Check out this author spotlight Bruce Nesmith!
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!
I spent many years writing D&D products for TSR, including the very popular Ravenloft boxed set for 2nd edition AD&D. I transitioned into designing and writing video games for Bethesda Game Studios, where I was fortunate enough to be the lead designer for blockbuster hit The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. I have three wonderful daughters, all grown now, leaving my wife and I as empty nesters.
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!
Library or museums? Museum
Mountains or beaches? Mountains
Plotter or pantser? Plotter
Pen and paper or computer/phone? Computer
Standalone or series? Series
3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?
Either science fiction or fantasy. I prefer a fresh take on an old idea, but if it’s got great characters I’ll read it.
4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!
My current series is urban fantasy featuring Loki as a stage magician in the modern-day Chicago suburbs. He’s hiding out there from the other Norse gods, but gets drawn back into the Nine Realms when someone tried to murder him. Although I researched Norse mythology and culture heavily, I’ve given it a fresh take with some fun twists. The Nine Realms themselves are a magic place, but the gods are just people that have special abilities, and the dwarves are steampunk. Part of Loki’s journey is trying to decide what is means to be a god in a modern world, or if there even is such a thing.
5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!
The first two books in the Loki Redeemed series are out and available from Amazon. The second book, Odin’s Escape, sees Odin escaping from the land of the dead and trying to reclaim Asgard. Loki joins with a mysterious stranger from Asgard and the two deal with a biker gang and the Norse gods to stop Odin’s plot.
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’m an avid reader and researcher. I’ve always been a huge fan of mythology and really got into researching Norse myths and legends. Of the old school authors, I’m a huge fan of Roger Zelazny, Robert Jordan, Terry Pratchett, and Patricia McKillip. Of the more recent authors, I like Jim Butcher (who doesn’t!), Seanan McGuire, Adrian Tchiachovsky, Alastair Reynolds, and Holly Black, just to name a few.
7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!
I’m pretty disciplined. I use a spreadsheet to track how many words I write and I set weekly goals. I don’t get too worked up if I miss a goal for a good reason, like my wife and I decide to go out for the day. I usually write in the morning so I have my afternoons available for family and house stuff.
8. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice as you started out on the path to becoming an author, what would it be?
Read more books about writing, like Save The Cat Writes a Novel. It would have saved me a lot of grief.
9. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!
