dAuthors Volume II : Blood and Ashes

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All over deviantArt there are countless novel projects and authors awaiting readers. Some of these projects are better known than others, but as a novelist myself, the importance of growth on these projects and support for them is very important. After a lovely interview on my novel project put together by Dandi-Lions, I got to thinking of starting a new feature project on the first of each month, highlighting and celebrating the vast variety of novels and their authors that are on the site! My hopes are to bring awareness to some of the many wonderful full-length and in-progress longer works here on dA, as well as hopefully get them some new readers.

Now, for my second volume's feature, I present the ever talented:

:squee: :iconwinds-blade:Winds-Blade :squee:

She is the author of the in-progress novel Blood and Ashes.

Synopsis:



Markus Emmerich, a corporal in the Dressen army, holds nothing but contempt for the Kreznian fighters after the death of the one he loved. The war has given him greater justification, but he also creates enemies from within. Left for dead on the wintry front, Markus finds himself the captive of a group of Kreznians. During his experience, he will have to battle his inner demons and find allies in unlikely places.


:bulletpink: To get to know more about the author and her novel, I took the time to ask her some questions that were both generic to many writers, as well as others that were more specific to her story.

When did you begin writing?


As far back as I can remember (which is elementary school). I started taking writing seriously in middle school. I’ve never finished a full project, though, but hope to.


Where did the idea for your novel come from? Were there any particular inspirations?


The idea came out of my interest in war stories. However, I first wrote down the idea in a short story writing class in community college. World War II was an especially prevalent inspiration.

Who is your favourite character from the novel and why?


Although the cast of characters and plot still need some expanding on and only the prologue and part of the first chapter is written, I will have to say that I like the main protagonist, Markus Emmrich. He is unlike any other main character I have created; he has opposite qualities to all my other "heroes", almost an "anti-hero", but has many complex qualities. His backstory and role in the novel are especially interesting to me.

Who do you think the hardest character to write has been?


So far, minor characters who I have created on the fly while writing the first chapter.

You said that WWII influenced some of this book. In what ways has it specifically?


It's difficult to explain, though some aspects of the Dressen-Kreznian war resemble the conflicts on the Eastern Front, specifically those the Germans had with partisans.

The Dressen soldiers represent a sort of German culture and the Kreznians Russian. Do you think it's harder to write about places based off of real places, or the real places themselves?


I believe it's more difficult to write about real locations that actually exist, since you need to get physical and historical details right in order to please your readers and any critics. With a fictional world semi-inspired by the real world, you don't need to follow any set details -- except that of physics!

Is there a certain lesson that you want to teach in the novel?


Based on the journey that Markus takes in the story, the lesson would be to not let hate or vengeance blind you and to learn to forgive and not judge people based on where they are from or who they are. People also have to learn to not let their past destroy them and those around them.


:star: To read Blood and Ashes for yourself, please check out the first few chapters below:

:thumb356675420::thumb370226917:



Thank you again, Winds-Blade for taking the time to answer the questions for our interview!

Aside from the news article feature and interview, my featured author will also have a month-long feature on my page, highlighting their first chapters and linking to their interview here.

:hearts: by danigranger If you have an author of a novel/series here on dA that you would like to see featured, feel free to send me a note with your suggestion. I would be happy to read over their work and consider it. Be on the look out for next month's feature with an all new author and novel!

:star: Previous dAuthor Articles: :star:

:bulletpink: Volume I: Reaping of the Wicked



© 2013 - 2024 DorianHarper
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