Fantasy
Date Published: 05-22-2024
Publisher: Evolved Publishing
If you had the chance to remake the world, what kind of world would you
choose?
When tragedy strikes Lucas Mack's young life, he desperately yearns to
escape its sorrow, and takes an improbable leap through the mythical
maelstrom. Rather than splashing down on the far side like his neighbors,
he's transported to a magical realm where he has the power to redefine not
only who he is, but the world in which he resides.
As he stumbles about trying to find his way, he meets Mia, an equally
troubled fellow pilgrim. With the help of a mystical guide and an aging
wizard, they navigate the enchanted land while learning to control their
newfound powers. Yet this realm is more complex than they expected, with
seasoned sorcerers who've been corrupted by the sinister side of
magic.
Limited by natural law and seduced by magic's power, they are tested as
never before. Will the gift of magic bring renewed hope or drive them to the
edge of the void?
INTERVIEW
What was the initial spark of inspiration that led you to write The Maker of Worlds?
This idea began when I’d gone for a walk to the Locks in Ballard, Washington. The locks allow boats to pass from Puget Sound to Lake Washington, adjusting for a water height difference that can be as much as thirty feet. I watched as a modest sailboat with a lone sailor on board entered. The massive iron gate closed behind him, and the water began to drain. The level lowered leaving him with four surrounding walls well above his head, obscuring the view of what lay beyond.
When the level had settled, the gate in front began to creak open. I imagined what might happen if he found on the other side, not the familiar lake, but a new and unexpected scene. What if he saw something more like a magical realm that let him leave his troubles behind and provide the opportunity to conjure a new world. new world of his making.
Lucas and Mia both carry significant emotional baggage from their pasts. How did you approach developing their complex inner lives and making their personal journeys feel authentic alongside the fantastical elements?
For different reasons, both had lost hope in their prior lives—why they risked the maelstrom. As they progress through their new world, testing out their emerging powers, each responds in different ways, sometimes throwing them into conflict. But underlying all lay the desire to discover a more hopeful future. That is their bond.
The theme of finding meaning and purpose in life is central. How do the journeys of Lucas and Mia reflect your own views on this universal human struggle?
Someone once told me you need three things to find happiness: Something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for. These two had lost all three and in their grief, were reluctant to accept new ones. Only through overcoming adversity and having their values repeatedly tested did they find their way.
One of the key themes seems to be the tension between individuality/personal desires and the needs of the larger community. How did you approach navigating that thematic territory?
All those who pass through the maelstrom to the enchanted land gain magical powers, which they learn to use over time. The more they learn, the more their power grows. The easiest way to use magic is to lord over those less powerful, serving one’s own desires, but such power doesn’t bring happiness. Discovering when and how to use that power tests your character and determines what kind of person you’ve become.
Lucas and Mia’s relationship is central to the narrative. How did you approach developing their dynamic and the evolution of their bond over the course of the story?
After a trauma, grief doesn’t easily allow one to trust again. During their journey, they’re challenged by adversity and are constantly forced to negotiate the right path. As they become pilgrims through a strange land, making hard choices and confronting their demons, their trust grows as does their bond.
The book raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of reality, the limits of personal power, and the responsibilities that come with profound abilities. What do you hope readers will take away from those themes?
We tend to think there’s a single reality, yet when people look at the same set of events, they often respond in dramatically different ways, with joy, fear, anger etc. How we respond to the world around us affects our view of reality. In this book, magic is merely an extreme form of choosing one’s reality, if one only believes hard enough. And the choices we make can sometimes change the world.
Can you talk about the storytelling techniques you employed, such as the use of dreams/visions, to propel the narrative forward?
Except for the first chapter, none of the story takes place in their old ‘real’ world’ But to deepen character, I needed to give each of them a meaningful backstory. Some of that could be done with dialog, but I wanted them mostly in the moment rather than in the past. The dream sequences reveal more about their character but in a way that sets up the next major event of the story.
The ending leaves the possibility of Lucas and Mia moving on to a new world/realm. What possibilities excite you about continuing their adventures?
While the story is complete as is, once these characters have tasted adventure, there’s always the possibility of more to come. CS Lewis did this across seven novels in the Narnia chronicles, with characters aging and evolving as they return to the magical realm for new adventures.
What is the hardest part of writing your books?
Getting to know the characters, then coming up with the inciting incident that drives them out of their comfort zone and launches them into the rest of the story. If I get to know them well, they tend to drive what happens from there.
What book are you reading now?
Recent books: Mad Honey by JodiPicoult, The Women by Kristen Hannah, and I especially liked Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
At what point did you decide to be an author and what was your path to publication?
The urge to write first struck me at age sixteen when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the wild night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by the northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But I was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.
Using two fingers and lots of white-out, I religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into my twenties before pausing to raise two sons and pursue a career. Thirty years later, I retired and with time again to daydream, the urge to write returned. The Maker of Worlds is my seventh novel.
Tell us about your next release.
My first three books were a dystopian trilogy, the next alternate world and lately I’ve moved into fantasy. I’ve loved my turn to fantasy and the freedom it gives me (anything is possible). With the Make of Worlds just completed. I’m tempted to return to SciFi.
About the Author
The urge to write first struck at age sixteen when working on a newsletter
at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the
wild night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by the northern lights
rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with
eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry
line between reality and the fantastic.
Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a
day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He
paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process -- and without
prior plan -- becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry,
founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream,
the urge to write returned.
David now lives in the Great Northwest. He no longer limits himself to five
pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word
processor.
Contact Links
Website
Facebook: David Litwack - Author
Twitter: @DavidLitwack
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