The Scions of Faerie: The Faerie Chronicles

2/16/2025

Multi-volume, multi-genre author JD Edwards introduces us to the first volume of his new series, “The Scions of Faerie”:
Not every hero wears a cape: Embark on an epic YA fantasy adventure as Ian Prescott confronts the demons of a haunted past and fights to free civilization from darkness and oppression.
Ten years after surviving a brutal attempt on his life, Ian faces a new threat when a dark mage, Lord Turok, returns to eradicate the last remaining Scion of Faerie by sending a hellhound to finish what he started. When myths gain life, a hero is born. Ian escapes the clutches of his parent’s assassin a second time and learns that all magic comes with a price.
Now, armed with Brander, his ancestor’s legendary flaming sword of Celtic myth, Ian must confront the shadows of his past while battling mythical creatures and unlocking ancient magic. As he travels to mysterious worlds where Celtic legends spring to life, Ian’s fight for justice pulls him into a high-stakes war to save his beloved aunt from eternal imprisonment and prevent an impending civil war. But to banish Lord Turok to the underworld forever, he must confront the ultimate question: how much is he willing to sacrifice?
Sometimes, the price of revenge is your very soul. Will Ian sacrifice himself to avenge his parents, save his aunt, and prevent Faerie from eternal servitude to Lord Turok? Or will the Dark Lord rule the world with an army of fearsome creatures and a magical talisman bent to serve his evil desires?

I like a longer book because it gives the author a chance to develop the characters and situations. Many of the characters experience growth in different situations and the world-building is wonderful. The author has put a lot of thought and work into this series.
I enjoyed it and you will also. A fabulous beginning to this YA fantasy adventure!
4.8 stars because I am picky about certain things.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Scions-Faerie-Chronicles-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-scions-of-faerie
https://www.editingleindiehouse.com/thescionsoffaerie

You can follow the author:
http://faerierealm.50megs.com
https://www.threads.net/@twyrch
https://www.instagram.com/twyrch
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdedwardsauthor
https://www.facebook.com/FaerieRealms
https://www.wattpad.com/user/FaerieRealms
https://www.pinterest.com/twyrch
https://www.tiktok.com/@faerierealms

I have promoted another book by the author here: Indomitable: The Story of Eliza Harris by J. D. Edwards - Word Refiner
and here: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-phantom-seer

Copyright © 2025 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

55 Comments

J. D. Edwards link

2/16/2025 10:31:33 am

I'm glad you enjoyed the book! 4.8 stars is an absolute honor, knowing the bar you set for books. As Ian Prescott would say, "I'm chuffed".

Your statement that many of the characters experience growth in different situations, is spot on, and is what drives the plot throughout the rest of the series. All the characters, and I do mean ALL, will experience growth throughout the series.

Cary Grant once said, "I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be until finally I became that person. Or he became me." I believe this mentality is applicable to more than one of the characters in the series.

Throughout The Faerie Chronicles, you will find good characters who turn bad and bad characters who turn good. The themes of Love, loss, revenge, forgiveness, redemption, sacrifice, and justice are central themes within each of the books. There's more I could say, but that's a deep rabbit hole!

Mark

2/16/2025 02:21:55 pm

You're welcome.

Nice quote from Cary Grant, he was doing a lot of pretending and getting paid well for it.

Characters with faults or flaws, characters evolving and devolving make for great reading. The readers can identify with at least one character and that binds them closer to the story.

A note to our visitors, this is a continuation of the interview from the promotion of another of the author's books, "The Phantom seer". The link is just above the interview.

New question.

Do you believe that a good book will sell itself?

Do you think good marketing can overcome the limitations of a mediocre book?

J. D. Edwards link

2/16/2025 02:49:10 pm

Believing a good book will sell itself is akin to waving a hand fan in a hurricane and hoping someone will notice an increase in the wind. There are many good books out there, but they are overwhelmed by shoddy, mediocre books produced by novice authors who rush to publish the first draft of their book. I can say this because I was once one of those people. The Scions of Faerie is on its 4th complete rewrite in the last 20 years. I received advice and ignored it, thinking I had produced pure gold on the first try. I received 137 rejections but arrogantly believed the problem was with the publishers and agents, not with my work of art. It took over a decade to realize that my book needed refinement. I had to learn to edit correctly, and even then, you found a few issues we’re working to correct. This version of The Scions of Faerie is the final change I will make to the book. It has taken 20 years, 4 rewrites, 3 covers, and a complete rebranding of the series, but finally, I can be proud of this book and this series.

To that point, good marketing of a mediocre book will not help boost sales. If anything, it will harm the author’s reputation and lower the ratings on Amazon and Goodreads. Readers who are pumped up for a book and then come crashing down in disappointment from reading it don’t tend to leave good reviews or high ratings. Good marketing is important, but marketing a good book is more important than a mediocre one. You have reviewed both Indomitable and The Phantom Seer. I spent 10 years researching Eliza and 30 years researching my family’s involvement in the Underground Railroad before writing “Indomitable.” “The Phantom Seer” was originally a short story I wrote in high school Creative Writing class. It was called “The Quest for Truth” in 1995. It took 20 years before I rewrote it into a short story called “A Matter of Time” and rewrote it again into a novella called The Phantom Seer. Nothing good will ever come of rushing to publication.

Mark

2/16/2025 03:14:44 pm

You have made an airtight case for rewriting and editing a book as much as needed so it shines. More than a million books are published each year, most of them on Amazon. That has been the case for at least 10 years also.

Your past hubris is common to nearly every beginning writer.

So many of those books are poorly written. Even the good ones have errors. Recently, Amazon had to introduce a new restriction on authors. They can only upload three books a day. Three. Books. A. Day. You might be wondering, how can an author write more than one book in a few months? The new kid on the block, Arti Ficial Intelligence is doing the writing.

Authors are required to disclose when authors use AI to write a book. Few if any are doing that. I searched 'Zon the other day for books written with AI and it showed me a bunch of books with AI in the title or subtitle. I looked in the first few pages of a couple of books and did not find a disclosure about using AI to write the book. Maybe they put it in the back. Maybe I didn't look hard enough.

New questions.

What is the biggest myth about writing that would help aspiring authors? If we didn't already pop that bubble.

Do you base your characters on people you know or have met, or is it easier to just invent them completely?

J. D. Edwards link

2/16/2025 03:43:08 pm

One of the biggest myths I've heard, and still hear from scammers and fraudulent promoters, is that an unknown author can suddenly skyrocket to the best sellers list if they pay for whatever promotional advertising is being presented to them. Going from a virtual unknown to being a household name rarely happens. Sometimes, you get lucky because your book is good and gets in front of the right person, but you can't count on that, and you certainly can't guarantee you'll become famous or become a best-selling author if you pay for their promotional gimmicks. I did this in 2012 with The Scions of Faerie (called Brander at that time) and almost lost my copyright to them. They went bankrupt twice in the five years I was partnered with them, and they reorganized under a new name each time.

Now, characters! There's a topic I love to talk about! Aside from Ian and Drew, I don't base my characters on anyone. Ian and Drew are drawn from two aspects of my personality. Ian, from when I was an unmedicated ADHD youth, and Drew, from when I had matured and found medication to help control my ADHD and had developed better social skills. As for the other characters, I used the same method when creating an AD&D character. Each character had strengths, weaknesses, and something in their past that drove them. In this way, readers find at least one character they can identify with.

That being said, I make it a point to kill at least one main character in every book, so the reader never knows if their favorite character will survive. This comes from advice George R. R. Martin gave me in 2005 after reading a rough draft of The Scions of Faerie. He told me the characters were flat, boring, two-dimensional, uninteresting, completely forgettable, and safe (to use a few of the kinder adjectives). He told me they needed to be flawed, have distinct personalities, speak differently from each other, and, most importantly, be able to die. He said, "Never create a character you're unwilling to kill." In his opinion, if you know the character will always survive and win at the end of the story, what's the point in reading the book? He had a point, and I took it to heart. Granted, I'm not as bloody or murderous as he is in Game of Thrones, but I make it a point to use the death of a character to advance the storyline.

Mark

2/16/2025 05:52:34 pm

That is a good warning about scammers. They exist to help empty the wallet of a writer, and those are the decent ones! The really bad ones will start at your wallet and steal your Intellectual Property Rights. This is a good spot to shill for Victoria Strauss and the wonderful reporting at Writer Beware! Copy-and-paste time: https://writerbeware.blog/.

I think you were very lucky to not lose your IP for that book.

Shocking advice from Martin! Very effective also. He is right. Especially if those destined to die are not red-shirt types as in the old TV series, Star Trek. It didn't take long to figure out the characters wearing a red shirt were likely to be killed in that episode.

New question.

Some authors go to great lengths to get inside the heads of their characters. Some create a biography, find photos that match the picture in their head, fill out psychological profiles.

What do you do in that regard, if anything?

J. D. Edwards

2/16/2025 11:50:51 pm

Absolutely! I am extremely detail oriented when it comes to fleshing out my characters. I always write as if I'm in their mindset, that way the reactions are genuine, rather than forced or robotic. Sometimes, the characters shock me by what they say, even though I'm the one writing the dialogue. For example, in Book 3, [Character 1] will say to [Character 2] "If you're going to kill him, do it outside so you don't get blood on the carpet." I omitted the character names, to avoid spoilers, but if you knew the two people in this conversation, and who they were talking about, you'd probably agree with the suggestion and know the dialogue completely fit the person saying it.

During our Indomitable interview, I believe you asked me a similar question and at that time, I had a hard time being in the mind of a racist slaveowner who had already raped one slave and was lynching another. It happened during the time of George Floyd's murder and I had to put the book down for 6 months because I couldn't put myself in the mind of Reason Downing. It's not always fun or comfortable to be in the mind of your character, but it's crucial if you're going to make your characters believable.

Here's a question for you. Were you able to identify or relate to any of the characters in the book? If so, do you mind talking about that?

Mark

2/17/2025 08:32:09 am

I understand being in the mind of a character. As a reader, I am as deep into a story as the writer allows me to be. I feel a lot of what a character is feeling. I don't read books that are extreme in their genre most of the time. Gory horror is something I avoid.

The Floyd riots really put a lot of turmoil in our country, I am not surprised you had to set that story aside.

Which characters do I feel a connection with? Both Ian and Drew, to start. I have been quite headstrong and impetuous in much of my life like Ian. While charging ahead is not always a bad thing, timing makes a lot of difference. Drew is the voice of reason and I have been in that role for friends and family many times. Good question.

Here is something you might find useful. Rick Hall is a client and has created a website to help authors create more psychologically congruent characters. I think it is quite interesting. Copy-and-paste time: https://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/character-creation

New question.

In your experience, which marketing venues have been the most rewarding or profitable?

J. D. Edwards link

2/17/2025 03:16:55 pm

I'm glad you were able to connect with Ian and Drew. Many feel the same way. Some of my female fans tend to connect with Garron or Kai, those who like strong female protagonists connect with BiAnn and her struggles with power being thrust upon her. Others, like my son, bond with all the characters and when one dies, it cuts them to the quick.

Did the death or actions of any of the characters surprise you? How did you feel about the way each of the characters grew in their personality?

As for marketing, the most rewarding experience has been to work with a PR Company. They had a list of ARC readers ready, helped promote the book on social media, and worked with me to create PR Boxes. I'll definitely do something like that again next time.

Mark

2/17/2025 03:25:20 pm

The death of the Greenie surprised me. I didn't expect that. It gave the boys a sad impetus to keep going and thereby honor the Greenie's sacrifice for them.

I saw more growth in Drew than I did in Ian. Drew became more thoughtful. Ian started to think about others and the effects of his actions, but he didn't keep up with Drew it seemed to me. His curiosity got the better of him at the end. I think the loss of his uncle and aunt caused him to regress a little bit emotionally.

I am glad to hear you found a good company.

New questions.

Do you have any problems when writing about characters of the opposite sex, why or why not?

How do you balance the demands on your time as a writer with personal relationships?

J. D. Edwards link

2/17/2025 06:50:41 pm

You're right, Ian's development takes a little longer but by Book 3, you get a peak inside his psyche and find out what makes him tick. I'll tease his development a bit to tell you that a crucial chapter in his development is in Book 2, and the chapter is called "The Broken Toy". I'll leave it at that for now.

To answer your question, I do find it challenging to write characters of the opposite sex, but I've read enough epic fantasy novels that include female characters, that I have a firm grasp on how to write them to be believable. That and I grew up with a younger sister, so there are a few real-life references I can draw from on how to make the characters believable.

I will be the first to admit that the demands on my time are excessive. When I'm not working an 8-5 job, studying for certifications, taking continuing education on new technology, volunteering as Secretary of an Employee Resource Group, and serving as Secretary of my Masonic Lodge, In the last 7 days, I've obtained 9 technology certifications in Infoblox. I'm also busy transcribing journals from the 1840s, writing novels, editing novels, marketing my books, doing interviews, and spending time with family when I' not doing any of those things. Before you ask, I do find time to sleep - about 6 hours a day.

Here's another question for you. Without giving any spoilers, were there any sections of the book that surprised you? If so, was it a good or bad surprise?

Mark

2/17/2025 07:35:05 pm

You are busier than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs in motion!

Broken toy is quite cryptic. How many volumes are you planning for this series?

Back to the Greenie. His death was a great surprise. Also, the Korred's change of heart was a nice surprise. It's tough to answer those questions without giving a spoiler. I don't recall any bad surprises.

New questions.

Did you have pieces of the story that were removed from this book?

If so, why did you remove them?

J. D. Edwards link

2/17/2025 08:15:30 pm

That’s a good analogy! I do feel like I’m chasing my own tail sometimes.

I understand completely. It’s difficult to answer questions, sometimes, without giving spoilers. Many I’ve spoken to have found the antagonist in the caves to be a surprise.

Yes, I removed several portions of the story that gave more background and insight into the characters, their background, and, most importantly, their motivations. I initially removed them because they were backstories and slowed the story’s pacing. These deleted scenes are more like deleted chapters. They are based on events in the book but were alluded to rather than explained.

Each deleted scene/chapter focuses on a specific section of the book and provides a deeper insight into the characters and events of the narrative. It’s important to remember that in Faerie, time operates half as fast as it does on Earth. One year in Faerie equals two years on Earth.

The first book, The Scions of Faerie, was initially written in the 3rd Person Omniscient view, so the reader knew everything the characters felt, saw, and thought. While this provided the reader with a complete understanding of the characters, their backgrounds, and motivations, it had the adverse effect of disassociating the reader from the narrative. The suspense, mystique, and drama fell short, causing the readers to fail to connect to the characters.

So, I made an executive decision to allude to what happened and have the reader experience the after-effects of these chapters rather than include them in the narrative. I’ve included them in a QR Code at the back of each book so readers can choose whether they want to dive into the deleted scenes. The scenes I deleted concerned Queen Bevin’s capture and BiAnn’s midnight flight, the motivation behind Kai’s assistance, and the change in Garron’s personality.

Were there any portions of the book you felt were not sufficiently explained or explored? If so, they may be revealed in future books. The Faerie Chronicles is a completed 4-book series. I wrap everything up at the end but leave it open for the next series, "The Dark Realms of Faerie". I’m about 1/3 done with that book and halfway done with the prequel, "The Defender of Faerie", a romantasy centered around Ian’s parents.

Mark

2/18/2025 09:15:27 am

That explains the allusions and the hints. I am pleased that there is more material. Your other fans will be pleased also.

I wanted to know more about Kai. He is an interesting Yoda-like character not directly answering the questions Ian and Drew have for him.

New questions.

Do you have any other passions or creative outlets to pursue if you didn't write?

Is there a cause you are passionate about?

J. D. Edwards link

2/18/2025 11:34:28 am

I'm glad you brought up Kai. He is the other central character in the prequel I'm writing. He has a lot of darkness in him that he has to overcome. You get to see Bevin actually rule her Kingdom and interact with the Swansa. I'm looking forward to publishing The Defender of Faerie, but it will have to come after the 4-book series is completed. There are too many spoilers otherwise.

My other passion, aside from writing, is genealogy. If I wasn't writing as much as I do, I'd be a professional genealogist and take my certification exams in it. Perhaps even pursue a doctorate. Unfortunately, there is not enough time in the day for that. I'll save my research for other Historical Fiction novels. The next one I have in the works is based on the true story of my immigrant ancestor, who was kidnapped from Aberdeen, Scotland at age 13 and sold to George Washington's minister. He worked as a spy in the French and Indian War, served in the Revolution and was with Washington at Valley Forge. James Edwards lived quite an interesting life and I thought about telling it in 1st person POV as a letter written to his son, before James does in 1803. This would allow for time jumping without giving the reader whiplash.

Mark

2/18/2025 12:45:14 pm

A total of 5 books with the prequel. That is exciting!

Historical fiction is my third favorite genre to read. Your book, Indomitable, secured that spot in my heart for hist-fic. That story about your ancestor will be fabulous I am certain. He certainly had an interesting life with many narrow escapes. Do you have a title in mind for that story?

New questions.

Have you any favorite literary journals?

Did you have a favorite book as a child?

J. D. Edwards link

2/18/2025 01:39:57 pm

After these 5 books, I have 3 more series planned within Faerie: The Dark Realm of Faerie trilogy, The Dawn of Faerie trilogy, and The Golden Age of Faerie trilogy. Each of those series will either be based off allusions to past events discussed in The Faerie Chronicles, or a continuation of events after The Faerie Chronicles. In fact, I'm basing an entire book off a single sentence in one of the future Faerie Chronicles books. "I haven't blushed that much since Alven and I were younglings." You never know how much information I can allude to in a single sentence.

As for my Historical Fiction, the story of James Edwards will be called Dauntless. The story of his son, George Edwards (mentioned in Indomitable) will be told in the same way, 1st person, and will be called Venerable, as he lived to be 99 years old. The last Historical Fiction I have planned is based on the life of my Great-Grandfather, Herbert Edwards, during WW1 when he spent 18 months on the front lines in France and Luxembourg. I have his letters, pictures, newspaper clippings, and his audio interview in 1973. He was one of the bravest men I know and I look forward to writing, Estimable, in his memory.

I don't really read any literary magazines. My own projects keep me plenty busy.

As a child, I loved The Hardy Boys. I used to put them inside the Bible and read them while my dad preached. Thanks to my ADHD, I could track the mystery and storyline while still telling my dad what he preached about. Finally, I read all there was to read of that series and discovered Epic Fantasy and the rest is history. They say to write what you know and I know my family history and Epic Fantasy tropes.

Mark

2/18/2025 02:55:55 pm

I am praying for a long life for you! Me too, because I want to read all of your books!

An entire book from 11 words! That is amazing extrapolation! I love it.

I will be looking for all of those books.

I missed the Hardy Boys in books and on the silver screen. I bet they even had a radio theater program before TV. I was hooked on a series called The Happy Hollisters. A relative sent them to me when I was young. I had 18 or 20 volumes. Fun reading about a large family, the kids discovered and solved mysteries in and around their neighborhood. Very safe reading for children. The grandson of the author is republishing the books exactly as they were written. I ran into him at a home schooling convention here in Florida. I stopped in my tracks when I found his table. Wonderful memories.

New questions.

What type of scenes do you find hard to write and why?

What did your family say when you announced your desire to be a full-time writer?

What do they think now?

J. D. Edwards link

2/18/2025 09:17:52 pm

If you think that's impressive, I created the plot to Books 2 and 3 from Galatians 5:22-23. You'll see what I mean when you get to that point. As Riversong would say to The Doctor, "Spoilers..."

I've heard of the Happy Hollisters, but I haven't read them, so I'll add them to my list of vintage books to find.

The scenes I find hard to write are the romantic scenes because I'm not a romance author, I don't read romance novels, and I don't watch romantic TV shows or movies unless I'm forced to. That's why the prequel, being a Romantasy, is such a big deal to me. I'm working outside of my wheelhouse on that book, but I drew inspiration from the Star Trek novel, Imzadi, on how to deal with romantic themes in a fantasy book.

My family has always supported my writing, but my goal of being a "full-time" writer is more long-term pipedream. I hope to have enough of a following and income stream when I retire in 20 years to supplement my Social Security. Writing, to me, is more a labor of love. I write because I love writing and sharing my imagination with others, especially the younger generation. I want to give them the same gift I had growing up: the gift of imagination. If my books can help people's imagination take flight, then I've accomplished my goal as an author.

What about you? Were there any moments in the book that drew you in and enveloped your imagination? Did you find it hard to stop reading when you needed to, or was it easy to pick a good stopping point?

Mark

2/19/2025 08:23:27 am

The gift of imagination is inspiring! It never wears out and continually renews itself. The holder of the gift needs to share it and pass it on to others. You, my friend, are doing well.

The fruit of the spirit! I am learning more and more how to live in the spirit. I was so obtuse for much of my life.

Good for you, tackling a foreign genre. That really exercises the writing skills. I can hardly wait to see the results.

When I read, I am already deeply involved in the book. Ian's self-focused choices were startling to me like looking in a mirror. I was reminded of how I was the same when younger. That is my WIP.

Unless I am interrupted, I always stop at a chapter break. it is a natural point of leaving the story. It's easy for me most of the time.

New question.

How do you maintain the excitement for yourself? Your excitement will impact others around you.

J. D. Edwards link

2/19/2025 12:12:02 pm

Thank you for your words of encouragement. Like you, I struggle to live by all the fruits of the Spirit. As you’ll see in Book 2 and Book 3, Ian and Drew must fight those same battles we fight within ourselves.

Ian is a big part of my past, so when readers tell me that his reactions aren’t authentic or they don’t like him as a character, that they like Drew better, I chuckle to myself. They have no idea they are giving me a backhanded compliment, but they never met me or anyone like me when I was younger because I was just like Ian in every way growing up.

I maintain my excitement for the books and the stories through how much I pour into them emotionally. The readers can pick up on (or I hope they can, at least) the emotion I pour into my books and characters. I still can’t read the last few chapters of Book 4 without becoming emotional. There are no spoilers there, but it will be a wild ride in the final book. From Atlantis to Merlin to Area 51, the final book is a fast-paced adrenaline rush from start to finish. I even held a contest on Twitter (now X) and created characters based on several fans. I made other characters based on deceased family members and used their real pictures in the story. One fan read the entire book in under 12 hours because she could not put it down.

When you got me talking about my Historical Fiction stories, just speaking about them reignited my passion for writing them. Once the prequel is complete, I will probably shift gears into Historical Fiction again and write those three books.

I won’t tell you if you’re right or wrong, but I’d be interested to know, based on what you’ve read and the hints I’ve dropped, what do you think will happen in the next book?

Mark

2/19/2025 01:55:17 pm

I am more excited than before for you to finish a book or two or three. I don't care if it's fantasy or hist-fic, I love your writing style. At the same time, I want you to take your time and make it as good as you can. Either will be worth waiting for.

Ian is in serious trouble, his life is on the line, it seems. He is likely to save the loved one of a VIP from the tribe holding him captive. They will probably send him on an impossible quest which he will accomplish with help and by learning some magic because he is a scion of faerie.

That's my guess.

New questions.

Do your friends and family members buy your books?

Can you name one thing that you would give up to become a better writer?

J. D. Edwards link

2/19/2025 04:43:51 pm

That is an interesting guess. I love to see how people’s minds work in guessing the outcome of the next book. Do you feel adding the first chapter of Book 2 to the end of Scions of Faerie removed some of the suspense from the final chapter or do you feel it raised to stakes and increased your desire to read the next book?

Yes, my family and friends all buy my books. I sign them for them, if they want. Most of my fans, however, have never met me.

Something I’d give up to be a better writer would be my full-time job, but I would only do that when writing can provide the same level of income I get from working on networks and servers. IT pays a lot more than royalties for selling my books, unfortunately.

Mark

2/19/2025 06:43:25 pm

The first chapter from the second book raised my desire. Good teaser! It confirmed my worst fear that Ian was doing something stupid.

I believe you are the first person to give that answer about what you would give up. Thinking out of the box, well done.

New questions.

What area of your writing has the greatest need for improvement at this time?

What non-writing skill could you learn that might prove to be useful for writing in the future?

J. D. Edwards link

2/19/2025 07:07:06 pm

I’m glad the teaser chapter increased your interest in reading the next book. This was a new change I made to each book in the series. Because it’s been 20 years since I finished writing the books, I wanted to celebrate that milestone with a revised, special edition. The cover got a facelift, the chapters all received subtitles, and I included a teaser chapter for the next book at the end of each book. I’m happy it enhanced the experience.

My writing could best be improved by tightening my reliance on filler words like “had” and “then” and checking for homophones.

The non-writing skill I could improve is my time management skills. I don’t have much free time, and I keep many irons in the fire, but with my ADHD, I tend to jump around a bit, so I need to laser focus on the task at hand, and if something pops into my mind for another book, I should write it down and move on.

Mark

2/20/2025 09:19:53 am

I am partial to chapter titles also. A number by itself is merely a demarcation of some sort.

Every author has filler words, I check for those when I am proofreading. Homophones are my specialty. I have written a number of blogs about homophones and typos that easily create another word.

Time management is an important skill. Losing a brilliant idea is a shame. I have recommended to many authors to make a note or email to themselves whenever a new idea pops up. One author complained to me that her best ideas came to her in the shower and she lost at least half of them because she couldn't get out of the shower fast enough. I recommended a waterproof pen and a waterproof notebook to use in the shower. The Fisher Space Pen works well underwater.

New questions.

On average, how long does it take you to write a first draft of a book?

How long from start to published, on average?

J. D. Edwards link

2/20/2025 10:15:31 am

I love chapter titles too. I can still tell you what happened in The Hobbit from the two chapter titles, "Out of the Fire" and "Into the Frying Pan". Something about a good chapter title leaves an imprint on your psyche.

I make notes when I have a good thought. Usually it's in my Notepad app on my phone, so I can dictate while the thoughts are still fresh. When I get back to my computer, I then transfer it to my MS OneNote program. I may not use every idea in that program, but that's where deleted scenes come from.

When I first decided to write a prequel, I was driving to work in heavy traffic. You have to understand that I live 35 miles from work, and live in the country, so I reach the interstate at mile marker 26 and take the exit for work at exit 3. The idea came to me at mile marker 20 and I turned on my phone's hands-free settings to dictate thoughts into my notepad app while I drove. I was so engrossed in my thoughts, I drove on instinct alone. I don't remember anything about the trip into the office that day except seeing the big green sign reading EXIT 3 pass by my passenger window. Needless to say, I drove an extra 5 miles to get to another exit that would take me to work, but I had the plotline to the entire prequel, so I didn't mind the extra windshield time.

If I can just sit down and focus, I can write a book in 6-9 months. Then I spend a few months editing, proofing. And getting beta readers to proof it. It usually takes a full year, start to finish, to write and publish a book, but that was when I self published. Now with a publisher putting out the books, I have to wait on their processes.

Book 2 is in the editing stages with my publisher but I'll be sure to get your input before we finalize the editing.

Mark

2/20/2025 12:38:40 pm

The Hobbit was a good story!

That is a good use of the Note app on your phone.

I have had experiences of missing an exit because part of my mind was not on the driving. I am amazed I haven't had a serious accident in a long time. I am working on being more present when I am driving.

A year from start to publishing seems pretty common from what other self-publishing authors have told me. The length of the story is a big factor in this scenario of course.

I look forward to getting that early opportunity for the next book. Thank you.

New questions.

Have you ever killed off a character unwillingly because it fit the plot?

With sequels, how do you handle the wishes of readers compared to your original ideas?

J. D. Edwards link

2/20/2025 02:01:58 pm

Yes, I have killed off a character because it fit the plot. You'll find it at the end of Book 3. Actually, more than one character in that book, now that I think about it... One of the deaths, though, still brings tears to my eyes. It's such a tender moment, that many have asked me why I had to do it. All I can say is, "It was necessary. Redemption sometimes comes at a heavy price." I'd love to go into more detail, but we can save that for the Book 3 interview.

I take all reader suggestions seriously. Some suggestions I can incorporate and others need to be included in another book or not at all. For example, you'll learn the status of Drew's friend, Will, at the end of Book 3.

Mark

2/20/2025 03:56:11 pm

A tender moment can make my eyes sweat a little bit. We will see.

Some authors ignore readers' comments. I am glad you don't. But it is true that every reader comes to a book with different expectations and experiences than the author, so they are reading a different book.

New question.

Have you read any fiction books that have changed your perception of that genre or style of writing?

J. D. Edwards link

2/20/2025 05:15:06 pm

I'd say that my style of writing is unique, even among Epic Fantasy authors, since I don't write with adverbs or dialog tags in narrative voice. That didn't come from any other books; I decided to make my voice unique because of a rejection letter I received. The agent told me my style remind her of Terry Brooks. I was happy until I read further. She said, and I quote, "If I wanted to publish a book written like Terry Brooks, I would hire Terry Brooks." I had just finished writing Books 2 and 3, so I re-edited it with a newly developed editing style and then wrote book 4 in a new voice. Beta readers of books 2 and 3 said it was like reading a new book, rather than an edit of an old one. This revised series has all 4 books written in my author voice. Indomitable was the first book I published using that voice and process.

Fiction has influenced how I write, though. There are aspects of Terry Brooks, Tolkien, Stephen Lawhead, J. K. Rowling, and Veronica Roth, in all of my writing. You can't help but be influenced by the books you fall in love with.

Mark

2/20/2025 07:33:34 pm

I didn't notice the lack of adverbs or dialogue tags! Quite spectacular!

Out of that stellar group, I have read only Tolkien. I am missing out! However, I have read several of Donaldson's Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever series and McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. Two wonderful series I read in the previous century.

That is a good point, we are influenced by what we read. When the stories are well written they become a part of us.

New questions.

How do you deal with a difficult section in a WIP?

Have you ever read that section out loud to sort out the difficulty?

J. D. Edwards link

2/20/2025 07:55:36 pm

I’m glad you didn’t notice the absence of adverbs or dialog tags in the narration. That’s the whole point. They slow down the story and tell the reader the story rather than show the reader the story and allow it to manifest in their imagination.

When I reach a difficult section in a WIP, I just go do something else. I read a book, play a Facebook game on my phone, or go outside and do yardwork. Inevitably, when I’m focusing on something else, my subconscious can work on the problem in the background without interference.

When I read sections aloud, it’s in the editing process. I can hear a problem in the manuscript that my eyes missed. If I tried to read it aloud to sort out a difficulty, I’d only be compounding the problem. It would be like pumping the gas when the car engine is already flooded.

Mark

2/21/2025 08:01:03 am

Many authors try to get creative with dialogue tags and that can cause problems for the readers. The staid "said", "asked" or "yelled" function quite well. Converting dialogue tags to action beats can deliver a more powerful story. As long as the author realizes that the grammar rules for action beats are different than dialogue tags.

You did quite well removing adverbs. I have seen some very awkward sentences result from that process. Your book read smoothly.

Editing is difficult, no question about it. For our visitors I want to suggest reading my latest blog on the Words For Thought page elsewhere on my website. Hit the search box below or open the menu for that page. You will find "Wye is it Sew Hard too Proofreed You're Own Work". Nearly twenty ways to trick your brain into seeing your manuscript for the "first" time.

New question.

Do you use music or some other stimulus to cultivate a feeling within that will help you write certain types of scenes?

J. D. Edwards link

2/21/2025 01:50:02 pm

I've heard that wive's tale that "said" is invisible when using dialog tags, but I tried listening to a Michael Creighton book on audio, I think Jurrasic Park 2, and he used "said" so much that it's all I heard. I remember driving down the Interstate and wanting to ram pencils in my eardrums because every 3rd word seemed to be "said". Very annoying. I think Lloyd and Harry got it wrong in Dumb and Dumber when they revealed "the most annoying sound" in the world. They should have just played a Michael Creighton audio book.

Yes, I do use music when writing my books. In fact, I created a soundtrack to the Scions of Faerie using songs that inspired different chapters. The song, "The Call" by Regina Spektor, inspired the ending The Scions of Faerie.i I have an entire set of music for each book. In fact, the ending of every book has been inspired by a song.

Mark

2/21/2025 04:07:36 pm

My eyes slide right past "said" with barely a notice. I know audio books are a different category and I don't doubt that hearing the word repeatedly could drive a person bonkers. I do know I don't find any spelling errors when I am listening to an audio book.

Many authors have told me they listen to music similar to you. Some have different songs for different types of scenes. While I am not much of a music person, many are and they might enjoy seeing your playlist in the back of the book. I think using music in that way is pretty impressive.

New question.

Are there any secrets people are bound to find when they read your books?

J. D. Edwards link

2/21/2025 08:33:43 pm

That's a great question! Yes, my books are filled with hidden secrets. Some are Easter eggs I intentionally hid for people to find, and others foreshadow events in future books. When people ask about the secrets hidden in my books, I tell them that "words mean things," and once they finish reading the whole series, they re-read the series to find the foreshadowing I hid along the way. Nothing is mentioned by whim. Everything mentioned has a purpose and every proper name has a meaning behind it. For example, Turok means "son of stone". Remember what he did to Bran? I originally named him "Tuathal," which is Irish for "Ruling with fervor over the people," but early beta readers didn't like the name, so I changed it to be more ominous. Eshu is a trickster deity in the Yoruba religion of Nigeria. He's connected to 6 other deities... That comes into play in The Underworld of Faerie (Book 1 of the next series, The Dark Realms of Faerie), and it also comes into play in the deleted scenes at the end of the book. There are tons more hidden gems throughout the book, but I don't want to spoil the fun for readers to discover them on their own.

Mark

2/22/2025 08:14:06 am

That is wonderful! I will be paying more attention to the details in the future. It's also fun to learn more about Celtic mythology.

As a boy, I read books about many different mythologies, but I missed finding anything about stories of the Celts. I grew up in a very small town and the library was quite small also. Fewer than 1500 people.

New questions.

Is there any particular time of the day that ideas usually hit you?

Is it hard or easy to connect with your muse, why do you think it is that way?

J. D. Edwards link

2/22/2025 10:31:27 am

I'll be interested to hear what secrets you uncover in the next book. There are many hidden gems, but I can think of one thing in particular that is revealed which I foreshadowed several times in Scions.

It's not surprising to learn you didn't have any Celtic mythology growing up. Aside from the retellings of King Arthur and Merlin, there isn't much Celtic lore out there. I love Rick Riordan (author of Percy Jackson) but he focuses on Greek and Roman mythology. He later branched out into Egyptian and Norse mythology in other series, but Celtic mythology is largely ignored. It's one of the main reasons I chose this particular vein of Epic Fantasy; Nobody was doing it.

It goes back to the reason I wrote Indomitable. People often wonder why a white male is writing the story of a black woman. My answer to that question is the same as why I write about Celtic Mythology: If not me, who? If not now, when? It's a largely unexplored genre, so I can take endless liberties with designing the races, backstories, and mythos.

There is one definitive source of Celtic Mythology that few have heard of called The Mabinogion Tetralogy by Evangeline Walton. Her stories are translated from ancient Celtic stories written in Welsh and Gaelic. No publisher would touch them but she kept writing and translating for decades until someone took a chance on her, like Editingle Indie House did with me. I have the book in my library and it's a wealth of information.

There's no particular time of day when I get ideas. They come to me most often when I'm doing something completely different like driving, taking a shower, mowing grass, etc. I also don't have a muse. You may find that a-musing (sorry, bad pun) but my imagination is always bubbling and simmering with fresh ideas. It's all I can do to write them down.

Mark

2/22/2025 12:12:29 pm

I remember reading tales from northwest Indians, (I grew up in Oregon and Washington), and Norse, Greek and Roman gods. I don't recall if any other stories were available to me in a small town, in the 60s. I do recall reading a story about King Arthur and Merlin also, but that is it.

The ideas never seem to stop for some writers. You are not alone in this regard.

New questions.

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks, audiobooks or print books?

What books are you reading at present for your business as a writer and for pleasure?

J. D. Edwards link

2/22/2025 04:50:18 pm

I always prefer physical books, over digital. I will listen to an audio book when I'm working or driving and need to prime my creative juices, but typically I read physical books. I prefer hardback books, but I'll read paperback if that's all I have available.

I'm currently re-reading all of Terry Brooks' Shannara series (40 books) in chronological order. I am also reading Star Trek paperbacks in published order, but I don't get a chance to read much with all I have going on. Now that I've finished my certification exams, I have to transcribe the manuscripts of Lyman C. Draper and produce 5 transcriptions as soon as possible for the Ohio Genealogical Society. After that, I will either read or write, depending on what strikes my fancy.

Mark

2/22/2025 07:32:12 pm

Congratulations on completing the cert exams. I am sure it wasn't easy.

Forty books is a lot of reading! I hear he is a popular author. That will be fun and comfortable. I would like to read one of his books someday.

New question.

Do you think independent publishers can produce a book as good as mainstream publishers?

J. D. Edwards link

2/22/2025 11:10:31 pm

Yes, the exams were difficult, but I'm glad they're over for the next two years.

Terry Brooks is a phenomenal author and the world-building of Shannara is incredible. His many series spans thousands of years of Shannara's history and the books were not written in chronological order. There is a debate among fans of whether to read in published order or chronological order. It's whatever you prefer, really, but just know that if you read in published order, you're going to be jumping all over the Shannara timeline. I have a feeling the same debates will be held for the Faerie Chronicles someday.

As for publishers, Traditional publishers are set in their ways and will always do what they've always done. Sure, they can produce great books, but so can Independent publishers because the Traditional publishers won't take a chance on someone like me. Trust me... I have 137 rejection letters to prove it. If an author doesn't fit the mold that a Traditional publisher is looking for, they won't bother with the author, but on the flip side, they reject authors who fit the mold too well. If you remember, I was told that if they wanted a book written like Terry Brooks, they'd hire Terry Brooks. Independent publishers are willing to take a chance on fresh voices and for that, as long as their editing is good, I believe they can produce books as good, or even better, than those from Traditional publishers.

Mark

2/23/2025 07:33:38 am

I think I would prefer to read a series like that in chronological order also. I am not a fan of whiplash. ;-)

Traditional publishing is a super, slow-motion train wreck thanks to Amazon. The industry has been contracting for years and that will likely continue. Most of them are one failure-to-launch book away from shutting their doors. Because of that they don't take chances on new authors. Both the publisher and the agent are unpaid until the book sells.

137 rejections is a lot! I think you made the smart move.

New questions.

Is using Twitter and other social media part of your marketing strategy?

How do you convince readers to write a book review?

J. D. Edwards link

2/23/2025 11:04:18 am

Yes, I use social media as part of my marketing strategy, but I use Instagram/Threads more than Twitter since Elon Musk bought it. Nothing against him personally, but since he bought it, there seems to be a huge chasm forming and it's swallowing the writing community whole. People tend to be more political there and the community that was there back in 2010 has moved on. Still, I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Instead, I put a foot in both realms and try to maintain a presence as I have time, which I'm sure you know by now, is at a premium for me.

Every minute I spend on social media, is time I don't have to transcribe journals, or write more chapters. There's only so much time in the day and my job has been taking up much of it lately. I did manage to publish 4 theological books in a 6 month period last year, though. I wrote and published "Illuminating the End Times" and "Illuminating the Gospels" between October and December of 2023. There was so much excitement over the books, that I split "Illuminating the Gospels" into "Illuminating the Parables of Jesus" and "Illuminating the Sermon on the Mount". I published them between January and March of 2024.

This made the books shorter and less expensive. I listed them nearly at cost. I only make a penny or two on each book because I didn't write them to get rich; I wrote them to share the Word of God, and I don't believe people should profit off sharing God's Word. Jesus never did. So, I make it as cheap as possible and if people can't afford it, I buy a copy for them.

Today, I take use each chapter to create devotionals for a Christian Employee Resource Group I'm the Secretary of at work, called SALT. Writing those books so quickly has to be the work of the Holy Spirit because, as you know, I don't write books that fast.

I had been placed on paid administrative leave from work because of my religious beliefs, but it's illegal to do that, so they had to find a more legitimate reason to keep me sequestered. In the end, I was reprimanded for not disclosing that I'm a Fantasy author and that's a "second job" according to HR. So, I signed some forms, took the required training, and promised to disclose my "second job" every year on a conflict of interest form. It was a big old nothing burger, but I was not allowed to work for 5 weeks.

During those 5 weeks, I doubled down. Since I was being put on administrative leave for my faith, I decided to spend my waking hours in the Bible. For 18 hours I day, I devoured the New Testament and my eyes were opened. The Holy Spirit revealed new understanding about the Scriptures, and I spent my remaining free time taking the notes I'd made while reading the scriptures and compiled them into books. I published "Illuminating the End Times" while still on administrative leave and I published "Illuminating the Gospels" shortly before Christmas. That's when I took my LinkedIn account and changed it from a work account to a writing account. My company wants to keep tabs on me anyway, so now they can view my posts about God and my posts about my books.

Wow, I went on a bit of a tangent there, didn't I? LOL! Anyway, the way I convince people to leave a review is through hiring a PR Company. They produced an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) digitally and used their database of readers to select those interested in reading my book in exchange for leaving a review, good or bad, on Amazon and Goodreads. There's no quid pro quo going on as far as leaving a good review, only they have to leave their honest opinion. Some companies promise 5-star reviews, but I don't choose companies like that to represent me. What good are bought and paid for reviews? It cheapens the work and shows the author's lack of faith in their own book. I know I wrote a good book, and I know the readers will respond to that.

I took the same chance with Indomitable and all, but one person left a 4-star or higher review. One person left a 3-star review because they didn't believe the book was historically accurate and they didn't like a white man writing a black woman's story, but that's on them. We all bleed red, and I stand behind my research. I dare any other author to spend 10 years researching a controversial topic like slavery and then writing about it from a historically accurate perspective without prejudicing it with 21st century morality or political correctness. History is what it is and while we may not like to see the truth of it printed on paper, we can't shy away from it or pretend it didn't happen. When we do, we cheapen the struggles of those who had to live through it and denigrate the struggles of those who fought to change the course of this nation and fight for the freedom of all people.

Mark

2/23/2025 01:37:59 pm

I know what you mean about Twitter/X. So many changes since Elon bought it. It has been quite wonky even more than before he took it over. One of the strange things that hasn't changed is Twitter/X follows and unfollows different accounts without my knowledge. I know this is so because I examine every account that follows me before I follow back. There have been hundreds of accounts that follow me back that I would never touch in real life. This has been going on for years.

Social media is a necessary time expenditure for both of us. I could do much more and probably should do much more interacting than I am except then I have less time for proofreading and reding for promotions.

I saw a couple of those books. I love the title. Many think the Bible is so mysterious and a few parts are to a certain extent. Most of it straightforward and very relevant to our times because people don't change, only circumstances and forms change.

Interesting about your company.

The PR company sounds like it is worth it.

There will always be people who are unwilling to consider the viewpoint of another person. Writing is about research and imagination. Some books are heavy on one side or the other while others need both legs to stand on.

I appreciate the work you put into Indomitable. It was one of my favorite books the year I read it.

New question.

What are your thoughts on bad book reviews?

J. D. Edwards link

2/23/2025 04:28:02 pm

Yes, I agree. Social media is a necessary part of our lives, even though it detracts from our productivity.

As for bad reviews, they are what they are. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and while I may not agree with them, they are welcome to say what they want. As long as they aren't personally attacking me, it's all good. Everyone's tastes are different.

Mark

2/23/2025 04:33:30 pm

Good attitude. I remind myself about how different each person's tastes are from mine whenever I go out. I see some people wearing things I wouldn't want to be cremated wearing.

New questions.

Have you thought about doing a book trailer?

If you have done a book trailer how effective do you think it was?

J. D. Edwards link

2/23/2025 06:09:57 pm

Yes, I used a book trailer. It got a lot of interest but I don't know how effective it was. I can only hope it helped the sales. You can see it here. https://youtube.com/shorts/huY3hitwdEo?feature=shared

Mark

2/23/2025 07:24:27 pm

Nice trailer. Some characters were pretty and some very not pretty.

New questions.

Have you thought about doing an audiobook?

Who would you pick to do the audiobook?

J. D. Edwards link

2/23/2025 07:59:23 pm

Yes, I have seriously considered an audio book. Many people have requested it, but the problem is the cost. I would use Audible, if I could, but I don't have thousands of dollars to spend on having it produced. I also checked into AI, but many people refuse to listen to anything done by AI and the technology just isn't there yet to make it sound realistic. I have also looked into producing it myself, but I don't like the sound of my own voice and I doubt other people would like to listen to me drone on for hours. I hope someday I can find a way to produce one that is cost-effective.

Mark

2/24/2025 09:28:58 am

Audiobooks are expensive to produce, no question about that. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to interview the narrator for the promotion of an audiobook. Here is the copy-and-paste link or you can hit the search box below: I had the pleasure of including the narrator of an audiobook I was promoting. His insights were interesting. Here is a copy-and-paste link or hit the search box below.
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/heir-to-a-prophecy-by-mercedes-rochelle-narrated-by-kevin-e-green

Most of us don't like the sound of our voice, it sounds foreign to our ears. To others, our recorded voice sounds normal. Your voice will be pleasing to audiobook consumers I am sure because you are excited about your books. Your passion will not bore the listeners. Emotional inflections are the means to hold the attention of an audiobook listener. Many people read via audiobooks only. I have a good friend that loves to read. His dyslexia prevents him from reading the words on a page. Here is another link that might be useful: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2019/08/07/build-your-own-audio-sound-booth

Audiobooks are a great secondary or tertiary format to offer to consumers. Many readers listen to audiobooks on commutes and long trips. However, very many countries use English as an official language and others have it taught as a second language in schools. There are many millions of these consumers who have only a smart phone to access the internet and for them an audiobook is a great way to read a book.

Audiobooks are expensive to produce. But that industry is undergoing a bit of a shakeup with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, software is becoming much better at producing an audiobook with AI. The robotic voice is disappearing rapidly and is sounding quite human. Many narrators are worried about being put out of business, but I think in the long run AI will be found to be a boon to all involved. First, price conscious consumers will find some audiobooks priced lower. Second, with voice licensing, an author could have their audiobook narrated by a favorite actor at a much lower cost. Third, popular narrators could license their voice and offer a cheaper price point to an author. Fourth, human narrated audiobooks will become the cream of the crop and will be able to collect a commensurable fee. There will be those consumers who want the best and will be willing to pay a premium price. Late last year, I saw an ad for a company that could train an AI to use your voice for narration. I couldn't find it again recently, but I didn't look real hard.

There is another option for financing the production of an audiobook. Here is an article that might be a useful place to start: https://kriswrites.com/2020/07/22/business-musings-the-kickstarted-game-changer-part-two/

Last questions.

How do you relax when you're not writing?

What is your favorite motivational phrase that keeps you going?

J. D. Edwards link

2/24/2025 01:45:13 pm

Thanks for the great links and suggestions. I’ll be sure to check it out in more detail.

When I’m not writing, I enjoy reading for relaxation. Growing up, I put a small sofa in my room, so I could read in peace. Granted, I ignored the rest of the family, but I found it quite peaceful. I also enjoy spending time outside, in nature. When my son was in Boy Scouts, I would take a book with me, sit in the sun, and read.

My favorite motivational phrases come from the Bible. Two of my favorites are Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” and Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Mark

2/24/2025 02:59:56 pm

We are alike in many ways. I love to read for relaxation also.

John 14:12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. This is becoming more real for me now than ever before. It is fast becoming my favorite verse.

I want to thank you, Jeremy, for being a wonderful guest on the Word Refiner channel for this past week. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with you promoting your books.

Until next time, keep on writing.

J. D. Edwards link

2/24/2025 03:14:49 pm

You're right, Mark. We have a lot in common. That's also a great verse.

Thank you for this opportunity! It was a pleasure working with you this last week, as always. I look forward to working with you on the next Faerie Chronicles book or Historical Fiction, whichever comes first.

The Scions of Faerie: The Faerie Chronicles

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