Interview With Author F.P. Spirit
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am an avid science fiction and fantasy fan. A Trekkie before it was cool, I became hooked on fantasy the moment I cracked open my first copy of Lord of the Rings. When I'm not lost roaming the multiverse of sci-fi and high-fantasy fiction, I am either creating adventures for my role-playing friends and family, walking Thor, our black Labrador, or connecting with my mind and body in an attempt to reach that inner spark of spirit.
I have currently written 9 books – 5 in the Heroes of Ravenford series, 1 Anthology, and 3 so far in the Rise of the Thrall Lord series – and working on number 10!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Raiders of the Dark Coast. The book I am writing is Tomb of the Gods.
All of my books have been inspired by a tabletop role playing game that I played (and still play) with my sons and friends. I always thought the stories and characters were fun, and wanted to pay homage to them and the players behind them, so I started writing those stories down and turning them into books!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do not stand on my head while I write. LOL. I can’t say that I really have any unusual habits. I typically try to keep to myself. While I write, I break things into scenes and try to write them up like a movie scene. I will sometimes grab a sword and act out a scene, to make sure that movements and flourishes feel realistic, so I can better describe them to the reader. I will also create a spreadsheet for the large battles, listing the characters and all the parts they are playing in the battle, so I don’t forget about anyone, and no one falls out of the storytelling.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
As previously stated, I enjoy J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. I also really enjoy The Belgariad by David Eddings. It's very underrated. I especially enjoyed the character interactions in the Belgariad. I found them and their interactions with one another way more realistic than any of Tolkien’s characters. The Belgariad characters will bust each other's chops and have fun, and that felt more three dimensional than the serious, formal characters of Tolkien.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the 4th book in the Rise of the Thrall Lord series, Tomb of the Gods. I am purposely trying to be quiet about it right now, due to a cliffhanger in one of the previous books, but if you’d like to be one of the first to learn the details about it, be sure to sign up for my newsletter and watch my blog posts!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method is “going wide”. I recommend that to everybody. A friend introduced me to the “Wide for the Win” Facebook group, and I learned everything about publishing my books wide on there. It has taken my book sales to a new, better level.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
When you’re writing, just put down to paper what comes to mind. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Don’t stop to edit. Just write it down. Take notes of things that need to change, and keep moving. Later, after you’ve finished writing the story, go over it about 5-6 times, and make it better.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Not everybody’s going to like your stuff. That’s okay. Only look at bad reviews for constructive criticism. Otherwise, if there’s nothing helpful for you there, ignore it and move on.
What are you reading now?
The Dragon’s Son, by Kathryn Fogleman. She is currently rewriting the book, and I have been reading her new chapters as she finishes them.
I used to read all sorts of SciFi and Fantasy, but now primarily read what my friends have written or am writing at the moment. It’s a pretty good deal, not going to lie.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing out Rise of the Thrall Lord series. Beyond that, I will write one last series with these characters, though I’m not sure how many books that will be. Aside from that, I would like to co-author with Kathryn Fogleman another fantasy series that we have talked about for a long time. I have also toyed around with the idea of writing SciFi, but not sure where I would begin with that right now.
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?
OMG, this is hard. Okay, so probably The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, a book from the Belgariad… is it narcissistic of me to want to take one of my own? And probably one of the Harry Potter books. Despite the fact that they are basically fantasy junk food, I still like them.
Author Websites and Profiles
F.P. Spirit Author Profile on Smashwords
F.P. Spirit’s Social Media Links