Ask the Author: Michael DeAngelo
Answered Questions (10)
Michael DeAngelo
He sat at his desk, and oh what a fright. All this paper, but no pencil with which to write.
Michael DeAngelo
I've been so busy at my day job that I haven't had a lot of time to read recently, but I'm diving back into Lord of the Rings after far too long away.
Michael DeAngelo
Hey Thomas! Sorry I haven't answered this in a long while. I didn't realize it was waiting for me!
1) I'm working on longer stories now that I've kind of scratched my itch with the novellas. Even the first wave of novellas are getting longer follow-ups. For new series that are starting up with longer tales, check out Silver Serpent and Heart of the Forest.
2) I have a couple of maps, but nowhere near as much as I should.
- The map of Versali-Virai is one of my favorites, and I really should commission more city maps. http://tellest.com/art-versali-virai-...
- The map of Draconis is really nice, and the artist we commissioned for it did a really great job with it. http://tellest.com/art-map-of-draconis/
I am talking with a cartographer now about the potential of doing the entirety of Tellest's map. It's a big lift, and I want to make sure it's handled well, and has natural feeling features (not rivers flowing awkwardly and in the wrong directions, or with mountain ranges that don't make a lot of sense).
Hope that answers your questions. And if you have any others, feel free to pitch them my way. I'll pay more attention going forward!
1) I'm working on longer stories now that I've kind of scratched my itch with the novellas. Even the first wave of novellas are getting longer follow-ups. For new series that are starting up with longer tales, check out Silver Serpent and Heart of the Forest.
2) I have a couple of maps, but nowhere near as much as I should.
- The map of Versali-Virai is one of my favorites, and I really should commission more city maps. http://tellest.com/art-versali-virai-...
- The map of Draconis is really nice, and the artist we commissioned for it did a really great job with it. http://tellest.com/art-map-of-draconis/
I am talking with a cartographer now about the potential of doing the entirety of Tellest's map. It's a big lift, and I want to make sure it's handled well, and has natural feeling features (not rivers flowing awkwardly and in the wrong directions, or with mountain ranges that don't make a lot of sense).
Hope that answers your questions. And if you have any others, feel free to pitch them my way. I'll pay more attention going forward!
Michael DeAngelo
I'm sure this won't be answered the way people like, but I feel like there's no greater duo than Drizzt and Guenhwyvar. They compliment each other so well, and they've been through hell together. Sure, it's not the kind of love that you expect to hear about, but I think it's up there as a couple you can respect!
Michael DeAngelo
Honestly, sometimes its better to just skip the section that gives you a hard time. If for whatever reason you're stuck, perhaps the following portions of the narrative can inform what's supposed to happen in the difficult area you're writing.
Michael DeAngelo
I personally enjoy the fact that I can create an entire universe with my mind. That's always a pretty nice boon to the craft.
Michael DeAngelo
Never stop writing. If you have it in your mind that you're going to become a writer some day, make that day now. The more you write, the better you will become. If you go long periods without honing your skills, you'll become more verbose with age, but you'll lack a sort of etiquette and poise that you can only gain from experience.
Michael DeAngelo
Right now I'm working simultaneously on a tale that chronicles the fall of mankind from the world of Tellest, and how that lead to the world we know, as well as a much more lighthearted observation on a kind of "girl and her dog" story.
Michael DeAngelo
I'm sure my answer is going to sound so generic, but I find inspiration in a lot of mediums. One of the most helpful things for me is probably music. Sometimes all it takes is a single song to get me from point A to point B on a completely new idea. Certain stories I've written are conceived through music.
Michael DeAngelo
Awake is the novella that I've finished most recently, and it centers around a strong female character. But I'm one of those people that thinks that to be strong, you also have to have vulnerabilities. When I thought about what kind of person Venathryn is, I knew she had a military background. I didn't think that there were a lot of fantasy stories that focused on a kind of variation of PTSD, so that's how we ended up with Awake. I checked in with one of my childhood friends who was a woman in the military to get her take on it, and I think that will reflect in the story.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more