Gary Vanucci was born
in Pennsylvania
in 1968. He enjoys writing, reading, music, art, anything at all that promotes
creativity and activities that push the mind beyond conventional thinking. He
has spent time as an amateur singer/songwriter and has spent multiple decades
creating role-playing scenarios and playing games amongst various genres. Years
of reading graphic novels, comic books, fantasy/science fiction novels and the
like has led him to discover his true passion—writing!
His
education includes a Bachelor’s of Science in the field of Information
Technology and an Associates of Arts in the field of Graphic Design.
"We
are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a
habit." ~Aristotle.
Louise: Gary,
welcome to our blog! We’re so excited you could join us for a chat. Please tell us a little about your new release.
Gary:
Secrets of the Ebonite Mines is the continuation of my ongoing high fantasy
series that includes the likes of Rose Thorne, Saeunn, Elec Stormwhisper,
Garius Forge and Orngoth. It picks up exactly where Covenant of the Faceless
Knights left off. I also have a story in an anthology with my fellow Skulldust Circle
writers. That book is out now and is entitled: A Gathering of Dust. My story
revolves around the legend of Ashenclaw, a red dragon queen who is the namesake
of my fantasy universe.
Louise: Do you plan all your characters out before you start
a story or do they develop as you write?
Gary:
Almost everything I do is planned out ahead of time, but some things develop on
their own. Sometimes personalities come to the forefront, or situations develop
that inadvertently take the story in a certain direction that was not planned.
But, for the most part, everything is planned out before each book is started.
Louise: How much research do you do for your books? Have you
found any cool tidbits to share?
Gary:
I do a little. Not much. Most of what I do comes out of my head and is based
loosely on historical proclivities. But, for all intents and purposes, I make a
good deal of it up with a very good friend: Nicholas Titano. He is that wall
that I bounce things off. His words, not mine.
Louise: What is your writing process? Do you outline, write
by the seat of your pants (Pantser) or a combination of both?
Gary:
As I mentioned earlier, it is mostly planned out, but I will say that I never
know what is coming from page to page. If something moves me a certain way, I
adapt and move forward with it, as long as I do not have to change any history.
I refuse to do a dream sequence to correct a mistake….lol.
Louise: Do you write full time? What did you do before you
became a writer or still do?
Gary:
I write part time. I am a full time IP tech support op for a call center. I
write in between and am continuing to work on my craft daily. I feel that I
have already grown in leaps and bounds as a writer from book 1 to book 2. Just
my observation, though.
Lmuise: Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing?
Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen, laptop and a comfy place.
Gary:
No ritual. I simply try to find time to write whenever I can. My goal is 5k
words a week, but I often fall short of that goal. If I could do it full time,
I’d have a book out every 3-4 months!
Louise: Describe a typical writing day for you.
Gary:
On my days off, I try to write a good deal first thing in the morning when my
mind is fpesh. I take some time off and get back to it after dinner and things
seem to roll from there.
Louise: Please give us a sneak peek at your future books.
What’s on the horizon?
Gary:
I am currently writing book 4, tentatively entitled Dance of Deceit (subject to
change!) This one picks up where Secrets of the Ebonite Mines left off and I
feel that you will get some really amazing developments, reveals and other
surprises in thiq next book. It will be epic and I encourage anyone who has
read Covenant to proceed with Secrets next. The best is yet to come!
Louise: What is your favorite genre to read and who is your
favorite author?
Gary:
I read a good deal of fantasy/sci-fi, fiction, etc. My favorite author is R.A.
Salvatore and (believe it or not) Douglas Adams. I enjoy George Martin and
Michael Moorcock as well as many comic book writers, especially Frank Miller
and Peter David.
Louise: Where can the readers learn more about you and find
your books on the web?
Gary: The World Literary Café and the Independent Authors Network
are to places I would highly recommend authors to visit. I am also doing
interviews on my site: Eye on Ashenclaw, and encourage people to reach out to
me on twitter: @AshenclawRealm if they want to be spotlighted. I am looking for
mostly Fantasy/Sci-Fi/superhero genres, but will expand under the right
circumstances. Please feel free to send me a tweet!
Louise, thanks for having me and all the best to you!
Here is all of my other info:
Wothlondia
Rising: The Anthology:
Covenant
of the Faceless Knights:
Secrets of
the Ebonite Mines:
Also, please visit SKULDUST CIRCLE blog here:
***Giveaway***
One lucky Commenter will win all three eBooks from Gary Vanucci. Drawing will be held on Saturday, Oct 13. Please leave your email address so we can easily contact the winner and good luck!
Bibliography
Beginnings Series
Wothlondia
Rising: The Anthology
is a collection of prequels to Covenant of the Faceless Knights and the
Beginnings series. The series details
significant events from the past that shape the course of these characters,
setting them on the path that will change their lives forever!
Reflections is
an exploration into the true classifications of self-image. This short and
sweet tale tells of the half-ogre barbarian, Orngoth, who begins to realize the
true picture of what he is and where he comes from. During a raid with his ogre
barbarian kin—the Ironskulls—Orngoth has an impromptu meeting that could
forever change his own destiny. Will he see his true self in time or will he
continue down the path of reckless endangerment?
A Rose in
Bloom recounts the
thrilling events of a young Rose Thorne, not yet a woman, who is trying to find
her way in the city of Oakhaven.
Orphaned and discarded, she finds refuge in a kind madam at a local brothel and
eventually meets a man who is more than she bargains for….
Maturation Process
is the telling tale of the high elf, Elec
Stormwhisper, who lives in the overbearing shadow of his father, Keryth.
Treated as an outcast and feeling alienated from his own people, he exiles
himself for a decade, finding a friend in a strange place and begins to accept
his own unique destiny. Will this young and inexperienced elf ever find his
true calling?
Tears of
Blood is the
amazing recount of the attacks on the region of Stonehill by the ancient and
malevolent undead that are known as Blood Rot Zombies! Saeunn and the
barbarians od both Chansuk and Greymoors must find a way to stop the undead
infestation before they spread their miasma all across the face of Wothlondia! It
is a tale that will forever change the young barbarian woman in more ways than
one…
Strength of Faith
is a tale that places a young acolyte of The
Shimmering One, Garius Forge, on a path that tests his spirituality and also
places him face to face with a demonic presence that has the power to alter the
face of Wothlondia forever! Will his reverence and devotion to his deity be
enough to overcome this horrible demon?
Distant Familiarity
is the tale of three legendary figures in the
history of Wothlondia, who are attempting to recover an ancient evil that was
stolen away from them. Tiyarnon the High Priest, Rolin Hardbeard and Nimaira
Silvershade set out to recover the artifact that has forever altered their
former companion Sadreth, twisting him into something altogether evil. Can
these ancient heroes find and recover the item before it is reunited with its
former host?
Beginnings Series
Book 2
When
a dangerous artifact goes missing from the Temple of The Shimmering
One, the high priest in charge of its protection realizes that he will not be
able to retrieve the stolen relic without help. Calling upon Garius, the man
who was once his own apprentice, Tiyarnon the High Priest enlists the aid of
this person who is now an Inquisitor among the Order of the Faceless
Knights. Garius, a man of power and
prestige, gathers a handful of allies to help complete his quest—but who among
them is worthy of his trust? Aided by
the mischievous Rose, a rogue among rogues, the stoic and bloodthirsty Saeunn,
and a promising but naïve elf named Elec, Garius hopes his training as one among
the Faceless Knights has prepared him to keep his small company in check, let
alone survive the trials to come. Garius
must lead his band of allies into dark regions to recover the artifact before
it falls into the hands of the evil being that once held it in order to ensure
the continued safety of the Realm of Ashenclaw.
Beginnings Series
After
Garius and company fail to recover the item they so desperately sought, a
chance encounter here and a revelation there leave clues as to its whereabouts
once more. Garius Forge the Inquisitor of the Faceless Knights, Rose Thorne,
the sassy rogue, Elec Stormwhisper, an elf with a newfound thirst for the
martial arts, Saeunn, the stoic barbarian and Orngoth, the half-ogre brute set
out to once more try to uncover the whereabouts of the tainted artifact. Their
quest leads them to a dark village named Hollow Hill, left vacant since the
Reign of Ashenclaw. It is a place rumored to be haunted and they soon find that
it is more than meets the eye. The group soon uncovers a clandestine group of
highwaymen with knowledge of the artifact and much more as they attempt to
uncover the many secrets hidden deep within the ebonite mines!
