Offering my book for free

Easter is coming and corona-virus is making people very bored because we need to stay isolated.

I don't want you to be bored. That's why I'm offering you my book for free for a limited time.

The offer starts at 3.4.2020 and ends 7.4.2020.

Don't miss it!

If you wish to give me something in return, I always appreciate a small review in Amazon.

Here's a direct link to the book:www.amazon.com/Defiers…

Now, to nicer things than the virus.

A while back I had the honors to talk about my work with a Finnish fantasy author Katri Alatalo, who worked as my mentor during a writing class in Uni. With her questions, I offer you a small insight to my writing process; what happened ‘behind the scenes’ and what are my thoughts and goals on the Ter Dregos series. Here's a quick translation:

Q: What books and authors have influenced your work?

A: The authors that influenced me the most are without a doubt Robin Hobb (Assassin’s Apprentice trilogy) Katherine Kerr (Deverry Cycle), George R.R. Martin(ASOIAF), Stephen King, Wilbur Smith, Merja Jalo and J.R.R. Tolkien. 

I started writing the Ter Dregos series soon after I had put down the Hobbit and started Reading Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series. Something in the language and the way he expressed things appealed to me and made me start writing as well. I sort of found my own voice through these books. (All those mentioned above.) I had seen the happenings of Ter Dregos in my mind, but I didn’t have the means or skill to tell about them before I found these books and authors. Through ASOIAF I got familiar with the multi POV style, which was a great way to show things in my novel. The multi POV style made it possible for me to write the book structurally and chronologically as I had always dreamed about, but before familiarizing myself with Mr. Martin’s work I didn’t know how to execute. This must be yet another proof, that writers should read a lot. It’s very educational. 

Besides books, I have always been influenced and inspired by movies and video games. One of my all time favorites is Dragon Age fantasy game series, which worked as a huge source of inspiration for my series, along with Finnish folklore and medieval tales.

Q: What made you pick the sub-genres, dark fantasy and adventurous coming-of-age story?

A: Coming-of-age sub-genre fits pretty much in every book, since people, or in this case characters, are shaping and molding constantly throughout the happenings of the book (life) and the choices they make. Because characters, much as real life humans, have their own personalities, they react differently to different situations. This brings more drama and dimensions to the plot and gives the reader a chance to speculate the upcoming events. 

Dark fantasy, in my opinion, fits together very well with the main genre, Swords and Sorcery. If the story is a bit on the dark side, I think it is okay to include a little racier humor, sex and violence. I like to write about things that amuse me. Writing is hard and time consuming work, so it has to be fun.

Q: How is the world in your novel? How did you create it?

A: The world in my series is a very traditional fantasy world, that is located at the continent of Ter Dregos. Terrain of Dragons, translated from its elvish name. The continent has split into four areas as result of wars: Morgonia, Drakonia (which includes the autonomic merchant state Lyr) and the Empire of the High Elves called Vylein. Each state has its own culture and religion.

Morgonia is an oligarchy, which practices nature religions and worshiping of the ancestors and animals gods like Grizylak (bear god) and Nytheran (a gender chancing deer god.) Of course in fits a mischievous fox god Nu’gual, who likes to arrange all sorts of trouble to the good unknowing inhabitants of Morgonia. 

Morgonia’s most important export products are gems and farm products, along with different kinds of wooden decoration items and furniture. As an environment Morgonia is mostly woodland with hills and numerous small rivers, lakes and ponds. Winters are cold and snowy, summers are hot and short. Mogonia’s western parts are tundra. 

Culturally, Morgonia is the most liberal of four states. Women dress often in men’s clothes while going riding and the hem of their skirt of allowed to be as short as to reveal half of their calves. Showing one’s shoulders is considered very daring, however. Unlike in other states of Ter Dregos that are ruled by humans, divorce is acceptable and common in Morgonia. It’s not done without a little bit of shame, though. 

Morgonia is famous for its sauna culture, and nudity is not frowned upon, unlike in Lyr, for example.

Morgonian food culture consist mostly from meat and vegetables. Most commonly served meats are elk, sheep and big, but during parties bear meat is often desired and available. Different creamy and greasy soups are popular, especially during winters and are often served with dried mushrooms, nuts, acorns and different kinds of cheeses. 

Morgonians drink mostly wines and ales, but they also have stronger alcohols like berry liquors and infamous ’reindeer piss’ —suspiciously strong clear alcohol made by the nomad dwarves. The dwarves who live underground have also become famous for their strong dark ale, which after a couple of pints, is known to knock out even the most experienced drinkers.

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Drakonia is a kingdom, but because of an ancient curse, the ruler has obtained and used the title ’Lord’ for hundreds of years. At the central role of Drakonian religion are the elemental gods and goddesses, who all have their own temples. Mages are shaping the elements the gods and goddesses represent: fire, water, earth, air and metal. The exception to Drakonian main religion comes from the common elves, who practice their own religion, worshipping the Creator. They also have their own views about the afterlife. 

Silver and copper are the most common Drakonian export products. 

As an environment Drakonia is much like Morgonia. At southern parts of Drakonia, there are large areas of grass land. 

Culturally Drakonia is very conservative, considering both, dress code and politics. Women dress in long, rather covering gowns and they are expected to have long hair. Unlike in Morgonia, a short haired woman is considered to have an ill reputation. 

Drakonian food culture has gotten influenced by Morgonian and Lyrish food cultures. In Drakonia they also eat lots of different kind of birds and white and dark bread. Most of the wines are either Lyrish or Vyleinian. In bakings the most used ingredient is often honey. 

Lyr does have the same elemental religion as Drakonia. They have other religions as well, since as an autonomic state Lys is the open crossing point of all cultures. 

Environmentally Lyr reflects the remains of an old elven culture, which can be seen especially in the architectural details, like golden and silver statues, decorative pillars and in use of light colors. 

From all states of Ter Dregos, Lyr is the most conservative one and does not recognize the concept of divorce. Even though showing one’s shoulders in the Lyrish culture is normal for women, the hem of their dress must reach at least to their ankles. Even though Lyr is still influenced by the remains of the old elven culture, it would be unheard of for adults to swim naked in the pools of their gardens, or appear with minimal clothing before anyone, but their spouses. 

Seafood and fresh vegetables are the main points of Lyrish food culture, along with local wines, well known for the sweetness. Clams, crabs and fish are every day food, whilst it has been common to serve roasted piglet at the parties. 

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Vyleinian Empire is dominated by the religion of the High Elves, which is almost the same as the religion of the common elves. In Vylein, however, they have large temples and gardens, where religion is strongly present. The places of sorrow (gardens for example) have been made especially beautiful, so that the spirits of the passed would have a pleasant environment to continue their ethereal dwelling. 

By culture, Vylein is highly hierarchic, which shows from the structure of their new capital Dun Atmar. The city has been built of circles: In the smallest circle is the Palace, next comes the closest friends and family of the Imperial family, army, merchants and crafter and at the outer circle is meant for the common folk. 

Vylein is famous for its sexual tolerance and openness, along with its spa culture. All elves are permitted to get involved with each other regardless of gender, and not even polyamorous relationships are frowned upon. Because of the spa culture, Vyleinians aren’t shy about their nudity. Bathhouses are viewed as luxurious and social environments, where people may gather to relax or talk about business. 

Because of warm climate Vyleinians dress often in light and airy fabrics and are allowed to show plenty of skin. It is also customary to wear plenty of jewelry and fancy embroidery is seen in most of their clothing along with other extravagant details. The esthetic rule of three is strongly present in the everyday life of the High Elves: Architectural details are usually presented in groups of threes. It is also very common that rich families posses a number of slaves that can be divided by three. 

Vylein is the only state of Ter Dregos where slavery is legal. The slaves blend in well with the rest of the society, however, and they are not to be treated violently or disrespectfully. If a slave looks too tired or to be in otherwise poor shape, the reputation of the owning family is easily brought into question. A Vyleinian slave is easy to recognize by the amount of jewelry he or she carries, they all being chains. Because of the long lifespan of the High Elves, a slave can commonly buy oneself free by using the golden chains one has earned. 

Wine flows generously all around Vylein, but High Elves do not eat meat at all. They nourish themselves with vegetables instead, along with grain and fish. In the palace the Imperial family may occasionally serve roasted peacock or swan if they’re throwing a larger party. Vylein’s most important export products are gold, wine, fabrics and fruits. 

I started to create the fantasy world of Ter Dregos during high school, when during an English class I had to study different political ruling systems. My fantasy universe filled up slowly from there with geographical and cultural details. For the creation process I simply used the power of my imaginations along with plenty of background study on varying subjects.

Q: What are your thoughts on respecting traditions of the fantasy genre and do you seek to renew it?

A: Because people have expectations about the genre, I wish to answer to those expectations by keeping most of the element as traditional as possible. The setting of the series is medieval, but Vyleinian spa culture has been inspired by ancient Rome and Greece. 

Races like elves, dwarves, werewolves etc. are also very traditional in the world of Ter Dregos. I have brought in new elements with religions and cultures: For example my dwarves and elves have split into sub-races; elves into High Elves, common elves and ancient elves. Dwarves into traditional underground dwarves that live in their tunnels under the mountains, and to the small group that lives on the surface as reindeer herding nomads. 

I have no special intentions to start renewing the fantasy genre; I just wish to bring in a little extra that challenges the traditions of basic fantasy.

Q: Where would you place your novel in the world of fantasy?

A: That’s a really interesting question. I haven’t thought about it much, but I must say I have perhaps managed to create some sort of mixed/side genre, which I call as folkfantasy. The term comes from the fact that I have been influenced greatly by Finnish folk lore and mythology. And I may have picked things from Samic culture as well as Native American culture on the way, along with European mythology. 

Perhaps my series settles into a breaking point of fantasy. The genre has been renewing a lot during past few years, in form on urban fantasy and tradition breaking fantasy, which I think Patrick Rothfuss’ King Killer chronicles represent.

Q: What are your goals for the Ter Dregos series?

A: My main goal is to write the series in a way that each book is better than the last one. I don’t want the story to lose its focus or interest at any point, like many series have. I also wish to entertain the readers by giving them the chance to speculate the plot and characters. I sort of think the series as a large puzzle game, in which the reader can conduct and connect things, in order to find clues about upcoming happenings and true agendas of the characters. The puzzle game model also allows the books to be more than just one time reads, since with each read though, the reader eventually finds more clues. 

Of course I also dream that one day the series would be available in multiple languages. Perhaps even as Skyrim-like video game, since I think there are lots of interesting elements, strange creatures and secrets in the world of Ter Dregos the gamers might enjoy exploring.