Interview with R. Janvier del Valle

Published 2013-09-11.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
I own a Kindle Fire so I like to read most of my stuff on there. If not, I'll carry it over to my phone using the kindle app.
Describe your desk
No spot left uncovered. I like my desk to be a place that can transport me into my fantasy worlds, into the world of make believe, so you'll typically see first a couple of computer screens and laptop or two, speakers, a few pairs of headphones, my phone and mp3 players, various action figures, various coffee mugs (old and new), and lots of books.
When did you first start writing?
I've always been creative, and I wrote a few things when I was a kid and in high school, but I didn't really start writing until 2002, when I wrote my first feature length script. It was romance. Yikes.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
That's simple. Nobody responded to my queries, so I had to go solo. The minute my first fan was born, I realized that if I found ten thousand more, I'd be set. That's my quest. It's long. It's slow. But I haven't given up.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
Exposure. They take my book to the readers. They connect me with them without having to go the traditional route.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Seeing my fan's reaction to my story. It's like when you want a friend to watch a movie that you thought was awesome. You want to share that experience with them and watch their reactions as they go through the same experience. It's all about sharing the experience. When I write my stories, I want to share the experience I went through, the joys and emotions I felt when experiencing the story and the characters. I want them to know what I know, to let them inside my imagination and take them on a wild and interesting ride. It gets lonely in my head sometimes. I need company.
What do your fans mean to you?
Everything. Like the reality of love itself, which requires a lover and beloved, a great story needs two people for it to grow, spread, and live, a writer and a reader. I want to take my readers on a wonderful trip or even seventy miles of bad road.
What are you working on next?
I've been getting props for my pacing and suspense, so I've been working on a Victorian mystery thriller set in Boston in 1885. I'm also working on a cyberpunk supernatural fantasy.
Who are your favorite authors?
J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Karen Hancock, J. K. Rowling.
What is your writing process?
I brainstorm, outline, and then write. Then I edit and edit and edit.

And edit.
What do you read for pleasure?
Heh. I read philosophy and theology for fun. Bet you weren't expecting that.
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.

Books by This Author

The Endless Night (Book II of Sword from the Sky)
Price: $4.95 USD. Words: 165,350. Language: English. Published: December 21, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Young adult or teen » Science Fiction
(Don't forget! Sword from the Sky (Book I) is now available for FREE!) The Sun Sets in Bune. The Davinian Order Is Torn Apart. A Far-Off Land Trembles with the Cries of Children. In the Midst of this Tragedy, a Boy will Struggle... To Accept His Destiny, To Bring Hope to a Sunless Land, To Confront the Beast Lurking in the Shadows...
Sword from the Sky
Price: Free! Words: 87,940. Language: English. Published: March 19, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
(4.00 from 2 reviews)
It's been twelve years since the guardian star came down from the sky, hunting the elusive child destined to save the ailing sun. The end of the land is nigh as darkness slowly rolls over the looming horizon. But there is hope. And it comes in the form of a 12 yr. old boy with a wooden leg, chosen to save the sun from its untimely death. Unfortunately, young Luca has no idea that he's the one...
Beauty in a Land of Sorrow
Price: $2.15 USD. Words: 35,270. Language: English. Published: February 6, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
This is the 4th installment in the series. Told in serial form, the Deaf Swordsman Series is a collection of stories featuring the fantastical deaf swordsman, Vohro Vahllenu. These set of stories is a sprawling epic of good and evil, bringing together the supernatural and weird, featuring dark fantasy adventures sure to resonate with both the hardcore and casual reader of dark fantasy literature.
Along the Many Houses of Damnation
Price: $1.59 USD. Words: 26,500. Language: English. Published: February 6, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
This is the 3rd installment in the series. Told in serial form, the Deaf Swordsman Series is a collection of stories featuring the fantastical deaf swordsman, Vohro Vahllenu. These set of stories is a sprawling epic of good and evil, bringing together the supernatural and weird, featuring dark fantasy adventures sure to resonate with both the hardcore and casual reader of dark fantasy literature.
The Abandoned Asylum of the Good Doctor Fangtasahd
Price: $1.59 USD. Words: 23,760. Language: English. Published: February 6, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
This is the 2nd installment in the series. Told in serial form, the Deaf Swordsman Series is a collection of stories featuring the fantastical deaf swordsman, Vohro Vahllenu. These set of stories is a sprawling epic of good and evil, bringing together the supernatural and weird, featuring dark fantasy adventures sure to resonate with both the hardcore and casual reader of dark fantasy literature.
Children of a Sunless Land (The Deaf Swordsman Series No. 1)
Price: Free! Words: 9,940. Language: English. Published: February 6, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Fantasy » Historical
"Children of a Sunless Land" is the first installment in the "Deaf Swordsman Series".