The Quasi-Crystal (The Wanderer Book 3)
by J.D. Rasch
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The Moment changed everything. But was it enough…?
Bracat has changed since the Moment—the collective joining of minds—opened up new possibilities of peace for its people. Even the rogue wizard Malzus is seeking forgiveness for his past sins. But this new feeling of unity is tentative, and the future is never certain . . .
In the midst of this change, gem cutter Theb discovers something curious: It looks like an ordinary stone, but he knows it is something extraordinary. A crystal that exists in two realms at once, but only Theb can see its uniqueness.
Then Theb begins to have dreams of a woman, calling for help from a deserted island far away from Bracat. An impenetrable fog is threatening the island, and the strange crystal seems to be the only answer.
There are others who hear the woman’s call. To find the source, Theb joins with a reformed wizard, a former thief, and an old enemy. Together, they vow to find the voice, braving the turbulent ocean to discover what is hidden behind the fog.
The Quasi-Crystal is a literary fantasy adventure with themes of magic, morality, and self-determination. It is the third book in The Wanderer series, which uses the structure of the fantasy genre to explore social justice issues.
Author Interview
At what point did you decide to be an author, and what was your path to publication?
I started writing around 1980, at least that’s when I had the idea for a book that would communicate a message to the reader. I worked on the book on and off for over 20 years until I had the time to really go back and take it seriously. I tried going the traditional publishing route, but that didn’t work out, so I decided to self-publish and put together a team of editors and marketers.
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 finish the project first. If I have a break in the book – it’s at the editor and I’m waiting for edits – then I might start outlining the current idea, but I find it too distracting to work on two books at once.
What have you found to be most challenging about writing in the Fantasy genre?
In fantasy, you need to mix ideas from a world people know with a made-up world. So, if you want to show distances should you use mile (or kilometers) or make up your own measuring system? If this is a totally made-up world, why would they have the same measures that we do? Would they have hours, minutes? What would the flora and fauna be called?
Have you been able to incorporate your previous experience in your professional life/education in your writing?
I had a whole career before I started writing. I worked in international finance for most of my career, and I even had my own financial training company where I traveled all over the world teaching international finance. That influenced my writing in a couple of ways. First, I got to see the world from a bigger perspective. I was able to interact with people from all over the world and different cultures. While much of what I did was in the developed world (the global north), I also worked in microfinance, which is primarily small banks giving loans to people making under $1 a day. Many of the moral lessons I learned came from seeing the disparities in incomes and how good people are trying to deal with this. In addition, because of the training I was doing I had to write a lot. It was business writing rather than fiction, but it gave me confidence that I could write.
Describe the Wanderer series in 10 words or less for people just learning about it.
A metaphysical fantasy about moral and ethical values.
Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?
I would like the reader to think about their actions, why they do things, what influences them and why.
Share some advice for aspiring authors. What advice would you give to your younger self?
To my younger self I would told me to start sooner and find the right partners (editors, marketers) sooner. For aspiring authors I would say you really have to love what you are working on. Writing is a terrible process, but having written is great!
About the Author
Jody “J.D.” Rasch is a writer, artist, social activist, and author. His debut fantasy series, The Wanderer, incorporates social issues including politics, religion and how we are influenced in our lives.
Jody is also a painter, whose art explores the mysteries of our world. Jody worked in finance for many years but managed to use it for good by helping banks that gave loans to the poor. Jody now serves on not-for-profit boards that seek to make the world a better place.
A native New Yorker who was forced to move to the burbs, Jody now lives just outside New York City.
Leave a Reply