Supernatural Central Short and Quick Interview
Tell me a little bit about your main character of this book.
Krell, the main character, as a backstory was lost at sea as a child, washing up on a deserted island. This has shaped a lot of who he is, including his utter lack of knowledge about the world. That is very intentional – it allows me to narratively explain things to Krell, so the reader can learn as well. It also allows Krell to stand out in his interactions with others, since all the societal norms and biases that every other character has. It gives him a narrative perspective that can be fun to play with.
Other than that, he’s a paladin – called by ReckNor, lord of the seas and skies. ReckNor values freedom as one of the lesser understood aspects of his worship, and therefore is singularly unhelpful when explaining anything to Krell. Also intentional – it lets me as the author have Krell stumbling around in the dark, trying to figure out why he was called and what his purpose is supposed to be.
Being a paladin also involves being a warrior, and Krell is a skilled combatant with blade and shield.
Do you believe in the paranormal and if so, do you have an experience you can share?
I do not – I am a skeptic, through and through. I look for a scientific rational for any unexplained phenomena, and rigorously pursue that path.
But then, I also view other people’s beliefs in religion and the paranormal as totally cool. A you do you approach to things. I’ve found, interacting with dozens of different faiths and cultures over the years, that their belief in religion or the paranormal or something else often equates to belief in themselves. I see no reason to interfere with their choice of belief, and in many cases I’m happy to participate in a quest for understanding. They’re looking for something different than I am, but we’re all on a quest for knowledge, and that’s wonderful 😊
This is, of course, completely at odds with my love of the fantasy genre, tales of magic spells and holy warriors fighting literal demons. It excites my imagination, and I love it!
What titles are you working on now that you can tell us about?
The big one is book two in A Paladin’s Journey. Beginning of Arrogance is the first book, which lays out the cast of characters and basic elements of the setting. While it has a narrative arc and a satisfying conclusion, it was always intended to set the stage for the rest of the series. Book 2, titled Futility of Defense, is where the consequences of the actions of the characters come back to haunt them, forcing the characters to make some choices about what they’re going to do.
It opens with Krell hurrying home from spreading a detection network to defend Watford from yet another imminent assault. The other antagonists from the first book continue to be a concern, leading to confrontation. Throughout all of this, the impact of Krell’s choices create additional challenges that he has to overcome, and not every challenge can be solved with a sword. Though there are moments when he would really prefer to use that, instead of talking!
Beginning of Arrogance is available everywhere you can buy a book online, and Futility of Defense should be published in the Summer of 2023. I’ve already begun work on book 3 in the series as well!
Excerpt:
Gerrard fell back and walked beside Krell for a moment.
“So, Krell, how do you know about the Forge Father and all that? Never heard you say anything like that before, you know?” Gerrard smiled up at him.
Krell laughed. “It’s true enough, Gerrard, that my education could best be described as lacking. Most people say I don’t know anything. I grew up alone, you see, so nobody taught me anything useful. I had to learn it all myself.”
Gerrard looked at him questioningly. “Alone how? I can’t see humans, even as insane as they often are, abandoning a youngling to grow up alone.”
“Oh, I had a family. Still might, somewhere, maybe. But I was lost at sea when I was young. Not sure how young. Washed up on an island somewhere and spent a bunch of years surviving.” Krell looked up at the sky. “My memories there are… poor. Can’t remember much, but I remember the cold, the loneliness, and the hunger. Those stand out in my mind.” Krell shook his head and frowned.
“Olgar taught me basically everything I know, aside from how to survive alone. Whatever knowledge I have is thanks to him, and one thing he made sure I knew well was who all the gods and their followers are. Paladins apparently spend a lot of time in conflict with faiths other than their own.”
“Ah,” said Gerrard, nodding in agreement.
Krell shrugged and looked back at Gerrard. “Whatever else I am, Gerrard, I’m a survivor. Maybe that’s why ReckNor chose me to be a paladin. Maybe he wrecked the ship on purpose to see if I had what it took. Maybe he didn’t. Either way, I hear the call. My blade is in his service, my will is his will. His voice thunders in my head, making his will known to me.”
“Wow. You know, Kraven’s right, you are intense!” Gerrard walked along in silence for a few minutes next to him. Then he turned and said, “That sounds really hard, having another voice in your head all the time.”
Krell laughed. “Nah, it’s really easy. When he tells me something, I do it. When he doesn’t say anything, I do whatever I want.”
Gerrard frowned. “I thought paladins had all sorts of rules they had to follow.”
Krell grinned at him. “You’re thinking of followers of Hieron the Honorable, lord of justice. There’s a big temple of his in Heaford, just up the coast, where the duke holds court. I’ve never met one of his followers, but apparently he loves calling paladins, and they’re pretty common in that faith. Most paladin stories are about paladins of Hieron.”
“Not common in ReckNor’s faith, though?”
“Not remotely. Apparently, Olgar can’t remember the last time ReckNor called one. He’s… well, most people think he’s insane, and that if you don’t appease him, he’ll destroy you. A cult of sailors and the mad. That he’s temperamental enough that even if you appease him, he still might destroy you. Which is all… somewhat true, I’d say.”
Ahead, Tristan laughed. “You’re telling me you think your god is insane?”
Krell shook his head. “No, but temperamental? Absolutely. Appease him or else, which is how his faith works. Sailors and those who live and work on the sea pay homage, though for many, it is out of fear. He’s often thought of as a survival-of-the-fittest sort of god.”
Krell noticed they were all looking at him now. Orca looked unhappy, Kraven appeared to be controlling his laughter, and Tristan and Gerrard were looking at him like he was dangerous.
“So… what does ReckNor teach, then?” asked Gerrard. Krell thought about it, and Tristan looked like he was dreading an explanation. Better to keep things simple for now, he thought.
“Basically two things. The first is that the seas and skies are his, so make offerings when you use them and he’s happy. The second is that he takes joy in the freedom of choice.” Krell went silent, and they walked on for a few moments before anyone said anything.
“I thought you were going to drone on incessantly about your god and how great he is all the time,” said Tristan. Krell looked at him and smiled.
“I’m a paladin. If you want that, go talk to Olgar. I’m here to show the faith of ReckNor through action, not through words.” Thunder rumbled in the distance as if on cue, adding ominous weight to his words.
Gerrard snorted. “Did ReckNor just add some thunder in the background to make you sound more intimidating or dramatic or something?”
Kraven laughed, and Krell joined him. Orca said, “That’s ridiculous!” at the same time Krell said, “Probably!”
