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| Author Paul B. Thompson |
Author, Paul B. Thompson began his association with Enslow Publishers in 2007 with a 160-page biography of Joan of Arc. His interest in history forms a link through his body of work for Enslow, including his most recent effort, the fantasy fiction trilogy called "The Brightstone Saga." The first book in this venture -- The Brightworking -- was published this fall to positive reviews. Following up The Brightworking is our January 2013 release of Book II -- The Fortune-Teller. The trilogy's culmination -- The Battle for the Brightstone -- is scheduled for a Fall 2013 release.
We recently spoke with Thompson about his writing, how he approaches his work, and the rewards and challenges he faces as an author of historical fiction and fantasy fiction.
Enslow: What inspires you to write and
why?
Paul: There are several ways to answer this question. For one thing, I
love writing. It's the most satisfying work I've ever done (and I've done a lot
of different things in my life). I am inspired by what I read also. History is
my first and foremost love when it comes to books, and I thrilled to many a
page when I was young. My fiction writing is almost always an adaptation of
history--whether in plot, character, situation, style, or setting. Even my
science fiction and fantasy writing is historically based.
On a more personal level, I am always inspired by wife,
Elizabeth.
Enslow: Would you say you experience
writer’s block more or less when writing your sorcerer and wizard characters than
with your historical fiction characters?
Paul: Not at all. I have never experienced writer's block. In my view,
sorcerers, wizards, robots, aliens, or any other fantastic character are really
just people under their robes, rivets, or scales. Truly alien or magical
characters would be very difficult to write about or understand, since their
place in reality would be far different than ours. To keep things realistic, a
wizard can be considered the doppelganger of any other driven, powerful type: a
banker, a general, a scientist, et. al.
Enslow: How is your writing process
different for historical fiction books from your fantasy fiction books?
Paul: It's different in a very obvious way. Historical fiction
requires precise research. You need to know names, dates, places, etc. in order
to be historically accurate. And boy, do you hear about it if you're not
accurate! Fantasy fiction only has to be internally consistent. If the hero's
eyes are blue in Chapter 3, they need to be blue in Chapter 11, unless there's
a plot reason they've changed. Readers notice mistakes in fiction too, but
they're less vociferous than history buffs.
Enslow: How is the Brightstone Saga
different from your Dragonlance series? How are they similar?
Paul: Dragonlance was created by other people, and six books were
published before I had a hand in writing any. It was very popular, and still
has a very loyal fan base. Over the years I've gotten a lot of flak about not
cleaving to the holy writ of Dragonlance lore. Some of this criticism was
deserved, but most of it wasn't. Because I did not originate the series, a lot
of fans decided I had no right to change *anything* about the series, even
after I wrote or co-wrote more than a dozen titles in the series. (Do I
sound grumpy about this? I am.) The Brightstone Saga is my story, start to
finish, so this problem of faithfulness does not arise.
Another difference is the 'pitch' of the stories. Dragonlance
was aimed at a general audience, though in fact the majority of Dragonlance
readers are males between 15 and 25. The Brightstone Saga is meant for much
younger readers, and I hope it is enjoyed by boys and girls alike. Dragonlance
had very strict guidelines on the level of sex, violence, occultism, etc., you
could put in, though the enforcement of these guidelines tended to vary with
who was editing you. Because The Brightworking Saga is intended for younger
readers, there's no question of loading it with mature themes and actions.
Similarities between the two series are a medieval setting, the
use of magic, non-human characters, monsters, etc., and a general reliance on
Western traditions of good vs. evil. Both series are youth-oriented. The heroes
tend to be young people, though Mikal and Lyra are actually younger than
typical Dragonlance protagonists, who tend to be past their teens.
Enslow: What types of books have
influenced your writing of fantasy fiction?
Paul: History, surely, particularly ancient history up to the onset of
the Dark Ages--say 4000 BCE to 470 CE. You can see this in the names and
politics of The Brightstone Saga. Mikal's home country, Phalia, is modelled
loosely on medieval Germany. The Florian Empire has aspects of the Roman
Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the seagoing realms of ancient Greece.
As for fictional influences, I always enjoyed the historical
fantasies of L. Sprague de Camp, Fritz Leiber, and C. L. Moore--de Camp
especially. I stopped reading new science fiction and fantasy some years ago
(busman's holiday), so contemporary writers have not influenced me. There are
other famed fantasists I will not name whom I actively dislike, and
deliberately avoid their work.
When people ask me, what is the best fantasy novel ever written,
my usual answer is THE WANDERING UNICORN by Manuel Mujica-Lainez. A great
book.
Enslow: Where did your idea for Master Harlano,
the evil wizard from the Brightstone Saga, come from? Is he based on anyone you
know?
Paul: I'll take the 5th Amendment on that. I had a supervisor many
years ago who acted like Harlano (smiling when he was about to do something
really unpleasant). He never turned anyone to stone, but he could bore you to
death.
Harlano's politics are old-school, counter-reformation, and
reactionary. There are many examples of this kind of thinking throughout the
history of world, even today.
: What obstacles did you face
creating the imaginary medieval world in the Brightstone Saga?
Paul: It wasn't hard. I've been writing fantasy since 1985, and I've
read many novels and works of non-fiction on the pre-industrial world of
western Europe. The concept of magic in The Brightstone Saga wasn't hard
either. It basically works like magnetism. The hardest part of the plot was the
social order. In real medieval times, most men, all women and children had zero
rights and privileges. If I wrote a realistic story set in medieval times,
modern readers used to social and political diversity would be appalled. Even
so, you have to adapt modern sensibilites to a fantasy setting, to give the
flavor of the Middle Ages or ancient times without the Hobbesian desperation.
Having working magic helps, since access to magical power is open to anyone.
Indeed, the cause Harlano fights for is determined to undo this democratic
access to the power of magic, so it all dovetails together well, I think.
Enslow: Without giving anything away,
what can readers expect from “The Fortune-Teller” the second book in the
trilogy that’s coming out in January?
Paul: More action! The Brightworking is structured like a mystery--the
main thrust of the plot concerns Mikal's gaining knowledge about magic, Orry,
and the world he lives in. The Fortune-Teller is a chase story. I won't give
away who's chasing whom, but a lot more ground is covered, and some wild new
characters turn up.
Enslow: What specific challenges did you
face while writing “The Battle for the Brightstone” the third and final book in
the Brightstone Saga?
Paul: When writing an epic, it's important to include a human scale,
so things don't become detached and impersonal. Grand forces are at work in
Book III, but I had to keep Mikal and his friends at center stage, so the
readers will know how they feel and what they experience. Empires, lords,
armies and navies clash, but it's a slightly older and wiser Mikal (and
company) who have to come through. Do they save the world? Stay tuned!
We'd like to thank Paul Thompson for taking the time to do this interview.
Anyone who wishes to review The Fortune-Teller may request a complimentary copy by sending an email to customerservice@enslow.com.
The Fortune-Teller and The Brightworking can be purchased directly from Enslow Publishers. The books are also available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Institutional buyers may also purchase them from their preferred vendor.
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