Advice from IR Approved Author A.K. Kubica: “Life is full of the opportunity for risk-taking. If you always play it safe, you will never learn or grow.”

2. What’s the book’s first line?

“The eyes never lie even with the mouth with oblige.” This quote is a theme throughout the book, and lends itself to prophecy, danger, and a mother’s love.

3. What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.

When war begins anew, a rebellious legend must choose between honor and vengeance, knowing that his decision will rule the fate of all the realms of Kresha—while sealing his own. It’s Game of Thrones meets The Witcher with legendary heroes, fearless females, and enough scheming and plotting to make your head spin. 

4. What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?

I’ve been writing this book since I was in middle school, when I had just discovered the genre of fantasy and was immersed in the pages of J.R.R. Tolkien and Dave Duncan. Over the years, the story developed and grew into a more mature model as I continued to consume more diverse fantasy, like Anne Bishop, and realized the breadth and depth of my writing style.

What really inspired my need for writing fantasy was escapism—to be free from the anxiety and mental illness that plagued my younger years without treatment. I needed a place to exist that was not of this world, where anything was possible, and the stories I read were compelling but not enough. I needed to express myself through writing, how complicated the world can be, how dangerous, and how hope is not a strategy—that only through risk-taking, courage, and planning can we achieve our goals.

5. What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?

This book has a little bit of everything, so it will draw in a broad range of readers and engage them with a story that weaves five main characters’ storylines together in a deadly dance. The complex cast of characters and their quick and witty dialogue will keep you hooked, and the fast pace of the story will keep you turning the pages long after bedtime.

6. What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character?  Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?

Brudais is considered a legend for his battle prowess and skill on the tournament field, and his hatred of his king is well-known and accepted, but despite all of this, he is actually a very humble man, though he pretends otherwise. He could have been the Alexander the Great of Kresha, but he has more Aragorn in him than Aegon the Conqueror.

7. Is this the first book you’ve written?

Creed of Legends is my debut novel, though it’s been in the making for almost twenty years. It’s no secret that I struggled heavily with untreated mental illness while I wrote this book, and it was only after I weaned off the medications holding back my creative energies did the ink of my pen spill across the pages. I have always planned the Tales of Fear & Fortitude to be a trilogy, but recently realized a fourth book may be necessary to close out the story, so who is to say how many more books are in the works for this world I created.

8. How much time do you generally spend on your writing?

I know many authors will tell you that writing should be a daily activity, but I am more of a wholesale writer. I like to take long trips in the car to get the writing process started and usually over the course of a long “writer’s retreat” weekend, I get between 10-20 chapters written. Then I’ll leave my writing alone so I can reflect on whether this is really where I want to take the story. Then, rinse and repeat for as many times as it takes. 

9. What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?

Marketing, without a doubt. I’m not very good at self-praise, and I’d rather my book speak for itself, whether that’s the beauty of my special edition or the words on the page. For an introvert, trying to sell your book to an audience, even if they are perfect for it, is a struggle. It’s also difficult to promote your book when you intentionally don’t consume social media in favor of your mental health. However, it is an essential part of the process, and I do my best.

10. What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?

Life is full of the opportunity for risk-taking. If you always play it safe, you will never learn or grow. Don’t allow the fear of the consequences of an action to determine your level of fortitude towards a situation. You can be brave and scared at the same time, whether that’s within your writing or your life at large.

11. Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)

I just want to get my story out into the world and inspire and engage readers. I want my characters to come to life in a reader’s imagination, to transport them to another world with it’s own unique set of problems, but ones that have a resolution—unlike so many of the problems of everyday life, which are beyond our control. I’m not ashamed that escapism led me to want to write, and I write so that others can escape into the realms I’ve created.

12. Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?

That’s easy. J.R.R. Tolkien was the author that drove me not only to reading fantasy but to reading in general. I am now an avid reader because of his storytelling and the immersive world he created. The myths and legends he was inspired by fascinate me, as well as the power of the written word that gives us a glimpse into human history and belief. Hope is also a main theme in Tolkien’s writing, which I found incredibly comforting during the darkest and most desperate periods of my life. My favorite of his quotes is, “All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost.” When I first read those words, it gave me a sense of belonging when I felt like an outcast, and it gave me hope that I didn’t realize I had tucked away in the recesses of my mind. It brought me out of despair and showed me there is more than one way to live your life.