Since I started sharing more about my upcoming debut fantasy novel, Crystals of Ulstra, I’ve noticed questions from friends, family, and potential readers tend to follow similar themes. I decided to answer a few of them here for those interested.
What is your book about?
Crystals of Ulstra is the story of a world coming together to save its magic from a tyrant king, told through the eyes of four characters: Koralo, a gentle forest guardian who must learn to believe in himself; Rubena, a powerful sorceress with secrets older than the world itself; Gerda, a crystal seeker with dreams of adventure; and Lazuro, an entitled prince who wants nothing more than his father’s crown atop his own head.
How long did it take you to write the book?
The idea for the book first came to me in 2022. I wrote the bulk of the first draft over the course of two years, from early 2023 to summer 2025. I am still working on the second draft, which I am planning to have professionally edited in the coming months.
How long is the book?
The first draft is about 130,000 words. This may fluctuate in the finished book.
Does the book fall into any subgenres of fantasy? Does it include any tropes?
First and foremost, I consider Crystals to be an epic fantasy. It overlaps nicely with several others, including queer fantasy, eco-fantasy, political fantasy, and hopepunk.
As for tropes, you’ll find a reluctant hero, found family, slow-burn romance, complicated villains, political intrigue, enchanted creatures, and emotion magic.
Is the book part of a planned series?
Yes. I originally started writing it without a bigger picture in mind, but it became obvious to me during the process that this story wouldn’t be finished in one book.
I have currently planned and outlined two more books in the trilogy. I’ve also worked on ideas for a prequel novella. Outside of Ulstra, but still within the same universe, I’m planning at least two standalone titles in various subgenres, such as YA and romantasy.
Where do you get your ideas?
Anywhere and everywhere. I’ve always had a creative mind. Ideas often just come to me out of nowhere, though they are subconsciously influenced by other books, films, video games, or music. I also draw inspiration from politics, history, and sociology. My own relationships, challenges, and life experiences also play a role as my muses.
Are your characters inspired by any real people?
No one character maps neatly onto any real person, but I think there are still some influences from my life. For example, the many friendships I’ve had with heterosexual men likely contributed to my instinct to depict non-toxic, healthy masculinity and close, platonic relationships between the gay and straight male characters in the book.
There is a prominent forest cat named Stila in the book. Her behavior and personality are mostly drawn from my own cat, Sutton. She’s a house cat, but she’d love the forest.
Are your settings based on any real places?
Ulstra is a world of its own. That said, some of the regions are based loosely on real-world places. For example, Taumaturgio is inspired by Australia’s eucalypt forests. Mistika is rooted in places like Scandinavia and the Arctic Circle. As a desert oasis and “free city,” Cevali could be considered something of a sister city to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Why did you choose Esperanto as the language of Ulstra?
I knew I wanted a common tongue for Ulstra. When I came across Esperanto, it seemed like the perfect language. It isn’t tied to any real-world people or place. It sounds different and exotic no matter where you’re from or which language you speak. I later discovered the apt parallels—it’s an inherently anti-fascist language of hope. I couldn’t have picked a better option for Ulstra’s people, even if I did so unwittingly.
How did you come up with names for characters and places?
The names of the characters tend to follow particular themes. They are often names taken from nature—coral, rock, iceberg—or colors—azure, cyan, ruby, emerald.
Place names are generally compound words or abbreviations of existing Esperanto words. Glavo Brilo roughly means “shining sword,” a fitting name for a land of knights. Taumaturgio means “thaumaturgy,” or the art of performing magic. Kastelspajro, the mad king’s capital city, refers literally to the spires of a castle.
Were you influenced by any other writers in your work?
I owe a massive debt to the authors who’ve inspired and influenced my work:
- J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings
- Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea Cycle
- Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy
- Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series
- TJ Klune’s emotional queer fantasy
How spicy is your book? Is it romantasy?
It’s very low spice. There is plenty of romance and implied sexuality, but sex happens mostly off the page. If it were a film, I think the book would likely be rated PG-13.
It’s not a romantasy, but love is still a vital part of the characters’ stories and lives.
What kinds of queer representation are present in the book?
Lots! Of the four POV characters in the book, two are gay males. One is a bisexual woman. And another is non-binary. Other important characters in the book are transgender, lesbian, and many other shades of queer. The world of Ulstra is entirely queer-normative; the characters do not experience homophobia, transphobia, etc.
Why are you self-publishing?
Several reasons. One of the most obvious ones is that I’ve spent years with this book, and I am ready to get it out into the world. It’s my first book, and I don’t want to slow my momentum by starting the search for an agent, sifting through rejections, etc. I want to perfect it to the best of my ability, and then share it with readers this year.
I also understand what the market wants at the moment—mostly romantasy or dark fantasy. Crystals of Ulstra doesn’t fit into either of these categories. But I don’t think that means that there aren’t any readers who want to read this kind of story. I do believe I’ll have better luck connecting with them in the indie author environment.
When will your book be released?
Once I finish the second draft, I’m planning to invite beta readers to submit feedback, followed by working with a professional editor. I also still plan to commission a cover. I am hopeful that I can complete these final steps and publish before the end of 2026.
Do you have any questions for me about the book? I’d love to answer them!
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