Gary F. Vanucci
Epic Fantasy Author
Welcome to week four of my fantasy authors! You're going to love not only the covers of these books, but the creative author who pens them for you. Gary was born in Pennsylvania in 1968. He enjoys writing, reading, music, art, anything at all that promotes creativity and activities that push the mind beyond conventional thinking. He has spent time as an amateur singer/songwriter and has spent multiple decades creating role-playing scenarios and playing games amongst various genres. Years of reading graphic novels, comic books, fantasy/science fiction novels and the like has led him to discover his true passion—writing!
His education includes a Bachelor’s of Science in the field of Information Technology and an Associates of Arts in the field of Graphic Design.
Gary's invited us to the continent of Wothlondia, in the city of Oakhaven, in
the Tall Tale Tavern to be served some fine dwarven ale from its proprietor,
Melin Flinteye! So...come have a seat in the Tavern with us as we chat with Gary and enjoy a cold brew!
Deanna: Gary, this is quite the place and my readers who enjoy Fantasy fiction are going to love it here! Thanks for sharing this place with us. I can't wait to try one of their dark beers. While we wait, please tell us a bit about yourself.
Deanna: Gary, this is quite the place and my readers who enjoy Fantasy fiction are going to love it here! Thanks for sharing this place with us. I can't wait to try one of their dark beers. While we wait, please tell us a bit about yourself.
Gary:
I have a
background in singing, songwriting, art, music and now writing. I think that my
father, who was a pianist, is the closest thing we have in our family with
regards to talent, so I guess it came from him!
Deanna: Do you prefer wine, whiskey, scotch, or ice
tea?
Gary: Beer, Coffee,
Unsweetened Tea or water is all that I really drink. Though, on occasion, I’ve
been seen drinking some Merlot.
Deanna: What do you do to relax when you aren’t writing?
Gary:
I watch some
TV shows, play Dungeons and Dragons with friends, or watch baseball. The TV
shows are recorded; I almost never channel surf as I feel too many distractions
inhibit my writing.
Deanna: Do you have to split your writing time
between a day job?
Gary:
Yes. I am
looking to change that ASAP! I work tech support for Comcast as a
means to provide income for now.
Deanna:
As authors, we’ve sometimes been accused of being several people. How
many personalities live in your mind?
Gary:
I don’t
really know…when I find out, I’ll let you know!
Deanna: I guess that answers that question! How
many plots do you include in one of your books?
Gary:
I have an
over-arching storyline, a one-shot storyline (self-contained in the book) and
then maybe another one or two sub-plots for the most part. It’s quite comprehensive.
Deanna: What one thing would you pass on to new
writers?
Gary:
Keep writing,
keep reading, and keep practicing your craft. Listen to constructive criticism
and toss the rest of the negativity out the window.
Deanna: Great advice to those looking to get started. Tell us about your latest book and the type
of reader if may appeal to.
Gary:
My latest
endeavors are a full-length novel and continuation of my Realm of Ashenclaw
novels entitled Secrets of the Ebonite Mines. This one continues the epic
journey of some of the characters listed below in the next question and
progresses the storyline into some interesting places. It also sets up more
things to come for the readers to look forward to. I also have a collaborative
anthology of short stories with the guys from my writer’s circle, Skulldust
Circle, and have written the Legend of Ashenclaw (giant red dragon queen who
burned the continent of Wothlondia to the ground decades prior to Covenant of
the Faceless Knights), which I think my readers will absolutely love! This
should be out by mid-August.
Deanna: The mind of fantasy writers still amazes me! The worlds, characters and powers that you conjure up are wonderful! Tell us about Garius and Elec the heroes of
your latest book.
Gary:
Garius Forge is
the quintessential leader-type, a human Inquisitor of the Faceless Knights of
Order, a zealous group of overseers to the Gods of Order. And Elec Stormwhisper
is a high elf alchemist rogue/fighter with many magic items and uses his
alchemical potions to enhance his fighting prowess.
Deanna: Readers, I hope you taking notes here! Gary, you covers are so nice. Congrats on those. Tell us about Rose and Saeunn, the heroines of
your latest book.
Gary:
Saeunn is a
bad-ass barbarian with a massive chip on her shoulder, and if you read Tears of
Blood, a short story in Wothlondia Rising the Anthology, you’ll find out why!
Her family was overrun by a horde of orcs and she is one of only a few
survivors form her village. Rose Thorne is a sassy, smart-ass rogue with quite
a troubled history from her youth and she injects some real emotion and fun
into the group.
Deanna: Tell us about some of your antagonists.
Gary:
Well, the overall leader of the dark forces is a fallen holy warrior
named Zabalas Dimonia. He has quite a tragic history that will one day be told
in a novella or perhaps even more as I feel it is worth telling someday soon.
Needless to say, he is a fallen hero himself and as the next book nears
release, you will find out a bit more about Zabalas. The reveals are coming, so
keep your eyes peeled for my next full length novel, tentatively entitled Dance
of Deceit, due out hopefully by the end of the year if all goes well! Zabalas
also has a small group of emissaries that he employs, too, including Phaera
Sine, a succubus demon, Megnus Bloodstone, a Slagfell dwarf and Prishnack, a Djinn
with vast magical powers that I have not even begun to touch on.
Find Gary at his links below:
Please feel free to leave any comments or questions you might have for Gary and be sure to visit his sites! Don't forget to follow him on Twitter and FB! Gary, thank you so much for hanging around with us. I think someone just ordered another round for all of us!