Interview with Alex Stargazer, author of The Necromancer

Why did you pursue writing?

I suppose it would be misleading to suggest that I ‘pursued’ writing so much as I was ineluctably drawn into it by who I am. Since you’re probably wondering what exactly that means, I’ll elaborate, and say: I’ve always had a powerful imagination. I’ve always dreamed—in my sleep, and in my waking life. Characters, scenes, landscapes—entire worlds—materialize when I do. I guess there might have been other ways in which to express this passion (painting, say); yet somehow, it was the keyboard that drew me.

This is in no small part attributable to my love of stories. I’ve been reading them profligately since I was 8. (It’s curious that—at double that age—I am now writing them.) At the time, I lived in the Netherlands. I studied at an international school. For a time, I missed half of the lessons (which were in Dutch) to learn the language. But I was also given the opportunity to read (English language) books from the library. That may well have changed my life. In fact, you probably wouldn’t be reading this if that hadn’t transpired.

What inspired your book?

I cannot pinpoint that exactly (stories are like that for me). What I can say: it was the Necromancer that started it all. He was the one whose eyes I saw glimmering in my dreams; his charm and vivacity brought eloquent words to my lips, and fire into my creation.

How long have you been publishing your work?

The Necromancer is my first work; however, before publishing it, I released a short story—the Sandman—in April. So: April 2014 is when my first work came out. I actually started writing the Necromancer in October 2012; in six months (and two weeks) I had a first draft. I spent a lot of time revising, getting feedback, and researching my options after that. Sorting out cover design and various other miscellany of publishing took a couple of weeks.

What’s your writing environment like?

Somewhere between total chaos and strict discipline—often embodying elements of both. I have my own office room that serves as a library for all of my books, plus my school stuff. My parents also use it to store various things (much to my irritation). It’s a pretty messy place.

However, my computer setup—consisting of multiple monitors, a sound system, webcam, and a zillion other pieces of equipment—is very well presented. I keep all my files neatly ordered and everything is organized to a T. Procrastination is still a problem though!

Author Biography

Hello! I’m called Alex Stargazer. That’s not my real name. And no: I’m not going to tell you. I like a little mystery.

What I will tell you: I’m sixteen. I have a passion for fantasy; and a soft spot for romance. I like to write about anything fantastical (elves are a favourite; dragons too) and my favourite book’s either Narnia or Northern Lights—never could decide, poor vacillating me.

Anyway: give my stuff a read. You might like it. No, really; I got fans. (If you listen carefully at night, you’ll hear them whispering my name. They’re shy, are my fans; but they’re a determined lot.)

PS: if you want to know more, email me at alexstargazerwriterextraordinaire@outlook.com. Yes, the address is deliberately long; I don’t like stalkers. They scare me.

The Necromancer is available on Amazon!