How did I first get the idea to write a fantasy epic of sorts? It has a lot to do with what I read, mainly JRR. Tolkien and Robert Jordan. As soon as I finished the Lord of the Rings for the third or fourth time at about age 13, I remember thinking, why can't I go on reading this type of literature forever? Back then it was not even close to the story that it is now, though, in particular, I remember Aranar, Brianna Brockridge, Enialis, and Kellen, as well as Raelan(under a different name and description with the same personality) having their genesis during that time.
I suppose that over the years up until Chris and I began working on the project together, these characters evolved into what they are now.
ToaE and the Hiervalan Series were not what they are now at all until Chris and I began working on the project together basically during sophomore year of college. Now here we are a few years later, and it has evolved from a big idea shared over a few drinks into a full fledged fantasy epic, and yes, I believe that the fact that I kicked drinking to the curb helped immensely as well as that Chris took all of the creative writing classes that he did at JMU and that both of us put the greater part of our lives for the past few years into this project.
Before I continue, I should apologize for my rambling, except it's how I write, in a stream of consciousness that I eventually go back and edit.
(Now for a Few Characters):
Raelan(to add)- began as a totally different character, a pirate captain, but I think he wasn't even human and he definitely did not have the same dry wit that he has now-- that wit evolved from life experience and partially from reading Jordan and George RR Martin, among other books
Krajan Demonsbane- sort of a mixture between Gandalf and my own interpretation on a wizard type who brings people together for a higher calling. However, his character is a lot different from that of Gandalf, mostly in that he is more introspective and that he is literally someone else who has forgotten his own identity.
Talahir Riesling- This is a more difficult one.(No he's not named after the wine purposefully, hah).
I would say that the idea grew out of an archetype of sorts, namely, that of the faithful bodyguard from the strange background, guarding the royal family. He evolved from a mixture of histories that I read together with all of the fantasy stories that I could remember, as well as just kind of popping out of my head.
Finally, characters come from a mixture of stuff you've read, people you've met, conversations you've had or heard, and emotions you've felt- channel it(it's what we do)
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