Reed Logan Westgate Interview Published on: 13, Apr 2023
When you recall from your childhood, which is the best book you have read till now?
My favorite book of all time would have to be The Companions by R.A. Salvatore. It's such an emotional journey after a pretty length. series with a huge payoff in character's growth and development.
What were your childhood dreams?I have wanted to be an author since the second grade. I wrote my first book and my teacher helped me bind it together and make it look nice. Unfortunately, life pushed me in other directions, and it wasn't until I was almost forty years old that I returned to my true passions with The Infernal Games.
Was being an author something you seriously considered when you were a teenager?I did. I had applied to Merrimack College in the creative writing field, unfortunately my parents were not on board. They thought writing was a waste of time and talent with the odds of being successful, too slim to be worth investing in a degree for. Without their support, I entered the workforce and got a good factory job like my father wanted. After a year of that, I knew it wasn't how I wanted to spend my life and so I went back to a community college and got my accounting degree.
Since how long have you been working for a non-profit social service agency in the finance department?I have been with my current employer for nearly twelve years. I enjoy working in the non-profit industry because it makes the otherwise tedious job of accounting feel like it has some greater meaning. My current employment allows me to work with food banks, immigration services, mental health services, education programs, and substance abuse programs. At the end of the day, while I am not providing direct support, I can feel good that my talents didn't just pad a bottom line somewhere. They helped serve my community.
What genre of books did you like to read while growing up?Mystery was my start. I think I read the entire Three Investigators series a dozen times. Eventually I found my way to Fantasy and Science Fiction, which is pretty much my reading sweet spot.
Which is your favorite book?Out of all the books I have written, Beyond The Mist Dark Messiah still stands as my favorite. It has the completion of Xlina and Amber's character arcs, and I still get a little teary-eyed when I read the epilogue.
What is one thing that you, as a romance author, would never write about?That's a good question. I am not really sure. I feel like in literature nothing should be off limits. Literature gives us a safe way to explore all kinds of things that might be out of our comfort zones. I would never say never to any topic.
How did you come up with the plot of your first book, The Infernal Games?I knew when venturing into Urban Fantasy that I was going to stay clear of Werewolves and Vampires, as those tropes felt saturated to the point that I felt it lacked the freedom to do something different. I quickly settled in on an Arch Demon being the villain of book one. Then it came down to figuring out who the main character was and why. That's how I landed on Xlina and the demon's desire to weaponize her unique abilities.
Who inspired the character of Xlina Dar'Karrow in "Dirge of the Dead"?Xlina's personality is derived largely from my wife. The no nonsense, punch bad guys in the face style is hers. Her magical ability to consume nightmares was inspired by the Japanese creature the Baku, a mythical beast that would feed on your nightmares while you slept.
In what quirky, fun, and unique ways do you deal with writer's block?I love table top roleplaying games and find running games is the perfect breeding ground for inspiration. Many of my characters are evolutions of npcs that I have used in countless genres over the years. These character's find quirks and personality through playing with others and it's a great way to hone a character concept on actual people.
What common writing advice do you disagree with?Write every day. It doesn't suite my work/life balance. I have a long daily commute and a more than full time job. I spend my the time in my car thinking about the next chapters all week then I do massive binge writing over the weekend. By the advice given you would think I would never finish anything because I am not being disciplined or making writing a habit, but that is just not realistic for me.
What does your family think of your writing?My daughters and wife are super supportive. My youngest daughter is so proud of her dad, she tells everyone I write books and shows them off to her teachers and friends.
Have they read your first published book?My wife and daughter are my toughest critics and most trusted beta readers. They get everything before it is available to anyone else. My oldest daughter's feedback actually turned one of my characters, Amber, from a throw away character to a main character by Dark Messiah.
How can authors and aspiring authors deal with the lows that come with writing as a career?Find your writing tribe. Seriously the lows come for us all. It is a tough market, people are reading less and prefer tv and video games. Everyone has bad months, but a tribe of friendly writers can help weather the storm and they will understand what you are going through.
In your opinion, what type of person should pursue writing as a career?Writing should be accessible and approachable for all, but it is a tough market. You'll face rejection, harsh criticism, all kinds of bias depending on your lived experiences. In the end, you have to love writing for writing. If you're coming into writing wanting to be Stephen King rich and famous then you are probably setting yourself up for failure. Writing should be a passion first and a business second. Love what you write and everything else will follow.
What sort of cultural, spiritual, or social value do you think reading and books hold?Since the earliest time of human's story-tellers have been venerated within our society. Orated tales passed down from generation to generation have evolved into the written form, but they are no less significant. People fundamentally need stories, need to flex their imagination, to breed a fertile mind for new ideas and concepts.
What book ideas are you currently working on?I am finishing my second series, The Soulstealer Trilogy. After that, I have a couple of ideas for a fantasy and science fiction novel I want to explore before returning to my urban fantasy Baku-verse.
How did you first come across AllAuthor and what are your thoughts on it?I first came to allauthor through the cover contest. I found it a welcoming community among other authors and allauthor offers some great tools for social media and branding.
