Check out this author spotlight for Jeffrey Bardwell!
You can find all his links 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!
Jeffrey Bardwell writes epic fantasy with elements of darkness, steampunk, and romance set in the Metal vs. Magic Universe. His character-driven books are guaranteed to include gritty realism, political intrigue, lurid entanglements, dry wit, and dragons in differing proportions. He devours fantasy and science fiction novels and is most comfortable basking near a warm wood stove. When not writing, Jeffrey enjoys cooking, gardening, and shooing baby dragons from the compost bin. The author lives on a farm and in a prior life worked as a community ecologist. He is overfond of puns and alliterations. He is also an unabashed history and mythology enthusiast.
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?
I enjoy autumn most of all. The crunch of the leaves underfoot. The sweet tang of fresh apple cider. The gentle nip in the air. These are all harbingers of my favorite season.
Cat or dog?
I have a small calico cat named Scraps who acts like an eternal kitten. She keeps me sane and uses me as a hot water bottle when the house gets cold.
Tea or coffee?
I prefer loose leaf black tea or herbal tisane. There is an amazing variety out there, and I want to try them all!
Plotter or pantser?
I land somewhere in the middle. My outlines are very basic and I fill in the gaps as I write.
Standalone or series?
I enjoy writing series. My stories are far too big to fit into a single book.
3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?
I enjoy all forms of epic fantasy of course, but am a sucker for military sci fi. I like characters that are three dimensional.
4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!
I am currently writing three dark epic fantasy series: a coming of age steampunk set during a revolution and subsequent imperial civil war (3/7 books published), a court intrigue set during an oppressive pogrom against mages (4/6 books published), and a military adventure about the unit who hunts dragons (1/6 books published). I also have ideas for a fantasy romance I want to write next, but have sworn to complete two of the other series first. All my stories take place in the same Metal vs Magic Universe at different points in history.
5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!
I am currently working on completing the Mage Conspiracy series, an epic fantasy intrigue where love and lies cut deeper than any sword. You can download the first book for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/tpd6gj468b
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!
That’s a tough one. I draw most of my real life inspiration from experiences I’ve had or folks I’ve met, historical figures, and different mythologies. The evil empire that pervades my series definitely has a strong medieval steampunk Roman feel to them. My fictional inspiration includes authors like Heinlein, McCaffrey, Doyle, Flint … oh, a long list. I think I subconsciously draw from movies as well. I’ve been told my characters chat far too much whilst fleeing for their lives.
7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!
I try to maintain a schedule and when I’m whirring along hit at least 5,000 words per day. However, recent health issues and the pandemic have thrown me for a loop.
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?
Don’t waste time querying literary fiction short stories. Start writing and publishing fantasy novels!
9. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!
Website:Â https://jeffreybardwell.com/
Amazon:Â https://www.amazon.com/Jeffrey-Bardwell/e/B071RXS994
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16676565.Jeffrey_Bardwell
