Featured Interview With Dan O’Mahony
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I've self-published four books so far, and as of this interview will be releasing two more. I write mostly middle-grade fantasy, but one the books I'll soon be releasing, Death's Fair Maiden, will be my first attempt at young adult, not to mention my first fantasy-romance.
I grew up in California, mostly in So Cal. Currently, I live in Phoenix, Arizona but have plans on moving back to Cali' in the near future. Oh, and I am the proud father of two beautiful cats, Luna and Shyanne. They are in fact sisters.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As far back as I can remember, I've enjoyed losing myself in a book. Fantasy has always been my jam. I loved reading Edgar Rice Burroughs when I was young. I've also enjoyed writing stories too, ever since grade school. I loved writing fantasy and was heavily inspired by Greek and Norse mythology.
As I got older, I veered away from fantasy. I was convinced that if I wanted to write "seriously" I needed more "sophisticated" subject matter. Eventually, I smartened up and found myself drifting back toward the fantasy genre. It felt good. It was like coming home.
I also found that, despite what others might think, fantasy stories can be deep and meaningful. I enjoy creating characters that possess fantastic abilities but are still very human at their core. One of the best compliments I have ever received came from someone in a writers' group who told me she didn't read fantasy but would STILL read one of my stories.
I also proudly tell people that I write for younger readers, although my stories have been enjoyed by adults too. It always reminds me of a quote by C.S. Lewis that a good children's book that cannot be enjoyed by adults is NOT a good children's book.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I've been a big fan of Neil Gaiman ever since I discovered The Sandman. In fact, that helped inspire me to get back into writing fantasy. I do read mostly fantasy. I love Terry Pratchett's wit and satire. I still read a lot of mythology, mostly Irish/Celtic as well as Irish history. In Death's Fair Maiden, there are flashback chapters that cover key events in Irish history. As a fantasy writer, and this is going to sound weird, but Chuck Palahniuk — Mr. Fight Club — had a big influence on writing, namely on how to capture a character's voice.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
As I already mentioned, Death's Fair Maiden, is my first attempt at YA, not to mention a fantasy-romance. I playfully refer to it as "Boy Meets Banshee." I decided to make it YA, because banshees are associated with death and it seemed fitting. While my banshee can be scary at times, she is also very loving and protective of the mortals in her care. Much of the content may be mature — language, sex, and violence — I made sure it was not graphic or exploitative.
I do have another book I'm releasing at the same time. It's a MG fantasy entitled Illumina. I think of it as my love letter to the fantasy genre. It's about a young boy who suffered a horrible tragedy and is inspired by a mysterious substitute teacher to write fantasy stories. This proves to be very therapeutic. I include the actual stories the boy writes within the body of the book, and there comes a point in the main narrative where his fantasy world begins to invade the real world.
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