John Swan has been an independent fiction writer since 2003, with the Aldaya Series being his first published work to date. During that time, he attended Southern Illinois University and graduated with two degrees, both with high honors. He has an Associates in the Sciences and a Bachelors in Meteorology and Climate sciences, with emphasis on research and written dictations.
He spent several years during school helping to open and manage a French Bistro before moving to Honolulu, HI, where he worked for the local Parks and Wildlife service and was finally able to give his writing career the full attention it needed.
His love for writing began at an early age, never passing up chances to submit his works to young writers’ forums through school and his local community. He grew up on a small farm in southern Illinois, but spent his summers in an enchanted little blue cottage on the banks of the Mississippi River. In this valley is where he wandered beneath the trees along the bluffs with his best friends, and where tales of hobbits, mages, boy wizards, enchanted wardrobes and Native American folk lore shaped his writing style and drove him to create an entire universe all his own.
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Her name is Mim, and the pairing of her platinum hair and violet eyes has not been seen since the Great War 1,000 years earlier; and has attracted unwanted attention. Knowing it hunts her, Mim flees and starts on a journey that takes her far across the Great Isle of Aldaya; the only landmass that now sits above the waves.
Unbeknownst to her, she is the key to unraveling the darkness that is falling over the Great Isle; an emptiness that threatens to swallow not only Aldaya, but the Sphere as well, and all its futures to come.
Available at Amazon US
Amazon Canada
Q) What inspired you to write this story?
My friends, family, and other fiction writers. I always wanted to create my own world with maps and cultures. So that drove me to keep up my writing.
Q) How long did it take you to write?
The actual manuscript for book one, beginning drafts to end edits, took two years. But I was working on the Aldaya universe for almost ten years before that.
Q) What is your favorite thing about writing?
The freedom and creativity. No one can tell me what I can and can’t do, and that’s very liberating. It’s also another reason art is so beautiful; no constraints.
Q) What is your least favorite thing about writing?
All of the madness that happens after your book is done. I’m not huge on social media, and I don’t like posting my stuff all over the place because I don’t believe anyone would find it interesting. But my agent tells me fans like that stuff, so I oblige.
Q) If you could be any famous person for one day, who would you be and why?
You know what, I’ve thought about this for almost ten minutes and I’m having real trouble coming up with someone. Maybe Patrick Stewart? Odds are I’d be hanging out with Ian McKellan, piloting the Enterprise, or kicking some ass with the X-Men. It seems like the odds would be in my favor for experiencing an awesome day. Hahaha!
Q) What is the oldest thing in your fridge and how old is it?
What an awesome question! Currently it’s a jar of moonshine cherries. They’ve been in there since June, but aren’t bad due to the crazy amount of alcohol. I’m saving them for my upcoming Halloween Party and serving them. Other than that I’m a real stickler for expiration dates. Dairy is not to be trusted.
Q) What can readers expect from you in the future?
Tons of stuff. I’m working on my first Aldaya themed short story and then pushing directly into book two. And I have more plans for books upon books after that is finished. So hopefully years worth of material.
Q) What inspired you to write this story?
My friends, family, and other fiction writers. I always wanted to create my own world with maps and cultures. So that drove me to keep up my writing.
Q) How long did it take you to write?
The actual manuscript for book one, beginning drafts to end edits, took two years. But I was working on the Aldaya universe for almost ten years before that.
Q) What is your favorite thing about writing?
The freedom and creativity. No one can tell me what I can and can’t do, and that’s very liberating. It’s also another reason art is so beautiful; no constraints.
Q) What is your least favorite thing about writing?
All of the madness that happens after your book is done. I’m not huge on social media, and I don’t like posting my stuff all over the place because I don’t believe anyone would find it interesting. But my agent tells me fans like that stuff, so I oblige.
Q) If you could be any famous person for one day, who would you be and why?
You know what, I’ve thought about this for almost ten minutes and I’m having real trouble coming up with someone. Maybe Patrick Stewart? Odds are I’d be hanging out with Ian McKellan, piloting the Enterprise, or kicking some ass with the X-Men. It seems like the odds would be in my favor for experiencing an awesome day. Hahaha!
Q) What is the oldest thing in your fridge and how old is it?
What an awesome question! Currently it’s a jar of moonshine cherries. They’ve been in there since June, but aren’t bad due to the crazy amount of alcohol. I’m saving them for my upcoming Halloween Party and serving them. Other than that I’m a real stickler for expiration dates. Dairy is not to be trusted.
Q) What can readers expect from you in the future?
Tons of stuff. I’m working on my first Aldaya themed short story and then pushing directly into book two. And I have more plans for books upon books after that is finished. So hopefully years worth of material.
