Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Thomas Reed
Book Title: A Single Spark
Released: 04/25/23
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Interview by Heather L. Barksdale
What inspired you to write “A Single Spark”?
Burkhead: There are so many inspirations. The amazing works of YA fantasy authors like Tamora Pierce. Myths and legends surrounding the Fae, who are often creepy, unpredictable, and morally grey. My love for fantasy video games and table-top RPGs (the world of D&D especially).
How did you come up with the names of your main characters?
Burkhead: I like names that have meaning. One of my go-to websites for meaningful names is www.20000-names.com. Mackenna is an Irish name meaning “fire born.”
Kazumi’s name I picked more because I liked the sound of it than its meaning. I wanted a name of Japanese origin that was gender neutral. Also, this name means “beautiful” in Japanese, which certainly fits Kazumi, although the other meanings (“gentle” and “peace”) don’t really.
Foulan’s name is a bit of an amalgamation. Originally, his name was spelled Faolan, which is an Irish name meaning “little wolf,” which seemed fitting given his wolf companion. However, partway through the book, I realized it didn’t really make sense for him to have a name with Irish origins, seeing as his people are inspired by the Romani. That being said, I didn’t want to completely change his name since that’s what I’d been calling him for years at that point. I searched around for names with a more appropriate origin that were written similarly. I found Fullan, which is a Hindi boy name meaning “flowering.” I sort of just blended the two names together to come up with his uniquely spelled name.
Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?
Burkhead: The wolf, Myst, lives. I will never kill a pet in my books.
If "A Single Spark" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters?
Burkhead: That’s a difficult one because I would always prefer that up-and-coming and even unknown actors be cast rather than big names. It is important to me that Foulan and Kazumi not be played by white people but rather by individuals who look like these characters. I would also prefer that a person who identifies as nonbinary play Kazumi.
When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?
Burkhead: Work on something else. I wrote and published three short stories while working on this novel. I also have many other creative hobbies (sewing, gardening, and other crafts), and switching gears to a different creative outlet can often help me to “reset” my brain and fix the block. Talking about the part I’m stuck on with my husband (who is also an author) often helps as well.
Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?
Burkhead: Don’t become an author to make money. Become an author because it is your passion. Because you can’t live without writing. Being an author is really, really hard. It’s a ton of work, a ton of rejection, and often very demoralizing. This is not to scare away aspiring authors, but rather to clarify that passion is the primary motivation that will carry you through your journey.
What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?
Burkhead: My favorite genre is most definitely fantasy, especially set in a different world from our own (I read and write it to escape our world). Trying to pick a favorite book or author is impossible, but probably the most influential author for me as a writer is Tamora Pierce.
What are you working on next?
Burkhead: I’m currently working on the sequel to my first novel, The Black Lily, which is adult dark fantasy. Once I’ve gotten closer to completing the first draft of that, I’ll also start on the sequel to A Single Spark.
Learn More About the Author and A Single Spark:
Website: www.burkshelf.com
@Burkshelf on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
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