Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with James Wood
Book Title: The Ebon Knight
Released: 11/13/22
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “The Ebon Knight”?
Wood: I had a recurring dream for almost ten years on and off about two adversaries on opposite sides of the eternal conflict running into each other unexpectedly at a diner. A Knight of the Light and a Princess of the Dark shouldn't mix, but my dream was that they were both intrigued by each other. So, what happened to them? Did they fight? Did they fall in love? What? No one could tell me, so I had to write it for myself to find out.
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Wood: Kelso Hart came to me easily, Ava Pentran did not. In my original draft, her name was actually Ariel Pentran, I just didn't like it though, and about 40 pages in I decided to change it to Ava.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Wood: The trilogy was originally meant to be one book, but new and interesting characters and paths demanded their time on the page, and that's how my original story ended up with so many side quests and characters. Originally, my book was meant to be a "bucket list" type of deal, now I intend to write for the rest of my life. I'm hooked!
If "The Ebon Knight" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Wood: Tough question! For Kelso probably Nathan Fillion. Ryan Reynolds or Chris Pratt, because Kelso has a quirky side and I think all of them would play him well. For Ava I would want an Asian actress, someone like Zhao Lusi, Yoo In-na, or the like.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Wood: I have "theme songs" for my series, for each of my characters, and so I'll listen to those when I need a boost to bang out some more words. If I have a block, sometimes I'll think about the next scene for a few days, trying to imagine what I could do to help me get writing again.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Wood: Have a warchest, there is a LOT of competition out there. You need money for an editor and a cover at the very least, probably a website as well. Then, you need money to advertise your book once it's on the market. It's a lot of upfront cost.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Wood: Well, my trilogy is urban/dark fantasy, but my favorite genre is actually horror. My favorite author(s) are Stephen King and/or Dean Koontz. How can you choose, really? I am a big fan of John Conroe, Jim Butcher, and Jonathan Maberry as well.
What are you working on next?
Wood: Now that the trilogy is done, I'm going to write a horror short story collection running the gamut from supernatural to zombie lit. Many of the ideas for those stories have been with me for ten years (or longer), too!
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
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