Some Thoughts with … Andrew D Meredith

Welcome to my favourite section of the blog, talking with the authors. Today we have the honour of being accompanied by Andrew D. Meredith, author of The Kallattian Cycle and Thrice.

Let’s dive in!

1.- What made you decide to go for the self-publishing route?

The road to self-publishing was long, for sure. I pursued Traditional publishing for several years. The Indie route was always a consideration, but I knew there would be an entirely different set of skills to learn, and there just wasn’t the time. Enter the year 2020, and suddenly, I had the time! So I began that process, and got everything lined up to do what I could myself or source help, such as outside editing.

2.-Your first published work was Thrice, what can you tell us about it?

Thrice started as a project to work on while the Kallattian Cycle was being “shopped” and I think the concept to first draft was four months in the Autumn of 2018. It is a “small scale” fantasy story of father and son on the road, reminiscent of Lone Wolf and Cub or the Mandalorian, but set in a Slavic-inspired fantasy. It drew inspiration from my own four-year-old child as I wrote it, although my son doesn’t have a limitless well of magic within him—his imagination more than makes up for it.

3.- After 4 books written and published, which aspects of the process would say are more difficult?

You’d think after a decade of experience in sales I’d be better at self-promotion, but that is the hardest part for me. I’m constantly weighing sounding cocky or desperate. While I’d much prefer my books to be “found” and have an underground success, I need to be better about just telling everyone to read my books.

4.- What could you tell us of the world of the Kallattian Cycle?

That’s a deep rabbit hole! I started the world of Kallattai well over 25 years ago and it has undergone massive changes and developments (Moreso in the past six years). It is a world of active gods, several people groups (human and not), and multiple religions and sects that maintain a level of authority equal to most monarchies. It makes for some fun intrigue and interplay, and of course, something I don’t tell everyone… try and spot a “normal” animal on Kallattai… all the “birds are either 4 winged, or gryph shaped. Six limbs are actually symbolically important. (But not important enough to be a plot thread… just for me.)

5.- What difference the Paladins of this world from the classic Paladin?

Excellent question! I grew up with games such as Warcraft, and Dungeons and Dragons, and one thing that always drew me was the concept of the Paladin, yet, they always fell flat and 1-dimensional for me. Around the year 2009 I read the book Pillars of the Earth and its various sequels. They are a generational epic about a monastery and the monks under that Rule. The Paladins of the Hammer, as well as their sister organization, draw huge inspiration from that. They both are also the primary source of magic in Kallattai, at least from the reader’s perspective. And while at its heart it is “Holy Magic” it is a system that will slowly unfold and reveal its secrets over the course of the series. (I’m having as much fun discovering that system as readers are reading it!)

6.- Something I could appreciate is interesting mythology, any snippet you could add to us?

I love that aspect, too! The story that Kash and Nair tell in the opening chapters often gives me chills when I read it. There will be more stories like that for sure.

Kallattai is one of four realms. Existing alongside and in the same place is its twilight mirror, the Veld, the realm of Dream. Separate from them, yet just as close to in reach sit Lomïn the Ever-Day and Noccitan the Evernight—realms of the two fathers of the families of gods. Yet there is another secret oft-theorized by scholars. Between these four houses lay spaces between. What this means few can begin to understand. Fewer still draw back from the madness that the line of reasoning takes them into. 

7.- You released the first three books of the Kallattian Cycle in July, and the second three in October/November (correct me if I’m wrong), what made you take this decision?

The primary reason for this was that the first two “parts” of the Kallattian Cycle were already done. Why wait to release when I could space them out to release relatively quickly? Everything is currently on track for November (I’m finalizing audiobook files by the end of this month.)

You won’t have to wait long for part three either. I sent the manuscript to beta reads only a couple of weeks ago!

8.- Could we say Kallatian Cycle is the Wheel of Time from Andrew D. Meredith?

You hit the nail on the head. I definitely consider it my ”main series.” By book four you’ll have met everyone who will at one time or another have an arc and point-of-view, and I expect most readers will find one or two they especially relate to. We might even see a few stories told outside the main narrative in the future too. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves…

9.- Your wife also writes, what could you tell us about her books?

She does! She writes Historical Mystery. The first two books in her Series, the Spokane Clock Tower Mysteries, are already out. You can find Patricia Meredith’s books here! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09763Z766

Like me, she also writes Multiple Point-of-View stories. The Spokane Clock Tower Mysteries take place in 1901 Spokane and follow twin policemen, a clockmaker with a penchant for designing interesting sounds for his machinations, and a mysterious thief, all pulled into the intrigue of a murder, possibly hailing back to the Great Spokane Fire of 1889.

10.- What can we expect in the future from Andrew D Meredith?

Lots of books! I tend toward being relatively prolific. (It won’t be years between books, I promise!) I expect the whole of Kallattian story to be done around 2030 at the latest. And the rest of the Needle and Leaf trilogy by 2024. But after that? Possibly an Age of Airsail. A Greek myth-inspired Steampunk story. I’ve even got a Cosy Fantasy in the works!