Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Wolf

Hi Stephen, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

Writing started in 8th grade when my English teacher prompted the class to write three scenes. One was of a location, another was of a person, and the third was of an object we randomly picked from a box. I linked these three together into what would become my first story idea, The Teardrop Crystal. The following year, I wrote a novella, Legend of the Starsword, which I have more recently rewritten into a novel.

I’ve written stories through the years, always growing my craft with each new story. In 2015, I started self-publishing my novels, the Red Jade series.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

Writing is a challenge and it involves ups and downs. Creating time to write is always an issue, with work, family, friends, and home maintenance requiring time. I’ve done my best to carve out 30 minutes a few days a week to ensure I have space for writing. It helps having that time set aside.

Inspiration is another challenge. Some days the words flow, and others they are stuck. Using the world around me, I look for inspiration. If I’m having a difficult day, for instance, I am likely to write a battle scene. Need to describe a tavern? I might pop into a bar to get a feel for the setup. It’s important to keep an open mind when it comes to inspiration.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

Since 2001, I have been a physical science teacher, specializing in chemistry and physics. I worked many years with middle school students and have recently shifted to high school. I have a PhD in science education, which I bring to my classes in the laboratory exercises we complete. I prefer to have students make decisions about how to solve problems, rather than just giving them an answer.

I write mostly fantasy, and I feel my science background gives me a unique ability to ground the magic in scientific accuracy. This challenges me when it comes to building magic systems, because I’m not likely to have a character able to teleport, for instance, but it also allows me to lean into my knowledge.

A few years ago, I introduced JavaScript coding to my school. From my experiences there, I have written three JavaScript coding books meant for teens and adults to learn how to code.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.

My risk-taking is primarily in my chosen form of publishing. As a self-published author, it’s up to me to tend to every aspect of the process. I have worked with numerous great minds who have helped along the way, but every decision came down to my take on the matter. By self-publishing, I have freedom over every part of the process, and that’s a risk in itself. I feel I have managed it well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://red-jade.com
• Instagram: @FireMageKershin
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firemages
• Twitter: @FireMageKershin