What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Crusader: The Complete Series (Books 1 to 4)?
The Crusader Series was born out of my love for historical fiction and epic fantasy. I’ve always been fascinated by the gritty and grand tales of medieval Europe. Add a dash of dark fantasy, and you get a rich, immersive world where faith, duty, and personal redemption play key roles. It’s a blend of my obsession with history and my passion for exploring the human psyche during turbulent times.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Crusader: The Complete Series (Books 1 to 4), what would they be?
I have a bit of a Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac obsession, so for Edweene the Lych, “Sisters of the Moon” by Fleetwood Mac is perfect. It captures her mysterious and powerful nature. Aaron could have “Brothers in Arms” by Dire Straits playing in the background, reflecting his loyalty and inner struggles.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
My favorite genres to read are epic fantasy and gothic horror. I love diving into dark, atmospheric tales that pull you into their world. Reading in these genres helps me to create sometimes dark, complex characters and immersive settings that blend heroism, something we seemed to have lost in fiction, with gritty, and dark themes.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
Let’s get weird with my TBR pile! Every year, I re-read “Dracula” because you can never have too much of the Count. I’m also working through a mountain of pulp favorites like Conan, Lovecraft, and Poe. Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser are waiting for another visit, and one of these days, I’m going to tackle the last few books of the behemoth that is the Wheel of Time series. But, what I am really looking for are some indy or small press authors to support.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
Probably impossible to say. I like the struggles between Aaron and Edweene in general–their relationship, Aaron’s commitment to his faith, and the trouble and complexity that comes with their attachment to each other. From an action standpoint, one of my favorite scenes to write was Edweene’s confrontation with the necromancer. The tension was palpable, the stakes were high, and the deep emotional undercurrents allowed me to really delve into her character’s complexities and motivations.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
Absolutely! As mentioned before, I’m a bit obsessed with Stevie Nicks, so I write to her darker, ethereal stuff. Her voice helps me escape where I am and enter some different, fantastic place. I don’t write in big blocks of time and often multitask between stories. Sometimes I write at work to escape whatever stressor I have at the moment, or during lunch. Writing is a constant draw for me, but it comes in bits and pieces. I can write large swaths of a story in a day, but it will be in little blocks, with cookies, coffee, and roast beef sandwiches in between.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
This is hard. I am not usually a “quotes to live by” person. But there is a line in Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” from Van Helsing, when he is encouraging Jonathan, Arthur, Quincy and John, to go after the count with him, where he says: “But we are face to face with duty; and in such case must we shrink? For me, I say, no; but then I am old, and life, with his sunshine, his fair places, his song of birds, his music, and his love, lie far behind. You others are young. Some have seen sorrow; but there are fair days yet in store. What say you?” I think this idea of heroism in the face of darkness, there is risk, and sacrifice, but light will win out if we do our duty (in the moral sense) and face the darkness, is great. So much entertainment today is nihilistic. But hope in the face of challenge and risk is a better message. One can have a dark, gritty story, and not be resolved to misery in the end.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
I hope readers remember the resilience and complexity of the characters. Their struggles with faith, identity, and redemption are central to the story. If readers can take away a sense of inspiration from the characters’ journeys to persevere, adapt, and even evolve, when odds are set against them, or their faith and beliefs are challenged, I’d view that as a success.
JP Wilder is the author of the new book The Crusader: The Complete Series (Books 1 to 4)
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