Greetings my lovely followers, this week’s post is not your average IBD post. This week, I would like to introduce you to D. M. Elder, the author of Origin of Souls: A Tangled Vyne of Truth & Lore. This book, which is being released on April 14th of 2015, is the first installment in the Zyndervyne fantasy novel series. Why should you care? Because we’ve teamed up to help raise awareness AND funds for Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis. Check out my exclusive interview with the author! (PS. Read to the very end to find out how you can raise awareness and have a chance to win an #IBDninja bracelet!)
CN: What is the title of the book?
DME: It’s titled Origin of Souls: A Tangled Vyne of Truth & Lore, under the Zyndervyne series. It’s only the first part of many to come!
CN: Tell me what is Zyndervyne?
DME: It’s the name of the series and it’s the name given to a mysterious power that allows humans to alter their environment.
CN: Where did you come up with the concept?
DME: Back in the late months of 1994, a friend and I mulled over the concept.
CN: How long have you been in the process of writing the book?
DME: From 1994 to about 2003 it was just a dream that I had, but in ’03 I started seriously writing it.
CN: How many books will be in the series?
DME: I’m shooting for 4 full 800 page books with around 4 parts each. I’m also developing several side stories (stories between the lines, as I call them).
CN: So, The Origin of Souls: A Tangled Vyne of Truth & Lore is only one part of one book?
DME: That’s right… it’s a little complex.
CN: Which writers inspire you?
DME: Good question! I have been inspired by C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Orson Scott Card, Ernest Hemingway, Bram Stoker, Charles Dickens, Ravi Zacharias, etc. Several of these writers were Christian authors and I have used subtle Christian themes in my own work. I could go on about this topic, but suffice it to say, my faith is a big part of me, and so it is a big part of my work.
CN: What has drawn you to write fantasy? Why not historical non-fiction?
DME: Fantasy is an empty palette to me – a clean slate. The story is limited only by my own imagination. As a child I loved to create new worlds and new characters that exist in an entirely different system than my own.
CN: How much research has gone into your writing?
DME: Since the project has tarried for so long, I have to say that over the years there’s been a lot, but I can’t say that I spent hours and hours educating myself on specific things. I think research is definitely important in this genre. If the readers don’t experience any real tidbit or familiar concept in the work, then there is the danger of disconnection. Then the fantastic becomes confusing or worse–boring. I do remember spending too much time reading about horse stables in the middle ages. That was a fun one, but it got me through chapter 4.
CN: Have you faced any challenges while writing?
DME: Over the years there have been many. Everyday life gets in the way; jobs, family, friends, relationships. My wife was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2011. That was a doozie! She was sick on and off for three years before she finally had to have surgery for the removal of her colon. I’m understating when I say that writing didn’t come easily then. I think it’s so important though, to keep writing any time you can. I remember writing in the car during my lunches. I remember a period that I wrote in bed before I rose for the day. Overall since 2003 I have never stopped writing. Progress was a turtle’s pace, but I got there eventually.
CN: Is it true that you are planning to donate 50% of your proceeds to the CCFA for the first two weeks after the release date?
DME: It’s true. Since her fight with UC, my wife and I are avid advocates for Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s. There is simply not enough understanding about these diseases, and most people dismiss them as though they were similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome or an upset tummy. It has proven difficult to show what horrendous diseases UC and Crohn’s are. The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America is an organization that raises awareness and promotes research into finding a cure. There are many other individuals who do the same with blogs: Colitis Ninja, Inflamed & Untamed, VeganOstomy, #purpleproject, Journaling IBD, So Bad Ass…
CN: When is the release date?
DME: We are shooting for April 14th, 2015.
CN: How much does it cost and where can people buy it?
DME: We’re shooting for a $2.99 price tag and you can find it on Kindle, probably Createspace, and possibly others. It’s gonna be great!
Don’t have $2.99 to spare? That’s ok! You can still have a chance to win! Simply share/tweet the following photo below (once a day) and tag Zyndervyne in the post! By sharing, you’re also helping us to reach our goal of selling 100 digital copies of the book during the first two weeks. After Amazon’s cut, that’s about $104.52 going to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America!!!
