Lucy A. McLaren

Time for another author interview, this time with A. M. Portman who I met through Instagram. I’m loving meeting fellow authors and learning about how their stories came to life. Read on to learn about A. M. Portman’s book series, The Legends of Andolin.

L: Hello! So, first of all – tell me a little bit about yourself!

A: Hello, It’s great to meet you! I am A. M. Portman, an equestrian, mother, and author of the Legends of Andolin books series.

L: You note in your author bio that for your book, Legends of Andolin, you took your D&D ranger character and created a world and problems for her to overcome. I’m wondering how much you took from your experience playing D&D? Did it make coming up with your own world easier?

A: The inspiration was there, certainly. I play many different fantasy games, both analog and digital (like World of Warcraft and Skyrim as well as action/adventure like Tomb Raider etc.) so I’m aware of the different aspects of these games that I really enjoy; the quests, dungeons, and so on, and wanted to incorporate that feeling of excitement and discovery into my writing.

L: There are loads of elements making up your fantasy world and story, including pirates and sea monsters. What was the inspiration behind these?

A: I’ve loved sea stories since I was a child; Moby Dick, Treasure Island and so on, and I’ve always been fascinated by the mysterious creatures that live in the sea. It seems like anything could be hiding under the waves: the perfect place for a writer to put their monsters.

L: Are you planning a sequel or series for this character and world? How’s that coming along?

A: Yes, I’m nearing the end of writing the second book, and have an outline ready for the third. The material I have planned will take at least four books to cover, hopefully many more.

L: What was your writing process like? Did you have a rigid routine, or did you allow the story to flow naturally?

A: I do both. I make an outline, but leave room for things to flow in other directions if need be. You can’t always predict what your characters will do next; they sometimes have a mind of their own.

L: Why do you write in the fantasy genre? What’s your favourite thing about it?

A: I like the freedom that fantasy allows for. If you write in, say, historical fiction, you had better get your facts straight, or the historians will have their fun. With fantasy, you have created the whole world yourself, so it really can’t be wrong, per se. Though Legends of Andolin has more of an action/adventure focus, the setting is definitely a fantasy world, which allows more room for creativity.

L: How long have you been writing for? What made you first start writing?

A: I feel like I’ve always been writing, even if it’s just things like essays, research papers, articles and the like, first in school and then in university. Since I was young, I’d been told I had a knack for writing, but I didn’t enjoy it. I declined all of the opportunities presented to me, including offers to publish my papers in academic journals. I wasn’t interested; I didn’t want to be a writer. I didn’t realize writing could be fun until my sister asked me to create a never-ending story for her birthday, which became Legends of Andolin. Now, I enjoy it so much I doubt I’ll ever stop.

L: What’s your go-to music for a writing session? Where might we find you when you’re not writing?

A: Vivaldi, or any similar background music. Otherwise, I prefer quiet. Anything with lyrics is too distracting for me. When I’m not at home writing, you can find me at the stables across the street. 

L: What tips would you give to someone who wants to write but is struggling to know where to start?

A: Don’t overthink it, just start. The blank page is too intimidating; jump right in and put anything at all down. An outline, an opening line, smash the keyboard if you need. Don’t worry if it’s good; editing comes later.

L: Where can readers connect with you and learn more about your books?

A: My website is: legendsofandolin.com

Thanks so much for the interview, Lucy! I had so much fun answering your thoughtful questions.

L: Thank you for joining me, Audra! And you can read my interview on Audra’s website here.