Release Date: 7/29/2021
Welcome to Hazelhearth: our picturesque city is nestled in a tranquil corner of the empire. Fitness lovers enjoy vigorous nature walks in the surrounding forest (don’t forget your sword!) Foodies savor rich, robust walnut-based cuisine. Or visit the gnome quarter for a walk on the wild side! Local mines and orchards beckon with plentiful employment opportunities, while workers sleep safe knowing that stout city walls keep mythic monsters at bay. A select few may even be chosen for exciting quest opportunities.
The onslaught of subterranean hordes? Oh, that’s happening miles away. And the elves have it completely under control.
Inquire today at the Hazelhearth board of tourism, employment, and heroics!
How could Sam and Lee say no? Lee is bored to tears as a telegrapher. His only excitement in life is the revolutionary new board game he’s creating. And of course constant disruptions at work by Sam, whose high voltage experiments wreak havoc with nearby electric systems. These two best buddies… colleagues... acquaintances are ready to escape from 19th century America into a more exciting world!
Interview with D.H. Willison
For those interested in exploring the subject or theme of your book, where should they start?
Most people consider Terry Pratchett to be the king of fantasy humor, so Discworld is always a good choice. I’m personally also fond of Robert Asprin, who was lesser known, but just as funny.
How did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book?
Like many people, I’ve had ups and downs in my life. I’ve buried myself in a book quite often when things in life weren’t looking so good, and fantasy or sci-fi humor always manages to lift my spirits. Laughter really is the best medicine.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
Aside from the desire to write a stand-alone novel, that fully fleshed out a cast of new characters over the course of the book, I wanted to mix a serious and frequently frightening environment, with a lighthearted and sometimes humorous tone. The idea was to show no matter how bad things may look, there’s always something to smile about. Judging by feedback so far, I’d say I achieved it.
Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Thank you for reading! And a special thanks for those who left reviews. Getting a nice review is always the highlight of my day.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
After writing two books in a series, it was fun to do a stand-alone, exploring new characters. There is always this moment for me with a new character when it all comes together, and you realize you’ve developed a fully rounded character that really pops off the page. I remember when that happened with Sam (who is described below).
Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have planned for the future?
I really enjoyed writing Hazelhearth Hires Heroes, but with the inland location, I couldn’t justify any nautical scenes. And I LOVE nautical scenes. So to balance things out, my next release will be about the hunt for a lost pirate’s treasure! On Arvia. There’s gonna be plenty of mythic monsters in this one, including a charming, but rather disgruntled mermaid. I’ve also started work on a third book in the Tales of Arvia series, which revolves around the relationship between two very different people, a human and a harpy.
How long have you been writing?
Over a decade, but I started getting serious about three years ago, and published my first book almost two years ago. The turning point for me was joining a local writing group – the camaraderie was great, and my writing really improved overall.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Hazelhearth Hires Heroes?
Two of the characters are ‘frenemies’ from 19th century Earth. Sam is a brilliant inventor, who’s cautious and not particularly interested in heroics. Yet it’s Sam’s invention that allows them to get to the beautiful and deadly world of Arvia. And Lee, who’s wanted to be a hero all his life. But finds he’s way over his head on Arvia. It was fun looking at the preconceptions they would each have – Sam being a fan of the latest science fiction of the day, like Jules Verne, and Lee preferring the classic stories of heroism, from Greek myths to Arthurian tales. They join a gnome, a cat-person, and a snooty, but highly magical elf (I just had to have a snooty elf)!
If you could spend the day with one of the characters from Hazelhearth Hires Heroes who would it be? Please tell us why you chose this particular character, where you would go and what you would do.
Hmm. Tough one. I’d like to say Lady Isylnoir, the elf. She’s a fount of knowledge, and can do magic. And magic is awesome! Buuuut, boy is she arrogant and difficult to deal with. So I’d probably pick Shin, the soft-spoken cat person. He’s an expert on the local wildlife – and I’d love to hike through the forests of Arvia, seeing the exotic plants and animals… you know, while being escorted by someone who could tell me, “Yeah, that tree with fuchsia flower is carnivorous. You might want to stay back.”
About the Author
DH Willison is a reader, writer, game enthusiast and developer, engineer, and history buff. He has lived around the world, absorbing history, culture, and food. Actually, he has eaten the food. It has been verified that he is a complex, multicellular life form. Fascinated by nature, technology, and history, and especially anything that can put all three of these together, he has an annoying habit of dragging his wife to the most unromantic destinations imaginable, including outdoor museums, authentic castle dungeons, the holds of tall ships, and even the tunnels of the Maginot Line.
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