Ask the Author: J.B. Mangold
Answered Questions (10)
J.B. Mangold
Probably the greatest mystery from my own life would be: How did an introverted, chronically underweight, nerd from Western New York survive six years in US Army Special Operations, ending up married to the love of his life, leading a ferocious pack of chihuahuas through the untamed wilds of Alabama. I am thinking a made for TV movie is in this, possibly staring Leo DiCaprio…
J.B. Mangold
There it was, daylight, just beyond the rim of the chasm, if he could just reach a bit further, salvation would be his at last! With a snap, the rope he clung to gave way, allowing the ravenous darkness to swallow the retreating world above, confirming that he would never see daylight again.
J.B. Mangold
Usually writer's block hits me when I am trying to force my characters in a direction they should not go. When this happens to me, I usually take a step back and re-think the path that got me to that dead end. Typically, I see where I made a wrong turn and soon, I am back on track.
Of course, I have been saved a few times by the fortuitous encounter with an inspiring song! It is amazing how those five-minute visions have taken my stories in directions I could not have predicted.
Of course, I have been saved a few times by the fortuitous encounter with an inspiring song! It is amazing how those five-minute visions have taken my stories in directions I could not have predicted.
J.B. Mangold
Exploring new worlds with my characters and learning about them as they grow. Writing is a journey for me, as well as my readers, and I hope it never ends!
J.B. Mangold
Write! I know, sounds simplistic, but it is the best way I know to improve. While doing so, read, but watch movies as well. I get lots of inspiration from some of my favorite films. Next, don't let others discourage you! Your first efforts might not be perfect, but you will learn and improve if you persevere. Accept constructive criticism, stretch your skills, but do not give up! And lastly, keep asking, "What if?" It is the most fascinating question there is!
J.B. Mangold
My current project is the third novel in The Scrolls of Azbel series. Things are going to take some interesting twists with new characters introduced and new nations to explore. I have a timeline detailing the path ahead but plans often change as a quest unfolds. I can't wait to see how it all plays out!
J.B. Mangold
For me, my best inspiration comes from music. I cannot explain, or predict it, but when a song hits me just the right way, I get chills. From then on, every time I hear that song, I see a movie projected in my mind as the scene plays out, feeling the emotions of my characters in that moment. It is exhilarating for me, but a little odd for anyone witnessing it. This was what first tipped my wife off to the stories I craft in my mind, beginning her quest to get me to start writing. I am forever in her debt for pushing me to put my daydreams down on paper.
J.B. Mangold
My central characters were originally conceived while playing a miniatures game with my friends. We each created our army leaders, developing background stories to flesh them out. As these stories grew in my mind, I realized that I did not want to leave them anchored in the universe of another, so I crafted my own, (with encouragement from my wife.) As this new world grew, so did my characters, in ways I could never have foreseen. So, in this way, I travel along with Maluem, Cruentus, and Kaedis, discovering Azbel along with them as their individual quests unfold.
J.B. Mangold
My go to Fantasy world will always be Middle Earth. When I first watched Peter Jackson's, The Fellowship of the Ring, and the opening scene showed the Shire, I literally had a tear in my eye. I read those books so many times when I was young, seeing those images were like returning to a childhood home, filling me with such wonderful feelings of nostalgia. Peter Jackson could not have matched my mental image more perfectly if he had read my thoughts. If I could go to Middle Earth, I would travel with Gandalf and Strider, exploring the Mines of Moria. That tomb…uh…mine, always fascinated me.
J.B. Mangold
I would like to read the novel Lord Jim as I have heard great things about it. I would also like to go back and re-read The Count of Monte Cristo, as I read it in High School, but I don’t think I gave it a fair read back then, (I was a bit distracted at the time.) Lastly, if I have time, I would like to begin reading The Kingkiller Chronicle, a series I have heard much about.
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