Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a 56 yr old former Police Officer with absolutely no previous experience of writing anything bigger than a song or a short story. I love the fantasy genre through my love of fantasy art and immersing myself in a good open world PC game. I was a musician for a while and even managed a slot at the ‘T in the Park’ festival in Perthshire, Scotland.
I am thoroughly enjoying the whole experience that writing a book involves.
Getting it noticed is the hardest part.
I have 4 ‘children’ and one stepson. I play the drums, I play a bit of golf and I enjoy football.
Oh yes…and I have two mad cats.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The book is called The Amulet and the Oath. I needed something to occupy an idle mind while I was off on long term sick leave. It was only initially a short story idea but it grew arms legs teeth and wings and became my very first novel. The main character comes from an avatar I designed for an on-line fantasy game way back in 2006.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t write if I’m wearing a matching pair of socks.
I put together a soundtrack of fantasy type music to entertain my characters so they would do something interesting.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m going to be really dull here and use all the same great names everyone else probably uses. Stephen King, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett and Iain M Banks.
I read the Hobbit when I was at drama college in the early 80s and it knocked me for six. Many late nights spent wide-eyed, nibbling cheese in bed reading that little masterpiece.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on the sequel to The Amulet and the Oath and fully intend to make a four-book series under the title Tales from Ethratu. Book two has a working title The Bringer of Silence. I’m about two thirds done.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I only use Social media or word of mouth. Marketing and promotion is hard to master without proper advice – and expertise costs.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Have faith. Just write. Dont worry about word count or whether your story makes any sense. It’s going to need lots of reworking before it resembles a finished product.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
see above
What are you reading now?
Non-fiction. A book called The Dyatlov Incident. Not a Cold Case.
Fiction. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
What’s next for you as a writer?
Come up with a descent story line for book three and four.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
How to survive on a Desert Island by I.M Stranded.
Christine by Stephen King.
The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy by Douglas Adams (all four books of course!)
The Martian by Andy Weir. (survival on a desert island should be a breeze compared to what that dude went thru!)
Author Websites and Profiles
Aaron Fyvie Amazon Profile