Today's Darklight On is ... TJ Nichols,
Welcome, TJ
How did you come to
write speculative fiction? What attracted you to the genre?
I read fantasy novels as a kid and never out grew them. I like exploring new
worlds and now I get to make up the world which I really enjoy. Researching as
I world build is part of the fun. My novellas have a HFN or a HEA but in the
novels it might take until the last book in the series for there to be a
HEA. A lot of the fantasy novels I grew up reading really skimped on the
romantic elements or killed the love interest. Surely there’s time to save the
world and fall in love?
Are you a plotter? Pantser? Or somewhere
in-between?
Somewhere in between. I do a quite a bit of thinking and getting a feel for the
world and the characters and I usually know a few of the big scenes that need
to happen before I start writing.
Do you have a favourite of your characters?
I always
love the characters I’m working with, so at the moment it’s all about Elliot. That
said I really did enjoy writing Angus for three books (or 270k words). You have
to like or at least be able to have fun with the main character of your books
because you are spending so much time with them.
What are you currently working on?
I’ve just finished the edits for Blood for the Spilling the final book in the
Demonology series and I’m currently doing the edits on The Legend of Gentleman
John which will be out in December and has a bushranger hero 😊 and I’m
also writing the WIP that will not end (it’s looking like a 130k for the first
draft and I add in edits)
What is your favourite part of the process of writing?
I like writing first drafts and having the worlds unfold in greater detail as
the words flow. I also enjoy pushing my characters to see what they are capable
of.
What can we expect from TJ in the future?
I have
one novel and one novella out later this year, Blood for the Spilling and the
Legend of Gentleman John respectively. Next year…I don’t know but I have a
couple of things on submission including a historical UF and a new UF series
set in San Francisco.
Who are your favourite authors?
I don’t know if I have favourite author as much as favourite series, or books.
I like the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Horns by Joe Hill, River of Teeth by
Sarah Gailey and the Housemates Series by Jay Northcoat.
What are you currently reading?
The
Magpie Lord series by KJ Charles and military biographies.
Do you have a favourite spec fiction movie or TV series?
Grimm, Battlestar Galactica, and while they aren’t spec fic I love Strike Back
and Versailles.
Do you have advice for emerging writers?
Absorb stories in all formats and not just in the genre that you write.
~~~
Thanks, TJ
Rogue in
the Making (Studies in Demonology 2)
The blood
sacrifices have brought rain to Demonside, but across the void, the Warlock
College of Vinland is still storing and gathering magic, heedless of the
warnings of the international magical community. The underground is full of
warlocks who disagree with the college, but do they care about wizards and
demons or only about snatching power?
With a
foot in each world, Angus is no longer sure whom he can trust. The demons don’t
trust humans, and even though he is learning more magic, he will never be one
of them. He is human and only tolerated. Some demons would be happy to slit his
throat. It’s only because his demon is powerful in his own right that Angus is
alive.
Saka only
has a year to prove that Angus’s people can change and that the magic taken
will be rebalanced, but the demons want action. His affection for Angus is clouding
his judgment and weakening his position in the tribe. Time is running out, and
he must make a choice.
About the Author:
TJ
Nichols is an avid runner and martial arts enthusiast who first started writing
as child. Many years later while working as a civil designer, TJ decided to
pick up a pen and start writing again. Having grown up reading thrillers and
fantasy novels, it’s no surprise that mixing danger and magic comes so easily,
writing urban fantasy allows TJ to bring magic to the every day.
After
traveling all over the world and Australia, TJ now lives in Perth, Western
Australia.
Good luck with the WIP that will not end, TJ!
ReplyDeleteAlso great advice about reading outside your genre.
No rest for the wicked, TJ :)
ReplyDelete