SPFBO Author Interview - Daan Katz

What inspired you to write your SPFBO entry? Is there a particular story, personal experience, or idea that sparked this book?

I started writing what would eventually become Night’s Reign many years ago, when my children talked me into playing the Sims 2 with them. Though I’ve never been a gamer, I found I really enjoyed the storytelling features of the game. And that wasn’t the only thing I liked about the game. I also loved creating my own Sims and building my own custom neighbourhoods. Next came the hacks, then the modding… All for the sake of storytelling, of course. 😉

As I was still learning the ropes of the game, I started out creating short stories — well, maybe novella-length stories, but because I was working within the restraints of the game (with just a handful of basic hacks) these stories were lacking in depth. I wanted more, and better. So I added more hacks and did some basic modding — and had to do a clean install of the game more often than I like to admit.

But in the end, I got the game where I wanted it to be. Finally, I could tell a real story — or so I thought. I wrote “The Queen of Hearts”, a novel length psychological drama. That story never made it into print. I still have it somewhere, but it’s just not good enough, BUT… the priest who was supposed to be minor character in the story became much more than that. He had a story that needed telling.

That story is Night’s Reign. Written during the first year of the Pandemic, when I was self-isolating, and my cats and my Muse were my only companions. No Sims this time. Just my priest and his cantor, telling me their story.

How would you describe your writing process? How did it evolve during the creation of this book?

I’m a discovery writer. I listen to what my characters tell me and write their stories. And, although I always have a vague idea of where it will end, I never know the details. To me, this is a good thing, because if I knew everything in advance, I would lose any interest in writing the story. I love it when my characters surprise me.

What challenges did you face during the writing or publishing process, and how did you overcome them?

There were times when I had to force myself to push through and write scenes I honestly didn’t want to write — but my characters would not allow me to change the facts. Those scenes were emotionally draining, but I had to push through. So that’s what I did. One word at a time, until the scene was done.

Who are your biggest literary influences and how have they impacted your writing style?

Oof! That’s a hard question to answer. To be honest, I’m really not sure, but let’s see… Anne Frank. Definitely Anne Frank. I first read part of her diary when I was thirteen, and I still remember vividly how her writing made me feel. Awed, sad, and a little scared, all at once. But most of all, it made me realise I wanted to be a writer.

Others are Ernest Hemingway, C.S. Lewis, Joanne Greenberg, and David Eddings, to name a few. I’ve been criticised for my Hemingway style — a criticism I take as a compliment. And, although I don’t claim to be at his level, it is true that my writing is simple, direct, and unadorned.

My love of fantasy came from reading C.S. Lewis and David Eddings, and Joanne Greenberg showed me how to write about psychological suffering. I must have read “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden” at least half a dozen times and will probably read again.

How do you approach world-building in your fantasy novel? What elements do you think are essential for a compelling fantasy setting?

I build as I go. That’s not to say I don’t do my research. In fact, I do a lot of research because I want my worlds to be believable and to follow basically the same rules of physics that apply to your own world. Things like plate tectonics, currents, climate zones, gravity… they matter a lot to me. Same goes for history, biology and pretty much everything else in my worldbuilding. Even my magic. Everything has to make sense and follow the rules.

As far as compelling settings go, I believe every setting can be compelling — if done well. It all comes down to the author’s skill.

If you could give a piece of advice to the main character in your book at the start of their journey, what would it be?

RUN!

No-one in their right mind would want to be a main character in one of my books. Heck, they shouldn’t even want to be a side character. I don’t discriminate and treat every last one of them badly.

As a self-published author, how do you navigate marketing and promoting your work?

Badly. Honestly, I’m floundering and botching it all the time. I’m a pretty good writer, even if I say so myself, but I’m a lousy salesman.

What made you decide to participate in the SPFBO competition? How do you think this experience will benefit you as an author?

My writing buddies Robert Sparks and C. Borden did. I honestly didn’t want to join, but they kept nagging me that I should, so in the end I gave in and entered. I should have waited just one hour.

All kidding aside, I am grateful that they bullied me into participating, even though it scares the living daylights out of me. I can already see how SPFBO is giving me more exposure, and I’ve already sold more books these last few weeks than I usually do in months.

If you were to win SPFBO, what impact do you think this would have on your writing career?

Oh dear! I don’t even want to think that far ahead yet. Besides, what are the chances? One in three hundred. And so much depends on personal taste of the first of the judges to read my book. If he doesn’t choose my book to go on to the next round, none of the other judges will even see it. It’s not the best system around. Then again, no system is perfect, and I’m happy with the extra exposure my book already gets because of SPFBO.

What's next for you after SPFBO? Are there any upcoming projects you can share with us?

I’ll just continue writing. As far as I’m concerned, it doesn't really change anything — except for (hopefully) more sales. I’m currently working on a novella that will likely become a sequel in the “Curse of the Fathers” series, and when that’s finished, I can go back my first draft of book II.

Apart from that, I’ll continue to write poetry, which will hopefully result in another poetry book somewhere down the line.