I always love some not-so-serious ways to share things about my writing, and thanks to Mia Harden, I’ve found another one – a three-part link-up post by Christine Smith. So here comes the first part.

The point is simple – three sets of 10 questions, one set in October (you see, I’m quite late), one set in November, and one in December. So I hope to keep it up for three months. As I sometimes have blogging slumps at the end of the year, that may come in handy.

So, on to the 10 October questions that may give you a look behind the scenes of my project, Eternal Defenders:

1. What first sparked the idea for this novel?

In my early teens (so around 2002), I had a couple of fantasy-themed dreams. Those, with snippets from other sources, formed the initial idea. It had changed several times, and the first thing resembling a specific concept were put together around 2013.

2. Share a blurb (or just an overall summary)!

Copy-pasting the blurb as it is on the first book of the trilogy:

For generations, the blessed warriors and magi of the Order of Eternal Defenders had fought to defend their lands from the endless hordes of demons.
The legendary warrior Kraasian Darkwood has lost friends and family to the demons. When Tyr’eshal, his twenty-year-old son, accepts the offer to wield an almost forgotten power, Kraasian realizes there might never be a better chance to defeat the demons forever.
But the resurgence of an underestimated foe with their eyes set on Tyr’eshal, and the challenges of waging a war with just a few Eternal Defenders will test Kraasian and his hope. More so when the cost of victory might be higher than he anticipated.

3. Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects about the setting?

It takes place in my “hand-made” fictional world that I, even after all those years, failed to bless (or curse) with a definite name. Some of the places in the story are based on places that got my attention when I visited them – or just saw them in a documentary – for one reason or another.

4. Tell us about your protagonist(s).

The protagonists – the Order of Eternal Defenders – are a group of blessed warriors and magi fighting to protect their world, mainly the endless army of demons. The main cast involves roughly 15 of them, focusing on three: Kraasian Darkwood, a brave but impulsive and hot-headed warrior; Tyr’eshal Darkwood, Kraasian’s barely-adult son with an unusual gift and a soft side, and Ereanel Owlbeak, a master mage who understands the enemy, as well as magic, better than most.

5. Who (or what) is the antagonist?

There are two main antagonists – an army of demons led by Rezam and the Shadowflame cult – a group of power-hungry magicians. However, there are some other dangers from within that may be revealed in time…

6. What excites you the most about this novel?

Before I got to try writing, I never had any creative hobby, so it’s the process of creating something – no matter how ephemeral – that brings me a lot of fun, even though it often brings frustration as well, when I get stuck.

7. Is this going to be a series? standalone? something else?

The main story is a trilogy (presumably around 180k words each book), though I have ideas for a couple of shorter side-stories acting as prequels.

8. Are you plotting? pantsing? plansting?

Early on, I was pure pantser, but I don’t know if I can say that anymore. My rough first drafts turn into some kind of plan that I then use to continue – though improvisation and going with my feeling is still a major part. So maybe 80:20 in favor of pantsing.

9. Name a few unique elements about this story.

I… don’t really know if there is anything truly unique. I guess that, because I’m working on this project for over 6 years already and know it inside out, including deleted scenes and discarded ideas, it’s hard to see anything unique in it.

10. Share some fun “extras” of the story.

I can share a fun fact: Six years into writing, I still have no idea what I’m doing.

I can also share the sketch of the Royal Palace.

---

So, that’s another look behind the scenes. I’ll see you soon with a more serious post (I hope). In the meantime, keep dreaming!