Interview with Young Adult Fantasy Author D. Barkley Briggs
Dorothy Thompson
December 01, 2008
D. Barkley Briggs has worked in radio, marketing and new product development. He also pastored for 11 years. After losing his wife of 16 years, Briggs decided an epic fantasy might inspire his four boys to live courageously through their loss. The Book of Names is the first in a series of adventures set in the Hidden Lands of Karac Tor. Briggs has since remarried and now has eight children. Learn more about Dean and his book at www.hiddenlands.net.
Thank you for this interview, Dean. Can you tell us briefly what your latest book, The Book of Names, is all about?
The premise is Narnia-esque, but a bit of backstory is required and it is marked with pain. The condensed version goes something like this: after 16 wonderful years of marriage, I lost my wife to cancer. We had a fantastic life together. I was, and in many ways still am, utterly shattered. I was 36 years old at the time, and had four boys under age 11 to raise. After a grueling period of numbness and grief, I knew I needed to write again, for myself and my children. I saw the vehicle of story as a way to help them process their own lives, so I dumped them in the middle of an adventure where they had to fight to find their way back home. Basically, they discover a magic pre-Columbian Viking runestone on the back acreage of their new farm. The two oldest brothers, Hadyn and Ewan, are transported to a world of magic, myth and legend. Names are being stolen from the mystical Book of Names. Somehow, it falls to the Barlows to figure out what´s going on. Other books in the series will involve other combinations of brothers.
Can you tell us what (or who) was responsible for the inspiration behind your book?
As mentioned, I wanted to tell a tale my boys could relate to, so eventually all four brothers will cross over into this other world, the Hidden Lands of Karac Tor. In that foreign world, familiarity is stripped away. New powers are born. On one level, it is an unabashed fantasy full of magic and adventure, the thrill of being swept away, having to make it on your own, no rules—something every teen and preteen will love. For a few, though, it might connect on a deeper level to feelings of isolation, loneliness, fear. For my family, it´s been real life. I lost my wife, my boys lost their mother, we felt transplanted from our home. In fact, underneath it all, the series is about a deep longing for home...for things missed, once tasted, resigned to memory carried forever in our hearts. The Briggs´s have made the journey together as bravely as we know how. The Barlows will do the same through the realm of Karac Tor, hopefully discovering more about themselves beyond sword-and-sorcery heroics. In a small but important way, it has been healing for my own heart.
Is this your first published book and if so, can you tell us your experiences in finding a publisher for it?
I previously published two medical thrillers, The God Spot (1999) and The Most Important Little Boy in the World (2001). But the busyness of life soon overtook me. I was just starting my family, had a full time job and other obligations, and couldn´t maintain the writing pace required for a new author to build a following. It is recommended that new authors release a book every nine months (or one year max). Every six months is preferred for the first few books. I couldn´t do it. Also, medical thrillers were what my publisher wanted from me, not what I wanted. Several years passed. Then life fell apart and I knew I had to write again.
How has Navpress been to work with?
I´m pleased. While they are a major publisher in the Christian market, they are a smaller publisher overall, so I get perhaps a bit more personalized attention. They´ve been innovative, in spite of the economic downturn. I´d like to see even more creative marketing strategies and dollars applied, but every author wants that, right? It´s a balancing act.
Do you have an agent?
Two things: Firstly, the Christian market is a bit more forgiving (no pun intended) in not requiring agents. Some do require them, and more are, but it´s not absolute like it is in secular publishing. So, while it may be increasingly rare to get anywhere without an agent, it is possible. Secondly, being previously published several years ago, I had contacts within the industry and outlets to pursue on my own, sans agent. It´s worked out so far, but if I expand into non-fiction, I´m probably going to need to secure an agent.
Can you tell us how long it took you to write your book and also how long it took from the time Navpress sent the contract and the time it was released?
I began plotting long before I began writing. My contract specifies a three book deal on a nine month spread; in other words, one book every nine months. So that´s what I´m doing. The books generally release on the same schedule, though staggered a couple of months later---I think for marketing purposes. But this is my sideline job. Authors on the bestseller list may make a lot of money, but I´m not there yet, so this is taking a lot of late nights.
Do you have any words of inspiration from other writers who would like to be wearing your shoes?
1. Read. 2. Read. 3. Persevere. It won´t just be handed to you. You´ll get a mountain of rejection letters before you get published. Accept that fact and determine to outlast the rejections. If your ego is too fragile to handle the process, this probably isn´t for you. Publishing is fickle. Let your passion be your voice in writing, but don´t assume an idiosyncratic, quirk-laden style pockmarked with poor syntax and stale dialog will be hailed for originality and genius. It´ll get dumped in the trash. You´ve got to grow, refine, improve. Keep at it! Talent is important, but perseverance is equally so.
What´s next for you?
First, book two. Corus the Champion is ready, edited and at the presses. It releases in Spring, ´09. I´m now about halfway through book three, The Song of Unmaking. More late nights!
Thank you for this interview, Dean. Can you tell us briefly what your latest book, The Book of Names, is all about?
The premise is Narnia-esque, but a bit of backstory is required and it is marked with pain. The condensed version goes something like this: after 16 wonderful years of marriage, I lost my wife to cancer. We had a fantastic life together. I was, and in many ways still am, utterly shattered. I was 36 years old at the time, and had four boys under age 11 to raise. After a grueling period of numbness and grief, I knew I needed to write again, for myself and my children. I saw the vehicle of story as a way to help them process their own lives, so I dumped them in the middle of an adventure where they had to fight to find their way back home. Basically, they discover a magic pre-Columbian Viking runestone on the back acreage of their new farm. The two oldest brothers, Hadyn and Ewan, are transported to a world of magic, myth and legend. Names are being stolen from the mystical Book of Names. Somehow, it falls to the Barlows to figure out what´s going on. Other books in the series will involve other combinations of brothers.
Can you tell us what (or who) was responsible for the inspiration behind your book?
As mentioned, I wanted to tell a tale my boys could relate to, so eventually all four brothers will cross over into this other world, the Hidden Lands of Karac Tor. In that foreign world, familiarity is stripped away. New powers are born. On one level, it is an unabashed fantasy full of magic and adventure, the thrill of being swept away, having to make it on your own, no rules—something every teen and preteen will love. For a few, though, it might connect on a deeper level to feelings of isolation, loneliness, fear. For my family, it´s been real life. I lost my wife, my boys lost their mother, we felt transplanted from our home. In fact, underneath it all, the series is about a deep longing for home...for things missed, once tasted, resigned to memory carried forever in our hearts. The Briggs´s have made the journey together as bravely as we know how. The Barlows will do the same through the realm of Karac Tor, hopefully discovering more about themselves beyond sword-and-sorcery heroics. In a small but important way, it has been healing for my own heart.
Is this your first published book and if so, can you tell us your experiences in finding a publisher for it?
I previously published two medical thrillers, The God Spot (1999) and The Most Important Little Boy in the World (2001). But the busyness of life soon overtook me. I was just starting my family, had a full time job and other obligations, and couldn´t maintain the writing pace required for a new author to build a following. It is recommended that new authors release a book every nine months (or one year max). Every six months is preferred for the first few books. I couldn´t do it. Also, medical thrillers were what my publisher wanted from me, not what I wanted. Several years passed. Then life fell apart and I knew I had to write again.
How has Navpress been to work with?
I´m pleased. While they are a major publisher in the Christian market, they are a smaller publisher overall, so I get perhaps a bit more personalized attention. They´ve been innovative, in spite of the economic downturn. I´d like to see even more creative marketing strategies and dollars applied, but every author wants that, right? It´s a balancing act.
Do you have an agent?
Two things: Firstly, the Christian market is a bit more forgiving (no pun intended) in not requiring agents. Some do require them, and more are, but it´s not absolute like it is in secular publishing. So, while it may be increasingly rare to get anywhere without an agent, it is possible. Secondly, being previously published several years ago, I had contacts within the industry and outlets to pursue on my own, sans agent. It´s worked out so far, but if I expand into non-fiction, I´m probably going to need to secure an agent.
Can you tell us how long it took you to write your book and also how long it took from the time Navpress sent the contract and the time it was released?
I began plotting long before I began writing. My contract specifies a three book deal on a nine month spread; in other words, one book every nine months. So that´s what I´m doing. The books generally release on the same schedule, though staggered a couple of months later---I think for marketing purposes. But this is my sideline job. Authors on the bestseller list may make a lot of money, but I´m not there yet, so this is taking a lot of late nights.
Do you have any words of inspiration from other writers who would like to be wearing your shoes?
1. Read. 2. Read. 3. Persevere. It won´t just be handed to you. You´ll get a mountain of rejection letters before you get published. Accept that fact and determine to outlast the rejections. If your ego is too fragile to handle the process, this probably isn´t for you. Publishing is fickle. Let your passion be your voice in writing, but don´t assume an idiosyncratic, quirk-laden style pockmarked with poor syntax and stale dialog will be hailed for originality and genius. It´ll get dumped in the trash. You´ve got to grow, refine, improve. Keep at it! Talent is important, but perseverance is equally so.
What´s next for you?
First, book two. Corus the Champion is ready, edited and at the presses. It releases in Spring, ´09. I´m now about halfway through book three, The Song of Unmaking. More late nights!
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