Author Interview: Riley Westbrook

​1. When did you first know you wanted to write?

I wasn't bit by the writing bug until I worked nights at a psych hospital. It was a period of boredom filled with short bursts of having to deal with someone telling me the walls were telling him to beat up his roommate. But I was 25 when I started planning out my timeline.

2. Which authors inspire you the most?

Anne McCaffrey, Robert Jordan, David Weber, Tolkien, David Brin, Frank Herbert, Raymond E. Feist, Robin Hobb, and Heinlein. I've also been known to read over old Issac Asimov books from time to time, though I don't think I write anything like he does.

3.How did you get the inspiration for your novel?

I played Dungeons and Dragons throughout high school. I built entire worlds and campaigns from my head, and kept notes for years and years. When I was 25 and found it again, I started planning a book. When I was 30, disabled and unable to do the job I love I became serious about that book. Breath of the Titans: The False Titanbringer is what sprang forth.

4. What is your favorite part about being an author?

When I was a kid, I remember my teachers always complaining that I would be daydreaming instead of paying attention in class. I've always had an over active imagination, and writing gives me the ability to freely express it without any fear of an authoritarian figure interfering. Only the day to day parts of living and paying the bills get in the way of my adventures inside of my own head.

5. Could you write a bit about what your publication process was like?

That part sucked. It's been mostly trial and error, and I still don't have it 100% down. For instance, my separate books are available on Smashwords.com in their premium catalog, but my book that contains all three isn't because I can't get the formatting just right. Hoping that this next project I'm working on will be a bit easier now that I have some experience under my belt.

6. Do you have any upcoming projects?

Yes, I'm working on a horror story this time around. Follows a drug addict around during the start of a zombie apocalypse, as well as another group trying to survive. I know, zombies, right? But there are twists, and it was much more fun to write than I thought it would be.

About Riley's Book:

 story that centers around a half elf, half dragon boy who just turned 16, named Lovonian. The story begins with Lov and his uncle Nord taking their annual hunting trip. On their return to Elvenhom, they find that the city’s population has been slaughtered by an army of Titans, except for those taken as slaves, when they see the collection of ears that were chopped off. With Amon dead and his mother captured, Lov and Nord begin their quest to find his mother by seeking out Nord’s old friend Jaxon. After acquiring weapons and knowledge of their enemy, they set out to rescue Lov’s mother with the help of a fairy sent by Lov’s grandfather. From there, they encounter all kinds of adventures and creatures, while in desperate pursuit.
Breath of the Titans on Amazon