Why I love writing epic fantasy books

Escapism

Writing my epic fantasy series The Psion Saga is something I've been doing since I was a teenager. It has allowed me to entertain myself and keep my mind busy when I would otherwise be bored. Sometimes life throws difficulties your way, but when I go into the world of Chryne I feel like I am somewhere else.

I'm now in my forties and have been working on these fantasy books for over twenty-five years. I hope that the escapism the characters and their epic fight has granted me provides the same feelings to my readers.

Creativity

Because I get to make up so much cool stuff in my fantasy novels it is a constant source of pleasure for exercising my imagination. Using those muscles of creativity is something that artists of all kinds can relate to. For me, it is a privilege to have such a vivid multi-sensory imagination. Writing my books is something I look forward to and desperately crave.

While I am at work I get very focused on what I'm doing, but on breaks or pauses I am often thinking of what situation my characters are in and how they're going to get out of it. Sometimes the logic of what I have set up tells its own story. My creativity is tied to my sense of cohesion and continuity. It's not hampered by it, because I often find that by thinking through what the characters want the story can tell me what they will do next.

Juggling multiple characters has been especially enjoyable as I am writing Book 3: Claws That Cut Both Ways, because it is written in third person close narration. The first two books: Tiger Eyes and Dragon Teeth and Strike of the Skyearls featured the first person narration of Taeon.

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