Check out this author spotlight for fantasy writer JMD Reid!
You can find all the links for where to find his furthest down the page, and don’t forget to check out his books!
1. Hi! Welcome to my humble blog of all things bookish! I would like for us to start by getting to know you. Give us a short bio, please!
From Amazon: JMD Reid has been a long-time fan of Fantasy ever since he read The Hobbit way back in the fourth grade. His head has always been filled with fantastical tales, and he is eager to share the worlds dwelling in his dreams with you.
Reid is long-time resident of the Pacific Northwest in and around the City of Tacoma. The rainy, gloomy atmosphere of Western Washington, combined with the natural beauty of the evergreen forests and the looming Mount Rainier, provides the perfect climate to brew creative worlds and exciting stories!
When he’s not writing, Reid enjoys playing video games, playing D&D and listening to amazing music.
2. To get to know you just a little bit better, I’d like to ask you some this or that questions. Answer 5 of these and explain why you chose this or that, or maybe an entirely different alternative!
Winter, spring, summer or autumn? Spring or autumn. Not hot or cold. Just cool.
Cat or dog? Dog! They’re friendly, loyal, and aren’t the spawn of hell sent to torment mankind.
Tea or coffee? Coffee. Tea’s fine but coffee tastes better.
Morning or evening? Morning. By evening I don’t want to do anything.
Hunter or gatherer? Hunter. Go out, kill the animal, and bring it back. Nice, fresh meat.
Ninjas or pirates? Ninjas. Way cooler than deadbeat sailors.
Plotter or pantser? Hybrid
Pen and paper or computer/phone? Computer!
Standalone or series? Series. A standalone just isn’t enough story. You can have so much more depth and nuance and development.
Hero or anti-hero? Hero. Anti-heroes are fine, but they why not write something more inspirational than that.
3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?
I read mostly fantasy. I look for some good characters and imaginative ideas. I like different settings and ideas.
4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!
I write epic and dark fantasy. My current projects are Assassins of Illumination about a shapechanging assassin free of his masters and struggling to find who he is while a new crime boss wants to use his powers and the husband of one of his victims is looking for revenge.
My other project is Shadow of the Dragon, an epic quest fantasy. About two young people, a boy who wants to be a hero and the girl he’s tyring to protect. The girl has the soul of a dragon put in her and has to fight to keep her own identity. Together, they are being hunted by a cabal of mages and rebels who want to bring back dragons and overturn the god’s powers.
5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!
My most recent release is Jewels of Illumination Books 1-3.
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08W9BT8H9
Burdened by regrets, a disgraced guard turns to a magical blade he is reluctant to wield.
Life had gone wrong for Obhin. Once a respected palace guard, now he sells his sword as a bandit. Trapped by his missteps, he has little reason for hope…
Until one young woman sees more in him.
Passionate and headstrong, Avena has no patience for bullies. Haunted by her own bleak past, the healer sees in Obhin a chance for escape…a chance for them both.
This misfit pairing must learn to trust each other as they struggle to survive in a city of poverty and vice, for dark sorcerers, underworld crime bosses, and brutal bandits scheme to destroy them.
Can they polish clean their stained souls?
Embark on a fantasy adventure rife with tension, intrigue, and deceit, centered around two flawed characters who find strength in each other, perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, Andy Peloquin, or Brent Weeks.
Download today!
Included in this box set:
* Diamond Stained – Jewels of Illumination Book One
* Ruby Ruins – Jewels of Illumination Book Two
* Obsidian Mind – Jewels of Illumination Book Three
Other Books in this series:
Emerald Strength – Jewels of Illumination Book Four
Amethyst Shattered – Jewels of Illumination Book Five
6. What real-life inspiration do you draw from, and what are your primary fictional sources of inspiration (books, authors, films, music, etc.)? Name a few!
I draw on history and stories, mythology and religion. For authors, Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series influences my writing styles while authors like Steven Erickson and R. Scott Bakker drive me to have more complicated characters and realistic fantasy settings.
7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!
I start with a book outline, usually a few paragraphs with the highlights. Then I do a 4 or 5 chapter scene outline that can be quite detail. Then I write it, letting myself develop the characters emotional arcs better. Then when I write that section, I’ll outline the next part, reflecting on exactly how the last few chapters went. I usually outline to the next big status quo shift in the story.
Rinse and repeat and you have a novel.
8. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice as you started out on the path to become an author, what would it be?
Stop playing WoW and write some books. Also, figure out marketing.
9. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JMDReid
Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/158087188138155
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/61bSz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JMDReid
Website: http://JMD-Reid.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/J.M.D.-Reid/e/B00P44PBQK/
I love Robert Jordan too 🙂
Yes, fabulous author!