Our SPFBOX interviews continue with T. J. Klapprodt, author of Messengers of Ilbeor.
SPFBO (the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off) is a free online contest run by author Mark Lawrence. 300 authors compete across ten judging teams to see who will be the winner! You can read more about the contest here.
INTERVIEW WITH T. J. KLAPPRODT
Tell us a little about yourself and let our readers know which blog you’ve been assigned to for SPFBOX!
What inspired you to write this book?
Can you tell us a little bit about your writing or editing process? What’s most exciting to you about writing or editing?
I’m an obsessive plotter and worldbuilder, so I always start with character and setting sheets, culture essays, and language nuggets (I’m a language nerd). After I feel like I’ve got enough, I go for outlines and chapter breakdowns before it’s time for my favorite part – DRAFTING! I love watching the story come to life under my fingers, both the parts that go according to plan and the things that surprise me as the story develops. Once the draft is done, it goes through extensive self-editing and revisions based on my own thoughts as well as those of my advance reader team, and then I pack it off to my editorial squad!
Messengers of Ilbeor is unique in its portrayal of disability as a part of life, rather than something that defines the entire essence of a character.
Who or what have been your major literary influences?
I’ve drawn my inspiration and influence from many sources over the course of my writing journey. I’m inspired by the rich worlds of Tolkien, the sensory experiences of Stephen King’s works, the painstaking detail of Patricia Cornwell’s and Kathi Reichs’s murder mysteries, and even the evil/good dichotomy and the romance of Maas’s books. Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Saga was another influence, as was Jordan’s Wheel of Time. I’m sure there are more, because it seems I can no longer just read a book – everything’s an education, and everything’s an influence!
What makes your SPFBOX book unique?
Messengers of Ilbeor is unique in its portrayal of disability as a part of life, rather than something that defines the entire essence of a character. I also flatter myself to think my magic system and the people who practice it (and react to it) have their own special flair – I’m particularly proud of the main group of them, the Sashu. Finally – the race that most resembles the monsters of traditional fantasy are the most peaceful race of the six in Ilbeor.
Do you have a favourite character from your SPFBOX entry? Tell us about them!
My favorite character thus far in the journey is Julen, a secondary character who serves as the songmaster of the elven clan in Kilynelle. Though he has a small presence in this first of the series installment, the magic of his music and the pull of circumstances disrupting his tranquil life make him fascinating and sympathetic to me.
I hope readers come away with a sense of overcoming challenges, remaining committed to what you believe is the right course of action, and acceptance of those who are different.
How does your work fit into (or challenge) its genre?
Messengers of Ilbeor, in the largest sense anyway, fits pretty snugly into the hero’s journey portion of the epic fantasy genre. Though machinations are afoot throughout my world, this first novel focuses very much upon establishing my dual MCs as power players within it as they each chase their own destinies. I think one thing that may be a bit of a challenge is that the love story within the book comes and goes in a flash before the characters are separated for the foreseeable future…though the romance is certainly present in the thoughts of my characters, the act of it is very much absent from this installment.
What do you hope readers take away from your SPFBOX entry?
What are you currently working on?
I just released FROM THE SUNDERING SNOWS, a novella that explores the origins of my villain, Altoneir. As of now, I am working towards draft completion of the second novel of the saga, COURT OF THE SEVEN DANCES.
Messangers of Ilbeor
Messengers connect six races of the verdant and beautiful land of Ilbeor, and newly trained messenger Alanda feels the promise of her adult life as she steps into the world to find her fortune. Faithful dog Alis at her side, Alanda traverses the mountainous wilderness only to be punished by storm and sun before becoming the first elf-friend in generations. When she meets charming messenger Tostig and feels the spark of a connection unlike any she’s ever known, she believes her life has truly begun.
After being greeted by tragedy and a brother changed by primal magics she does not understand, Alanda must travel the icy wastes with an unlikely companion to discover the answers to her brother’s prophetic gifts and her own heritage. With only a mysterious artifact to guide her way, she knows only one thing: her entire destiny is about to change. In Tostig’s attempt to race to her side, he is waylaid by the mysterious Sashu toward his own changed future as powerful magician and a hand of the gods themselves.
As Alanda and Tostig uncover who they were fated to be, they learn the appearance of peace in Ilbeor is only given by the lack of outright war…and when they each come to the attention of vengeful elven mage Altoneir, they stand to find out just how much they have to lose.
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T.J. Klapprodt lives and works in the vibrant city of Fort Worth, Texas, alongside her partner Jeffrey, her children Patrick and Cynthia, and her critters Finnick, Sophie, and Margie. A woman of many passions, T.J. is a dedicated teacher of newcomer emergent bilingual students, loves all things related to books and literature, and enjoys every iteration of Super Mario Brothers Nintendo has to offer.
When she is not building new fictional worlds, teaching, reading, or indulging in video games, you can find T.J. enjoying her favorite movies (usually old ones she has seen countless times), cuddling with her critters, or playing taxi driver for her children and their friends. Her family is her entire world, and she relishes nothing more than spending time at home with the ones she loves most.
T.J. graduated from Texas A&M University in 2001with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and from University of Texas at Arlington in 2012 with a Master of Arts in English Literature. She considers herself a lifelong learner, especially when it comes to the art of storytelling, and is always seeking to improve in her personal life, her career, and her writing.
T.J.’s greatest hope and lifelong dream is to share stories with the world, sending readers on literary adventures to ignite their imaginations, fuel their passions, and satisfy their human need for exploration, love, connection, and loss. She hopes you’ll join her for this first of many forays into the world of Ilbeor!
I’ve read Messengers and can’t wait for the second of the series to be released. The characters jump off the page into my imagination and create a beautiful illustration for the words I’m reading. The story line is complex yet well connected and holds my interest and makes it hard to put the book down! This is not my typical genre yet has become my favorite book!
I’m so glad!!