Both books wrestle with a fundamental question that has been very much on my mind over the last few years: “As a species, are we really so unevolved, that when facing existential challenges such as climate change we can only fall back on primitive and counterproductive responses such as tribalism, distrust of the Other, and a demand for simple answers to increasingly complex questions?” I find that truly troubling, and because it’s too depressing to believe we are indeed that limited, in my books I am suggesting there is more at work here …

Don Sawyer – 9 August 2025

The Back Flap

A sequel to The Burning Gem, in The Tunnels of Buda the Mester is dead or maimed and the black stone used to control his network of gem makers is in Barbara and Zoltan’s hands. But as Zoltan discovered in the ruin bars of Budapest from a former associate, who turned up beheaded and his hands cut off, the Mester was just a small part of a much larger cabal, an ancient Order dating back to Aristotle and beyond. The Order of the Golden Souls has one goal: to convince the populace that there are masters divinely intended to rule and slaves meant only to obey.

Using magic and sorcery, both ancient and modern, they will stop at nothing to protect the rule of the aristoi.

But this time the “slaves” are fighting back, drawing on the knowledge and skills from many traditions and backgrounds, including magic of their own, to battle this shadowy cabal and its message of fear, division and hopelessness.

In The Tunnels of Buda Zoltan, the 110-year-old gem maker and Barbara, empath and gem wielder, veer in new and terrifying directions, facing evil on an unimagined scale. They are drawn to the lair of the Justin, so powerful he controls the minds of all around him and commands the Company, a hidden underground futuristic complex that serves as the hub of the Order’s monstrous conspiracy to enact the darkest of Nietzsche’s Weltanschauung. Barbara and Zoltan find new allies and diabolical enemies as they fight for their lives in the mines and ancient tunnels deep below Buda Castle in Budapest.

About the book

When did you start writing the book?

This book and its prequel, The Burning Gem, began a long time ago in galaxy far, far away. They had their genesis as an exercise for a writing group in Fairhope, Alabama that was affiliated with the Fairhope Center for the Writing That was in 2015, and over the next six or seven years, in between moves and life changes, I worked on the book until I began looking for a publisher in 2021. At that time the two books were one, and no agent or publisher was interested in a 190,000-word urban fantasy by a relatively unknown author. With the help of an editor I hired, Claire Ashgrove, I broke the book into two separate novels (no easy task) and immediately had an offer from Castle Bridge Media.

How long did it take you to write it?

It took me about five years to complete the first draft. That was followed by another two years editing and rewriting the manuscript into two self-standing novels.

Where did you get the idea from?

Both books wrestle with a fundamental question that has been very much on my mind over the last few years: “As a species, are we really so unevolved, that when facing existential challenges such as climate change we can only fall back on primitive and counterproductive responses such as tribalism, distrust of the Other, and a demand for simple answers to increasingly complex questions?” I find that truly troubling, and because it’s too depressing to believe we are indeed that limited, in my books  I am suggesting there is more at work here — a cabal of shadowy figures dedicated to securing their rule by sowing confusion and greed through the use of a wide array of strategies, including using “influencers” armed with their magic gems.

So it’s a metaphor, but hopefully a compelling adventure as well.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

I wrote the two books as a single, very long novel over a period of several years. Not surprisingly, I suppose, I had trouble finding a publisher (or agent for that matter) willing to take on a 190,000 word manuscript (which works out to over 600 pages) from a relatively unknown writer. So I hired an excellent editor to help me, but I simply could not get the page count down to a reasonable level. When I had honed it as much as I could, I ended up dividing the one book into two. That’s not as easy as it sounds – you can’t just end chapter 35 of one book and start the next with chapter 36. But it worked beautifully as there was a natural break between the two books that led to two rather than one exciting urban fantasy adventures with a kick.

What came easily?

The dialogue. I have also written YA novels, and in that genre you don’t want the reader to get bogged down with too much narrative. Dialogue keeps things snappy and immediate. (My editor told me – critically – that sections read like a movie script.) I think I do a good job of world building and creating a sense of place and time, but I also think the dialogue creates a natural flow that brings the story – and the characters – alive.

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

These characters are purely fictional, although my insight into their motivations, aspirations, conflicts and world view grows from my years of working closely with men and women from many backgrounds and with wildly different personalities.

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 like authors who transport and transcend. Who challenge us intellectually and threaten our world view. And whose writing is elegant and precise. And tell a good story while doing it! One of my favourite authors, Ursula LeGuin, once wrote, “While we read a novel, we are insane, — bonkers. We believe in the existence of people who aren’t there, we hear their voices. Sanity returns in most cases when the book is closed.”

She was a genius and could do exactly that. I’m not, but I aspire to meet her objective of creating an immersive world that engages at many levels.

If I look at other favourite authors, it’s a pretty eclectic crowd. Besides Ursula LeGuin, I would include Tolkien, of course, as well as Barbara Kingsolver, Ken Kesey, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Laurence, Anthony Doerr, Bill Bryson, Jim Harrison, Erin Morgenstern, Joseph Boyden, Ray Bradbury, and a Pueblo writer who has been largely forgotten, Leslie Marmon Silko. And that’s just to name a few.

Do you have a target reader?

The Tunnels of Buda is an adult urban fantasy that mixes magic, adventure, contemporary issues and romance into a compelling read. Fans of Neil Gaiman and Erin Morgenstern will particularly enjoy this book and its prequel, The Burning Gem. Young adults will also find the plot-driven adventure appealing.

About Writing

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

As a full-time educator for more than 40 years, I have always written when I can where I can. That demanded a rather erratic process. But even while my life was taken up with work, kids and life, if I had an idea for a book in mind, I would find myself working through ideas when I was trying to get to sleep, jogging, meditating (not a great idea). So I was doing a lot of “pre-writing” by the time I got to sit down and actually write. (Which is a mighty important phase.)

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

I tend to use loose outlines as I plot out a story but also know this is going to change as the story unfolds. Even my outlines grow branches as I come up with new ideas.

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

I learned early on to avoid premature editing.  Sure, sometimes I will pause, knowing there is a word I need but can’t quite retrieve (admittedly, this occurs more frequently as I get older!), but rather than spend too much time, I will insert a space so I can come back later and focus on the elusive word. You can and will go over what you wrote. You can and will pick up repeated words or awkward sentences. But do it when there is a natural pause in the process. So I try to write with as much fluency as I can, and when the muse is with me, I don’t interrupt her

Did you hire a professional editor?

Yes. All of my previous books were written when publishers – even smaller presses – had in-house or contracted editors to work with you once the manuscript was accepted. Except for the largest publishers, that is becoming the increasingly rare. In the case of these two books, I knew I needed help to get them to a publishable state and clean up the narrative. For the first time I hired my own editor (through Reedsy, a great resource for all author supports), who not only helped me improve the book but also become a better writer. In my case, after giving up on shaving the original manuscript to a reasonable length, she helped my rearrange the story into two stand-alone novels. Not cheap, but in terms of ending up with books you are satisfied with, well worth it.

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

Well, that’s sort of the point, isn’t it. I want them tapping on the keyboard not on the desk to Chuck Berry. Occasionally I will put on some English folk music (Fairport Convention, etc.), some wonderful kora tunes (Toumani Diabate, Ali Farke Toure) or medieval chorales, especially when I’m engaged with more functional writing. But when I’m writing fiction, I prefer hearing the words in my head undistracted by outside noise.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes. Probably more than 20. After no interest – except too long – I went back to revising and submitted to publisher who did not require representation (which, by the way, is the norm in Canada).

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I have worked with larger publishers and smaller presses. My best-selling YA novel Where the Rivers Meet (Pemmican) was published by a small Metis press in Manitoba. My experience is that unless you have access to one of the Big Five (US) or two or three in Canada, who have more to invest in promotion, the publisher’s commitment to and enthusiasm for the book is more important than size of the press.

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

Publisher. One of the many perks of publishing with a legitimate publishing house.

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

It’s a marketing jungle out there, totally different from the business when I was first publishing. With thousands of podcasts and just as many promotional companies with schemes to boost your title on Amazon and Goodreads (for a price, of course), I hired  a publicist who has been very helpful in obtaining great interviews (more than 20), articles and reviews in small literary magazines, and putting me in touch with fellow authors. I have enjoyed the process even if it hasn’t resulted in the sales we’d hoped for. Adding a social media-savvy person to your team is a real plus.

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

Check why you want to write and what your expectations are. It’s easier than ever to get a book published today (nearly 4 million last year – 2/3 self-published) but also far harder to get your books noticed and achieve significant sales. If you enjoy writing, go for it. If you don’t mind putting hours, maybe years into a book that might not be a commercial success, go for it. If you are looking to writing, especially fiction, as a career, well, go for it, but first take some writing classes and be prepared to supplement your income.

About You

Where did you grow up?

As a late dear friend and I used to say, “Aging is mandatory; growing  up is strictly optional.” What growing up I did was as a child in Detroit suburb (not advised); Vancouver, BC; rural Newfoundland; the predominantly aboriginal community of Lytton. BC; Salmon Arm, BC for more than 20 years, where I helped start a curriculum and resourced centre for Native adults, work that took me to First Nations communities throughout Canada. Later I directed community development training programs in West Africa for 10 years through Okanagan College.

Where do you live now?

St Catharines, ON, Canada

What would you like readers to know about you?

I am increasingly concerned about and fascinated with contemporary tribalism and its evolutionary roots, and am thoroughly enjoying evolutionary biologist David Samson’s book Our Tribal Future: How to Channel our Foundational Human Instincts into a Force for Good. I have lived, travelled and worked in more that 30 countries. I know we all have far more in common than separates us and have come to appreciate and value much of the wisdom, knowledge and values they provide – if we can just clamber down from our conviction of cultural superiority and close our eyes and ears to other ways of being in the world.

In my work and writing, I have tried to contribute to the creation of a more equitable, humane and caring world. Sometimes it seems we are moving in the wrong direction, but I been greatly enriched and derived great satisfaction from working with people all over the world toward this end.  One of my favourite books is One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I have told numerous people that I want McMurphy’s comment (after he tried to lift an impossibly heavy sink) on my tombstone.  “But I tried, goddamn it. At least I did that much.”

What are you working on now?

I am well into the third novel in the Soul Catcher series. Tentatively titled Underground (or alternative The Order of the Golden Souls – input requested!), I have been facing some health issue that have slowed me down, but I would like to see it published in early 2026.

End of Interview:

For more from Don Sawyer visit his website and follow him on Facebook.

Get your copy of The Tunnels of Buda from Amazon US or Amazon UK.