Interview with Reed Logan Westgate, Author of Soulstealer Mistress Of The Waterfall
07 Jun 2023
What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Soulstealer Mistress Of The Waterfall?
The Soulstealer series was driven by the many fans of the Baku Trilogy who simply fell in love with the enigmatic necromancer Oxivius. The clamoring for more Oxivius content led me to go back and tell the story of the failed horseman of death, the cannibal necromancer Oxivius. The series follows the life of a near immortal character which has allowed me to write an urban fantasy themed character as they progress through the ages. Mistress Of The Waterfall brings Oxivius to the Mayflower and the journey to the new world.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Soulstealer Mistress Of The Waterfall, what would they be?
I picture Oxivius with a backdrop of Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out for a Hero.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
Urban fantasy has definitely become my favorite genre. Growing up I mainly read fantasy and mystery books, as I got older pop culture shows like Buffy and Supernatural turned my interest more to the Urban Fantasy genre and I have been having a blast writing it ever since.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
That’s a really long list, but I’ll narrow it down to the top handful of front runners. Bob the Wizard, Dyer Street Punk Witches, Deathless Beast, and The Legend of Tawhiri.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
The ending to be honest, but to avoid spoilers, I am going to say the moment when Oxivius summons the Viking Draugr from the depths of the Atlantic to save the Mayflower. Often we see the necromancer with the armies of skeletal hordes or zombies and so the powerful moment when he calls to those lost at sea was just a phenomenally fun scene to write.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I write mainly on weekends as my work week is pretty crazy. I start with a quick jump through the shower and a cold Mean Bean Monster Java. My lab-dane mix, Ace, usually crawls under my desk and lays across my feet. He is totally my writing buddy and will snuggle for hours as I type away.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
Probably my favorite quote from my first book. “That’s the secret, love. It’s not about finding what you’re searching for…it’s about valuing what you find.”
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
Oxivius isn’t a monster. He very well could be. The world wants him to be. It would be easier for him to just give in and be the monster that society wants him to be. He is a man because he chooses to be. Oxivius overcomes all his challenges, all his obstacles, because of the voices like Valeria who tell him he can be more. Never underestimate the power you give someone by believing in them.
Reed Logan Westgate is the author of the new book Soulstealer Mistress Of The Waterfall
Connect with Reed Logan Westgate
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