IndieView with Ethan Avery, author of Sword & Sorcery: Frostfire

This is a project I started working on about 15 years ago alongside my good friend Lamont Turner who was working on his own fantasy novel at the time. We spent a good bit of time reading and re-reading each other’s stories and helping them improve.

Ethan Avery – 22 May 2022

The Back Flap

If you could change your life by trusting in a stranger… would you?

Erevan has a problem. He grew up on the unforgiving streets of Bogudos and has the scars to prove it. His friend, however, is stuck in jail because of his mistake. But when a suspicious courier offers him a chance to fix things, should he lift his sword to aid her cause?

Meanwhile, Aireyal has been accepted into the wealthiest and most prestigious magical school in all the land. There’s just one problem. She can’t do magic. But that’s far from the only secret within the walls of Darr-Kamo. And what she discovers might just change the world.

About the book

What is the book about?

Sword and Sorcery: Frostfire is a YA Fantasy Adventure novel that follows both Erevan, a young swordsman, and Aireyal, an apprentice mage as they uncover secrets about their world that are far bigger than just them. And the book explores how your upbringing can affect the way you see the world.

When did you start writing the book?

This is a project I started working on about 15 years ago alongside my good friend Lamont Turner who was working on his own fantasy novel at the time. We spent a good bit of time reading and re-reading each other’s stories and helping them improve. Sword and Sorcery wouldn’t be half as good as it is now without him.

How long did it take you to write it?

I was one of those writers who kept writing a few chapters, then would start over. And I did that for years. When the pandemic came around in 2020, Lamont passed away, and I decided that I’d stop my restarting and commit to finishing the book, and dedicate it to him.

Where did you get the idea from?

From watching and reading far more fantasy than someone should. And from wanting to do something with the genre other than just have cool knights and long bearded wizards slay dragons. I feel like fantasy can be deep, if we learn where to dig.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

More like were there any parts I didn’t? I’m a perfectionist by nature, so anytime something seems slightly off, I keep tweaking with it until it feels right to me, whether that be character, plot, setting, or anything else.

What came easily?

The action scenes. I tend to write them in one sitting so everything feels like it flows from one beat to the next, and those scenes kind of just wrote themselves in this book. Once I had one part down, I pretty much knew where I wanted to go next.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

I think to a certain extent, we all draw a bit here and there from real life. If we didn’t, how would we know how people behaved at all? All that being said, no character in this book is an insert of anyone I’ve known. But they do have things in common personality-wise with people I’ve met. In a way, that’s a sort of key as a writer probably. To observe people in one environment, then to try to transplant some of their traits to another person in a different environment.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I’m a spur of the moment reader, so for me it’s more so whatever I’m reading at the moment, I usually note 1 or 2 awesome things that writer does and make a note of it as a skill for me to try to practice improving on in the future.

Do you have a target reader? 

Of course, we as writers are biased and think everyone should read our books. But in all seriousness, while I do think Sword and Sorcery can be enjoyed by anyone, because it has adventure and wonder that young readers love and multi-layered social dynamics that I think older readers will enjoy, the book was written with a YA audience in mind. They’re at the point in their lives when they’ll start to understand some of the deeper things going on in this book, but can still enjoy the lighter moments as well.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

My writing process is a lot of thinking to figure out my general plotline, then from there it’s less structured writing. I like the idea of giving the characters enough freedom to be their authentic selves without being forced to do things for the plot’s sake.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I outline a good deal at the start. I usually have ideas for the scenes that I plan to have in a chapter written down.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I had to force myself to stop editing as I went. That’s one of the reasons the book took as long as it did to make. I learned editing afterwards saves so much time.

Did you hire a professional editor?

Yes, and I can’t recommend it enough for other writers out there. But it’s also important to know what kind of edits you need. Developmental, line, and copy edits can all be helpful, but in different ways.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Sometimes, it depends on the mood. I’m usually pretty thematic when I do. I like finding the ambience of the environment I’m writing in so I can feel the same space the characters do, whether that be a library, a farm or a forest. Although, while I’m not sure if ambient sounds truly count as music, there’s a certain peace to writing to the sounds of a river.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

No. This felt like a book that needed to be self-published.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? 

I decided that there was no need to wait for the big 5 to come calling. Stories aren’t magically better because they’re published by a big name. Sure there are more marketing dollars behind them, but that has nothing to do with the craft of the art itself.

Was it a particular event or a gradual process? 

When I decided to stop restarting and just write the book, I sort of subconsciously made this decision too.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I wish I had that level of artistic ability! I gave character descriptions as best I could to my girlfriend Sarah, who’s a professional artist, and she handled the rest. The cover she came up with is so beautifully perfect!

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I definitely have a marketing plan, which has meant A LOT of e-mails. It’s practically impossible to keep up with them all, which I suppose is a good thing, because it means that media and book-lovers are interested in the book.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors? 

In the writing world of today, you don’t need the money you used to need to become an author. And we can all find a way to make time to write if it’s something we truly want to do. Outside criticism though, or the fear of negative criticism, is a big stopping block for a lot of writers, but think of it from this perspective, the worst that can happen is you get valuable advice on how to become an even better writer than you are now. And the best thing that can happen is you get valuable advice on how to become an even better writer than you are now. So whether you get a bouquet of 5 star reviews, or a barrage of 1 star reviews, you can learn and get better for next time.

About You

What are you working on now?

Another book, of course! I can’t wait for everyone to see it.

End of Interview:

For more from Ian visit his website, follow him on Twitter, and check out his Youtube channel.

Get your copy of Sword & Sorcery: Frostfire from Amazon US or Amazon UK.