The Battle of the Erathiel: Across the Enchanted Sea
Today our guest is Constanza Mayer from Santiago, Chile. She is a new writer, just self-published her first Fantasy book on Nov. 6th. She is currently working on her second book. We have conducted an interview with her.
How does traveling inspire you in your writing and writing works? What is your dream?
Traveling, I feel, inspires me not only because I get to see a different city or country, it goes beyond that. I get to somehow breathe in a different culture, be a part of it and learn how others live and see life, to be a part of it. People inspire me, their stories and their ways. My dream is to see as much of the world as I can so I can not only enjoy my travels, but also write about them, about the people I meet and share what I learned with the world.
When was your first Fantasy book written?
I started writing “The Battle of the Erathiel: Across the Enchanted Sea” on January 2015 in the city of Frutillar in the south of Chile, but the original idea came to me many years ago. I officially finished writing the book on October 29th, 2016.
What helped you the most to overcome your feelings of the loss of your first book due to the computer virus?
I would have to say that time. After I lost my work, I couldn’t write like before, I just couldn’t connect, plus I moved back to Chile from the US and literature, language—my true love—became my enemy, I could barely speak it well, let alone read and understand. It was hard, the combination of these two things; one of the toughest moments of my life, so far. Then one day I was just able to write. I healed.
Where and when is "The Battle of the Erathiel" set in? Why did you choose these settings?
“The Battle of the Erathiel” is set mainly in Dôr Annon, a magical land that I created. The story of book one starts out with the Erathiel and the remaining dwarves and humans of the land of Eidelvar, are crossing the Enchanted Sea to find a new home. The Erathiel are a mix of elven races, by the way.
I chose those settings because they needed to travel from one place to another, so the sea was a perfect option and Dôr Annon because it is the ideal place for them to start making their home. The land is new and fresh, there are some friendly locals, but also some very dangerous foes, which make the story more exciting. They’ll have to make the choice of staying and defending their new home from darkness, which is imminent, or just move on.
Which books make you began your true journey into the realm of fantasy and all things magical?
Well, I would have to say that “Harry Potter”, I was a huge fan of it as a kid and still am. Then it was “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”, and I just couldn’t get enough of it. I love dreaming and imagining these magical places where sometimes we share very similar problems in our society. I like it when justice is done, when the righteous triumph over the evil, but sometimes not even in fantasy worlds can we see this. I’m starting to read some George R.R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss as well and I hope to soon get my hands on a Diana Gabaldon novel, as well as finally read “The Wizard of Earthsea”, which I’ve heard is amazing.
