Michael Wisehart
FAITH: Proverbs 3:5,6
Michael Wisehart lives in North Georgia, surrounded by forest, farmland, and unfortunately . . . fire ants. His days are usually spent clicking away on his keyboard when he’s not stopping to watch the deer graze across his front lawn.
He graduated with a Cum Laude in Business Accounting, but instead of pursuing this field, he returned to school to study film. He spent the next several years honing his visual craft, which he put to good use as he took what he’d learned behind the camera and applied it to the written word.
On April 14, 2014, Michael opened his laptop and began typing what would become two multiple award-winning series: The Aldoran Chronicles, and Street Rats of Aramoor (both set within the same world, but twenty years apart). By the time his second book released, he had quit his day job, walking away from production altogether, to pursue his writing career.
“The Following Are Interviews I Have Given To Various Publications”
Amazon WriteOn Interview (January 2016)
When did you first start writing?
I first started writing on Monday, April 14, 2014 at 9:48 AM.
I quite literally woke up one morning and decided I was going to write a fantasy novel series.
Now, here we are January of 2016 and I have two books completely drafted and outlining for a third, while writing the first book in an offshoot series.
What was your inspiration for The White Tower?
Believe it or not I had no inspiration for writing The White Tower, which is the first book in the The Aldoran Chronicles series. When I say I woke up and decided to start writing this saga, I literally woke up, sat down at my laptop, and started writing. To be fair, I did take ten to fifteen minutes of serious reflection, in which time I came up with two names I thought should be used as the main characters.
What is, now, chapter three are the first words I ever wrote in this book. There have obviously been quite a few revisions since then, but for the most part the majority of what I first typed is still there.
Who are your favorite authors?
I have a number of favorite authors, all of which hold places on my shelves or space on my Kindle. [The following list is not in the least wise extensive, and only in order of my chronology of reading]: Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, L. E. Modesitt Jr., and Robin Hobb.
Do you do a lot of research?
My world building for The Aldoran Chronicles has been very extensive. When I wrote the series I wanted it to have firm legs to stand on, which meant there needed to be a very believable world with a very definable past that has led to where our story begins. My original intent, and still is perhaps, was to be able to create, at the very least, three separate series from this main timeline, not including the offshoot series I’m working on now, which takes place within the same world.
Needless to say, because of this, there is quite a lot of research that I have had to do in order to make this story even remotely realistic. I have an entire folder system on my computer dedicated to research alone with over 37 individual folders holding over 500 documents on every kind of topic I can think of to use within my book – and more gets added every day.
The good thing is that its fantasy. Fantasy authors are generally given a little more leeway when it comes to realism since it is all make believe anyway. However, you’ll be surprised how many times your readers will call you out on the minutest inconsistencies like there wouldn’t be a lace collar on a woodsman’s jerkin, when at other times you could describe a flying car in a high-speed chase with a dragon rider and no one says a word. Not that I have I have flying cars in my book, or dragon riders. hmmm?
Where do you write? place? laptop? computer? phone? pen and paper?
I do all my writing from home on my laptop. The very idea of paper and pen gives me carpal tunnel just thinking about it. I typically get up when I wake up…no more alarms, which for that reason alone I would suggest working towards becoming a fulltime author. Nothing like spending the day in your pj’s to appreciate this career.
What made you actually sit down and start writing your first story?
For three years prior to the decision of writing my own fantasy series, I had been working with a business partner on filming and pitching a new reality TV show to networks which unfortunately was never able to get off the ground. Putting the stress of television aside, I decided to put my time toward another endeavor, one that would still allow me to use my creativity and imagination.
I have always been a lover of fantasy ever since I first borrowed my father’s copy of Terry Brook’s Sword of Shannara. So it was no wonder that I made the decision to write in that specific genre.
Do you aim for a certain amount of words per day, or just write when you can?
I like to get in around 3K words a day as a benchmark. Some days I hit it. Some days I don’t. Some days I go over.
Both my first two books in the Aldoran Chronicles series have come out to roughly 200K words a piece, so even at 3K a day it still takes a while to draft. I know of other authors who are able to get 6K-10K a day. Who knows, maybe that will be possible some day for me, but right now I’m more worried about the quality of the words as opposed to the quantity. As complex as my worldbuilding is, most of my time is spent in research as I write.
Do you outline your plot ahead of time, or just sit down and write and see where the words take you?
With my first book I obviously didn’t outline. I had rough benchmark goals I wanted to see happen. I knew the ending, but I had no idea how I was going to get to it. I let the characters do the talking for me. The downside to doing this, especially as a first time author, is that in my case the first draft tended to be filled with too many day-to-day details and routines that didn’t move the story forward in a timely manner.
My second book I did more outlining, but still let my characters drive the story. I knew where I wanted them to end up, and let the creative process guide the way. I believe the first draft of my second book is much more fluid than the first. You learn and hopefully apply that knowledge from one book to the next.
With the first two books in my offshoot series, I have relied on a heavier set of outlining, finding the overall arc and then breaking it down into three tiers. From there, I decide how many chapters I’ll have in each and the main story arcs.
To sum it up: I am more of a pantser than a plotter, but without at least a basic plotting, I wouldn’t be able to do either.
Do you get writers block?
I don’t think I know of many, or any, authors who have not had this problem before. Typically this comes when I am trying to figure out the next plot point. My way around this problem is to step away from the computer, walk outside, and take a stroll around a forested pond. It clears my head. And when that doesn’t work, you’ll be surprised what a hot bubble bath can do.
Tell us something interesting about you!
Wow, this is probably the toughest question of all, much like a writer being forced to create his/her own back cover blurb.
I guess one interesting thing is that my entire family are black belts and we used to own and operate our own local dojo.
Authority Magazine Interview (November 2021)
- Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share a story about what first drew you to writing over other forms of storytelling?
That’s a funny question, considering up until 2014 the thought of writing a book was about the last thing on my mind. I was not your typical author, who dreamed of putting pen to paper since I was a child, entertaining my family and friends with whimsical tales of adventure and intrigue. In fact, I hated writing. The thought of coming up with a single page essay would have had my palms sweating.
After working construction for several years beyond high school, I quickly realized the importance of getting an education, and found myself packing my bags for college. Well, I didn’t have to pack too much, since the university I attended was in the town that I lived. I eventually graduated in 2006 with a degree in accounting, but after four years in the field, I decided to give the left side of my brain a rest and begin using the right, by going back to school for film. After five years, two production companies, and several ulcers later, I decided on April 4, 2014, to take my love for cinema and merge it with the written word.
At the time, I was heavily involved in reading through several epic fantasy series, which I’m sure had something to do with my rather unexpected choice to begin writing a fantasy novel of my own. No matter the reason, I woke up that rainy, April morning and decided I was going to write an epic fantasy series. Honestly, it had more to do with me needing to find a more viable career than any overt desire I had to become an author. I’d never written anything on the scale of a novel before. A couple of screenplays was about as close as I’d come.
I’m a visually oriented person by nature, so I tend to write my books in ways that help my readers experience what I’m seeing. One of the most universal comments I receive is that my readers feel like they are actually there, in the world of my books. They feel like they are watching a movie.
Being able to portray my series through visual, cinematic writing is like having the best of both worlds. It’s wonderful!
- You are a successful author. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
That’s a tough one, mostly because there are so many traits to pick from, like: ambitious, confident, diligent, imaginative, meticulous, punctual, resourceful, and the list goes on. Most of these traits are universal to authors in general, but if I can only name three, then here they are:
One of the first arrows I believe all authors must have in their quiver is that of Creativity.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I sound like I’m preaching to the choir. Most of the time, though, we reserve this term for artists: writers, painters, sculptors, filmmakers…etc., but in reality, it’s a trait we all possess. Creativity means approaching a need, task, or idea from a different perspective.
This is the essence of being an author, even more so for those of us who write epic sagas, whether they be fantasy or sci-fi. With expansive storylines, we find the need to write from multiple perspectives, to put ourselves in others’ shoes and try to feel what they do. It can be both challenging and rewarding. Creativity is the backbone to good storytelling.
A second arrow which authors need to hone to a finer point is determination.
Authors need to be self-motivated. It’s great when you have outside encouragement from family or friends, but when you’re locked in your study for hours every day, plugging away on that keyboard with nothing but you and your thoughts to keep you company, it can be difficult, not to mention lonely.
When I first decided to write a fantasy series, my decision wasn’t exactly met with overwhelming support, especially when the chances of being able to turn that career into a livable income were so low. And here I am seven years later, and I’m still wondering if I made the right choice…No, I wouldn’t trade being an author for anything. I love it! Where else can you spend all day in your pj’s, dreaming up new worlds for a living. However, it was that determination within; that voice in the back of my mind that said, “I’ll be hanged before I let myself fail,” that kept me going long enough to get that first book written and published.
For the final arrow, and by no means the least, I would say that authors need to be Open-minded.
By this I mean: able to take constructive criticism. If you can’t handle others’ opinions, especially the negative ones, then you are in the wrong line of work.
I tell my Beta Team all the time that the negative comments can be just as useful, if not more so, than the positive ones. They help me see through the eyes of my audience, to better understand what is working and what might not be. What’s funny, and exciting, and witty to me, might not be to everyone else. And trust me, my Beta Readers will be the first to let me know if they don’t like something.
- Can you tell us a bit about the interesting or exciting projects you are working on or wish to create? What are your goals for these projects.
My number one goal at this point is to continue expanding the universe of my books. Along with that, there are several in-world product lines I would love to add to my storefront. I will at some point contract with a digital artist to begin work on a pictorial encyclopedia for the world of the Aldoran Chronicles. Commissioning some of the more noted items (such as weapons) from the book is not out of the realm of possibility. I am also discussing soundtrack ideas with a composer friend as a way to enhance the reading experience.
Lots of irons in the fire…difficult to choose which to pull out first.
- Wonderful. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Let’s begin with a basic definition so that all of us are on the same page. How do you define sci-fi or fantasy? How is it different from speculative fiction?
Wow, is there a definitive definition for sci-fi, fantasy, or speculative fiction? Every time I go to the bookstore, it seems they have discovered several new subgenres of each. If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that everything is constantly changing.
Let’s start with speculative fiction. Speculative fiction used to be more strongly tied to science fiction, since both contained speculative elements; however, nowadays speculative fiction is more of an umbrella genre that houses anything that falls outside our known world, or can be determined to be something that can’t happen, or hasn’t happened yet. Some of the genres listed under speculative fiction would be: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, magic realism, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, and supernatural fiction, or combinations of any or all of these genres.
There is probably no one correct way to define the difference between Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Generally, fantasy takes place in a mythical realm with mythical creatures and powers deemed as supernatural, many times using a medieval type setting, but certainly not limited to this.
Science Fiction, on the other hand, tends not to lean as much in the past but toward the future, and instead of magic systems, it is grounded in technologies that generally do not exist yet here on earth.
Both genres can be interrelated at times. James Cameron’s Avatar is a great example of where two worlds collide, literally. One race is technologically driven, the other still uses primitive bows and spears, albeit very effectively. Even though you’ll find futuristic elements and space travel, there is also strong elements of fantasy mixed in.
- It seems that despite countless changes in media and communication technologies, novels and written fiction always survive, and as the rate of change increases with technology, written sci-fi and fantasy becomes more popular. Why do you think that is?
The written word is one of the oldest forms of communication, and for good reason. It’s effective. Even though, my readers tell me all the time that they wish my books would be turned into films, I would say that 90% or more of them would continue to read the books regardless of whether they were indeed picked up by a studio or not. Most readers find that the books are more compelling than the adaptions given to them. There’s typically more detail within the pages of a book that are not able to be expressed in other forms of media.
There is something special about the human imagination . . . and this is coming from someone who loves film. For all the advances we have made in the field of film and television, the realism we have been able to create, almost to the point of not needing human actors, it still does not compare to our own inspired creativity. What I see when I write a particular scene, can be seen and felt in more ways than I can express by those who pick up my books. It doesn’t matter how much detail I add to describe something in my books, each one of my readers will picture something different.
With the written word, we are not limited to a single person’s imagining of a story. Even as wonderful as an audiobook can be, especially when you have an extremely talented narrator to bring it to life, that narration is based loosely on what the narrator is feeling when they read the text. However, when you read a book, you get to be the one who determines what these characters sound like.
As much as I love the visual arts, there is something comforting to sitting down in front of a cozy fire with a good book.
- In your opinion, what are the benefits to reading sci-fi/fantasy, and how do they compare to watching sci-fi/fantasy on film and television?
I might have just answered most of this question with my previous response. Not to sound repetitive, but as wonderful as the visual arts are, book adaptions to film or television can be limiting. You will generally find more detail in the author’s original work, than what you’ll see in a director’s vision of that work.
However, I believe the use of adapting books, especially fantasy and sci-fi, for television instead of film has given studios the ability to expand further into the authors’ worlds. It unshackles the storytelling from being limited to a single 2-3 hour production, and increased it to upwards 16-22, hour long episodes, giving the producers the ability to bring more of the book to life.
- What authors and artists, dead or alive, inspired you to write?
I was a late bloomer when it came to the wonderful world of books. I don’t believe I read my first novel until I was late high school or early college. The first book I ever read was Terry Brooks’s The Sword of Shannara. It was an older copy of my father’s, and after that, I was hooked. I started to read Robert Jordan’s Eye of the World, the first book in the Wheel of Time but didn’t make it through the first couple of chapters because I couldn’t keep up with all the characters. I can’t help but laugh now, since my own series has just as many, if not more. However, when I went back to the WoT, after finishing up everything Brooks had written at the time, I was well prepared, and this time I fell in love with Jordan’s world.
Robert Jordan, above all others, is the author my works get compared to the most, which is humbling. There are so many great fantasy storytellers whom have inspired my writing, both living and not, that it would be impossible to name them all. A few of my early favorites that have helped shape my writing would be: Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Goodkind, Brandon Sanderson, and Patrick Rothfuss.
- If you could ask your favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy author a question, what would it be?
Only one question? That’s like sitting down to a buffet and being told I can only eat one item.
Most people would ask the obvious: Where does your inspiration come from? How did you first get into writing? Why did you choose Fantasy? For me, I’d probably like to know: Once you reached that pinnacle of becoming a household name, selling tens of millions worldwide, is there anything you would have done differently?
Personally, I learn even more from my mistakes than from success, so listening to my favorite author’s advice on what they would have done differently would prove very beneficial.
- We’d like to learn more about your writing. How would you describe yourself as an author? Can you please share a specific passage that you think exemplifies your style?
Questions like this will demonstrate why authors have such a difficult time writing their own book blurbs. Introspection does not come naturally to most of us. I’m great at creating the mythical or imaginative, but when asked to describe myself, or my writing, my mind turns to mush.
I would have to say that the best way to describe myself as an author would be: Someone who is constantly seeking to improve. As we all should be. As far as my writing, I do try to be as cinematic, or visual, as I can. I also attempt to sprinkle in touches of humor throughout. Grimdark has become more popular of late in the fantasy genre, but I tend to lean more towards a high-fantasy approach. Sure, most stories need a darkness to overcome, but I prefer being able to tell the difference between my heroes and my villains. Not saying that the villains can’t become heroes or that heroes can’t go bad. Redemption stories are always very compelling.
My writing is probably more character-driven than story-driven. Don’t get me wrong, story is extremely important, but I love having a well-defined cast of characters that my readers can fall in love with. One of the tests of an engaging book, or series, is whether, after reading it, you can go back days, weeks, months, even years later and still remember the characters’ names. I want my books to make that kind of impact.
I am also known for keeping my books clean. I get a lot of mail from parents who want to thank me for writing stories that they can let their children read as well. I leave out the language and sex that seem to be filling the pages of more and more books of late. However, because I do write more cinematically, and seeing as how my books are fixed within a medieval style setting, there are graphic battle scenes described.
You can’t have hand-to-hand combat on that kind of scale and not want your readers to at least experience a little of what that might have been like. I do try to scale down the gore as much as possible, though.
Finding a passage that exemplifies my writing style was much harder than I thought. I went so far as to reach out to my editors, and then even my readers. Many suggested their favorite lines from the books, others recommended bits from their favorite romance scenes, some chose deep emotional moments between family and friends.
In the end, I chose two. The first is one of the more vivid battle scenes depicted in The White Tower, not because of the graphic nature, but because of the emotions that it portrays:
***
As much as he hated war, there were times like these when Commander Tolin found a certain thrill galloping at the head of a stampede of horsemen—sword drawn, teeth bared, hair rippling in the wind. He could feel his heart racing and his mind coming into focus as they neared the wall of Cylmaran armsmen. It was terrifying. It was exhilarating. It was the rush.
The faces of the enemy came into view. They had no idea what was about to hit them. Or maybe they did. He could see the horror in the eyes of the closest. Taking a deep breath, he raised his sword in the air and roared as they tore into the Cylmaran army’s right flank.
His horse trampled those unable to get out of the way. He swung his arm with the fury of a madman, cutting, slicing, stabbing. Tolin’s heart raced. It was the rush.
A large cleaver swung in his direction. He sent it flying, along with half the owner’s arm still attached. From one side of his horse to the other, he struck, severing limb from torso. Like an artist, he painted his canvas with blood-filled strokes. Men cried out in rage, cried out in terror, cried out for mercy. But there was none to be had. It was the rush.
***
The second choice was on behalf of my mother, who suggested a specific character she is fond of because of his sarcastic wit during very hard times. And, let’s be honest, who’s going to say no to their mother?
***
The guard in front turned his head, the cut of his uniform and stripes on his arm declaring him to be a captain. “How long are you going to hold on to that sense of humor, smith?”
“As long as I can,” Ferrin said defiantly.
From the silhouette cast by the torchlight, Ferrin had to admire the captain’s rather bulbous nose. It was a snout of indescribable proportions. It was an incredible work of art. The masters would have charged double to paint such a portrayal. Nostrils sounded like a good name for the captain, he thought. He played around with the idea a moment longer before coming to an agreement. Yep, Nostrils it is.
They were climbing again. The higher they ascended, the more Ferrin’s teeth chattered. “Maybe this time I’ll get a room with a view.”
“I’m sure it’ll be a nice view of the gardens,” Nostrils said.
The captain pulled out a key and unlocked the door, pushing it open far enough that it squealed on its hinges. Ferrin didn’t even get a chance to look inside before the guards tossed him in, where he landed hard on the stone floor.
“Your meal will be along shortly. Hope you have a strong appetite. I heard the cooks are whipping up a special treat for tonight.”
“That does sound delightful,” Ferrin said with a grunt as he rolled over. “Could you do me the favor of informing the cooks that they forgot to remove the whiskers on the last one they served?”
One of the guards snickered. “Get some rest. You’ll need it for tomorrow.”
***
- Based on your own experience and success, what are the “Five Things You Need To Write Compelling Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories?” If you can, please share a story or example for each.
Wow! One tough question after the next. Let me preface this by saying that these are solely my opinions, not to be taken as fact, or to base your life choices and career on.
Being strictly a fantasy author, I can’t speak to any personal experience when it comes to the nature of writing good science fiction, but I have to believe it is similar in many ways.
First, you need a Compelling Story. Yes, I know that sounds backwards, but it’s hard to write a compelling story if you don’t know what that story is going to be about in the first place. Often times the most difficult part of writing can be figuring out what you want to write.
When I started my author journey and began typing those first few pages of The White Tower, I didn’t have a clue as to what the story would be. Okay, settle down, I know I just finished telling you that the first step is having a compelling story, but many times, finding that story requires your tush in a seat and your fingers on a keypad. When I sat down on that fated day in April of 2014, staring rather wide-eyed at the blank page on my outdated Toshiba laptop, the only hint of a story I had available was three names: Ty, his older brother Breen, and a rather feisty redhead named Lyessa.
Little did I know how close to them, and so many others, I would become over the next seven years and counting.
But what makes a story compelling? I’m not about to try delving into all the characteristics associated with the idea of what drives a good tale. They devote entire classes to that in universities across the globe, and you certainly wouldn’t want to read me prattling on about it here. I will give you these three basic elements:
- Characters
- Conflict
- Resolution
Yep, that’s all it takes. And if I were you, I would start with your characters. When you have strongly developed characters, they will help you shape the story, which leads me to my second point.
The Second item one will need to write a compelling fantasy story is Likeable Characters. If your readers cannot connect with the characters in your book, then they likely will not continue reading. Your characters not only have to be likable, but believable, to a point. They need to be able to bring out the best and worst in human traits, giving your readers a wide gambit of the human experience, and yet still be true to themselves, or how you have portrayed them.
When your characters, for all intense and purpose, begin acting out of character, and for no reason, you will lose your readers. One of my pet peeves with certain television series is when the writers become so lazy that instead of taking the time to develop new and creative storylines, they instead will suddenly twist a character into something they have not been portrayed as and have that character act completely abnormal in order to bring “drama” to a scene. When that happens, my remote comes up and the red button gets pushed, which is generally followed with a few long minutes of shouting at the TV and hoping no one heard me.
Even if you have a weak storyline, if your characters are likable, readers will stick with you, at least for a while.
The Third aspect to writing fantasy is the World Building . . . or in laymen’s terms: A really cool location with all sorts of strange and wonderful forms of life.
There is a plethora of information that goes into both fantasy and science fiction world building that the average reader never takes into account when pouring through their next big story. Of course, that also means the author is doing their job, when the readers are so engaged in the story that they are not pulled out by something unique and fanciful.
Most will never know the amount of research needed to create a whole new world with its ecosystem, geographical locations, political and sociological construct, religious institutions, and humanoid populations, along with a thousand other important items of structure. And that is not including the mythical creatures that inhabit so many of these fantasy realms. Then you have the realms themselves, which could be made up of more than just humans.
And the list goes on…
Some of the most time-consuming aspects of creating a new world is coming up with names. Something as simple as a type of flower, could take hours of research. For those of us writing fantasy, we have to be at least modestly familiar with anything from the types of hammers a smithy might use, to the names and uses of dozens of herbs and medicinal plants found in a local apothecary. All of which has to be researched and studied in order to hopefully not make a fool of ourselves by botching some important piece of information.
Trust me, your readers will let you know.
The Fourth piece of the fantasy puzzle is the creation of an inventive and yet believable Magic System. One important step needed for this to work, much like the technologies that drive a good sci-fi tale, is the need for clearly defined rules. Without rules, there’s chaos and everything falls apart. The magic needs to be defined, explained—maybe not all at once, but eventually—in order for it to make sense and become realistic in the minds of your readers. There needs to be limitations, or you end up with no stakes to overcome. One all-powerful being that cannot be harmed because of their unlimited magic, makes for a boring story.
Magic systems can be as creative and fun as you want them to be, the sky is the limit . . . Actually, with magic, that’s no longer true. With magic, the limits could be endless.
For my Fifth and final choice I’m going to go against the grain and say that I believe that one of the ingredients needed to write a compelling fantasy story is Tropes. Yes, I said it . . . tropes! You will always find the a-typical critic who likes to complain about one author or another and how their books are chocked full of tropes.
Well, guess what? You’re right! All books are full of tropes. They are in fact part of what readers are coming for. Sure, you need to try to come up with something as original as possible, but as Solomon, the wisest man that ever walked the earth, once said, “There is nothing new under the sun.”
He was right.
First, let’s define what a trope is: A trope in (literature), as defined by yourdictionary.com, is something recurring across a genre or type of literature. The Merriam Webster dictionary also defines it as an overused theme or device.
You’ll have authors who’ll work extremely hard to go out of their way to keep from using what they would consider a trope and end up starting a whole new trope (or trend, as I would call it) instead. As a silly example, in literature, the vampire was typically always seen as the villainous bloodsucker who needed to be vanquished, until some day, some person decided to go against the trend and create a romantic vampire. This eventually led to the Twilight years, and suddenly everyone wanted to be with a vampire, or become a vampire.
Well, maybe not everyone.
The point is that even going against the common tropes can create more tropes.
What I’ve found is that readers tend to navigate to certain recurring themes. Using fantasy as an example, we see how specific tropes can eventually lead to their own subgenres. Dragons in fantasy are deemed as cliché and now there is an entire subgenre in bookstores called Dragons and Mythical Creatures. Why? Because there a lot of readers out there who enjoy reading about dragons and mythical creatures.
One of the most common tropes is the young chosen one who will eventually become the savior of the world by taking on the dark forces that threaten to overcome it. Why is it so popular? It’s the whole David vs Goliath scenario. We love rooting for the underdog. Is it a trope? Absolutely. But it’s a trope you’ll find in probably most genres because it is something relatable.
Those were just two of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of actual tropes. The fact is, readers navigate to certain types of books, and generally for the same reasons, those books have certain characteristics (tropes) they enjoy.
As I mentioned earlier, these are just the opinions of one fantasy author, not held, I’m sure, by others. If we all had the same opinions on everything, our literature would grow very stale indeed. Take it with a grain of salt.
- We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Entertainment, Business, VC funding, and Sports read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them 🙂
They always tell you not to meet your heroes because they’ll likely leave you disappointed, but as a fantasy author, I would have to say that I would enjoy sitting down with Terry Brooks, since it was his work on The Sword of Shannara that first brought me to the wonderful world of epic fantasy.
- How can our readers further follow your work online?
My books are most easily found on Amazon. Type in my name, Michael Wisehart, and they’re not hard to miss. The White Tower shortlink – getbook.at/TheWhiteTower
Hardbacks, autographed copies, and other In-World merch can be found on my storefront Aramoor Market – https://store.michaelwisehart.com/
For those who want to keep up with my writing at any given time they can hop on over to my website – www.michaelwisehart.com, where I maintain progress charts for my upcoming books. I always encourage emails. I do read them and respond.
But if you are looking for something more personal, you can follow me on Facebook, where I do all my social posting. https://www.facebook.com/MichaelWisehart.author. Shoot me a message. I’m always willing to chat.
- Thank you for these excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent. We wish you continued success.
Thank you so much for having me. I’ve enjoyed sharing my rambling thoughts and ideas on a topic I truly love.
Writer's Digest Interview (December 2021)
- Genre/category for book:
Epic Fantasy / Coming of Age Fantasy
- Previous titles (if any) by the author:
The White Tower (The Aldoran Chronicles #1) was my first endeavor into the world of fantasy writing.
My updated library below:
STREET RATS OF ARAMOOR
Book 1 | Banished
Book 2 | Hurricane
Book 3 | Rockslide
Book 4 | Sandstorm (Jan 2022)
Book 5 | Wildfire (April 2022)
THE ALDORAN CHRONICLES
Book 1 | The White Tower
Book 2 | Plague of Shadows
Book 3 | The Four-Part Key
- Elevator pitch for the book (1-2 sentence pitch):
Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, this award-winning epic fantasy is set in a world where magic is forbidden throughout the Five Kingdoms and wielders are forced into hiding. With war looming, the outlawed wielders might be the Five Kingdom’s only hope.
- What prompted you to write this book?
Money!
Oops, did I say that out loud?
Although, looking back . . . Probably wasn’t the wisest choice.
I wasn’t one of those authors you hear in interviews, discussing how they knew they were going to be writers since the day they were old enough to hold a pen, or how they had all these incredible stories building inside them and if they didn’t get them out, they were going to explode.
Honestly, I just needed a new career.
I had no idea if I was capable of writing a novel, let alone an entire series, let alone one as complex as this. In high school, I hated writing. The thought of a one-page essay would have had me up all night. Things changed a little in college as I began to study film, which prompted me to write a couple of screenplays. Though not the same as writing a novel, it was a great way to break the ice for future endeavors.
Realizing the need for a career change, I woke up on April 4, 2014, took a couple moments of deep reflection—followed by a shot of Mountain Dew—and began clicking away on what would eventually become the third chapter in The White Tower.
Up until this point, my credentials for becoming an author were a degree in Business Accounting, which I never used, and eight years of running a production company. Not the most promising of starts.
The one thing I did have going for me was my love of fantasy, epic fantasy to be precise. I had spent the last several years pouring through Jordan, Brooks, Goodkind, Sanderson, Rothfuss, and many more, and was determined to find a way to marry my love of the visual arts (cinema) with the written word. What better way to do that than to create my own world?
I had no idea what I was about to get myself into. Looking back . . . I wouldn’t change a thing. Okay, maybe a few things.
- How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process? (Explain.)
I started writing in April of 2014 and eventually published in November of 2016. During that two-and-half years, I completed not only The White Tower, but the first draft of the second book: Plague of Shadows. I also finished the first draft of books one and two in my Street Rats of Aramoor series, and a prequel to The White Tower, entitled Shackled, which I used as a free giveaway to entice new readers into the world of my books.
The reason it took over two years to publish was because of the number of revisions necessary to get from a very, poorly written first draft to a somewhat modestly written fourth draft. During that time, the main premise of The White Tower did not change. It did however grow and flourish with the help of my Beta Team.
When I first started working on The White Tower, I was lucky enough to have found a writer group that Amazon had established called Amazon Write On. It was built to give aspiring writers the chance to publish their works, chapter by chapter on an open platform, and get instant feedback from readers. During my time there, I managed to grow quite a large following, and from that pool of readers birthed my first Beta Team.
I believe there were over 100 members who requested to join.
To say that the first draft of my first book as a first-time author was rough is an understatement. I don’t know how I managed to pull the wool over so many readers eyes, but for some reason that initial team just kept coming back for more. Gluttons for punishment, I guess. With their help, however, I was able to see my book through three major transformations.
My first draft was around 150K words, and after they tore it apart like a pack of hungry wolfhounds, I ended up adding on to the story, expanding it. In fact, once I finished and was finally ready to hand it back to the team, the book had gone from 150k words to somewhere upwards 275K.
Yes, I basically added a whole new book to the second draft. But it was still very rough, and my Beta Team—those that had decided to stick with me for another round—gnawed on it some more.
By the time we finished, I had cut almost 100K words from the book. There are many chapters and scenes left untold, buried deep inside my folder history, never to be seen again. I even went so far as to re-write the entire ending of the book.
Through all the changes, the main heart of the story never strayed. The framework was always there, it just needed a sharp knife and a patient hand to find the image buried inside.
- Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title? (Explain.)
Hold on . . . Sorry, I was laughing so hard I lost my gum.
Everything was a surprise. Everything was a learning moment.
When I first started writing, I began to research all of what I would need for publishing. I didn’t have the first clue what it would take. The only knowledge I had, came from movies, and their depiction of the struggling author who mails in his queries, only to have them get rejected, until one of them lands on the desk of some unsuspecting agent or editor, and presto…the magic happens.
If only.
Well, during my research into writing the perfect query, I stumbled across a completely new concept (at least new to me) called: Self-Publishing.
At this time (2014), there was still a stigma attached to the idea of publishing a book on your own and not going through the traditional gatekeepers (the big publishing houses). But it didn’t take me long to see all the benefits.
To Preface: I’m not saying that one way is better than the other. It all depends on what you want out of your author career. For me, with a business degree and having run my own company, I wanted to have more control over the process. Yes, that means a LOT more work, but the rewards are exponential. In fact, more and more authors are beginning to make the transition from trad to indie just for this very reason.
There’s no way I could go into all the minutia of self-publishing, nor would I try. They have entire courses set up online that you can buy for that. What I will say, is that it is certainly worth taking the time to investigate, especially if you’re one of those struggling writers with a drawer full of rejection letters.
- Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book? (Explain.)
The one good thing about being a partial-pantser is that I am always being surprised by where my characters take me. It is one of the true enjoyments of writing.
As I mentioned above, The White Tower went through several major transitions, expanding the world and its characters in ways that opened the series for future growth.
My advice is to always be open to change. Don’t hold too tightly onto what you believe should happen. Sometimes you’ll be surprised how much wiser your characters are than yourself as they lead you to places you hadn’t imagined.
For example: In my latest book, The Four-Part Key, Ty took me to several new locations outside the scope of my own world and introduced me to cultures I didn’t know existed. I met new characters that will now take on major roles in all future books, and none of this would have been possible if I hadn’t loosened my grip on the reins.
Granted, you can’t let go of the reins altogether, or your characters will likely walk you into a blind alley with a cutpurse waiting to slit your throat. There is a fine line to walk, but if balanced properly it can be very rewarding.
- What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Apart from gaining a great introduction to the world, magic system, characters, and storylines within this ever-expanding saga, I want my readers to walk away with a sense of wonder. I want them to walk away feeling like they were actually there, like they had sat down with Ty for a pint at the East Inn, or suffered alongside Ferrin on the inquisitor’s rack, or danced with Ayrion’s twin blades as he fought off an oncoming horde. Escapism is the magic of epic fantasy.
There’s nothing better than to receive an email from a reader who wants to let you know how much your books meant to them, how they got them through a very difficult time in their life, how the story pulled them out of their troubles, even for a little while, and gave them a moment of happiness.
- If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
There’s really no one overall piece of advice I could give that will somehow make everything work out the way you hope. There will be good times. There will be bad. One minute you’re riding high on dragon’s wings, the next your being crushed under a mountain rockslide. Through it all, my advice is to hold on to that spark of enjoyment that pushed you to write in the first place. My initial reason might have been to find a new career path, but as soon as I finished writing those first few chapters and had readers tell me they wanted more . . . I was hooked!
If you can’t find enjoyment in what you’re doing, then you might need to rethink the path you are currently traveling.
Plague of Shadows chapter 36 “inexplicably linked” should probably be “inextricably linked. “
Hey John,
Thanks for the heads up on the misused word.
Fixed.
All the best,
Michael
It’s way more complicated than my poor brain can handle to get this stuff to download.
Hi Nina,
I sent you an email to see if you needed help.
All the best,
Thank you so much!!!! I stumbled across your books 3 months ago and have spent every spare moment immersed in them. I love your writing and imagination that brought it all to life. Thank you for bringing the characters to us and for wanting to bring faith into the kinds of stories that I love to read but felt like I shouldn’t! But. Not thank you that I have now finished both current series and need some answers….! No spoilers for other readers, but what about the peeps in Easthaven and especially what happens to the peeps in Tallos? You can’t just leave us hanging like that – not cool man!!! Thanks tho
Hi Gwyneth,
Glad you are enjoying the books so far. I hope you were able to go through the Street Rats of Aramoor series as well.
As far as what is happening to all your “peeps” in Aldor, you’ll just have to wait for the next book. 🙂 I’m working on it now, and it will release sometime next year (2024).
All the best,
Michael
Came across ‘Shackled’ on my audible app while in search of a new listen since I’m caught up on every other author whose work I read or listen. I’m a teacher with a long commute and fantasy novels from Sanderson to Rothfuss and everything in between have made the drive bearable.
I was hooked – so I’m listening to the White Tower series on Audible and going to start reading the Street Rats series on my e-reader once I finish the book I’m currently reading.
Really enjoying your work and how you’ve managed to offer a unique take on the genre and characters that resonate with readers. Looking forward to working my way through your world these next few months then eagerly waiting for more.
Hi Matthew,
Long commutes are my audiobooks bread and butter. Lol!
I’m glad you found the books and are enjoying the character dynamics and story.
As you have probably gathered, I have two series that I’m working on at present, though I will have a third coming out next year. All of these series are written within the same world. The Aldoran Chronicles is considered the master series, but its prequel series (Street Rats of Aramoor) plays a vital role to the ongoing saga. It is important that readers/listeners do not start the AC books 3 & 4 until they have read/listened to at least the first book in the Street Rats series, as well as the Aldoran Chronicles prequel “Shackled,” which you’ve already found. 🙂
Here is the reading list if interested: https://michaelwisehart.com/books/
All the best,
Michael
I have read all of the books in both series now and just have to say they are some of the best books I have ever read. The characters, storylines, and worlds are so intriguing and colorful that I can’t put the book down. I think I finished them all in about 3 weeks. I am anxiously waiting for the next book to come out. When I read a book like this I feel like I am there and just forget about time and place. Fortunately, I’m retired so I can do that. Anyway, thank you for sharing your talent.
Hello Dawn,
Thank you so much for reaching out. Love to hear from my readers, especially about how the books managed to pull them from their daily grinds and helped them lose themself in the exciting world of Aldor. Finishing all the books in 3 weeks is quite the accomplishment. 🙂
Working on the finale to Street Rats of Aramoor at present. Hopefully, I can get it out later this year.
All the best,
Michael
I got The White Tower as one of five books for Christmas this year from my fiancé and I’ve been binging all of your work since! Your character work and world building are on par with Jordan, Sanderson, and Robin Hobb. I now have a bookshelf dedicated entirely to The Aldoran Chronicles and Street Rats of Aramoor. I can’t wait for the next entry to both series!
Hi John D,
Wow! That is a lot of binging over the last couple of weeks. 🙂 I’m very glad to hear you are enjoying the world building and characters. Jordan was one of my biggest influences when it comes to the epic fantasy, so to be compared is a high honor indeed. I’d love to see a pic of that shelf when you get it done. Love seeing readers’ libraries. 🙂
All the best,
Michael
I just finished reading two of your books. I’m hooked. I live in North Georgia. Do you ever have any book signing events? The Georgia Renaissance Festival is coming up. Do you promote your books there?
Hi Bryan,
I don’t really do book signings or promote books at festivals. Typically ends up more of a hassle than it’s worth, but I’ll have to check into the festival itself just for personal enjoyment. 🙂 Honestly, didn’t know Georgia had one. Appreciate the heads up on that.
All the best,
Michael
I have read Street Rats Of Aramoor and The Aldoran Chronicles. Preferring the Chronicles, what should I start next?
Hi Pat,
Glad you’ve made it through the books. 🙂 The 6th and final installment in the Street Rats series will be releasing this Fall. It’s a big one, and not just that its nearly twice the size as the other books in that series. I’m working on the 5th book in the Aldoran Chronicles right now, but that won’t be ready to release until some time next year. I don’t have any other series I’m working on at present, though there is a new one coming. I’m not sure how to answer your question as to what to start on next.
All the best,
Michael
Hi Michael,
Patiently waiting for 5th April. I have not been this excited about a new book since GOT and Harry Potter. Favourite series is definitely The Street Rats, your storytelling is superb! Just finished The Four Part Key, always happy with your endings. Looking forward to the impending domestic between Lyessa and Narendi, many thanks for building this brilliant fantasy world xx
Hi Sally,
Yes, the 5th book (Wildfire) will be here next week. Very excited to get this into reader’s hands!
I’m so glad to see you are enjoying the books. I have a lot of readers who find the Street Rats to be there favorite as well. It has been a very fun series to write.
Funny you should mention the impending meeting between Lyessa and Narendi as those are the chapters I am presently in the middle of writing.
I hope I can continue to entertain. Don’t forget, if you haven’t already, to leave a review on Amazon or Audible (whichever you use). Those reviews make a big difference.
All the best,
Michael
Hi I just finished Aldoran Chronicles. I enjoyed all three books but was sad there was no ending or resolution to so many aspects of the story. Super cliff hanger, will there be a 4th book?
Hi Johnny,
Glad you are enjoying the story. Don’t worry…this series is most definitely not a trilogy. I am planning on at least 10 books…could be more, could be less. To be honest, I will most likely be writing in this world the rest of my life. There is that much story to tell. 🙂
Make sure you are reading the prequel series as well (Street Rats of Aramoor). You should have read at least the first book in that series before reading The Four-Part Key. A lot of backstory being referred back to the Street Rats in that book. The Street Rats plays a vital part in the Aldoran Chronicles ongoing saga.
All the best,
Michael
I very much enjoy the story and have been waiting and looking for Book 3, and now it’s over and I’m wondering if you have a plan for the rest of the series. Like another reader above, I hate starting a series that’s not complete, and now I’m stuck again. I’m wondering if, like Michael Sullivan, you have a timeline that we can anticipate waiting for the rest of the series. Thx
Hi Peggy,
The closest I have for a timeline is my progress bars on the home page of my website. If you scroll down you can see what books I’m working on. I do not have an overall calendar for all books in the Aldoran Chronicles series, since I do not know how many books it will take to write the story. That story expands with each new book. I can say that my goal is to try to get at least one book in both series out every year from now on, if possible.
The Street Rats of Aramoor series will have 6 books in it. The 4th will be releasing next week, the 5th will release in April, and the goal is to release the final 6th book in the first quarter of next year.
I hope this helps.
Happy New Years,
Michael
Hi Michael! I’ve discovered your books and would love to read them, but am wondering what order I should read them in. Are the two series independent of each other? What order would you suggest reading them in? Thanks for your time! I’m really looking forward to reading your books as I’ve heard great things about them.
Hi Amanda,
So glad to hear you have managed to discover my books.
The two series are independent of each other, even though from the same world. The Street Rats of Aramoor is a prequel series to The Aldoran Chronicles. It takes place roughly 20 years prior to the first book The White Tower. The series takes one of the main characters from the Aldoran Chronicles and follows their life on the streets of the capital city.
While the Aldoran Chronicles looks at the entire world and everything that is happening on a macro level, the Street Rats mostly stays within the confines of a single city, at least once you reach book 2.
My suggestion has generally been to start with “The White Tower” and its prequel “Shackled,” just so you get a better idea of the world, then jump into the Street Rats. But, at this point, I’d say you could go ahead and start with the Street Rats and then move on into the Aldoran Chronicles if you prefer. I do know that before this third book in the Aldoran Chronicles launches later this year, you’ll want to have read both series beforehand (including the prequel Shackled – which is a Free download on my site), since many of the characters and story lines come to play in these next books.
Hope this was helpful. If you don’t mind answering: How did you discover my books? Always interested to know where readers are finding them. Also, you mentioned hearing good things. Was this from word of mouth?
Thanks, Amanda, for reaching out.
All the best,
Michael
Thank you so much for answering, Michael, this was helpful! 🙂
I stumbled across The White Tower one day (about six months ago) when I was deep into the internet researching good books to read (I can’t quite remember how I found them now). It’s so hard to find good books to read so I was very hopeful when I read the summary of The White Tower on Amazon. After some more research into the book on both Amazon and goodreads (just reading the reviews) I was intrigued and thought I’d check out your website.
All the good things I’ve “heard” were from the reviews online (perhaps heard was a poor choice of words on my part). People seemed to really like the books and I was intrigued. It was actually some of the bad reviews that convinced me to check out more of your books and ended up bring me to your website. All the “negative” things I read were that you spent too much time world building, which is something I actually enjoy quite a bit when to comes to books.
In short, from online reviews (both good and bad) and your website I’ve been convinced to read your books and I can’t wait to get started!
Blessings,
Amanda
Hahaha! Nothing like finding readers through negative reviews. Then again, if having too much world building is the main negative, then I’m doing pretty well. I’m sure those same readers say the same about Robert Jordan or Brandon Sanderson or even Tolkien. 🙂 You can’t have true epic fantasy without it.
I’m excited for you to begin! You’ll have to let me know how it goes, and don’t forget to leave a review yourself to offset those anti-world builders. 🙂
Michael
Wow! I just finished The White Tower and I loved it! I’ve already made a list of people I’m going to suggest the book to and wrote a review for amazon. I could not be happier with your book, and, as someone who often struggles to find good books, found the read very refreshing. I can’t wait to get started on Plague of Shadows.
I also found psychical quality of your books quite good and was wondering where you got them printed, as I didn’t see a publisher.
Amanda Hunt,
So glad to hear you enjoyed the first book in the series. Can’t wait to see what you think of the second. Don’t forget to read the prequel “Shackled.” And you’ll want to start reading the prequel series “Street Rats of Aramoor” before the third book drops later this year.
As far as my physical books, I use Amazon’s printing services for my paperbacks. I have also just created and released the prequel “Shackled” into print for the first time, exclusively through the Aramoor Market storefront on my website. They just became available for order last week. Readers have been signing up. I print those through Barnes & Noble Press. They are hardback laminate, and can be purchased as “unsigned” or “autographed” – https://store.michaelwisehart.com/product-category/books/
I hope you continue to enjoy the books!
Michael
Hello! I saw an ad for the Aldoran Chronicles one day and decided to check it out because it looked kinda cool and WOW. The Aldoran Chronicles and The Street Rats of Armoor are now in my top favorite series! You managed to Make it mature enough so it wasn’t a kids book while not making it innapropriate either which is really hard to find these days. I’m not really sure if this is true, but it seemed like there was a God figure in the books and I thought that it was really awesome of you to include Him in there if that was your purpose. Thank you for writing these awesome series! Can’t wait for the next book in the Aldoran Chronicals!
Hi Joshua,
So glad you found the series and are enjoying them. Honored that you consider them in you top favorites.
There is a Creator head in my books, but I don’t try to push religion as a main viewpoint, purposefully keeping it from going too far in that direction. This is by no means a spiritual book, any more than Lord of the Rings, though I do have a strong good vs evil theme throughout.
I’m working hard to get the next books written.
Stay safe and God bless,
Michael
Thanks for responding so quickly! And one more think i forgot to mention is the amount of world building and character development is absolutley great! I feel like i’ve really gotten to know the characters.
Thanks Joshua,
Also, if you haven’t done so already already, don’t forget to leave a quick review on Amazon or Audible, which ever you used. You could even copy and past what you wrote here. Those reviews make a big difference.
Again, thanks for taking the time to read.
Will do!
I liked listening to the white tower and believe it has a lot of room to grow. However…as someone who has already read and is waiting on GRRMs books, I am finding it hard to want to continue the series any further.
I am getting really tired of authors who fully flesh out and develop characters for us to emotionally involved with, and then turn around and just kill them off. Can you at least give us some idea as to whether certain characters are not as dead as you lead us to believe?
Hi Edward,
Having never read any of GRRM’s books, I can’t speak for him, but the reason authors work to get readers emotionally involved with certain characters before killing them is so that when they do die, it means something. I’m not an author who enjoys killing his characters on a whim, or for the fun of it. However hard it is for a reader to see a character they are emotionally tied to die, imagine how hard it is for the author who has spend months and even years developing that character. As in life, not all the good guys/gals win, not everyone who goes to battle comes back the same, or at all. In life, bad things happen. Having said that, I prefer to lean toward the happier endings…but I can’t promise it.
I’m not sure which character you were most upset with for possibly dying, but you might blame my beta team for that. Lol! One of their comments on my earlier drafts of the book was that when certain characters died, they felt it didn’t really matter to them because they weren’t emotionally involved.
Without giving away any spoilers…I can say we might see at least one character return.
Mr. Wisehart! I was searching for new novels and came across your books. I noticed that the Street Rats of Aramoor was the prequel to the Aldoran Chronicles and since I was new to you, I started there.
I absolutely loved Banished and Hurricane, reading them both back to back. Love Aryion, Red (Kira), Sapphire, and Tubby!
From there I saw that Shackled was a prequel to the first book in the Aldoran Chronicles, presumably after the Street Rats of Aramoor? but it wasnt in the Kindle store so I went straight to the White Tower and WOOOOOWWWW!!!!! as an aspiring writer I was blown away by the actions scenes and was so happy when i realized how closely it relates to Street Rats of Aramoor. It gave me insight on Aryions relationship with Kira (Red) and that was soooo interesting and a great scene when they meet again. I loved the action scenes, Loved the council of wielders, the fight with Mangora, Nyalis showing up in the nick of time! The Hor’hounds were also privotal. Dakaran and Valtor are also well written. CAnt wait for the Plague of Shadows and the third installment to Street Rats of Aramoor. Im about to follow you on facebook and twitter and copy of reviews to amazon and goodreads. Thanks, keep pushing. Content Content Content!!!!
Hello Amani,
Thanks so much for reaching out. I’m glad to hear you are enjoying the story. You can actually get the prequel, Shackled, for free here: https://michaelwisehart.com/shackled-wt/
Thanks in advance for the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Those reviews are very important in pushing my books to more readers.
You mention that you are an aspiring writer…what genre are you hoping to write in?
All the best,
First off my apologies for spelling Ayrion’s name wrong there, I was excited after reading your developments for the upcoming releases and was typing too fast. I forgot to mention I love Ty and Lyessa as well as Adarra and Kellen. But man..everyone is enjoying your stories, theyre so fun and imaginative I got lost reading them. Just finished White Tower this morning at work after staying up until 3:13am last night. At 3am I told myself only one more chapter, lol. How does one become one of the beta readers? and would you recommend going back to reread after the edits? Im not sure if the one I read was an edit or not. I’ve always loved Fantasy since I was young, Im 26 now. Ive only written 13 pages on microsoft outlining my book but its fantasy. Its slow because one must make money and life takes you places. I want to have a few months to sit down and really work on it.
Im definitely about to read Shackled as Ferrin is a cool character with a nice sense of humor despite gruesome circumstances and i want to hear more about Kellen’s dad. I would totally work with you as an assistant hahah. I feel like my Wielder power would be intuition along with knowing when people are lying..discernment. Thanks for the quick response!!
Wow! 3am…does that really exist. Haven’t seen that time on the clock in quite a while.
If you have an older version, you can look under your content and devices section on amazon where your ebooks are stored and you’ll see an update there if it is. If their is no update button underneath The White Tower then it is probably the most recent. I still have one more copy editor working on it.
Intuition. Knowing when people are lying. Hmmm…that would be a great gift to have.
Here’s a link to join Beta Readers: https://michaelwisehart.com/join-the-beta-team/
Thanks so much again for writing such great books, I signed up and i’ll be watching an waiting! Much luck!!
Thanks Amani.
My husband bought me the first book of The Aldoran Chronicles. I read it in 2 days! Since then, I’ve read Shackled and both installments of Street Rats of Aramoor. I can’t wait to see what comes next!!!! It’s always good for the heart to see a fellow Georgian with such talent!
Hi Kim,
Wow! 2 days. That is quite the feat. I’m glad to hear you are enjoying the story. I’ve been working for the last 6 months with a team of editors as we’ve gone back through The White Tower. I’m hoping to have the 2nd edition ready by next month. I’ve been updated Amazon with my re-writes as I’ve gone, which has left a number of typos in the book. My final copyeditor (cleaner) is going through it now. Once the final version is complete I’ll update Amazon and let readers know they have 1 week to get the 1st edition paperback before it is taken down for ever. I’m working hard on getting the second draft of the second book Plague of Shadows. Don’t have a set date for publishing though.
Thanks, Kim, for reaching out. If you haven’t yet done so, I’d appreciate a quick review on Amazon for the books. Those reviews make a big difference.
All the best,
I am not one to leave a comment, but I just finished The White Tower today. I needed a new book, searched Audible, and came across it. You just surpassed Brandon Sanderson as my favorite author. Excellent detail. As much as I prefer to physically read a book, my current schedule limits me to the audio version, and the narrator was just fabulous. The detail of the book brought the world to life. I could close my eyes, listen, and the world just came to life in my mind. It held my attention from the first “page” to the last. Will be downloading the others, and looking forward to more in the future. Thank you so much!!
Thanks Michelle for taking the time to reach out. It’s always good to hear how the story is being received. Finding myself as a favorited author is humbling.
I’ve spent the better part of this year working with a team of editors to re-write The White Tower, something I didn’t have the budget to do when I first published.
I’m hoping to bring the book out to a complete 2nd edition sometime next month. I’m also hoping to talk my audio publisher into remaking the audiobook as well. My narrator, Tim Gerard Reynolds, is busy recording the first two books in my offshoot series: Street Rats of Aramoor.
Please feel free to copy and paste your comment on the audible book page for The White Tower if you get the chance. Those reviews are very helpful.
All the best,
I really enjoyed your Street Rats of Aramoor books. You did a wonderful job describing the fighting scenes. I truly felt like I was there. Every fighting scene left me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait for your next installment.
Hi Sherona,
I’m excited to hear you are enjoying the books. It’s good to hear the fighting scenes have come across visually. Those are generally a difficult area for writers to portray.
Have you started on The White Tower yet? I’m doing a complete re-edit of the book with a full team of editors, and I’m hoping to bring it out to a second edition next month.
Don’t forget to leave a review of the books on Amazon if you can. They are very helpful.
All the best,
Michael Wisehart
Regarding the fight scenes, one thing I confess I’d like to see less of is throwing blades. Everyone who engages in this in the real world admits that it’s not an effective technique, both because it’s hard to strike your opponent blade first and even if you did, it wouldn’t be a fatal wound. In the meantime, you’ve give up one of your weapons.
Hi Greg,
Thanks for the feedback.
If you are referring to “blades” as swords and not knives (which can be made for throwing), then yes, I absolutely agree…throwing your sword away is not the smartest. Which is why the only person I ever have try this is Ayrion, who isn’t exactly like everyone else. Not only does he have a second sword available, which he never throws away, but he has magic which allows him to do things normal swordsmen cannot.
Also, the only times I believe that I have him do this is when he is fighting a creature he’d prefer killing from a a distance, since they outreach him.
If I had other characters in the books do the same, let me know, I can’t remember. There shouldn’t have been. Either way, I will certainly take it under advisement for future battles.
All the best,
Michael
I normally don’t write reviews or comments, but I really enjoyed your books. I am currently at a hospital for a family member and just read Banished, Hurricane, and The White Tower in just a short couple of days. It really helped pass the time for me. I loved “The White Tower” especially. Great story and great characters. Can’t wait for the next book.
Thank you David for reaching out. I’m glad to hear you are enjoying the stories, especially through hard times. The second book in the Aldoran Chronicles series is out with beta readers at present. During this time, I’ve hired a team of editors to go back over my published books, including The White Tower, and bring them up to the standards I’d like to see them at, something I didn’t have the budget to do when I first published. Very excited by the progress so far! I hope you continue to be entertained. If you haven’t done so already and wouldn’t mind, I’d appreciate a quick review on Amazon for the books. You could simply copy and paste what you wrote in your comment. Those reviews really do help. – Thanks!
Just posted some reviews on Amazon. Happy to help. I’m amazed you just started your writing career. You’re doing fantastic! I was a little leery of starting a new series that wasn’t established yet just from my experience with some series where the authors take several or more years to write the next book. lol, I’m just so impatient. I’m happy I took a chance on this series and recommended it to my brother as well. Can’t wait for the next books. Keep up the good work.
Hi David. Thanks for the review! I’m glad you took the chance on the books. There will be many, many more to come. -Happy Reading!
Excellent choice on Tim Gerard Reynolds to do narration on the audio book for The White Tower! I found the book on audible and almost didn’t get it because I hate starting book series that are incomplete. Pat Rothfuss has instilled in me a deep mistrust of fantasy authors. I hope he releases the 3rd Kingkiller Chronicles book some day but I’m not holding my breath. Having said that, I picked up this (audio)book because of the great reviews.
Now that I’m on your site, I’m heartened to see that you actually update your readers on your progress, like Brandon Sanderson does. Good stuff!
Hi Hans,
I do understand the worry with an author never completing. I do my best to keep my readers informed. Currently, I’ve hired a full team of editors to go back over all my books and help me focus the writing and bring them out to second editions. The White Towers’ sequel is in the hands of my beta team at present. I love Tim. He does a phenomenal job in audio narration.
I hope you enjoy the book.
Just finished the White Tower and I have to say it is one of the best books I have ever had a chance to read.It has a great storyline with lots of great characters and it’s loaded with nail biting action from start to finish.The only problem I had with it was that it was so good I couldn’t put it down once I started reading.Thank you for writing such an enjoyable read. Buy the way I live in southeast Ohio and it’s good to have such a good auther from Ohio even if you don’t live here now . : )
Hi Gale. Thank you so much for the kind praise and for reaching out. Yes, us southern Ohioans need to stick together. 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed the story. I hope you had a chance to read the prequel, Shackled. If you haven’t already, and wouldn’t mind, it would be a great help to me if you could leave a quick review on Amazon for the book. If your not sure how, here’s a quick video from my blog: http://michaelwisehart.com/how-to-leave-a-book-review/ (You could actually just copy and paste what you wrote here in your comment.) Those reviews are really important.
Thanks again for letting me know you enjoyed my writing. I’m busy working to get the next ones ready!
Michael,
I picked up White Tower on amazon outstanding, I have been reading fantasy for years. I love Terry Brooks, Tolkien and many more. After finishing White Tower I went to look for volume 2 and OUCH no book. Are you working on book 2? I hope you I truly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the entire series.
Cheers,
Shawn Doyle
Hi Shawn, thanks for reaching out. It’s always good to hear readers are enjoying the work. I do have the first draft to the second book in the Aldoran Chronicles series complete, but before I finish I plan on releasing the first book in my offshoot series: Street Rats of Aramoor. It’s out with beta readers right now. If you’d like to keep up with the next books’ release dates, plus grab a free copy of the prequel “Shackled,” you can do so here: http://www.michaelwisehart.com/shackled-wt
Thanks for reading!
Was looking to pre order upcoming books. Is this possible?
Hi Sandra. I don’t currently do pre-releases of my books since it has a tendency to mess with their Amazon ranking in an unfavorable way. The only pre-release I have at the moment is the audiobook for The White Tower, which you can find on Amazon.
The prequel to the new offshoot series Street Rats of Aramoor will be launching on the 25th, with the first book in that series coming out the following month.
The best way to keep informed would be to like my author page on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/MichaelWisehart.author
Thanks for reaching out Sandra!
Good morning,
Just discovered your book on Amazon..checked out your website, joined the Council. downloaded the prequel and read your bio. I am from southeastern Ohio, lived in north Florida for a while and currently back in southeastern Ohio. Excited to have made this discovery this morning, am/was currently reading Anthony Ryan The Waking Fire, and honestly it is very confusing and I am not enjoying it at all, most likely will DNF it. (thats why I was browsing for something new) Read the sample of The White Tower, thought it was very good, as stated I am now reading the prequel and this is so much better than the Ryan book, am looking forward to The White Tower. Thank you, Kind regards.
Hey David. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to reach out. I grew up in a small farming community about 15 minutes outside of Dayton. I do hope you enjoy the prequel, Shackled. It leads directly into The White Tower, which you stated you have already read the opening sample. You’ll have to let me know what you think. – Happy Reading and Merry Christmas!
Wow near Dayton? Then you know Wapakoneta? Hometown of Neil Armstrong? I went to high school there. 🙂 Really enjoying your books! I’m reading The White Tower and Shackled. Then I see that Ayrion is in your other 2 books? Should they have been read first?
BTW, you self published? Any thoughts/tips for others that might be thinking of doing that?
Hi Arlene,
Glad to hear from another buckeye. Both the Aldoran Chronicles and the Street Rats series are set within the same world, but one doesn’t have to be read before the other. They are completely independent. The Street Rats of Aramoor series does come first chronologically, but most people prefer reading The White Tower beforehand to get a better understanding of the world.
I’m a hybrid author, which means I am both self-published and have a publisher. I self-publish my ebooks and paperbacks, but I have a publisher for my audio books. Best tips I can give is to join some indie publishing facebook communities and start watching self publishing podcasts to get a better understanding of how this all works. I spent three years researching while working on my The White Tower. There are also plenty of great courses out there to guide new authors through the steps of publishing. One of the best is the Self Publishing Formula…also a great podcast to watch as well. https://selfpublishingformula.com/
All the best,
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Sooo, I have finished all your books and you know that feeling of “what happens next?” I’m there!
I really liked your books a lot. I read your free prequel, then “The White Tower” which features Aryon, so I wondered if I should’ve read the other 2 books first. But, I think I agree, this was the best order to read them in. Must be interesting to be writing them in tandem!
Thank you for the info on self publishing. I’m helping my daughter edit her book, so really looking for info for her.
How’s the progress on the next book? 😉
Progress on the next book is slow at the moment. It will pick up after August, once all my re-editing is complete on The White Tower and it is republished as a 2nd edition. Once that is finished, I can devote all my time to the next book. I’m waiting for my alpha team to read through the first draft of Plague of Shadows and give me there feedback. I predict lots of re-writing for me on this book in the near future. 🙂
I just came across “The Aldoran Chronicles” this month. I just finished the first three and on the fourth. And, It’s my one my favorites series already. I love the thought you’d put into the book and the characters. My favorite is character is Ty I love how he growing and becoming stronger in ever book. I’ll going to read the “Street Rats” in the summertime. My one question I had is, how many books would “The Aldoran Chronicles”.
God bless!
Hi Hannah,
You just discovered me this month and have already read the first three? Wow! That is some swift reading. I would ask if you have read the first book in the Street Rats of Aramoor series yet? There are some very important prequel books that need to be read before starting book three and four in the Aldoran Chronicles. I mention them in the front of those books. Namely, before reading “The Four-Part Key” you need to have read the Aldoran Chronicles prequel “Shackled” and the first book in the Street Rats series, entitled: “Banished”. And you definitely need to have read “Banished” before you read “The Tunnels Beneath” or a very large portion of the story line will not make as much sense.
Glad to hear you are enjoying the books and Ty’s growth in particular.
As far as the number of books. I’m expecting at least 10+ books in the Aldoran Chronicles.
Stay safe and God Bless,
Michael
I haven’t read“Banished”, or “Shackled”. But I will read “Banished” before keep reading “The Tunnels Beneath”.
Hannah,
I know you are wanting to get through The Tunnels Beneath, but you will want to read Shackled as well. It’s a free prequel novella, not a full novel, so it won’t take up much of your time. You can find it on my website.
Wow! I wish you have read that before The Four-Part Key. It explains Ferrin’s entire story line in that book as well as a lot of the characters. 🙂
I’ll read “Shackled” as while
I am so happy with how the first 5 books. I love the relationship Ayrion has with his freinds. I love his relationship with Sapphire the most, I was really afraid you were going to kill her off at the end of wildfire but I’m so happy you didn’t. Does she appear in the aldoran chronicles later on? I’m reading the white tower now and it’s just as good as all the other ones! Thank you for these masterpieces!
Hi Jacob,
I’m glad you found the Street Rats series so enjoyable, especially the relationships. You will have a lot of fun reading through the Aldoran Chronicles as you see some of these same characters pop up here and there along the way. You will eventually see most of the characters resurface at some point or another down the road.
I’m working on the 6th and final book in the SR series right now, and it is going to be the largest by far!
All the best,
Michael
Interesting interview. One theme seems to dominate – dedication to the project. It shows up not just in your creative work, but especially in your follow-up editing. As an author myself, I know how extremely difficult it is to go back to a manuscript and rewrite a scene that you thought was solid – only to have it picked apart by your beta readers, requiring a major overhaul. I’ve seen the results of this process in your work, and you have produced yeoman’s results.
This from a rookie!
Well done, sir. All your praise is richly deserved.
Glowing praise indeed, stemming from one of those harsh beta readers who held my feet to the fire while blooding my nose when I deserved it 🙂
My Beta Team deserves at least half the praise!
Michael I love all of your books! As a Christian fantasy nerd- I have to say all the references to the Creator and the prayers given up by characters have not escaped me. Are you a man of faith? Either way keep shining on. You have built a beautiful world that I love escaping to. I just re listened to both series’ in preperation of The Tunnels Beneath. Cant wait!
Hi Lindsay,
I’m so glad you love the books and are enjoying the ongoing story within. I am a Christian, yes. Re-listening to the series in preparation for The Tunnels Beneath is a smart choice. TGR’s narration is certainly worth the wait.
All the best,
Michael
Hi Michael,
I came across your books on Amazon whilst I was trying to find another engaging book to begin. As a Jordan, Hobbs and Brooks fan, I have not found any fantasy books so wonderfully well written in quite some time, that have completely and thoroughly hooked me!
As a Christian, I am also delighted how carefully you have woven references to the Creator and faith in, whilst developing such a tremendous world and characters. I already know several people I will be referring your books to and will leave a review on Amazon.
Thank you.
God bless!
Hi Pippa,
So glad you found me on Amazon, and have enjoyed the books. Jordan and Brooks were my staples of fantasy literature growing up, so it is quite wonderful to see so many of my fans comparing my works to theirs. I appreciate the reviews. They really help. Did you get the chance to start with the Street Rats of Aramoor before moving onto the Aldoran Chronicles?
All the best,
Michael
Wow, that was a quick reply!
It’s funny as I started to read your book I could see the similarities and influence of particularly Robert Jordan in your writing. The “Third Age” was just one small mention.
No I haven’t as of yet.. I have only just started the White Tower and am reading through it at a great rate of knots. I will be following with the Street Ray series before continuing with the Aldoran Chronicles.
I’ll be reading them all, don’t you doubt it for a moment. It is exciting when one finds a book such as your style of writing!
Again, many thanks.
I do hope you enjoy! 🙂