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Writer's pictureAdam Gaffen

Adam Interviews...BT Harris!


Happy Monday!

Do you ever wonder where the month goes?

I mean, didn't we just start June? And here we are, sitting on the last Monday.

Weird.


Today I have another multi-genre talent, BT Harris. BT writes in dark fantasy, thriller, science fiction, and poetry, and who knows where the muse will go next!


B.T. Harris was born in a small town of Missouri and is now residing in South Carolina. BT devotes his writings to various influences; friends, family, colleagues, and charities. After self-publishing his first book in 2015, he inspires to be a full time writer and hopefully makes a larger impact on the lives of his readers to help follow their own dreams. Although his main focus is the dark fantasy series, The Heir of the Dark Lords, that has hints of optimism, BT also incorporates tropes that nudges the reader to challenge their own mental barriers and challenges them in new ways of creative thinking.


Star Trek or Star Wars?

I am the oddball in a family of Trekkies. I am an avid fan of both franchises, but I find myself more in the Tragedy of Darth Vadah, the Dramatic camp. Kudos to Trek: the Next Generation, Patrick Stewart has the voice of sex on a stick (can I say that in an interview?), but John Williams’ music is the reason I first got into Star Wars more so he deserves the credit.


DCU or MCU?

I love superhero films, but I watch more MCU. I loved Henry Cavill’s Superman, but MCU kept their consistency and been at it for Odin knows how long. My main criticism on DC films is overusing Joker both as antagonist and cameo appearances. He is the iconic villain, but he isn’t the only villain, you know?


Favorite hangover recovery recipe?

Black Coffee, Black Pepper, lemon juice, a touch of cayenne based hot sauce, and a thirty minute walk to silently reflect why I would put myself in a position to drink such carnage in a mug to get myself awake and focused.



Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

Oddly enough there is no concrete answer. The Dark Fantasy series I self-published is an allegory for my battle with mental illness placed in a high fantasy world. My recent publication was based on a very vivid and odd dream I had while sleeping to Buddhistic hymns and chants. I even based a character off a daydream where my mind drifted to mitochondria, and even to this day I cannot remember how I even linked the two. The character is in no way a powerhouse either. That particular struggle is real.


What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Very fluid. If I have time to write or brainstorm, I do my best. If I have a spark, everything else revolves around it, even my daytime (or nighttime since I work graveyards) job. The only exception I try to make is my family, but they can tell when I am feeling anxious, and bless them for being patient.


What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

You be surprised how many dad-jokes I slip in my work. Imagine me when I surprise myself finding one I did not intentionally written. I wrote a short story not too long ago (not published but revising) and I saw a pun that I didn’t realize was there. I laughed and yelled, “Ay, found another one!”


What does your family think of your writing?

Many relatives say they enjoy my stories, but they seem to be very reluctant to share criticism. Usually, I know when they are being honest when they respond within a short time, because they will give me details from the story they would not know if they did not feel invested in reading it. When it comes to honest thoughts, my experience is seeing what the (writing) community thinks. Family will always try to have your back despite whether they think it is interesting or not, so I try not to dwell on what family thinks too hard.


How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Seven. Two of them being poetry ebooks. One, so far being traditionally published by Tea With Coffee media. I also had a poem selected in an anthology work by Rewritten Realms. I cannot say I have a favorite, nor do I think that will change.


Do you have any suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they?

Literally never quit. Even if it is just one word a day, never stop. Make your thoughts simple but no simpler. Never quit.


Do you like to create books for adults?

This is borderline territory for myself. I love writing stories that frighten people and scenes of epic battles which includes blood, gore, and cuss words when necessary. Unfortunately, when it comes to passionate, fingernail clawing, juicy erotica…I have nothing comfortable to share.


Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?

I wrote while under a Willow Tree, does that count? Haha No, in all seriousness, BT is my first initials so I do not really consider that. I had published a short story collection under the name GY Nagdyr, which was moreso a joke to myself.


Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

Of course! We call them Existential Philosophers. Haha Jokes aside, my opinion is it actually depends on not what you feel but how you feel. Anyone wouldn’t give anything a time of day if they did not think or feel it is worth their attention. You may not need to have ‘the untamed passion like the sea’ to write a good story, although it helps, I think. I did not feel strong emotion when I read Sherlock Holmes, but I was still fascinated with the detective’s endeavors.


Who shot first, Han or Greedo?

So, this question is Exhibit A why Trekkies believe they better us in ‘debates’. The point of the scene is Greedo confronts Han, Greedo gets killed, and Han walks out of the Cantina. Why does it matter who shot first?!


What is the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything?

13


What do you have coming next?

I am not too sure. I want to finish the first phase of my Exteon multiverse with the Heir of the Dark Lords Volume 3, but other projects seem to butt in the line.


BT’S OTHER WORK:

Dark Fantasy

The Heir of the Dark Lords Volume One

A gathering of power. When Sebastian; a magician who pursues power for justice, Hendrik Brange; an intellectual that craves knowledge and understanding, and Igor Pottingpaw, a teenage werebear who only wishes to be normal, come together under what seems to be a coincidence. Only to find out that there is a sinister prophecy unfolding. In their adventures to stop the heir of the dark lords from bringing forth the apocalypse into the world of Aufterra, they meet up with mercenaries, vigilantes, heroines, and the legendary magician that slew the last dark lord a thousand years ago.

Rated 4.5 Stars


The Heir of the Dark lords Volume Two

AUFTERRA IS AT WAR! Sebastian, Jane, and Igor set upon the journey to rescue their friend, Hendrik Brange, from the torments of Lord Tyran. Hendrik discovers certain information revealing Tyran's origin and how he became as powerful, cruel, and evil. Little do the Gathering of Power know the strategies Tyran set in place which led to a painful death, and worst of all, the continuing growth of Tyran's chaotic and seemingly endless power. But Tyran slowly discovers, as with the rest of Aufterra, there are more players in this game than the champions of chaos and harmony.

Rated 4 Stars


The Aufterra Chronicles: Magical Odysseys

Before the Heir of the Dark Lords, numerous adventures had taken place in Aufterra. Join the magicians of Griffinglass in their duties to being the guardians of the land. Meet Sparkle, a magician with a mysterious past on a quest to vanquish a blood-craze rogue. Learn from the legendary Arothe, the struggle to leading the Order of Magicians in a story of ethics and personal torment. Join Warwig on his trial of mastery that will leave him marked by a mortal's love. Even peek into a mysterious sarcophagus that caught the eye of Lord Tyran himself before he rose to power. Also, a bonus origin story of Alder the Deceptor in every edition.

Rated 4 Stars


Thriller Short Stories

Letters From the Shadow Realm

By GY Nagdyr (Pen Name)

GY Nagdyr brings his adventures from the darkest alternate realms in form of lost letters written from the monsters and those who are familiar with them. All from alternate universes from various myths with the final letter written by the author himself describing one of the most fearsome monsters of all if not the entire multiverse.

Recently Released


Poetry

For Poetry’s Sake Part One

A collection of poems from a variety of genres, including prose tributes of the Greek Deities Dinlas, Eros, Thanatos, Moxie, Hekate and Ate. A charity work which royalties will be donated to nonprofit organizations dedicated for disaster relief.

Rated 5 Stars



Immortal Hymns

Rewritten Realms

The Greek Gods have faded into the background of history, but their stories and teachings have always remained. You feel them in your everyday life, and though they have not been seen, their presence has not left the mortal realm. Now they are back in force, and it is time to pay tribute. Honor them with the beauty of your words, and they may just cast favor upon you.

BT Harris’ poem ‘Love Hymn for Urania’ had been selected to be a part of this collaborative book brought to you by the creators of In The Pantheon.

Rated 5 Stars



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