Interviewed by

🦀: Both of you gentlemen are like writing machines, with a very extensive body of work. So why did you choose Crown of Blood as your first published title?

 

Joseph & Daniel: It seemed a short project and one we both liked, so we just did it. 

🦀: The book revolves around the bloody history of the crown of Caledonia (now Scotland). Why did you decide to focus on that particular region to develop your story on?

 

Joseph: Because we’re part Scottish and since I first began studying Scottish Medieval history & folklore I developed a strong sense of kinship with the Scots, and could not resist developing something of a mythology for them. 

🦀: Even though Crown of Blood is structured into short stories, they’re all part of a larger tale. Did you feel like this wouldn’t have worked as well if it were to be presented as just one long story divided into chapters instead?

 

Joseph & Daniel: No, it would not have worked half as well, due to us having to stick to one overall narrative/set of characters rather than dancing between all the characters that we follow the perspective of in the story. That, and it would have been even more confusing in our view. 

🦀: As a reader progresses into the book, more characters and more names are being introduced, and sometimes many characters have the same names as their predecessors. Did you not consider that at some point things could get a little confusing for readers in general?

 

Joseph: Yeah, and it’s why for the sequel and next edition we’re planning to add a family tree and a map. 

🦀: I was particularly fascinated by the ‘three crones’ that keep appearing here and there throughout the book. Who are they really and what are their origins?

 

Daniel: The three crones are from Shakespeare, they are the three hags that corrupt Macbeth in the play, except we’ve set them up in our world. As to their origin, not sure we’ve fully developed all the ideas for their backstory, but we’re currently working on it. 

 

🦀: Today there seems to be confusion about what the image of the classic knight should look like. If you had to condense the elements that cannot be altered from the model of the classic knight, how would you do that?

 

Joseph: Honourable, intelligent and bold, and utterly devout. I’d say Aragorn, Roland and also the likes of Conan the Cimmerian are all good examples of classic knights. 

🦀: With modern feminism, we have seen a rise in both literature and entertainment to create female heroines, soldiers, and knights. These women are basically doing what men do in every aspect. Do you think that is how we ought to portray ‘strong women’?

 

Joseph: Nope. We ought to portray women as feminine. We can portray women as fierce warriors but must never forget to write flawed and human women, who struggle just as men do but who have a certain femininity about them. Honestly feminism has ruined female heroes. 

🦀: Speaking of strong women, it is no secret that my all time favorite strong woman is Joan of Arc. But she never even killed one man in battle (though got wounded herself on the battlefield twice) and she is not known for her skills in combat or sword fighting. Yet her strength humbles me and inspires me daily. Why is someone like Joan not praised today (not even by women!) despite the fact that our society is constantly looking for superheroines for inspiration?

 

 

Joseph: Because for one thing Jehanne was a pious woman who looked to God, and society has lost touch with God. What is more is that Jehanne was a gentle woman who loved her nation, and to love one’s nation is also out of style in our modern times. Jehanne thus represents everything that is antithetical to modernity and liberalism; a pious, kindly, feminine and nationalistic woman who sacrificed for others. 

🦀:  When can we expect your next official publication to come out and what is it going to be about?

 

Daniel & Joseph: Not sure…Joe’s hoping to have Darkspire Conspiracy published some time next year. And we’re thinking around January or February to have Crown of Blood Part 2 finished and hopefully published. After that? We’re also hoping to publish around December the first book of Olympnomachi, a massive Silmarillion epic Joe’s been working on for years. 

 

🦀: Thank you Joseph and Daniel, I’m very proud of you and what you are doing is perhaps even more noble than you can see right now. Your writing tells me that NEW LEGENDS are being made!

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