fantasy writing and told us a little about his new book, Boxer Earns His Wings, inspired by the same writers who inspired Indiana Jones.
What inspired your book?
Boxer and the other characters in the book were inspired by a “pulp history” campaign run one summer at the Source Comics & Games, using the Savage Worlds RPG. The campaign involved experimental flying planes, mad scientists, and some very colorful characters.
When I was asked to do a steampunk story for an anthology, it seemed a natural gateway to do a short tale that would breathe new life into those memories. The plot and several details changed to adapt to a short, action-packed adventure. And as stated before,
it ran along the lines of the 1930s serials that also gave us Harrison Ford’s famous archaeologist.
Who is your favorite character in your book? How much of yourself is in that character?
This book is short enough that there’s not many to choose from. I’d say Boxer would have to be the star. He’s actually more complex than he presents to others. Like me, he doesn’t like to dress up, (he refers to suits like putting on costumes). Although he
is definitely more cynical than me, we’re both not fans of big governments, and we have a soft spot for people in general. I’m not as near a risk-taker as he is!
They say write what you know. How much of your life, your experiences, your career or hobbies, come out in your writing?
I try to give even my fantasy characters the real experiences and emotions I’ve had. I believe it brings life and heart to the story. In the first book of my Earthrin Stones trilogy - when two village boys go on an adventure and walk a day at a brisk pace they
aren’t used to – they end up comparing the blisters on their feet that evening. That really happened to me on a hiking trip! Also, due to participating in Civil War reenacting as a hobby, it gave me insight on the muskets the dwarves used in “The Widow Brigade”.
Also, Duli’s wolf gets into situations told to me by someone who actually raised a wolf. (Which is NOT recommended, by the way.)
We can’t write only what we know. What research have you done and how do you research?
First and foremost for Boxer’s book, I had to research the steampunk genre. The book was originally supposed to be a short story packed with other steampunk tales from other authors, so it was breaking new ground for me. I’d had some exposure in cases like
the old Wild, Wild West TV series, though it felt like the genre is still defining itself. There is a train engine in this book that was inspired by the railroad museums where I live. It is angled at the front to plow through snow. This also made
for an excellent idea as the main antagonist’s assault vehicle.
For the main character, I had to brush up on boxing and the various punch types. There is also a biplane in the book from our world’s WWI era. I had to believably arm it with machine guns as well as ‘wing-walker’ railings, all with a steampunk flare. I had
to take bits and pieces of real world history in the late 1800s, but modify the technology to both fit the storyline, setting, and genre.
Luckily, I’ve had a few friends knowledgeable in different fields that could help me out. Some stories become more possible and believable when I actually know someone who dealt with raising a wolf, or trained horses for a living. Other times, I’m thankful
for the resourcefulness of the internet these days. The internet helped me with facts like a wolf’s changing eye colors as it grows, steam engines in general, pictures of historical weapons. Also, I tend to research word choices and meanings because sometimes
I need a specific answer on grammar. I find a lot of my US English is mixed up with British English, such as “toward” vs “towards”, and “gray” vs “grey”. Also, due to a future project, I did some research on the vigiles and praetorians of the Roman Empire.
Have there been any pitfalls in writing/publishing?
Oh yes! After several rejections, I decided to self-publish. Sadly, my first attempt was a vanity press that charged me excessively for publishing the trilogy. They also constantly pushed me to invest in offers with questionable rewards. It took me years to
make that money back. I’ve met one author who paid $6,000 to publish a novel...you are unlikely to get a return on that investment. These days, even self-publishing, the only costs I incur per book are what I negotiate for editing and cover art, and they aren’t
near as bad. I have had publishers approach me, but each case has been rather questionable. You have to be on your guard for your book rights. I would stress to young writers to get involved in writing groups, speak to authors at conventions, and learn what
works and what doesn’t before investing money into your books. Also, even getting your work listed with retailers won’t make those copies jump off the shelf. You have to find a way you are comfortable marketing and socializing, and build an audience.
What are you working on now or what is next for you?
I came to realize I have 5 projects in different levels of completion. The first thing fans will see is the completion of a free short story, for which I’ll hand out QR links at conventions. “The Wooden Maiden” has already been available to advance readers on my
website. The next project to be due is a young adult, short book involving a young mage. “Apprentice Storm Mage” will feature a teenage girl who serves her mage guild by lending aid to the firefighters of her city. (Firefighters = the vigiles mentioned in
the question above.)
Who or what has inspired you most in life and why?
I think I most value the concept of freedom of the individual to live life as they like, as long as it does not directly harm others. I likely got a lot of inspiration by historical heroes such as frontiersmen, but also others who stood for liberty. I hate
seeing how these days we are trading some of our freedoms in subtle ways.
What do you think is the most important thing, in order to live life well?
Good friends. I also seek positivity and happiness in everything I do, but I believe friends are the only treasure we have a chance of taking with us into the next world.
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, welcome back, Douglas Van Dyke!
In part ONE, Douglas talked about his fantasy writing and told us a little about his new book, Boxer Earns His Wings, inspired by the same writers who inspired Indiana Jones.
What inspired your book?
Boxer and the other characters in the book were inspired by a “pulp history” campaign run one summer at the Source Comics & Games, using the Savage Worlds RPG. The campaign involved experimental flying planes, mad scientists, and some very colorful characters.
When I was asked to do a steampunk story for an anthology, it seemed a natural gateway to do a short tale that would breathe new life into those memories. The plot and several details changed to adapt to a short, action-packed adventure. And as stated before,
it ran along the lines of the 1930s serials that also gave us Harrison Ford’s famous archaeologist.
Who is your favorite character in your book? How much of yourself is in that character?
This book is short enough that there’s not many to choose from. I’d say Boxer would have to be the star. He’s actually more complex than he presents to others. Like me, he doesn’t like to dress up, (he refers to suits like putting on costumes). Although he
is definitely more cynical than me, we’re both not fans of big governments, and we have a soft spot for people in general. I’m not as near a risk-taker as he is!
They say write what you know. How much of your life, your experiences, your career or hobbies, come out in your writing?
I try to give even my fantasy characters the real experiences and emotions I’ve had. I believe it brings life and heart to the story. In the first book of my Earthrin Stones trilogy - when two village boys go on an adventure and walk a day at a brisk pace they
aren’t used to – they end up comparing the blisters on their feet that evening. That really happened to me on a hiking trip! Also, due to participating in Civil War reenacting as a hobby, it gave me insight on the muskets the dwarves used in “The Widow Brigade”.
Also, Duli’s wolf gets into situations told to me by someone who actually raised a wolf. (Which is NOT recommended, by the way.)
We can’t write only what we know. What research have you done and how do you research?
First and foremost for Boxer’s book, I had to research the steampunk genre. The book was originally supposed to be a short story packed with other steampunk tales from other authors, so it was breaking new ground for me. I’d had some exposure in cases like
the old Wild, Wild West TV series, though it felt like the genre is still defining itself. There is a train engine in this book that was inspired by the railroad museums where I live. It is angled at the front to plow through snow. This also made
for an excellent idea as the main antagonist’s assault vehicle.
For the main character, I had to brush up on boxing and the various punch types. There is also a biplane in the book from our world’s WWI era. I had to believably arm it with machine guns as well as ‘wing-walker’ railings, all with a steampunk flare. I had
to take bits and pieces of real world history in the late 1800s, but modify the technology to both fit the storyline, setting, and genre.
Luckily, I’ve had a few friends knowledgeable in different fields that could help me out. Some stories become more possible and believable when I actually know someone who dealt with raising a wolf, or trained horses for a living. Other times, I’m thankful
for the resourcefulness of the internet these days. The internet helped me with facts like a wolf’s changing eye colors as it grows, steam engines in general, pictures of historical weapons. Also, I tend to research word choices and meanings because sometimes
I need a specific answer on grammar. I find a lot of my US English is mixed up with British English, such as “toward” vs “towards”, and “gray” vs “grey”. Also, due to a future project, I did some research on the vigiles and praetorians of the Roman Empire.
Have there been any pitfalls in writing/publishing?
Oh yes! After several rejections, I decided to self-publish. Sadly, my first attempt was a vanity press that charged me excessively for publishing the trilogy. They also constantly pushed me to invest in offers with questionable rewards. It took me years to
make that money back. I’ve met one author who paid $6,000 to publish a novel...you are unlikely to get a return on that investment. These days, even self-publishing, the only costs I incur per book are what I negotiate for editing and cover art, and they aren’t
near as bad. I have had publishers approach me, but each case has been rather questionable. You have to be on your guard for your book rights. I would stress to young writers to get involved in writing groups, speak to authors at conventions, and learn what
works and what doesn’t before investing money into your books. Also, even getting your work listed with retailers won’t make those copies jump off the shelf. You have to find a way you are comfortable marketing and socializing, and build an audience.
What are you working on now or what is next for you?
I came to realize I have 5 projects in different levels of completion. The first thing fans will see is the completion of a free short story, for which I’ll hand out QR links at conventions. “The Wooden Maiden” has already been available to advance readers on my
website. The next project to be due is a young adult, short book involving a young mage. “Apprentice Storm Mage” will feature a teenage girl who serves her mage guild by lending aid to the firefighters of her city. (Firefighters = the vigiles mentioned in
the question above.)
Who or what has inspired you most in life and why?
I think I most value the concept of freedom of the individual to live life as they like, as long as it does not directly harm others. I likely got a lot of inspiration by historical heroes such as frontiersmen, but also others who stood for liberty. I hate
seeing how these days we are trading some of our freedoms in subtle ways.
What do you think is the most important thing, in order to live life well?
Good friends. I also seek positivity and happiness in everything I do, but I believe friends are the only treasure we have a chance of taking with us into the next world.
Good friends. I also seek positivity and happiness in everything I do, but I believe friends are the only treasure we have a chance of taking with us into the next world.
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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