Interview With Author Dan Mcgrath
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been a writer all my life, but mostly applied that skill to dull work-related papers until I decided to try my hand at a couple books and now I’m hooked on that!
The Adventures of Dan and Tina was my first major book. From there, I went on to writing a totally unrelated fantasy novel, The Storm Tower. It's a creepy, fun adventure story.
I’m learning to fly airplanes and reconnecting with other creative pursuits like music and video production, as well.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Storm Tower is part murder mystery, part super natural thriller and a fair amount of old-fashioned sword and sorcery. It's inspired by decades of old-school fantasy role playing games, Doctor Who fandom and a desire to write something fun.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have poor writing habits. I’m a creature of inspiration, not routine. I write when the words come to me. Trying to force it sometimes yields results, but often not.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There's a wild number of books and authors that have made an impression on me. Probably everything I've read has had some impact on shaping my mind. A few come to the forefront, though.
My mom first read me the Hobbit before I even started Kindergarten and that really grabbed me. It was the first "real" book I read on my own, once I mastered reading, too.
After that, I sought out fantasy fiction and fell in with Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion multiverse (particularly the Elric Saga) and the Dragonlance books by Weiss and Hickman. More recently, Terry Goodkind, Brandon Sanderson and George RR Martin have been collecting royalties from my book purchases.
What are you working on now?
I'm in early stages of dreaming up a follow-up novel to the Storm Tower. It's just a rough idea at this point, but I like it.
I'm working on finishing up flight school to get my private pilot certificate done.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
ricky. I’m still throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks as far as book promotion goes. I have found some success with social media. I have a decent facebook following and found their ads useful, because of how specific you can be in targeting an appropriate audience. Amazon ads are doing OK for me, now, but they take longer (and cost significantly) to get working.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Hire an editor (or two). Editing your own work is difficult at best and proofreading it is impossible.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t quit.
What are you reading now?
Private Pilot FAA practical Test Study Guide (It's a real page-turner).
What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing, I imagine.
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?
I’d be looking for a 10,000-page omnibus of A Song of Ice and Fire, for one. Can I get a copy of the Winds of Winter to bring?
Author Websites and Profiles
Dan Mcgrath’s Social Media Links