We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Robert A. Walker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Robert A. below.

Hi Robert A. , thanks for joining us today. Before we talk about all of your success, let’s start with a story of failure. Can you open up about a time when you’ve failed?

I was pretty excited when I finished the draft of my first novel. I remember that feeling of accomplishment and anticipation, being eager to see it published as soon as possible. But my father had been an editor by trade, so I knew the value of that profession and the importance of seeking related guidance before pursuing publication. The woman I hired to edit that first draft was so competent–not at simply editing my work, but at couching the fact it was an epic failure in a manner that fueled my self-confidence and motivated me to carry on. I scrapped that entire draft and started over, much wiser and a much better writer for having experienced that failure.

Robert A. , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My father was a professional editor, so I guess an affection for the written word has always been in my blood. My second-grade teacher read a short story I wrote to my entire class when I was 7, and I was so, so proud. Talk about inspiration! I’ve been wanting to write novels ever since, but my career path took me in other directions. Although it required lots of writing and editing, it’s only since retirement that I’ve found sufficient time to write extensively for pleasure.

When I finally found time to put pen to paper, Six Moons, Seven Gods is what flowed out. I can’t say there was any specific inspiration, but I was definitely motivated to write a fictional story that would stimulate a variety of emotions in the reader. The movie Camelot had a profound impact on me when I was young; my father read Tolkien to me and my sisters, and later in life I thoroughly enjoyed reading Herbert’s Dune series and Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastard series to my son. So I suppose a bit of all that helped to inspire me.

This is going to sound a little corny, but honestly, my most rewarding moment came before my first book was ever published. I’d just finished the final draft of Six Moons, Seven Gods, and given it to my father, the professional editor, for his review. He was always so blunt and honest in his critiques of my work; even as a child, the stuff I wrote came back from him plastered with red marks. So it’s hard to describe how rewarding it was to hear him pronounce, “It’s better than a lot of stuff for sale.” Unfortunately, my father died six months prior to its publication. He would love to have seen it sitting in the local bookshop’s window.

I write fantasy with tinges of grim dark and romance, and what drives me is the thought of a reader curled up in an armchair or lying in bed, enjoying a story I’ve penned–escaping to a world I’ve created. I’m hoping they’ll be entertained, perhaps driven to tears or laughter, and that they’ll finish the story wanting more.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

As a fantasy author, I’m writing to entertain, so for me, the most rewarding aspect is hearing from those who have enjoyed or benefitted somehow from my work. You never know how you’re going to impact the lives of those who read your words. Maybe it’s just a brief escape from the hardships of life. Maybe it’s a lasting fondness for a particular character or story line. Perhaps you’ve given them a good scare or laugh, or maybe you’ve helped them live out some fantasy of their own. If they’ve been moved somehow, I’ve done my job and that’s reward enough.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I maintain a website (https://rawalkerwriting.com), and try to maintain a presence on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram). I’m still small enough to where I can respond personally to all those readers who connect with me. I send customized bookmarks to my loyal readers, and I write a monthly newsletter to keep folks apprised of what I’m currently working on. I try to let people be involved in the process when possible–my readers were a great help when it came to choosing a title for the sequel to Six Moons, Seven Gods. I gave them a number of options I was considering, and they were a great help in picking Two Crowns, Three Blades!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rawalkerwriting.com
• Instagram: rawalkerbooks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551750255281
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-walker-7a262b194/