Welcome to the second interview on my blog ! I had the chance to interview Zack Argyle who released his first book, Voice of War, almost a year back. Art by Ömer Burak Önal.
About the author
Zack Argyle was raised with a wonderful family motto: don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story. What better way than to write fiction? He spends his days writing code and his nights writing epic stories about family, love, loss, friendship, and pain all intermixed with a heavy dose of the fantastical.
1) To kick off the interview, who are your greatest influencers?
There are a wide range of people that have influenced me over the years, from directors like James Cameron and Peter Jackson, to authors like Brandon Sanderson and Joe Abercrombie. But I’m also heavily influenced by my family and the relationships that surround me, which becomes a key aspect to my books.
2) Being an indie author, how has it been so far?
If I were a full-time author, I may have a different opinion on this, but it has been an absolute joy so far. The community is exceptionally welcoming, and it has been so inspiring to hear from readers all over the world that have enjoyed my writing. I will also note that I LOVE learning, and being an indie author requires you to learn to write, edit, design, produce, advertise, build community, and so many other things. It has been both wonderfully overwhelming and painstakingly fun.
3) How was the experience of entering the SPFBO?
Believe it or not, I had actually never heard of the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off before the day I entered. I saw a post about it and reached out to my writing group and asked if they knew about it. One of them, author S.A. Klopfenstein, had entered the previous year and said that it was a great competition to be a part of. When I found out that I was a semi-finalist, I was absolutely ecstatic, and then I certainly peed a little when I was named a finalist! Besides the reviews and publicity that goes along with it, one of the greatest aspects of being a finalist has been getting to socialist and become friends with the other finalists. We have a discord server, and we cheer each other on (or commiserate) with each new review that is released.
4) Amongst the different kinds of threadweaving, which one would you like to be?
So, I’m actually going to give a bit of a vague answer and say that there are revelations in the second book that change things. So, you’ll have to read book 2 and then I think you know what my answer would be 😉
5) What was the easiest and the hardest character to write?
The hardest character for me to get right was Iriel Valerian, who is pregnant at the start of the book, and then has her newborn child in her arms for much of the rest. Pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood are things that I will never be able to experience, and I leaned on my very patient wife to help me depict her the best I could. Coincidentally, she’s also one of my favorite characters. The easiest character to write for me was Alverax. He’s good-hearted, a bit immature, and too trusting for his own good, which in a way is how I see myself. Getting into his head felt natural, and I really enjoyed it. He has a big future in the series, and book two really takes him further.
6) Any books you’ve loved recently?
Absolutely! I’ve been going through the other SPFBO finalists and having a blast reading them. Shadow of a Dead God was hilarious. Last Memoria was haunting. Black Stone Heart was grimdark at its finest. And The Combat Codes was just plain fun. I also finished Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson last month and the ending (as always with him) blew me away.
7) What books are you looking forward to reading in 2021?
I’m planning to finish off the rest of the SPFBO finalists, as well as a few other indies I have my eye on (Winds of Strife by U.G Gutman, Dragon Mage by M.L Spencer, etc). Oh, also, The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne because MY GOODNESS THAT COVER. Too many books, and not enough time!
8) Any last words?
Support indie authors! The more I read the more I realize that there is an incredible, growing wave of indie fantasy that is as good, and in some cases better, than the traditionally published works being released. I think it’s quite incredible, and I’m trying to do my part to support this new community that is transforming book production.
Thank you to Zack Argyle for agreeing to the interview ! The sequel, Stones of Light, will be released on April 4th 2021.
You can buy Voice of War on Book Depository here, Amazon here
Follow Zack Argyle on Twitter Instagram Facebook Goodreads and his website.
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