Ask the Author: Hugo Negron
Answered Questions (9)
Hugo Negron
Second to the world my fantasy series is based on, would probably enjoy going to Frank Baum's land of Oz - how could you not want to meet talking animals and apple-hurling trees, metallic men, and animated crop guardians? I would have more questions to pose than a posse of reporters!!
Hugo Negron
The door was open, that damnable door to unknown horrors and abyss, daring inexorable terror, riveting me in unholy fear before it. Then, the THINGS came forth, and I was dragged screaming and clawing into a pit of nameless evil that would never again allow me to stand before the placid illusion of humankind...
Hugo Negron
Hi Jacob - congrats on your program! Wishing you all the best in achieving your M.A.. Are you looking to instruct or consult? The one thing I still remember as an amazing reality experience at the school I attended (CSOPP for short) was a battery where they placed you in a "life in a day" scenario - you came into a room setup with a laptop and an "in" box with memos and assignments as if it was a real job and you are then told your boss just quit - so you had to complete these "leftover" assignments, do research for a white paper, and present with your peers before a panel - all within a limited time frame. The most nerve shattering "exam" I ever took - but worth it in regards to preparing you for the "real world".
Anyway, thanks so much for liking the series! Would love to hear your thoughts on what you enjoyed most. I have just submitted Book Five, Knighthood's End, to my editor - so the time frame will probably be around October or so. It brings the end of the Sir Rutt subplot, the supposed "curse" subplot, and takes Qualtan's growing discomfort with the Order of the Bearded Lion (and daresay his growing arrogance) to an extreme measure with what happens in this story. There will be a contest at some point to pinpoint the first appearance of a certain character that plays a big role in this book, so be on the lookout for that.
Anyway, thanks so much for liking the series! Would love to hear your thoughts on what you enjoyed most. I have just submitted Book Five, Knighthood's End, to my editor - so the time frame will probably be around October or so. It brings the end of the Sir Rutt subplot, the supposed "curse" subplot, and takes Qualtan's growing discomfort with the Order of the Bearded Lion (and daresay his growing arrogance) to an extreme measure with what happens in this story. There will be a contest at some point to pinpoint the first appearance of a certain character that plays a big role in this book, so be on the lookout for that.
Hugo Negron
Realize that writing is only half the battle! Developing a plot, defining characters, instilling life in them, and populating the world they inhabit is a lengthy, challenging, imaginative, and fun process on its own, but once its over, and you've finished off that final chapter, sitting back to enjoy the effort, you suddenly realize it's just the first step.
If you are looking for an audience to share your work, the next (and bigger step) is, how do you target your intended market? Is your book polished enough to stand on its own? Have you had it reviewed and edited by a professional editor? What about illustrations or artists? Do you plan to self-publish or hope to publish with an established publisher? How will you advertise, brand, promote? What will your budget be for your reach-out efforts? What sales goals/milestones are you looking to reach? How much time can you afford, especially if you have a job, family, or other financial considerations? Do you feel comfortable going to fairs, doing readings, interviewing, networking, and otherwise putting yourself "out there" to promote your work?
If that's your goal, it's not just about being called an author and writing a book, but creating a brand and marketing yourself and your book as a product. Lots of people love to write, but lots of people hate to sell. Regardless of what path you take - self-publish or established publisher - the onus will be on you.
If you are looking for an audience to share your work, the next (and bigger step) is, how do you target your intended market? Is your book polished enough to stand on its own? Have you had it reviewed and edited by a professional editor? What about illustrations or artists? Do you plan to self-publish or hope to publish with an established publisher? How will you advertise, brand, promote? What will your budget be for your reach-out efforts? What sales goals/milestones are you looking to reach? How much time can you afford, especially if you have a job, family, or other financial considerations? Do you feel comfortable going to fairs, doing readings, interviewing, networking, and otherwise putting yourself "out there" to promote your work?
If that's your goal, it's not just about being called an author and writing a book, but creating a brand and marketing yourself and your book as a product. Lots of people love to write, but lots of people hate to sell. Regardless of what path you take - self-publish or established publisher - the onus will be on you.
Hugo Negron
When I'm writing my fantasy series, I usually immerse myself in that world and anything related to it - listening to certain pieces of music, reading books on mythology/medieval topics, and having certain physical objects around me as I write, like an actual metal gauntlet and a set of knight pens stuffed in a medieval knight's helmet pen holder that help to inspire me and keep me "in the mood".
When my writing hits the proverbial wall and I'm bashing my head on my keyboard, I do the opposite - I pull myself completely out - otherwise I feel like I'm forcing myself to write and it no longer feels like a labor of love, but a major hassle! I take a few days off, focus on other hobbies like biking, hiking, working out, and watching movies. When I go back to picking up where I left off, I feel excited, refreshed, and eager to start up again.
When my writing hits the proverbial wall and I'm bashing my head on my keyboard, I do the opposite - I pull myself completely out - otherwise I feel like I'm forcing myself to write and it no longer feels like a labor of love, but a major hassle! I take a few days off, focus on other hobbies like biking, hiking, working out, and watching movies. When I go back to picking up where I left off, I feel excited, refreshed, and eager to start up again.
Hugo Negron
Having a passion for the stories I write gives me a passion to continue the stories of their characters. I truly enjoy broadening my tales, expanding my own mythos, and since I have a vision of where the end stories may go, it excites me in getting myself and my readers there.
Sometimes, I have had a set idea for how a part of a tale would progress and suddenly a character I created will alter my original ideas and take the story into new places. For example, in book two of the series, Forging of a Knight, Rise of the Slavekeepers, I introduced a female knight named Jesepha. Originally, there were no female knights in this tale, and the knights that befriended Qualtan in his freshman adventures as a knight were pretty much stale and identical. I wanted to flesh them out a bit more, and so one "he" became a "she". As the story progressed, her presence modified some of the other knights around her, and the story changed from just following the main character Qualtan to following this wonderful band of knights and exploring them as individuals. It's inspiring to breathe life into these people, into their world, and to see them solidify on the pages before you. It's also amazing when you see a character basically invent him or herself and take you where you hadn't thought of or expected before.
Sometimes, I have had a set idea for how a part of a tale would progress and suddenly a character I created will alter my original ideas and take the story into new places. For example, in book two of the series, Forging of a Knight, Rise of the Slavekeepers, I introduced a female knight named Jesepha. Originally, there were no female knights in this tale, and the knights that befriended Qualtan in his freshman adventures as a knight were pretty much stale and identical. I wanted to flesh them out a bit more, and so one "he" became a "she". As the story progressed, her presence modified some of the other knights around her, and the story changed from just following the main character Qualtan to following this wonderful band of knights and exploring them as individuals. It's inspiring to breathe life into these people, into their world, and to see them solidify on the pages before you. It's also amazing when you see a character basically invent him or herself and take you where you hadn't thought of or expected before.
Hugo Negron
Creating your own reality! A special gift we all share in is the ability to come up with an idea, and to make it tangible, tactile, and real. From my son's painted drawings to developing the idea for a business, to creating a fantasy series of books, it's a wonderful and enthralling process to create something from nothing. If there are any real adventures left to partake in that take you away from the day to day world, it's certainly that.
Hugo Negron
Forging of a Knight, Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt, is nearly ready and should be available within a few months. The official blurb:
They have been hinted at – heroes of glorious legend, villains of infamous fable – some have made their presence known, while others only by name: Aurelus, Amali, Termenon, Qualtan, Jesepha, Darksiege, and Shaz.
Now, heroes of the past and present will unite against Those That Stand in Shadow. From the steaming jungles of the Third Continent to a Prison Planet forged by angels, the Arch-Mages and their champions will find themselves in a race against time to prevent Shaz and his agents from finding the Dark Ones’ demonic fathers and releasing them from bondage. Enemies will become allies, and allies will become foes in the ultimate confrontation with evil that will span two continents, new lands, and new terrors!
Some continuing and new sub-plots as well as old characters show up in this book, the third in the series, laying the groundwork for what will be coming up in the next couple of books - you see, an ongoing concern for Qualtan has been this fear (curse?) that he will lose all that he has worked up to - his knighthood, his enchanted sword Goldenflame, his honor, and his friends. He has received various answers to this problem but nothing fully concrete. The re-introduction of a specific character from book two in the series will help bring clarity to this problem and whether truth or fiction, will find resolution by book five in the series, if he makes it that far...
They have been hinted at – heroes of glorious legend, villains of infamous fable – some have made their presence known, while others only by name: Aurelus, Amali, Termenon, Qualtan, Jesepha, Darksiege, and Shaz.
Now, heroes of the past and present will unite against Those That Stand in Shadow. From the steaming jungles of the Third Continent to a Prison Planet forged by angels, the Arch-Mages and their champions will find themselves in a race against time to prevent Shaz and his agents from finding the Dark Ones’ demonic fathers and releasing them from bondage. Enemies will become allies, and allies will become foes in the ultimate confrontation with evil that will span two continents, new lands, and new terrors!
Some continuing and new sub-plots as well as old characters show up in this book, the third in the series, laying the groundwork for what will be coming up in the next couple of books - you see, an ongoing concern for Qualtan has been this fear (curse?) that he will lose all that he has worked up to - his knighthood, his enchanted sword Goldenflame, his honor, and his friends. He has received various answers to this problem but nothing fully concrete. The re-introduction of a specific character from book two in the series will help bring clarity to this problem and whether truth or fiction, will find resolution by book five in the series, if he makes it that far...
Hugo Negron
Forging of a Knight was a series I developed back in grade school as a fan of fantasy and mythology, and over time the stories slowly evolved, grew, and matured into what I have put forth today. The third book in the series, Forging of a Knight, Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt, will be coming out later this year, and I have 4-5 stories after that to flesh out. At one point between college, work, life, etc., I tossed the notes and ideas for the series aside (literally!) and luckily thought twice about it!
The stories are a progression for the main character Qualtan - a maturation process that many people can connect with, even if you don't fight ogres or trolls or Those That Stand in Shadow on a daily basis. From wanting to become a knight, to fearing once he was a knight, would he be good enough at it? Finally, to at last feel comfortable in the role of a knight, and to transcend that role. Similar to what many of us experience - the fear of not succeeding in school, hoping to be good enough at a chosen career path, to excel once you're in it, and eventually to feel you've hit that plateau, which forces the idea of risking that comfortable security by going independent with your own thoughts and ideas, which may or may not go against the grain. These milestones are the same ones Qualtan must face, despite living in a world of fantasy and myth.
The stories are a progression for the main character Qualtan - a maturation process that many people can connect with, even if you don't fight ogres or trolls or Those That Stand in Shadow on a daily basis. From wanting to become a knight, to fearing once he was a knight, would he be good enough at it? Finally, to at last feel comfortable in the role of a knight, and to transcend that role. Similar to what many of us experience - the fear of not succeeding in school, hoping to be good enough at a chosen career path, to excel once you're in it, and eventually to feel you've hit that plateau, which forces the idea of risking that comfortable security by going independent with your own thoughts and ideas, which may or may not go against the grain. These milestones are the same ones Qualtan must face, despite living in a world of fantasy and myth.
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