Ohlegans Treasure: Search for the Runes by Brian Gardner
What led you into writing?
I’ve always been an avid storyteller. Like many others, I’d thought about writing a book, but hadn’t yet found my inspiration. One day I discovered a buddy from high school, Karsten Knight, published a YA trilogy. I’m a big believer in supporting friends and peers, so I scooped up all three books. About fifty pages into book one (Wildfire) I was finally motivated to write my own story. Hey, if he could do it, so could I (of course, this was before I knew he’d earned a Master of Fine Arts in Children’s Writing from Simmons University, which made my Certificate of Good Writing from Guam Community College seem less impressive).
Nonetheless, I decided to get to work. I had some writing experience in the worlds of theatre and standup but never attempted a novel. The first question was which genre to work in, and luckily the answer came easy. I’m a massive Adventure Fantasy fan dating back to Christmas morning, 1991, when I unwrapped Final Fantasy II. It was technically the fourth game in the series, but two of them hadn’t made it to the US (this was before the internet removed all the mystery from the world). I quickly ate breakfast and plopped down in front of the tv to enjoy the game on that year’s hot new system, the Super Nintendo.
And sometimes, you just know. Piloting airships, exploring castles, battling monsters, crossing oceans and deserts, all in the name of saving the world? I was in, and still am to this day. There’s nothing I love more than simple, classic Adventure Fantasy, and that’s what you’ll get from Ohlegan’s Treasure: Search for the Runes.
How does a typical day look?
I love staying busy. In addition to writing, I’m a husband, father, drummer for two bands, flag football enthusiast, gamer, and internal auditor working on getting his MBA and CIA. I wake up around 5:00am and walk the dogs, make coffee, sit outside and do some combination of writing, checklist items, and losing games of chess online. From there I drop off my daughter (Abigail) at school, then coming home to enjoy some coffee and chat time with my wonderful wife. From there, I try to get as much done on the work and personal end as possible (I love working on multiple things at a time in small spurts) until it’s time to pick up Abby and enjoy some family time. After that is a mishmash of drumming, writing/editing time, enjoying a nice walk, and then a night of relaxation.
In what ways do your characters test your abilities?
One of the main characters is inspired by my personality, which makes him easy to write. However, this creates the challenge of stepping into the shoes of my other characters, as opposed to seeing their perspective through my lens. Having a character inspired by you, the author, means you must be objective about yourself. How do others perceive you? What are your faults? Are you monopolizing the conversation? We’ve all suffered through evenings with someone who believes they’re funny or charming while everyone at the table is thinking “Maybe sitting at home on Friday night drinking wine and watching reruns of Gossip Girl with my cat isn’t that bad after all.” But have we ever considered whether we’re that person?
After completing my first draft it was clear I needed better answers to these questions. I do my best to stay honest as I continue writing the series, but every now and then I need a reminder. This is why it is so important to have someone you trust in your corner. More than once, I’ve sent rough draft pages to my wife with instructions to be brutally honest, and every time she delivers the goods.
What’s your setup?
It’s always changing. My first drafts are all written by hand, and I carry notebooks and pens with me everywhere I go. I’ve written in coffee shops, bookstores, dog parks, amusement park lines, wedding receptions, Airbnb’s in the mountains, Billy Angel’s (the best cake shop in Seoul), and one of those cool glass bottom huts over the water in Bora Bora. Even transferring everything to the laptop after doesn’t involve a specific location. I find the change of venue keeps things fresh.
What lasting effects have your favourite authors had on your writing and style?
When writing, I always remember these four words from David Mamet:
“The audience doesn’t care.”
While his explanation is far more eloquent, here’s what those words mean to me. Most people read books to be entertained and that should be your number one focus as a storyteller. Too many authors make the mistake of getting bogged down in superfluous details that no reader cares about and it prevents them from doing their job, which is telling a good story. Nobody needs a 500-word description of a bowl of fruit, we all know what grapes look like. Show us why this scene matters, then get us to the next one.
Not only that, but an author should trust the reader’s inventiveness. Rather than laying out every superfluous detail about the room your characters entered, give the reader a broad illustration, a couple of specifics, and let their imagination run wild. Every reader has their own unique spin on what your world looks like. Don’t deprive them of that, just give them a nudge in the right direction.
What do you do for inspiration?
I love listening to fantasy music while writing. Whether it’s an orchestral arrangement for one of my favorite games, medieval or Celtic inspired music, or anything in that realm, nothing puts me in a writing mood more than the right music. Beyond that, a trip to the ocean, mountains, or a stunning state or national park always does the trick.
What repeating themes do you find yourself pulling into your stories?
Dungeon crawling is the first thing that came to mind. For the uninitiated, dungeon crawling refers to characters navigating a maze-like setting in a dungeon/tower/castle/etc. while battling monsters, solving puzzles, and ultimately searching for the thing that will bring them to the next part of their journey.
Interestingly, one of the most common themes I’ve seen in reader reviews is friendship. It wasn’t something I’d considered, but it was obvious once the readers pointed it out. And once I saw it, I realized the easiest part of writing Ohlegan’s Treasure was the dialogue between the four main characters. It was a pleasure watching them interact with one another, and I say watching because they did all the work, almost as if they knew what to say before I told them.
Another theme is humor, especially in the face of danger. There’s something delightfully absurd about being moments from disaster and cracking a joke about it. I do this in my personal life (granted I haven’t faced death as often as these four) and it’s generally appreciated. Sometimes…
Lastly, I love including interesting characters that contribute to a moment and are never seen again. Isn’t this a part of life? Haven’t we all run into fascinating people that contribute to a moment in our lives, only to never be seen again? In 2002 I met a man outside of a house party at Rutgers University who introduced himself as Fred Sinister. He then handed me a business card that said, “Fred Sinister” and nothing else. No phone number, email, business name, nothing. We chatted for a minute, then he stepped away to take a phone call, and I never saw him again. Twenty-three years later I still remember this interaction. I guarantee everyone reading this has a similar story. Ohlegan’s Treasure is a world filled with these oddballs, and I think you’ll enjoy the brief amount of time spent with them.
How do you wind down?
Day to day winding down involves spending time in the lanai with my wife (our pool and hot tub get plenty of use). At night we’ll sit on the couch and game or rewatch our favorite shows and movies over and over. Friday and Saturday nights often involve playing shows with one of the bands.
When a longer detox is needed, we’ll disappear to an Airbnb somewhere in the mountains. I’ve missed them since we left Colorado, but luckily Blue Ridge and the Smokies aren’t too far. We used to do a lot of cross-country driving, but, unsurprisingly, that’s proven difficult with a four-year-old at home.
What sort of challenges do you regularly overcome while designing your world/setting?
I’m someone who enjoys familiarity. I don’t need to try a dozen coffee shops in my area, or a different vacation rental, or a new dish at my local restaurant. When I find what I like, I stick to it. Because of this, I know what the idyllic peaceful fantasy village looks like to me, so I naturally default to that. I’ve run into situations where I’ll design a new town or dungeon only to realize I already created it. Something I’ve tried to do is step out of my comfort zone. Instead of picturing my idyllic town I’ll force myself to go the other way.
An interesting exercise I employed while writing the second book in the series is picturing someone who is the exact opposite of me and then creating what I think their idyllic setting is. It was difficult, but highly rewarding, and as proud as I am of the world I built in book one, I think you’ll love it even more as the series continues.
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m a big believer in supporting fellow indie authors. Three books I recently finished, all of which I recommend:
You’ve Got the Map Backwards by Brian Usobiaga: a warm story about a friendship between two young women and overcoming challenges that face young people today.
Shadows of Old Town by T. Olsen: a fun, colorful fantasy story with some bold choices by the author.
ASH (Rogues: Legends Book 1) by Grace Walker. One of the more original stories I’ve read in a while. This one is like a snowball rolling down a mountain. Once it gets going, look out.
What’s the most useful advice you could give to an aspiring author?
Stop thinking, start writing. There’s a term I coined, “The ten-thousand-word author,” inspired by the high number of aspiring authors I’ve met who start their book, get about ten-thousand words in, then become so obsessed with tinkering, adjusting, and theorizing that they never move forward. Just write. Bring a notebook and pen with you everywhere you go. In an uber? Write. Waiting at the DMV? Write. On your lunch break at work? Write. Got kicked off your flight for trying to warn passengers about an invisible man on the plane and now you’re quarantined in the terminal? Write. And stop worrying about things like grammar, diction, and syntax. You can always fix that in editing.
One final tip: be open to the idea that your book is not the greatest thing ever written. It can be difficult accepting criticism about something you’ve poured your heart and soul into, but nobody becomes a better writer by being oversensitive.
My wife, a big Adventure Fantasy fan as well, was my first beta reader and while she generally liked it, two of her notes were downright brutal. But rather than take offense and threaten to leave her (perhaps the emptiest bluff in modern history) I asked myself “If my biggest fan doesn’t like what I did here, who will?” I made changes based on her feedback and, without hyperbole, it saved the book.
I’m not saying take every note you’re given (in fact, one of the most challenging parts of writing is knowing when to trust yourself). However, do not take feedback personally. None of us are perfect writers and that’s okay.
Tell us about the book you’re promoting.
Ohlegan’s Treasure: Search for the Runes is a fun, light-hearted, humorous Adventure Fantasy story that centers around friendship and finding your way in the world. The premise is simple: Nall, a young man living on a remote island, sets off on a great adventure. Along the way he meets two treasure hunters, Bright and Steiner, searching for Ohlegan’s legendary four runes. Together, the three men, soon joined by a fourth, Ruby, find themselves exploring fantastic locations like the Ancient Temple and Cavern of the Rune. They travel the world, avoiding great danger along the way, in hope of becoming the most famous explorers in history.
Unbeknownst to our adventurers, however, someone else searches for the runes as well. And his intentions are far more sinister.
I’ve never been good at self-praise, but I can confidently say you will enjoy spending time with Nall, Bright, Steiner, and Ruby.
I hope you enjoy reading Ohlegan’s Treasure: Search for the Runes as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Please take a moment to read a review from Kirkus: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/brian-gardner/ohlegans-treasure/
And if you’re so inclined, please check out book two in the series, Ohlegan’s Treasure: The Fortress of Odom, which released February 25.
👋 Hi! I run Author Interviews
