We recently connected with Bruce and have shared our conversation below.
Bruce, appreciate you joining us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?
In my previous interview with Canvas Rebel (https://canvasrebel.com/meet-bruce/), I talked about how much I struggled to write my first novel. It took me four attempts until I was successful, finishined THE BLACKSMITH’S BOY in 2023. This new adult sword and sorcery novel was published by Wild Ink Publishing in August 2025.
The good news is that once you’ve finished one book, it gets a lot easier! Finishing THE BLACKSMITH’S BOY removed a huge mental block for me. I knew I could do it.
So even as I was looking for a publishing home for my first novel, I started on my second, THE RETURN OF THE CERULEAN BLUR. It’s a different type of novel from my first in a lot of ways. Instead of a traditional fantasy setting, this book is set in the real world – or a close approximation of it!
Susan Murphy is a 44-year-old former superhero. As the Cerulean Blur, she was the fastest human in the world. A tragic mistake ended her career 17 years ago, and now, she’s going through life in a fog of depression. But in order to get her life back on track, and to repair her relationship with her son, Susan first has to reconcile with the past. This puts her in the sights of a deadly villain with a big-time grudge against Susan.
In order for Susan Murphy to live, the Cerulean Blur must run again.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m the communications writer for an international law firm and a former journalist. But he’s been a fan of fantasy and heroic fiction for most of his life. My influences range from the novels of Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman and Terry Brooks to the Marvel Comics stories of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko.
I describe myself as a multi-genre author creating stories across a variety of platforms, with a focus on unlikely heroes overcoming challenges, external and otherwise.
I can pinpoint the moment when I fell in love with heroes. One winter day in first grade, my parents dragged me to the local Kmart for a boring evening of shopping. But after trying on a new sweater and watching Mom and Dad shop for a new waffle iron, an item caught my eye—a Spider-Man comic book, bagged in plastic with two other Marvel Comics.
My parents kindly bought the bundle—and I was hooked. Not by the action (although that didn’t hurt!), but by the concept of heroism. The idea that certain people will choose to do good and help others, even at great personal costs.
You’ll find stories of heroes in my books. Their forms may vary—one is a blacksmith’s son, another a crown princess. One considered her life a failure, while another just wanted to get through high school. But all find themselves faced with tough choices, and each of them at least try to get them right.
I live in Greensboro, N.C. with my wife, Amy Joyner Buchanan (a blogger and the author of five non-fiction books), and our guitar-playing teenage son, Jackson.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Just that I want to tell entertaining stories with heart. My main characters aren’t perfect, and they may not be traditional heroes, but they are good people. That’s important to me – I want to write about relatable characters that readers can root for to succeed.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
That writing is a solitary pursuit. Building a community of fellow writers has been essential to my growth and success as an author.
It’s not just that we need networking opportunities, although that helps. Mainly, we need a support system, because the publishing industry is tough. Having writing friends you can talk with about those ups and downs is so important.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brucebuchananauthor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brucebuchanan7710/
- Twitter: https://x.com/BBuchananWomble
Image Credits
Book cover – Wild Ink Publishing