Today we’re shining the speculative spotlight on author Antonio Roberts, writer of Vestige: Rise of the Pureblood, a grimdark steampunk novel entered into this year’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off.
Welcome to the Fantasy Inn, Antonio! How are you and how have you been?
I’m doing alright. I can’t complain. It wouldn’t do any good if I did. Currently, I’m nervously waiting for the judges’ feedback with excitement and anxiety.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what types of stories you write?
I live in Northern Virginia and work in the food industry part-time. College is still a consideration, but I want writing to be my full-time career.
I’m a huge RPG nerd. D&D and volunteering at my church consume the rest of my time while not writing.
I write fantasy and Sci-fi, mostly. I enjoy post-apocalyptic worlds and exploring what-if questions in my stories.
I’m not much of a high fantasy guy. Personally, I feel a lot of the time it’s either bitterly pessimistic or difficult for me to get into with Shakespeare-like dialogue.
Rather, I enjoy twisting the classic Tolkien tropes and making my own monsters and lore with ragtag adventurers who are fumbling through it. Ordinary Joes put it in extraordinary circumstances, you know?
Pick three books: One that is the most memorable to you as a reader, one that had the greatest influence on your writing career, and one that you just love.
Most memorable is difficult. I’ve read and reread many books. It’s a toss-up, but I’d have to say it’s Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451,” and that’s just because of the story behind me reading it. I was assigned it for my English class, and given a due date to read a few chapters. And naturally, as any tenth-grade boy, I waited until the last minute to pick it up.
So here I am getting rightfully yelled at by my parents, grumbling while unwrapping the plastic at eleven-thirty, and setting myself up for what is to be another boring or dorky assigned book, and only to find out… it’s actually good? I know it’s cliché, but the first line legitimately gave me chills.
Needless to say, I finished my assignment and kept going until almost two in the morning. I probably got five hours of sleep. Good times.
The greatest influence is a little easier. I’d have to say Evelyn Puerto’s “Flight of the Spark.” Seeing how she handled worldbuilding, characters, beta readers, and launching helped me see that publishing was actually possible. She’s a fantastic author and a huge inspiration. Above all, I thought her book was really good too. It’s totally worth checking out.
For one that I just love, I’d have to say C.S. Lewis’s “The Horse and His Boy.” It’s very wholesome and sweet, and I feel it doesn’t get enough attention compared to his stories that got movies. I took its message very personal to me.
How did you first fall in love with the fantasy genre?
So I don’t know when exactly. I grew up during the peak of the Harry Potter fandom and have played fantasy JRPGs since first or second grade, and I vividly remember reading “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe” in elementary school several times.
What made you want to become a writer?
I enjoy stories and storytelling in general. It’s one thing that’s remained consistent throughout my life. Reading, on the other hand, hasn’t. So one big thing for me is that I won’t write like those who made me enjoy reading again and tell stories that I’d like to read.
I’m not gonna lie. I’m still figuring things out sometimes, but I’d like this to my career. That’s the goal.
Do you have any fun hobbies you’d like to share?
I enjoy guitar as a good way to unwind or blow off some steam.
Tell us about the book you entered into SPFBO this year!
I entered “Vestige: Rise of the Pureblood.” It’s my first of a series and the first book I’ve published.
Which book and/or author do you think your SPFBO entry is most similar to?
This is a tough question. Honestly, I don’t know if I’m well versed enough to give the best possible answer. I’ve been told Holly Black’s style and that it reads like the average YA with its sarcasm and themes but with darker subjects. Personally, my only experience with Holly Black is “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” and I think my book is definitely not that light. I’d have to say it’s like “Divergent” meets “the Hobbit,” but Veronica Roth’s worldbuilding was poor. Sorry that’s the best answer I got. If someone finds one better, please give me a shout. I’d love to know their thoughts.
Why this particular story, of all the stories you could have written?
Someone emailed me saying my story was good enough to enter and might bring some legitimacy to the self-publishing industry, and that was good enough to me. I’d never heard of SPFBO before and now I’m glad I did. I can’t seem to find many fantasy writers in most circles.
What key takeaways do you hope readers walk away from your book with?
As far as themes, I want people to know their past doesn’t define them. They are who they choose to be, and that those who have suffered abuse have hope, and can move on with help.
I hope it leaves them satisfied and yet wanting to know more. There are subtle hints to things to come and I hope someone catches on. The characters Minerva and Max were the most fun to write, and I wish you guys to enjoy their scenes and zaniness.
If it’s not enjoyable to read, I guess I’ve failed as an author.
Why did you enter SPFBO? What are you hoping to get out of the competition?
I thought it be fun and an excellent way for my book to reach new people. I’m looking to expand my audience.
Which do you enjoy most: outlining, drafting, or editing?
Drafting. I love writing and rewriting various scenes in my head and on paper.
Advice you wish you could give to your earlier self when you were first starting to write?
Always keep writing. All you need is discipline and practice. Then you filter through the blood, sweat and elbow grease and keep going. Editing comes later.
Hone your craft, and write what matters to you. It doesn’t have to be good enough for someone else. Make it something you’re proud of. It’ll never be perfect.
And when you finish, don’t be afraid to write the next one. Do it because you love it, and don’t forget to breathe.
What are you working on right now?
I’m writing the third book of the Vestige Saga. Sinopa now has to pick up the pieces from the “What Lies Beneath,” and confront the malicious forces warring for her world and her mind. It picks up right where the last left off.
What other projects can we expect from you in the future?
I’m trying to revise a middle-grade fantasy story with a whimsical Ostrich princess and a glow-in-the-dark belly button gnome who must team up as heroes and take down the evil witch and her troll plaguing the land.
I also want to write a lit-RPG fantasy that does magic in modern times right. I feel that’s one thing J.K. Rowling fell short on with her worldbuilding of the muggle world.
Honestly, I have so many projects. I started both but never finished. There are too many stories and so little time. I have the attention span of a puppy in a tennis ball factory. I need to focus on one at a time and hopefully catch one rabbit.
Thank you for stopping by the Inn, Antonio!
About Antonio Roberts
Antonio Roberts lives in northern Virginia with his family and most of his life has had a strong fascination with stories. While not writing fantasy or science fiction, he enjoys volunteering at his local church, playing guitar and game mastering tabletop roleplaying games.
Website: https://theantonioroberts.com/
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