NEXT CHAPTER AUTHOR
David N. Pauly
Hailing from suburban Chicago, David Pauly attended the same high school where they filmed the 80’s classics, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 16 Candles, and the Breakfast Club. College at UW-Madison was awesome, where David majored in History, minored in beer drinking, and enjoyed his first taste of freedom. Working for a year after graduation for Domino’s Pizza convinced, David that law school was preferable to food service so off to Washington and Lee he went.
Another graduation brought yet another re-location, this time to sunny New Mexico. Practicing law in the Land of Enchantment, David spent several years building up his practice, but always felt that something was missing. While David loved the turquoise skies and spicy food, he was looking for something more.
A life change prompted David to take a sabbatical from practicing law, and move to Paris, where he obtained a certificate in cuisine and pastry, from Le Cordon Bleu in 2003. Unable to find work, David left the wonderful magic of Paris behind, returning home to New Mexico, to revive his law practice, and care for his five rescue dogs. Single for the first time in 10 years, David took refuge in re-reading his favourite Fantasy and Sci/Fi books, returning to his childhood refuge, distracting him from a mundane depressing existence.
Voraciously re-reading books like Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Dune, The Martian Chronicles, and the Foundation Trilogy, David always wondered what would have happened after these stories ended. So, one snowy night he let his imagination run free and began typing a few sentences of what would eventually become an epic fantasy novel. Ten years later after countless re-writes and edits, begging family and friends to re-read it all, David published his first novel, The Fourth Age Shadow Wars.
Currently busy with his law practice, and precocious 6 year old daughter, David writes the sequel to Shadow Wars, Dark Shaman when he has time. Dreaming of having more time to write and cook, David soon hopes to put away his legal shingle for good, never having to answer the most frequent question asked by his clients “Am I going to Jail again?” with the response, “Yes, yes you are.”
IN THE AUTHOR’S WORDS
Author interview
Interview submitted .
What inspired you to start writing?
I was inspired to write, due to several factors. Recently divorced and having a well-organized law practice meant that I had a lot of time on my hands. More importantly, I had loved Fantasy novels since I was 7, beginning with the Chronicles of Narnia. Reading Lord of the Rings and other fantasy series always left me feeling that I wanted more from the series. I always wondered what would have happened if the series had continued. So one night I began writing some ideas down to see how it would go. Unfortunately, growing up and even through university, I was told that I was not a good writer, that my grammar is atrocious (which it is, lol), and that I could barely write a paragraph. I was determined to prove my detractors wrong, and I have now written 5 novels that are published by a small publishing company and one self-help book. More importantly writing fantasy was a great distraction from my day job as a lawyer, and I could immerse myself into my own world and create whatever I wanted too.
I wrote Expensive Janitor as my cathartic self expression books once I had moved away from New Mexico and the PTSD of living ane practicing there had subsided. I Ironically was banished at one of my jobs because I could not get along with my moronic overly sensitive co workers to a dim conference room. They gave me no work to do but expected me to be there everyday, so I wrote the 2nd book, Expensive Janitor a Deeper Clean during that time. I got so lonely sitting in the back, that I wrote a sign saying "the cupboard under the stairs" aka harry potter to tell any stray visitor how I felt.
Who are some of your favorite authors and books?
J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion
C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia and his Space Trilogy
Issac Asimov, The Foundation Series, the The Robot Series
Arthur C. Clarke, 2001 a Space Odyssey and many other titles
Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes, the Martian Chronicles Glenn Cook, the Black Company series
What would you like to tell readers who have just discovered your books, but haven't read one yet?
That I wrote Epic Fantasy as I wanted to tell the tale of what happens after any classic fantasy series ends. You never hear what happens after the great war is over, and the unlikely hero has defeated the dark lord. I tell that story in my fantasy books. I also drew inspiration from the politics of the 2000's when the USA invaded the middle east and destroyed two separate countries in revenge for 9/11/ Sadly there were no consequences for our actions. In my books negative actions have negative consequences for everyone.
In my comedy novels, I would tell you to jump in and read what it was like to actually practice law in Breaking Bad country. The books are easy to read as each chapter is a stand alone, so you can put it down and come back to it any time. Unlike the tv shows where the law is so glamorous, I show the reader exactly what it was like to practice law with ordinary people.
Who is the favorite character you created, and how did they come into being?
In my fantasy books, it is Prince Daerahil. He is brilliant and a truly gifted military tactician. He is hated by his father as Daerahil does not believe in his father's racist policies. The character is exiled for a crime he did not commit, and must use all of his wits to survive in a hostile land.
What are your future plans as a writer?
i am nearly finished with my 2nd fantasy series, The Fourth Age Dark Shaman, and with luck will be available by Christmas.