What first drew you to the dark fantasy genre, and how did your vision for Falhorne begin to take shape?
I didn't deliberately set out to write dark fantasy in particular. The Falhorne story unfolded that way because of how the world of The Thousand Cities, and the Grand Duchy of Vinos especially, developed as a setting. This is a land where slavery exists, where nobles and rich merchants feast while displaced peasants starve in shantytowns, where religious violence is a very real danger, and that's before getting into the various supernatural threats that exist. Renaissance Italy was my inspiration for Vinos and The Thousand Cities is in many ways a fantastical reflection of that time and place in human history.
You mention The Hobbit as a pivotal influence—what other authors or stories helped shape your worldbuilding or writing style?
Many other authors have shaped my own work. Besides Tolkien, Patrick Rothfuss and George R.R. Martin have been strong influences on me, as has Ursula LeGuin's work. But I don't just read fantasy and I've gotten a lot of inspiration (and historical references) from non-fiction authors like Stephen Turnbull and Michael Parenti. Reading widely is a gold mine for inspiration.
As an ESL teacher, has your work with language learners influenced how you write or think about storytelling?
I began the Falhorne series while working as an ESL teacher in Suzhou, China back in 2016. Looking back, I can definitely say that I would not have started that novel without being overseas somewhere and out of my comfort zone. You can't really stay home with fantasy. You need to go on a quest and my job allows for that.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in completing your first novel, Falhorne: The World Is Burning and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge with my first novel, and why it took so long to finish, was simple inexperience. I didn't have a plan. I didn't know how or if I'd get it published. I was just writing and coming up with things as I went along - sometimes I would listen to music with a certain theme to try to get into the heads of my respective characters. That's not how I do things anymore and I developed an extensive outline for my new fantasy series before I even began writing it.
Do you write with a soundtrack or any rituals that help you dive into the nether realms of your imagination?
Sometimes I would listen to music with a certain theme to try to get into the heads of my respective characters.
What sets the Falhorne series apart from other dark fantasy sagas out there today?
What sets Falhorne apart is its understanding of the real nature of power structures. There are no dark lords or primal evils. All evil emerges out of the exploitation of the many by the few. Exploitation in the name of wealth accumulation. The ruling class in Vinos has a lot, it can get more, and it ultimately wants it all. The peasants and working people of Vinos are getting squeezed hard because of this - being forced to accept less pay, less safety, and worse living conditions. In order to cement its control and expand its wealth, the ruling class uses religious divisions and ethnic divisions to its advantage and is willing to work with very dangerous people/monsters to that end. This is the environment that facilitates evil and cruelty on a wide scale and treats it as normal. It's also an environment that gives rise to even worse monsters that ordinary people will have to fight because the elites either don't bother or are actively serving that greater evil.
Who’s one character in the series that surprised you as you wrote them—and why?
Callidus is probably the character that surprised me the most. Through his desperate heroic actions facing the religious zealots in Fiore and the slavers in Trastamere, he comes to inspire the main character Tagus that justice is still possible and that real victories can still be won in the face of evil. He's the character who insists that there is a future worth fighting for.
Without giving away spoilers, what can readers expect as the series progresses? Are there overarching mysteries or twists you’re especially proud of?
The Falhorne series is complete. The two books, Falhorne: The World is Burning and Falhorne: Dark Dawn, are the series in its entirety. I'm currently working on a new series set in a completely different part of my secondary world. It will feature different characters, different cultures and a whole other continent.
As a newer voice in fantasy, what have been some rewarding—and difficult—moments in getting your work into readers' hands?
I used to think that rejection was an author's biggest enemy. But now I think scammers are. There are too many bot accounts, too much AI, too many fake agents and promoters who pretend to appreciate your work but only want to take your money. I think the only way new authors can cut through that is by establishing real community ties and real connections with readers. It's hard. It's slow. But it needs to be done.
