Interview with fantasy author D.C. Fergerson

Fantasy author D.C. Fergerson is here today and we’re chatting about his fantasy comedy novel, The Singer and the Charlatan.

During his virtual book tour, D.C. will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

D.C. Fergerson is an author, husband, father of one, humorist, and storyteller currently residing in Charlotte, NC. From an early age, through the fog and confusion of adolescence and early adulthood, the only thing he wanted was to tell stories.

Please tell us about your newest release.

The Singer and the Charlatan is a fantasy comedy. In a land where magic is commonplace, all Leanna Moonbody wants to do is become a famous singer and play at the Saul Amphitheater. She meets a priestess named Trixi who has had a vision of amassing a flock to take on a pilgrimage to the fabled Magic City, but doesn’t know where to start. She decides to team up with Leanna, so the singer can set up the crowds, and Trixi can bring them to ‘Our Lord’.

What inspired you to write this book?

I felt this book fits in a funny space. Fantasy is normally very highbrow and lofty, where this is lighthearted and doesn’t mind poking fun at its own genre. We don’t have much in the way of a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in fantasy, and I wanted to do something like that. I wanted to bring a deep and expansive fantasy world with a rich history, and insert absurdity and chaos.

Excerpt from The Singer and the Charlatan:

“Ooh, this is exciting,” Leanna said with a smile, grabbing up Tear and Jonathan’s hands.

With the circle complete, Trixi looked to the ceiling.

“Lord. Oh, Lord, who is great and true. Take this offering of Form R226 and whatever leftovers we have here from dinner. Commune with me so that I may be a better Fawnspear, walking the path of truth. May it be really, really funny.”

With that, the scroll burned away before their eyes. Then, nothing. The silence became awkward.

“Did it not work?” Jonathan asked.

“Quiet,” Trixi demanded, turning her ear to the table.

The faint sound of terribly boring music filled the space all around the table. Any old ear would think it came from the building next door, but the trained ear of a Thistlite knew better. She listened to the song for a moment with her eyes closed.

Leanna joined in, leaning in to try and make out the tune. Suddenly, a loud voice spoke out, scaring her so bad she almost fell out of her chair.

“Our Lord is currently speaking with another faithful! You are very important to Our Lord! Your prayer shall be heard in the order it was received!”

Leanna broke the circle. “Oh, come on! Why did that have to be the loud part?”

“Leanna, you must be quiet,” Trixi whispered. “I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

What’s the next writing project?

Well, book two, The Princess and the Holy Juggernaut should be out late February/early March. While I’m crafting book three, I’ll be releasing what I’m calling an ‘anti-romance’ novel later this year called Horses on the Wind.

What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)

I honestly believed this story couldn’t be told. I’ve been a tabletop roleplayer most of my adult life, and out of every story and campaign, this one seemed impossible. The story is chaotic, the characters have these over-the-top personalities, and Trixi’s religion is alien and has so many rules to it for how absurd it is. I originally wrote this as a challenge exercise of ‘this is how I’d write it if I was going to’. One week and 250 pages later, I had The Singer and the Charlatan and a chunk of the next book, which I wrapped over the following month or two.

If your novels require research – please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?

With The Singer and the Charlatan, I knew the story from already playing it, so I just sat down and wrote it. Normally, I like to be a little more organized ahead of time. Both book three and Horses on the Wind, I did my research ahead of my outline.

What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.

My kitchen table serves as my office in the wee hours of the night. The struggle of living in a tiny house is real.

What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?

I’m a drooling fanboy for Chuck Palahniuk. I love his work. A lot of modern writers just don’t impress me, so I read a lot of early 20th century classics. I love Tennessee Williams, J.D. Salinger’s A Catcher in the Rye is probably one of my all-time favorites, John Steinbeck. I also have a thing for stage plays of that era, I just eat them up. My writing style is very dialogue-centric as a result. I love banter and the feeling of peeking in on a real, organic conversation.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?

Book two and three of The Wicked Instruments are coming this year, so make sure to pick up The Singer and the Charlatan in e-book or paperback and please leave a review. I love reviews.

Links:

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Thank you for being here today, D.C.

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