Interview with Daniel Adorno

Published 2014-08-11.
What are you working on next?
I'm currently working on a sci-fi/post-apocalyptic novella--think Terminator meets Walking Dead with some Hunger Games sprinkled in!
Who are your favorite authors?
J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Stephen R. Lawhead top my list, but I'm also a fan of Ray Bradbury, Timothy Zahn, Robert Louis Stevenson, J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and Geoff Johns.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Besides working a full-time job, I spent most of my time with my wife and my 2 year-old son. When I'm not spending time with family, I'm either reading a novel on my ever-growing reading list, playing Super Nintendo games, or teaching the youth at my church.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Either from word of mouth or as a recommendation on Goodreads. Recently though, I discovered Humble Bundle and managed to score 12 sci-fi ebooks for less than $1 each!
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes, the first story I ever wrote was on a typewriter my Dad bought me for my birthday way back when PCs were too luxurious for the common folk. The story was titled "Hot Rod" and it was about a drag racer who was unbeatable and tried his luck against a train. Needless to say, it didn't end well. I was 10 and obsessed with vintage cars, so it wasn't the best plot ever.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
1. The Bible - This book has changed my life profoundly and I would be remiss not to include it in my favorites. It chronicles the history of mankind from creation and fall to redemption at the hands of God. It's the greatest story ever told!

2. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - I'm counting the series as one book since that was Tolkien's original wish. It's my favorite book because it's Lord of the Rings and I'm a fantasy nerd! 'nuff said.

3. Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis - It's a wonderful allegory of the Christian faith and highly imaginative for a child or an adult.

4. Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead - I'm a history buff and a reader of fantasy, so I love when an author can meld my two interests so wonderfully as Lawhead does in this re-imagining of the Robin Hood story and mythos.

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - A great conclusion to an awesome series of books. This book has heart, adventure, tragedy, and triumph all rolled up into an epic package.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I own both a 1st edition Nook and a Kindle Touch. My Kindle rarely gets touched, but my Nook has most of my favorite books on it, so it gets the preferential treatment.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
I find that social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have been very helpful in getting the word out about my writing. Hosting a Twitter party for my book was very effective in getting some attention and creating relationships with fellow authors in my genre. Websites like Goodreads have also been beneficial in getting plugged in to a reader-centric community and finding an audience for my works.
Describe your desk
It's black and made of some cheap composite wood that only Walmart would sell. There's a pen holder that doubles as a knight's helmet and an action figure of Superman on top of the desk. Several books, PC game boxes, and an empty cup round out the majesty that is the Adorno desk.
When did you first start writing?
I started writing in the fourth grade. My teacher, Mrs. Ducharme, assigned creative writing projects for the class and I pumped out a few books bound in construction paper. No bestsellers though.
What's the story behind your latest book?
The Blade Heir is my debut novel and it's been 9 years in the making. I wrote the entire first draft during the last month of my junior year of college, right up to finals week. The book sat for a long time while big life events like marriage and fathering my first child preoccupied my time. Now the fantasy story that's been stewing in my mind for almost a decade is finally ready to come out into the world. Check out the book's page and learn what my first fantasy novel is about, you may just want to read it!
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Books by This Author

Gauntlet of Iniquity
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 114,390. Language: English. Published: January 5, 2018 . Categories: Fiction » Christian » Fantasy, Fiction » Fantasy » Epic
A brazen assassination. Two nations on the brink of war. And, a weapon that changes everything…
Carpe Tempus
Price: Free! Words: 6,360. Language: English. Published: February 10, 2015 . Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » Science Fiction, Fiction » Science fiction » Short stories
(5.00 from 1 review)
Clayton is a nerdy teen who is constantly bullied by his peers at Gladeway High and too unappealing to win the affections of his high school crush. But a wristwatch belonging to his grandfather might change all that forever...
The Blade Heir
Series: The Azuleah Trilogy, Book 1. Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 83,570. Language: English. Published: August 11, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Christian » Fantasy, Fiction » Fantasy » Epic
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
Kraegyn, the leader of the dragon tribes of Azuleah, has risen from the grave and threatens to plunge the world into chaos through his fiery reign. The ancient Requiem Sword is the only means to stop Kraegyn, but it was destroyed long ago. An orphaned, young man named Lucius Nostra is tasked with reforging the blade. Can he and his elf brother, Siegfried, stop the dragons from rising again?