Well it's almost over for October, and it's nearly November! How quickly the time does fly. Get it, fly? Like Fairfly, this month's CSR feature by ObicanDecko! Did you read it? Make sure you share your thoughts on the story below! But first, as always, my interview with the author for readers to enjoy! 

Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?

Yes! I love my fruits (watermelon, peach, strawberry, you name it) and veggies – I could eat broccoli and spinach every day.

If you were an animal, what would you be?

I’d either be a house cat, so I can sleep all day, or a squirrel, so I can live in the trees and look fabulous with a big fluffy tail.

What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story?

My story ‘The Island of Poa’ was partly inspired by the Easter Island, so I would have loved to have been able to go there (maybe one day). That’s the number one place on my travel list. I would also love to visit the old Aztec/Maya/Inca sites in Central and South America. I’m sure that would inspire a story or two! Anything to do with history.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

For me, the most challenging part is writing about topics or places I know little or nothing about. It requires a lot of research. For example, I’d love to write a story set in space, but I wouldn’t know where to begin. I’d have to do a lot of reading beforehand.

That’s why writing fantasy is good – you get to create your own rules and no one can say they’re wrong!

What’s the best part of being an author?

In my opinion, the best part of being an author is being able to create your own worlds and characters and get lost in them. Sometimes I’ll get an idea about a story I would love to read about, and if I can’t find a book like that, I can try and write it myself. My writing is definitely a bit self-indulgent – I write about things that I personally want to read about. But if others like it too, that’s amazing!

If you were a sorcerer, what kind would you be? Good, evil, indifferent?

Hmm… I’d like to say good, but magic powers could tempt me to do all kinds of things, so who knows? I’d probably be eccentric and weird, so people would leave me alone instead of trying to use me for my powers.

Okay, where do all the conjured items come from in Fairyfly? Do you define your rules of magic before you write or let it come organically?

Good question! It’s funny because a friend of mine likes to tease me about the scene where Esthor turns the royal sorcerers’ magic wands into snakes. He says how the poor snakes must have an existential crisis, having been created so suddenly.

I have to admit, I didn’t create any rules of magic before writing this story. It’s never explained where exactly magic comes from, and I think it’ll remain that way. Magic is simply a part of that world. I did introduce some limitations later on (especially in Book of Venoms). For example, Esthor is very powerful and versatile, but his main ‘branch’ of magic is conjuring/elemental magic. Sawyer’s specialty is nature magic, while Macarius’ is illusions and teleportation.

Who is your favorite character in the story and why?

Esthor, the main character, is by far my favorite in Fairyfly. Fantasy stories usually have a powerful sorcerer as the villain, while the heroes are weak/ordinary humans who have to grow in power or unite in order to defeat the bad guy. So, I wanted to switch it up and make the mighty wizard the protagonist and see what kind of trouble he could get into. Esthor is vain and a bit of a know-it-all, but his heart is always in the right place.

What do you think is the pivotal scene in the Fairyfly?

Ooh that’s a tough question! I’d say... (SPOILER ALERT)

Do you want to share a little about your current or future stories with readers?

I’d love to – without spoiling too much or making any definitive promises (plans always change!). So, ‘Charttoppers’ is now fully released and I’ve been having a lot of fun writing it, so I can probably see myself doing a sequel at some point in the future. I already have some potential storylines in mind, so we’ll see.

I’m currently writing a medieval fantasy book about a man who makes a pact with a demon in order to find his missing friend. It will probably be the next to be released, but it’s still early in the writing stages.

I’ve also been brainstorming sequels to ‘Fairyfly’ and ‘Book of Venoms’. I’m not sure if they will be two separate books or combined into one, but they will be coming!

I’m very grateful for every single person who has been reading and commenting on my stories and sending me lovely messages asking for sequels. Please be patient!