Title: Steel, Magick
and Faith
Author: T.P. Grish
Series: The Remus Rothwyn Chronicles (#1)
Genre: Epic Fantasy/Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Oct 16 2012
Edition/Format Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
In the ancient and
wild world of Glenryth, Fey creatures and a nascent humanity have come into
conflict, the motives of each other mutually unfathomable and alien.
Technological cults and Monotheistic religions are worshipped, any suspicion of
pagan or fey magickal taint is reviled. Prophets spread far and wide, offering
hope and comfort to the beleaguered masses. Mankind is not totally separate
from the energies that suffuse Glenryth, as an unfortunate few are born as
Touched.
When local dwarves put a curse upon the town of High Peaks,
Remus, the aloof and irritable woodcutter and sage, must try and ebb the tide
of xenophobic anger that could engulf himself and any other folk that are
labelled as outcasts. But when a caravan of technocrat pilgrims fails to
arrive, and the body of a local child is found in the woodlands, Remus, along
with the capricious Touched Elaina, must try to understand the nature of
morality in a world cloaked in suspicion and fear, and, ultimately, to prevent
a brewing war that could send the region spiraling into chaos and destruction.
Excerpt
'You know, where I come from, farmers and peasants have to
eke out a hardscrabble existence, day in and day out', said Perfidian
unexpectedly. Remus and Elaina looked at him as he went on. 'There wasn't the
luxury of helping a neighbour, or sharing with a neighbour, when a man had to struggle
to feed his own. When I left my house and my father, mother, and siblings; my
father was not worried for my safety. As I told him I wanted to go out and
experience the world outside of my hometown, he simply gave me his old suit of
chain from his army days, what coin he could spare, and told me to be on my
way. I cannot blame him, and am grateful for what he gave. But, one thing that
I have discovered to be exceedingly rare in this world is true friendship; true
willingness to sacrifice to keep a loved one safe. Both of you have that'.
Perfidian sat silent for a few moments, sipping his tea and
letting his words sink in. 'You two are too stubborn to admit it, or appreciate
it, but you have that most rare of things'. Although he criticized them both, he
predominantly glanced in Remus' direction when he used the word 'stubborn'. 'I
have had an experience travelling with you two, that I will never forget. This
was my first foray out into the wider world, my first adventure as an amateur
bard. I couldn't have asked for a better group to travel in; as where else
could I find two individuals who were dedicated enough to risk all to stop a
war!'
Places to find: Steel, Magick, and Faith
Books
A Million (BAM)
Title: The Shard of Palrinah
Author: T.P. Grish
Series: The Remus Rothwyn Chronicles (#2)
Genre: Epic Fantasy/Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 30 2013
Edition/Format Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
After saving High Peaks from a devastating war between
Humankind and Fey, Remus and Elaina head to the grand city of Yondern to
continue their adventures, yearning for excitement and the chance to do good.
However, the long-brewing political conflict between the
Steelwielders and Paragonites has erupted into open war, and try as they might,
the travelers cannot escape the eye of suspicious factions. Once-friendly
factions have turned wary, and they find themselves allying with those who they
would least expect.
An old friend, the bard Perfidian, confronts them with
troubling information, hinting at a deeper objective to the brewing war, and
possibly to an object of power that could wreak devastation upon the land in
the hands of the power-hungry.
The
three friends must discover what the Steelwielder technocrats and Paragonite
monks are truly seeking in a remote corner of Glenryth, in a deadly game of cat
and mouse involving dark and sinister forces, both Human and otherwise.
Excerpt
‘Now, it seemed that there was no option but to kill the humans
that had ventured to this mountainous realm, and take their artefact, to see if
it could be used for the good of Fey. Most likely it would be destroyed, to
prevent any human faction from gaining power or prominence with it. Elves
disdained using any human invention or magick, although the time of humans
bearing the ability to create artefacts was long gone, and even during that
time, only very few artefacts were created, and at great cost’.
Places to find: The Shard of Palrinah
Books
A Million (BAM)
Title: Though
Darkness Comes
Author: T.P. Grish
Series: The Remus Rothwyn Chronicles (#3)
Genre: Epic Fantasy/Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: Sept 26 2014
Edition/Format Available In: eBook & Print
Blurb/Synopsis:
Having fled to Norlathaa to hide themselves, and the mighty
Shard of Palrinah, from the foes who mercilessly hunt them, Remus and his
companions must navigate the deadly political landscape of double-crosses and
power grabs that confronts them.
The Steelwielders and Paragonites pursue the holy item of
power, taking advantage of the sweltering corruption that plagues the monarchic
government of Norlathaa, spreading a web of eyes and ears. Other factions stalk
the shadows of the temperate land, agents of the great Cities, and Fey tribes
congregate in their lairs, enacting a great magick to counter the rise of
whatever group of Humanity claims the artefact.
Old friends and enemies become intermeshed in the conflict,
and Remus, Elaina and Perfidian must find safe harbour in the bard’s homeland,
struggling to understand the meaning of home and the ramifications of power,
and, ultimately, to seek a way to end the threat the Shard of Palrinah bodes
for Glenryth, once and for all.
The Remus Rothwyn Chronicles is a dark, epic fantasy series
with mythological elements and a nuanced world with complex perspectives.
Excerpt
'Remus felt a new surge of power, urging him to unleash more
terrible magick at the surviving bandits, who had threatened his friends so. He
struggled to resist unleashing lethal magick against the two men who had
surrendered, who were being disarmed of their packs and tied up by his allies.
The battle was won, and he was no murderer of unarmed foes.
But, the promise of unleashing power to finish off the vagabonds, to lick
against their flesh and bone, continued to surge. Lightning and sparks began to
emanate from the gem-like shard at the artefact’s tip, which glowed hungrily.
Grunting, Remus jerked his arm back, holstering the artefact
under his cloak once again. He felt the tingling fade. Looking up, he saw
Elaina and Queluth staring concernedly at him.
What had he almost done?'
Places to find: Though Darkness Comes
Places to find: Remus Rothwyn Chronicles Box Set
Where
do the ideas for your books come from?
From
small, interesting ideas that pop into my head. I collect them, remember them,
and write them down, until they coalesce into something a story can be based
around. My Remus Rothwyn series started off with an idea to write a fantasy
novel where the magick elements and non-human creatures (Fey) resembled the
creatures of myth in temperament, bizarreness and complexity. Dwarves, elves
and strange creatures that were not simply humans with exaggerated
features/traits, but truly possessing a perspective that was valid to them, but
inscrutable, and terrifying to the human mind. Then, I thought of how humans
would react to that- cities and towns peppering the wilderness, factions and
faiths offering hope to Humanity, conflict between Fey and the expanding human
race. I thought of compelling characters to fill the world. Remus is a man born
a normal human, but through his choices, his curiosity, his perspective, he is
placed outside of both the conventional human life, and that of the unexplained
world. The book has a quasi-medieval setting because that is the setting that
has always interested me the most.
Have
you ever co-written book/books? If so was it difficult? If not would you ever
consider co-writing with another author?
I
have not. I would be happy to do it if the author had a style that complemented
my own, and if we created a world together, or perhaps created a book out of
short stories from each of our worlds, as separate stories occurring in
different worlds, but sharing similar themes, and thus coexisting in a fantasy
omnibus. I would not co-write novels set in my world, because I think that
would be strange- for better or for worse, a world should stay in the mind of
the writer who created it! Just my opinion, and of course there are great
worlds that have been the original product of two or more minds.
Where
do you get your character names from?
A
lot of them just pop into my head, perhaps from all the fantasy novels I have
read! I do have to force myself, sometimes, to ensure the names feel right for the character. The
character Weylin, who's not a very nice chap, originally was named Gnol (silent
g). Why? Because that is the first name that popped into my head, and I was too
stubborn to change it. But then I thought, the name Gnol does not evoke anything.
I wanted a name that seemed ordinary (for Weylin does not stand out in any real
way, unless of course he is summoning a fire storm upon you), and as a young
man he was a needy, malevolent individual with very human motivations. As he
gets older and more experienced, he becomes more subtle, less prone to
outbursts, but his plans for the world become more dark. Weylin seemed like a
name that fit, although I am sure some would disagree! I don't put too much
effort into them, just a name that I think of, which evokes, in a minor degree,
the nature of the character.
What
type of research goes into your writing?
I
don't do historical research on mythology, and most of my research is reading
other fantasy novels (which I would do anyway), figuring out things like pace,
balance of prose, variation of sentence structure and things of that nature.
Once I have a collection of ideas for the main plot and sub-plots, I simply
start writing. The internet is a real boon with fiddly details though- what is
the bulwark on a ship? What are the different parts of a ship's body called?
How would peat be harvested and sold in a small village?
Are
your family and friends supportive of your writing?
Yes
very, although writing books, and fantasy, are not things they are interested
in, which makes me even more appreciative that they make the effort to be
interested. Of course, both myself and my family and friends agree that I need
to have other eggs in different baskets, for although I would love to make a
living writing so I could do it full-time, and would be happy to do it if I
could, it is difficult being a writer, and things take a long time, if they do
happen.
Do
you remember when your interest in writing came about?
I
have been fascinated by fantasy all my life; the thrilling stories and magic,
daring do, and then, as I got older, I appreciated the complex characters and
themes in good fantasy books and video games. Authors such as R.A. Salvatore
spiked my imagination, as well as Ursula Le Guin, Robin Hobb etc. I started writing
when I was a child, short stories involving mages, magic, quests... but Steel,
Magick and Faith was my first major novel.
Other
than writing what are your interests?
Reading,
not just fantasy, occasionally other genres. Watching good TV (comedy shows
like The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Last Week Tonight, The Simpsons,
Family Guy, Futurama etc.) Playing video games on the PC and Xbox 360 (mostly
RPGS, but occasionally every other genre really. I am happy about the
renaissance of old-school RPGs, and the point-and-click adventure genre. I do
occasionally play blockbuster, more mainstream games- they are good for a
break). I also enjoy eating a meal with family and friends, at restaurants or
at home, and going for a walk- it helps clear your head.
Did
you learn anything from writing your books, if so what was it?
Oh
boy, a lot. Besides the boring stuff like writing style (which I am still
working on), I grew a lot. It sounds corny, but writing a book teaches you a
lot about perseverance, dealing with frustration and patience. It was rewarding
putting ideas and feelings I had about my real life and the real world, into an
interesting fantasy setting. I love when readers/potential readers interact in
a constructive way, whether it is praise, criticism or to clarify, and being
honest about what you think/who you are is very important for a writer.
What
are your current WIP? Can you share with us?
The
fourth book in The Remus Rothwyn Chronicles, of course! It will be titled
'Wrath and Ruin', and there are a WHOLE lot of plot points that are going to be
exciting to write about. Characters searching for their families, factions
rising (and perhaps falling), Weylin taking some serious initiative, and
potential Cataclysms.
I
have had an idea for a completely different fantasy series, one lighter and
more swashbuckling, in mind for a while, but I am not sure when I will get to
that. I like my Remus Rothwyn series, and I hope others will too. :)
Faves
Food:
Peking Duck, Indian Lamb over rice, but mostly hearty, healthy home-cooked fare
Color:
Green
Quote:
“Always
be a first rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone
else.”
― Judy Garland
“To
do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful
thing: that is enough for one man's life.”
― T.S. Eliot
Movie:
Dragonheart, Office Space, LOTR Trilogy (eclectic I know)
Music:
Video game RPG soundtracks, Jack Johnson
This or That
Day
or Night: Day
Rain
or Snow: Snow
Facebook
or Twitter: Facebook
Mac
or PC: PC
Coffee
or Tea: I prefer just water (hot or cold depending on the weather), and very
occasionally coffee, tea or soft drinks
Thanks
for the opportunity!
T.P. Grish devoured
fantasy books since he was a kid, particularly liking character-based fantasy
novels with exciting sequences, complex stories and a lode of deeper meaning.
Although he also loved fantasy movies and hobby gaming, his dream to write his
own fantasy novels was always at the forefront. Today, he is a PhD doctoral
student and part-time business writer who can't help but daydream about writing
novels for you to read.
Places to find: T.P. Grish
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