The Maker of Worlds
Fantasy
Date Published: 05-22-2024
Publisher: Evolved Publishing
If you had the chance to remake the world, what kind of world would you choose?
When tragedy strikes Lucas Mack’s young life, he desperately yearns to escape its sorrow, and takes an improbable leap through the mythical maelstrom. Rather than splashing down on the far side like his neighbors, he’s transported to a magical realm where he has the power to redefine not only who he is, but the world in which he resides.
As he stumbles about trying to find his way, he meets Mia, an equally troubled fellow pilgrim. With the help of a mystical guide and an aging wizard, they navigate the enchanted land while learning to control their newfound powers. Yet this realm is more complex than they expected, with seasoned sorcerers who’ve been corrupted by the sinister side of magic.
Limited by natural law and seduced by magic’s power, they are tested as never before. Will the gift of magic bring renewed hope or drive them to the edge of the void?
Author Interview
At what point did you decide to be an author and what was your path to publication?
The urge to write first struck me at age sixteen when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the wild night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by the northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter’s editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But I was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.
Using two fingers and lots of white-out, I religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into my twenties before pausing to raise two sons and pursue a career. Thirty years later, I retired and with time again to daydream, the urge to write returned. The Maker of Worlds is my seventh novel.
What do you do when a new idea jumps out at you while you’re still working on a book? Do you chase the squirrel (aka “UP syndrome”) or do you finish your current project first?
I always keep a future notes file open with anything interesting that I’ve read, thought of, experienced or dreamed of, kind of like throwing scraps of paper into a folder. But I try to stay focused on my current work in progress. Completing a novel is hard enough without distractions.
The good news: when I start a new project, I have lots of material to play with. The bad news: it’s pretty disorganized and a real mess.
Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot and plan, or is your writing more organic?
I don’t outline, have sticky notes all over my wall or anything like that. I find that riff writing helps me get to know the story and characters better, even if some of it needs to be tossed in the ‘futures’ file, because it doesn’t fit this story.
I like the metaphor of driving to a dinner at night down a dark, winding country road. You know the destination but not quite how to get there, so you follow your headlights. The farther ahead you stare, the vaguer the scene, but as you progress around the next curve, the next chapter or two come into focus.
Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?
All those who pass through the maelstrom to the enchanted land gain magical powers, which they learn to use over time. The more they learn, the more their power grows. The easiest way to use magic is to lord over those less powerful, serving one’s own desires, but such power doesn’t bring happiness. Discovering when and how to use that power tests one’s character and determines what kind of person you’ll become.
Have you ever experienced writer’s block? How did you deal with it?
I think every writer hits a wall sometimes. I just grit my teeth and keep writing, knowing what’s I’m typing is awful and will likely need to be thrown away. But each thought leads to another and before I know it, something good appears.
What is your favorite line from your book?
Mia to Lucas: “Whatever happens,” she whispered, “I’m glad I stumbled through the maelstrom and found you. We’ve now experienced sorrow in both worlds, but joy as well. No hope without the chance for despair. On this fateful day, I choose hope.”
About the Author
The urge to write first struck at age sixteen when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the wild night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by the northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter’s editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.
Contact Links
Facebook: David Litwack – Author
Twitter: @DavidLitwack
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