Interview With Author Rustin Petrae

In my interview with Paranormal/fantasy author and graphic designer Rustin Petrae he discusses "Dragon", book one of his imaginative series "Histories of Purga", as well as his views on writing.

Q: Do you have a main source of inspiration?

A: Inspiration, for me, comes from many different sources. For Cat's Paw, it was a calico cat that showed up on my back porch and stayed for awhile. I had the idea that she might be there for a reason, and the story was born out of that.

Q: When you’re working on a story do you feel like you’re in charge or like the characters are taking you on a journey?

A: Only sometimes. Most of the time it's the character taking me for a ride. I'll ask myself, over and over again, how they would react to a given situation. I think that helps give them more definition as characters.

Q: Describe what you think your typical fan is like?

A: I think my typical fan would be a lot like me. A book junkie that loves to read and get involved in the characters.

Q: Who are some of your biggest influences as an author?

A: My biggest influences in the fantasy realm would have to be Terry Brooks. His Shannara books were the very start of my reading addiction. I also draw a lot of inspiration from writers like Stephen King, Jim Butcher, and even J.K. Rowling. She did an outstanding job creating the world of Harry Potter.

Q: One of your favorite authors is Terry Brooks. In his book, “The Measure of Magic (Legends of Shannara #2)” one of the major themes is the battle between good and evil. Why do you think this theme is so popular in literature? Do you think readers relate to this struggle on a personal level?

A: Terry Brooks is a great writer and I think he's mastered that topic beautifully. His books always keep you on suspense but in the end, good always prevails. I think that is one reason why it is such a popular topic. People like to see good come out on top. They like to know that the evils in the world will always be reigned in. That they will always be checked by a greater force.

Q: What are your future writing plans?

A: Right now I just finished my first full length novel, Book One: Dragon. It's the first book in a four book series titled the Histories of Purga. In it, two races that have hated and fought with each other for centuries find chaos suddenly threatening their world. When the Crown Prince of the Rooks is nearly killed and left for dead near enemy lands, he doesn't think he'll survive. A Terraqouis girl finds him, but instead of leaving him their to die, she decides to save his life. Despite centuries of hate and violence. Despite the anger from her own people. She couldn't know how much that one act would change her life. Or the lives of everyone else on Purga.