Get to Know Author Walter Dinjos

Please welcome author Walter Dinjos to the blog today! He is here to discuss his writing and answer a few of our questions. So without further delay, Walter, please tell us about your current book.

TheUnfading Heiress, book one of Soul Switch Trilogy, is ultimately a tale of ghostly love, human greed, friendship and honor set amid a raging war between the living and the dead in a land where death transcends time and space. Late King Eldorman has the power to end this war, but he wants justice for his beautiful murdered daughter Arengel. 

However, Arengel’s destiny lies once again with the living, when she falls in love with Adel, a lowly Earmburgian. Finally, the prophecy of The Man with the Red Aureole will come to pass, but Arengel needs an earthly body to fulfill it.

The journey that Adel must take to help Arengel will not only test his strengths to the limit but also that of his close friendship with Jeofren, a fellow Earmburgian. It is a race against time through dark and magical landscapes, and even when the task seems fruitless, Adel must see it through to the end.

Who or what inspires your writing?

I think the death of my parents. How I wish death defied time and space. Then maybe I shall see them again.

I believe each one of us has lost someone dear. Sometimes I think of the dead and wonder if they can feel, if they regard the people and things they left behind with wistfulness. Maybe they yearn to reunite with us just as we miss them. Hence the story of Arengel wishing to come alive again, to love the man she loved three thousand years ago, and reclaim her legacy.

Also, there is the issue of ghosts. What if a dead friend of yours appears to you? Would you run in fear or linger and do some serious catching up? Okay, I know the first is more likely, but what if it’s not the ghost that could harm us, but our fear? Those are some of the question the book begs.

I'm very sorry for your loss. 

When did you know you would be a writer?

I would say after reading The Golden Space by Pamela Sargent in 2007. That was when I picked up a pen and started writing my unpublished first novel, although I have been writing lyrics since 2001.

How long did it take to write your first novel?

Too long, I think, as I was combining writing with schooling and work. Writing the draft expended nearly two years; and it has been another two years since then – revision is a b****.

What is the hardest part of writing for you?

Didn’t I just say that revision is a b****?!

Ha! You did indeed.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I like to write at night using my phone. I turn off the lights, including that of my phone and meditate in the darkness. Then once something tale-like hits my head, I pick of the phone and start punching its buttons. Darkness excites my mind.

Proof the digital age is forthcoming... using your phone to write. Quite unconventional, but not today.

Have you written anything else?

Yes, a collection of two short stories: BeyondBermuda and the Forbidden Sea.

Over the years, there has been a lot of rumpus about the Bermuda Triangle and the vessels and aircraft that went missing there. Most of us, while curious, dismiss the claims about the Triangle as an exaggeration. I, however, marvel at the story ideas the region holds and couldn't help but attempt to entertain you while your curiosity is still aflame.

The Forbidden Sea, on the other hand, tells the familiar story of love and betrayal - only this time the tale is spangled with gunpowder, magic, and a sea goddess that feeds princes to her waters.

Any advice to aspiring writers?

Write. That’s what makes you a writer; and don’t let anyone convince you that you cannot do it.

Great advice!

Who are your favorite authors?

Like everyone else, I love Tolkien. However, among recent authors, I enjoy Brandon Sanderson’s novels. Patrick Rothfuss is another author whose next book I can’t wait to read.

Then there is this awesome British writer whose stories have continually excited my muse. Bec Zugor can turn the universe into a darn good short story.

What are your favorite books, or which book has impacted you the most?

If there was a book that turned my life around, it is The Golden Space by Pamela Sargent. I am not one for Science Fiction with a tinge of genetics, but the novel did rouse the writer in me. I remember wandering in a nearby forest and thinking: I can do this. Then I returned home and started writing.

What are you currently reading?

Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson. So far, I can’t put down the book, but then the back cover is a few flips away. Makes me wonder if Mr. Sanderson is going for a cliffhanger. This is a must read, although the page count is unlike Sanderson.

How can readers find out more about you?

At JujuHeritage, you will discover I like to explore the human soul and the life beyond, and my imminent books would be rooted in those, mostly. You can follow me on Twitter, like my Facebook page, visit my blog.

Thanks Walter for being here and answering our questions.

For readers, currently Beyond Bermuda & The Forgotten Sea is free at Amazon. The Unfading Heiress will be free on December 1st at Amazon. Get them while you can and happy reading!

DISCLAIMER: I was not compensated.