A conversation with Matthew D. Ryan, author of 'The Children of Lubrochius'

What was the inspiration for this series?

I wanted to write a fantasy series prominently featuring a vampire as well as demons and demon cultists. Basically, I wanted to write a series that I would have liked reading when I was younger. The storyline and setting were inspired by many years of gaming in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons and similar role-playing games. The vampire character was inspired by Count Dracula from Bram Stoker’s book “Dracula.” The other characters are, at least to a certain extent, personifications of various ideologies and philosophies. For example, Coragan was inspired by a peaceful socialist I knew in college. Regecon was inspired by the aristocratic ideology. Agyrra is a relativist; Gilliad is an absolutist. Etc....

This book is the first in the series. How many do you anticipate there being? Do you have a timeline in place? May we have a sneak peek into book 2?

There is actually a prequel to “The Children of Lubrochius” entitled “Drasmyr.” Including the prequel, I expect to write a total of five books. I’ve started Book II (the third of the five) entitled “The Sceptre of Morgulan.” As for a timeline, I don’t have a rigid one in place. I’m basically writing the series one book at a time. I do outline each book before I start writing (except “Drasmyr,” that was written almost stream-of-consciousness many years ago), and I do have a fairly good idea where everything is heading. As far as a sneak peak is concerned, I will only say that Book II will deal with the race between Korina and Coragan to acquire the Sceptre of Morgulan and the arrival of Morgulan on the scene. It will be focused largely on events that take place in Drisdak and in Rahmin Muirdra.

How do your vampire stories stand out from others in this competitive genre?

I’m a bit old school. Before writing “Drasmyr” (the prequel) I went back and read Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and based my vampire’s abilities, powers, and general disposition on the legendary Count. My vampire is not sparkly; he’s not someone you want to love, nor even hang around with. He is evil, through and through; sinister and cunning. He makes a potent adversary and a powerful villain. My book is really a fantasy book featuring a vampire rather than strictly a member of the vampire genre by itself. I always describe it as a mix of Middle Earth and Dracula. As such, it provides an intense adventure that one would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.

Are you working on any other projects?

Mostly just book II, “The Sceptre of Morgulan.” I barely have time to work on this series, let alone another entire project. Well, maybe a few short stories here and there. Oh, and there is also a short non-fiction book about mental Illness I wrote a few years ago that I intend to release as an ebook. But like I said, I never seem to have enough time in the day to accomplish as much as I would like. I am very busy.

What lessons have you learned along your writing journey?

Perhaps the most obvious and powerful lesson is that writing is my vocation. I’ve written off and on since I was a young boy. And for a good ten years or more after college I wasn’t sure what I should do with my life. I would try writing, move to something else, then go back to writing. I always went back to writing. I finally decided that that was where I belonged. Currently, I’m not sure if it should be fantasy writing, but I am convinced it should be writing. Finally, I know. And I’m comfortable with that knowledge.

What can you be found doing when not writing?

I read (which is pretty much a prerequisite for writing); I watch TV news programs; and I watch movies with friends. I occasionally practice yoga or martial arts (neither one of which have I done in quite some time now). The rest of my time is spent cooking, doing yard work, and other household tasks for my father and me. Oh, and I also eat out a lot with friends, or with my dad, or even sometimes all by myself.

What is something readers may be surprised to learn about you?

I have a medical condition which sometimes leads to depression which basically takes me out of the picture for weeks on end at a time. It makes things very difficult. The worst is when I schedule activities and get hit with depression during the time I’ve scheduled stuff. I think I would be far more effective and I would be in a much better place if not for this. But there’s no use really complaining; I just have to buck up and carry on.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I’m currently going through something of a spiritual crisis. I’m not sure if I’m going to continue as a fantasy writer after this one series. I’m thinking of shifting into a more spiritual focus, writing about religion and the culture and such. I’m not sure. Probably, I’ll continue to write fantasy, but at a somewhat slower pace as I write the spiritual stuff too.

Thank you so much for your time!

Children of Lubrochius

by Matthew D.Ryan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

The vampire, Lucian val Drasmyr, has been defeated, but not destroyed: Now he serves another evil: Korina Bolaris, a young and gifted sorceress bent on subverting the power structure of Drisdak. Only Coragan of Esperia can hope to stop them. But is even he prepared to face the dark cult who claims her as their own: the Children of Lubrochius?

Read an excerpt:

Several hours later, Gaelan stood at attention in the Fire Hawk Sparring Arena in the Western Guard Barracks of the city of Drisdak. Prinson and Retlin, the two other young guild guardsmen from his earlier assignment were with him. Each of them still wore his chain mail armor and the now sweaty undercoat, but had relinquished his steel sword at the entrance to the arena. Anduri stood in front of them with several wooden practice swords lying at his feet. Behind them, about thirty city guards busily worked on a calisthenic routine.

Gaelan watched Anduri unclasp the real sword at his side, place it on the floor behind him, and then bend to pick up one of the wooden ones.

Gaelan stood at attention. I’m ready, he thought. Finally, I’m going to learn to fight … to kill. The thought lodged in his breast, hard and solid like a chicken bone in his throat. He knew what he wanted. He wanted this. But …

Better to die a peaceful man, than live with the stains of murder. His father had taught him that. It was the last line of the Aspallan peace oath. Aspalla of the White Palm, Lord of Healing and Counsel, was one of the most revered gods of the Paradisian Circle. He was the father of the goddess Auraria and the personal counselor of Mardikkar Evilbane, King of the Gods. He was also Gaelan’s patron deity, the deity he’d worshipped his whole life.

Buy links

Amazon \ Smashwords

There is a 50% off coupon for this book at Smashwords. Click here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/415779 and then use coupon code: LX23U to receive 50% off. Coupon expires June 28, 2014.

The prequel to “The Children of Lubrochius” is “Drasmyr” and is free pretty much everywhere! Here are the buy links:

•Smashwords (ebook) https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/131156

• Barnes and Noble (ebook) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/drasmyr-matthew-ryan/1109505934?ean=2940033064731

• Amazon (ebook) http://www.amazon.com/Drasmyr-Ashes-Ruin-Matthew-Ryan-ebook/dp/B008M2I0WI/ref=la_B008NY99CK_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393872828&sr=1-1

• Sony (ebook) https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/matthew-d-ryan/drasmyr-prequel-from-the-ashes-of-ruin/_/R-400000000000000665030

• Kobo (ebook) http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/drasmyr-prequel-from-the-ashes-of-ruin

• Diesel (ebook) http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/item/SW00000131156/Ryan-Matthew-Drasmyr/1.html

• Lulu.com (hardcover) http://www.lulu.com/shop/matthew-d-ryan/drasmyr/hardcover/product-20712659.html

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Matthew D. Ryan is a published author living in upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain. Mr. Ryan has a background in philosophy, mathematics, and computer science. He has a black belt in the martial arts and studies yoga. He has been deeply involved in the fantasy genre for most of his life as a reader, writer, and game designer. He is the operator of the web-site matthewdryan.com which features his blog, “A Toast to Dragons,”a blog dedicated to fantasy literature, and, to a lesser extent, sci-fi. Mr. Ryan says he receives his inspiration from his many years as an avid role-player and fantasy book reader. He has spent many long hours devising adventures and story-lines for games, so it was a natural shift moving into fantasy writing.

Mr. Ryan is the author of the exciting dark fantasy novel, Drasmyr,, its sequel, The Children of Lubrochius, and a growing number of short stories. His first novel, Drasmyr, has consistently earned reviews in the four and five star range and serves as the prequel to his upcoming series: From the Ashes of Ruin. In addition to Drasmyr and The Children of Lubrochius, Mr. Ryan has published several short stories on-line, including: “Haladryn and the Minotaur,” “The River’s Eye,” and “Escape.”

Links to the Author on the Internet

Author’s website: http://matthewdryan.com

Author’s Smashwords Page: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/matthewdryan

Author’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000038781652

Author’s Amazon Author Central Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/matthewdryan

Author’s Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/579148.Matthew_D_Ryan

Matthew will be awarding a $20 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn host.

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