Author Scott Beckman has six books to his name, ranging wildly in sub-genres within the realm of fantasy. With an exploring mind for writing, we caught up with him on his latest and greatest and his trajectory through writing fantasy. He'll be in Author's Alley during Denver Pop Culture Con this weekend (May 31 - June 2, 2019) and can be found at various conventions throughout the year. Enjoy this digital conversation we had!
What made you fall in love with writing?
I remember enjoying writing when I was very young. My grandmother had been an editor so she encouraged me and helped with some notes on my earliest works. I took a break from writing for a long time though – like many people, I struggled to finish anything I started. That turned around when I got to spend a month in Buenos Aires, Argentina for work, during which I would go to coffee shops in my free time and began to write my first novel, Wings of the Sathakos. That discovery – that I worked best in coffee shops – proved true even when I came home, so I guess you could say that it's really a love of coffee even more than a love of writing that turned me into an author.
Your writing has spanned a variety of types, do they have any commonalities?
Every book I've written has fit into some sub-genre of fantasy. As a kid, I read fantasy voraciously – Tolkien, Weis & Hickman, Piers Anthony, Terry Brooks – so it just feels like home when I sit down to write. I appreciate that fantasy has no real limits on creativity so I can make up absolutely anything I want and make it fit into the story's world.
You have a few ongoing novel series, what are the different experiences readers get from each of the different series?
A few of them are intended for young adults and tell coming-of-age stories. Others are a bit more adult and deal with greater themes of loyalty and narcissism and morality. Ultimately, though, I strive to tell interesting stories more than I try to craft unique experiences or teach any extravagant lessons. I would hope that most of my readers have a similar experience regardless which book of mine they choose – an entertaining and exciting adventure with dynamic, interesting characters.
How do you decide which book to work on next?
Historically, I've just written whatever interests me most, which is often some new world or universe I've come up with. Lately, though, I've been focusing on finishing some of my series. The Sathakos Trilogy is due for its third and final book, which should be finished by the end of 2019, and then the Ascendants Chronicle will get its third book (likely its last as well) shortly thereafter. Then I'll return to the world of the Shield Breaker, which continues to be the series I'm personally most excited about.
Speaking of which, what’s your next book and when is it arriving?
The third and final book in the Sathakos Trilogy will be next, and I hope to have it ready to go by the end of the year.
Any desire to write something way out of your comfort zone?
Not really, to be honest. I'm enjoying writing my speculative fiction adventures and it doesn't feel like that font of creativity is in any risk of running dry in the near future. That being said, short stories aren't my forte and I do think there are a lot of opportunities that I miss out on because I don't write them. So maybe I'll come around on those at some point.
Where can people find you and follow your writing career?
Amazon is the best place. My author page can be found here.