Hello all!
Today I am featuring a speculative fiction author and his new book! It was fun finding out more about him.
First, the book:
As the first day of high school creeps closer, five friends agree to one last LARP* before splitting the party and ending their geeky game forever.
But the real adventure is just beginning…
Mistaking the teens’ costumed characters for actual warriors, a sorceress summons Sir Larpsalot, Elvish Presley, Brutus the Bullheaded, Master Prospero, and Tom Foolery to her world to complete an impossible quest. To succeed, they must become the heroes they only ever pretended to be.
And if they can’t find a way to win, it’s GAME OVER for real!
Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.com/David-Michael-Williams/e/B00HEBQ7CI/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
Now, to learn more about the author!
Why did you start writing?
I’ve always had a knack (compulsion?) for coming up with stories. When I was younger, I would play pretend, create stories using action figures and LEGOs, and draw/doodle epic battles. Eventually, I wanted a way to record these characters and their struggles.
Writing proved to be the most efficient and, over time, effective way for me to share my ideas with the world. I grew to relish the manipulation of language.
What is the inspiration behind your latest book?
To put it plainly, I wanted to write a book that my son and daughter could read.
My earlier works are for older readers. My son isn’t big on reading to begin with, but he loves games and the fantasy genre. I had had the idea for a character called Sir Larpsalot for a while and thought maybe he’d appear in a comic book one day. But when it came time to decide on my next project, I decided to write a fun, fast-paced novel starring this absurd hero and his friends. Best of all, I had built-in beta readers!
My students were my beta readers, so I think it is awesome that your children were yours!
If you could pick a character from any of your books to have lunch with, who would it be and why?
Wow, that’s a tough one. I am fortunate in that I get to spend time with my characters any time I wish. As for hanging out in the real world, I might choose Leon Magee, the eccentric hermit from The Lost Tale of Sir Larpsalot. If nothing else, I’d get to eat candy and hear any number of amazing stories—some of which might actually be true.
What are some of the themes in your fiction?
The theme of Identity permeates just about everything I write—how people see themselves vs. how others perceive them. That was true in The Renegade Chronicles, featuring warriors from disparate background who had to learn to set aside their differences for the greater good, as well as The Soul Sleep Cycle, which explored a dreamscape in which a person could become whoever they wanted to be.
Identity as a theme naturally extends to The Lost Tale of Sir Larpsalot, a story starring teenagers who, as larpers, create their own in-game personas. Who are you today? Who do you want to be? Do you act different around your friends? Can you be your true self around them?
Every member of Good Company learns something about him/herself during their crazy quest.
I think that is awesome! I explore a theme of identity in Etania’s Worth because I think this is an important topic to address.
What are your favorite fantasy books and why?
Video games and television introduced me to fantasy at an early age. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon the Dragonlance books as a teenager that I realized how much I enjoyed fantasy fiction, and so the works of Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, and other Dragonlance authors will always hold a special place in my heart.
Additionally, I love pretty much anything Neil Gaiman writes, and Stephen King’s Dark Tower series remains one of my favorites to this day. If you include graphic novels, I’d have to mention Monstress and Saga.
I appreciate fantasy authors who take familiar tropes and put their own unique spins on them. Likewise, I try to subvert readers’ expectations in my own fiction. Predictability is the enemy of greatness!