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I know this sounds ridiculous, but my ideal writing space is a gym. I love it when weights are slamming, I’m sweating, and music is banging. For some reason, that is where I feel most inspired. I think it’s because I’ve always enjoyed refining my craft as a personal trainer and strength coach. There is real creative energy for me in the gym.
My mind is clearest when I’m lifting heavy weights that push out all the other thoughts in my head. It’s like magic: the second my hands touch a barbell, dumbbell, kettle bell, or pulley attachment, the noise turns off and the creative juices flow.
I’ll get ideas in between sets or the music I’m listening to will spark a scene in my brain. I have to keep a notepad or my phone with me at all times in case I get the spark. I like to work out early before the gym gets busy and that helps the most. But if I’m really lucky and the gym is empty, I not only get a ton of ideas, but I can act them out in the mirrors for better effect. One time, a regular gym goer that I knew only because we worked out at the same time, walked in on me planning out an argument for the book and we had a real good laugh. I had to explain that I was writing a book and two characters were fighting. He laughed and told me my secret was safe with him.
Alviton was a strong, prospering country, full of light. The people worked side by side with the Fae, creatures blessed with magic. But that was before the war. Massive genocide and fear of the Fae touched everyone as brother turned against brother. Years later, and still reeling from the war, the new generation has clawed and connived to remove the stains left by their predecessors.
Sheltered from this reality, Nydia lives her life relatively happy and ignorant, surrounded by smoke and mirrors. But eventually glass shatters and smoke settles. As she struggles to unveil the truth about herself and the people around her, danger lies on the horizon, threatening to extinguish the small flicker of light in this dark and twisted country.
Enjoy an Excerpt
“Magic is as real as you and me. It flows, like life, throughout everything, though humans don’t necessarily have access to it, though I hope to figure out a way,” he mused.
“Well, have you ever heard of a human using them to share visions like this?” I asked.
“Heh,” he lugged over two large blue and red books, “I haven’t even read of the Fae doing something like that. So, you’ve actually given me something else to be looking into.”
I wrung out my hands, feeling anxiously defeated. “So, tell me more about yourself Brian. You’re obviously different from most people in our kingdom,” he asked, not really looking up from his desk. “Well, I’m a merchant. I’m married to a designer named Lillian. I grew up in Valicitor,” I started.
“Ah, Valicitor? That’s interesting.”
He looked at the map again. “You wouldn’t happen to be related to the new governor of that city, Kale Valen?”
A mix between pride and shame that I couldn’t quite pin shadowed over me. “Yes, he’s my brother.”
“No kidding? Heh,” he crossed his arms and propped against the table.
“Please tell me how a man like Governor Valen and you get along?”
I looked at the ground, conflicted. “It’s okay. It must be hard, but rest assured my family and I are doing everything in our power to stop the branding, isolating, selling, and abusing our citizens because they lack a piece of paper stating their lineage. Such an outdated practice that has only been proliferated by greed and selfishness.”
A ray of light shone through the shadows of my mind. “You are?”
About the Author: Clark has had this story in their head for over a decade, and they finally got it on paper. Clark used their other hobbies—weight lifting and crocheting—to help develop ideas and work through any blocks. They grew up in the south of the United States with their large family. Clark is happily married with two sweet dogs and an apathetic ball python.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Expect more to the story!
Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Book Depository.
Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a good book.