Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Laura was nice enough to reach out to Taran who has been nice enough to agree to a general Q&A about his work. This is coincide nicely with our completing the series starting September 11th.

Post your questions here and thanks so much Taran!

I'll kick it off. With The Outcast being book #4 and looking like a prequel series do you see that being a single book or another trilogy? How will that differ from Origins which I've already read or will that be encapsulated into The Outcast and expanded upon?

We played a pick your demons game here. Check it out and feel free to play. :)

Taran, I noticed you have a book set to be released in 2019. What can you tell us about that series? It looks really interesting and I would like to know what your inspiration for it was.

Tammie wrote: "Taran, I noticed you have a book set to be released in 2019. What can you tell us about that series? It looks really interesting and I would like to know what your inspiration for it was."

Interesting. I wouldn't have caught that if you hadn't pointed it out.

Hi Taran first off I just wanna say I love your books for its simplicity and being a feel good fantasy for me and in a way giving me hope for young adult books (I have problems with some of the YA fantasy out there)

I was just wondering how you came up with the different types of demons because seeing them in the demonology books really fascinate me and I noticed that one d the creatures I think Vulpid reminds me a lot of the Vulpix from Pokemon if that's where you got some influence since I see the similarities there

Also I second Tammie's question any hints for us there?? 😂😂😂

Scott wrote: "I'll kick it off. With The Outcast being book #4 and looking like a prequel series do you see that being a single book or another trilogy? How will that differ from [book:Origins|25..."

The Outcast will be a single prequel, with no follow ups (at least for now). It will be an expanded version of Origins, so turning the 30k Origins into a 95k novel.

Tammie wrote: "Taran, I noticed you have a book set to be released in 2019. What can you tell us about that series? It looks really interesting and I would like to know what your inspiration for it was."

Thank you! It's a new series that has scifi and historical elements. You might describe it as Avatar meets Gladiator meets The 100.

"In the new series, Cade, a juvenile delinquent from the modern era and Harriet, a Victorian era cat-burglar, find themselves transported to another world.

Abandoned in a realm populated with lost remnants from the past, prehistoric animals and monstrous creatures, they must race to discover who the mysterious Pantheon are, and what nefarious plans these mysterious overlords have in store for them."

Ahdam wrote: "Hi Taran first off I just wanna say I love your books for its simplicity and being a feel good fantasy for me and in a way giving me hope for young adult books (I have problems with some of the YA ..."

Thank you! The Vulpid was based on the Kitsune, and I named it Vulpid based on the latin name for fox, likely where Vulpix got its name from. Most demons were taken from world mythology, you can google most of them and you'll see their origins ;-).

Hi, Taran! Very happy to have you here:) I got completely addicted to your series, mostly because it was around a group of young characters with a sense of honor, which has been somewhat lacking in many of the contemporary YA "heroes". I engulfed the books and was wondering, do you see any future for our two lovebirds, or are they going to play by the societal rules and take the easier road, going with other partners in the future... Are you planning on doing more books either about them or about their offspring? After all, the battle is won, but the war...???

Also, I loved the epilogue, but it only left me wanting more! Are you going to address any of that in the future, or are you going to look in other directions?

Also, keep the cover artist, no matter which direction you go into - the art on the covers is awesome!!!

Also, how do you keep the balance between having some sad and realistic for war outcomes, with those tendencies that veer into the pessimistic outlook of pure grim-dark or neo-realistic fantasy that is popular at the moment???

Sorry for all the questions... I will shut up now:)

Hi Taran!
First of all, thank you again for agreeing to our Q&A.
Second, I really LOVED your Summoner Series! Just as Choko here mentioned, I got addicted to it. I found the characters wonderful and the idea of bonded demons brilliant! For me your books were the kind that cannot be put down.
Your next series sounds interesting also but wouldn't you consider writing a sequel for our two main heroes here? I would love to see the aftermath and the real coming together of elves, dwarfs and humans. Would you be planning something in the lines Choko suggested? I would love to get my hands on a sequel like that. :)

I second Choko's comment about the cover artist. Awesome!

And will both the main characters in your new series also be young? Cat burglar also?

Choko wrote: "Hi, Taran! Very happy to have you here:) I got completely addicted to your series, mostly because it was around a group of young characters with a sense of honor, which has been somewhat lacking in..."

*Spoilers* they would likely have a relationship in secret, eventually be forced apart by responsibility and the pressure of keeping it quiet.

Choko wrote: "Also, I loved the epilogue, but it only left me wanting more! Are you going to address any of that in the future, or are you going to look in other directions?

Also, keep the cover artist, no matt..."

Maybe someday I will write more Summoner. But for now, I have a new series to write :-).

Choko wrote: "Also, how do you keep the balance between having some sad and realistic for war outcomes, with those tendencies that veer into the pessimistic outlook of pure grim-dark or neo-realistic fantasy tha..."

It's just the version of war that I feel most comfortable with - heroic feats are possible, but death can also happen at any moment.

Laura wrote: "Hi Taran!
First of all, thank you again for agreeing to our Q&A.
Second, I really LOVED your Summoner Series! Just as Choko here mentioned, I got addicted to it. I found the characters wonderful ..."

Maybe someday! A continuation of the Summoner series would involve the arrival of another fantasy race (the same ones who built the pyramid). But don't expect that for another few years, if at all.

Laura wrote: "And will both the main characters in your new series also be young? Cat burglar also?"

Yes, new series characters will likely be around 16 years of age.

Hahaha! You are not giving much away:) That's cool, we are going to have to read the books, but you are going to have to deliver:):):):):)

Thank you so much, for spending some time with us:) Now I would like to see what this other race would be... Hmmmm....

one more question regarding the new series. Are you planning on giving these 2 humans some mythological 4 footed companions?

Laura wrote: "one more question regarding the new series. Are you planning on giving these 2 humans some mythological 4 footed companions?"

Haha, actually one might get a prehistoric, two footed companion ;-)

Hey Tarzan, first off thank you for your time, I love the Summoner books and I'm super excited for the new series, do you have a title picked for it yet ? :)

Anna wrote: "Hey Tarzan, first off thank you for your time, I love the Summoner books and I'm super excited for the new series, do you have a title picked for it yet ? :)"

I can't decide if Tarzan was autocorrect or Anna auditioning at being Jane. :)

Oh dang it, autocorrect, so sorry Taran. :,(